Chapter 15

“Then I’ll postpone your return to work by one day under my authority. Never mind that, just get your heart in order.”

One day? Only one day?

If you count my tears, you’ll have to subtract at least a month, right?

Lillian was steaming. Perhaps because her body changed, her acting was less effective. Now that her face has changed, the feeling she gave off would change too. Even if the expression was the same, there were small differences that gave off different perceptions.

Lillian decided to study her facial expressions as soon as she returned.

Negotiations were impossible under the current circumstances anyway. Rather, the moment she tried to bargain, Enrique’s feelings would turn from sympathy to doubt.

Knowing this, Lillian bowed her head with tears in her eyes.

“Thank you very much, Knight General Evans.”

“No need. I’ll leave you alone, then, so let’s talk about the details tomorrow.”

“Yes. Good night.”

Lillian, whose eyes were as red as a rabbit, nodded while she clasped her handkerchief.

Her appearance was pitiful but cute. Enrique’s usually stern mouth loosened a little without him even realizing it. Perhaps that’s why the unexpected words came out of his mouth.

“It’s just us, and it’s not working hours right now, so just call me Enrique.”

“Thank you for your kindness. Enrique-nim.”

“Then, good night.”

Creak-

The door of the guest bedroom closed with a click. The moment Lillian confirmed Enrique’s footsteps had disappeared, her face slowly changed. She wet the handkerchief Enrique gave her and put it around her eyes. Then she stretched out her legs and lay back.

‘Good. No work tomorrow.’

But how should I strategize for the future? Lillian was lost in thought, her face blank. Even if she had a plan, she wasn’t sure if it would work out. So she decided that at each step, she needed to review her schemes.

If she resigned from being a knight, what would be her future? The answer was automatic.

“You’ll get married.”

Baron Rossetti, Lillian’s family, was poor and couldn’t even imagine paying a daughter’s dowry. So Lillian gave up marriage early and became a knight. And with her own salary paid for the maintenance of the mansion and the wages of her employees.

But what if Lillian loses her salary? Maybe if Lillian were going to get married, her parents would sell their daughter off so they could receive her ransom. It was a common development in fantasy novels, thinking a daughter could be exchanged like an item at a pawn shop.

‘Lillian had no mother, only a father, who was wasteful with money. A true prodigal.’

Sam, her attendant, was talkative.

Thanks to her, Lillian was able to get a glimpse of her family’s condition in just a few days.

Her mother was the only daughter of Baron Rossetti. So he received the second son of another family as his son-in-law and handed the title to him.

The lucky man was Lillian’s father, but the unlucky one was Lillian’s mother.

Her father pretended to be a good man before their marriage but showed his true colors after the ceremony. A terrible alcoholic, he wasted his fortune in a flash, going in and out of bars where women served.

Thanks to him, her mother passed away early due to the stress.

Lillian and her father were the only ones left.

‘That means life would be much easier without him.’

Is there any way to get rid of him?

Lillian agonized over and over again.

I learned that gambling addiction and alcoholism were separate issues, but in this case, they were combined?! [T/n: nah my girl, once you’re an addict, it’s so easy to transfer the addiction to something else.] Already it would be a headache if we were just friends—but family!? It indeed was a life without luck.

From what Sam said, Lillian’s salary seemed to be spent on her father’s drinks. A daughter giving up her marriage and using her hard-earned money for her father’s trysts and liquor. It was a genuinely abhorrent ‘family.’

‘It would be perfect if you could just drop dead.’

Lillian thought with relish. Then there was no hole for the money to leak out, and she would inherit the family’s wealth. Lillian Rossetti was an only child.

But it wouldn’t have happened. The more horrible people are, the longer they live because of the number of curses they accumulate.

Lillian’s father will live longer than shit if left be.

He was sucking Lillian dry.

Just thinking about it distorted Lillian’s face.

‘Umm… this father problem….’

If there were too many problems, we had to prioritize what to worry about first. It was truly a beggar’s concern.

However, it was also a natural routine for Chae, who was used to bad luck.

‘What kind of life is this?’

A bedside table came into Lillian’s eyes, turning in a disturbed mood. On top of it was a small statue of a goddess.