Chapter 49
This Ash… I’ve ended up earning the title of the greatest temptress in the world. I guess all of this, too, will become experiences of blood and flesh, in the end.
“Sigh…”
I let out a long sigh and hugged the folder of documents tightly to my chest. These were just minor papers that needed Kin’s signature.
‘Everyone acts normal in front of Kin, but they whisper only when I’m around? So irritating!’
Pouting, I pushed open the door to Kin’s office.
“Here. You just need to sign. It’s about the replacement of feed and stablehands at the end of the year. You’ll understand if you read it.”
I handed him the folder and sat down at a small desk tucked into the corner of the office.
It was the kind of seat that was always kept for an aide, even a temporary one.
‘They said they didn’t do this with Syner. Such nonsense. No wonder all these weird rumors keep circulating!’
Kin handled things entirely his own way.
So, this was how he interpreted what we had said earlier—that it would be better to maintain some distance.
“If distance feels too much, can’t we just get closer? And getting closer takes time.”
The sudden appointment of a temporary aide wasn’t for any other reason. He just wanted to get closer to me again.
‘Don’t put that much value on me!’
If someone who’s dead comes back to life, would I obsess like this, too? I didn’t know—I hadn’t experienced it.
While I was passing the boring time, a knock announced the next schedule: the castle’s work report session. Since it was simple administrative work, even I, a semi-outsider, could be there… or so I thought.
Faces I’d never seen before filed in.
All of them looked so pale that they were almost blue.
‘Do they never see sunlight?’
I wondered if there was really that much work to do in this castle that seemed to operate so haphazardly.
‘Ugh… I’m sleepy.’
Leaning my chin on my hand and stifling a yawn, I began scanning the profiles of those waiting for Kin’s approval, unable to bear the boredom. Like flipping through a magazine.
Name: Kirk
Race: Human
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Hometown: Pan Island
Traits: Gloomy, quiet, embezzler, athlete’s foot, farsighted, dog lover
Oh, my. A human bold enough to attempt embezzlement in this gray fortress. And right in front of Kin, no less. That’s some nerve.
I glanced at a man behind Tilly, who seemed friendly.
‘At least he probably sees sunlight often.’
Among them, his complexion looked the healthiest.
Name: Tatin
Race: Human
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Hometown: Vitrisian
Traits: Bureaucrat, diligent, cheerful, spy, calculating, martial artist, cruel, awakener (master of transformation)
…Wait.
Did I just read that correctly?
…A spy, a martial artist, cruel?
Those three keywords didn’t suit him at all.
Because Tatin was a cheerful-looking man with lively pale skin and a slightly plump build.
‘But the keywords are strange…’
I focused on Tatin’s hometown.
The imperial Vitrisian region.
Remember “Don,” the fake ghost in the underground prison?
Don was also from Vitrisian.
Thinking along the same lines, it seemed highly possible that Tatin, also from Vitrisian, was a royal spy.
A chill ran through me at the thought.
‘What the… these people here seem to have enemies with some extremely dangerous groups?’
It’s normal for criminal organizations to be at odds with the state, but I didn’t want to feel it so vividly, like it was on my own skin.
‘And Checker, too… this place doesn’t seem very secure.’
Why were spies coming and going so freely? It was surprisingly sloppy.
After everyone left, Kin tidied the messy desk and glanced at me.
“Tired?”
“Huh? Why… why do you ask?”
“Your expression doesn’t look good.”
“Well…”
I hesitated.
‘Saying I just saw a spy would be a bit…’
Like with Checker before, it felt awkward to get involved in such matters between such a huge organization.
‘I don’t want to side with criminals, and I don’t want to side with a corrupt royal family either.’
I mumbled something vague.
“Maybe I’m just tired. It’s the first day, after all.”
Using that excuse, I stood up quietly.
“There’s a little free time. Can I go for a walk outside?”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
“…Be careful. The paths are complicated.”
He was surprisingly prone to nagging.
Stepping outside the office, the gazes of the guards standing at the door met mine. They all seemed… odd. That wasn’t just my imagination, right?
A tall woman with orange hair spoke abruptly.
“Oh? Why are you already out? Did you fight with the lord?”
I shrugged.
“Fight? Do you really think I have the capability to fight with the lord?”
“There are rumors in the castle, you know? About your relationship with the lord… ugh!”
Another guard, who had been standing at the entrance with her, kicked her.
“Polina! Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”
“Hey! You told me to speak! Why can’t I?”
“Because you’re clueless!”
“Clueless? Is there something I can’t say? I have the right to speak here!”
“No, you don’t!”
“Why not? I have rights too!”
“Rights? You think you are anyone?”
And so, their squabbling began.
I quickly moved away from the two of them.
‘Just seeing a spy was enough to mess with my head, and now a scandal with Kin? Everyone’s paying way too much attention. So nosy!’
Especially the orange-haired woman’s gaze—it burned intensely.
‘Does she dislike me, like Obal? Or…’
Maybe she thought I wasn’t good enough to be beside Kin.
‘Or maybe she secretly likes Kin herself.’
After all, before master-servant relations, it was a man-and-woman relationship too.
If that were the case, it would be so unfair. I really had no relationship with Kin!
‘Ugh. Kin, how many unwarranted grudges are you causing me to collect?’
As I left Kin’s office and explained what happened with the guards, Ricky laughed, clutching his stomach.
“So you finally met her! Your rival!”
“Rival? What are you talking about?”
“Polina! Polina!”
Ricky wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.
“The tall, orange-haired woman? That’s Polina.”
“Her? …No way?”
“Yes. Polina is the boss’s devoted follower.”
I pressed my hand to my forehead.
“Oh, no.”
Whether it’s one-sided love or mutual love, I hated getting involved in romance.
“Ever since the rumor spread, I was looking forward to when you’d meet Polina. And it was today at noon!”
Ricky clicked his tongue, disappointed.
“Polina didn’t seem too wary of you?”
“Her gaze was intense, but not that much…”
“Hmm.”
Ricky was very interested.
“I thought someone like Polina would immediately draw a blade.”
“…Is she someone impossible to talk to?”
“Her personality is fine, but she’s a bit hot-headed.”
Ricky briefly explained Polina’s character.
Polina was straightforward and fun.
“But she’s unusual—she has no one she’d call a friend.”
“Because she’s hot-tempered?”
“No. She just doesn’t like people much. She’s distant with humans, not animals.”
In this castle, except for Kin, Polina never approached anyone first. Naturally, she also never showed affection to anyone besides Kin.
“Oh, she’s extremely stubborn.”
I felt a sense of urgency.
‘This kind of person is really scary.’
I needed to find a way to clear up Polina’s misunderstanding. I had to show her I was not her rival.
Suddenly, a question crossed my mind.
“But… does the lord know about this?”
