In short, the cause of Baroness Bavron's illness was indeed her ribs.
It was a condition that could have easily turned life-threatening, but fortunately, she was young, and thanks to the timely support of the Marchioness Ambrose, her treatment went smoothly.
In fact, the Marchese made sure that its “investment” was comprehensive.
Not only did she appoint the best doctor in the imperial capital for this case, but she also arranged for Helios—a high-ranking priest who was notorious for being indifferent to most donations—to visit Pavron's house in person.
Rumors spread that Baron Bavron was initially completely bewildered by this sudden turn of events. But as soon as his wife stopped coughing after receiving divine treatment, he was overcome by an overwhelming feeling of joy and sadness, and he burst into tears.
News of this matter has reached the Duchy of Blair over the past few days.
how?
Because social gossip pages know everything...
The unemployed nobles had an insatiable curiosity about other people's affairs.
Naturally, all kinds of exaggerated stories made their way into the gossip tabloids.
There is even an allegation that Baron Bavron threw himself at the feet of the Ambrose couple, begging them for forgiveness and remorse for his disobedient behavior.
As far as I know, he simply visited them to express his gratitude…
In any case, it seems that the conflict between the Marchioness Ambrose and her son's family has finally ended.
So, what awaits me next?
Recruitment, of course.
On my way back from Pauletta's leather workshop, I found myself staring absently at the uneven garden stones when a spontaneous idea struck me.
“How did you feel when I chose you?”
to retreat.
The large person next to me was clearly nervous.
"…pardon?"
As if wondering if I was really talking to him, Ian pointed to himself and looked directly at me.
Yes.
Now that I think about it, I realize I completely ignored the context.
Because I was so excited about Baroness Bavron's recruitment, I spoke too hastily.
I shook my head lightly, then explained.
“I mean when I offered you the position of my bodyguard. How did you feel?”
"…Yes."
Only then did Ian's face return to its usual unreadable expression.
“He's the type of person whose emotions show more than he realizes.”
As I smiled inwardly at that thought, his gaze lowered slightly.
“…I didn’t hate it.”
"…What?"
“I didn't hate it.”
Hmm?
What kind of answers are these?
Did he mean he liked it? Or was it not so annoying as to be rejected? His words were too vague to be certain.
When Ian saw the puzzled expression on my face, he hesitated for a moment before adding:
“…I was a little surprised, but you took my comfort into consideration.”
“Oh, you mean when I agreed to let you work part-time?”
"Yes."
Well, that's true.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
Typically, the job of a bodyguard requires round-the-clock protection. From his perspective, it was understandable that he thought I was being considerate.
But the truth was...
“I guess I can admit it now, but it was just for my own comfort.”
But as time went by and I spent more time with Ian, I realized that having someone around wasn't as annoying as I thought.
Now, I was sure that this was only possible because he was subtly considerate of me in ways I didn't notice at first.
In short, I was grateful to Ian.
"I can't tell you how relieved I was that you were there to help me that day. Honestly, I'm the one who should be thanking you."
...Was that too emotional?
But expressing honesty was always accompanied by some embarrassment.
I avoided looking at him, and spoke in the most sincere tone I could muster.
“…By the way, I had an idea. If you agree, how about hiring more bodyguards?”
"…Excuse me?"
“Well, wouldn't it be better to have several people instead of just one person? You're busy, anyway.”
When I first hired Ian, I never expected to get out so much.
Because of this, there were times when he had to work after his set hours, yet he never complained once.
However… he would sometimes stare at me with a mysterious expression that was difficult to understand.
“It was as if he was silently asking me when I would finally let him come home.”
Yes, maybe that was the reason.
That's why I decided to hire another bodyguard besides Ian!
“I also think it's better to respect your personal time.”
“…That won’t be necessary.”
"There's no need to refuse. It seems to me that you value your privacy. You only work three hours a day, and you never accept assignments that require travel. That makes me think you might be working another job, doesn't it?"
Curious to know what exactly he was doing, I asked him cautiously.
“…Can you tell me what your main job is?”
"…I'm afraid not."
Ian took a step back in embarrassment, but then spoke with firm resolve.
“But instead of hiring more guards, if necessary... I can consider extending my working hours.”
Would that really be acceptable?
He always seemed tired.
At first, I thought he was Duke Blair, but that seemed ridiculous now – because the two were so different.
The Duke was an exploitative employer, who exploited me to the last penny.
At the same time, Ian was a hard worker and remained loyal despite my tendency to keep him after his working hours!
But there was one similarity between them...
As time passed, the dark circles seemed to get darker under the eyes of both of them.
Anyway, what I really meant was—
Even though I didn't know what his main job was, I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt for forcing him to work more.
“...Are you really okay with this?”
"Yes, I am. And it's almost time for my shift to end. Can I leave now?"
At some point, we arrived in front of the Ducal Palace.
“Oh, of course. Go ahead.”
“So, see you tomorrow.”
He bowed politely and then turned around, his steps quick and orderly.
Even as he walked away, the precision of his movements reminded me of the Duke.
Do all fencers move this way?
I tilted my head in thought, pushing away my thoughts of Ian.
Anyway, how should I approach this job offer?
Now that the Marchioness Ambrose was actively supporting Baroness Bavron, offering money alone would not be a sufficient incentive.
Besides, there was something about her…
“She seems to be the type of person who needs to feel passionate about her work.”
There were all kinds of people in this world.
In the past, when I was working in a company in Korea, and even now as an administrative officer in Limea, I used to encounter them a lot.
“These types of people only work when they find work enjoyable.”
Unlike me – who always worked out of duty – they thrived on true passion.
This passion is often what drives them to success.
“I felt it from Baroness Bavron.”
After all, even when she was coughing with broken ribs, she was talking enthusiastically about a story she had created.
Thinking about it, this was only possible thanks to her amazing passion.
Maybe... real writers should be people like her, not someone like me who just adapts existing stories.
Even after Ian's departure, I remained outside the ducal palace, wandering in the garden, lost in thought.
That was when—
“Princess.”
A dark shadow fell over me.
whip!
Startled, I looked up - to find myself facing a sharp gaze from Duke Blair.
“Let's talk.”
“Your Highness?”
For some reason, he was drenched in sweat and breathing hard.