CH 17

At the end of the secret passage was a room. A white cloth was draped over the furniture as if it were an unused space.

“Lord Byers saved my life, and I am grateful.”

As they walked through the darkened passageway, she didn’t say a word in case Cain followed them. She simply took Vileon’s hand and walked where he led. Once they were out in the open, Marienne turned to Vileon.

“Ah, you can let go now.”

Too bad.

I would have been happy to hold on for a few more seconds.

Marienne looked down at Vileon’s hand holding hers and bit her lip in disappointment.

Long fingers stretched out straight, neatly manicured nails on the tips, and a line of blood on the back of the hand that crowned it.

‘It’s the hands that make a man attractive.’

Not so long ago, she was the one who used to say that a man should speak with his heart. In short, Marienne Didi’s standard of male charm was influenced by the Vileon of the day.

If he were to hang around her waist, Marienne would quickly change her mind.

‘After all, a man’s beauty is not measured by his waist, and my Lord Byers is the best of them all.’

“By the way, Lord Byers, how did you rescue me? Shouldn’t you be in your office right now?”

Marienne asked, looking at her favourite’s hand as it slipped away, a little surprised.

‘If I hadn’t told you, I could have kept hold of it.’

She thought wistfully.

“Well, when I came in this morning, Aide Didi came in with a package, and then she dressed up as a maid, so I figured it must be D-Day.”

Marienne had made her preparations out of sight, but Vileon saw through it all.

Even the walls have the eyes and ears of Lord Chancellor Byers.

Marienne realised that what was being said in the court was true. At first she had thought it simply meant that he had more sources, but the wall could be real.

“That duke… doesn’t seem to know about the secret passage.”

“Only that they exist.”

Vileon smiled bitterly.

“With the power that the Duke of Blackwood has, he wouldn’t need to use a secret passage.”

Indeed.

Marienne nodded.

Power does save you from having to use your head. Quite a few things do.

Marienne had sought Vileon’s help because she was not strong enough herself. If only she had the strength to match Cain’s, this would have been over long ago.

I’d have grabbed him by the scruff of the neck with one hand and smeared depilatory on his head with the other, and I’d have given him a good shave myself.

“You cut his hair after all?”

He asked, looking at the handful of black hair Marienne was holding.

“Yes, but it was a distraction. I was about to get caught with the depilatory, and I didn’t want to give away my secret weapon.”

“I wouldn’t call it a distraction…”

“I cut a lot of hair, didn’t I?”

“Yeah.”

Her resentment must have been unconscious. Marienne looked down at her unruly hair.

The next moment, Vileon spoke up, looking determined.

“If you don’t mind, Aide Didi, why don’t you stay with us for a while? Even the Duke of Blackwood can’t break into the Earl of Byers’ house.”

Marienne didn’t answer right away.

“We’ll commute together, in the same carriage.”

“I, Lord Byers, I appreciate the gesture, but that’s it for me.”

“It’s unsettling.”

Vileon said.

“Do you know what Aide Didi’s voice sounded like when she cried out for help earlier? I’ve never heard you sound so desperate. I wondered if I was out of time. How worried I was in that short time.”

I did shout for the people in the imperial palace corridor to leave. But that was then, and isn’t the situation over now?

Feeling a twinge of embarrassment at her indiscretion, Marienne opened her mouth to say no, again and again, but Vileon wouldn’t let her.

“Yesterday, I gave you the solution to your request without asking any more questions, so this time, do as I say and stay at the Count’s house, do you understand?”

Commuting with my boss. If this were any other job, my blood pressure would skyrocket just thinking about it.

Marienne’s job was with the Chancellor, and it was Vileon who made the offer.

‘How thoughtful.’

In truth, Marienne was grateful for the offer. Earlier, she’d chopped off a chunk of his hair, not wanting to give away her final weapon.

Naturally, Cain Blackwood was furious as hell.

There was no guarantee she wouldn’t run into him later when she returned to her room to finish her work.

The next step was taken while Marienne hesitated. All she did was catch her breath with a cup of tea poured by Vileon himself.

Meanwhile, the bodyguard who had gone to the room in Marienne’s place had packed her things said:

When he arrived, the door had been smashed in and the Duke of Blackwood stood in the open doorway, arms folded.

“He didn’t set the room on fire, did he?”

Marienne asked her bodyguard as she quickly opened an old trunk.

“No, he didn’t set it on fire.”

“My expensive and precious bedding… He didn’t slash the mattress with a knife?”

“No, the bed was intact.”

Her diary, notebooks, writing utensils, two tubes of depilatory, and few clothes were intact.

The bodyguard had even managed to snatch her portrait of the Chancellor, which Marienne often pulled out of a drawer to look at.

“Heup.”

Marienne hastily flipped the portrait face down.

She hoped he didn’t notice, Vileon was being polite and not paying attention to the lady’s luggage, and she was just so fast with her hands.

Marienne glanced cautiously at her superior.

‘Worst thing you can do is make eye contact with the startled party.’

Fortunately, Vileon seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, his face quite serious. Marienne swept her hand across her chest and turned to her bodyguard.

“So you’re telling me he just kicked in the door and left the room untouched?”

“Yes, as far as I can see.”

The bodyguard corrected himself a beat too late.

“He did knock one of the wardrobe hinges off.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Marienne made an incredulous noise.

“Did he think I was hiding something in the closet?”

It looks likes he’s got everything she should have. Marienne stopped locking the trunk and looked up at her bodyguard.

“And you just packed up while the Duke of Blackwood stood guard at the door?”

It was so strange to hear. The bodyguard shook his head with an unsmiling face.

“My position or strength is nothing against His Grace, the Duke, but my words are worthy.”

He explained that Vileon had chosen him for his eloquence.

No, choosing his bodyguards based on their eloquence, that’s very Vileon Byers.

With Vileon closely behind me, I returned to the upper chamber and the atmosphere was indeed tense. The Duke of Blackwood has given a unilateral notice.

Tomorrow, at noon, you are to attend a luncheon in his parlour, accompanied by your third aide.

“If he’s targeting me, why didn’t he ask me to come alone?”

Marienne wondered, looking down at a handful of dark hair.

“Because he knows I wouldn’t send Aide Didi alone anyway.”

Vileon said flatly. He had given instructions to move the third aide’s desk to the Chancellor’s office. The reason: ‘safety concerns.’

Originally, Vileon had wanted the aide’s desk near his own, but over Marienne’s objections, it was placed near the doorway.

An elegant partition became the only thing separating them.

End of free time. End of weird soliloquies. No more weird monologues. Even if it was unavoidable, it shouldn’t be.

‘Welfare is the best…’

Marienne sighed as she spied the gorgeous Vileon over the partition.

◇ ◆ ◇

“I’ve caused Lord Byers a lot of trouble, I apologise.”

“Do you realise that’s your twenty-second apology?”

Vileon smiled faintly.

“That’s more than enough, and since I offered it in the first place, it’s not like Aide Didi needs to apologise.”

“But you left work early because of me.”

“That’s right, I’ll be home earlier than usual, my family will love it.”

For a moment, her face seemed to heat up. Marienne pretended to look out the window.

‘It’s a bit of a stretch, I guess.’

It sounded so flirty, even though she knew he didn’t mean it that way.

Would his family be pleased?

‘It’s like I’m going to say hello to the Count’s family.’

Boo, Marienne Didi, you’re crazy. But imagination is not a sin, is it?

I blushed to myself, straightened up, sat down, and wondered if I should have changed my clothes. For the rest of the ride to the count’s house, Marienne was not the least bit bored.

Then the carriage stopped.

‘Finally…!’

Marienne’s excitement was at an all-time high. There were few descriptions of the Count in the original. Marienne hadn’t even thought of going to Vileon’s house.

So, from here on out, it’s something that isn’t in the original story. A part that only you can know by entering the book.

Vileon opened the carriage door and turned round.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

“About what?”

“My family is a bit… strange, and the atmosphere will be quite different from other noble families. If you find their favours overwhelming, you can always decline.”

“I’ve never been to any other noble families anyway, so how is it weird?”

“It’s just that… you’ll know it when you experience it.”

What kind of family is this that Vileon would even warned her?

Marienne shook her head. After all, Vileon is not an ordinary person. She thought there was no one he couldn’t accommodate.

“Watch your step.”

He took her hand casually as she stepped out of the carriage. Marienne thanked him, then took a slow look around the garden.

There was no gardener who applied elaborate techniques. To be honest, it looked more like an arboretum1a botanical garden devoted to trees. than a nobleman’s garden. The air smelled of fresh grass and earth.

A middle-aged man who had been working in a corner of the garden since the carriage drove in removed his straw hat and approached Marienne.

“Welcome to the Count of Byers, ma’am.”

“Oh, hello. Nice to meet you!”

Marienne hurriedly bowed her head in greeting.

“I am Marienne Didi, third aide to Lord Byers, working in the Ministry of Finance.”

“I see you’re Ms Didi.”

“Feel free to call me Marienne.”

“You’re too kind.”

Judging by his rolled-up sleeves and dirt-stained clothes, he looked like the Earl’s gardener. Someone who had probably watched over Master Vileon since he was a child. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to speak to the First Master’s guest.

“Excuse me ma’am, but my hands are like this, and it’s hard for me to shake your hand.”

The middle-aged man held out his dirty hand and smirked. Marienne shook her head and replied that it wasn’t rude at all.

She feels welcome. She hadn’t even stepped into the foyer yet, but the count’s warmth made her smile.

Then the middle-aged man looked at Vileon and said.

“Welcome.”

Vileon, who had been silent until now, spoke.

“Yes, Father.”

“I have heard the news. That this young lady has incurred Blackwood’s wrath.”

“Yes.”

“If not Blackwood, then Blackwood’s dead grandfather, I will not allow him to set foot in my garden, much less harm my guests.”

The middle-aged man finished in a stern voice, then returned to his work.

Marienne looked at the man next to her, hoping for an explanation.

“Do you enjoy acting? My colleagues were all fooled too.”

Vileon said.

Vileon continued, “And this is just the beginning, Marienne.”