Chapter 06
The duke’s low voice froze the air around them.
Ruelia tried to guess the intention behind the question he had just asked.
Oh no. I think His Grace picked up my resignation letter.
The Kylas she knew was not the type to cling to subordinates.
—If you can’t do it anymore, just submit a resignation letter. I’ll let you quit anytime. That’s what all the other aides did. —
He had said the same thing when they signed her employment contract.
If he had found her resignation letter himself, he would probably send her away without hesitation, saying that someone whose heart had already left had no reason to stay.
Ruelia swallowed.
She still hadn’t finished calculating the perfect timing for her resignation.
She needed more money. Above all, Melissa’s medicine was expensive.
It wasn’t as if she had no other way to earn income. There were money-making ideas written in the diary. But without starting capital, she would need at least two more years.
So now was definitely not the time.
If you kick me out like this, you’ll regret it!
She repeated the thought in her head, unsure whether it was a curse or a desperate wish.
“Your Grace, um… about that…”
Seeing her hesitate, Kylas grew tense as he waited for her answer.
The life he had lived before Ruelia arrived had been miserable.
Slow work, repeated mistakes every day, and fools who only flattered him and never offered proper advice. Cleaning up after them had always been his burden.
He had no intention of ever going back to those days.
Kylas clenched his fist.
If it’s just a resignation letter, I could simply destroy every one I see.
He had told her to submit a resignation letter if she wanted to quit. Without one, she couldn’t leave.
A verbal contract was still a contract.
“Ah—no, the question just now wasn’t anything impo—”
But Ruelia answered faster.
“I enjoy working with you much more, Your Grace. Haha.”
Instead of relief, a different tension rose in his chest.
Was she thinking of returning to Count Bellona?
Had someone tried to lure away an aide of House Aber? Who would dare?
The imperial family?
Only they would have the nerve.
But that was unlikely.
The imperial family valued bloodline and status above all else. The only commoner women they hired were maids.
Ruelia would never write a resignation letter for such work, especially when the pay was so low.
She must just be wavering because the work got hard.
Kylas reached his own conclusion.
“That’s a relief. If things ever get difficult, tell me. I’ll give you a vacation if there’s time. And about your weekly pay.”
He knew exactly what Ruelia needed.
“Starting next week, I plan to increase it by another 500 gold.”
Ruelia’s eyes widened.
Her confusion lasted only a moment before joy filled her face.
“Thank you, Your Grace!”
She bowed deeply, then straightened. Her clear eyes no longer showed any confusion.
Kylas watched with satisfaction before speaking again.
“More importantly, do you have a dress to wear to the banquet?”
“Oh, right. You said it was a celebration banquet. Then I’ll need a formal dress.”
Ruelia looked troubled.
She had never attended a noble banquet as a guest.
She usually waited in the carriage or managed the schedule alongside the butler.
“I’m not sure if a dress can be made within fifteen days…”
She felt stuck.
Why had the invitation come so late?
If she poured in a huge amount of money, a tailor might finish in time.
But wasting money like that made her hands tremble as a commoner.
“Fine. Then I’ll prepare your dress. It’s better for partners to coordinate their outfits.”
“…Pardon? Partner? Who? Me? Your partner?”
Ruelia fired off questions like a broken machine.
“Then what status did you think you were going under?”
Kylas’s lips curved upward, soft and light, like perfectly whipped meringue.
Any thought of the resignation letter had completely vanished from his mind.
“Oh… well, I suppose that’s true.”
Ruelia replied absentmindedly. Her thoughts were elsewhere.
She had just come up with a brilliant plan to protect her perfect workplace and her newly raised pay.
If the duke’s love succeeds, he won’t turn dark at all.
If she eliminated the root cause, the perfect job would last forever.
Unrequited love?
That word didn’t suit a perfect duke in the first place.
“Your partner, huh…”
Ruelia muttered as she organized a realistic plan in her head.
Kylas reacted immediately.
“Yes. Because you are my aide.”
He emphasized that single word.
Ruelia understood his meaning clearly.
She belonged to House Aber. For the sake of the family’s reputation, she needed proper attire.
“Yes. Then I gratefully accept your kindness, Your Grace.”
She lightly held her skirt and bent her knees, like a lady accepting her first dance at a banquet.
For a moment, Kylas felt as if he had returned to the training grounds.
His heart was beating as fast as when he ran a hundred laps.
He really needed to see a doctor.
***
When Ruelia returned near the training grounds, it was already lunchtime.
She had been delayed longer than expected after reporting new information about the grain storage location.
Kylas had listened so seriously that she lost track of time. And with her pay increased, she felt she needed to work even harder.
“As expected of His Grace.”
According to the diary, a small lake near one of the promising storage sites would eventually flood, spreading disease across the duchy.
At present, it looked completely harmless.
—You’re not someone who acts without reason. I trust you. Do as you wish. I don’t care how much the budget costs. —
A superior who trusted his aide completely.
How could she ever think of abandoning a lord like that?
Her loyalty had nothing to do with the pay increase. Though the extra 500 gold did help her decide faster.
I need to get rid of the resignation letter before anyone notices it.
She searched the path to the training grounds at a quick pace.
But it seemed she was too late.
“Ugh, where did it go?”
There was nothing left where she had been earlier.
No paper. Not even a fallen leaf. As if someone had picked it up.
Then she spotted a group of knights gathered at one corner of the training grounds.
They were gathered around a small brazier.
Ruelia noticed Billein among them. Maybe they had seen it.
That would be terrible in its own way.
They’ll definitely bring it to the duke.
She waved urgently at Billein, trying to look friendly.
“Sir Billein!”
“A-Aide!”
Billein, who had just thrown something into the fire, jumped and turned around.
At the same time, Ruelia recognized what he had thrown.
My resignation letter!
Thank goodness.
They hadn’t realized what it was and used it as a fire starter.
The knights of House Aber were truly her saviors.
Ruelia approached, pressing a hand to her chest in relief.
Billein and the other knights froze, watching her nervously.
“Um… Aide.”
“You all look like you trained hard today. If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll try to arrange the budget.”
She smiled brightly, pouring sincere gratitude into her words.
After all, they had taken care of her resignation letter without even knowing.
“Th-That is—!”
But unaware of her inner relief, Billein continued to stammer.
Anyone could tell he looked like someone caught doing something wrong.
The other knights clicked their tongues at his foolishness and exchanged glances.
As if reaching a decision, they nodded to each other one by one.
One knight turned to face Ruelia. The rest followed.
“Aide, there’s something we need to say.”
The first knight spoke with a serious expression, eyes filled with the resolve of a vanguard on the battlefield.
Bravery.
The knights of House Aber silently encouraged him.
“What is it?”
“How do you truly feel about our duke?”
“You must answer honestly.”
They were serious. And desperate.
