Marquis Lavernia, who had been quietly listening to Magnus’s story with a faint hope, shook his head at Magnus’s last words.

‘Well, after causing such trouble….’

Now…

“I see, it’s unfortunate but it seems you don’t love my daughter.”

“I see. That’s a shame.”

“It’s best to just proceed with the divorce then. When she returns to the marquis mansion, I’ll try to pay a bit more attention.”

“Still, I’d like to remain friends.”

Magnus thought he should at least maintain the position of a friend.

Because in his mind, the most special position for Serena was that of a friend.

“That’s quite difficult. There can’t be friendship between men and women.”

“Isn’t there any good way to make it work?”

“There’s no helping it.”

Marquis Lavernia shook his head and said.

“Then try to maintain a clean relationship with minimal contact.”

“Without contact, you say?”

“Yes, because when it comes to the opposite s*x, contact can only lead to misunderstandings.”

He, who didn’t have a single female friend, said seriously.

“Keep an appropriate distance, and if you want to remain a trustworthy person, never touch her and always have a maid or servant nearby when you’re together to prove you’re just friends.”

Magnus listened attentively to Marquis Lavernia’s advice.

After all, to Magnus, Marquis Lavernia was an excellent nobleman, his father-in-law, and a reliable acquaintance.

“Also, it might be good to introduce good people to each other.”

“Good people?”

“I mean introduce good members of the opposite s*x. If you both have lovers and are faithful to those relationships, trust can develop between men and women and a friendship might be possible.”

Marquis Lavernia sold neither medicine nor poison, just plain dung.

“That… seems like quite a good method.”

“I’ve listened to your advice too, so I’ll prepare and try to implement it soon.”

Magnus and Irdin Lavernia looked at each other with satisfied expressions.

The two tadpoles were truly a fantastic combo.

* * *

“…Oh, I think you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“I’m here to apply for the position of guard knight.”

Serena blinked once, looked at the person who came for the interview, then lowered her gaze and picked up her teacup.

Serena denied reality.

Instead, she decided to sink into contemplation.

Recently, Serena, who had finally woken up from her long sleep, decided to get her business on track in earnest.

The samples of items to be sold from purchased materials were almost complete, and she was planning to present them to the IMA and Magnus soon.

If you ask why these two, the story is simple.

She couldn’t cancel the deal with the IMA, and she couldn’t avoid Magnus’s attention.

The talk with the IMA was already somewhat concluded.

To be honest, it’s not even ‘somewhat’. It’s at a level where it would be finished just by signing the contract.

The association president will make the final decision after seeing the samples, and if the other party refuses, that’s that.

But it’s difficult for Serena to back out of the deal now.

When she explained this to Magnus, who wanted to help, he expressed his disappointment with words like these:

‘That’s unfortunate.’, ‘I wanted to help.’, ‘If it were me, I could help you with whatever you do.’, ‘Why the IMA and not me? Aren’t I your friend?’, he muttered beside her.

In fact, since he was her first friend, Serena wanted to treat him well if possible.

So in the end, she decided to proceed with two different businesses on both sides.

Magnus was dissatisfied but said he would understand and support her as a friend, and withdrew his hand from the IMA matter.

However, he made one suggestion to Serena.

“You might have to go out often from now on, wouldn’t it be good to hire a guard knight for you? Of course, if you want, ‘I, as your friend’ could look into it directly.”

But there are many landmines around Magnus.

As a sub-male character in ‘Lucky Saintess’, he has many enemies and acquaintances.

And helping the infamous villainess? That’s a bit uncomfortable.

Moreover, she couldn’t let him take on such infamy when he had the duty of being a friend, so she refused.

Magnus was disappointed, but there were many people around him who were involved with the original characters.

‘It’s a difficult choice to live an easy life.’

Still, when she asked Magnus for advice, he suggested getting help from his butler, Pamel, while twitching his cheek.

‘In the end, Pamel helped, but why did he look so proud?’

Serena shook her head at the sudden thought.

Anyway, with Pamel’s help, she posted a recruitment notice for a guard knight.

One day passed.

No one came.

Two days passed.

There was no news at all.

The third and fourth days came.

Someone came, but it was an application for a maid at the Lavernia mansion.

Five, six days passed, but not even an ant was seen. Pamel subtly suggested raising the amount.

He seemed very familiar with this kind of situation.

There’s no need to explain why he’s familiar. It’s because Serena Lavernia is in this mansion.

‘I am a nuisance, as expected.’

So today marks a week.

Of course, no one had come by noon.

“……”

And I had to admit. The fact that Serena’s infamy had spread wider than I thought.

So I was thinking of raising the pay even more if no one came today.

Because she desperately wanted to be safe.

But of all days, someone came today.

“……”

“Have you already found someone?”

“No, that’s not it.”

And it was a big bomb at that.

Serena realized she didn’t even have the thought to deny reality anymore and slowly put down her teacup.

‘Why is this man here.’

She recalled the man with the sorrowful expression she had met at the market recently.

The one who cried out that there was no god as if he was under some curse, when all he had to do was ask to spare some herbs…

You know that feeling like he might raise a pitch-black dragon on his left arm?

“Please hire me.”

“Well……”

‘Why did he come to me instead of going to the saintess?’

Serena hesitated for a moment.

“Don’t you think you might meet a better master than someone like me someday if you hold off on your decision?”

“If it’s about my limbs, there’s no problem with my skills. If you need proof, I can demonstrate.”

“No, I know your skills are good.”

Serena answered calmly.

The one-eyed man widened his remaining eye at her words, then promptly shut his mouth.

“Is that so.”

“…How about I introduce you to someone else? I just need someone who can knock down thugs, it seems like a waste of talent and manpower.”

“I can drive them away.”

“No, I know that, but I mean I’d prefer if they weren’t killed…”

“I won’t kill unless ordered to.”

Mister, please don’t do this.

‘Why on earth is he doing this to me?’

Is it because of the herbs? Is it because of the herbs? Why on earth would a hero known as the dragon slayer want to knock down thugs?

“But I think there’s someone who needs you more than someone like me.”

I really don’t want to get involved.

But even though I want to refuse, I wonder if anyone else will apply.

“Who do you mean?”

The man tilted his head.

“Come to think of it, I heard the saintess has the power to break curses and save souls.”

“Is that so.”

Serena closed her mouth.

It was because there was no soul in the man’s words.

‘Is his daughter still alive?’

Since the side story is about two years from now, she might still be alive.

“Will you look for another guard?”

“For now… I was thinking of waiting another week and then deciding.”

“Am I not to your liking?”

“I’m telling you, you’re too good for someone like me.”

The man, Drukan, slightly furrowed his brow at those words that came out without hesitation.

That’s because this noble lady had been constantly adding ‘someone like me’ to the end of her sentences.

‘She seemed quite proud.’

Drukan thought.

The unhesitating look of contempt, the arrogant voice, the straight back that didn’t cower even in the face of fear and malice from numerous others.

Drukan knew that Serena was very wary of him. If he kept pushing, it would lead to a not-so-good ending.

After thinking, he opened his mouth.

“I understand, then I’ll come back in a week.”

Drukan decided to retreat for now.

After all, no one would come here even after a week.

He thought shamelessly.

“Ah… okay.”

Because it was Drukan who had driven away all those who showed interest during this week.

“No one will come anyway.”

“……”

‘Just how far has my infamy spread?!’