The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 146

At Sera’s words, the butler Alfred recoiled in shock and asked,

“You mean to strike him from the family registry entirely?”

“That’s right.”

Alfred.

He was the same butler who, years ago, had come from House Valkyrisen in search of the young lady of the Ratson family and tried to kill Elodie—only to be harshly reprimanded by Edmund.

Even so, he was one of the few servants who hadn’t left.

Sera stared at him steadily and asked,

“Is there a problem?”

“But... he was the previous Count and head of the family for twenty years...”

“...”

Sera didn’t react at all to his babbling.

She didn’t flush with anger or raise her voice.

She simply gazed at him in silence.

As if to see just how far he’d dare to go.

Ah.

That was when the butler realized—belatedly—that he’d said something idiotic.

He’d spoken to Sera the same way he always had in the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) past, not yet recognizing, deep down, that the entire situation had changed.

The former Count wouldn’t be coming to his defense. In fact, he would likely never step foot in Terranolia again.

What the hell was he relying on?

Cold sweat seemed to crawl down his spine.

“What about him? What are you trying to say?”

“I... It’s just...”

He stammered, unable to finish the sentence.

Sera gave a short, derisive laugh.

As if she already knew what he meant to say.

“You were going to say it’s too harsh since he’s my birth father. Ask if I could show him mercy, right?”

“N-No, not at all.”

“Of course you were. It’s obvious.”

Parents are allowed to ignore their responsibilities, but children are expected to be dutiful?

So a parent can throw away their child and still be understood, but a child casting off their parent is unthinkable?

Because a child is just property? A disposable tool?

What a sick, twisted notion.

If he’d abandoned her, he should’ve been prepared to be abandoned in return.

“Graham crossed into another nation and used the power of an evil god to try to kill his own daughter. And as if that wasn’t enough, he tried to frame the Emperor of Animallia.”

Sera recited his crimes, her voice calm and measured.

“Are you saying those crimes aren’t a disgrace to the family?”

“...”

“Go on, then. Tell me how we’re supposed to recover from this without banishing him. If your argument is reasonable, I’ll consider it.”

“...”

But of course, no such miracle solution existed.

No answer came.

Sera spoke coldly, her voice laced with frost.

“If you dare to question my orders again without just cause, I’ll have you dismissed. You’ve been warned.”

“...I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

Ah, so the threat of being thrown out still scared him.

There was nowhere else to go now, after all.

Elodie, still sitting quietly on Sera’s lap and observing the situation, muttered in an awed tone,

“Wow. He really can’t read the room, huh?”

“...”

“How did he even serve the previous Count?”

Of course he served him obsequiously!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Who would’ve guessed the girl treated like a scullery maid in her own house would find the right backing and kick the Count out?

He’d thought Lord Graham would somehow hold onto the family until the end. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The butler was silently seething, but he hid it behind a pitiful bow of his head.

Sera idly stroked Elodie’s hair as she gave her next order.

“Gather all the remaining servants in the hall. I have something to say.”

***

It wasn’t long before they gathered.

They looked confused, nervous—wondering what on earth she had to say to all of them.

Once they were assembled, Sera began.

“Some things never change.”

“...?”

Never change?

None of them seemed to have any idea what she was getting at.

She continued evenly, without a trace of disappointment in her voice, as if she’d expected this.

“I can understand, to an extent, what you all did to me. What can a mere servant do when the head of the house is using their power to oppress someone? Everyone values their life. Some of you probably had no choice, forced to support your families.”

At that, a glimmer of hope appeared on the servants’ faces.

“So I decided to give you one last chance.”

They exchanged glances, quietly.

See? I told you.

She wasn’t the type to be cruel.

In the end, she would forgive them.

No matter how cold she might seem now, people don’t change deep down.

And honestly, she wasn’t wrong. Without the head of the house's orders, none of us would’ve dared treat the Count’s daughter like that. We didn’t have a choice.

In House Bluewood, the Count’s word was law.

They had always used that as a shield to justify how they treated Sera.

Even now, they were desperately rationalizing it all to themselves.

But Sera wasn’t finished.

“And this is the result.”

...What?

She already gave them a chance?

But Seraphina Bluewood had just become the Count. When was there ever a chance?

They hadn’t even had time to make amends!

“I gave you a whole week. To decide whether to leave the estate or stay.”

As mentioned before, Sera hadn’t actively dismissed any of the servants.

Why would she?

There was no need to single anyone out—only the shameless had chosen to remain.

Anyone with a shred of decency had already left.

Those who once served Sera’s birth mother had long since been driven out by the stepmother, and anyone who had even slightly opposed the stepmother’s actions had vanished ages ago.

There were also those who resigned immediately after Sera became Count.

They, at least, felt some sense of guilt.

Fear of retaliation meant they knew they’d done wrong.

Most of them had stayed silent under higher orders, but behind the scenes, they’d tried in their own small ways to help Sera.

Sneaking her food. Taking over chores when no one was looking.

Those who could feel pity for a wronged child had already left.

Which meant...

The servants left behind were the ones who had abused her and felt no shame.

Not a single exception.

“It’s really amazing. Did you all think I was so stupid? That I wouldn’t remember what happened just five years ago?”

The wounds of childhood don’t fade. They stay, burned into the mind like a brand.

Still vivid, as if it all happened yesterday.

If Elodie hadn’t been there, maybe she never would’ve recovered.

“And judging by the looks on your faces, you truly don’t remember. I guess it’s you who’ve forgotten.”

The brightness drained from their faces.

Because most of them genuinely didn’t remember what they’d done to her.

They didn’t even realize it had been abuse.

They hadn’t thought of it as a crime, so how could they feel guilty?

But one thing was certain—they had failed her test.

“I’ve summoned back everyone who was unjustly driven out for disobeying the former Countess. They’ll be reinstated with even better terms than before.”

At that, fear flickered in the eyes of several servants—including the butler.

As if Cinderella was the only one they’d tormented?

If they’d harassed the Count’s own daughter, how much worse must they have been to fellow servants?

“I also asked those who resigned voluntarily after I inherited the title to return.”

And now they were consumed with regret.

What did they regret?

Mistreating Cinderella in the past?

No. What they regretted was not leaving the estate sooner.

That was just the kind of people they were.

“I could hold you accountable for your crimes right now, but I’ll give you one final choice.”

Sera spoke with a kindness that cut sharper than any blade.

“Face legal judgment—or be stripped of your rank and start over as a probationary maid or manservant, working from the bottom.”

“...”

“The choice is yours.”

Unbelievable.

Start over as probationary servants?

After everything they’d done to curry favor with the former Count and Countess?

After all the disgusting things they’d done?

And now those who had been cast out for displeasing the previous heads of house were coming back in with higher positions?

It was obvious what would happen next.

They’d be tormented so viciously they’d end up begging to be thrown out.

They could imagine it clearly—because it was exactly the sort of thing they themselves had done.

But...

“If we face trial, we’ll be executed.”

Or, at best, rot in prison for the rest of their lives.

There was only one real choice.

To suffer the punishment they themselves had inflicted on others.