Chapter 6
Hugo, who had been waiting by the double doors of the dining hall, bowed politely.
“Good morning, Master.”
“You’ve been doing unnecessary things.”
“As if I would.”
Despite the duke’s sharp remark, Hugo kept his unshaken smile and opened the door.
‘Ah, maybe he’s getting scolded because of me? I feel kind of bad now.’
I made a guilty face, and Hugo winked at me. It seemed to mean I shouldn’t worry.
Honestly, I thought even with my crazy social skills, Hugo would be as hard to win over as Duke Bastion…
‘But surprisingly, he opened up even faster than the maids.’
Despite his perfect butler aura that seemed to allow not even a pin to slip through, he treated me like a kindly neighbor grandpa.
Whether it was because he was weak to kids or some other reason, it was a stroke of luck for me.
Winning over the head butler—the pillar of the Bastion household—meant I’d have a much easier time getting close to the duke!
I smiled at Hugo in response and followed the duke into the dining room.
“Sit.”
“Yes, sir.”
He pulled out a chair from the long dining table, which could easily seat twenty people, and I plopped into it.
By now, I could guess what he was aiming for.
‘This guy really just wants to feed me every time he sees me.’
It was actually a great signal. They say the measure of affection is food.
Worrying if someone has eaten means love; finding their eating face annoying means it’s over.
“Dear father-in-law candidate, remember: affection shouldn’t be irregular.”
“Irregular affection?”
“It’s a thing.”
While I beamed and swung my feet under the table, the duke took his seat at the head of the table, not far from me.
At that moment, the chef emerged from the connected kitchen, carrying two plates with a practiced ease.
One adult portion for the duke, one child portion for me.
The meal was simple but appetizing. As the chef stepped away, he gave me a small wave, and I waved back.
The duke, who had watched this, asked with a curious expression,
“You even know that chef’s name?”
“Uncle Sanché?”
“…Let’s eat.”
He shook his head as he spoke.
Then, like a graceful jaguar, he began his meal. I picked up my fork quietly to join in.
I wasn’t hungry, but Asha was too tiny. I needed to eat up, grow strong, and marry the eldest son of this house.
As I bit into a sausage bursting with juices, I looked around.
Maybe because the table had so many empty seats, it felt a little lonely. I mumbled without realizing:
“Food tastes best when shared.”
“If you’re missing the children…”
“Oh, I heard about that! My husband candidate is at the Academy, right? And the younger brother candidate is in the territory.”
Of course I asked the maids first thing once I got close to them. What do you take me for?
The duke said nothing in response to his private family affairs being revealed overnight. He seemed too exhausted to even be shocked anymore.
Still, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he didn’t completely dislike it.
See? Irregular affection.
“Hi, Asha!”
“Hello!”
With a full belly, I left the mansion and greeted everyone I passed as I ran toward the back garden.
I was holding a bunch of jerky gifted by Uncle Sanché, the chef.
“Guys!”
Before I even finished calling, the blue wolves came bounding down from the back mountain.
I had met them briefly last night before getting kicked out of the maid’s quarters. They had refused to leave when I told them to go home.
They said they didn’t want to be apart from me.
But having them lurking around the mansion would scare people, so we agreed they would stay in the garden—read: the back mountain.
Even the knights, who were initially wary, seemed pleased the security would tighten up.
And during breakfast, when I subtly hinted about them to the duke, he just brushed it off. Apparently wild animals on the mountain didn’t bother him.
‘Is this what it feels like to get permission to have a pet?’
My lifelong dream had been to raise a dog.
But I could barely feed myself, so I never had the chance.
‘Maybe that longing gave me the drive to befriend a whole pack of wolves.’
Giggling, I scattered the jerky and patted the wolves one by one, trying to talk to them.
“So you’re the mom, right? Ah, those two are a couple. And that one is…”
As I tried swapping between “that guy” and “this one,” I groaned.
These wolves needed names. Especially since we’d be living together from now on.
After counting carefully, I found there were exactly 12.
Perfect.
“Leader!”
I shouted, pointing at the alpha wolf. They all lined up in order of rank.
I named the proud alpha first.
“January! You’re first because you’re the alpha.”
“Ruff!”
January wagged his fluffy tail. Thankfully, he seemed to like the name.
“Then February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December!”
I named the remaining 11 according to rank.
Don’t dismiss it as lazy. I was born with social skills instead of naming talent.
Still, I did my best, and was feeling pretty proud when—
“Wow, the wolves actually follow you…”
A young man’s voice came from behind me.
Startled that the wolves might attack, I quickly calmed them and turned. It was the man I’d briefly passed by yesterday.
He looked like his dark circles had reached his chin. He raised both hands and kept a respectful distance.
“Would I get bitten if I come any closer?”
“Nope, it’s fine.”
I scratched under January’s chin like I was confirming it.
The wolves huffed but stayed seated or lay down, as if reluctantly holding back for my sake.
“I heard stories, but seeing it in person is even more amazing.”
The man approached cautiously, eyes wide, and bowed.
“Sorry for the delay. I didn’t get to introduce myself properly yesterday. I’m Benjamin Cooper, aide to His Grace Duke Bastion.”
“Oh, hi! I’m Asha. Please speak comfortably!”
I pressed my hands to my belly button and bowed deeply. Benjamin looked at me half in amazement, half in amusement.
“They say you’re going to be His Grace’s daughter-in-law…”
“Well, I’m still just a candidate.”
“I see.”
“But I’ll be chosen.”
Benjamin widened his eyes slightly, then chuckled.
Oh? A laugh? I’ll allow it, since it didn’t seem mocking.
Finding me interesting, he suppressed his laughter with a cough.
“Sorry. It’s just… you speak so firmly for someone your age.”
“I understand. Working with my father-in-law candidate, you must not get many chances to laugh.”
I answered with mock dignity, and he burst out laughing again.
Poor guy. Must really be humor-deprived.
I mean, what job is more thankless and stressful than being Duke Bastion’s aide?
You’d have to coax and cajole the empire’s biggest outsider into something resembling social interaction.
‘And not just any outsider—someone who voluntarily ghosted society.’
Thinking about everything Benjamin must’ve gone through, I could understand the history behind his intense dark circles.
Poor young man. At his age, he already looked like a withering old bachelor.
Perhaps feeling my sympathetic gaze, Benjamin scratched his neck awkwardly.
“Ahem. My apologies.”
I get it. But laugh more, seriously. You need this.
I grabbed Benjamin’s hand and asked seriously,
“Mr. Aide, do you know which animal is the biggest spender?”
“Pardon?”
“The biggest spender among animals.”
“…Are you implying that other animals, aside from humans, expend resources to satisfy desires?”
Ugh. Boring.
I quickly gave the answer before he could suck all the fun out of it.
“It’s a lion. Because it’s a ‘spend-thrift’.” (※ Korean pun: “사자” means both “lion” and “to spend”)
Benjamin’s face twisted—but not from anger. From laughter.
He trembled, hand over mouth, and I struck again.
“Then what’s soup made with lions called?”
“W-what?”
“Kingdom of Animals.”
He collapsed in a fit of laughter.
Phew, I didn’t think it’d work that well. His life must’ve been even more hopeless than I thought.
I sighed and pressed my forehead.
‘At this point, Duke Bastion should be sued for emotional neglect.’
What kind of misery must this man have endured?
Well, for me, it was the perfect opportunity.
I folded my hands over my chest and smiled benevolently at Benjamin, who was laughing his lungs out.
Yes, aide to my father-in-law candidate. I shall save your humorless life.
“Asha knows lots more fun jokes!”
First companion acquired!
Benjamin stuck to me like a pet in an RPG game.
“By the way, Lady Asha, why are you wearing a maid uniform?”
“It’s my taste.”
“I see.”
“Actually, it’s my father-in-law candidate’s taste.”
“I see.”
You really believe that?
I was just making stuff up because I couldn’t be bothered to explain, but Benjamin had been taking my every word at face value.
I clicked my tongue internally.
With a mind that naïve, no wonder he laughed at dad jokes till his legs gave out.
He must be smart—he’s the duke’s aide—but intelligence and realism are apparently different things.
I decided to correct him before he started spreading weird rumors about the duke’s “preferences.”
“Actually, I’m in bridal training.”
It was half true. Maybe no one else knew, but that’s what I decided to believe! If I said so, then it was true!
Clenching my fist, I added the other half of the truth.
“And to make it easier to seduce my father-in-law candidate.”
“Ah, so this outfit is His Grace’s taste…”
“I said it’s not!”
I waved enthusiastically at the senior maid I had become friends with first.
“Joanne, sis!”
“Oh my, Asha. What are you doing here?”
And with Lord Cooper, too?
Her face was slightly displeased, and I could practically hear her biting back her words.
That was because Benjamin and I were squatting in front of the duke’s office door, whispering.
‘I was waiting for the perfect moment, and Benjamin just joined in because he thought it was fun.’
Just then, Joanne appeared with a tray of refreshments for the duke.
Talk about a savior! She was giving me a chance to plant a whole apple tree in my future!
I put my hands together like I was praying and looked at my savior, Joanne, with sparkling eyes.
“Sis, sis, can I take that to His Grace?”
“Huh? To the master?”
Nod, nod.
I nodded so hard my head might fall off.
Joanne looked conflicted.
Not because I was taking her job, but because she wasn’t sure if it was okay.
“The butler said to let you do as you please, but…”
Grandpa Hugo, what a perfect assist!
I took his pass and made a run for the goal.
“I didn’t get to serve him properly this morning. Asha is super sad. Please just give me one more chance, okay? Please?”
I clung gently to Joanne—just enough not to make the tray wobble dangerously.
My face pouty. My voice pleading. Not too whiny, just the right touch.
Joanne’s expression faltered with a small sigh.
Almost there. Just a bit more!
I was willing the Jenga tower not to fall when Benjamin stepped in.
“If it becomes an issue, I’ll take responsibility. Let her go.”
“Well… then be careful.”
With even the duke’s aide on my side, Joanne had no choice but to hand over the tray.
“Yay!”
I cheered and took it excitedly—only to realize it was much heavier than I expected.
Before I could even groan,
“So this is how long you planned to dawdle.”
Duke Bastion appeared with perfect timing, snatching the tray from my hands, his face saying: Really? Of all things…
