# 5
---
Episode 5
* * *
“Huh, I'm going to die.”
The morning training ended after the knights almost collapsed from exhaustion.
“Who is that fool who provoked the Duke?”
Everyone looked at Belin with eyes full of blame.
If he is to be rebuked, let him be rebuked alone. Why did he drag Kyle with him?
Because of him, they fell into the trap after they had rested for a while. Duke Belin ordered them to run a hundred laps around the training ground, and then directly took command of the knights' training.
“I almost died from the severity of the cruelty.”
“Why is he in such a bad mood?”
"I don't know. They say Belen caused trouble. And this will continue for the next ten days?"
Receiving training from the Duke is exhilarating, but not that intense.
Everyone was looking at the Duke warily with tired eyes, avoiding him as they walked.
Only Belin, who had committed the sin, followed Caelce cloy like a little dog.
At that moment, a servant came with a friendly face holding a letter.
“My lord the duke.”
“What's wrong?”
“A letter has arrived from Countess Bellona.”
“This early?”
As soon as he heard Bellona's name, Caelus's face turned hard again.
“She says she will hold a banquet in half a month to celebrate the opening of a new sea route. She will invite people from the imperial family as well.”
“What next?”
“Hope your ladyship will attend.”
Cayce's eyebrows rose like a mountain, and his nose scrunched up in dissatisfaction.
He could have gone to Countess Bellona immediately, but he restrained himf with great patience.
“Did she say something else?”
“She asked to come with Miss Ruelia. She said she longs to see her after a long time.”
“That woman dares...”
He had noticed some time ago that her movements were suspicious. The Countess's cunning plans were obvious.
She wants Ruelia back.
Three years ago, he heard that Ruelia had submitted a proposal for a new project that Countess Bellona was thinking about. Recently, that project came to fruition and was a huge success.
It is said to have achieved the highest profits among Bellona's commercial projects.
As for the assistants who replaced Ruilia, they caused losses due to their incompetence.
When had she said she didn't mind giving up on Ruelia, and now she showed this heartbreak?
Caelus did not like the Countess's cunning attempt to win back Ruelia.
“What do we do?”
“Okay...”
He was confident that he would not lose. Unlike Countess Bellona who exploited Ruelia for a pittance, he treated her decently.
Isn't Ruelia always satisfied and working hard?
“I'll ask Ruelia. Do you want to come with me?”
Has Ruelia arrived at work?”
"I headed to the training ground to see you. Haven't you met her?"
Kyles raised his eyebrows.
He didn't see Ruelia's sky-blue hair in the square.
“It seems we have parted ways.”
“That's good. If she sees everyone naked and training like monsters, maybe Little Miss will get scared and leave work.”
Kyles felt an inner distress.
He was very harsh on the knights during training today.
If Ruelia had seen this, she might have been frightened.
Without realizing his master's concern, Senior continued speaking indifferently.
"But where did you go? Did something happen?"
“Belén.”
“Find where Ruelia is.”
But it seems that his knight forgot to respond.
Has he not learned yet? Or is he too exhausted from training today?
Caelus turned to his subordinate, who did not answer.
“Belin, can’t you hear me?”
"disaster!"
Belen was holding something.
A small piece of papyrus, slightly smeared with dirt, as if someone had stepped on it.
As there was nothing dirty but that part, it seemed that it had been thrown away a short time ago.
“What's this noise?”
“Look at this. Isn’t this Miss Ruelia’s handwriting?”
Belen handed a letter to Caelce.
Kyles, who was staring with narrowed eyes, was shaken by the written words as soon as he saw them.
A round and regular line, which can only be a Ruelia line.
And the word at the top of the page.
“Disaster! It seems that Miss has finally decided to leave work!”
Resignation letter.
The paper he had carelessly collected two years ago suddenly became frightening for the first time.
* * *
Ruelia returned to the office alone and took a deep breath.
"What is this? I'm not a child."
Even though she was fanning herf with her hand, the redness did not fade from her cheeks.
She couldn't forget the picture she saw a while ago.
Especially Kyles Aber.
His broad shoulders and toned abs.
And the beautiful curves formed by his perfectly sculpted muscles.
The raw body always hidden under neat and regular clothes.
Now I understand why the ducal knights praise Caelce so much.
“Really amazing. In so many ways.”
She placed her hand on her chest, which had not calmed down.
Her heartbeat was transmitted directly to her fingertips.
But, it didn't feel like usual?
The feeling of thickness over the fabric has completely disappeared.
The thick rectangular paper and envelope.
"Ah, right! Resignation!"
Ruelia suddenly stood up.
Looks like she lost it in the yard.
If someone found her and handed her over to the Duke without her knowledge, she would be in trouble.
I rushed to open the office door, but...
"My lord the Duke! Have you arrived?"
Kyles was entering.
Ruelia stopped in astonishment, and he also stopped in his tracks.
He looked at the small woman who barely reached his chin, without saying anything.
Ruelia moved to the left to make way for him to enter.
But he moved towards her. I tried to move to the right side, but... Take the road again.
“Mr. Duke?”
She raised her head, wondering why he was getting in her way.
His eyes were cold as ice.
Ruelia swallowed her saliva.
“Ruelia, where are you going?”
“What? Well, I mean, to the training ground...”
“Why to the arena?”
“I felt tight in my chest, so I thought about taking a walk in the park there.”
Was her lie obvious?
I felt Kyle's face harden.
Ruelia took a step back with guilt. His forehead narrowed even more.
"Mr. Duke? Are there any further instructions?"
“I have a question. Do you have appointments in half a month?”
“What? No, nothing.”
“Good. On that day, you will come with me to Countess Bellona’s palace.”
"What?"
Ruelia's head tilted slightly in astonishment at the sudden display.
A smile quickly appeared on her lips.
“Countess Bellona’s house?”
This was the personality that she recognized for the first time, despite her humble origins, her savior in every sense of the word.
Someone she valued as much as she valued Kyles.
“Yes, that woman invited you and me. She is hosting a banquet to celebrate the opening of a new sea route.”
Oh, that's it.
Two years ago, that was also one of her achievements with the Bellona Guild.
A place she suggested based on her intuition, or perhaps memories of a past life. It was fateful that he would succeed.
"I'm so excited. Thinking about seeing her after such a long time excites me."
Ruelia answered honestly and happily.
However, a business I was involved in achieved another success.
The corner of Kyle's mouth hardened as he watched her.
“It seems you still love Countess Bellona. Despite all the hard work you endured there.”
This is correct.
She worked day and night almost like an addict, with no time to take care of Melissa.
Even the rewards for achievements were not large.
“What I learned from that harsh experience is what shaped me today.”
Ruelia smiled freely again.
There was no falseness in her words or smile.
She really appreciated the time she spent at Bellona Palace.
However, if she had been asked to return to work there, she would never have.
Now much better.
Ruelia was so satisfied with her work with the Duke now, in every way, that she wanted to protect him very much.
"Yes, like that then. Do you want to work with that woman again?"
It seemed that her resolve did not reach him, as the corner of his mouth stiffened more than before.