Chapter : 74
I looked directly at the head maid and gave a small, sly smile.
“I clearly told you not to do this yesterday. You’re in a managerial position—don’t you understand what I’m saying?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that… Lady Eani—”
“Don’t start making excuses again~.”
When I warned her with a smile, the head maid didn’t reply and just started sweating nervously. I tore my gaze away from her and looked around at the other maids, all of whom were on high alert.
“I really dislike this kind of wasted effort~. All of you here abandoned the tasks you originally had and gathered here instead.”
“Ah, well, that is…”
“You should be thinking about fixing inefficiency, not encouraging it. What kind of scene is this?”
“…I’m sorry. I’m lowly and didn’t think that far.”
The head maid bowed quickly, lowering herself. I watched her silently for a moment before speaking slowly.
“Some people might enjoy your flattery and sycophancy. But I don’t. The way I judge people is based on ability, efficiency, and to some extent, ethics.”
“!”
“Unfortunately, it seems you don’t meet all three. So don’t be greedy—just do enough~.”
Otherwise, you’ll even get on the Duchess’s bad side and be dismissed earlier~.
I passed the head maid after giving that advice. She froze in place, clutching her skirts, unable to maintain her expression—but I didn’t care.
After all, her reason for trying to impress me isn’t just settling past scores. There’s one more.
‘She wants to keep her position in the future.’
Among the managerial maids, she’s relatively young, and I’m the future authority of this mansion. So she’s already thinking ahead to the possibility of me becoming the Duchess herself.
‘Not a chance~.’
The thing I hate most is someone who can’t even earn their keep and still acts big.
‘I wouldn’t hire a specimen like that as an example.’
With that thought, I headed to the entrance. Just then, the door opened at the perfect timing.
Hathun entered with a stiff expression, but the moment he saw me, his face brightened instantly.
“Eani!”
“Hathun~.”
I spread my arms, and Hathun, with a joyful smile, lifted me into the air and spun me around once.
Seind Duke, who had accompanied Hathun from work, gave a clearly displeased glance.
“Tsk, tsk. No decorum in front of all the servants.”
Hathun, still holding me tightly, looked at the Duke and let out a small, amused smile.
“Well, Father, even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t have anyone to do this with.”
“What, what?!”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
I gently stopped Hathun with a smile of a confident victor.
“Oh my, Hathun. If you press too hard, Father will get sad.”
“What are you talking about?! I’m not sad at all! Don’t make things up!”
The Duke shouted angrily, stomped into the mansion, and left us behind. We exchanged glances and quietly laughed.
“Hathun, how was your day~? Was work at the company too tough?”
“Knowing you were waiting at the mansion gave me energy. It really feels… like we’re newlyweds.”
“Hoho, soon enough, that will be the case~.”
“…Indeed!”
Holding Hathun’s hand tightly, we entered the mansion, and I brought up the conversation we had started earlier.
“Hathun, have you thought about what birthday present you want~?”
Hathun blinked a few times, looking slightly troubled.
“Sorry. I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Actually, this topic had come up repeatedly ever since we started going on dates.
‘I was originally thinking of choosing something on my own, without asking him.’
This birthday would be the first banquet I attended as his fiancée in the capital. Everyone’s attention would inevitably focus on what I gave him.
‘I want to surprise people and leave a strong impression on them.’
But I also wanted to pick something that Hathun would like. And that’s where the problem began.
Looking back at my past life, whenever I picked a gift for someone, I went through this process:
‘Research the person’s information, figure out their tastes, then choose the gift most suited to their preferences.’
So I intended to create a shortlist based on Hathun’s preferences—but he had no particular tastes.
‘Now that I think about it…’
He had no strong likes or dislikes, no unique preferences.
‘Probably a result of a very suppressed childhood.’
As a result, even when I asked what kind of gift he wanted, the answer was always the same. For example, like now.
“Hathun, think a bit more. Are you sure there’s nothing you want for your birthday?”
“I’ll be happy with anything you give me, Eani.”
“Then… what’s your favorite thing?”
“Whatever you like, Eani.”
“Most needed thing?”
“Something that helps you, Eani.”
“Favorite food?”
“Whatever food you like, Eani.”
“Favorite color?”
“Whatever color you like, Eani.”
“…Something you dislike?”
For that, he gave the first slightly longer answer:
“Something you dislike, that makes you sad, that torments or hurts you.”
“All of your standards.”
“…Sorry. This is the only answer I can think of right now.”
He glanced at me, fidgeting a little.
“I’ve never really thought about what I like or dislike… If it’s too much, I’ll think harder.”
“No, Hathun. Don’t stress about it.”
I said that, but I couldn’t help feeling slightly frustrated. This man was blindly devoted to me, which was fine—but I wanted to know at least his tastes.
‘…How strange. I’m curious about someone else for the first time.’
It had never happened in my life before.
Again.
This unfamiliar feeling.
I paused for a moment in silence, and Hathun looked at me as if he had an idea.
“Then how about you tell me what birthday gift you want?”
“Huh? What I want?”
“I like whatever you like. And personally, I want to know what gift you’d want to receive.”
I slowly smiled at that. A fun thought had crossed my mind.
“Hmm~. Is that so~?”
Hathun nodded enthusiastically. I whispered softly to him.
“Well, sometimes people only realize their tastes after experiencing things for themselves. If you don’t like my gift, you have to tell me, okay~?”
“That won’t happen. I’ll be happy with anything you give me.”
Hearing that definite answer, I laughed quietly and nodded.
“I’m really looking forward to your birthday.”
“…Me too.”
It was the birthday I was most excited for in my life. He said that with a shy smile.
Hathun Seind’s birthday approached. His heart, which was fluttering with excitement, was restrained slightly.
‘It’s a birthday I’ve experienced every year, yet I feel unusually nervous this time.’
It made sense. Until now, his birthdays had been meaningless events meant to show off the Seind Duke family’s status. But this time, with someone he loved, it felt more special than ever.
“Ahem.”
Evening had arrived. The banquet had already started, and the atmosphere was getting lively. He was about to make his entrance as the main figure, along with his partner, Eani.
Hathun paused at the door to the banquet hall, taking a breath.
“Are you nervous?”
Startled slightly by the voice beside him, he turned his head. There stood Eani, beautifully dressed, looking up at him.
“You’ve been quiet for a while.”
“W-Was I?”
In truth, no matter how many times he attended a banquet, he never felt nervous, whether he was the protagonist or not.
But now, his heart was racing—
‘It’s all because… you’re just too beautiful…!’
