Perhaps a normal person would have let it go at this point.
Actually, that might have been the right choice.
But letting it go felt like running away, and I didn’t like it.
Why should I run when I haven’t done anything wrong?
Above all, now that I’ve left the tavern, there’s only one way to make a living.
When I thought about it, the conclusion came quickly.
The conclusion was to go straight through.
“Ah, greetings, my lord. I have returned.”
“…!”
The duke’s face clearly showed his bewilderment.
It was a face that seemed to ask, “Why are you here?”
He probably didn’t expect me to come back.
As soon as I saw his handsome profile, I felt my breath caught in my throat.
Yesterday’s incident came flooding back, stiffening my body.
But I couldn’t afford to panic here.
I was snapped out of the panic thanks to someone pinching the back of my hand from behind.
“Why is this woman…?”
“Didn’t His Excellency the Duke tell me yesterday to become a maid?”
“Ah. Yes, that’s right.”
“Then, I will take my leave.”
“….”
The butler has no idea what transpired yesterday between the duke and me.
That is why he reacted this way.
When the butler left and the door closed behind him, it was just the two of us in the room.
My teeth clenched with tension.
There’s no guarantee that the same thing that happened yesterday won’t reoccur.
“I didn’t expect you to come back.”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not because of you that I’ve returned.”
I said it straight off, just in case any misunderstanding might arise.
If he thought I had some kind of fetish for rape, that would be a problem.
“Hahaha. That’s what I thought. Would you mind closing the window? It’s a bit chilly.”
“….”
The duke calmly smiled, dragged a chair in front of the desk, and sat down.
The look of bewilderment that had remained on his face a moment ago was already entirely gone.
Cheeky bastard.
After what he did, he’s right there in front of me again and doesn’t even say sorry.
I wasn’t surprised, though.
To the duke, a commoner woman of no pedigree is probably seen as no more than an object.
And who apologizes to an object?
Just because I understand it doesn’t mean I have to accept it.
I was trying my best to stay calm, but the anger was rising, about to overflow.
“Is there anything you’d like to say?”
“Hmm…”
BOOM.
I said it while closing the sliding glass door that led to the veranda.
The duke then tapped his lips with his pen as if deep in thought, and began to speak.
“Ah, I forgot to give you the compensation.”
“Am I some kind of prostitute in your eyes?”
“That wasn’t my intention, but…”
You crazy son of a–
Are you trying to pay me off with money?
Do you think I’m some low-class prostitute who’d spread my legs for money on the street?
“If you promise not to ever touch me again, I will agree.”
“Agreement?”
“Yes. I’ll also promise not to file a lawsuit.”
“Phew…”
Of course, you’re probably finding this amusing.
You could squash my lawsuit with your power, no problem.
But quite a few people would find the scandal surrounding the immaculate and famed Duke of Dragania interesting.
Even if I’m powerless, I at least have the strength to tarnish the duke’s reputation.
“Fine. Then, let’s make this agreement.”
“The settlement fee will be 300 million.”
“Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t take money?”
“When did I say that?”
“…”
Would anyone make an agreement without money?
Upon closer inspection, you’re a funny guy.
Where are people who don’t like money in this world?
It’s not the money itself I dislike—it’s being treated like a prostitute and being given money like it’s some kind of favor.
“300 million? Fine. I’ll write you the check right now.”
300 million.
To commoners, it’s a ridiculous amount that could take decades to earn, but to a duke-level noble, it’s less than a speck of dust.
This amount should suffice—without greatly upsetting the duke and avoiding the embarrassment of haggling.
This was my reasoning, and it turned out to be correct.
“So, are we in agreement now?”
“You forgot a promise.”
“Ah. I promise not to ever touch Miss Julia again.”
“Yes. And I will also withdraw the lawsuit I intended to file with the court.”
“…”
I took out the prepared complaint I had ready and tore it up in front of the duke’s eyes.
If the agreement failed, I planned to rush to the court.
I even intended to bring in all the nobles opposing the duke and proceed with the lawsuit.
But now that’s no longer necessary.
“Then, are we going to forget everything that’s happened?”
“I won’t forget. Nor will I forgive. This agreement simply means we’re choosing not to pursue the matter.”
“Hahaha. That’s right.”
“And Lord, please speak more casually. It’s inappropriate to use such a formal tone with a servant.”
“I find this more comfortable. I’ll just say it like this.”
“…”
The duke smiled brightly without changing his tone at all.
He was completely arbitrary.
Using informal language with the butler but insisting on polite speech with me.
It was as good as declaring that he doesn’t intend to treat me like a regular maid.
Therefore, even though I received his promise, I should not feel secure.
Who knows when this guy might break the agreement and come after me again?
“According to our agreement, it seems that the only thing forbidden is me touching Miss Julia. If Miss Julia were to touch herself—”
“Lord, clearly you didn’t fully understand. Let me amend the agreement.”
“Ahahaha! I was joking, Miss Julia. Rest assured, I won’t do anything to shame you.”
Did you just make that joke with the woman you forcibly had your way with last night?
My stomach boiled with anger.
The duke was definitely exuding dignity and charisma when I first saw him at the banquet hall.
But now confronting him directly, I only think of him as a pervert.
For being smooth and slick, Leopard might be a step higher, but when it comes to unabashed perversion that pours out incessantly, the duke takes the lead.
“Despite some twists and turns, welcome. I’ll probably stay in this institution for about a month. During that time, Miss Julia, you’ll attend to me. After I leave, you can follow the butler’s instructions.”
“Understood.”
“Our day starts early in the morning, so there won’t be any commuting allowed. You’ll have to live and eat here in the villa. Have you been assigned a room?”
“Yes. I’ve just come after unpacking in a double room.”
“Good. Wait, a what?”
The duke tilted his head.
After a moment of silent thought, the duke looked at me again and said,
“Now that I think about it, you do have a child, don’t you? You look so young, I almost forgot.”
“…”
Why is he bringing up my child all of a sudden?
A chill ran down my spine and my body froze.
“Lord, let’s make another promise.”
“What promise?”
“The promise to not touch my daughter.”
“Hey! What do you take me for?!”
“A scoundrel who forces himself on a woman in a corner of a banquet hall and runs away.”
“…”
The duke’s mouth closed tightly.
Since there’s no rule saying a rapist can’t also be a pedophile, I decided to make sure.
He can touch me, it can be settled with the 300 million.
But if he touches Tia, I will do everything in my power to bring down the Dragania family.
“Isn’t that kind of thing obvious, a basic tenet of being human?”
“That’s enough nonsense. Just make the promise, Lord.”
“How old are you, anyway, to already have a daughter?”
“Stop dodging the question and just make the promise, Lord!”
I wanted to quit on my first day of work.
Of course, after much back and forth, I eventually got the promise.
And so, I ended up working for the man who assaulted me.
*
As evening approached and the sun began to set.
The hero Leopard slowly wandered through the village reduced to ruins.
All that remained of the buildings were their foundations; everything else had burned to ashes. The charred walls were the only remnants not completely destroyed.
Occasionally, uncollected bones lay scattered about.
“There it is.”
After passing through the village, a small house was visible atop a distant hill.
Leopard climbed the hill and entered the house.
The door creaked eerily as it was opened, and the windows were all shattered, making the building seem like an abandoned ruin. However, it hadn’t been touched by the fire, so it was somewhat intact.
“Where is it…”
Leopard began rummaging through drawers and shelves.
He was searching for a single ring.
A ring that was supposed to have been kept by Aerial.
The probability was high that Julia, who didn’t know about the ring’s existence, had left it here.
“Ah.”
After quite some time spent searching, Leopard noticed that one of the planks under the bed looked slightly different.
He pushed the bed aside to reveal a hidden door that led below.
After easily breaking the lock with his hands, he opened the door to reveal a small storage area with a single ring sitting there.
Leopard carefully picked it up, placing it on his palm.
Carrying it toward the window where sunlight still streamed through, he observed the gemstone embedded in the ring. It was pitch black.
The color Leopard remembered was unmistakably red.
A red as passionate as the virtue of a holy maiden.
But now it had completely lost its glow.
This signified only one thing.
The death of its user.
Aerial’s soul was now completely extinguished, beyond the point of recovery.
“Ah…!”
For Leopard, this truth was unbearably cruel.
He wished he hadn’t known, but it was too late.
Leopard clutched the ring in his hand and wept until the sun set.
