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Chapter 69
“But, My Lady, where and how have you been living all this time?”
Last night Lucy had been too busy listening to Anna’s story—and with Shan present she hadn’t been able to explain her own situation in detail. Now at last she began to recount everything.
From the time she was separated from Dino in that village, her escape through several towns, and finally her meeting with Lady Meriel.
As Anna listened, her eyes slowly filled with tears.
“Anna, don’t cry. And… there’s still something even more surprising to tell.”
Lucy soothed her, then explained that she was not actually the Baron of Diallo’s real daughter—and that she had finally met her true family.
She hadn’t even mentioned yet how she jumped from Edwin’s carriage, the riots in the village, or the mansion burning down, and already Anna was sniffling, eyes reddened.
Seeing her like that, Lucy resolved never to let Anna know the full hardships she herself had endured.
“I knew it! If you were really the baron’s daughter, he could never have treated you that way! Oh, I’m so, so glad, My Lady!”
Anna burst into tears of joy, sincerely celebrating Lucy’s reunion with her real family. Her heartfelt emotion made Lucy’s own eyes prickle with tears.
“No wonder I thought it strange that you had such a dependable bodyguard with you.”
“Well… actually, Shan is a mercenary I hired personally. There was something I needed help with. Even so, our contract is almost over, and I’m worried about it.”
Lucy confessed honestly, sighing. She had struggled to hire Shan but had no means to pay the remaining balance.
She hadn’t said it hoping for help, but after speaking the words, she felt oddly lighter.
“My Lady! How could you sign such a ridiculous contract? And Shan—how dare you demand such a sum from our innocent lady! I didn’t take you for this kind of man. What a con artist!”
The moment Anna heard the amount Lucy owed him, she leapt up and hurled insults at Shan.
“Ah, Anna? It was my choice! Calm down, sit here!”
But despite Lucy’s protests, a stream of bizarre curses—ones Lucy had never even heard before—spilled from Anna’s mouth.
What on earth had Anna been through to change like this? Lucy was shocked at how different her old friend seemed.
Anna looked about ready to storm off and fight Shan herself, and Lucy had to grab her to stop her.
“Anna, Mr. Shan is one of the most skilled mercenaries there is.”
Even Lucy’s calm words did little. Anna still fumed for a long time, before suddenly springing up again.
“My Lady, come to my room for a moment.”
Anna’s room on the first floor was smaller than Lucy’s, but cozily decorated.
With a grave expression, Anna led her inside, then opened her wardrobe and began rummaging through it.
“Business hasn’t been great lately, but when I first opened the shop things went pretty well. And I bought this house fairly cheap, too…”
Her voice trailed off, and she glanced nervously at Lucy, as if hiding something.
“What are you trying to say? Anna, are you keeping something from me?”
Anna fidgeted, lips twitching.
“Well… it’s nothing much. Just… apparently, the couple who lived here before died, and the house stood abandoned for a while. So…”
She studied Lucy’s face carefully before continuing in a hesitant voice.
“Actually… there were rumors this house was haunted, which is why it hadn’t sold for years. So I bought it cheap. Ha ha…”
Lucy, who had been tense, exhaled in relief.
“Oh, is that all? Ghosts aren’t real. You did well, Anna!”
“Right? I’ve never seen so much as a shadow of one while living here. But I worried you’d dislike the house if you found out.”
When Lucy praised her and patted her shoulder, Anna finally smiled brightly.
“Anyway, that’s not important. Even if business is a little slow, I’ve saved plenty of money!”
Puffing her chest proudly, Anna handed Lucy a small pouch filled with silver coins.
“There’s more where that came from. I could easily pay Shan’s remaining fee. But honestly, it feels unfair to hand it all over when he’s only guarded you for barely a month!”
Anna grumbled again about the outrageous cost, and Lucy once more had to sweat to calm her down.
That evening, Anna hurried to prepare dinner.
Come to think of it, I’ve helped arrange banquets before, but I’ve never cooked myself, Lucy realized.
With no cooking skills to offer, she just hovered around Anna, looking for ways to help.
“My Lady, you’re only getting in the way! Please go wait outside the kitchen!”
Busy as she was, Anna shoved her out.
“Then at least let me carry the dishes out! Or give me something else to do.”
“In that case, go to Mr. Shan and say what I told you earlier! If I go, I’ll only end up cursing him again!”
At the word cursing, Lucy immediately trotted off to the dining room where Shan sat eating the soup Anna had set out.
“Shan, um… there’s something I need to say…”
He looked up at her.
“The truth is… I wanted so badly to hire you that I agreed to a contract I really couldn’t afford. I’m sorry.”
Lucy didn’t want to do this. She even thought about borrowing money from Hayris later, just to extend the contract. But she didn’t want to face Anna’s scolding again. Forcing herself, she spoke on.
“So… would it be possible to revise the contract a little?”
Shan listened silently, showing no expression. She couldn’t read him at all.
“I mean, could we pay the fee in installments? Maybe adjust the amount and the contract period too?”
He stared at his soup for a while, thinking. Then he raised his head.
“Very well. Let’s do that.”
“R-really?”
Lucy was startled by his ready agreement.
“But… is the Rayford family truly in such financial difficulty?”
He sounded baffled.
“No—it’s not the Rayfords. I hired you personally. I’d rather earn the money myself and pay your fee that way.”
Lucy gave an awkward smile.
“I see. Then we’ll redraft the contract after dinner.”
“O-oh, yes!”
He really was a man without a single gap.
Dinner ended, and under Anna’s approving grin and winks, Lucy sat down with Shan to rewrite the contract.
She went through each clause carefully, negotiating the terms.
“A one-month renewal period is far too short!” she insisted firmly.
“That’s non-negotiable. I only take contracts on a monthly basis,” Shan replied just as firmly.
“Then add a clause that, unless there’s a special reason, the contract will automatically be renewed!”
They argued back and forth over the details for a long while.
Finally, after much effort, they completed a revised contract. Exhausted, they returned to their rooms.
“My Lady, you did well! But next time, never sign a contract so carelessly again, understand?”
Lucy only nodded quickly at Anna’s stern face. She knew if she argued back, she’d be on the receiving end of more of Anna’s frightening curses.
She looked down at the newly written contract, each clause carefully detailed.
