On her first night, Emma witnessed an assassin who had infiltrated the Duke’s bedroom being killed. Similar incidents happened two or three more times after that.

Although there was commotion outside, Emma never left her room again after that first night. She didn’t want to make the same mistake again.

Last night, Emma caught sight of a dancer invited to the banquet slipping something into Caden’s drink. If she hadn’t seen that, she wouldn’t have ended up chasing after him.

By the time the banquet dragged on late into the night, most people had passed out drunk, leaving only a few behind. Emma asked the knights who were still somewhat sober to follow Caden.

—Only Miss Emma is allowed to enter the main building after sunset. That’s the rule of Blackwood. If we follow him and get caught, we won’t even have bones left to bury.

Her earnest request was met with a firm refusal. In the end, Emma had no choice but to follow Caden on her own.

Thanks to that, she ended up spending an unexpected night with her crazy superior.

And that wasn’t all.

She had lied about loving him and was now in a position where she had to prove that love. She had no idea where to start untangling the mess she was in.

‘I need to figure out what’s going on in this manor. Who is this Marcus person who keeps sending assassins and courtesans to the Duke?’

Up until now, she hadn’t mentioned it because of an unspoken rule. But now, she had to find out.

‘What if something happens to the Duke? Is the security sufficient? Leaving the Duke in the main building without any guards while assassins are sneaking in… That’s just…’

No matter how she thought about it, it was unacceptable.

“Tell me, Emma. I’m ready to listen to whatever you have to say.”

Cornell gently smiled and tightened his grip on her hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Cornell. You’re always so kind…”

“A pair of affectionate cockroaches, aren’t you?”

“…!”

Suddenly, warm breath tickled the back of her neck. As hot lips brushed against her bare skin, a shiver ran down her spine.

Before she realized it, Caden had approached and was now resting his chin on her shoulder, staring blankly at a certain spot.

What he was staring at was the two pairs of hands clasped together.

“Your Grace! How many times have I told you to make your presence known? Why do you always…!”

Cornell, lacking the courage to ask if this was just spite, had to clamp his mouth shut.

“In my house, my secretary and my steward, in broad daylight… Don’t you think I’d be curious about what you’re up to? Neither of you has even shown me your shadows, so I came to check for myself.”

Caden’s sharp gaze made both Emma and Cornell let go of each other’s hands at the same time. Or rather, they practically flung them apart.

“Your Grace, you misunderstand. This was simply encouragement, a gesture of camaraderie…”

“…Camaraderie?”

At that moment, Caden’s eyes darkened significantly. Feeling threatened, Cornell quickly stepped back, distancing himself from both Caden and Emma.

“It was just a form of camaraderie. It had absolutely no other meaning! If even camaraderie offends Your Grace, then I will never…”

“Yes, it offends me.”

It offends him.

Caden finally realized it. The name of the emotion he had been feeling all along was “offense.”

It started at lunch. While waiting for tea after the meal, a maid entered carrying a tray instead of the secretary he had been expecting.

From that moment, everything began to irritate him—the faint scent of tea wafting through the air, the maid’s breathing and footsteps, her clumsy movements.

‘…Damn it.’

Caden frowned.

It was like a grain of sand stuck underfoot or a tiny splinter lodged under a fingernail—an incessant, nagging irritation.

“Where is my secretary?”

“Gasp…!”

The maid, who had been nervously setting down the teacup, let out a panicked gulp.

“Click.”

Caden clicked his tongue as he watched the flustered maid. He considered overturning the teacup but decided against it. The extreme thirst he felt stopped him. Picking up the teacup, he brought it to his lips.

“….”

The taste was oddly hot, bitter, and cloyingly sweet all at once—a flavor that left him feeling utterly disgusted.

“Leave.”

“…!”

At Caden’s cold dismissal, the maid fled the room as though she had been chased out.

“Sigh…”

Caden let out a deep sigh as he looked at the mess of teacups and trays scattered around. He felt his irritation rising with every breath he took.

In the past, he might have overturned the teacup or thrown it against the wall, just to create some gossip-worthy drama. But now, even that felt like too much effort.

He was simply curious. About Emma Brown’s whereabouts.

‘Where the hell is she wandering around?’

Come to think of it, Emma hadn’t shown her face for hours. This was a clear dereliction of duty and a violation of their contract.

Even though she could be clumsy at times, Emma was a consummate professional when it came to her work. For her to be absent for so long without a reason—it had to be deliberate.

‘Is she avoiding me?’

How dare she? After confessing her love, no less.

He had even given her a grace period to prove her love. And yet, she was already avoiding him? Unforgivable.

Caden immediately stood up and descended to the first floor. He finally spotted the back of her head, her neatly combed brown hair catching his eye. But to his surprise, she wasn’t alone.

‘What is she doing?’

The sight of her huddled close to someone, whispering, was infuriating.

As he drew closer, perfectly concealing his presence, he finally saw it. Two people holding hands as if they were lovers.

‘These… pests.’

Caden gritted his teeth. They looked like a pair of cockroaches, disgusting and out of place.

“There will be no unnecessary conversations or physical contact among the staff. This applies not just to you but to all Blackwood employees.”

“Yes, of course, Your Grace. I’ll inform the staff to ensure there’s nothing that might offend Your Grace’s eyes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll head to the stables for a final inspection…”

Cornell, who had answered swiftly and without taking a breath, was about to leave when Emma spoke up.

“Excuse me, Your Grace. When you say unnecessary conversations or physical contact, isn’t that a bit ambiguous?”

“…What?”

The sharp gaze that had been directed at Cornell now turned to Emma. Though she flinched under Caden’s piercing eyes, she didn’t back down.

When it came to work, Emma was a fearless professional.

“To efficiently handle tasks, collaboration and division of labor are essential. Open communication is crucial for smooth operations, Your Grace. So conversations are a necessary means for cooperation and mutual success…”

The longer Emma spoke, the darker Caden’s expression became. Realizing he had missed his chance to escape, Cornell tried to mediate.

“Ahem, Miss Emma? While that may be true, Blackwood has its own way of doing things.”

“What? Mr. Cornell, but…”

Emma tried to argue, but Caden cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

“For once, you’ve said something sensible, Cornell. I’ll take it from here and personally educate my secretary on Blackwood’s ways. You may leave.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Understood!”

Saluting like a soldier receiving orders, Cornell disappeared at lightning speed. Once again, only the two of them were left.

“Your Grace, if I may say so, this behavior of yours resembles the fear tactics used by tyrannical rulers…”

“Such a small thing, yet you speak so boldly.”

“…!”

His voice was soft, despite the ominous look in his eyes. His hand brushed gently through her hair, making Emma freeze in place.

Seeing her stiffen, Caden chuckled softly.

“Let’s continue the lesson as we go. Cornell seems to have taken over the stables, so pack your things. We leave in an hour.”

“…What? Leave? Where to? Are you saying I’m coming along on the hunt?”

Bonk!

A light pain brushed against her forehead, and Emma squeezed her eyes shut.

“Fool. Have you forgotten? You’re my secretary, on duty 24/7. If you don’t accompany me, who will?”

“Oh…”

“Your skin is so sensitive. It’s already red.”

His voice was calm, almost soothing. A moment later, his hand, as soft as well-whipped meringue, gently touched her forehead.

The touch was delicate, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings. It lingered for a moment before pulling away.

For some reason, she felt disappointed. Shocked by her own thoughts, Emma shook her head vigorously.

‘Unbelievable! Is this some kind of twisted game? Who would think someone else did this?’

Emma turned her head away, avoiding his touch. Caden’s dark eyebrows twitched.

“Ahem.”

Emma shifted her gaze to the distance, unable to bring herself to meet his sharp, beast-like eyes.

“Mr. Cornell mentioned that you’ve never taken a secretary on a hunt before. He said it would only get in the way, that you absolutely hated it. That’s what I heard.”

“Is Cornell your superior?”

“No, but…”

Caden frowned and coldly pressed her.

“Answer me. Who is your superior?”

“Well… The shining star of the Empire, the most handsome man in the Empire! The ruler of the North and the hero of the nation, Duke Caden Blackwood.”

“Sigh…”

Caden let out a deep sigh at Emma’s cheeky response.

For someone who flinched at the slightest raised voice, her boldness and brazenness were baffling.

He hated blatant and childish flattery.

The problem, however, was that Emma’s exaggerated praise wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Without realizing it, Caden felt his foul mood begin to lift.