Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

What bothered him…

Was that she was no longer the one in charge.

"Who is the current Head Maid?" William asked, voice quiet.

The Treasurer blinked, as if surprised he didn't know.

"…Jenny, my lord."

William let out a dry laugh.

"Jenny, is it?"

"Head Maid Jenny, reporting as requested."

William studied the woman who had just entered his room.

She was… young.

Far younger than he expected.

Mid-to-late twenties, at best.

He had always pictured head maids as older, more experienced women who had spent decades managing the house.

This one?

She was practically a child in comparison.

Even Hans seemed taken aback.

"Wait—wasn't the Head Maid Dana just a few months ago?"

Jenny arched a perfectly groomed brow.

"The previous Head Maid retired due to her age. That was two months ago. Are you saying you didn't know?"

Hans stiffened, fumbling for an answer. "Well, I—I mean, it's not like I had much reason to interact with—"

"How pathetic."

Hans flinched.

William's gaze sharpened.

Hans was his personal attendant—his shadow.

A head maid had no right to scold him, especially not in front of his own master.

Yet she had done it without hesitation.

And the way she smirked—as if she was amused.

William had met enough people in his past life to recognize that kind of arrogance.

This was not a servant who feared punishment.

She spoke with authority.

As if she believed she was untouchable.

William folded his arms.

"You seem quite bold for a mere servant."

Jenny smiled. "I am simply efficient, my lord."

William didn't smile back.

"Let's test that efficiency, then. Did you alter the budget?"

Jenny tilted her head slightly.

"Of course. You entrusted the allocation of funds to the Head Maid, did you not?"

William exhaled slowly.

"Did I ever grant you permission to make adjustments without informing me?"

"Given that you have ignored your finances for over a year, I assumed it was of no concern to you."

Hans sputtered in disbelief.

William, however, merely leaned forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"Then tell me, Jenny—why did you increase the wages of the other servants while slashing mine?"

Jenny barely even blinked.

"The staff was overworked and underpaid. They needed a raise."

"And you thought I wouldn't care?"

"Given that you haven't interfered in over a year, I assumed you wouldn't even notice."

William let out a low chuckle.

"You've crossed a very bold line, Jenny."

Jenny merely shrugged.

"It's already done. Just endure it for a month, my lord. After that, things will return to normal."

The room fell silent.

Hans looked like his soul had left his body.

The other servants did not move.

They were watching.

Waiting.

And in that moment, William realized something.

They weren't looking at him for guidance.

They were looking at her.

As if she was the one who decided how things were run.

William's eyes darkened.

"…Someone, fetch a whip."

The room froze.

The air turned heavy.

And yet—

No one moved.

William's gaze swept the gathered servants.

They all looked nervous.

But not because of him.

They were afraid.

Afraid of Jenny.

The pieces suddenly clicked into place.

This wasn't just some ambitious maid overstepping her bounds.

This was calculated.

Organized.

Jenny wasn't working alone.

There was someone backing her.

William's lips curled.

Well.

Let's see how long they last.

William's gaze darkened.

"You have protection, don't you?"

Jenny smirked, tilting her head slightly.

"Protection? My, my, you make it sound so sinister. I am merely… close with the second young master."

William's expression remained unreadable, but internally, he scoffed.

Close?

She meant she was Jordi's milk-sibling—the biological child of the wet nurse who had cared for him as an infant.

Blood or not, such bonds often ran deeper than noble ties.

So that's why the servants hesitated.

They weren't simply afraid of Jenny.

They were afraid of Jordi.

One wrong move, and they could be executed on his order.

William's thoughts turned cold.

The problem isn't just that she's loyal to him.

The problem is that they feared him more than they feared me.

Which meant one thing.

They thought I was weak.

Pathetic.

William sighed. What a mess.

He had known that his former self had been utterly spineless, but this?

This was worse than he expected.

He had planned to observe for a little longer.

To gather more information before making a move.

But now?

Now, it was time to reestablish order.

"Come, Hans."

Hans blinked. "Where are we going, my lord?"

William didn't answer.

"Follow me."

He strode toward the door.

The gathered servants tensed, hesitation flashing across their faces.

They were afraid.

Afraid that William was leaving to fetch the whip himself.

One of the braver ones finally spoke.

"Y-Young Master, please reconsider."

"The Head Maid surely didn't mean any harm—"

"I'm not going to get a whip," William interrupted flatly. "I'm going out for a bit."

The servants visibly relaxed.

William's lips curled in amusement. How pitiful.

He moved to step outside—

"Wise choice, my lord," Jenny called after him, amusement clear in her tone. "Even the second young master will surely commend you for it."

There it was.

A final, veiled reminder of where she stood.

William didn't respond.

Instead, he stepped into the hallway, his expression unreadable.

Enjoy your confidence while it lasts.

Because in a few hours, you'll regret every word you just said.

Hans had been fuming ever since they left.

And finally, he snapped.

"Why did you just let her get away with that?!"

William barely glanced at him.

"You think I should have punished her right then and there?"

"Yes! If the other servants wouldn't bring the whip, you should've gone and gotten it yourself! No one could have stopped you!"

William chuckled.

"True. But I would've lost more than I gained."

Hans looked incredulous.

"How? That woman openly defied you! Everyone saw it!"

"Exactly," William said. "Which means it wasn't just defiance. She wasn't acting on impulse—this was planned."

Hans frowned. "Planned?"