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Chapter 12
“Ell?”
“Ah, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
“So, you have something to say to me. Seeing as you’re talking about things you usually wouldn’t… I suppose you want to ask me for something.”
Just as she was about to sink into gloom, Ell quickly drank her tea at Caron’s call.
The bitter liquid slid down her throat, snapping her awake.
“Yes. I have a request.”
“Go on.”
Caron’s face was expressionless, but there was a faint trace of amusement hidden there.
“May I help with the mansion work?”
“The mansion work?”
“Yes.”
Ell anxiously gauged Caron’s reaction.
In her entire life, she had never even touched a silver coin, let alone a gold one.
And yet, out of nowhere, Caron had said he would give her thirty gold coins each month. In fact, not long ago, a coffer containing those thirty coins had arrived.
Ell was grateful for Caron’s generosity—but it also frightened her. She felt she could never repay him, no matter how hard she tried. No, she was certain of it.
Above all, everyone treated her like a young lady. Even the newly hired baroness who served as her tutor addressed her politely and with respect.
If things continued this way, she feared she might forget her place entirely.
Caron watched Ell for a while, then burst out laughing and murmured under his breath,
“If that’s what I had wanted, I wouldn’t have needed you in the first place.”
“…Pardon?”
Not quite hearing his mutter, Ell tilted her head. Caron, with a look of approval, slid his emptied teacup aside.
“It’s a good attitude. Nothing wrong with it.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
Ell bowed her head with a bright, excited expression. But Caron’s eyes grew faintly colder as he looked at her.
“What’s so good about working.”
“I like working. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best!”
“Now that’s something to look forward to.”
Living in the mansion, Ell was troubled by the ever-growing weight of her debt and by her own increasing greed.
Truthfully, Caron had already saved her life once, rescuing her from a pack of wild dogs. That alone made him her lifelong benefactor—someone to whom she owed everything.
And yet, shamefully, she often found herself wishing she could stay in this mansion forever.
That was why she wanted to work. If she busied herself with chores like cleaning or laundry, perhaps the muddle of emotions inside her would settle.
“Then, I’ll take my leave now!”
“Already? Without finishing your tea?”
Caron tapped the teacup with a finger—the one he had set aside earlier.
Ell’s eyes fell on it.
“Ah… that…”
“You expect me to drink all of this bitter tea?”
“You can throw it away! I have another lesson right after this, so I should go. Excuse me!”
“…Very well.”
Caron stifled a laugh.
Ell always took his teasing seriously, answering earnestly or flustering in embarrassment. He found it amusing, and so he often teased her on purpose.
As Ell hurried out, she bumped into the old butler who had been about to knock. She gave him a small nod.
The butler quickly returned her greeting with formal courtesy and a kind smile.
Caron quietly watched the warm exchange.
These days, more and more people in the mansion had begun to take a liking to Ell. That was probably thanks to how well she adapted to life here.
“Master.”
“What is it?”
“The documents are ready.”
“Ah. Good work.”
The butler handed over an envelope. Caron accepted it and checked the papers inside. As expected, everything was perfect. This was something he had been preparing ever since he brought Ell here.
“Master, may I ask you something?”
“Go on.”
“Does Lady Ell know?”
Concern shadowed the old butler’s wrinkled face. Caron was silent for a moment before setting the papers down on the table.
“No. If she knew, she would have run away. She was flustered enough just over thirty gold coins.”
“And if she refuses…?”
“She won’t have that option.”
Caron’s cold reply was the very image of the infamous Duke of Phaeros.
The butler regarded him with some unease.
There had never been anything Caron failed to accomplish. He spared no means to achieve his ends.
It was, no doubt, the result of devoting his whole being to survival within the Phaeros ducal house.
“…I only hope Lady Ell will not be hurt.”
“Perhaps you’ve grown too soft-hearted over a single act of mercy, Butler.”
Caron’s tone was dry as he lifted the teapot. The tea inside the cup had already gone cold.
Ell’s heart had been racing with excitement at the thought of helping with mansion work—so much that she couldn’t sleep.
But that excitement had been dashed just ten minutes ago.
“…My lord.”
“Yes.”
Caron responded casually to Ell’s weary sigh.
She tapped a piece of furniture with her fingertip in frustration.
“This isn’t what I meant by helping with mansion work.”
Her murmur was filled with disappointment. Caron folded his arms and frowned slightly.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to help with mansion work?”
“I meant cleaning or laundry. I’m decent at sewing, too.”
Ell’s voice brimmed with grievance.
She already knew that Caron was protecting her.
There were certainly people in the mansion who disliked her, but Caron made no effort to hide that he shielded her so completely they dared not touch her.
But this was too much.
“How could you give such important documents to someone who only just started her lessons!”
She pointed at the papers on the ornate desk.
To turn a whole room into an office and have her assist with family documents…
Her lord was far too trusting. What if she had been sent as a spy to steal confidential papers!
“And what, you wanted to apply your etiquette lessons to cleaning?”
“That’s not what I—”
There was a subtle pressure in Caron’s languid tone.
Ell closed her mouth, but her face still showed how unfair she felt it was.
“I’m terribly curious to see how elegantly you would clean.”
“…You’re too much.”
That was the worst Ell could bring herself to say. It showed just how deeply disappointed she was.
She would have done well if given the chance, but Caron only ever asked of her the things she felt least confident in.
“From where I’m standing, it seems more unfair that you want me—who taught you manners and etiquette—to have you do laundry. Don’t you think so, Ell?”
His voice carried a hint of playfulness. Normally a domineering wolf, Caron turned into a sly fox only when teasing her.
“But cleaning is the only way I could repay you right away.”
“You’re already repaying me plenty.”
“It’s not enough!”
“It is. More than enough. Just don’t run away someday.”
That was Caron’s honest feeling. In truth, he was afraid she might.
Today, he had only meant to show her the office and, if she was pleased, ease her into the idea of helping with documents. But her reaction had been fierce from the start.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you, my lord.”
“A burden? Ell, I’d rather you leech off me and drink my blood.”
“My lord!”
“There are already more maids here for cleaning and laundry than in any other house—twice as many, in fact. Unless you plan to have one of them dismissed to take her place, just use this office.”
Ell had no comeback. Did nobles take special lessons in winning arguments?
Pouting, she sat awkwardly in the chair—soft and comfortable to an excessive degree.
Before she knew it, she muttered under her breath,
“I’m really going to get spoiled.”
“Good. Work hard at it.”
“And what if you grow tired of me then?”
“Sorry, but I haven’t even grown attached to you yet. There’s nothing to tire of.”
Why did he always tease her?
Maybe he had brought her here just because he needed someone to mock.
As such thoughts crossed her mind, Ell shot him a sidelong glare and looked over the documents.
“Ell.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“Do you wish to become someone useful to me?”
“Of course.”
“Then you must know what I’ll demand. You know nobles never strike a bargain that leaves them at a loss.”
“I know.”
“Then accept it. Say nothing else.”
Caron dropped one document onto the desk with an air of indifference, as if it were nothing.
Ell picked it up with a puzzled look—only for her expression to turn to shock.
“What is this…?”
“The first step toward making you someone I need.”
Caron brushed his fingers lightly along her cheek, smiling darkly. Already frightened by just this much—when he hadn’t even truly begun to make use of her.
Flustered, Ell quickly tried to hand the document back.
But Caron didn’t take it. Instead, he raised an eyebrow, as though challenging her to explain herself.
“I can’t accept this.”
Her trembling voice betrayed her turmoil. Eyes squeezed shut, as if she had seen something she should not.
“Why not? You acted as though you’d give me your very heart. Was it all just sweet talk?”
Caron flicked the document with his finger, scattering the pile into the air until papers fluttered down across the carpet.
The sound of the front page hitting the floor seemed especially loud to Ell’s ears.
Grant of Title.
What Caron had offered Ell… was to make her a noble.
“I could never become a noble.”
“Why not?”
“Because…”
How could someone like her—Ell from the slums, number 8—become a noble? Surely the heavens would strike her down.
Hadn’t the gods always been quicker to punish than to show mercy?
Ell couldn’t even begin to imagine herself as a noble.
(To be continued…)
