UDBL~30

CHAPTER 30

Then Sophia smiled brightly and added,

“Well—Riana, if you last five years here, you might actually end up rich and happy.”

Riana, who had just stiffened her face out of guilt, let out a dry laugh and replied with self-mockery,

“I doubt it. I heard the record for the longest anyone has lasted in this job is less than five months.”

“Oh, that’s true! But even so, at least you won’t end up all worn out like me.”

“You’re really positive. You’re young at heart.”

“I am young. I’m the same age as you. So don’t speak to me so formally, okay?”

The mood lightened with their joking, and the two of them ended up dropping formalities and deciding to be friends.

While the enchanted brooms busily worked, the two maids—same in age—sat side by side on the bed.

“Actually… I have a reason I can’t face Duke Veloci.”

“What? You know him?”

It made sense for Sophia to be surprised. There was a huge gap between a duke and a maid.

“We have a bad history.”

Sophia gasped and covered her mouth at Riana’s confession.

“Oh no, what happened?!”

“I grew up in an orphanage as a kid. That orphanage was in Veloci’s territory.”

“What?! What happened when you were little?”

“I first saw him when I was ten.”

Well, technically, she recognized him, not the other way around—but close enough.

“So then, what happened next?”

“But he was a duke, and I was just a kid in an orphanage. It wasn’t meant to be.”

Back then, they weren’t even remotely connected, but still…

Riana looked off into the distance like she was remembering a sad past.

She wasn’t lying, just letting Sophia fill in the blanks with her imagination.

Come on, misunderstand. Misunderstand.

She chanted to herself as she watched Sophia’s face.

‘Perfect.’

Sophia’s eyes were sparkling like a gossip-loving 21st-century teenager chasing dopamine.

Even in different worlds, people love gossip—especially the romantic kind that gets young minds buzzing.

“I left the orphanage as soon as I became an adult. But recently, I heard he was looking for me.”

“Wait, was he at the last banquet because of you?!”

“I don’t think he knows I’m here. At least, he shouldn’t know.”

When Sophia, all fired up, asked why, Riana gave in and spoke carefully.

“I just… don’t want him to see me like this. You understand, right?”

Sophia’s face twisted in all sorts of expressions as she imagined all kinds of things, and then she clenched her fist.

“Of course! I wouldn’t want to run into an ex at work either. Especially as a maid and a noble guest!”

“Thanks for understanding.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Riana smiled and dabbed at her eyes, pretending to be emotional.

‘She’s been so passionate ever since she woke up next door to help with cleaning. I knew she was overflowing with energy.’

Sophia was fully invested, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, misunderstanding everything exactly the way Riana wanted.

“Could you tell Duke Veloci there won’t be any more noise from my room? Please ask him not to come to this floor again.”

“Got it! I’ll make sure he knows!”

“And please be careful not to say my name. In fact, try to make sure he doesn’t hear my name from anyone.”

“Of course. You can count on me!”

Good ol’ Sophia.

Riana decided that once Duke Veloci left safely, she’d give Sophia a nice thank-you gift.

Cleaning was finished. The room looked even cleaner than before. Plus, she’d gained a strong ally.

But Riana still couldn’t relax. Sophia alone wasn’t enough to stop the rumors about her in this mansion.

Especially the bad ones.

‘The researchers talk bad about me like I’m their daily snack topic.’

What if Duke Veloci overheard them?

‘No, Sophia said he barely ever leaves his room. She also said he’s never been to the western wing.’

Still, that wasn’t enough to feel safe. Veloci wasn’t the only risk here.

“Look who’s back. You look happy to see me.”

Grey suddenly walked in as soon as Sophia left and smirked.

But Riana was just as good at sarcasm as he was.

“Don’t I look more like someone seeing an unwanted guest? Why are you back?”

If he had joined the knight order, he should have been given a nice place to stay. Why return to the attic in the main house?

“This is still my room for now.”

“What are you talking about? I heard you joined the knight order.”

“Not yet. Who told you that?”

Grey frowned like he was annoyed, but calmed down when he saw Riana’s surprised expression. He scratched the back of his head and explained.

“I haven’t said yes yet. I was only offered the position.”

Riana quickly shut the door after checking that no one was in the hallway. She didn’t know when the topic of mana or mages might come up, so she needed to be careful.

She stayed alert, knowing there were many things to watch out for.

“So? Why are you here, then? Did you forget which floor the attic’s on?”

If he came here just to brag, she wanted to get rid of him fast. Honestly, nothing was going her way with Grey, and it annoyed her.

“I came to share good news. It’d be rude not to share joy with my downstairs neighbor, wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t need it, but if you have to, make it quick and leave.”

“Turns out the knight order wasn’t the only one who made me an offer. I’ve gotten pretty popular.”

Riana crossed her arms and pouted. The only good news for her would be if Grey vanished from her life forever.

But instead of saying that, he dropped a bomb.

“A mercenary group offered me 2,000 gold just for signing a contract.”

“What?!”

She couldn’t help reacting.

2,000 gold?! The average price of an island at auction was about 2,500 gold. That was exactly the amount Riana was trying to save.

If her competitor earned 3,000 gold in just one week…

She’d lose the island at auction and lose her head to the guillotine.

“There’s no need to look like that. I told you it’s good news.”

Riana couldn’t respond. She was frozen in despair. Her survival plan had just collapsed.

Then Grey spoke calmly, like it was nothing.

“The good news is—I’m letting you decide.”

He leaned against the window and rubbed the back of his neck. For the first time, he looked a bit unsure.

He spoke with a hint of hesitation.

“Tell me to stay.”

“……”

“And I will.”

So much for giving her a choice.

If you add the 1,000 gold Killian gave him for testifying and the 2,000 from the mercenaries, Grey now had 3,000 gold.

If Riana took another side job, she might barely catch up.

But Grey wasn’t going to sit still. A group willing to throw 2,000 gold at him up front probably had more to offer.

The knight order paid even less than the maids at the Isolation Tower.

‘That means, if I want to win, Grey needs to become a knight—not a mercenary.’

She knew what to say… but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Come on, say it out loud. Tell me what you want me to do.”

Tell the male lead to stay? That’s like begging to get her head chopped off.

“You… I mean, uh…”

“Keep going.”

“I-I mean… just stay! Stay, okay?!”

“Stay where?”

“Here! Don’t leave! Happy?!”

Even though she said what he wanted, Grey’s annoying smirk didn’t disappear.

“You make things way harder than they need to be.”

This guy—! She wanted to go tell Killian everything.

Still, she knew he wouldn’t go back on it now. Sigh…

“You really are—”

Riana looked at Grey like he was the biggest nuisance in the world. What did she ever do to deserve this?

What could he possibly gain from choosing to be a knight instead of a mercenary?

Except for watching her suffer.

The original Grey was a simple, brute-force type of guy. But this young version? She couldn’t figure him out at all.

“…You’re such a weird kind of lunatic.”

Riana opened the door with a sigh. It was her way of saying, Get out now. The same way Grey had done to her once before.

“We really just take turns barging in and kicking each other out.”

Grey mumbled as he walked out.

“Next time, I hope I get to kick you out—when you come looking for me.”

“Not happening. Bye.”

“Oh, and my injury’s fine. But thanks for the concern.”

He left with a slightly bitter tone.

‘Come to think of it…’

Riana finally remembered he’d been stabbed by a magic weapon. She knew how strong he was, so she hadn’t worried even a little.

‘Was that too cold?’

But she shook her head right after.

Why should I worry about him?

After Grey joined the knight order, Riana’s daily life surprisingly didn’t get harder.

She had gotten better at playing hide-and-seek.

Around lunchtime, Riana left her room and headed toward the west wing. After all, every human needed at least one walk a day.

‘It’s safer at lunch. I never know when Deborah might show up in the other time slots.’

Sure enough, as always, Deborah was resting in the sunlight behind the west tower—leaning on Allen’s shoulder.