3. The tea you brew is good enough if I’m the only one drinking it. 

At Rashid’s question, Evelyn simply shrugged her shoulders.

“To make a competent employee like me work on the weekend, you should of course consider paying additional compensation.”

At Evelyn’s bold assertion, Rashid replied with an incredulous tone.

“I’ve known you for fifteen years, but I’m always amazed by your survival skills.”

At the oddly barbed compliment, Evelyn responded with a bright smile.

“Thank you for the praise, Your Grace. In that spirit, I would appreciate it if you included a bonus along with the weekend pay.”

“A bonus too?”

“Surely you’re not unaware of the truth that bonuses make competent employees even more competent?”

Faced with Evelyn’s unwavering rebuttal, Rashid couldn’t help but let out a short laugh.

***

Time flew by, and before long, the weekend arrived.

“Count Kalante, I regret to inform you that I have no intention of making any further concessions.”

At Rashid’s final declaration, the expression of the middle-aged man sitting across from him twisted slightly in silent displeasure.

Count Lambert Besmire Kalante.

A nephew of the current emperor, Count Kalante had come to House Egenhart to negotiate the sale of a plot of land.

Rashid planned to purchase the land Count Kalante owned in the capital and construct the central railway station there.

‘But plans always have a way of changing.’

Evelyn understood her employer’s temperament better than anyone.

“The track construction has only just begun. If you refuse to sell the land, I’ll simply build the station somewhere else.”

“Ha, then did you call me here just to break off the negotiations?”

A faint anger flickered across the count’s face.

“That’s not it. If you cooperate with me on one matter, the entire conversation could shift.”

“…Is this about the Sanctuary?”

“You catch on quickly.”

Rashid smiled gracefully.

The place where the first emperor Linus was said to have sealed away his magical eyes.

Centered around the rock where Linus’s sword was supposedly embedded, the Sanctuary was revered as a sacred place by the citizens of the empire.

“Are you truly considering laying tracks near the Sanctuary?”

“If I get approval from the noble council, I’d like to begin construction immediately.”

“There are rumors that the railway construction is causing severe earthquakes in the capital.”

“Do you believe such nonsense as well?”

Rashid leaned his chin on one hand and fixed his gaze on Count Kalante.

Even such a casual gesture looked like a work of art when performed by Rashid Egenhart.

“Since you have connections within the noble council, I thought you might be able to lend your support to my plans…”

“If I do cooperate… what kind of compensation can I expect from Your Grace?”

“That depends on the role you play.”

The corners of Rashid’s mouth lifted confidently.

‘The game’s already over…’

Watching the negotiation from a short distance away, Evelyn silently drew her own conclusion.

‘According to the intel, the Kalante family’s finances aren’t doing too well right now.’

Before any negotiation, Rashid always starts by analyzing the other party.

Then, using both their weaknesses and strengths, he draws out the most advantageous result.

“…Very well. I shall comply with Your Grace’s wishes.”

As expected, Count Kalante couldn’t hold out for long.

“You won’t regret it.”

The duke extended his hand, and the two men shook.

“Then let’s draw up the contract immediately.”

The moment Rashid finished speaking, Evelyn stepped forward with the prepared land sale agreement in hand.

“Are you the daughter of Baron Berge? I’m feeling a bit parched — could I trouble you for another cup of tea?”

After signing the contract, Count Kalante spoke to Evelyn in a falsely familiar tone.

“Of course, Count.”

She left to retrieve the tea set from the trolley and returned with it.

“A baron’s daughter working as a secretary… The world really has changed, hasn’t it?”

Count Kalante looked Evelyn over with a curious gaze.

At that moment, Rashid’s expression subtly darkened, though the count failed to notice.

Evelyn let out a sigh inwardly.

‘This pattern is all too familiar…’

There were still many who held prejudices about unmarried noblewomen having jobs, and Count Kalante seemed to be one of them.

Evelyn could already guess what he would say next.

‘I really hate listening to old men’s lectures…’

Grumbling silently, she lifted the teapot.

Just then—

“You seem to recognize my secretary’s talents.”

Rashid leaned slightly toward the count with a charming smile.

At the unexpected move, Count Kalante flinched.

“Lady Evelyn Berge is a remarkably capable person, absolutely indispensable to my business.”

“I-is that so?”

“It was Lady Evelyn who suggested establishing the Central Railway Station to enable better passenger transfers.”

“Pardon?”

Count Kalante looked at Evelyn with a surprised expression, clearly not expecting that answer.

“Though… if there’s one shortcoming…”

Trailing off, Rashid also turned to Evelyn and gazed at her intently.

At Rashid’s meaningful gaze, Evelyn fumed inwardly.

‘A shortcoming? What shortcoming?’

There’s no secretary in the world as competent as me!

Perhaps sensing Evelyn’s thoughts, Rashid let out a small chuckle. Then, in an instant, he stepped forward and snatched the teapot from her hand.

“You make truly terrible tea. It’s such a fatal flaw, I can barely tolerate it.”

With one corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk, Rashid boldly poured the tea into Count Kalante’s cup.

“That’s why I serve tea to guests myself.”

“Y-Your Grace serves the tea personally?”

“Lady Evelyn Berge, my secretary, is someone worthy of such effort.”

At those words, Count Kalante looked between the teacup overflowing with tea and Rashid’s odd smile. Only then did he realize that he had insulted the favored secretary of Duke Egenhart. His expression turned pitiful.

Rashid offered him the cup with a bright smile.

“Well then, let’s drink, Count Kalante.”

Steam billowed from the teacup, scalding hot. So hot, in fact, that drinking it recklessly might burn one’s tongue. Yet this tea was an offer far too tempting to refuse.

***

A rose-patterned teacup was set down on the table.

“I’m a little worried about how the tea I made tastes.”

Evelyn’s comment, clearly alluding to what had happened with Count Kalante earlier, made Rashid chuckle.

“The tea you brew is good enough if I’m the only one drinking it.”

As if to prove his point, Rashid lifted the cup Evelyn had brought him and took a refined sip. Then, turning his gaze, he stared at Evelyn’s hair for a moment.

“Your hair,” Rashid began.

Evelyn, who had been clearing the tray, raised her head.

“The color has changed a lot. Compared to before.”

At that moment, Evelyn’s movements stopped completely, as if someone had hit pause.

‘Ha. Of all people, you’re the one who shouldn’t be saying that.’

She grumbled internally toward her employer.

“It’s gotten darker since I turned twenty. Apparently, it runs in the family.”

“Is that so?”

At Rashid’s indifferent reply, Evelyn added one more comment.

“When we first met at the duke’s estate, Your Grace said my hair looked like a carrot.”

“……”

There was something about Evelyn’s expression, as she brought up this old memory, that wasn’t entirely casual.

“For the record, ever since hearing that from Your Grace, I’ve never eaten carrots again.”

‘How dare you call me a carrot?’

Evelyn still hadn’t forgotten their first meeting. Had she not been someone who had lived a second life, the memory would’ve been a deep childhood trauma.

Recalling that ill-fated day, Evelyn gave Rashid a meaningful look.

‘You know what you did, don’t you?’

But the response she got was unexpected.

“I’ve thought this for a while now…”

Rashid frowned slightly, as though something was bothering him.

“Do you really have to call me ‘Your Grace’ so stiffly? I mean, considering our relationship.”

‘Our relationship?’

Just what kind of relationship do you think we have?

Evelyn replied with exasperation.

“Your Grace and I are employer and employee. So from my perspective, I find the title appropriate…”

But before she could finish, Rashid’s gaze turned cold. He clearly didn’t like that, so Evelyn quickly changed the subject.

“Then… how about ‘Duke’?”

“Rejected.”

“What about calling you ‘Sir Rashid’?”

“Just call me Rashid. That’s what close people call me.”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that? We’re playmates, aren’t we?”

The moment Rashid said that, an incredulous smile appeared on Evelyn’s face.

‘Playmates, you say?’

The infamous carrot incident from the past surfaced in her mind once again.

To be honest, calling their relationship “just playmates” was misleading. It was the undeniable truth—not just for her, but for anyone—that their connection went beyond something so simple.

Sensing Evelyn’s expression wasn’t exactly agreeable, Rashid fell silent with a slight pout.

“To be honest, I thought I’d be disqualified from being a playmate the moment I kicked you…”

“……”

“So I was quite surprised when the duke’s estate contacted me the next day.”

She vividly recalled the despairing atmosphere in the house after she kicked the heir of the duchy. Evelyn’s powerful kick had practically shattered the last hope of the Berge family.

But in truth, Evelyn had been happy.

‘If things go like this, I might be able to change the original story!’

Unfortunately, that hope was short-lived.

“I was stunned when the messenger said Young Master Rashid had chosen me as his playmate and asked me to visit the duke’s estate. I truly never expected you to choose me.”

It was then that Evelyn truly realized—no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape the flow of the original story.

“Well…”

Rashid leaned back comfortably into the sofa.

“You’re the first and last person in my entire life who’s ever kicked me, Lady Evelyn. That’s why I chose you.”

“Oh! So you chose me to get back at me out of spite?”

Despite the sharp jab, Rashid showed no particular reaction. Even after being selected—after much difficulty—as the playmate of an eight-year-old boy, there was no miracle of a rosy path opening up in Evelyn’s life.

Just as he had once admitted himself, Rashid had chosen the impudent girl who dared to kick the heir of the duchy as his playmate—and as if in retaliation, he mischievously tormented her with great delight.

However…

‘I wasn’t the original Evelyn.’

Whenever Rashid bullied her, she didn’t just endure it—she struck back immediately. Thanks to that, the playroom in the duke’s estate had been nothing short of a battlefield.

That ill-fated relationship, which began like that, had continued until now, over a dozen years later.

Tap.

Rashid set down his empty cup.

“Would you like some more tea?”

When Rashid nodded, Evelyn swiftly picked up the teapot and poured the tea again.

Trickle.

The golden liquid flowing from the teapot filled the elegant teacup.

As he silently watched the scene, Rashid suddenly spoke.

“Lady Evelyn.”

Calling out the secretary’s name softly as she stepped back with the teapot in hand, Rashid lightly furrowed his brow and continued.

“Are you really still going to scold me over something that happened fifteen years ago?”