HYCBV 14

Chapter 14

“On the day of the interview, didn’t Miss Violet say something strange like she wanted to apply for the secretary position because she admired Your Grace’s noble character? Honestly, isn’t that ridiculous? Our lord is infamous as the Mad Dog Duke, the Demon Duke! Anyone could tell it was just an excuse.”

“…Mad dog? Demon?”

Kaien’s voice grew cold and ominous.

Normally, Aaron would’ve been scared out of his wits and bolted long ago, but he was so absorbed in his own deductions that he didn’t even notice.

“Still, it is true that our lord surpasses anyone on the continent in looks and intelligence! Maybe Miss Violet fell for that? She couldn’t very well say it outright, so she made up something about respecting Your Grace’s character!”

“……”

Kaien remained silent.

She fell for me?

‘Because Your Grace is my role model!’

‘Yes! I truly want to become someone with as admirable a character and integrity as yours, Duke! That’s my new dream for the future!’

The face of the new hire who had declared that so passionately during the interview came to mind.

Eyes sparkling with pure goodwill—free of fear, free of revulsion.

Kaien had been extremely sensitive to mana since birth. That sensitivity allowed him to faintly perceive emotions carried along with mana.

There had been countless flatterers who claimed to admire him. But all of them hid pitch-black desires—seeking power, trying to use him, or simply fearing him.

But that pure goodwill… was because she was in love with me?

Enough to want to become his secretary and spend every day by his side.

“……”

It was strange.

When he recalled the newcomer’s clear, light-green eyes, an inexplicable tightness settled somewhere near his solar plexus.

“H–Huh?!”

Aaron finally snapped out of his theorizing and turned pale.

“I-I said something outrageous about mad dogs and demons to my lord…! I must be the crazy one! Please kill me!”

Aaron dropped to his knees with a thud.

Kaien waved his hand, clearly annoyed.

“That’s enough. You’re loud.”

“Y-Yes…?”

“I want some peace and quiet. Shut up and get out.”

Aaron stared at him in shock, mouth agape.

Our lord dismissed me… so gently?!

Normally, he would’ve been kicked out by now—literally!

Before Kaien could change his mind, Aaron hurriedly fled.

Left alone in the now-silent office, Kaien slowly leaned back into his chair.

He still didn’t know the exact reason the new hire had volunteered for the secretary position.

But one thing was certain.

‘The person I admire most is you, Duke! There would be no greater honor than to learn and work by your side!’

At that moment, her eyes had clearly shone with sincere affection for him.

Kaien slowly took a sip of his tea.

Strangely enough, today the tea tasted sweet.

As the sun began to dip toward the horizon—quitting time.

Stepping out of the mage tower, I clenched my fist and whispered triumphantly,

“Yes!”

I got an advance. Hallelujah!

The thick salary envelope nestled in my pocket asserted its presence with reassuring weight.

Just before clocking out, I’d cautiously asked Aaron for an advance, and he’d agreed without hesitation.

There had been a minor incident where he suddenly tightened his grip on the envelope and almost tore it…

‘S-Senior? Could you please let go of the envelope?’

‘…You’re not planning to take this and stop coming in tomorrow, are you?’

‘What? Of course not!’

‘Honestly, I don’t care what kind of ambitions you have, Miss Violet. As long as you keep working like you do now…’

He’d muttered some incomprehensible things, too.

With those dark circles under his eyes, mumbling nonsense—it was a bit scary.

Still, he’s a good person. I’m sure of it!

He gave me an advance so readily.

A good boss! A good person!

I walked down the street with steps so light I felt like I could fly. The jingle of coins from my pocket sounded wonderful.

This will cover food expenses for a while. I can even buy one or two outfits for work!

And most importantly, there was somewhere that money needed to go first.

I lifted my head and looked up at the sign of the building I’d arrived at.

[Lloyd Law Office]

“Frisia!”

The moment I entered the house, my uncle greeted me with a broad smile.

His bright, sunshiny grin made me flinch.

What is this?

I’d expected him to be furious after I’d grabbed his precious daughter by the collar and shaken her like that.

My confusion was cleared up in the very next moment.

“A letter arrived from the Marchioness of Roheim.”

My uncle smiled in clear relief.

“She says she has absolutely no intention of taking in a commoner daughter-in-law in your place, and that you shouldn’t be too hurt over a single mistake made by a man destined for great things. How thoughtful of her to write personally, don’t you think?”

Thoughtful, my foot.

It just meant she couldn’t even be bothered to come in person.

‘You really should be grateful that our Felix has low standards and a soft heart. Do you honestly think someone as scrawny, plain, and dull as you belongs at his side?’

The same marchioness who had always seemed desperate to erase me from Felix’s life had sent that kind of letter. It was unexpected.

“She invited you to lunch tomorrow. So tidy up that filthy hair of yours, buy a proper gift, and—”

“I’m not going.”

“…What?”

“Felix and I are already broken off. Why should I go out of my way to please a woman who’s now a complete stranger?”

“What?! You insane girl, you’re still spouting nonsense about breaking off the engagement—!”

“I’ll go when it’s time to collect alimony. Otherwise, I’m never setting foot in the Roheim estate again. I’m going upstairs now.”

I turned and climbed the stairs.

“Frisia! How dare you ignore me while I’m speaking! Get back here this instant!”

My uncle shouted himself hoarse, but he didn’t follow.

Ever since news spread that I’d formed a connection with Duke Kreutz, he seemed hesitant to lay hands on me like before.

I closed the door and let out a deep sigh.

“Phew.”

I didn’t shake or stutter back there, right? I handled that okay?

If Pipi had seen it, she would’ve praised me for doing well even without her.

Unfortunately, maybe her charging wasn’t finished yet—no chirping chick came rushing to greet me.

Crash! Clatter!

From downstairs came the sound of my uncle smashing household items in rage.

What a total mess of a household.

With an advance in hand, part of me wanted to rent even a tiny room and never come back here.

But the law office I stopped by after work had given me a firm warning.

‘No matter what happens, you must never leave the house. You need to maintain possession.’

When the lawyer heard that I’d effectively handed over my family and assets to my uncle with my own two hands, he stared at me like he was looking at a talking fish.

Well… I think I was crazy too. From someone else’s perspective, it must’ve been unbelievable.

For the past ten years, even to myself, I’d seemed eerily devoid of selfhood.

It was like my mind had always been shrouded in thick fog—until Felix and Lorena hit me with that massive betrayal and snapped me awake.

No matter how indecisive or soft-hearted I was, I wasn’t the type to devote myself that completely to my uncle and Felix…

Was I under some kind of dark magic?

You know, those rumors—

The kind that turns people into mindless dolls, controlling them like puppets.

Of course, there was no way my uncle—who ran the household into the ground the moment my parents died—had the money or connections to hire a dark mage.

It was just a way of saying how pathetic and incomprehensible my past self felt.

Then, a welcome voice sounded.

[Benefactor! Yaaawn.]

Pipi wriggled out from under the blanket.

[When did you arrive? How was your day? Pipi slept like a log and failed to assist you all day. Yawn.]

Still half-asleep, rubbing her eyes with short, chubby wings, Pipi came out to greet me.

Something tickled warmly in my chest.

So this is how it feels… to have someone welcome you home.

“I did okay. Work wasn’t bad, I got an advance, and I used that money to consult a law office.”

[Oh! Could you share in detail what the lawyer said with Pipi? I shall compare it with the legal code and determine whether he spoke the truth—or if he’s just a money-grubbing scoundrel!]

“Yeah. So, what he said was…”