11. Do you think I’ll let you leave?

A startled Evelyn jumped up from her seat.

Standing unexpectedly at the door was none other than Duke Rashid Egenhart, who should’ve been enjoying a pleasant time with noble ladies at the ball.

“The party can’t be over already, so why are you…”

Before Evelyn could finish her sentence, Rashid strode boldly into the room.

“There’s something I want to confirm with you, Lady Evelyn.”

He had already approached the desk, placing both hands on its corners with his long arms.

Then, with a sunken expression, he spoke in an interrogative tone.

“I heard an interesting story about you at the Count’s party.”

“What?”

What on earth did he hear to make him look so serious?

In the dim lighting, Rashid’s platinum blonde hair shimmered dazzlingly. Evelyn, tense, stared at his handsome lips.

“Lady Tory of the Emerson Viscounty was spouting nonsense that you’re quitting your job as my secretary and looking for new employment. I’d like an explanation.”

…Ruined.

A red light flickered in Evelyn’s head. She remembered asking Tory to look into new job opportunities during a chance meeting in town on her last day off.

Tory, the eldest daughter of the Emerson Viscounty, who ran a major trading company, was a good friend—cheerful and well-connected—but just one flaw…

‘Her mouth is way too loose.’

She’d no doubt chattered about this with other noble ladies at the party, and by some unfortunate stroke of fate, Rashid must have overheard. Hence, this mess.

“Lady Evelyn, are you listening to me?”

His blue eyes, now right in front of her, shimmered with a strange light, as if trying to peer into her soul.

The sudden closeness of his breath left her briefly dazed, but Evelyn forced herself to reply in a calm voice.

“Um, Your Grace, that matter is…”

“Rashid. I told you not to use honorifics when we’re alone, didn’t I?”

At the oft-repeated request, Evelyn gave a small shrug.

“As you know, I’m a bit old-fashioned, so it’s hard for me to change how I address you.”

Call her employer by name? As a former Confucian girl, that was impossible.

“And about this situation…”

“If you have an excuse, make it properly, Lady Evelyn.”

Rashid, now with his arms crossed, stared at Evelyn with eyes full of displeasure.

“I’m quite offended right now, hearing such nonsense from someone else.”

Offended?

Sure, she was hired under special circumstances, but Evelyn was still just an ordinary employee.

‘What’s so wrong about a working woman trying to change jobs for better pay and conditions?’

Besides, if the original story was to proceed, it was about time for her to step down. Evelyn Berge wasn’t the protagonist—just some low-level supporting character.

“It’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation, Rashid.”

Evelyn calmly began.

“I was once your playmate, but now I’m merely a hired secretary.”

“How cold-hearted.”

“Of course, you’ve treated me generously until now, but I believe people shouldn’t settle in one place if they want to grow. Besides, I’m also the head of my household, responsible for its livelihood.”

Survival first. There was no time to be picky when supporting her family.

‘And soon, Lady Violet will make her appearance.’

So disappearing cleanly would be the safest move. It was the best way to prevent the tragedy of the original story.

“So, you were planning to leave me over something that trivial?”

Rashid whispered with a tone that made it clear he found the notion laughable. His sharp voice, not bothering to conceal his arrogance, made Evelyn frown slightly.

“Ha…”

Rashid twisted his handsome lips into a short laugh. His sharp, blue gaze traced Evelyn’s face with almost obsessive persistence.

And then…

“Ah…”

Rashid’s pale, smooth hand reached out and grasped the end of Evelyn’s curly hair. His fingers played with it gently, as if handling something precious. Evelyn couldn’t help but be flustered.

“…”

Her green eyes wavered in confusion at the inexplicable act.

But faced with the overwhelming pressure emanating from his sculpture-like beauty, all Evelyn could do was slightly flinch.

“There’s a cookie crumb here…”

Rashid murmured softly, then withdrew his fingers from her hair. A large cookie crumb clung to his fingertip.

“When did that get there? …Thank you for removing it.”

It would’ve been nice if he’d just told her, but Evelyn offered her thanks anyway.

Still, she found herself strangely conscious of the touch that had brushed her hair.

“Lady Evelyn, do you think I’ll let you leave?”

After a suffocating silence, Rashid spoke again. His question, sharp with tension, left Evelyn feeling confused.

“Just to be sure, may I ask—did I sign a lifetime contract with you by any chance?”

When she was hired as the Duke’s secretary three years ago, there had certainly been no such offer.

Though there were some unusual circumstances, she was still just a regular secretary.

“If I propose one now, would you consider accepting it?”

“That would depend on the salary offered. But as you already know, I’m quite the expensive talent.”

At Evelyn’s composed reply, Rashid’s lips twitched.

“Well, if you were to offer me a couple of mines, I might consider it.”

The sharp tension in the air broke at that very moment. Rashid twisted his lips again and let out a sigh of exasperated laughter.

“Hmph.”

And with her arms crossed, he quietly stared at Evelyn. Leaning sloppily against the desk, he looked quite displeased. Seeing her employer clearly expecting further explanation, Evelyn shrugged her shoulders.

“Even if it’s not a lifelong contract, I have no plans to leave the Duke’s household anytime soon, so please don’t worry.”

She had asked Lady Tory to help her find a new job, but it wasn’t because she intended to quit her secretary position immediately.

‘At the very least, I can’t leave until Rashid meets Lady Violet.’

Only after seeing the two fall in love and promise a future together could she leave with peace of mind.

‘So until then, I have to hold on no matter what.’

“If you’re not planning to leave now, does that mean you are planning to leave eventually?”

Rashid picked at her words with a dissatisfied expression.

Ah, how picky.

Evelyn shook her head at her employer’s unreasonable nitpicking.

“You never know what might happen in life.”

“What might happen?”

“For example, I might fall ill or…”

“You’re healthy, aren’t you?”

“Well, yes, that’s true. Or I might get married and quit working.”

“!”

At that moment, Rashid’s blue eyes shook violently.

‘Why is he so surprised?’

Rashid looked utterly stunned, as though he had just been told the world would end tomorrow.

“Lady Evelyn, are you getting married?”

“I didn’t say I would now, just that it might happen someday.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. Even if I do marry, it’ll be after Your Grace, so there’s no need for concern.”

‘In my current situation, marriage isn’t exactly the priority.’

At her words, Rashid seemed reassured, the stiffness leaving his face.

“Regardless, I will never permit you to leave me.”

“If you’re that worried about me quitting, how about giving me a raise? That might motivate me to stay a little more enthusiastically.”

Half-serious, Evelyn’s words made Rashid let out a light chuckle.

“I’ll give it some serious thought.”

“And one more thing. When you left the party, did you happen to inform the Count of Andemion’s household?”

“No?”

“Sigh.”

At the answer she expected, Evelyn let out an exaggerated sigh.

Leaving without notifying the host of the party was a serious breach of etiquette in this era.

Among noble families of similar rank, such rudeness could easily justify severing ties.

“A lot of people will be whispering about this incident. The rumor might even reach the Imperial Palace.”

“Do you think I’d care about something like that?”

At his cold response, Evelyn shook her head again.

“With your personality, of course you wouldn’t.

The arrogant Duke certainly wouldn’t bother with something as trivial as the rules of high society.

‘Really, his personality…’

Because of that, every time an incident like this happened, Evelyn had to wrack her brain writing apology letters—it was part of her job.

‘How long do I have to keep playing the nanny?’

Muttering to herself, Evelyn opened a drawer and took out a sheet of stationery embossed with the Duke’s crest.

“I’ll write the apology letter explaining that you had to urgently leave the Count’s estate. Ah, don’t worry about it. I’m already buried in overtime—what’s one more letter?”

Even with the jab in her tone, Rashid didn’t respond.

Instead, he quietly spoke while watching Evelyn skillfully write the apology letter in elegant script.

“I trust you’ll keep your word about not leaving.”

“Yes, yes, I got it.”

Focused on the stationery, Evelyn replied absentmindedly. As she stared at the smooth, cream-colored paper and tried to come up with a proper greeting, she didn’t notice the expression on Rashid’s face at that moment.

***

Evelyn’s prediction that the incident at the Count of Andemion’s estate would cause a stir turned out to be spot-on.

A few days later, as Evelyn stepped out of the Duke’s residence after work, a man in a black uniform approached her.

“Are you Lady Evelyn Berge, daughter of the Baron?”

The moment she heard the man’s polite voice, Evelyn realized who he was.

Behind the man stood a heavy carriage emblazoned with a logo of a hawk with its wings fully spread.

It was the emblem of the Imperial Palace

“Her Majesty the Empress has invited Lady Evelyn to tea.”