Chapter 86

The area in front of the Imperial Palace was, as Pell had said, bustling with protesters.

On a wooden plank, the words “Expel the Saintess” were written.

As she was about to pass by, someone grabbed her hand.

“Are you the Duchess of Astrea? Have you already recovered?”

“The Duchess?”

People who noticed her began to murmur and approach her, striking up conversations.

She was flustered by the strangers who expressed concern for her.

This wasn’t the image she had originally tried to cultivate…

Judging by the way they treated her so casually, she felt as though she had become a kind noblewoman who cared for commoners.

She looked at the people with an awkward expression.

“Thank you so much for saving me that day.”

“If it weren’t for you, Duchess, I might have lost my family that day.”

Ah…

Only then did she understand the situation, thanks to the people’s gratitude.

She remembered helping people when the building collapsed that day.

Of course, she appreciated their gratitude, but…

Wasn’t this a protest to expel the Saintess?

To be honest, Anella had saved more people than she had that day.

Anella had healed those who were critically injured and on the brink of death.

So, if anyone deserved gratitude, it was Anella, not her.

“It’s all the Saintess’s fault!” 

Someone shouted angrily, and others around them began to agree, saying, “That’s right!”

She made a sour face at the duality of the people who had seemed so kind just moments ago.

She couldn’t understand why they were blaming Anella here.

However, defending the Saintess would bring her no benefit, so she quietly passed by the people and headed toward the Grievance Counseling Office.

“Hello.”

“Oh, you’re here?”

As she entered the office and greeted naturally, Pell responded just as naturally.

Then, as if realizing something strange, he quickly lifted his head.

“Chief, why are you at work?”

“Because it’s a workday?”

“That’s not what I mean… Are you feeling okay? The Commander filed an indefinite sick leave for you, and I was worried something had worsened.”

“What?”

Eched, that guy. 

After telling her to stay home and rest, he had arbitrarily processed her sick leave.

“I’ll revoke it. It was a sick leave filed without my consent.”

She was already fully recovered, so an indefinite sick leave was absurd.

Even nepotism didn’t go this far.

When she spoke nonchalantly, Pell seemed to accept it, nodding in agreement.

“As long as you’re healthy, it’s fine.”

Soon after, Masetike entered the office.

When Masetike spotted her, his eyes widened in surprise, and he approached her.

“Shaterian, you came to work? Are you feeling okay?”

When she stared at him silently, Masetike gave her a puzzled look.

Feeling too frustrated to prolong the mystery, she asked directly.

“That day when you suddenly took leave—were you out watching the Saintess’s street parade?”

“Yeah, I was. I had some errands in the city, and when I finished, I happened to see it.”

Masetike looked at her as if asking why she was bringing this up.

“Then, did you see me that day?”

“That day?”

Masetike furrowed his brows in thought before shrugging as if he didn’t know.

“No, I didn’t see you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

Was he pretending not to remember even though they had made eye contact that day?

This made her even more suspicious of Masetike.

“But I suppose it’s possible we crossed paths.”

“What?”

“My eyesight has been getting worse lately, so I can’t see things far away.”

“Really?”

She scrutinized Masetike with doubtful eyes.

Then Pell interjected from the side.

“That’s true. These days, Masetike squints while working because he can’t see the writing on documents.”

“It’s not that bad yet.”

Masetike immediately cut Pell off.

“Yes, it is. You’re going to get wrinkles at this rate…”

“No, I won’t.”

“Yes, you will.”

Watching the two bicker over the truth made her chuckle.

Seeing Masetike act like this made her suspicions seem absurd.

Pell handed a document to Masetike.

“Read this, then.”

“Why are you doing this, Pell…”

Masetike, who had just been boasting about his eyesight, hesitated and didn’t read the document.

“See? You can’t read it, can you?”

“Stop being childish.”

They weren’t kids.

Her remark made the two adults finally come to their senses and drop the issue.

Masetike cleared his throat and placed the document he was holding on her desk.

“This is perfect timing. Can you handle this consultation today?”

It was a list of appointments.

“One of the clients insists on only speaking to the Chief. They said they wouldn’t see anyone else and would wait until you returned.”

“Really?”

As she reached for the document, her hand brushed against Masetike’s.

There was no particular sensation.

Perhaps her suspicions had been misplaced.

After finishing their conversation, Masetike returned to his desk, and she tapped the side of the document against the desk to straighten it.

Pell, who had approached her quietly, spoke.

“What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

Pell gestured toward Masetike’s desk with his eyes.

Masetike’s desk was positioned to facilitate consultations in the Counseling Office.

However, the Counseling Office and the main office were separated by a thin partition with gaps at the top and bottom, allowing most conversations to be overheard.

“It’s nothing.”

Pell straightened up.

Although her suspicions hadn’t completely disappeared, she figured the truth would come out eventually.

Whether it was her misunderstanding or if Masetike was truly involved in dark sorcery.

At that moment, the door to the Counseling Office opened.

“Pell, take this…”

Oh no.

She made eye contact with Eched, who had just entered.

Eched, holding some documents, froze in place and stared at her.

“…What’s wrong?” 

Pell asked, puzzled by Eched’s immobility.

Eched finally stepped inside and handed the documents to Pell.

“You should double-check these. The numbers don’t match.”

“Understood. I’ll review them.”

As Pell returned to his desk, she found herself under Eched’s icy gaze.

“Shaterian. Why are you here?”

“Because it’s a workday?”

She replied nonchalantly.

“You’re still a patient. At times like this, you should be resting in bed…”

Ugh, more nagging.

She cut him off and called his name

“Eched. I don’t want to argue with you about this anymore. Do you want to fight with me?”

“…”

Looking up at him with innocent eyes, she saw Eched close his mouth.

After a long pause, he reluctantly said, 

“Just don’t overdo it.”

“Okay.”

“Come to me if you feel sick.”

“Okay.”

She managed to appease Eched and successfully sent him out of the Counseling Office.

Having overcome that hurdle, she spent the morning catching up on the paperwork that had piled up.