A low, cold voice froze the surrounding air.
Luellia tried to guess the intent behind the Duke’s question.
‘What do I do? He must’ve picked up my resignation letter.’
The Kailles she knew wasn’t the type to cling to subordinates.
- If you can’t handle it anymore, just submit your resignation. I’ll let you leave whenever you want. That’s what happened with my previous aides as well. –
That was what he had said when they signed her employment contract.
If he had personally found her resignation letter, he might really dismiss her without hesitation.
Saying that if her heart had left, there was no reason for her to stay.
Luellia swallowed.
She hadn’t fully calculated the perfect timing for her resignation yet.
She needed more money. Above all, Melissa’s medicine cost was far from cheap.
It wasn’t like she had no alternative income sources. There were still money-making opportunities written in the diary. But she lacked initial capital—she needed at least two more years.
So for now, resigning was clearly impossible.
‘If you kick me out like this, you’ll regret it!’
She repeated the thought—half curse, half wish.
“D-Duke, um, that is…”
While she hesitated, Kailles grew tense as he waited for her answer.
Life before Luellia had been unbearable.
Work was slow, mistakes repeated daily, and the aides only flattered instead of giving proper counsel. Everything ended up on his shoulders.
He had no intention of returning to that time.
His fist tightened.
‘If it’s just that resignation letter, can’t I just make it disappear if I see it?’
He had once told her to submit a resignation if she wanted to quit. Without it, Luellia couldn’t leave.
A verbal contract was still a contract.
“No, that question was nothing—”
But Luellia was faster.
“I-I actually enjoy working with you, Duke. Hahaha.”
Instead of relief, Kailles felt a different kind of tension. Was she planning to return to the Belona Marquis’s estate?
Then perhaps someone had made her an offer to take her away from the Avere Ducal House? Who would dare?
‘The Imperial Family?’
Only something like that would have the audacity to poach talent from the ducal house.
But that was unlikely.
The Imperial Family valued lineage and noble blood so strictly that the only commoners they employed were maids.
There was no reason Luellia would resign just for something like that. Especially not for such a low salary.
‘She’s just momentarily unsettled from overwork.’
Kailles came to his own conclusion.
“That’s a relief. If it ever gets too hard, tell me. I’ll give you rest whenever possible. And your salary—”
He knew exactly what she needed.
“Starting next week, I’ll increase it by 500 gold per week.”
Luellia’s eyes widened.
Then her face lit up with joy.
“Thank you very much, Duke!”
She bowed deeply, then straightened. Her clear eyes were no longer clouded.
Kailles watched with satisfaction before speaking again.
“More importantly, do you have a dress for the upcoming banquet?”
“Oh, right. It’s a celebration banquet, isn’t it? Then I should wear a proper dress.”
Luellia looked slightly troubled.
She had never attended a noble banquet as a guest before.
She would usually wait in the carriage or assist the household staff in managing affairs.
“To get a dress tailored in two weeks…”
This was difficult.
Why had the invitation come so late?
If she spent enough money, a tailor could finish it in time—but Luellia’s hands trembled at the thought of wasting money like that.
“I’ll prepare your dress. It’s better if we coordinate as partners anyway.”
“P-partners? Me? With you, Duke?”
Luellia fired off questions like a broken machine.
“And who else would you go with?”
Kailles’s lips curved faintly, like softened meringue.
The resignation letter was no longer in his mind at all.
“Ah… that makes sense.”
Luellia answered absentmindedly, her thoughts elsewhere.
She had suddenly thought of a way to preserve her ideal job and increased salary.
‘If the Duke’s love interest works out, there won’t be any reason for him to go dark, right?’
If she removed the root cause, the perfect job would remain forever.
That so-called “love interest” was simply incompatible with the flawless Duke.
“Partner with the Duke…”
She muttered while organizing her thoughts.
Kailles responded immediately.
“Yes. You’re my aide.”
He emphasized the word “my.”
Luellia understood again in her own way.
She belonged to the Avere Ducal House—so of course she should represent it properly at formal events.
“Yes, I gratefully accept your kindness, Duke.”
She lifted her skirt slightly and gave a small curtsy, like a noble lady receiving a dance invitation.
For a moment, Kailles felt as if he had returned to the training grounds.
His heart beat as though it had run a hundred laps around the field.
He decided he might need to see a physician.
By the time Luellia returned near the training grounds, it was already noon.
She had been delayed reporting new information about grain storage locations after speaking with the Duke.
Kailles had listened so seriously that she lost track of time. The salary increase had to be earned properly.
“Still, he really is the Duke.”
A nearby lake, listed in her diary as a future flood risk near a potential storage site, would eventually overflow and cause disease.
Yet right now, it looked completely harmless.
- I trust you. Do as you see fit. I won’t question your judgment. Budget is no concern. –
A superior who trusted her completely.
How could she ever abandon such a master?
This was not salary-driven loyalty. (Though the extra 500 gold certainly helped her calculations.)
‘I need to get rid of that resignation letter before it’s found.’
She quickly searched the path she had taken earlier.
But it was too late.
“Where did it go?!”
There was no sign of it anywhere.
Not even a leaf had been disturbed, as if someone had already taken it.
Then she noticed a group of knights gathered near the training grounds.
They were surrounding a small brazier.
Among them, Luellia spotted Bileen.
Maybe they had seen it.
That would be even worse.
‘They’ll definitely take it to the Duke.’
She hurried over and waved.
“Sir Bileen!”
“B-Boa–B-Boardman Luellia!”
Bileen flinched and turned around while tossing something into the fire.
At that moment, Luellia saw what it was.
‘My resignation letter!’
Relief flooded her.
They hadn’t even recognized it and had used it as kindling.
The knights of the Duke’s house were truly saviors.
She walked over, exhaling in relief.
Bileen and the knights froze, watching her nervously.
“Um… Boardman Luellia…”
“If you need anything for training, please feel free to request it. I can arrange a budget.”
She smiled brightly, sincerely grateful for disposing of her “resignation letter.”
“W-WAIT!”
But Bileen, unaware of her thoughts, continued stammering.
The knights clicked their tongues at his suspicious behavior and exchanged looks.
Then, as if deciding something, they nodded one by one.
One stepped forward. The others turned to face Luellia as well.
“Boardman Luellia, we have something to ask.”
The leading knight’s gaze was serious—like someone stepping onto a battlefield.
Courage.
The knights of the Duke’s house supported him.
“What is it?”
“How do you truly feel about our Duke?”
“You must answer honestly.”
They were sincere. And desperate.
