IBML 05

Chapter 05

Rekalin stared intently at Kalian.

“I’ve reviewed your resume.”

Before coming to the duke’s mansion, I had brought Kalian’s resume from his house. It had passed through the butler’s hands before reaching Rekalin.

The sheets of paper fluttered slightly, lacking any weight.

“I see you have experience working in a flower shop or with floral businesses.”

He deliberately didn’t mention Kalian’s scandal.

“Yes. My experience isn’t extensive, but I’ve handled several difficult plants…”

Kalian continued speaking calmly. His words were solid, and his composed yet compelling tone made me think that if I were the interviewer, I would have hired him immediately.

Rekalin, listening quietly, interrupted him mid-sentence with a wave of his hand.

“However, I still believe that the most important thing in tending plants is to devote consistent care and effort. Plants never…”
“Enough. That’s sufficient.”

Suddenly, the previously calm atmosphere grew tense.

It reminded me of when I had taken interviews myself. Rekalin’s sharp questions and pressure left no time for sweat to dry on one’s hands.

If Kalian had the power to brighten the surroundings just by smiling, Rekalin had the power to pressurize simply by keeping a neutral expression.

They were polar opposites. But maybe that’s what made them more interesting together.

Rekalin raised one hand and spoke, holding up three fingers: the index, middle, and ring.

“Mr. Ripe, I’ll ask just one question. You have three chances to answer. If you fail within those chances, you may leave.”
“Yes.”

With these harsh words, Rekalin posed the question.

“I have read the book on the far left of the third shelf on the right forty-five times. I prefer fruits with a reddish hue, and I cannot sleep on late spring nights. Among my statements, two are true and one is false.”
“…”
“What plant do I like?”

After Rekalin finished speaking, silence fell like a wall. I sighed as I adjusted my round glasses to watch him.

‘So it’s not that the garden has difficult plants—it’s that the interview itself is hard!’

Becoming a servant of the duke’s household and earning a high salary should have attracted applicants. The reason no one had succeeded so far was obvious.

The test was just that difficult.

Suddenly, the applicant is asked to guess the interviewer’s favorite plant after giving detailed personal information. And within three tries.

Having three chances was actually a disadvantage.

If there had been only one chance, there’d be no room for lax thinking. But three chances loosened the tension of thought.

I remembered the plant Rekalin liked from the original account. Kalian probably didn’t know it.

I glanced at the relaxed-looking butler, then back at Kalian.

He looked troubled, but this was his interview, so I couldn’t intervene.

I silently prayed that Kalian would choose the correct answer. He pursed his lips and thought for a moment before speaking.

“Is it the Elerylu?”
“Wrong. Two chances left.”

Kalian quickly named another plant. Rekalin shook his head to indicate it was incorrect.

Biting his lower lip, Kalian went back to thinking.

I looked at the book on the far left of the third shelf on the right: The Most Popular, a general knowledge book. He had read it forty-five times.

He preferred red-hued fruits and could not sleep in late spring. One of these three statements was false.

‘Ah, I see.’

Comparing the clues to the options, I immediately got the answer. Kalian probably would too. I clenched my fists and watched him expectantly.

“The answer is the Merden tree.”

A silence so complete you couldn’t hear an ant crawl followed. Kalian spoke in a hoarse voice:

“Have dinner in the dining hall.”

Huh?

I lifted my head from my prayer-like bow. That meant…

“You said you have siblings. While you work as a gardener, you can live with them.”
“Th-thank you!”

He had passed the interview!

Kalian beamed and turned around. He grasped my hand firmly. His lightly flushed cheeks looked sweet, like a perfectly ripe peach.

I smiled back at him, sharing his joy.

The thought that he would now live in the same space as Rekalin brought an involuntary smile to my face.

It was a natural, unconscious smile, free from social niceties. Kalian seemed briefly surprised by it.

Rekalin, who had been watching, took a breath and said:

“The butler will explain a gardener’s duties in detail. That’s enough for today.”

We left the office. The butler told Kalian to meet him the next morning and assigned him a room large enough to live with Pana and Paul.

“Pana, Paul~!”
“!”

As soon as Kalian called, Pana and Paul, who were snacking, ran over.

They fired questions like a rapid machine gun.

“Oppa, oppa, did you do well?”
“Your expression looks good. Did you pass?”
“Tell us quickly. Did you pass or not?”

Kalian scooped them up in his arms, smiling brightly. Loose sleeves slipped to reveal smooth forearms.

Though he appeared delicate, his body was toned from labor, showing small muscles and surprising strength.

“You passed.”
“Waaah!”

Pana and Paul clapped with joy. Kalian bowed slightly to me.

“It’s all thanks to you, advisor.”
“Not at all. Mr. Ripe did well.”
“No, it’s because you gave me the opportunity first.”
“You can stop being modest.”

Kalian smiled at my words. I asked him how he deduced the answer.

“I figured two of the three clues described the same plant. The Most Popular being read forty-five times made me focus on the book and the number 45. That brought to mind plants blooming in April–May, and I thought of the most popular one.”
“The Merden tree is indeed common.”

Kalian nodded and continued.

“The Merden tree’s fruit is golden, not red. Also, April–May is the nobles’ social season, so being unable to sleep just means being busy. That led me to the conclusion.”
“Impressive.”
“Anyone familiar with plants could probably guess this.”
“But real-life situations are different.”

Kalian smiled faintly, agreeing.

Pana, who had been quietly listening, tugged at Kalian’s sleeve.

“I’m hungry.”
“Ah, let’s go eat.”

On the way to the dining hall, Kalian said:

“Right. You said you’d mention one more requirement after the interview.”
“I’ll leave that for later. I’ll use it in the future.”
“Don’t make too unreasonable a wish?”
“Of course not.”

I considered how to use this wish but decided to leave it to my future self. A blank-slate wish would surely be useful anytime.

After dinner with the three of them, I returned to my room. I had to go to bed early to prepare for tomorrow’s work. No more delaying sleep.

Meeting Rekalin, meeting Kalian—it had been a long day. My body was exhausted, but it felt worthwhile.

The drowsiness came quickly, and I fell asleep immediately.

The next morning arrived.

I officially began my duties as an advisor, leaving my room slightly earlier than the scheduled start time.

Before going to the office, I walked into the garden to see Kalian.

He was watering plants, dressed in worn suspenders. Despite his tattered clothes, he shone, looking like he was wearing luxury attire.

I quietly approached and stood nearby.

“Good morning, Mr. Ripe.”
“Ah! Advisor.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”

Kalian smiled shyly.

“Yes. The room was nice. I even signed the contract early.”
“You read the contract properly before signing, right?”
“Of course. My previous workplace didn’t even use contracts. The duke’s household is really different.”

I watched his bright expression and asked something I hadn’t yesterday:

“I’m curious about something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Yesterday you met the duke. What did you think of him?”

I waved my hand to avoid misunderstanding his serious gaze.

“I’m not gossiping. I just wondered.”
“Hmm… I just thought he looked like the rumors described.”
“Rumors?”
“Yes. Cold, like a strict man, handsome but with a difficult personality… no, not that. Strict and demanding, but very competent at his work.”

I nodded, listening carefully.

Compared to the original first meeting, the impact of the interaction I created seemed weaker. Kalian’s impression of Rekalin was ordinary. Asking other servants would yield similar answers.

I decided on a new task for the ‘Cupid Project’: fill in the missing impact between them.

As I turned to leave, Kalian stopped me.

“Why?”
“I have something for you.”

He held out a wreath, a beautiful arrangement of flowers and grasses, some withering at the edges.

I thanked him and took it.

Or tried to—Kalian placed it on my head himself.

“…What is this?”
“It’s a thank-you gift for yesterday. I wanted to give you something.”

He blushed. I lifted one corner of my mouth awkwardly.

“It suits you well.”
“Th-thank you. I’ll… keep it in my room.”

His delicate frame shimmered in the sunlight.

Such a sudden gesture? No wonder people say he’s naturally charming. My earlobes and neck felt warm.

“Do you like flowers?”
“I don’t dislike them.”
“I’ll bring them often then.”

Kalian smiled again at my words.

Seeing that, I couldn’t bring myself to remove the wreath and hurried away with quick steps.