Serena was slightly hurt once again by those confident words today.

It was because they came out without a hint of hesitation, like he was giving a definitive answer.

‘Being a villainess is really a depressing role.’

Although she knew it, sometimes when it hit unexpectedly like this, it would leave a scratch.

‘Well, it’s just a moment of hardship for a life of ease.’

When the business goes well and she makes a lot of money and gets a house, she won’t have to meet people.

She’ll buy a house with a large front yard, be self-sufficient with a vegetable garden along with cute pets, and live while enslaving Lemerun and Kim Chul-soo.

‘He should have understood by now.’

Drukan glanced at her.

Unbelievably, Drukan didn’t particularly intend to hurt Serena.

He just wanted to give her a hint.

That no one was coming because he had worked behind the scenes.

So there was no need to go through the trouble of waiting another week.

Usually, people catch on that the other party is up to something with this level of hint.

But Drukan didn’t know at all that Serena was weak to this kind of speech.

In other words, he didn’t even think that Serena might have taken those words at face value.

Drukan was a hero, and at the same time an assassin and a taciturn knight.

They have a characteristic.

They use meaningful speech.

It’s quite similar to social etiquette speech, so it was a kind of language of their own that nobles or those in similar professions could easily understand.

Magnus would have understood because he had rolled around a lot in this field.

But Serena was neither familiar with social circles nor with the mercenary world.

“…I know too. That no one would want to guard someone like me.”

Serena muttered softly and got up from her seat.

“See you in a week.”

With those words, she left the reception room.

“……??”

Drukan instinctively realized something had gone wrong.

‘Could it be……’

Did she not understand at all?

His expression became quite serious as he thought that far.

“No one will come anyway.”

“…I know too. That no one would want to guard someone like me.”

And he recalled his own words and Serena’s words that flowed out later as if in self-deprecation.

“……”

Things went wrong from the start.

‘But I can’t let her hire someone else……’

Although he had said hurtful words with his own mouth, he couldn’t yield.

No matter how things turned out, Drukan had to drive away all the applicants to keep that word.

“……”

He unconsciously touched his heart area.

An unnamed sense of guilt kept pricking his heart.

‘What have I done……’

Drukan felt like he wanted to jump out the window a little bit…… no, actually much more than a little bit.

* * *

Five days after meeting Drukan, the dragon slayer.

As Drukan had predicted, Serena inwardly sighed seeing that there were no applicants again today.

‘Who would want to guard a villainess.’

Even I wouldn’t set foot in a blacklisted company known for its evil deeds.

Even if I heard they had turned over a new leaf.

‘But I haven’t even turned over a new leaf.’

Serena’s infamy was rising day by day, with incidents and accidents occurring whenever she went out even for a day.

Accidents happened wherever she went. They were usually minor, but had just the right impact to raise her infamy.

‘I should at least do well with the tasks given to me.’

If I become useless on top of this infamy, no one will look after someone like me.

‘I should make good use of what I have.’

Thinking this, Serena headed to Magnus’s office with the completed sample.

When Serena knocked, an answer came immediately from inside.

“Magnus.”

“Serena.”

Magnus, who was processing documents, put down his pen upon seeing Serena.

“Try this.”

“What is it?”

“The sample I mentioned before. I’m going to commercialize this.”

It’s sure to be a big hit.

When I went to social circles, I saw nothing but balding people everywhere.

“Sample? Come to think of it, I didn’t hear what it was for.”

“It’s something good for you.”

“Me?”

“Hair loss treatment.”

“… What… did you say?”

Magnus’s fist trembled. Serena smiled mischievously as if teasing him.

“It’s a hair loss treatment. The effect is amazing. Your hair now……”

“Aargh! It’s not falling out anymore!!”

A flustered Magnus slams the desk and jumps up from his seat.

Serena blinked at his face that had turned bright red.

‘Oh, how interesting.’

Serena didn’t expect Magnus to react this strongly.

“Besides that, it also has a hair strengthening effect by nourishing the hair.”

“Forget it! I haven’t had such issues since becoming friends with you.”

“Ah…?”

Serena tilted her head at Magnus’s words.

Serena asked, seemingly puzzled.

“Why is that?”

“Because you were the source of my stress!”

Magnus shouted with a bright red face.

“……Oh.”

Serena was genuinely taken aback for a moment at those sincere words.

Magnus was also surprised by Serena’s reaction.

‘Is it because he thinks of me as a friend?’

Serena thought it felt strange all of a sudden.

Maybe it’s because no one has come for five days after a week, just as that hero said.

‘It’s okay to say such things between friends.’

Friends say harsh things to each other and fight sometimes.

When she was a teaching assistant, she saw her classmates cursing each other with all sorts of insults, threatening to kill each other.

‘This is normal.’

Having thought that far, Serena smiled for now.

In fact, this was what Serena had always been best at.

While living as a villainess, she didn’t have many occasions to smile as she tried to maintain her infamy.

“Why are you shouting like that? Sorry, I was just joking a bit.”

“Serena.”

“It’s better to give this to the IMA and do something different with you. Give me a few days and I’ll bring another sample.”

Serena spoke as nonchalantly as ever.

“It’s good that you’ve recovered. I should go to the market.”

Serena turned to leave. Magnus quickly came around the desk and reached out his hand.

“Wait, wait. Serena.”

“What?”

Serena stopped and tilted her head at Magnus’s call as he grabbed her wrist.

At her question, Magnus took a deep breath and slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.

“What I just said wasn’t sincere. It wasn’t meant like that in the first place……”

“I know, it’s like a joke between friends, right?”

Serena calmly asked back.

“Ah…, that’s right.”

Magnus felt uneasy about that answer, but Serena’s face was so calm.

There was nothing strange to be found in that calmness.

It was so calm that it was rather strange, but still.

“I can also just… proceed with that. Just……”

“Really? Then I’ll give it to you.”

This time too, Serena willingly handed the sample to Magnus.

“Ah…, alright. I’ll have my subordinates check its effectiveness.”

“Okay, got it.”

Magnus stood still in that spot.

Serena also didn’t move because he was still holding her wrist.

“Hey, do you have anything else to say to me? I’d appreciate it if you could let go of my hand.”

“Ah, sorry.”

Magnus let go in surprise.

Belatedly, he remembered Marquis Lavernia’s words to refrain from physical contact as much as possible, but it was already too late.

‘I should be careful next time.’

Magnus brushed back his fallen hair.

“By the way, how’s the guard knight situation going?”

“Ah…… that’s still pending for now.”

“Still pending? …That’s strange. I heard the amount was raised quite a bit.”

Serena chuckled at Magnus’s words.

Perhaps due to her appearance, it was a particularly unpleasant laugh, but Serena seemed quite amused.

“Actually, who would want to guard someone like me? It can’t be helped.”

Serena said that and shrugged once more with a laugh.

Magnus hesitated at that laugh.

It didn’t seem like the right time to laugh, no matter how he thought about it.

“Are you alright?”

Magnus finally couldn’t bear the strangeness and asked Serena.