* * *

‘He believes in every weird rumor.’

This was the sentiment of William, the butler of the Marquis’s household, when he was first instructed to verify the source of the rumor from Rosemary.

No way, a rumor that that guy is dating someone? That doesn’t make any sense.

It would be more believable if the rumor said he killed someone.

So, without expecting much, he had ordered an investigation into Luna Peils. But he was speechless at the unexpected information the servant brought.

“So, you’re saying that young master Antes really had a relationship with young lady Peils and even introduced Royer to the Baron’s family?”

“Yes. Ron said he went to the Baron’s house with Mr. Royer.”

“Ron?”

“He is a servant that the Marquis assigned exclusively to Mr. Royer.”

Only then did the butler remember Ron. About a decade ago, Ron was a servant the Marquis personally assigned to Royer because he felt sorry for him suffering so much.

“Can he be called?”

“He’s already been summoned.”

At the servant’s signal, Ron, who had been waiting nearby, hurried over and bowed.

Seeing his face jogged the butler’s memory. There was no one in the household he didn’t know.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Yes. How have you been, Mr. William?”

But Ron’s complexion wasn’t great. The situation was clearly uncomfortable for him, as he might have to betray the master he serves.

Seeing this, the butler, with years of experience, opened his mouth for a smooth conversation.

“It’s about time you returned to our household. I’ll talk to the Marquis about letting you work in his mansion again. You might have to wait a bit, though.”

“…!”

Ron’s eyes widened at the unexpected offer.

Even though he belonged to the Marquis’ household, he had felt a blow to his pride when suddenly he was made to work under a mere lawyer. But now, he could return to the mansion.

With a solemn look, Ron replied, “I will tell you everything I’ve seen.”

The butler was reassured by this promising attitude.

Having gathered some information, the butler, along with Ron, visited Rosemary’s room.

“Miss Rosemary, I’ve brought Ron, lawyer Royer’s servant. It seems he has seen everything at the Baron’s mansion.”

The results the butler presented were much bigger than Rosemary had anticipated. Putting aside her book, she cut to the chase:

“Really? So the rumor about my brother and Lady Peils dating is true? Or not? Is it false?”

“It’s true.”

“You’re joking! You’re not making fun of me, right? This is some kind of prank, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not.”

Having expected him to deny the rumor, Rosemary turned pale when he confirmed it.

“They even had a party to celebrate their relationship at the Baron’s mansion.”

“…What? Say that again!”

A party? She wondered if he meant some kind of violent, bloody party.

The situation was already complicated and Rosemary quickly took a sip of her hot tea. Normally, she would have felt the burn, but she was too shocked to notice.

“Wait a minute. Was there a misunderstanding? Maybe you misheard a word. Instead of ‘dating’, you might have heard ‘torturing’ or ‘killing’…”

“No, they were truly dating. It seems young master Antes was the one who approached her first. He even flattered her to make a good impression.”

“…He threw a tantrum?”

Rosemary’s brain seemed to twist normal words into terms fitting for Antes. Ron quickly corrected her.

“No, it’s flattery, flattery. He even used polite language to cater to the Baron’s mood.”

“Oh my God…”

This can’t be happening. Rosemary pinched her own cheek, thinking she might be dreaming.

It hurt, so it wasn’t a dream. Just to be sure, she also pinched the butler’s thigh. His annoyed expression confirmed the reality of the situation.

“Has he gone mad?”

“…”

Facing the sudden mental evaluation, Ron closed his mouth.

Given society’s norms of defining sanity, Antes had always been crazy, but now seemed sane. But was that the right judgment?

The silent butler intervened.

“Do we need to question young master Antes’ mental state now?”

“Right, we don’t… he was always insane.”

Both Rosemary and the butler, having had their fair share of troubles with Antes, continued with their harsh evaluation.

Although they were never physically harmed by him, they had been mentally strained by his ill-tempered nature thousands of times.

“So, has Lady Peils gone mad too?”

“No. He was friendly with the servants too. And she easily subdued him as well.”

“How can you say she’s normal when she easily subdued my older brother?”

Could he possibly be a wild beast tamer? Or a monster hunter, a member of a monster extermination squad, or one of the apostles of justice who beats up demons?

It was unimaginable from just hearing about it. The butler, who had heard information from Ron in advance, made a suggestion.

“How about meeting her in person?”

“…What? Me?”

Rosemary asked with a hint of fear. Given the unfavorable rumors and the fact that she was Antes’ girlfriend, she wondered if it was okay to meet.

“Yes. You can meet in an official capacity. Even if she’s said to be mad, they wouldn’t strike someone in a formal setting.”

“What are you talking about? My brother hit young lord Rordrian on the head in a formal setting. It seemed like he fainted then. Of course, he made a rude remark.”

Rosemary shuddered at the thought. The butler remembered that incident too, but tried to ignore it and continued:

“Apparently, young lady Peils will be buying a mansion soon. How about putting up your mansion for sale and meeting her?”

“Put up the mansion for sale? Just to meet?”

It’s not like everyone will come just because it’s up for sale. A legitimate question.

“Don’t worry about that. Young master Antes mentioned that he introduced Viscount Clea to the lady. In that case, she’ll definitely help Miss Rosemary.”

“…My brother introduced her to Viscount Clea?”

More than the idea of having a formal meeting, it was surprising that Antes introduced Luna to a Viscount in charge of mansion transactions.

My goodness. For him to introduce someone to someone else out of consideration… What kind of person is she…

At this point, the urge to see her face overcame her fear.

“Okay. Then prepare. Arrange for a tea time. If she doesn’t like it, I won’t sell, so put up my best mansion at a cheap price.”

“Understood.”

“Prepare the knights as well.”

Of course, she wasn’t thinking of meeting with no protection. She planned to meet with the maximum defense possible.

“Yes.”

“About twenty or so.”

“…”

“Thirty might be better?”

“…”

“Forty?”

“If you’re thinking of starting a war, then go ahead.”

Rosemary, lost in thought, offered a compromise in response to the butler’s cold answer.

“Let’s go with fifteen then.”

If you’re that worried, just don’t meet…

The butler, who couldn’t bring himself to say this, sighed and left Rosemary’s room. He too was curious about what kind of person Luna was.

* * *

Thanks to Royer’s quick action, the interviewee visited the Baron’s house the next day. He was a man who had worked in the mines for over twenty years.

It was his first time dressing up and attending an interview, so he sipped tea nervously while thinking,

‘Although it’s a shabby mansion, nobility is still nobility. I did come when I was contacted, but I wonder if they’ll really hire me.’

Moreover, a secretary? He had worked in the mines for a long time, but he was in the field, not in an administrative role.

There was an insurmountable gap between administrative and fieldwork roles.

‘Did I come here for nothing?’

Worried and regretful, he sipped his tea. After a while, Luna and the Baron entered the reception room.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

It was customary for nobles to speak informally to commoners, so it was a bit shocking.

“No, I haven’t waited long. My name is Tein. I look forward to working with you.”

Tein quickly got up from his seat and bowed deeply. Luna and the Baron briefly introduced themselves and started the interview.

“I heard you worked in the mines for over twenty years, is that true?”

“I worked for a total of twenty years. I quit about two years ago when it closed down.”

After that, he struggled to find a job. It wasn’t due to a lack of skills or experience. Rather, that was what held him back.

Managers, who wanted someone compliant and silent, viewed Tein’s experience and skills negatively. He knew too much.

“You’ll be heading to the Peils territory with my father, is that okay with you?”

“That’s no problem. I’ve been away from home often for work.”

“I’m curious if you’re okay with paperwork.”

“I was in charge of all the documents handled on-site.”

Luna, having only asked three questions, whispered softly with the Baron, their foreheads close together. At this, Tein’s heart sank heavily.

It hadn’t even been five minutes since the interview started, and seeing them like that, he was sure he had failed.

“You’re excellent candidates. Answer confidently to the questions and you will surely pass. Please make sure to come for the interview.”

He should have been skeptical oflawyer Royer’s words. No matter how long they’ve been neighbors, that guy was a lawyer, a silver-tongued lawyer at that.

From the beginning, it was foolish of him, who only worked on the field, to apply for a secretary position. He had come a long way buoyed by unrealistic dreams, and this was where he ended up.

“Okay. Can you start working from today?”

“…Yes?”

While he kept regretting his decisions, an unexpected response came. Thinking he had misheard, Tein widened his eyes and stared at Luna.

Luna then spoke with a bright smile:

“You’ll be with my father for a long time, so I think it’s best to start with a salary of 10 gold.”

10 gold!? That was three times the salary he got from the mines. It was a lot for a secretary position. An amount that ordinary citizens couldn’t get in their lifetime.

He thought he would be lucky just to get the job, but hearing this, Tein, thinking he might be hallucinating, couldn’t reply. The Baron, tilting his head, spoke up:

“Is it too little? Perhaps it’s too low for a first-time secretary.”

“No, it’s more than enough! It’s not that, I just wonder why you’re hiring me for such a high salary…”

Without asking much.

Finally understanding Tein’s doubts, Luna gently smiled and explained:

“Actually, I heard from Royer in advance. He said you’re highly experienced and skilled. He also mentioned your impeccable character.”

Tein’s gaze then shifted to Royer, standing behind Luna. And with a knowing look, Royer winked at Tein.

“…”

While Royer’s recommendation was commendable, the wink was a bit much. Holding back a grimace, Tein tried to keep a straight face, but Royer winked again, urging him to calm down.

“I’m new to this secretary role and might be lacking, but I’ll do my best to assist the Baron.”

Standing up, Tein bowed deeply, showing his determination not to disappoint the two who gave him this unexpected opportunity.

Seeing his resolve, Luna responded with a warm smile:

“Then I’ll be counting on you. Starting now. It’s urgent.”

The Baron also greeted Tein with a hearty laugh:

“I’m looking forward to working with you.”

The echo of the Baron’s laughter in the mansion didn’t last long.