Emma took a thermometer from her pocket and checked the water temperature. Then, with a satisfied expression, she nodded.

“This is perfect. Please maintain this exact temperature from now on. Vivian, wasn’t it? Could you hand me that bottle of oil over there? For this amount of water, five drops should be ideal. I’ve heard the Duke is sensitive to scents, so it shouldn’t be too little or too much. One, two, three… five. Perfect. I’ll handle the final check myself from now on.”

Vivian, the maid in charge of the bathwater, looked troubled.

“I’d be grateful if you did, but…”

“I’m responsible for everything related to the Duke’s daily life as well as official matters. Naturally, this is part of my job as his secretary.”

“…Oh.”

Though Emma spoke as if it were obvious, none of the twelve secretaries who had stayed at Blackwood so far had ever cared about such menial tasks.

“By the way, could you replace these towels and the robe? They need to be completely sun-dried. This won’t do.”

At Emma’s remark, Vivian’s face darkened.

“It rains often in Blackwood. I’m sorry, but this is the best we can manage.”

“…Hmm.”

Emma rubbed her chin thoughtfully, as if lost in thought. Seeing her hesitation, Vivian mustered the courage to speak.

She didn’t expect Emma to have a solution, but she couldn’t help but ask just in case.

“It’s true. You have no idea how hard the laundry maids work. These towels and robes have even been ironed. We’ve tried every method we can think of.”

No matter how hard they worked, they couldn’t meet the Duke’s high standards. Remembering the hardships of the past, Vivian felt a lump rise in her throat as she spoke.

“Since the castle is surrounded by forest, there’s a lot of humidity. We’re doing our best, but the Duke is so…”

Particular.

Vivian swallowed the last word. She couldn’t badmouth her master in front of a new employee.

“Oh, if that’s the case, don’t worry. We can use drying magic.”

“Drying magic?”

Vivian’s eyes widened. As the daughter of a poor farmer, she had never seen magic in her life.

Of course, she knew magic existed. But it was something that only appeared in the stories her grandmother used to tell, far removed from reality.

Especially using magic to dry laundry—she had never heard of such a thing.

“Even if there isn’t a resident mage, there must be magical tools.”

“…Magical tools?”

Vivian couldn’t understand a word of what Emma was saying.

“I know the spell for drying magic, so activating it won’t be a problem. Let’s ask the butler about it later. Vivian?”

“Ah, yes, Miss Secretary!”

Startled, Vivian answered quickly. Then, Emma’s round glasses framed her warm, smiling eyes, which curved into a friendly crescent shape.

“Miss Secretary? Please, call me Emma.”

“…Oh.”

“I’m sorry. I was so preoccupied that I didn’t even properly introduce myself and only talked about work. I look forward to working with you, Vivian.”

Vivian instinctively took the hand Emma extended with a gentle smile.

“M-me too, Emma.”

The moment she called her “Emma,” a lovely smile spread across Emma’s pink lips, forming a beautiful curve. Without realizing it, Vivian found herself smiling back.

“Please, let her last at least a month this time…”

In truth, she hadn’t even been curious about what kind of secretary would arrive. After all, it was always the same—they wouldn’t last a month before quitting.

The secretaries who passed through Blackwood fell into one of two categories: those who were constantly terrified or those who became overly sensitive and irritable.

Dealing with the Duke drained all their energy, leaving them with no room to interact with the staff.

The staff, on the other hand, also had no time to relax.

‘Just avoiding sudden punishment is a blessing.’

Living each day without losing their heads or being dismissed was a miracle. The staff of Blackwood lived on edge, their nerves constantly taut.

The new secretary looked young no matter how you saw her. With her small, slender frame, warm brown hair, and youthful appearance, she seemed more like a girl than a woman.

Her large glasses, which covered half her face, were outdated and clunky. Yet, for some reason, her appearance was oddly captivating. Especially her crescent-shaped eyes when she smiled—they were particularly charming.

‘Maybe it’s because she’s so endearing…’

They had expected her to pack her bags and flee the moment she left the office. But instead, she stood before the startled maids, declaring she needed to prepare the Duke’s bathwater.

Her instructions were clear and precise, leaving no room for hesitation. The maids, still dazed, followed her orders with military-like efficiency.

And to everyone’s surprise, that day, the Duke didn’t demand the bathwater be redone, nor did he ask for the towels or robe to be replaced.

Not only that—he didn’t throw his dessert plate either. Madam Marella, the head maid, was so moved that she hugged Emma with tears in her eyes.

—

“These are cookies I baked this afternoon, Emma!”

“This is a hot water bottle. Even though there’s heating magic, this will warm the bed perfectly.”

“This is a shawl I made myself.”

“Welcome to Blackwood, Miss Emma!”

Before bedtime, people came to say goodnight and handed her gifts one by one. By the time she had received them all, she could barely see over the pile.

“Thank you, everyone. I didn’t expect such a warm welcome. Let’s work well together from now on.”

Emma had braced herself for a difficult time under the Duke. She had been curious about her colleagues and was relieved to find them unexpectedly welcoming.

Her heart felt warm. A small sense of courage welled up inside her, making her believe she could do well here.

“Let’s go, Miss Emma. I’ll carry this to your room.”

Before she knew it, her arms felt lighter. Cornell had taken her belongings and was carrying them effortlessly. Emma quickly waved her hands.

“No, Sir, it’s fine. You don’t have to do that.”

“There are a few things I need to discuss with you.”

“Ah…”

For some reason, Cornell’s expression seemed stiff.

‘What could he possibly want to discuss? Surely… it’s not a dismissal notice, is it?’

Emma nervously followed Cornell. They headed to the second floor, where the Duke’s bedroom was located.

The staff’s main workspace was in the main building. Since the Duke’s office, library, and bedroom were all on the second floor, they had to move around this area frequently during the day. But that was only during the daytime.

All staff quarters were in the annex. This meant that at night, only Caden and Emma remained in the main building.

Originally, Cornell would have stayed in the main building as well, but Emma had volunteered to stay. She wanted to adhere to the principle of being available to assist her superior 24/7 as his secretary.

Cornell and Emma silently climbed the blue-carpeted stairs. After walking down the long hallway, Cornell stopped in front of a room directly across from the Duke’s bedroom.

“This will be your room starting today, Miss Emma. Normally, this would be the Duchess’s room, but… that’s unlikely to happen.”

“Pardon?”

Emma’s eyes widened at the sudden mention of a Duchess. Cornell cleared his throat and quickly moved on.

“Ahem, ahem! It’s nothing. Anyway, the room has been vacant for a few days since I was away in the capital. The maids have cleaned it, but if anything is lacking or if you need anything, please let us know. All necessities, including food and clothing, are provided free of charge, so don’t hesitate to ask. You can speak to Madam Marella or me.”

Hearing the words “free of charge,” Emma’s mouth fell open before she quickly pressed her lips together.

‘Don’t act like this! You’ll look desperate.’

She had feared being called aside for a dismissal notice, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Emma let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“But Mr. Cornell, what is it you wanted to discuss?”

At Emma’s question, Cornell’s expression became even more serious, his demeanor tense.

“I was about to tell you. Listen carefully, Miss Emma. There is one absolute rule in Blackwood Castle.”

Cornell’s expression was far more solemn than it had been earlier.

“And what is that…?”

“This rule applies not just to you but to all the staff. Under no circumstances should you wander around at night. Unless summoned by the Duke, do not take a single step outside your room. That is the rule.”

“Hmm…”

Emma had already found it odd.

Usually, some staff would remain available at night to serve their master. But at Blackwood, all the staff had said goodnight to Emma and retreated to the annex.

This meant that only three people were currently in the massive building.

‘If even the butler returns to the annex… soon it’ll just be the two of us.’

It was a strange rule. If someone were to make such an unusual rule, there could only be one person responsible. But what could the reason be? It was hard to understand.

Her friends’ terrifying chatter suddenly came to mind.

―Every night, he drags prisoners to the underground dungeon and slaughters them!

―They say drinking fresh blood every night is the secret to his beauty!

―They say he doesn’t stop at prisoners—he even digs up graves!

―I’m serious, Emma! My mother heard it from the Marchioness herself!

At the time, she had dismissed it as absurd. But now, she couldn’t ignore the rumors entirely.

‘Of course, I don’t believe in those stories! But still…’

Given the circumstances, it was hard to completely disregard them.

Seeing Emma’s stiff expression, Cornell spoke as if trying to defend himself.

“Miss Emma, I know this must sound strange. But! This is all for everyone’s safety. No matter what noises you hear outside, do not come out.”