“Haah, I’m exhausted.”
The morning training only ended when the knights were on the verge of collapsing.
“Which bastard messed with the Duke?”
Everyone shot resentful looks at Bilein.
If someone had to be punished, he should suffer alone—why drag Kailles into it too?
Thanks to that, they were forced to endure training after a brief rest. The Duke had run a hundred laps around the training grounds before immediately taking command of their drills.
“I thought I was going to die from how terrifying it was.”
“Why is His Grace in such a bad mood?”
“No idea. I heard Bilein messed up. Something about ten days ahead?”
Being trained by the Duke was an honor—but not at this intensity.
Everyone walked carefully, avoiding the Duke’s gaze with exhausted eyes.
Only the guilty Bilein followed behind Kailles like a shadow.
At that moment, the head butler arrived with a kind expression, holding a parchment.
“My Lord.”
“What is it?”
“A letter has arrived from Count Bellona.”
“So early in the morning?”
The moment he heard “Bellona,” Kailles’s expression darkened again.
“They say it is to celebrate the opening of a new trade route. A banquet will be held in two weeks, and even members of the Imperial Family will attend.”
“And?”
“They would like Your Grace to attend as well.”
Kailles’s eyebrows rose like a mountain. His nose twitched in irritation.
The only reason he didn’t immediately march over to Count Bellona was because he was forcing himself to endure.
“Anything else?”
“They also request that you bring Vice Aide Ruelia. They said they would like to see her after a long time.”
“That woman dares…”
So that scheming Count was at it again.
Kailles immediately understood his intent.
He was trying to take Ruelia away again.
Three years ago, Ruelia had given advice on one of Bellona’s new business ventures. That business had recently become a massive success.
It had become the most profitable sector of Bellona Trading Company.
And yet the new aides who replaced Ruelia had all been useless, causing losses.
He had once said it was fine to take her—but now he regretted it.
Kailles did not like this attempt to reclaim her.
“How should we respond?”
“Well…”
He was confident he would not lose. Unlike Bellona, who had once exploited Ruelia cheaply, he treated her properly.
And Ruelia always worked with a satisfied expression.
“Ask Ruelia. Whether she wishes to attend. Is she already at work?”
“She left early, saying she would meet Your Grace at the training grounds. Did you not see her?”
Kailles raised an eyebrow.
He had not seen her sky-blue hair at the training grounds.
“We must have missed each other.”
“That is fortunate. If she had seen all the knights half-naked and training like beasts, she might have been shocked enough to quit.”
Kailles felt a faint unease.
He had pushed the knights hard earlier, after all.
If Ruelia had seen that, she might have been frightened.
Unaware of his concerns, the head butler continued casually.
“By the way, where could she have gone? I hope nothing happened…”
“Bilein.”
“….”
“Go find out where Ruelia is.”
“….”
But strangely, his knight did not respond.
Was he still being punished? Or simply too exhausted to speak?
Kailles turned toward him.
“Bilein, do you not hear me?”
“T-this is bad!”
Bilein was holding something in his hand.
A small piece of parchment, slightly stained with dirt as if stepped on.
It did not look long abandoned.
“What is this fuss about?”
“P-please look at this! Isn’t this Vice Aide Ruelia’s handwriting?”
He handed it over.
Kailles, who had been composed moments ago, stiffened the instant he saw it.
The neat, rounded handwriting—there was no mistaking it.
At the very top were three words.
“This is serious. The Vice Aide may be resigning.”
A resignation letter.
For the first time, the paper he had once collected so indifferently felt terrifying.
Back in her office alone, Ruelia took a deep breath.
“What is wrong with me? I’m not a child.”
Even though she fanned herself repeatedly, the blush on her cheeks refused to fade.
The image she had just seen would not leave her mind.
Kailles Avere.
His broad shoulders and sharply defined abs were still vivid in her thoughts. The sculpted muscles, the natural flow of his physique…
The raw form hidden beneath his always neat uniform.
She finally understood why the knights of the ducal house praised him so much.
“He really is impressive. In many ways.”
Ruelia pressed a hand over her racing heart.
Her heartbeat pounded against her palm.
But something felt off.
The thickness she had felt against her chest earlier was gone. The paper. The resignation letter.
“Oh right! The resignation letter!”
Ruelia shot up.
She must have dropped it at the training grounds.
If someone found it and submitted it to the Duke without her permission, it would be disastrous.
She hurried toward the door—but froze.
“D-Duke?! You’re here?”
Of all times, Kailles had entered.
Ruelia stiffened. Kailles stopped as well.
He silently stared at the small woman barely reaching his chin.
Ruelia stepped aside to let him in.
Kailles mirrored her movement, blocking her again.
She moved the other way—he blocked again.
“D-Duke?”
She looked up cautiously.
Cold, sharp eyes met hers.
Ruelia swallowed.
“Ruelia. Where were you going?”
“Ah—um, I was going to the training grounds…”
“Why?”
“I just… felt restless, so I was going to take a walk in the courtyard near the training grounds.”
Was it obvious she was lying?
Kailles’s expression grew darker.
Ruelia instinctively stepped back. His brows furrowed further.
“Do you have something to say to me, Your Grace?”
“I have a question. Do you have plans in two weeks?”
“No… nothing at all.”
“Good. Then you will accompany me to the Bellona estate.”
“Pardon?”
Ruelia tilted her head slightly.
Then she smiled.
“Bellona estate?”
The name of the man who had once recognized her talent first—her benefactor.
Someone she respected almost as much as Kailles.
“Yes. That woman has invited us both. A banquet to celebrate a new trade route.”
Ah, that.
That was something Ruelia herself had influenced two years ago in Bellona Trading Company.
It had been based on her instincts and memories from her past life. Of course it had succeeded.
“I would be very happy to go. I’m actually excited to see him again after so long.”
Ruelia answered sincerely, genuinely pleased.
After all, another of her past efforts had borne fruit.
Kailles’s lips stiffened.
“So you still like Count Bellona. Even after working yourself to exhaustion there.”
That was true. She had worked almost day and night like someone addicted to it.
She had barely even had time to care for Melisa.
And the compensation had not even been that great.
“But that experience made me who I am today.”
Ruelia smiled brightly again.
There was no lie in her words or expression.
She truly cherished her time at Bellona Trading Company.
Of course, if asked to return, she would absolutely refuse.
She was much happier now.
She valued her current life in the ducal house far more. So much so that she wanted to protect it.
“Is that so. So you still want to work with that woman again?”
Her sincerity did not seem to reach Kailles.
His lips tightened slightly more than before.
