Chapter 20
After dinner with Marten, Maynus returned to his office. He said there was still plenty of work to do because of the interviews.
“Would he appreciate it if we sent some refreshments?”
I’d heard that Marten hadn’t gone home either, instead heading back to Maynus’s office. Apparently, Kahir, the deputy, wouldn’t be going home tonight either.
“Of course!”
Yuz nodded energetically.
Chubby little Delerone tugged at Yuz’s hair with all her strength, and Yuz looked completely unfazed.
“Um, Lady Veloce.”
Jewel called out to me.
“I wasn’t sure if I should bring this up, but… then again, I guess it’s not that big of a deal.”
“Hmm?”
“About the gift, from last time.”
“What about it? Was there a problem?”
“You gave it to His Grace the Duke last, remember?”
Oh, right. I’d saved it for last because I needed to talk to him about the rent and wanted to have a proper conversation. Yuz and Elsa also leaned in to listen to Jewel.
“Well, apparently, there was a bit of an issue. His Grace got a little sulky, thinking he was the only one who didn’t get a gift.”
“Pfft. That’s cute.”
I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. It was hard to even imagine serious-faced Maynus sulking like a child…
Thinking back on how expressive his face had been that day, it suddenly all made sense. It was kind of… adorable.
“Uh… he is kind of cute, I guess. By the way, Lady Veloce, what kind of man do you like? Sexy? Cute? Kind and gentle?”
Elsa and Yuz stared at me with sparkling eyes. A question about my type, huh.
“As a marriage partner? Or for dating?”
“Both!”
“For dating, I’d like someone sexy and a little bad.”
Elsa, Yuz, and Jewel all made grim faces, clearly trying not to think of something.
“…You just said His Grace was cute…” Elsa muttered.
Ah, I see what these cute maids are trying to do, they’re trying to match me with Maynus, huh?
I smirked and added,
“For marriage, someone kind and cute is best.”
“Right?!”
“Actually, His Grace is very kind!”
The maids chirped with excitement.
Maynus could surely find someone better than me, so I didn’t understand why they were like this. I was someone who had been cast out with nothing to my name.
Was I really that great? Heh. I guess I had been doing pretty well socially.
“All right, all right. Let’s prepare some refreshments and send them. Make it enough for three people. Since it’s late, skip the coffee… How about green tea? And something mildly sweet not too heavy.”
“Yes! I’ll tell the kitchen right away.”
“His Grace will definitely like it!”
Yuz and Elsa dashed off, all too transparent with their feelings. Seriously, why are they so adorable?
***
Knock knock.
The three men, deep in their work, all raised their heads at the sound of the door. Maynus called out,
“Come in.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The head butler opened the door, and Yuz came in pushing a tray.
“Lady Veloce sent this. She said she was worried since you’re working so late.”
“Veloce did?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Please thank her.”
Maynus’s expression visibly softened. Usually rigid and immersed in work, he now stood and walked over to the sofa. At his gesture, Marten and Kahir also took seats.
Maynus stared intently at the set table of refreshments.
It had been a long time since he’d felt the sensation of someone taking care of him. Normally, when he worked late, it was up to the staff to handle things like this. But now, it was Veloce who had sent it.
So this…
Was this what his mother had meant when she spoke of family? The late Duchess had often told him,
“Be happy, Maynus. Happiness is the most important value in this world. Just choose the path that makes you the happiest.”
He could never bring himself to say he didn’t even know what happiness was. After inheriting power from his father, Maynus’s heart had turned cold and frozen over.
“Maynus, it’s okay to cry if you need to.”
His mother had tried so hard to warm that frozen heart. In the winters, when his power would surge and give him fevers and headaches, she had personally mixed and brewed his medicine.
That’s why he had never been able to tell her…
“But I don’t want to cry…”
And yet now, somehow… it felt like he was beginning to understand that elusive “happiness” she had spoken of. Maynus took a sip of the warm tea.
“Why not rest for the night instead of overworking yourself?” Yuz said politely.
“…”
Maynus turned his gaze to Yuz.
“Lady Veloce was worried about Your Grace’s health.”
Veloce had been concerned for all three of them, but Yuz had edited the message slightly. There’s a reason discretion is a key virtue among servants. Yuz gave a gentle smile.
“So she chose green tea instead of coffee, hoping you wouldn’t stay up too late.”
“…Veloce did?”
“Yes, she even selected the refreshments herself.”
Maynus’s eyes softened completely. Everyone in the room saw the red hue in his irises melt into warmth.
Yes!
The servants exchanged glances, silently thanking the gods. Jeremias Mansion had long been teetering without an heir. Maynus had never shown even the slightest interest in women.
At rare social gatherings, he only associated with those he needed to and never so much as brushed past a lady.
But with Veloce, it was different. He melted like snow. Even the way he accepted her into the mansion had been uncharacteristic. It hadn’t been smooth, but the staff had expected him to kick her out immediately. Given Veloce’s bad reputation and how much Maynus hated scandal, they thought he might just put her up in another house.
The staff had heard the rumors, too. That Veloce tormented her younger sister and obsessed over Alexand. But the Veloce they’d come to know was someone who loved her niece and expressed gratitude. A warm person… nothing like the rumors.
Maybe that’s why Maynus hadn’t thrown her out despite all the gossip. Instead, he’d spoken to her. Given Delerone a name. Even found her employment. All very unlike Maynus.
“We might really get a duchess soon!”
“At last, we’ll be able to face the late duke and duchess with pride!”
“Maybe an heir will be born!”
Unaware of the servants basking in hopeful dreams, Maynus focused entirely on the refreshments. The set Veloce had prepared was exactly to his taste.
Not too sweet.
For the first time, Maynus finished the entire tray.
***
Is this guy a wandering bard or something?
A letter had arrived from the Artemio Count family. It was a summons ordering me to come to their estate. Why should I? I thought. But…
[If you’d rather I come to you myself, then by all means, stay put.]
That one sentence forced me to submit. I wasn’t about to suffer another humiliation. Better to confront Count Artemio and deal with it in his home. I still hadn’t forgotten the utter shame of that time when the Countess Artemio stormed into the mansion…
I sighed and told Yuz,
“Help me get ready to go out.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the Artemio estate. I’m leaving Delerone behind.”
“…Do you really have to go?”
Yuz glared at the letter with clear displeasure.
“Sometimes, we have to do things we don’t want to.”
“…Understood.”
Yuz and Elsa helped dress me. I pulled my hair up in the tightest style possible. I couldn’t afford to look weak. I had to take the upper hand from the very start. I also borrowed some jewelry the maids brought over.
I had to look like someone not to be taken lightly. Just because I was a cast-off daughter didn’t mean they could treat me like a joke. Besides, biologically speaking, I didn’t share a single drop of blood with them. Time to crush them properly.
With that mindset, I finished preparing and stepped out.
Luckily, Marten had told me I could take the day off. With interviews starting and him being busy, he said I should rest. What a dream job perfect work-life balance.
Once I met the Emperor, I would likely be entrusted with managing the National Healing Center as well. It seemed I could balance that alongside everything else.
The carriage bound for the Artemio estate set off. Seriously, how could they be so shameless and oblivious to embarrassment? From beginning to end, there was nothing admirable about them.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have parents who were actually worth learning from?
Grumbling, I leaned my head against the carriage window.
