Episode 3
The Winspear family was one of the four great ducal houses, pillars of the empire.
Their fame wasn’t solely due to their status as a ducal family. It was because no one left the Winspear Duchy, and no one could enter, fueling endless rumors.
And were those just rumors?
Not quite. Though they never set foot in high society or showed their faces, their overwhelming military power ensured that neither the imperial family nor the temple dared to challenge them.
Everyone in the empire knew Winspear “existed,” but no one truly knew anything about them…
So, in a place like Winspear, which shunned revealing itself and avoided outsiders…
‘Why me, of all people?’
My thoughts must have shown on my face because Roan gave a faint smile.
Was it just my imagination, or did that smiling face send chills down my spine?
As I instinctively rubbed my arms, he spoke casually.
“Well, just recently, the Duke’s aide requested additional staff. They were throwing a fit about quitting otherwise.”
That sounded strange.
But before I could ask anything, Roan continued.
“Now, now, let’s save the rest of the talk for when we get to Winspear.”
“Oh, alright then?”
It felt like he was brushing things off, but honestly, as long as I got my 300 gold, I didn’t care.
And the Winspear Duchy, of all places. It was only natural to be intrigued.
“But it’ll take at least four days to get to Winspear. How…”
“No worries. A skilled mage is waiting just up ahead.”
“Oh, I see. …Wait, what?”
It seemed Winspear had mages, a resource even the imperial palace rarely used.
Ignoring my shock, Roan extended his hand.
“Shall we go, Miss Walker?”
Nothing made sense, but I had no reason to refuse his hand either.
“Thank you for the escort, Mr. Roan.”
“My pleasure.”
I stepped outside with Roan. The rain had stopped.
There was no time to take in the details.
Soon, the mage Roan mentioned appeared, and I was whisked away to Winspear with them.
* * *
After a flash of light, the scenery changed. A magnificent mansion came into view.
“Miss Walker, from here, that person over there will explain everything.”
“And you, Mr. Roan?”
“Sadly, my role was only to bring you to Winspear.”
“I see.”
“If you end up working here, we’ll see each other often, so don’t be too disappointed.”
“Then I guess we’ll see each other a lot.”
Having made my decision before coming here, I could say that.
At my words, the corners of Roan’s lips curved prettily.
“I look forward to seeing you again.”
He kissed the back of my hand in an embarrassingly gallant gesture.
When I pulled my hand back, Roan stepped away without lingering. Then, he vanished with the mage who brought us here.
How long did I stare in the direction they disappeared? A tired, drooping voice pierced my ears.
“Miss Walker?”
Turning to look, I saw a man with long brown hair tied back, wearing glasses, with dark circles under his eyes.
“You’re here to review the contract, right? I’m Bael, the Duke of Winspear’s aide.”
Hearing Bael’s name, I flinched.
In an empire that served angels, to have the same name as Bael, the so-called king of demons?
Despite his exhausted demeanor, Bael’s gentle appearance didn’t match such a name.
“Ahem. Nice to meet you, Mr. Bael.”
“Just call me Bael.”
“No way. If I sign the contract, I’ll be working at Winspear, and you’ll be my senior. How could I call you so casually?”
At the word “senior,” Bael shuddered in distaste.
His odd reaction made me tilt my head.
His trembling and arm-rubbing made me frown. Sighing shortly, I replied.
“If you don’t like Mr. Bael, I’ll call you Lord Bael.”
Bael’s face crumpled further. Well, what else was I supposed to do?
Not wanting to be too casual with someone I just met, I shrugged.
I heard his teeth grind, but Bael gave a positive response.
“…Mr. Bael. That sounds like a fine title.”
“We’re getting along already. Great.”
Bael shook his head as if exasperated and walked off. I shrugged once and hurriedly followed him.
As we passed through the main gate to the reception room he was guiding me to, we didn’t encounter anyone else.
Finding that strange, I asked Bael.
“Where is everyone else?”
“It’s nap time.”
“Nap… what?”
At the bizarre statement, my eyes widened. When I questioned him, Bael kindly explained again.
“I said it’s nap time.”
I rubbed my ears at the odd words, but all I got was Bael’s serious gaze.
His nonchalant demeanor made me let out a hollow laugh.
‘Who takes naps at work?’
And what employer allows that?
“It’s the best way to boost work efficiency.”
Adjusting his glasses with a click, Bael nodded.
“Oh, haha, I see. Winspear’s welfare is impressive.”
Afraid I’d gape stupidly at more absurd statements, I stopped talking.
Ceasing conversation, I slowly scanned the corridor leading to the reception room. The more I looked, the more convinced I became that Winspear was strange.
Enough to make me want to run away right now.
“The sense here is really…”
Awful.
The clashing colors with no sense of unity. Decorations that made no sense being there. Paintings that questioned any aesthetic taste!!
Normally, I’d have continued my thoughts, but this time I couldn’t. Bael’s shoulders were puffed up proudly as he walked ahead.
Thanks to that, I knew who was responsible for this interior.
Clearing his throat a few times, Bael hid his twitching lips and asked.
“There are many fine pieces, aren’t there? Each room is decorated with a theme. If you stay at Winspear, we’ll decorate a room to your taste.”
An excited voice from such a tired face.
Despite the cognitive dissonance, I kept up with him, forcing myself to nod along.
“It’s been a while. We haven’t had a new human come in, so we haven’t had to prepare a room. How many years has it been?”
My eyes narrowed at Bael’s muttering.
Human?
His persistent weird concept was making me dizzy. At the same time, I desperately wanted to escape this peacock-like place.
Just then, we seemed to reach the reception room as Bael announced.
“Here we are. This is the place.”
Seeing the open reception room, I seriously wondered if I’d come to the wrong place.
The blood-red interior made my eyes squint. Even the tea served was red as blood.
“Hm.”
No matter how desperate I was for money, working in such a strange place didn’t seem right.
Before sitting down, I gave a bright smile and spoke.
“Um, Mr. Bael.”
“You’re quite lucky, Miss Walker. Normally, it’d take at least a week to process the signing bonus, but… the Duke specially issued a check for immediate payment.”
“Where should I sit?”
Bael gestured, and I quietly took a seat. Then, I sipped the tea that had felt unsettling moments ago.
“Now, please review the contract.”
He slid a contract toward me.
“It’s probably the best terms you’ll find.”
I slowly flipped through the thick contract, reading carefully.
The contract detailed what I’d be doing: assisting the Duke alongside Bael and separately managing the internal affairs of the Winspear Ducal Family.
‘But isn’t this the kind of work a lady of the house would do?’
