Chapter 31

Pacing back and forth, Sabrina turned her head sharply at the sound of someone behind her.  

“Jeremy.”  

Caught mid-step, Jeremy froze awkwardly and replied with an uneasy expression.  

“Y-Yes?”  

“Do you have something to say to me?”  

At Sabrina’s question, Jeremy shook his head vigorously and waved his hands.  

“No, nothing! Absolutely nothing!”  

But it didn’t seem like nothing…  

Sabrina narrowed her eyes.  

Jeremy had been acting strange lately. She wasn’t sure exactly when it started, but he had been doing things he normally wouldn’t.  

Like pacing around her, glancing nervously, or asking random questions.  

Though he had always had a quirky side, he had never behaved so inexplicably.  

‘Why is he like this? Is something wrong?’  

Sabrina tilted her head in thought. It wasn’t disruptive enough to interfere with work, so there was no need to call him out on it, but it was certainly puzzling.  

“Ah, Jeremy.”  

Sabrina lightly gestured for him to come closer.  

“I was wondering how the draft statement for the press about His Majesty and Lady Evenheim is coming along.”  

Sabrina asked kindly.  

“This is your first time drafting an official statement, right? I thought it would be a good opportunity to gain experience. Are you finding it difficult?”  

“I’ve written a draft, but I’m unsure how to refine the wording…”  

“Well, Avery would probably be better at that… but you can bring it to me. Let’s work on improving it together.”  

Sabrina, lightly touching her cheek as she thought, added casually.  

“After all… matters of courtship are deeply personal, aren’t they? It’s a very important and sensitive topic for both His Majesty and Lady Evenheim.”  

Sabrina gave a bitter smile. After hearing the absurd rumors from Aaron, she couldn’t help but empathize with Elena, who would inevitably become the subject of public gossip.  

Of course, in this case, the rumors weren’t baseless, but it was obvious Elena would still suffer from the attention.  

“I think it would be nice if the statement reflected some sensitivity to that. Just my opinion, so take it as a suggestion.”  

***

“Your Majesty, I believe… I’ve finally figured it out.”  

Jeremy’s whispered words caused Chase’s eyes to widen.  

“You’ve figured it out? Are you certain?”  

Jeremy nodded with a resolute expression. Tossing aside the pen in his hand, Chase leaned forward eagerly.  

“Tell me. What do you think the problem is?”  

Clearing his throat, Jeremy began to speak as if delivering a report.  

“You mentioned that Senior Aide Sabrina started behaving oddly about a week ago, correct?”  

“Yes.”  

“So, I thought it would be logical to revisit what happened that day.”  

“Indeed.”  

Chase nodded quickly, several times.  

“That day, Your Majesty, you met with Lady Evenheim. Afterward, Senior Aide Sabrina worked as usual, then left briefly, saying she had a dinner appointment with Lord Aaron Clemens.”  

“Correct.”  

“I had dismissed it as nothing significant, but I remembered being assigned a task that day.”  

Chase narrowed his eyes.  

“A task?”  

Jeremy nodded.  

“She had instructed me to prepare an official statement regarding the rumors about you and Lady Evenheim, in case they started to spread.”  

Chase flinched and asked.  

“You were the one assigned that task?”  

“Yes, she said it would be a good learning opportunity.”  

“That’s possible, but… it’s unusual.”  

After a brief pause for thought, Chase asked.  

“Is that all the evidence you have?”  

“N-No, there’s more.”  

Scratching the back of his neck, Jeremy continued.  

“This part is more of a guess…”  

“Hmm.”  

“It’s just something that came to mind while I was listening…”  

Frustrated by Jeremy’s hesitation, Chase urged him.  

“Just say it. What did Sabrina say?”  

“Ah…”  

Taking a deep breath, Jeremy recited Sabrina’s words verbatim.  

“‘After all… matters of courtship are deeply personal, aren’t they? It’s a very important and sensitive topic for both His Majesty and Lady Evenheim. I think it would be nice if the statement reflected some sensitivity to that. Just my opinion, so take it as a suggestion.’ That’s what she said.”  

“…And?”  

“Well, the expression on her face as she said it…”  

“Her expression?”  

“She looked… sad, I suppose. Or maybe bittersweet. It’s hard to describe in words…”  

“Try your best.”  

Jeremy lowered his long lashes and gave a weak smile. He tried to mimic the exact expression Sabrina had worn when she said those words.  

“It was like this… Does that make sense?”  

It wasn’t easy to imagine Sabrina’s face superimposed on Jeremy’s, but Chase slowly nodded.  

“To some extent.”  

“I can’t say for sure, but it seemed like the most plausible explanation, so I thought I should share it.”  

Chase stared blankly for a moment before letting out a short sigh.  

“…Understood. You’ve done well. You may go now.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

After Jeremy left, Chase sank deeply into his chair.  

‘Ah, I missed that part.’  

In the end, it seemed the issue was once again tied to his relationship with Elena. He had tried to avoid creating situations that would bother Sabrina, but it was clear that was an impossible task.  

The more his relationship with Elena became public knowledge, the more Sabrina, as his aide, would have to pay attention to it.  

‘The Heider issue is still far from resolved… Will she have to keep worrying about this until then?’  

How annoying.  

Chase covered his throbbing forehead with his large hand.  

He wanted to approach her naturally, without burdening her, but the situation only grew more complicated. At this rate, his clumsy first love was bound to end in disaster.  

Clenching his fists tightly, Chase muttered to himself.  

“This won’t do. I need to find a way.”  

***

“Ha… In the end.”  

Sabrina let out a deep sigh.  

She stood in front of the main gate of the Wintlet Viscountcy’s manor. It was a place she swore she’d never return to, yet here she was, standing before it of her own volition.  

‘And on such a precious holiday, no less.’  

But what could she do? No matter how much she thought about it—whether a hundred or a thousand times—it could only be her family behind such actions.  

She needed to understand what was happening in order to respond to it. With suspicions bordering on certainty, she knew she had to confront the issue at least once.  

The gatekeeper, recognizing Sabrina, immediately opened the main gate wide.  

Step by step.  

She felt as though she were walking into a trap set by her family, but Sabrina steeled herself.  

‘Even if I start at a disadvantage, all that matters is winning in the end.’  

As Sabrina entered the manor, the butler, who seemed to have been waiting for her, bowed his head.  

“You’ve arrived, my lady.”  

“Where is Father?”  

“He is in his study.”  

“I’d like to see him now.”  

“Please wait here for a moment. I will inform the master.”  

When Sabrina nodded, the butler turned and left. Though such formalities were unnecessary between father and daughter, Sabrina didn’t object. She, too, wanted to maintain a distance from the Viscount.  

But even after 10 minutes, then 20, the butler did not return.  

It was a distance that would take no more than three minutes to walk at a leisurely pace. There was only one reason for such a delay.  

‘He’s trying to assert dominance from the start.’  

The tactic was so obvious that Sabrina sneered.  

Straightening her back and lifting her chest, Sabrina stood her ground.  

Hiding her emotions and maintaining a composed demeanor while waiting—this was something Sabrina had done countless times in her past life.  

Determined not to give the Viscount any leverage, Sabrina stood unwaveringly, refusing to show any weakness.  

After an hour had passed, Sabrina was finally led to the Viscount’s study.  

“You stubborn wench.”  

The attack came the moment the heavy door opened. The Viscount seemed deeply annoyed that his power play hadn’t unsettled her.  

“You stormed out as if you’d never return, and yet here you are, coming back of your own accord?”  

Clicking his tongue, the Viscount continued with a sneer.  

“You left as though you could thrive on your own, so what brings you back to me now?”  

Facing the Viscount impassively, Sabrina opened her mouth to speak.  

“I came because I have something to ask you.”  

“Something to ask?”  

A crooked smirk tugged at the Viscount’s lips.  

“Well then, let’s hear it. What could possibly be so important that you’ve come all the way here?”  

Without dragging it out, Sabrina got straight to the point.  

“There are absurd rumors going around about me lately.”  

“Rumors?”  

“That there’s talk of a marriage proposal.”  

“Ah, that.”  

Before Sabrina could finish her sentence, the Viscount interrupted her.  

“Now that you mention it, I forgot to inform you about that.”  

The Viscount chuckled, nodding as if it were a trivial matter. He spoke as though skipping a simple greeting.  

“It’s true. You’re of an age where marriage is expected. I’ve been lenient enough, but how long do you plan to keep floundering about aimlessly?”  

…What?  

Caught off guard, Sabrina raised her voice.  

“Father!”  

“Yes, I am your father. There’s nothing more natural than a father arranging his daughter’s marriage. Why the fuss? Instead of thanking me for finding a match for a disgrace like you, you dare to raise your voice?”  

Throwing the pen in his hand, the Viscount shouted furiously, his voice echoing through the room. But Sabrina was not intimidated and retorted boldly.  

“I’ve never seen a marriage arranged without consulting the person involved, let alone without even giving them a heads-up.”  

“How dare you speak so insolently—”  

“You were the one who drove me out of this house, Father. You were the one who said you’d sever ties with me. And now you want to act like my father again? Isn’t that laughable?”  

At Sabrina’s words, the Viscount snorted derisively.  

“Did you think blood ties could be severed as easily as cutting a thread? Foolish child. As long as the name ‘Wintlet’ follows your own, you’ll never truly be free from this family.”  

“…”  

“If you hate it so much, why don’t you change your surname? Once you marry, you’ll belong to that family anyway.”  

The Viscount’s gaze swept over Sabrina from head to toe.  

“With how shamelessly you’ve been the subject of gossip, I thought finding a decent match for you would be impossible. Yet, surprisingly, there’s a family that’s taken an interest in you. It’s a match far beyond what you deserve.”  

The Viscount pulled a cream-colored envelope from his drawer and tossed it onto the desk.  

“They seem to have been impressed by your work with His Majesty. I can’t fathom why, but that’s what they say.”  

He gestured lightly with his chin, as if telling her to pick it up and read it.  

“I guarantee you won’t find a better match than this. Once you marry, it’ll benefit your brother’s business, and you’ll no longer bear the Wintlet name. It’s a win-win for everyone, don’t you think?”  

『Who Handles the Work When the Emperor Is in Love』 Continues to Vol 2