Chapter 7
Even after returning to my room, I couldn’t relax.
I kept pacing restlessly inside.
I was anxious—what if someone overheard me talking to Inspector Jerry? What if the Duke of Calix wanted to kill me even sooner just because I was a witness?
I wanted to hand things over to my replacement and leave as soon as possible. Should I ask the doctor if there had been any applicants recently?
The second victim had appeared sooner than I expected. It felt like I didn’t have much time to just sit around. Eventually, I headed straight to Dr. Scott’s room.
After walking quickly and knocking on his door, I waited for permission to enter.
“Come in.”
I carefully turned the doorknob. Inside, Dr. Scott was reading a book at his desk.
“Doctor.”
“What is it?”
“I was wondering about my replacement. Have there been many applicants?”
“There’ve been a few drifters, but none of them were competent.”
“……”
Something felt off. I hadn’t seen a single person come for an interview.
Even if they didn’t make it past the screening stage due to lack of experience, why were there so few applicants for a job with such good conditions?
“Did you actually post the job properly? What about asking the Duke for help?”
“We can’t trouble His Grace with something like this. Especially when he’s already not in the best of health.”
Dr. Scott replied with a bothered expression.
The Duke’s personal physician was selected by a direct member of the ducal family, but the physician’s assistant was not. That position was entirely under Dr. Scott’s jurisdiction. Once he chose someone, the Duke only needed to verify their background and approve. That was how Elena had been hired too.
“Still, wouldn’t it be easier to find someone faster if you advertised the position more widely?”
I didn’t back down and brought it up again. I couldn’t feel at ease until I left this place.
“Why are you suddenly in such a rush? You’re acting like someone with a guilty conscience.”
“Of course not. I just made the decision to leave, so my mind’s already checked out, I suppose.”
“……”
Only then did Dr. Scott meet my eyes properly.
I tried to act as naturally as possible. My heart was tightening with anxiety, afraid he might find out I had spoken to Inspector Jerry about the Duke’s health.
“If you’re really so determined to leave, I won’t stop you. But I still don’t understand why you’d want to quit such a great position.”
“Everyone has their own priorities. So… does this mean I can speak to the Duke directly?”
“……”
Dr. Scott didn’t respond, but I knew his silence meant agreement.
“Then I’ll be going. Please take care.”
I quickly turned and left his office. Then, without hesitation, I headed straight for Duke Calix’s chambers.
Calix had barely managed to return to the past at the moment of his beheading. It was nothing short of divine luck—a second life given by the heavens. He couldn’t afford to waste it.
If this life turned out like the last, there would be no next time. Or perhaps this was a chance meant specifically for him to live differently.
“Hm.”
Calix stood by the window, watching Elena approach the estate.
“She really has changed.”
Something was off. Ever since his regression, many things had changed. And of all those things, the biggest change was Elena.
“Achoo!”
He sneezed and pressed his eyes shut. His eyes were itchy—a sign that his chronic illness was worsening again. While he managed to suppress the symptoms with daily medication and lived a somewhat normal life, his condition hadn’t improved even after regression.
It was a loathsome disease. In his previous life, it had made him helpless and weak. If he could, he wanted to overcome even this illness in his new life.
“Woof!”
Perhaps sensing that he wasn’t feeling well, Luka came over and barked beside him.
Calix gently patted Luka’s head.
“It’s alright. I think the headache’s coming back, but it’s manageable.”
“Woof woof!”
“Hm? Were you watching Elena too?”
“Woof woof!”
Outside the window, Elena had suddenly stopped walking. She clenched her fist and raised it to the sky in a strange gesture.
“She was pretty calm in the previous life, wasn’t she?”
Since the regression, Elena had become more lively and expressive. Sometimes she looked at him with an expression like she was studying a painting, and then suddenly jolted in surprise, which he found amusing and even cute.
Truthfully, when Calix first regressed, he had only been kind to her because he pitied her for dying soon. Now, though, Luka’s changed behavior piqued his interest, and he wanted to observe her more closely.
“She’s interesting, isn’t she?”
“Woof!”
Luka barked as if answering.
“But why is she coming here? It definitely looks like she’s heading toward me. I doubt she has business with anyone else.”
“Woof!”
Calix continued to pet Luka. It was rare for Elena to visit him for something unrelated to treatment, so he was a little curious.
He and Luka stayed at the window, watching Elena until she disappeared from sight into the estate.
I arrived at Duke Calix’s door and knocked. He welcomed me warmly.
“Welcome, Miss Elena. Please, have a seat.”
He sat down on the sofa and gestured to the seat across from him.
Feeling a bit awkward, I stepped into the room and sat down. I was a little nervous now that I was here, but it was too late to back out.
“Miss Elena, what brings you here outside of our usual sessions?”
“Your Grace, I have something to ask.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Dr. Scott is trying to find my replacement, but there haven’t been any applicants. I was wondering… if you could help post the job listing more widely…”
I trailed off, watching his expression.
He didn’t respond right away. He lowered his gaze for a moment as if thinking, then looked back at me and smiled kindly again.
“So… if you’re looking for a replacement, does that mean you’re planning to resign?”
“Yes. I told Dr. Scott over a month ago, but we haven’t found anyone yet…”
“I see.”
“I know you’re busy, but I thought… if you could help by making the recruitment more public…”
“Before that, could I ask why you’re planning to resign?”
Duke Calix was smiling kindly, but it seemed like he was holding something back.
What was that? Did he get angry because I said I’m quitting? Because the prey he marked is trying to escape?
A chill ran down my spine. I bit my lip nervously, racking my brain for an excuse.
“Well… uh… it’s…”
“……”
The Duke waited patiently for my answer, but I just kept darting my eyes around and eventually closed my mouth.
In the end, he asked the question instead.
“Is your salary not sufficient?”
“Huh? No! Not at all!”
“Then… is Dr. Scott mistreating you?”
“N-not at all! He may be gruff, but he’s never been abusive!”
I flailed my arms in protest.
Calix seemed to fall back into contemplation at my response.
What is he thinking? I couldn’t even begin to guess anymore.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again with the same gentle expression.
“Miss Elena, may I make a proposal?”
“Yes? What kind of…”
“Would you like to receive a bonus?”
“A bonus?”
My eyes widened in surprise.
“How about three times your current salary?”
“Three times…”
I repeated his words like I was hypnotized, then quickly came to my senses and waved my hands frantically.
“Then you’re going to make me do something in return, aren’t you? What exactly do you want me to do…?!”
“Oh, nothing too serious. Just…”
Calix smiled sweetly, his eyes crinkling—as if he knew exactly how weak I was to that face.
