WARDV 30

CHAPTER 30

Even though I had seen it countless times in my dreams, my heart still pounded wildly.

“Haaah…!”

When I woke from thrashing in my nightmare, it was already morning.

I clutched my still-racing heart and let out a breath.

“That dream… it’s been a while. Is it because of what Idris told me yesterday?”

When I was a child, I had a single friend.

A nameless child from the slums.

Back then, I would wander through the nearby forest searching for herbs to treat my sick mother, and that’s where I met the child.

At the time, my father was too busy enjoying his affair with his current wife, so he neglected both me and my ailing mother.

Because the lady of the house was shunned by the head of the family, the servants naturally followed suit, treating me poorly as well.

With no one to rely on but my mother, I quickly grew close to that child.

We became each other’s only friend. But…

Time passed while my mother died and I endured abuse from my stepmother.

By the time I went looking for that friend again, the child had already shut their heart to me.

“I wanted to meet again, tell them my real name, and ask theirs…”

But the next day, when I went back…

All that remained at the house where the child lived were horrific bloodstains.

On that day when it poured rain, a misunderstanding-laden conversation became our last memory.

I regretted it for a long time afterward.

If I hadn’t turned away that day…

If I had stayed, would you still be alive?

“…I’ve accepted now that it’s a reality I can’t change.”

Still, whenever I had that dream, the rest of the day always felt heavy.

“Well, I still have to work.”

Shaking off the gloom, I got up, tidied myself, and headed to the dining room.

“The weather’s nice today.”

Maybe thanks to yesterday’s rain, the sky was a brilliant blue outside the window.

The dew-covered garden sparkled under the sunlight.

As I walked down the corridor alone, admiring the bright garden, memories of last night naturally came back to me.

“How would you feel if a childhood friend who once hurt you came looking for you?”

That question Idris asked yesterday.

“He must have been talking about himself being the one who hurt the friend.”

If he were the one who had been hurt, he wouldn’t wonder how the other person felt.

“Well, if he has a chance to meet his friend again, I hope it goes well.”

With those thoughts, I arrived at the dining room.

“Come to think of it, didn’t Idris say he had an outside appointment this morning?”

I entered, thinking I’d enjoy a relaxed brunch alone, but I was caught off guard.

“Good morning.”

Idris was there.

“Didn’t you say you had something scheduled outside this morning?”

“Oh, that? I canceled it.”

Canceled—not got canceled?

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to have breakfast with you.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

“Why do you think I’m joking? Isn’t it natural for someone in love to not want to leave their beloved to eat alone?”

…Isn’t this just an excuse to skip work?

While thinking that, I also felt relieved to see him acting like his usual, playful self.

I had quietly worried he might still have that sad expression from yesterday.

Once I sat beside him, the food quickly arrived.

After sipping his aperitif, Idris asked,

“What’s on your schedule today?”

“I’m still looking for a designer, but there’s nothing urgent, so I was going to search the library for some things.”

“Perfect. I have something to look into as well. We can do it together.”

We finished breakfast like always, chatting idly, and stepped out of the dining room.

Just as I was about to head to the library with Idris as planned, hurried footsteps approached, and Wig appeared.

“Boss! There’s a big problem!”

“You scared me. Is everything always a big deal with you?”

“Because this is a big deal!”

“What happened?”

“The Duke of Farnese snatched up all the new designers!”

“What…?”

I let out a stunned breath at Wig’s report.

Given the past incidents, I had suspected this might happen.

“How low can that man go?”

I thought there was nothing left for me to be disappointed about after what happened in my past life and this one—but maybe that was arrogance.

I bit my lip slightly.

“Honestly, if Paydan steps in, it’s not even a contest.”

No matter how much I had Idris’s support, we were still just in a romantic “contract” relationship.

A fragile bond that could end at any time.

But Paydan?

“He’s already the Duke of Farnese, head of a major business.”

To compare in modern terms…

It was like a major corporation launching a new division versus a brand-new startup.

It was obvious who the designers would choose.

“Should I take care of this problem for you?”

Idris, having followed the conversation between Wig and me, stepped in.

Just as I was about to grab the lifeline offered before me, I hesitated.

“…No. I don’t want to rely on Idris’s influence.”

Like I said, this contract romance will end someday.

When that happens, I’ll have to stand on my own. So I needed to start building my strength now.

“No, I’ll handle this myself.”

“Are you sure?”

Idris looked at me with a strangely concerned gaze, and I blinked.

“Wasn’t he the one who said he wouldn’t be my knight in shining armor?”

Still, I didn’t mind that he offered to help this time.

Just knowing someone was there, ready to back me up if needed…

“It’s… kind of reassuring, actually?”

But that made me want to prove even more that I could handle it alone.

I gave him a confident smile.

“I can do this. Still, thank you for offering to help.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“Since all the design studios will flock to the Duke of Farnese, I’m thinking of checking out the plaza instead.”

“The plaza? Why there?”

“There are designers there who run small shops on their own. They’ve got experience, but haven’t had a chance to shine yet. Some might be hidden gems.”

Rather than anxiously waiting for applications, I figured it’d be better to go out and take action myself.

“Of course, they’ll probably think the Duke’s offer is better too… but I’ll try persuading them with what I do have.”

“And what is that?”

“This.”

I formed a circle with my thumb and index finger.

While the scale of my business was nothing compared to Paydan’s, I still had one strong card to play.

Money!

With the magic stone mine now in operation, I had a massive income guaranteed.

“If they say the Duke’s offer is hard to refuse… then I’ll just make an offer that is hard to refuse.”

From what I’ve learned over two lives, about 95% of the world’s problems can be solved with money.

“Alright, I’ll be off now. Let’s go, Wig.”

Wig and I turned toward the mansion’s front entrance—

—or tried to, until Idris stopped me.

“Instead of your assistant, how about taking me?”

His gaze toward Wig was oddly cold, but I didn’t have time to wonder about that.

I was more surprised by his unexpected offer.

“Considering he personally oversaw the mansion’s interior and his usual style, his eye for design could actually be helpful…”

But still…

“Didn’t you say you had something to do at the library?”

“Oh, that?”

Without even a hint of hesitation, Idris smiled brightly.

“Doesn’t matter anymore.”

…What?

Not “I can do it later”—but “it’s gone”?

“Shall we go, then?”

Before I could fully process it, I found myself taking the hand he offered.