She smiled a gentle smile like an angel.
“Nothing...just hope you stay well.”
"I thank you."
Fortunately, he did not appear suspicious.
Arkell finished adjusting his collar, then headed towards the desk in the corner of the room.
“Don't you find it difficult to live here?”
He asked me without turning around.
A very nice question compared to being a kidnapper.
Difficulty in living...?
'Actually, not at all.'
Since I have strange tendencies, I was very much enjoying the atmosphere of Cayenne Palace.
Naran's workshop... and the human pen on the farm... were all scenes that gave me some kind of excitement.
It is true that fear has not completely disappeared, but compared to my previous life, which was nothing but intermittent breaths in a dead body... even the risk of death is much less now.
Moreover, just a little while ago...a new goal appeared before me that I must achieve.
'Kick Kaien, I'll make you cry.'
I want to see your tears no matter what it takes.
As soon as I had that beautiful idea, I almost lost my mind.
I put my hand in front of my mouth to hide a mischievous smile that came out with a hot breath.
My countenance certainly looked very suspicious, and fortunately for me, Arkell was busy with his back to me.
'But... what exactly does he do?'
I saw him sitting behind his desk holding a feather and scribbling something on paper.
However, the feather suddenly stopped after it had been moving without interruption.
Then he began to tap the surface of the desk lightly, as if his thoughts had been interrupted.
She took cautious steps behind him and asked:
“What are you writing?”
“….”
He did not answer me, but turned towards me briefly, then muttered as if he was talking to himself:
“…Hasn’t Huan arrived yet?”
Huan, the name sounded familiar.
I remembered, he is the man with glasses that I saw on the farm.
So this is Arkle's assistant.
I said jokingly:
“Do you intend to get rid of me quickly?”
He replied simply, without hesitation:
“Yes.”
‘Before, you were holding my hand and asking me to stay longer...’
I secretly complained, but kept my bright smile.
“So what are you writing?”
I didn't hold back my curiosity, so I asked him again.
Arkell looked up at me and said:
“Invitation.”
"Invitation? For anything?"
I was surprised... the Kayin family is an isolated people, and they do not interact with other families much.
“We will be having a dinner soon. I will invite the heir to the House of Morel.”
Pete Morel...yes, I know them.
The house of the Marquis that inherited the mana stone trade over generations.
As for their heir, he is...
'Gillian Morell.'
A classmate of the story's hero, Jean Alheim, at the academy, and an amateur in love with Blazey.
In fact, he was the first to trace her after her disappearance.
I remembered the course of the novel.
House Kaien has long coveted Morel's mana mines.
That's why they summoned Gillian to a dinner to negotiate a deal.
But then, Gillian picked up on some of the servants' side conversations, discovered that Lizzie had been kidnapped here in particular, and then rushed to tell Jane about it.
'So this is that particular banquet.'
“Originally, such matters were handled by my sister... but now she is in the capital.”
He sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples.
It was clear that writing the invitation had burdened him.
However, I saw the feather moving quickly a while ago… He must have already written something.
I was curious:
“Can I see?”
He hesitated a little, then handed me the paper.
I looked at it... but I found only four words:
[Invitation to Mr. Gillian Morell.]
'Just the name...and then stop?'
I couldn't even say a word of encouragement.
Arkle lowered his eyes and whispered bitterly:
“I have never written anything like this in my life.”
Indeed, it seemed that he had never written a single letter before.
“It's not difficult. Start with a little talk about the weather, for example...”
“The weather... like a dreary Morel sky.”
“No, try to be a little nicer.”
“If only Morel’s gray clouds would clear up and clear up like here.”
I shook my head smiling:
“Let me write it down for you.”
Then a look of relief appeared on his face that I saw well, as if he saw a ray of light.
He hesitated for a moment and then said:
“Do you... accept?”
“Give me the paper.”
I took the quill and paper from him, and began writing without hesitation.
I have significant experience in writing long comments...
I opened with a polite greeting, then briefly explained what Arkell wanted, and ended with a prayer for the prosperity of the House of Morel.
Arkle read what I wrote, then murmured with muffled admiration:
“Oh…”
A short word, but full of meanings.
I smiled triumphantly and said:
“This way he will definitely come.”
“Yes... and if the deal goes through, that’s even better.”
Deal...yes.
But the real reason for Gillian's acceptance was not the deal... but the deception.
I raised my gaze, contemplating and kicking carefully.
Can I help him with this?
Or do I let things go as they are?
While I was confused, a bold idea suddenly flashed into my mind.
I smiled wide at Arkl.
“Arkle, what if we make a deal?”
He looked at me in amazement.
"deal?"
“Yes. Just between you and me.”
“And what are we betting on in this deal?”
I smiled softly without answering directly.
“One simple request is enough. In return, I will ensure the success of your deal with the House of Morel.”
Arkle slowly raised one eyebrow.
“How are you going to do that...?”
“Who does not know that the House of Cayenne covets the Morel Mines? If you succeed in the deal, promise to fulfill my request.”
He was silent for a moment, then answered quietly:
“I cannot fulfill a difficult request.”
“Okay. It's very simple.”
I can't reveal it now. If he had known, he would never have agreed to do it.
'So excited...'
My smile almost widened endlessly, but I controlled myself with difficulty.
I extended my pinky finger towards him.
"What do you do?"
"Promise. We cross our fingers."
Arkle hesitated a little, then extended his pinky towards mine.
And so the deal was concluded.
As we looked at each other for a moment, there was a knock on the door.
“It's Huan.”
It seems that Arkell's assistant has come to pick me up.
Arkle opened the door, and there was the man with the glasses that I had seen on the farm standing.
“Have you finished the arrangements?”
“Yes, I have punished all the servants, and a new head maid has been chosen.”
"Good."
Arkel turned to me and said:
“It's time to go back, miss.”
As we walked out the door, I felt his eyes on my back.
“It was a fun day.”
He said it with his eyes without clear expressions, but what surprised me was that he said that despite his lack of expression of emotion, so I smiled at him in return.
“Don't forget our deal, will you?”
“I will never forget her.”
He responded quietly, low.
Hwan walked, so I walked behind him in the hallway.
It seemed that Erkel had been watching my back even before we reached the stairs.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Is your body okay?”
Huan asked me after we walked for a while together.
He apparently meant what happened on the farm.
“I apologize on behalf of the servants for their disgraceful behavior. I have given them severe punishments, and none of them will dare to offend my missy again.”
"I'm fine."
Wow...they kidnap me and then treat me so nicely? I discover for myself that there are funny corners in Cayenne that I knew nothing about.
“…Ah, Lady Sylvia Leal recommended that I pass on her words to you. She said that you saved her life.”
Sylvia? Ah...that red-haired bridesmaid.
“What happened to Sylvia?”
“Thanks to your rescue, miss, nothing happened to her. They intended to expel her from the palace, but she begged to stay. She said she hoped to return the favor, and was ready for any work you assigned her.”
"Beautiful?"
“Yes. It seems that she is determined to reward you. This is something that I ask you to keep a secret from Master...”
Then Hwan turned to make sure the place was free of ears, before whispering softly:
“She said she wanted to protect Miss Alheim in this harsh place... and called you a gentle angel.”
“…….”
Is he really talking about me?
I'm used to hearing that I'm a corrupt devil, not a gentle angel!
Since I came here, I don't know why I have been given nicknames that have nothing to do with me.
“Miss...”
Huan hesitated a little, then raised his glasses with his finger and continued:
“I know this is not the right time for such a statement, but… not all of them are as evil as the rumors suggest.”
"What do you mean?"
“I mean Mr., Miss, and Young Master Naran.”
Ah, so he meant the three brothers from the House of Kayin.
I nodded slowly.
'Naran is cute, and Arkle doesn't seem that cold either...'
As for Martha, I have not met her yet.
“Master has ordered me to see to it that my missy is not in distress while staying here. Whatever you need, just tell me.”
Then he raised his glasses again and added:
“I will do my best to fulfill anything you ask.”
He seemed genuinely honest and trustworthy.
'And I really need someone to be on my side...'
“So, Hwan...”
“After I finish my remaining work first.”
He interrupted me before I could finish.
“I still have to prepare a report on the last incident, finish preparing for tonight’s dinner, review the land reclamation papers, and then accomplish a few other tasks that the Marquis has assigned me.”
His features began to darken and become exhausted.
‘This is not “a little bit left” as he says…’
The shadow of fatigue under his eyes was not without reason.
I felt pity for him little by little.
Since then, his voice had weakened and his tongue had become calm, as he was overcome with exhaustion, and I did not want to bother him with speaking.
We continued walking in silence until we finally reached my room. He told me that I should ask him whenever I needed anything, and then he was about to leave.
He did not forget to repeat his statement that he would help me “as soon as he finishes his remaining work.”
‘If he has this “little left over”, then what is his usual amount of work?’
My body trembled just imagining that, so I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind.
'Before I seriously prepare to make the deal a success... I have to rest first.'
I opened my mouth with a slow yawn as I turned the doorknob.
But as soon as I saw what was inside, I froze in my place like a statue.
~
Translated by Lynn 🌷