Looking at him closely, he looked exactly like the boss.

Perhaps he looked like what the boss would look like in 20-30 years.

It was hard to explain, but that’s what Rodi thought.

Maybe he looked a bit more malicious.

Other than that, he could really pass for the boss.

“What is this?”

But unlike the boss’s pleasant deep voice, a somewhat husky and low voice pointed at Rodi.

“It seems to be a child who stays here. Quickly, move aside and greet His Excellency! What are you doing?”

Who is ‘His Excellency’?

It seemed like that’s what they called important people.

Nobles had so many titles besides their names that it was confusing no matter how many times she heard them.

While Rodi was looking up, a brown-haired man shouted at her from the side.

Rodi’s brows furrowed.

Why is he suddenly yelling and making a fuss?

The boss would never act like that.

I take back what I said earlier about them being completely identical.

“Who is this old man? You blocked the way first.”

Rodi unconsciously reverted to her orphanage personality.

Back then, she always attacked first because she didn’t want to be pushed around by anyone.

The curly brown-haired man’s face turned pale.

“W-what! You insolent—!”

“How noisy.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“I wondered what they were doing bringing in strays, but it’s a complete mess.”

The middle-aged man was looking at the main building with displeasure while leaning on his cane.

Eventually, he walked past Rodi and went inside.

Rodi glared with narrowed eyes.

***

“Rookie, why the face again? Did someone say something to you?”

Horas, who had no outside work today, asked when he saw Rodi entering with a grumpy face.

“I met a strange old man on my way here.”

“An old man?”

“Yes. But he looked exactly like the boss. I thought the boss had become an old man, but he’s just a strange old man who resembles the boss.”

She then went straight to the desk, stood on her tiptoes, and handed the documents to Padrid.

“Padrid, here are the documents! These are from Courtney and Roy.”

“Good work, Rookie. Oh, you said someone resembles Eclise?”

When Rodi nodded, Padrid adjusted his glasses as if he understood.

“It seems he has arrived.”

“Oh, he came in person?”

Rodi tilted her head.

She had just said she met a strange old man, but Horas and Padrid seemed to know who it was.

“Who?”

“Probably Duke Hikkerman?”

“Duke Hikkerman… Lexiard’s grandfather?”

When Rodi quickly turned her head toward Horas, he grinned and snapped his fingers saying, “Bingo.”

“Oh, Rookie is quick.”

“But he looks exactly like the boss?”

“Well, they share blood.”

Rodi’s mouth opened in a perfect circle.

“Rookie, you’re about to drip.”

Rodi quickly closed her mouth.

I see. Why didn’t I think of that?

That means he’s the person who’s been trying to kill the boss and constantly harassing him.

Why did he come?

To harass the boss again?

“He’s a bad old man. What if the boss is in danger?”

“Well. Wouldn’t it be the opposite?”

“But he sent dangerous people and everything.”

With the previous poison incident and other things, it all seemed dangerous, but everyone looked relaxed.

Is it really okay?

Seeing Rodi’s expression, Horas patted the sofa, telling her not to worry unnecessarily and to sit down.

“It’s fine. The chief is deliberately keeping him alive and letting him be. Rookie, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Deliberately keeping him alive? The old man? Why?”

“Well, he’s still useful. Come on, that’s the adult world, so just sit here. Wasn’t today a learning day? What did Ekision say this morning?”

At those words, Rodi remembered something she had forgotten and quickly sat down next to Horas.

It was a very important matter.

Rodi whispered quickly into Horas’s ear.

Horas, who had been listening with a grin, suddenly raised his voice.

“What? You didn’t do your subtraction homework?”

Rodi hurriedly covered Horas’s mouth.

***

“Thank you for your esteemed visit.”

Eclise, who was sitting with his legs leisurely crossed, acknowledged Akitez sitting across from him.

“Insolent bastard.”

Eclise smirked at Akitez’s reproachful tone.

“Why are you playing the victim when you’re the one who barged in?”

“You still have that vulgar nature.”

“Indeed. Born this way, I’m afraid.”

Akitez struck the floor with his cane, his anger evident in the forceful gesture.

“Hand it over.”

“Hand what over?”

“It’s not for you to keep.”

“I have no idea what you’re asking for.”

Akitez Onre Hikkerman.

He was the head of the Hikkerman family and Eclise Til Cheiles’s biological father who had forced Eclise to abandon his surname.

He was someone who considered Eclise a thorn in his side and a remnant of his past mistakes, but today he had a reason to seek out Eclise despite all that.

It was to reclaim something that had been taken from him.

More precisely, something he had lost at an auction, but he came here because he knew Eclise was the one who had taken it.

That item was Elvira’s Blessing, said to have been owned by the Emperor’s grandmother.

It was a golden diamond necklace called the Heart of the Sun.

It was like a relic left by the current Emperor’s grandmother.

It was widely known as Elvira’s most treasured accessory, but unfortunately, it was lost when Elvira went on a cruise.

It fell into the sea and couldn’t be found until Elvira’s death, but somehow rumors began to circulate that it had resurfaced.

Shortly after, someone who didn’t reveal their identity put Elvira’s Blessing up for a secret auction.

Elvira, the Emperor’s grandmother, was praised as the most perfect Empress in the history of the Empire.

And the current Empress, Cecil, wanted to be just like Elvira.

Therefore, Elvira’s Blessing was the perfect item to win the Empress’s heart.

Akitez already had a close relationship with the Empress, enough to own and distribute iron mines, one of the important military resources, but he couldn’t miss this opportunity to gain even more.

But when he lost it right before his eyes, Akitez was absolutely furious.

Enough to barge in like this.

That’s why the incompetent men he sent before all failed and died.

He knew better than anyone that once it fell into Eclise’s hands, he couldn’t get it no matter what he did unless Eclise willingly gave it up.

“Hand over Elvira’s Blessing.”

“No.”

“What use does a mere noble’s errand boy like you have for it?”

“Well. Maybe I’ll wear it.”

“….”

“A dog collar would be nice too. Then I’d need to get a dog.”

Eclise leaned back against the chair leisurely, as if he had nothing to lose.

“Maybe a hunting dog? You know a lot about dogs, don’t you? Oh, they’re all dead now. But I did let one live and sent it back.”

As Eclise chuckled softly, Akitez ground his teeth with a crunch.

“Fine. I’ll pay the auction price.”

Eclise snickered.

“You really have gotten old. Lost your edge.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Do you know how to make a request?”

Eclise asked Akitez.

And he answered for him.

“Not with threats.”

While tapping his temple with his index finger.

As if to say, remember this.

“You have to beg.”

***

It was that night.

Rodi was worried about Eclise, who hadn’t been seen all day.

She heard that the strange old man had left in the afternoon, very angry.

Horas told her not to worry, but at the very least, she couldn’t help it since the boss was her benefactor.

After thinking deeply, Rodi finally came down from her bed with the largest doll she had.

The dolls that slept with her were all gifts that the executives had bought for her when they went out on business.

Rodi headed straight to the third floor.

***

Eclise was working in his room until late.

Perhaps because of what happened during the day, he was in a more depressed state than usual.

It wasn’t annoyance, fear, or anything specific.

It wasn’t that he was consciously thinking about it.

Just his existence alone grated on his nerves.

That’s why blood ties were so filthy.

If he could have cut them out long ago, he would have done anything.

Knock knock knock!

“What is it?”

Eclise opened the door at the sound of knocking.

Then he saw a deep cherry-colored head of hair far below him.

“What is it, you?”

“Boss, take this.”

Rodi thrust the doll she had brought into his hands and quickly slipped into the room.