Episode 96
âUseless? How can you say such a thing to your successor?â
The fingers that grabbed the desk were digging into the wood.
There was a wood-scratching sound by my nails, but I couldnât afford to worry about it at all.
âHave you ever thought about the childââ
âDuke Spade, letâs calm down a little bit.â
It was Duke of the Ale Club that brought me to my senses when I was agitated.
The moment I saw her green eyes shining calmly, I stopped talking.
I sat down, chewing my lips with her eyes looking up at me.
I was angry, but I couldnât help it.
âAny more to say?â
The voice of the Duke of Ace was heard.
ââ¦â¦.no.â
âFrom now on, the talk about private relationships will be forbidden.â
The words of the Duke of Ace sounded as if they were sarcastic to me.
âThen Iâll go ahead again.â
A cold voice rang out.
***
Many things happened, but the meeting went better than I thought.
The formation of the special committee has been confirmed for now.
Announcing the case to the private sector has been put on hold. Still, if the investigation committee was formed, more information could be obtained than before.
It was better than before.
At the end of the meeting, the Housekeepers either organized the data, exchanged greetings, or left the meeting room first.
I also collected the data and got up with it next to my arm.
Then I turned out my head and checked if there was another man with red hair standing at the entrance or exit.
âHow unusual, heâs not here?â
Is he waiting at the place where the carriage is parked today?
âGood. Since we parked at the back door this time, so weâll never bump into each other.â
It was a moment when I thought so.
As I turned, I bumped into the Duke of Diamondâs shoulder and uttered a short shrill note.
âAh.â
âOh, Iâm sorry, Duke of Diamonds.â
I bowed slightly to him and said, âIâm sorry.â
âAre you all right? I hit you hardâ¦â¦â¦â
But the answer didnât come back.
The man with long green hair tied together saw me pierced, but his lips did not move at all.
âWell, Duke? Are you okay?â
For more,
Looking at his silver hair falling apart, I said in a dry voice.
ââ¦â¦â¦Thank you for your time. Thanks to you, Iâve learned something important.â
The Duke stopped halfway and looked at me with his icy eyes.
âWhat do you mean you learnt?â
âThe fact that Eugene will be better than you.â
Of course, the answer did not come back.
When the anger burning as a blue flame subsided, I looked up, and I was the only one in the corridor.
***
The hectic winter vacation is over.
My heart was pounding at the thought of finally seeing everyone again.
âWhen I first thought I was possessed as a villainess, I never imagined this.â
I thought while walking on the campus of the Academy.
âOh, Yerine!â
I looked up at a familiar voice and saw a familiar red hair and sky blue eyes.
âAstra!â
Itâs been a long time since weâve met and hugged each other and had a chat.
Actually, I was going to invite Astra and Rachel to the castle, not only Erica.
However, Rachel had no choice but to meet briefly in the capital just before school began due to her schedule.
Astra had been trying to stay together in the castle for quite a long time, like Erica, but the monsterâs attack destroyed the plan.
âOh, itâs so nice to see you after a long time. Yerine.â
âMe too. I wish I had seen you during the vacation.â
âAre you feeling alright? Youâve been through a lot.â
Astra asked with a worried look.
Although she did not directly mention it, it was clear that she was recalling the monster attack.
âNo, itâs okay. You really donât have to worry.â
âIâm glad to hear thatâ¦â¦..â
But still, she couldnât stop looking worried.
At the moment when I tried to add a word saying that it was really okay, a tremendous cry came from somewhere.
âHey, itâs Yerine!â
âOh, my God, I canât believe I saw her as soon as school started!â
âHuh?â
Come to think of it, suddenly there were a lot of people around.
There they were all flushed and gleaming eyes at me.
âArgh! Yerine! Sheâs so beautiful!â
A schoolgirl screamed and pounded her friend on the back.
The friend looked dispirited and the girl didnât stop cheering.
The problem was that there were more than one of these kids.
âOh, my God, look at that proud walk!â
No, I just walked without thinking.
âOh no, sheâs so pretty but so cuteâ¦â¦.â
I know that, but is it enough to make you shed tears?
âI wish I had been under her spell once!â
Donât do that, please. Youâll get hurt.
âI think itâs getting more popularâ¦â¦?â
âHey, Yerineâs popularity never goes down. Iâm really proud of you, my friend.â
âNo, by the way, it wasnât usually this bad.â
âOh, I think itâs because your article was published.â
âAh.â
Come to think of it, I took a picture and had a brief interview after I was appointed as the lord of the family and as a Housekeeper.
Iâve heard that once youâre appointed as a family head, youâll be in the entire newspaper.
âThe picture came out really well. It caught my eye even on the front page.â
âIs it on the front page?â
âYes, in the newspaper the day before yesterday. A new Housekeeper who appeared like a comet, the torch for a generational shift⦠Well, thatâs the title.â
âWow, thatâs a very embarrassing title.â
A feeling of shame and embarrassment came deeply.
Does the newspaper know that I had a monster attack accident?
When I was thinking about it, suddenly someone tapped me on the shoulder.
âExcuse meâ¦.â
âOh, yeah?â
When I looked back, a man who was about one head taller than me was bowing his head.
âOh, whatâs the matterâ¦â¦?â
The man, who was hesitating, suddenly stuck out a box wrapped in a red ribbon in his arms.
âHav, have this!â
âEh, yeah?â
âIâm always rooting for you. All right, bye!â
The man shouted so and gave me a box and started running as if he had thrown a bomb.
âHey, wait! Hold on!â
But the man did not stop, and completely disappeared from view.
âWhat is thisâ¦â¦?â
âWait, Yerine. Look at this.â
On top of the pink box wrapped in a red ribbon, there was a note with a clear heart.
âNo, wait. What is this?â
When I opened the box with half a doubt, it was heart-shaped chocolate that greeted me carefully.
Itâs a combination of red, pink, and white.
âYerine, this isâ¦â¦â¦.â
I couldnât beat her.
Yeah, this was a confession, obviously.
âââââ