Chapter 20
‘The traces of waiting were… pretty overwhelming.’
The Marquis Grayden and his wife were a “regretful male lead and runaway heroine” couple, but they actually had a fairly good relationship.
But this guy… he’s the real deal.
Not just a regretful male lead—he’s a deeply regretful one.
“Detective? Are you finished with your investigation?”
At that moment, a cautious voice came from outside along with a knock.
As soon as he heard it, Damon pulled his hat down low again.
“It’s fine. You can come in.”
“I’m sorry if I interrupted. We heard we’d be having a guest after a long time…”
“A guest?”
“Yes! He’s an acquaintance of the master. He occasionally stops by the estate and leaves behind monster cores. The master collects them.”
“Sir Cal has a hobby like that.”
That’s… quite a unique hobby.
While I was silently impressed, the maid entered the room with a flushed face and began tidying up the table.
“It looked like dust had piled up in the reception room…”
Damon, who seemed personally offended by poor housekeeping, spoke in a disapproving tone.
When I glanced at him, he added calmly,
“I was talking to myself. I don’t converse with anyone other than you, Director.”
No, your voice was pretty loud just now.
“Ah… actually, the master told us not to touch the reception room too much.”
The maid explained awkwardly.
“He said to leave it as it is, aside from basic cleaning.”
“Sir Cal said that? Only for the reception room?”
“Yes.”
Huh?
Could this be the same reasoning behind him only caring about the reception room’s interior?
Maybe he’s reminiscing about Elisa and drowning in regret.
‘A regretful man doing regretful things again…’
Meanwhile, the maid happily continued cleaning the room, even humming to herself.
What’s got her so excited?
“What kind of person is Sir Cal’s acquaintance who’s coming?”
“Oh—um… he’s a very handsome young nobleman!”
The maid blushed as she answered shyly.
Ah, I see what this is.
“He must be good-looking.”
“…Yes.”
I knew it.
The universal truth that makes women smile is money and handsome men—it works everywhere.
“But why would a noble gentleman personally deliver items to the house? Why not leave it to a servant?”
“Well… I heard there was a reason, but I don’t quite remember.”
The maid tilted her head.
“It’s because of the mana remaining in the monster cores.”
The answer came from an unexpected source.
Damon leaned in close beside me and whispered softly. Strands of black hair fell over his slightly tilted forehead.
“Parts like cores are dangerous, so they aren’t entrusted to just anyone for transport. Only those who can control mana can handle them. The problem is, people like that are rare.”
“How do you know that?”
“……”
Damon stepped back and closed his mouth, then turned his head away coldly.
“Who knows.”
What do you mean who knows? If you don’t know, then who does?
“Honestly, he’s incredibly handsome. Even though he’s an adult man, his skin is so flawless! His manner of speaking is polite, and he always smiles kindly. Every movement of his is full of elegance…”
The maid, now fully energized, began rambling without being asked.
For some reason, she reminded me of a familiar high school girl.
Right—someone who could talk all day about a guy she happened to see at a bus stop.
A handsome man you haven’t seen in a while? You could live off that alone.
‘Monsters, huh…’
Cal often couldn’t see Elisa because of battles against monsters.
That extermination war was the fundamental reason the two drifted apart.
Maybe the reason Cal collects monster cores is related to that.
‘I should look into this more closely.’
I’m not here to end the war or anything, but if I dig deeper, there might be an unexpected breakthrough like in the last case.
With that thought, I spoke up.
“I’d like to meet him as well.”
The moment I finished speaking, both of them turned to look at me.
“Oh my.”
“……”
The maid let out a surprised exclamation.
Damon frowned and glanced at me sideways.
He clearly didn’t like the idea.
“As expected! You’re curious too, right? I mean, it’d be a loss not to see such a face.”
…Excuse me?
“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure to create an opportunity somehow. At least a brief conversation—”
“The Director…”
Damon cut her off firmly.
“…said she doesn’t have time.”
When I turned my head, I met his unusually reddish purple eyes directly.
Was he talking about what I said this morning? That was just to shake him off…
“Oh, you’re worried it might take too long!”
The maid misunderstood Damon’s words and replied brightly.
“No problem! Our guest is never late for appointments. You’ll be able to meet him very soon.”
Her eyes burned with a strange determination that seemed to say, “Handsome men must be shared with everyone.”
She was probably the type of girl in every class who promoted idols during every break.
‘This might actually work out in my favor.’
As a commoner woman, it’s nearly impossible for me to approach a nobleman first unless I’m introduced.
If she’s willing to help—even with tricks—I’m grateful.
“Yes, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Leave it to me!”
Meanwhile, Damon continued to glare at me with a displeased expression.
After leaving the reception room, we investigated various parts of the estate but found nothing significant.
In the end, we decided to rest in the garden until the maid came to call us.
As I leaned back against a bench, Damon sat down beside me.
“You don’t seem to investigate other places as thoroughly as the reception room.”
“There’s no need to.”
“Do you have some kind of criteria?”
“You could say that.”
If the system window doesn’t pop up, I don’t bother investigating.
Whoosh—
From afar, the refreshing sound of waves drifted faintly.
Damon’s gaze was directed somewhere beyond the sea. His fine hair fluttered over his darkened eyes.
‘Is he missing his hometown?’
Since I first met him at the harbor, maybe the sea reminds him of it…
I was absentmindedly admiring his well-defined profile when—
“……”
Damon slowly turned his head and met my gaze.
The bench was small, so the distance between us was closer than expected.
In his usually indifferent eyes, I could see a new wave of emotion stirring.
“…Sometimes, I don’t understand what you’re thinking, Director.”
He murmured in a lower voice.
You only sometimes don’t understand?
I never understand what you’re thinking.
“So I was curious. Where you go, what kind of work you do, what makes you laugh or cry, who you meet…”
Damon lowered his gaze halfway.
His fluttering eyelashes and sharply defined nose created a strangely melancholic atmosphere.
‘He looks like he’s thinking a lot.’
Sometimes, I sensed a sharp instability in him.
In the way he tried so hard to be useful, carefully watching others so he wouldn’t be abandoned.
‘It must be hard being an assistant to an extra like me.’
Just as I’ve slowly found some stability here compared to my past life, I hope Damon can find a role that suits him too.
For that to happen…
Click.
Right on cue, the sound of the garden gate opening was heard. It seemed the maid had come to call me.
I brushed off my skirt and stood up from the bench.
“I’ll go meet Sir Cal’s acquaintance. You stay here and rest.”
As I spoke, I glanced subtly toward the back gate.
It was quite close to the garden, and there was no one passing by.
It looked like the perfect escape route, practically labeled “Runaways welcome.”
If I leave him alone, he’ll probably slip out through there on his own, right?
Just as I thought that, Damon suddenly stood up as well.
“No, I’ll go with you.”
“It’s fine. You’ve had a long day.”
“Me?”
He frowned, clearly offended.
“If it were enough to exhaust me, you would have already collapsed, Director.”
So you’re saying your stamina isn’t as pathetic as mine?
You were practically skin and bones just a few days ago, and now you’re acting all proud just because you’ve grown a bit.
“Anyway, stay here. If you’re hungry, eat the snacks in the bag.”
I pointed at the escape backpack.
“……”
But he only stared at me with an expression that clearly said he wasn’t pleased.
