SDD 14

Chapter 14.

1.Becoming the Villain’s Secretary (14)

No matter how hard I racked my brain, no solution came to mind.

What do I do? My hair was already falling out from stress, and now I was practically tearing it out.

“Aaack!”

Gloomy let out a high-pitched scream. This time, I could see a faint trace of blood.

What?! I’m going insane!

“Your Majesty, if we stay like this, Miss Gloomy is in danger!”

“That’s why you should think faster.”

“You can say that in this situation?!”

“I’m simply trusting the brilliant mind of my secretary—who has solved so many crises up to now.”

He said that gently, but all I wanted was to punch that perfectly sculpted nose of his.

“Instead of trying to flatten my nose, wouldn’t it be better to think of a plan? At this rate, she truly will be in danger.”

“What?”

“The blade is dull. Think of slicing a tomato with a sharp knife versus a dull one. Which tomato gets more damaged?”

“Well, obviously the dull—… oh.”

I bit my lower lip and glared at Helwid.

You’re dead. Just wait. You… you jerk.

“Are you serious?”

“What do you mean?”

“If I promise not to say I’m quitting anymore… will you really save her?”

Even in this emergency, anger surged in my chest just from looking at his annoyingly handsome face trying to negotiate.

He needed a punch. Or five million.

“No… Miss.”

“…Gloomy?”

“I know how much… you suffer… how desperately you want to quit… So please… don’t do this for me…”

She had read all the letters Father sent.

Guilt hit me hard. Even while facing death, she worried only about me.

I took a deep breath and looked Helwid straight in the eyes.

“…I won’t do it.”

“What won’t you do?”

“I WON’T SAY I WANT TO QUIT! SO JUST GET GLOOMY OUT OF THERE!”

I clenched my fists and yelled.

“That promise—don’t ever go back on it.”

Helwid draped his coat over my shoulders. The moment I blinked—

“Aaagh!”

Helwid had Gloomy in one arm and had slammed Mellen to the floor, twisting his arm behind his back!

He sat on Mellen’s back, pinning him perfectly until the clergyman arrived to take Gloomy away.

“Ugh, let go!”

A sickening crack echoed from Mellen’s arm.

Everything was over in less than the flash of a lightning strike.

After handing Mellen over to the knights, Helwid casually dusted off his hands and walked back to me.

“N-no way… since when were you… like that?”

“I never told you? Although I currently work only in the office with my ideal-type secretary, I’m also rather skilled with physical work.”

Rather??

That wasn’t “rather.” That was final-boss level.

A line from the original novel flashed through my mind.

Indellis had gritted his teeth and said:

“Never let your guard down. That man reached the realm of the absolute, setting an unprecedented record since the founding of the Academy.”

Right… he was the villain. The final boss villain.

While I was still stunned by the handsome emperor, someone suddenly threw themself into my arms.

“My lady!”

It was Gloomy. Even though the clergyman tried to pull her back, Gloomy buried herself against me.

“I knew… how much you wanted to resign. I was hiding because I didn’t want to burden your family. But I couldn’t stop reading the letters… and then…”

She burst into tears.

“You signed a slave contract for me…”

What? I never signed a slave contract!

“Thank you so much, my lady…”

She collapsed against me, sobbing.

Helwid watched, looking displeased.

“Hmph. I did the work, yet my secretary gets all the credit.”

“Technically, I did the work. I agreed not to resign.”

I shot him a glare, and he shrugged.

“My lady… my lady…”

Gloomy trembled in my arms.

I patted her back and looked up at the clear blue sky.

Ah… I failed to break the death flag…

Later, I heard from the investigator that Mellen’s older brother had died.

His health had already been fragile, and being kidnapped worsened it. Mellen couldn’t bear the grief and attacked our family.

“The butler committed the crime, so why does Father feel guilty?”

I understood Mellen’s feelings, but his anger was directed at the wrong people.

“Do not blame him too much. If I had realized earlier what that man was plotting, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened.”

“But still…”

“So I’m not completely blameless.”

Father patted my hand gently.

Despite appearances, he was soft-hearted and full of compassion. Even if it wasn’t his fault, guilt would weigh on him.

In the cell, Father told Mellen:

“We will handle your brother’s funeral. Focus on recovering.”

Mellen’s face twisted, but he said nothing.

Really—Father was too softhearted.

After leaving the underground prison, Helwid was waiting.

“So you forgave him?”

“How did you know? It just happened.”

“How could I not know about the affairs of my ideal secretary?”

Father bowed respectfully.

“We owe Your Majesty a great debt. Releasing a criminal like that…”

It seemed they had discussed this ahead of time.

“No need for thanks. It was your decision.”

“I don’t know how to repay—”

“No repayment necessary. Since your daughter suffers for the empire, this much assistance is only natural.”

“But still—”

“If it truly bothers you, discuss repayment with your daughter, my secretary.”

Why drag me into this?!

But Father looked deeply moved and agreed.

He returned home, and I remained at the palace.

On the way back to the office, Helwid spoke.

“You’re softer than I thought.”

“Soft?”

“Yes. He committed two major crimes—arson and hostage-taking. Some crimes shouldn’t be forgiven.”

“I don’t have the power to decide that. The Earl does.”

He laughed.

“So my ideal secretary holds grudges?”

“I learned from my boss.”

When we entered the office, Indellis immediately ran into my arms.

I hugged him instinctively.

“You’re unharmed? No injuries?”

His small warm hands cupped my cheeks.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“That’s good. Your looks aren’t great, but they aren’t terrible either.”

Do you not see this face? This is empire-conquering beauty.

After I put him down on the couch, he frowned.

“Why return? You must be shaken.”

“I wanted to rest, but I have paperwork to handle. I need to process the prisoner’s release.”

“Release? Why? He insulted your family twice.”

Indellis scowled. I poked between his eyebrows.

“He had circumstances.”

Helwid draped his coat back on me and dismissed Indellis.

I prioritized Mellen’s release documents—then checked funeral arrangements.

Could this be funded by taxes…?

“Don’t even think about using tax money.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything.”

“Really?”

Helwid smirked knowingly.

I growled like a dog.

Scratch, scratch… Only the sound of work filled the room.

We just needed the emperor’s seal and Mellen would be free.

Ugh. He might come back with another disaster…

But the Earl had decided.

“Please approve it quickly.”

“Put it there. I’ll sign after I finish reviewing this.”

“Yes, thank you.”

While I checked funeral services, Helwid spoke again.

“I was thinking…”

“Yes?”

“The Earl has a lot of compassion.”

“More than that. His heart is too soft.”

“He’s a kind man.”

“That he is.”

Helwid then said lightly:

“I heard he repays every debt.”

“He does. That’s how Gloomy was adopted— oh wait.”

…Bad feeling.

I looked up slowly. Helwid smiled.

“And my ideal secretary is very filial.”

“I SAID I’M NOT QUITTING. WHY ARE YOU STILL CALLING ME THAT?”

“It sticks to my tongue. Don’t change the subject.”

Tch.

“What does my filial piety have to do with anything?”

“Wouldn’t you like to lighten your father’s burden?”

Here it comes.

“I said we’d talk separately, didn’t I?”

“You decided that without asking me!”

In my head, sirens wailed—danger, danger, danger.