Chapter 7
For a moment, Colin almost dropped the champagne glass he was holding.
He barely tightened his fingers around it when Zyla suddenly shouted before he could even react.
“That’s absurd!”
Forgetting there were others present, Zyla slammed the table and stood up. The sound of clashing plates rang loudly through the hall.
“Colin is only twenty-three! And moreover—”
“Ahem.”
Herawin’s clearing of her throat made Zyla swallow her words.
Instead, other attendees started speaking up.
“Junior Marquis Oliver? I’ve never heard of him.”
“Well, there’s the ‘Gift of Water’ in the central district. It’s run by the Oliver guild.”
“Isn’t he too young to be a guardian? Traditionally, a guardian should have both reputation and knowledge…”
“Does he even have the qualifications to be a guardian?”
“Well, for guild affairs, he might be suitable. The Oliver guild’s recent performance has been impressive.”
“But he’s not originally nobility. To entrust Edmon’s guardian to a commoner…”
“He’s a Junior Marquis now.”
Herawin cut off the blunt comments being made right in front of the person in question.
“Does age matter? I went to war at twenty.”
“….”
It was legendary that Herawin, a twenty-year-old woman, went to battle and decapitated a massive serpent monster. The hall immediately fell into a respectful silence.
“And this is a title granted directly by the royal family. He’s no longer a commoner, is he?”
“But Madam Capernic!”
Meanwhile, Colin simply stared blankly, watching the commotion. Ara felt a faint twinge of guilt at the sight.
…This isn’t a bad proposal for Colin either.
Although she had suddenly dragged him into a noble dispute, it would help him secure his position in the future. Being born a commoner had always been his weakness.
He’ll eventually help Lumie anyway—so it’s not like he’ll be worn out by helping me first!
A little self-interest for Colin, too.
“…By the way.”
Someone glanced between Ara and Colin. Upon closer look, it was the duchess from the greenhouse.
“You two aren’t that far apart in age, right?”
“….”
“Even as a guardian… I think society will gossip a bit.”
The duchess’s face twisted in disapproval.
“Right? I could even believe you’re engaged.”
From that comment, the other eyes watching them started to feel tense.
“…Ara, did you know Colin before?”
Karl’s expression hardened as he glared at Ara. Since she had suddenly chosen Colin, he seemed to suspect some inappropriate relationship between them.
As expected, people only see what they want to see. Everyone’s thoughts are limited to their own level.
Ara gave a bitter smile.
“This is the first time I’ve met him. But hearing what you say, I suppose it could seem that way.”
She spoke playfully.
“Since everyone says that, I might as well just get engaged to Junior Marquis Oliver. After all, this is the occasion to choose my fiancé, isn’t it?”
The soft clattering in the room immediately ceased.
“As my aunt said, I’m not interested in the guild or titles… If I were to transfer the title to my fiancé, the first commoner-born Edmon Count would be born.”
At this, the heads of the noble families rolled their eyes.
Commoner-born Edmon Count? Is that even possible…?
Colin becoming a temporary guardian was one thing, but fully becoming Count Edmon… the former would end once Ara came of age, but the latter…
Could there really come a day when we bow to a commoner-born count…!
Clearly, this was not a pleasant prospect for them. Everyone exchanged wary glances.
“What do you think, uncle?”
Ara smiled at Karl, whose face had flushed bright red.
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to be Count Edmon anyway?”
“Junior Marquis, Miss Edmon is here again.”
Squeeeek. The nib of Colin’s fountain pen tore the paper—it hadn’t handled the pressure well.
After gathering the ruined paper, Colin took a deep breath and slowly rose from his seat. His expression clearly showed he didn’t want to move.
Martin, a loyal employee of the Oliver guild, followed him with a pitying smile.
“Where are you?”
“I’ve prepared tea and pastries in the reception room… but, Junior Marquis,”
Martin grinned, bringing up the topic Colin dreaded most.
“Why not just accept it? I don’t think it will interfere with our plans.”
Colin’s expression darkened further, but instead of responding, he quickened his pace.
Opening the door, he saw the source of his recent fatigue: Ara, perched on the sofa in the reception room, sipping tea.
“Hello, Junior Marquis Oliver. And Martin.”
“…Miss Edmon.”
Colin gave a bitter smile.
“How did you come?”
“By carriage. Sit down; don’t stand.”
“….”
That wasn’t the question he wanted to answer. He adjusted his eyebrows, looking too drained even to smile politely.
Sighing deliberately, Colin sat across from her. Ara, expressionless, popped the last piece of cake into her mouth and offered her unsolicited commentary.
“Is this a new menu? It’ll sell well. It’s delicious.”
“….”
The torte with apple mousse disappeared in an instant.
How much cake had gone into her stomach over the past week? Not much in price, but the key was the week spent. Colin stared blankly at the ceiling.
She’s not an easy person, as expected.
Martin, observing his boss’s plight with interest, thought: Ara Edmon was nothing like the nobles he had encountered at work.
Nobles usually acted clueless, concerned only with protecting their narrow world. Ara was similar in brazen confidence but different in approach—she acted as if rules didn’t even exist, oblivious to noble etiquette or imperial tradition.
There was something admirable: her persistence. She had come to the Oliver guild every day for a week without fail. Even if she didn’t work, simply being there counted as “attendance.”
She initially waited quietly in the reception room, but when Colin deliberately avoided her, she began asking the staff minute questions: work hours, salaries, advantages compared to other places.
Questions a noble girl wouldn’t normally ask.
Martin could bet half his wealth that most nobles wouldn’t even know the cost of a carriage. If he hadn’t known she was a countess, he would have thought Ara Edmon was a spy from a rival guild.
Regardless, everyone at Oliver guild now knew the face of the infamous Edmon heiress and, naturally, that she was clinging to Colin.
She waits patiently until he agrees. Surprisingly mild for a request.
Having seen other ladies employ all sorts of means to sway Colin, this was notable.
Martin was still pondering Colin’s capabilities as a guardian when Colin finally spoke.
“Miss Edmon, if you recall, I clearly refused the guardian proposal.”
“That’s right. And you didn’t even listen properly.”
“….”
“And for a week, you’ve been trying to feed me cake to get rid of me, haven’t you?”
Ara extended her hand, speaking solemnly, as if making a decisive declaration.
“Five minutes.”
“….”
“Just five minutes. I don’t want to waste any more time. If after hearing me, you still refuse, I won’t come back again.”
It was the most earnest plea Colin had ever heard.
He glanced at Martin by the door. Martin hesitated, then nodded and left.
“I’ll listen.”
Ara, outwardly calm, was internally tense. She wasn’t Steve Jobs; there was no way she could convince him in just five minutes.
But I’ve wasted enough time. It’s time to make my move.
Originally, Ara never expected Colin to refuse the guardian role. In the original story, Colin gained money and title but remained unrecognized because of his birth. That’s why he devoted himself to work—and yet, he couldn’t be with Lumie.
Naturally, I thought he’d accept the guardian role…
Instead, he had simply refused. Somehow, that gave Ara confidence.
He seems trustworthy. Better than an uncle who would sell his own niece for gain.
Ara had thought carefully over the past week about how to persuade Colin and came to her plan.
“Are you worried about Lumie?”
“…Huh?”
Ara nodded at Colin’s vacant expression.
“I understand. You’re not much older than him, so naturally you’d want to avoid misunderstandings. But I don’t want you as my guardian for any other reason.”
“….”
Colin seemed to want to speak but stopped.
“I need a guardian to protect me until my coming-of-age ceremony. But my uncle… you know.”
“….”
“And one more important thing… I want to make Edmon a good place to work.”
“A good place to work?”
“Yes!”
Colin mulled over her words, then spoke with a more relaxed expression.
“So you need someone trustworthy who won’t covet Edmon. And by ‘good place to work,’ you mean improving conditions like in our guild. Am I correct?”
“Exactly.”
As expected, Colin understood quickly.
Ara brightened.
“I asked the employees, and they said working conditions at Oliver guild are much better than elsewhere?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Almost no one quits. Once someone joins Oliver guild, they can’t adapt to other jobs?”
“It’s true, though I’m embarrassed to say it myself.”
Ara hadn’t just been eating cake. She had been observing the guild, sensing the lively atmosphere and noticing the smiles on people’s faces despite their busy chatter.
This is the kind of atmosphere only found in a genuinely good workplace.
Every misfortune has its form, but happiness is often similar. Oliver guild reminded Ara of the lobby of her friend’s company she had visited before possession—a lively, welcoming place.
If I had worked somewhere like this, I wouldn’t have been so unhappy.
Ara leaned close to the table and said,
“I hear people call Oliver guild ‘God’s workplace’?”
“….”
“I’m interested too. ‘God’s workplace.’”
