FPML 36

Chapter 36

“Sir Beers, here are the documents you requested.”

A man set down a thick file folder. Once the office door closed, Vaileon opened it.

It was the personnel records of the Ministry of State employees. Vaileon’s long finger slowly traced one name in particular—the Third Secretary.

Marienne Didi.
Born November 11, Imperial Year 244.

“Her birthday’s still a ways off.”

No siblings. Parents deceased; registered under her aunt and uncle’s guardianship from age twelve. The aunt and uncle run a general store in the Cestagna District of the capital.

“Ah…”

Vaileon couldn’t take his eyes off that second line for a while.

He’d known that Marienne avoided talking about her family, including her parents. He’d assumed there was some personal reason.

But he hadn’t realized it was because they’d died when she was a child.

“Let’s be honest—it’s not that I didn’t know. I just didn’t bother remembering.”

Anyone joining the Ministry of State is required to submit personal records. No exceptions, even if they’re just going to be cleaning staff.

The submitted records are first verified internally, then again by Vaileon’s investigators.

Only after passing both reviews do they reach his desk.

So yes—he must have read Marienne’s family information months ago.

And Vaileon’s memory was excellent. He could recall even years-old details clearly—provided they were worth remembering.

And that was the problem. Back then, he hadn’t imagined a day would come when he’d want to know everything about Marienne.

“Cestagna District, huh… I used to pass through there myself.”

That area was the city’s old quarter, filled with antique shops, doll stores, candle makers, candy stores, and secondhand bookshops.

If you were lucky, you could find antique music boxes or lovely pendants for cheap.

It was the sort of place people strolled through just for the joy of window-shopping.

Vaileon’s gaze drifted to the next line.

Marienne’s education: Imperial Academy, Department of Literature. Graduated 110th out of 138 students.

At first glance, that might sound unimpressive for a position in the Ministry of State.

But the Imperial Academy was notoriously hard to get into. Even among nobles, most applicants were rejected. Simply graduating on time without failing was impressive.

So even though Marienne had no special awards or work experience, her academy degree probably opened the door for her.

Vaileon glanced down at her civil service exam score.

61 points out of 100.

For reference, 60 was the cutoff. The Ministry’s average was in the mid-90s.

“So it really was the school name…”

As expected.

Even her recommender, Secretary Phil, had emphasized that she was an Imperial Academy alumna.

“Wait a minute. Judging by the year, we attended together for one year.”

Vaileon tried to recall the entrance ceremony.

He’d been the student representative all through his academy years, and student council president his final year—so he’d have delivered the welcome address.

Was there a girl with spring-pink hair standing among the new students that day?

He couldn’t remember.

You’d think they might have crossed paths on campus at least once. And with such a distinctive hair color, she should have been unforgettable.

Maybe he should ask a classmate? Someone like Trent, who knew everyone, might remember a pink-haired freshman.

“No. Bad idea.”

He dismissed the thought immediately.

Trent was famous not just for his wide circle of acquaintances—but also for his endless romances.

And Trent’s weakness had always been petite, lively girls.

It had been years since graduation, but people’s tastes don’t change that easily.

If Vaileon went asking around, Trent might find out about Marienne now.

“Absolutely not.”

Marienne was already adorable—she must have been devastating at fourteen.

What if Trent had already had an eye on her back then, but she was too young, so he never made a move?

And now, hearing her name from an old friend…?

“I must’ve lost my mind.”

Vaileon vowed never to approach Trent under any circumstances. He lifted his head.

Fate was strange. Eight years ago, he’d been visiting Odette’s secluded mansion.

Despite seeing Odette every week, he had never once run into Marienne at the academy, even though they’d attended for a year together.

“I wonder if Secretary Didi remembers me from back then…”

A selfish thought—but still.

If Marienne were ever to mention “that senior who gave the welcome speech,” he knew he’d smile without realizing it.

“Someday, I’ll ask her casually.”

But not today.

Earlier, she’d seemed busy since Monday morning. Whatever it was, she clearly didn’t want her superior to know.

The way she’d clammed up the moment their eyes met said as much.

“I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sting.”

More and more, his mind filled with questions he couldn’t ask.

What do you even like about me?
I’m not that special. There are plenty more remarkable men here in the palace.
Do you have a first love? Who was it? What kind of person?
Did you ever get confessed to at school? I bet you did. Just thinking about it already hurts a little.

“Why do I have so many damn questions…”

Vaileon rubbed his eyes.

He thought of his family—who also tended to lose all composure once their personal interests were involved.

He really was a Beers.

Then he remembered Saturday.

Marienne had blatantly ignored Priestess Anais—but not before staring fixedly at her body-hugging robe.

At her rear, specifically.

Vaileon subconsciously looked down at himself.

“I do sit for long hours at work…”

Then it hit him—he’d spent the entire week thinking about his fiery little secretary.

◇ ◆ ◇

The Sun of the Empire.
The man whose mere existence was light itself.

Vaileon’s birthday was just one day away.

Marienne was in charge of organizing the surprise event: the cake decorations, the message, the sweetness level, even the seating arrangement of the ministry staff—she’d handled it all.

Everything was ready.

First Secretary Phil praised her again and again, saying his judgment had been right about “our Marienne.”

But Marienne couldn’t relax. Even as quitting time approached, one nagging worry still haunted her.

“What else can I do?”

According to the original story, Vaileon would remember his twenty-sixth birthday as the saddest one of his life.

The cheerful surprise party prepared by his staff would lift his spirits… only for them to crash at the lakeside under the rain.

There, he would find Odette’s discarded locket.

Caked with mud, abandoned like something worthless—yet all he could think was that it resembled himself.

Unable to leave it there, he’d gently pick it up.

But on his way back, he’d overhear the maids gossiping:

“Looks like Her Highness the Fourth Princess and Duke Blackwood are truly in love.”
“I thought it was just a political marriage, but it seems real.”
“Did you see them? They couldn’t even wait to find a private room before kissing!”

Odette wouldn’t send Vaileon a birthday message until midnight.

Not because she meant to hurt him—but because of that damn Cain.

Of course, Vaileon would have no way of knowing that.

And two days later, Odette would appear wearing an extravagant necklace—dozens of small diamonds surrounding a massive 50-carat blue diamond.

An heirloom of House Blackwood.

Vaileon would pretend not to notice the faint mark of a kiss on his lord’s pale neck and compliment the necklace instead.

He’d say nothing, choosing the path of quiet resignation.

The locket close to his heart would ache with every beat.

“What a perfectly tragic story for a second male lead.”

Marienne let out a long sigh.

“Where on earth am I supposed to squeeze myself into that plot?”

Could she stop the afternoon rain? Impossible. The weather was beyond any reincarnator’s control.

Maybe she could prevent Vaileon from going to the lake at all?

If he didn’t go, he’d never find the locket—or hear the maids’ gossip.

Or perhaps she could keep him trapped at the ministry all day?

Then, an unholy thought crossed her mind.

“What if I… laced his birthday cake with a mild laxative?”

No. Absolutely not. Get a grip, Marienne Didi.

Just because spiking his tea with cold medicine worked once doesn’t mean this is the same thing.

“Let’s not display my incompetence in such a disgraceful way.”

Besides—who would want to spend their birthday stuck in the office restroom?

That’d be as miserable as heartbreak.

Marienne shook her head. There had to be a better solution than diarrhea.

“In the end, maybe I just have to face Odette myself and ask her. If we could hold onto the locket for one day, that’d solve everything. Maybe I can use Sir Beers’s name to make it happen.”

But that plan had one fatal flaw.

Marienne knew she couldn’t win a verbal spar against Odette.

Her usual bulldozer tactics might work on northerners or fake priests—but not on the princess.

Odette was infamous for her grudges—the kind that lasted a lifetime. She repaid kindness tenfold, and resentment a hundredfold.

The undisputed queen of vengeance in this world.

“She’d have my head…”

Marienne rubbed her bare neck—unadorned even by a simple silver chain.

Forget diamonds. She’d settle for keeping her neck attached.

“How does this always end with me having to face that northern bastard one-on-one again?”

Unless it was Operation: Shave Him Bald, she wanted nothing to do with Cain Blackwood.

Any encounter with that man led to pain—literal, physical pain.

Just the thought of seeing him tomorrow gave her a headache.