7. I thought everything that needed covering was covered.

Back when she had learned to swim with Rashid, there hadn’t been any such scar.

The body of the boy, as beautiful as a doll, had been smooth and flawless like pure white marble.

‘But now, that scar…’

Duke Rashid Egenhart was not entirely human.

His ancestors were dragons—creatures recorded in the myths of the empire. Though he had become somewhat humanized over time, the dragon’s power still coursed through his body.

Dragons were the most powerful and noble beings in the world. Who could possibly leave a scar on the body of Rashid, a dragon’s descendant?

Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Could there be someone else in this world besides me capable of wounding him?’

“What exactly are you curious about?”

A blunt question came from behind the curtain.

Well, it was just…

“I’m curious how someone as strong as you could have gotten that kind of wound.”

A scar that didn’t belong on marble-white skin.

Its placement—right over the heart.

Though now it was just a faint mark, Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder who had once aimed for that heart.

‘Someone other than me who could go for this man’s heart… Who could it possibly be?’

“It’s just from that incident.”

At the indifferent reply from behind the curtain, Evelyn’s face shifted with realization.

So it was because of that.

Five years ago.

Just before Rashid Egenhart’s coming-of-age ceremony, he had been attacked by an unknown group and gravely injured.

Even now, five years later, the identity of the assailants remained a mystery. But the incident had left a lasting impact on Rashid himself, on the ducal house, and on those around them.

“If your business is concluded, you may go, Lady Evelyn.”

At the voice accompanied by the sound of water, Evelyn politely bowed her head.

“Understood, Lord Rashid.”

As she exited Rashid’s bedroom, Evelyn found Veronica elegantly lying in front of the door.

The magical beast, who had been lying on a rug some distance away before she entered, had moved to stand guard by the door again.

“Vero, thank you for earlier.”

She offered her thanks to the creature, whose beauty could leave one breathless, but all she got in return was a cold stare.

As if to say, You think I care about your gratitude? 

Evelyn clicked her tongue inwardly at the attitude.

‘The master and the cat, both of them…’

‘Such difficult personalities…’

Just as Evelyn turned and began heading down the corridor—

Bang!

The bedroom door suddenly burst open, and the master of the mansion appeared.

“Wait a moment, Lady Evelyn!”

At the voice calling her, Evelyn turned around—and gasped in shock.

“Lord Rashid!”

Her startled voice slipped out involuntarily.

Rashid, seemingly having dashed out in the same state he’d been in while bathing, was dripping wet.

His chiseled upper body, sculpted with muscle, glistened with water.

His abs moved fluidly with every breath. His pronounced chest muscles. And the scar just above the left side of his chest…

His long legs, at least, were covered by a bath towel.

But considering Rashid’s tall frame, the towel looked more like a handkerchief barely clinging to his waist and hips.

“Tell the mayor of Borten this: If he wishes, I’m willing to come personally next week to settle the matter face-to-face.”

“…”

“Lady Evelyn?”

“Aah!”

Only then did Evelyn come to her senses and hurriedly turn around.

The sight of Rashid’s wet, bare body had momentarily scattered her thoughts.

“What the—weren’t you the one who—”

“That was an accident! Why did you run out like that, half-n*ked?”

“I thought everything that needed covering was covered.”

“Think about your size, Lord Rashid! One towel isn’t nearly enough!”

Recalling the parts of Rashid’s body that the towel had utterly failed to hide, Evelyn’s neck flushed red.

Noticing this, the corners of Rashid’s lips began to rise.

“Didn’t you say you’ve seen my upper body plenty before?”

“That doesn’t mean I want to see it again!”

Evelyn shouted in panic.

At that, Rashid let out a soft chuckle and fell silent.

Drip. Drip.

Water fell from Rashid’s platinum-blond hair, soaking into the corridor carpet.

A brief silence followed.

[What on earth are you two doing?]

Veronica, who had been silently observing the scene, muttered coldly, then got up and sauntered back into the bedroom.

‘Get it together!’

Evelyn shut her eyes tight for a moment, then opened them again.

“Understood, Lord Rashid. I’ll include a message for the mayor suggesting a face-to-face meeting. Is there anything else you’d like me to do?”

“Nothing else.”

That’s it?

Evelyn clenched her fists tightly. Was it really so urgent that he had to run out stark n*ked over something like that?

All he had to do was pay a few more gold for an additional telegram! If anyone had seen that scene…

“Oh my, Your Grace!”

Right on cue, a high-pitched voice rang out from the far end of the corridor.

Evelyn and Rashid both turned their heads in that direction at almost the same time.

“Lady Evelyn… Lord Rashid… What exactly are the two of you doing right now?”

Mrs. Jansen, the head maid, was staring at them in horror.

***

It was a completely unintended situation, but the rumors spread faster than the wind.

Mrs. Jansen, who had served in the estate for many years, was known for being tight-lipped. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been the only one on that floor.

There was the maid who’d been cleaning the windows, the footman dusting the chandelier…

And with dozens of employees working in the Egenhart estate, a scandal involving their employer made for irresistibly juicy gossip.

And so, the rumors about the two of them began.

***

‘Ugh… I can feel the stares on the back of my head…’

Muttering quietly, Evelyn walked down the corridor, a bundle of documents in her arms.

Since that incident, even the maids’ attitudes had changed. Even those she’d known for a long time would turn pale at the sight of her, or quickly avert their eyes.

‘What kind of rumors are going around, exactly…?’ 

Evelyn gave it some serious thought.

One of them had appeared practically n*ked—so of course the rumors were bound to be inappropriate.

“Maybe they’re saying we bathed together…”

Or worse

 “That we shared a b-bed… ugh.”

Just imagining it made Evelyn’s neck flush red.

‘As if the rumors weren’t bad enough already…’

She’d been caught in the middle of the duke’s bath—naturally, the whispers would only grow louder. She would have to live with hot ears and burning stares for a while.

“I really shouldn’t have gone into his bedroom…”

Those documents—what was so urgent about them, anyway?

It wasn’t as if she was the one making money from this business. Rashid and his company were the ones profiting.

This world didn’t even offer incentives or bonuses.

‘Even if the company is doing well, not a single crumb trickles down to a lowly employee like me. So why did I even bother…?’

In the original novel, 《Duke’s Secret Seduction》, Rashid’s company eventually monopolized logistics and distribution across the entire empire.

If a company like that had existed in the world Evelyn came from, the only reasonable response would’ve been to shut up and buy its stock immediately.

Just like that famous tech company with the apple logo.

“Haah…”

The ridiculous rumors were unfortunate, yes—but at least she had gotten the confirmation she wanted.

‘So, in the end, the attackers failed to pierce Rashid’s heart.’

The scar on his chest was proof of the attack five years ago.

But the wound remained only on the surface. The attackers had failed to reach Rashid’s heart.

The special power needed to pierce a dragon’s heart—

“So far, it seems I’m still the only one who has it…”

Murmuring to herself, Evelyn looked down at her own hand holding the documents.

The blade that pierced Rashid’s heart in the novel. The grotesquely torn wound. The stream of dark red blood that stained her pale palm…

It was all just in her imagination. But it felt as vivid as if it had truly happened.

***

“Veronica, why did you do that?”

In the duke’s office.

Rashid looked at the magical beast seated atop a luxurious silk cushion, displeasure written across his face.

[Do what?]

“Let Evelyn into my room. That’s what.”

[Hmph.]

Veronica snorted dismissively, as if the question was beneath her.

[Don’t flatter yourself. The pact between us only includes protecting your life. Your dignity isn’t part of the deal.]

At the beast’s arrogant words, Rashid cast a cold look in her direction.

The man’s face, as exquisitely sculpted as a carved statue, turned once more toward his guardian beast.

“You think that’s a valid excuse?”

[Then let me ask you this, Rashid—do you see that woman as a threat?]

“…”

[If so, I promise never to open the door for her again.]

Veronica’s words struck at the heart of the matter, and Rashid frowned deeply for a moment.

Silence fell.

Still seated upright at the table, Rashid soon scowled and sank deep into the couch.

“That’s quite the vow…”

[Really? If you truly believe something like that will never happen again, then don’t come whining to me.]

Veronica’s retort was laced with sarcasm.

Rashid didn’t respond.

Creak. Creak.

Only the chair groaned under Rashid’s weight.

Regardless, Rashid propped both feet up on the desk and leisurely stretched out.

“I didn’t think she’d be that flustered…”

He murmured quietly, recalling the little incident from earlier.

But truthfully, both of them had been equally flustered.

Upon seeing Evelyn suddenly charge toward the bathtub, Rashid felt something he hadn’t experienced in a very long time—his mood being thoroughly soured.

“How dare you, without a shred of fear…”

It wasn’t just anyone—Evelyn had gone so far as to bring up the past involving that brat Alto, treating him like a child. Irritated by her attitude, Rashid had lashed out with absurd pettiness.

But…

He had expected Evelyn to respond coolly, as she usually did.

Instead, she turned away in embarrassment, clearly flustered.

Seeing Evelyn with reddened cheeks, visibly shaken, left Rashid flustered as well.

“You used to boast so loudly about having seen everything before…”

To make matters worse, that scene had been witnessed by the estate’s servants.

He and Evelyn were no longer children who could play around like that.

Realizing that afresh, Rashid grew annoyed at his own rash behavior.

“Damn it…”

Rashid rubbed his jaw in frustration.

A bitter smile tugged at his handsome face.

***

The incident that had occurred in the Egenhart ducal estate caused more of a stir than expected.

Naturally, the fallout came crashing down on Evelyn.

Loud footsteps echoed down the hallway, and moments later, a young noblewoman in an extravagant dress burst into the office.

“This is all your fault!”

Startled by the sudden outburst, Evelyn, who had been deep in work, looked up in surprise.

Lady Cecilia, daughter of a count.

Until recently, Cecilia had been the Duke’s lover—yet now she was screaming at Evelyn as if to tear her apart.

“Because of you, I broke up with the Duke!”