Chapter 1 – She Was Greedy (Part 3)

「I tempted her, but it’s your job to make her stay. Do well.」

The resume Charlie Winston, an old friend, handed over was perfect.

It was far superior to the resumes of the forty-nine secretaries his troublesome superior had driven away.

Philip instinctively knew when he read the resume. He had to secure her. This was his only chance.

“With a base salary of 5,000 gold and monthly bonuses, the total annual salary would be around 7,000 gold.”

The average starting salary for academy graduates was around 3,000 gold. Lorraine nodded in astonishment at the generous offer.

“Yes… that’s right.”

“You won’t find it burdensome over time.”

“…Sorry?”

“You might even regret not asking for more.”

He took a sip of tea and sighed deeply.

“Your superior has quite a… unique personality.”

It was the most he could say within the limits of his conscience.

“Ah….”

Despite this, Lorraine hesitated to respond, prompting Philip to take a slightly stronger approach.

“Well… if you’re still hesitant, I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”

Philip murmured in a melancholic tone and reached for the fountain pen in Lorraine’s hand.

But the pen didn’t budge.

After several attempts, Philip tilted his head and called her.

“Miss Wigg?”

“…I’ll do it.”

The longer one hesitates, the more opportunities are lost. She decided not to hesitate any longer.

“Pardon?”

Though he questioned her, Lorraine silently uncapped the fountain pen with a determined expression. The pen glided smoothly over the paper.

Watching her sign with elegant handwriting, a triumphant smile flashed across Philip’s face.

‘No more overtime.’

He wanted to shout it out right there.

“Please take care of me.”

Philip meticulously gathered the two copies of the contract he had prepared for any eventuality.

Lorraine smiled and shook his hand.

“Yes, please take care of me.”

Lorraine Wigg would undoubtedly become an excellent secretary. Philip was certain of it.

***

The study was filled with a sense of silence.

Lorraine watched Edwin’s honey-gold hair glisten in the sunlight and thought.

‘Why does someone with such a perfect face have such a flawed personality?’

It had been a month and two days since she signed the contract as if under a spell.

Over the past month, experiencing Edwin firsthand, Lorraine realized once again that no one is perfect.

‘Why is he so popular?’ 

She genuinely wondered.

‘Do people just want to live off his good looks?’

Of course, Edwin was undeniably handsome.

His golden hair shimmered like scattered sunlight, and his golden eyes seemed to gather all the light in the world. His fair skin, straight forehead, and sharp eyebrows were flawless.

Moreover, he was the Supreme Commander of the Moses military.

From his early days as a sixteen-year-old knight, he had amassed enough military achievements to fill a book. Because of this, some enthusiasts occasionally described him as the incarnation of the Sun God.

‘Well… some people might want to tame a mad dog.’

Not her, though.

While Lorraine was reaching a conclusion Edwin would never know, he closed the document he had been reading with a thud. Then, he tossed it in front of her and asked.

“Explain this.”

As always, his tone was disrespectful. Lorraine frowned slightly and picked up the document he had thrown.

“Ah.”

“Ah?”

At her ambiguous reaction, Edwin’s brow furrowed instantly. Seeing his face, as if he was about to ask what nonsense she was spouting, Lorraine quickly spoke up.

“It’s exactly as written there. The rental rates for the family-owned buildings need adjustment.”

Edwin silently watched her work. Lorraine knew that his silence was his way of giving permission.

“The profits from <La Blanc> are fine, but other places are significantly affected.”

A week ago, rumors began circulating that a war might break out between Moses and Fontaine.

The truth behind the rumor was this:

There had been an accidental gunpowder explosion within the border defense, and the border residents, mistaking it for a prelude to war, started spreading the rumor.

It didn’t take long for the rumor to reach Lantil. As Moses’ economy froze, the prices of herbs, food, and daily necessities skyrocketed.

Newspapers eagerly published articles with headlines like [Frozen Economy… Is There a Solution?], [Tears of Merchants].

Lorraine adjusted her glasses once more.

“It will take some time to recover the deteriorated atmosphere.”

She expected a response like, “Isn’t that something anyone could think of?” But the answer she received was slightly different from her expectation.

“No impact on <La Blanc>’s profits?”

Edwin, who had been rolling up his fallen shirt sleeves, unconsciously touched around his eyes. Still not used to wearing glasses, he fidgeted a few times before taking them off and placing them on the desk, then pressing his eyes.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Lorraine sighed softly at the indifferent question that came straight back.

Edwin could easily read the underlying disillusionment in her sigh.

‘He must be doing this on purpose.’

After all, the thing she hated most in the world was luxury and waste. As she expected, Edwin waited for her answer with a slightly intrigued expression.

“<La Blanc> operates its second and third floors on a membership basis, and new members undergo a rigorous screening process.”

“So?”

“They need to have solid financial backing and be recommended by existing members.”

Lorraine couldn’t understand why people would go through such troublesome procedures just to become members.

Edwin extended his hand again. Lorraine handed him the document and continued.

“There are enough wealthy members registered to easily cover the losses from the first floor. Even in this situation.”

“I see.”

Philip answered nonchalantly as he opened the folder and began signing the documents. Lorraine, who had been waiting for a rebuttal, widened her eyes in surprise. The luxurious fountain pen in Edwin’s hand gracefully glided over the paper, producing an elegant signature in an instant.

‘Why is he signing so readily without asking more questions? This is scary.’

A look of surprise flickered in Lorraine’s bright blue eyes. Despite her curious gaze, Edwin nodded without a care.

“Proceed as you see fit.”

“Yes, sir.”

Feeling relieved after handling a significant task, Lorraine’s steps became lighter. She had no idea what expression Edwin wore as he watched her walk away.

Edwin, rubbing his chin, muttered to himself as he listened to her efficient footsteps fade beyond the closed door.

“Interesting.”

Lorraine Wigg always managed to defy his expectations. Although she was a noble herself, she did not hide her disdain for other nobles—

「Why do you look like that?」

「…It feels like a waste of money.」

「Unfortunately, spending that much won’t bankrupt us.」

—and she skillfully concealed her true nature behind a facade of indifference.

Edwin found her intriguing. Despite having been employed for only a month, she had seamlessly integrated into the Duncan household.

He could hardly remember what it was like before she was there.

「Interesting.」

Philip muttered in horror at Edwin’s words.

「Are you a pervert…?」

Edwin’s cold gaze immediately turned to him.

「Philip Lloyd.」

「…….」

「…It seems your paycheck isn’t very precious to you.」

「…No, it is.」

The reason Lorraine intrigued him was simply—

‘-because she’s a type of person I’ve never encountered before.’

Having defined his feelings appropriately, Edwin nodded. Now, he had to finish the remaining tasks.

This incident occurred on the 32nd day of Lorraine Wigg’s employment as Edwin Duncan’s secretary.

***

To let it pass or to make it big.

One year into her role as Edwin Duncan’s secretary, Lorraine faced a life-changing dilemma. Her frown deepened unconsciously, causing the maid standing before her to shrink by about a centimeter.

‘Sigh… This is crazy.’

Some might say it wasn’t worth staking her life on, but—

“First.”

—she could assert that only those who hadn’t witnessed their own gossip firsthand would say such things.

“Let’s….”

“I’m sorry!”

They both spoke at the same time.

“So….”

“I didn’t mean to!”

Again. Lorraine sighed deeply.

‘This is frustrating.’

She moistened her dry lips with her tongue and gently grasped the shoulders of the person standing before her.

“First, listen to what I have to say.”

Though it was a path frequently used by employees, fortunately, not a soul was in sight.

‘It would be a disaster if they were around.’

She could clearly see that she would be perceived as a predator.

Given her relatively tall stature and the maid’s pale, terrified expression, even her parents, Count Wigg and his wife, would likely misunderstand.

“Hmm… I know there’s been a lot of turnover.”

“…….”

“I didn’t know the exact number, though.”

Lorraine scratched her cheek awkwardly as she continued.

“It’s unfortunate that you think that way.”

She shrugged.

「You’ll die young if you keep that up.」

Under Philip’s not-so-gentle insistence, Lorraine had to spend an hour in the sun every day.

「Shall we try going this way?」

The problem was that today, instead of heading to the well-maintained garden, she went to the path behind the mansion.

The path led to the employees’ entrance and the laundry room. Coincidentally, the laundry maids were gossiping.

「They say the secretary is a fox…?」

「No way.」

「Seriously, why else would she still be here when everyone else got fired?」

Lorraine quickly realized they were talking about her.

“I thought about listening a bit more, but I made a noise because I was afraid the head maid would catch me.”

Jane, the maid, closed her eyes in despair at Lorraine’s explanation.

‘This is insane, really.’

She should have shut Belle up, even if it meant hitting her. Jane regretted that the most.