Chapter 17

“When you’re in the lab, I told you to call me only when necessary.”

Meanwhile, after being called by the worker, Ash crossed into the next room. His voice, once so gentle, now sounded cold, as if he couldn’t show the face he reserved only for Erin. His expression grew sharper as he raised a hand to cover his lower face.

“Is it about the furniture payment again? I said not to worry about the payment and to pick out the best pieces.”

“I’m sorry. Something urgent came up…”

The worker, too, didn’t look like an ordinary laborer, but wore the face of a professional attendant, bowing respectfully.

“So what is it?”

“Earl Alto came to apologize and offered several businesses as compensation. He practically begged for mercy at the mansion…”

“Hah.”

Ash swept his hair back, looking tired. A sneer hung at the corner of his mouth.

“Tell him to accept it as punishment for not keeping his son in line. Their businesses aren’t that appealing anyway.”

“…….”

“For the crime of uttering filthy words and harassing Doctor… Erin, that’s a cheap price.”

Ash’s face twisted as he recalled the time he’d met Erin at a cafe, her face sour as she carried her favorite limited-edition bread, and the arrogant man across from her talking about participating in the trial.

Thinking about what that man had said, Ash felt his anger flare again. Even after roughing him up, it hadn’t been enough to cool his rage. He would have liked to use a mace instead of a menu.

Erin seemed to forget about it quickly, but Ash did not.

He used his connections to ruin the man and his family’s social standing, cut off their financial resources, lured him into a gambling den, and burdened him with massive debt…

Even selling him off to a mercenary band for not being able to repay felt insufficient.

Honestly, not killing him was a huge favor.

He’d restrained himself so Erin wouldn’t find out, but even that was a huge mercy.

Yet the man still came begging like this.

“I hope you didn’t call me here for something trivial.”

“Of course not. That was the first issue, and the second…”

“I hope there aren’t a third or fourth.”

Even as Ash spoke, he glanced longingly back toward the lab.

Recently, he’d spent so much time with Erin that his work had piled up, and he knew he couldn’t delay it any longer.

“Reporters are still digging around. And Marquis Phrine is interested in the experiment and wants to discuss proposals and share information…”

“I’ll handle that soon. Keep the reporters in check.”

“How is the trial going?”

“There’ll be results soon.”

“That’s good. You’ve been concerned about this for a long time, haven’t you?”

“…….”

“Enough to handle it yourself.”

Concern…

Was it really for the trial, or…?

‘Did you like it, Ash?’

As he remembered Erin smiling so brightly with his seed on her, Ash’s throat tightened with longing.

Was it just that?

Maybe, from the very beginning…

‘Why do you cover your face?’

‘…Huh?’

‘You’re really pretty.’

She’d said that about the face he thought was ugly, with sparkling eyes…

“So, about this part… Your Grace?”

“Continue.”

Even as he listened, Ash felt his attention pulled toward the lab where Erin was. He forced himself to focus on the agenda.

The sooner he finished, the sooner he could return.

To the lovely person waiting in that lab.

【Signs of Betrayal】

“This should be the place.”

While Ash was handling the family’s backlog of work…

Erin was walking alone through a back alley.

She gripped the smelly note in her hand.

‘If only I could ignore it.’

Inside was something completely unexpected.

[Are you the famous Erin Leshamur, Baron’s daughter?

You were recruiting clinical trial participants for a while, but things have been quiet lately. I wonder if you found enough.

Anyway, as a journalist, I have something to ask.

I’d have preferred to meet formally, but your impressive assistant kept blocking me. I just wanted to talk.]

It wasn’t a pleasant note.

‘A journalist…’

Most journalists Erin had met were unfriendly to her.

They mocked her, published dirty articles about her experiment, and made it difficult to recruit clinical trial subjects.

The rest of the note was just as ominous and unpleasant as she expected.

[I’m very interested in your experiment. Especially whether Duke Aston is really supporting you.

Why would such a great Duke keep sponsoring you despite all the negative articles?

I just want a simple conversation, so please meet me at the place and time below.]

Normally, Erin would have torn up and ignored such a note…

[PS. About your annoying assistant. I heard from a colleague that he hit a noble?

Aren’t you curious why that noble didn’t sue an ordinary assistant, and why no articles came out about it?]

It was this last line that made her pause.

‘Why wasn’t Ash sued?’

Erin had wondered about that herself. The noble candidate—actually, a s*xual harasser—had seemed very proud and unlikely to tolerate such humiliation.

Not only did he not sue Ash, he didn’t even come to her office to complain. Erin had worried for a while that the man would bring the city guard, but eventually forgot about him.

So there must be a reason.

‘And besides…’

That PS read almost like a threat.

Even if Ash hadn’t been sued or written up in the papers, if Erin didn’t show up, the journalist would personally write about it.

‘He definitely meant it as a threat.’

The thought that this d*mn journalist might go after Ash…

“I don’t like that.”

Erin shook her head and hurried her steps. She didn’t want anything bad happening to Ash.

‘He’s such a good assistant.’

And such a good person.

Erin’s fondness for Ash had long since grown into feelings she couldn’t deny.

‘Even if confessing to a superior might be burdensome, so I can’t say it…’

Still, Erin cherished Ash as much as those feelings had grown. That’s why she wanted to protect him from harm.

“Is this it?”

After walking for a while, Erin finally saw a shabby-looking tavern.

If Ash saw it, he’d probably scold her for going alone to such a place.

It didn’t look safe at all.

“But what can I do?”

She had to go in now. The journalist wouldn’t have cared about her circumstances when calling her out.

Creak.

When she opened the door, a smoky den unfolded before her.

People whispered among themselves, throwing odd glances at the cloaked Erin.

As she entered, a man sitting in the corner strode over with a sly smile.

“Are you Erin Leshamur, Baron’s daughter?”

“And you’re the one who sent this smelly note?”

Erin held up the note openly, making the man look surprised. He hadn’t expected her to be so bold.

But Erin had no intention of backing down.

‘I’m worried about Ash, so I’ll try to negotiate, but…’

She didn’t care if her attitude was called arrogant in an article. She’d been insulted enough already.

‘It never really bothered me anyway.’

Her previous life was now a blur.

As an orphan with no connections, even getting into a top university with a scholarship was met with suspicion and jealousy.

After graduation, working at a prestigious pharmaceutical company brought even more rumors.

She’d often had no friends to defend her.

‘Maybe thanks to that experience…’

After reincarnating, she’d learned to turn a blind eye to whatever was said about her.

The only real trouble journalists caused was making it harder to recruit trial subjects, being more careful when going out, or leaving the lab windows closed.

‘Actually, thinking about it, it was a bit inconvenient.’

Anyway, Erin decided she didn’t need to be humble and rolled her eyes at the journalist.

“So, what do you want?”

“You’re impatient.”

“You want this over quickly too, don’t you?”

At that, the journalist clicked his tongue and walked further inside.

Erin followed him.