ITSM 07

Chapter 07

“Hmph, Liliana. Don’t think I expect you to somehow come up with 300 gold in three days.”
“…And yet you made me that offer?”
“I was just testing the waters. Who would’ve thought you’d leap at the chance to sort out the family registry?”

Who was the one persuading and begging me, anyway?

Just now, I realized something: my reality feels even more like a pit than the fact that I survived the den of demons.

“So, while I was wondering what to do, someone made me an offer. They said they’d introduce me to someone willing to buy the thoroughly worn-out Walker heiress for a whopping 500 gold!”
“You’re insane.”
“They said they’d arrive in two days, so just wait quietly at home.”

He finished explaining and hummed as he tilted a beer bottle to his lips. The harsh smell of alcohol filled the room.

Sigh.

What was I expecting?

That my father would suddenly come to his senses if I gave him 300 gold? That I’d gain freedom once the registry was settled?

All I knew for certain now was that the reality I hoped for wasn’t anywhere to be found.

I exhaled a long breath into the empty air, erasing my emotions, and then spoke coolly to my father.

“I’m sorry, but that will be difficult.”
“What?”
“Contrary to your expectations, I already earned 300 gold.”

He was momentarily flustered by my words, then put the bottle down and approached me.

“Hmph, I don’t know how you earned it, but you’re still my property.”
“Are you?”

Ah… how pathetic.

The me who clung to the past with hope, and the you who’s broken.

“You don’t seem curious about where I earned this money. If you knew, you wouldn’t be this calm.”
“Well, did you go to some loan shark? You didn’t… go out begging on the streets, did you?”
“I became the assistant to Duke Winsphere. I received 300 gold as the signing fee.”

At the name Winsphere, he flinched for a moment, then shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Step back! It’s not the 300 gold that matters! Someone’s willing to pay 500 gold to buy you!”

What a foolish man.

Even if he avoids public appearances, this is the family of a duke, a pillar of the empire, and yet he treats matters like this.

“Is that so? Then sell me. But you’ll have to repay Winsphere 900 gold.”

Bringing up the family name seemed useless. I made sure he understood reality clearly.

When I explained the contract I had with Winsphere, his face gradually went pale.

Ironically, the name Winsphere—the one I had once wanted to escape—was now my shield.

“I don’t know if you have that much money, Father, but if possible, sell me.”
“….”
“If possible.”
“Damn it!”
“Still, isn’t it fortunate? At least, you won’t be dragged to the salt fields because I failed to bring 300 gold.”

Oblivious to my bitter smile, he stamped his foot and vented his anger.

Even spending time watching him felt like a waste.

I turned and gathered my few belongings. There weren’t many.

I checked my small bag once, scanned the house I had lived in for so long, and finally looked at my father pounding the floor while sitting on it.

I ignored the lump in my throat as I spoke to him.

“I’ll handle the organized documents properly.”
“Li… Liliana…!”
“Here’s the promised 300 gold.”

I bent down and pressed the crumpled check I received from Winsphere into his hand.

“It was really pathetic, and let’s not meet again in this life.”

Leaving my mumbling, dazed father behind, I stepped out of the house.

The rain, which had stopped, had started again. The light drizzle had grown into heavy sheets.

“Ah.”

The umbrella I had used earlier was left at Winsphere.

“Guess I’ll just get wet…”

I tried to place my bag over my head and run, but it didn’t work out.

Someone blocked my path.

“Miss Walker.”

A soft, ticklish voice brushed against my ear.

“…Mr. Roan?”
“It started raining. Since you left your umbrella at Winsphere, I thought you might have trouble.”
“Ah.”
“I didn’t follow you because I didn’t trust you.”

Ah… what a terrible day, and here I was being comforted by a demon.

Roan shielded me from the pouring rain and asked,

“Did you gather all your belongings? Can we go back like this?”
“Ah, I need to finish handling these documents first.”

His gaze shifted to the documents in my hands.

“If they’re urgent, it’s best to take care of them before leaving.”

He didn’t ask me for details, and I could easily tell it was considerate.

A demon showing consideration. Such an odd combination, yet it strangely calmed me.

Suppressing the settled emotions, I asked him,

“It took more time than expected. Is that okay?”
“No need to worry, Miss Walker.”
“Hmm, you shouldn’t call me Miss Walker from now on.”
“Why?”
“Once these documents are processed, I’ll become a commoner.”

Roan looked at me with interest.

“You wouldn’t refuse to make me your assistant just because I became a commoner, right? I should probably explain that well to Bael.”

This statement was a calculated move.

I knew Bael had no right to fire me, and I knew that Roan before me was the ultimate decision-maker.

Unaware of this, Roan asked seriously,

“You were worried about that?”
“Of course. I’ll be a commoner with nothing left. Without the assistant position at Winsphere, I’d be out on the streets immediately.”

My teasing made Roan blink widely.

Then a refreshing laugh burst from his mouth, loud enough to drown out the rain—pleasant to hear.

“Do you think the Winsphere family would make such a reckless decision?”
“You’re just worried, huh.”
“You don’t need to worry. Unless the contract is annulled, even Bael wouldn’t have the power to break it.”

He explained to me just how secure the contract I wrote was.

Even if soaked, thrown into fire, or cut with scissors or knives—even the top-tier royal magicians couldn’t tear it.

Hearing this from a demon and a duke somehow reassured me.

“By the way, how should I address you from now on?”

Despite the fact that the man before me was a demon, the villain of Angels of Paradise, his smile seemed angelic.

I shook my head at the unnecessary thought and took a breath as if steeling myself.

“‘Liliana’ is enough, I think.”

He stopped smiling for a moment and looked thoughtful.

After a little time, Roan suggested,

“How about calling you ‘Ria’? Simple and nice, I think.”

Whether ‘Liliana’ or ‘Ria’ didn’t matter much to me. Only now, recalling my past life, the name ‘Ria’ felt strangely familiar.

“Do as you like.”

Hearing my easy agreement, Roan nodded.

We walked slowly to the place where Zion was waiting, not far away, to sort out the family registry.

They didn’t rush me, so I could safely erase the Walker name from my life.

Once completely alone, I stepped out of the building feeling both light and bitter. The sky remained gloomy, and the rain poured down.

At that moment, Roan approached.

“Everything sorted out?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
“Then I look forward to working with you, Miss Ria.”

Whether he was a duke or not no longer mattered.

I didn’t know why Roan hid his ducal status, but either way, I would complete my three-year contract and distance myself from Winsphere and the original story.

“Me too, Mr. Roan.”

I smiled faintly at him, unaware of what I was thinking.