# 14
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Episode 14
* * *
“Me?”
Ruelia's eyes widened at the sudden question.
Did they usually talk about personal matters?
Despite working at the Duke's Palace for two years and dealing cloy with Belén at work, they were not very close.
“Why suddenly...”
Ruelia stammered, surprised.
She wasn't upset, but her hesitation in answering made Belen confused.
“I mean, it's not like that...”
When he was unable to continue his words, the garden became silent.
'Why is he acting like this? Is he hiding something?'
Ruelia looked at Belin with eyes full of caution.
Feeling guilty, Belin suddenly grabbed a cup of hot tea and drank it.
“Ah, hot!”
Ruelia remembered in confusion.
-We want the assistant to work with the Duke here forever.
'Did he see my resignation letter?'
Even if they were knights, they would not have used a paper from the Duke's Palace as fuel without checking it.
At that moment, she was so tired and confused that she didn't pay attention, but now, she remembered that the knights said a lot of nonsense.
At least, they wanted her to stay.
‘Then, maybe they burned it to avoid informing the Duke.’
That's kind of reassuring...
But Belén, the Duke's closest follower, is now before her.
Would he let it go so easily?
Perhaps his question had a hidden intention, to find out the reason for her resignation.
'I must answer carefully. 'I need to strongly stress that I have no intention of resigning.'
Meanwhile, Belen finally calmed down from the hot tea and took another sip, with a tense face.
At the right time, Ruelia broke the silence and spoke.
“I have no plans to get married.”
Tea spilled from the side of Belen's mouth. Senior looked at him with pity and offered him a handkerchief.
Belen quickly wiped his mouth.
“Why? Why don’t you think about getting married?”
“I am the Duke's assistant.”
Ruelia shrugged her shoulders, paused for a moment, then continued.
"Since my days in Countess Bellona's house, I have been clear. How many scum have tried to take advantage of my master's wealth and power!"
“Isn't it possible for someone to truly love you?”
Is this a directed interrogation?
Belén may have thought that the reason for her resignation was related to marriage.
So, clear boundaries must be set.
“I don't trust people who say they love me.”
This was honest.
Based on her experiences. How many people underestimated her as a common orphan and tried to exploit her?
Even Melissa's romantic relationship was similar.
Seeing the scum approaching Melissa to take advantage of Ruelia made her lose any hope or illusion of love.
She didn't think this was a big deal.
'But it hurts more than I expected.'
Ruelia's eyes looked bitter and disappointed.
Senior patted her hand tenderly, his eyes holding a similar sadness.
“I understand. My son had the same experience.”
Senior's gentle wrinkles drooped sadly.
It seems that his missing son was involved in something similar, perhaps related to the rumors of his estrangement. Perhaps the kind servant sent his son away to protect his master.
Ruelia felt pain in her nose.
But one person was completely oblivious.
“Then, wouldn’t it be better to marry a powerful noble who couldn’t be a parasite?”
It seems he hasn't given up yet.
Perhaps he will test her loyalty as a partner in the Duke's marriage plan.
Ruelia replied in an exaggerated tone.
“Huh, who would come forward to marry a commoner orphan like me?”
Belen leaned seriously, a little closer to her.
“For example, our lord duke?”
Ruelia's face stiffened.
Belen quickly backed away, surprised.
“Stop nonsense, and focus on a way to teach the Duke the art of love.”
“Arts?”
“Yes, that is most urgent. Shall we get a practical book on the arts of love for the Duke? Something like ‘How to Seduce a Woman with One Word’.”
“Well, they say love is not learned from books...”
Belin's features looked like rotten potatoes, as if he had lost enthusiasm.
Ruelia did not like his attitude, so her eyes turned into triangles.
"If he does not learn from a book, should we throw him directly into the field? Without preparation? Love does not require training?"
Ruelia replied in a cold tone.
In the midst of her reprimands, her last words seemed to hit Belin, and he suddenly approached.
“Teach him!”
"What?"
"I mean, prepare it in advance. Like a trial date. Doesn't the Duke listen to you more than anyone?"
“Hmm...doesn't seem like a bad idea...”
But it's not good either.
Whatever you calculate, the side effects outweigh the benefits.
While she was hesitating with a strange feeling, a servant suddenly approached.
“Monsieur Signor, Count Emile demands an audience with the Duke immediately.”
Count Emil was known for his modesty and politeness. Not the kind who comes without an appointment.
What could it be?
* * *
Due to the guest's surprise visit, the meeting ended.
Senior went to greet the guest, and Belen left with sad eyes to gather information.
Ruelia remained alone in the garden, wrote and sealed the minutes of the meeting, then returned to the office.
She felt heavy, as if the meeting had ended in vain.
'They're both uncooperative, it's annoying.'
This way, the palace's followers might end up being wiped out.
“Huff...”
Ruelia sighed deeply as she walked into the office.
In front of the office, the palace doctor was hesitating with an embarrassed expression. When he saw her, he ran to her.
“Miss Assistant, do you know where the Duke is? I don’t see Mr. Senior either.”
“They have a guest in the drawing room, probably.”
"truly?"
The doctor's features seemed more embarrassed.
"What's going on? Can I help you?"
“Can you deliver this medicine to the Duke? I have to go to the knights, they are suffering from mass muscle pain.”
The doctor presented a tray.
It was a dark green medicine steaming out, with an unbearably bitter smell.
“Why? Is the Duke sick?”
I heard he was training with the knights in the morning, but he didn't seem injured.
"No, he's fine. But he has an irregular heartbeat. He seems anxious, so I thought a sedative might help."
Oh, because of his one-sided love. The Duke seems to be troubled lately.
Unfortunately, love cannot be treated with medicine.
Ruelia looked at the bitter medicine with sad eyes.
“Okay, I'll hand it to him.”
I took the Chinese Ruelia.
She was already wondering why Count Emil was visiting. Fortunately, I got a chance to enter the reception room.
'I hope the Duke will win the Count's favor...'
The noble lady's marriage requires her father's approval.
Since Ayla respects her father and their relationship is close, winning the Count's heart will be a strong support.
But…
“Duke, this is impossible.”
As soon as I reached the reception room, I heard a disturbing sound.
“So, does this mean that Count Emile’s family has become an enemy of the Aber family?”
“No, Duke, that's not what I meant. Let me explain...”
“If not, do you mean to have your family removed from the peerage?”
Desperate, the Duke was threatening Count Emil.