#6. The Fragrant Rascal

Before being discovered about her male disguise and being found out as ‘Chloe’, his one-night stand partner, she needed to leave this house while the Duke still thought she was a man.

Of course, having only worked for 3 months, she would have to pay back nine months’ worth of the year’s salary she had received in advance. But that was far better than paying a penalty fee or facing punishment.

Though she had no idea how to get the money right now, that was something to think about later.

She immediately started heading back to the Duke’s room that she had just fled from.

Having made her decision, there was no reason or time to dawdle.

Knock knock.

“Your Grace, it’s Clyne.”

“Come in.”

As soon as the Duke answered, Chloe entered his room.

“What is it?”

The Duke asked without looking at her while writing something.

“Your Grace, I’m afraid I have something regrettable to tell you.”

“Speak.”

The Duke still wasn’t looking at her.

“I thought it would be right to tell Your Grace first as your personal attendant, before speaking with the butler.”

The Duke finally stopped moving his quill pen and raised his head to look at her.

“Why are you beating around the bush and wasting time? If you have something to say, say it quickly and leave.”

His tone seemed to carry a cold wind.

Why does the Duke’s mood towards her swing between winter and summer every time she enters the room?

Yesterday, he drove her out like someone with the plague, but hadn’t he just been asking her all sorts of trivial questions almost ‘kindly’?

And now he was like an ice bath again.

Since the night of the incident, the Duke’s moods had been changing so rapidly it was hard to keep up.

Still, his coldness was more comfortable than sudden friendliness.

“Your Grace, I apologize for saying this when it’s only been three months since you hired me, but I think I need to quit my job.”

“…What?”

“My mother continues to be ill, so I believe I need to take care of her. I will discuss with Mr. Wilson about paying back the advance salary I received for medical expenses.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes!”

“……”

She thought he would say he understood, but no further words came from the Duke.

Well, it had only been three months since she was hired.

Though it was an unavoidable choice for her, she did feel ashamed.

“Um… I’m sure there are many servants who could serve as your personal attendant, but if you need me to fill in for a few days until then, I will work until that time.”

Just before Sir Joyce and the information guild found out about her, then she would leave.

“You received advance salary for medical expenses?”

The Duke finally spoke again.

Though surprisingly, the topic was about the salary.

The Duke seemed completely unaware that she had received her salary in advance.

“Yes, I will pay it back gradually, if not immediately.”

“…I see, do that. If your mother is ill, I suppose you must be very concerned.”

“Ah, yes.”

Finally at the Duke’s permission, Chloe felt her stiff neck and shoulders relax slightly.

“Thank you. And I’m truly sorry for quitting so suddenly.”

She even had room to add another bow.

“You may go then. Um… coordinate your departure date with the butler.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Chloe bowed deeply and left the room.

She didn’t notice the Duke’s gaze persistently following the back of her head.

* * *

Thud.

With the sound of the door closing completely, Hughgray snapped back to his senses and frowned at the ink stain left on the letter paper.

It seemed he had unconsciously been pressing down on the quill pen he was holding.

“I’ll have to rewrite this.”

He muttered with a slight frown.

He had been writing a letter to cancel the marriage talks with the Tilbet family who had territory in the Tigrium Kingdom.

The Tilbet family…

Long ago, the upper predator beast-people fought fierce territorial battles, and as a result, the lion and tiger beast-clans, who couldn’t determine superiority until the end, divided the continent and established countries as the highest predator species.

They ruled not only humans but also lower predator and prey animal beast-clans.

However, upper predator beast-clans like wolves, hawks, and snakes did not submit to their rule.

They simply remained independent while coexisting in their territories within the two divided countries.

It was an old agreement that acknowledged the hegemony of the lions and tigers who were the final victors, but did not allow interference.

If the Wulfaz duchy was the one who fought until the end with the lion beast-clan in Elion to maintain their independence, then the Tilbet county played that role in Tigrium.

In other words, Wulfaz and Tilbet could be considered the main pillars of the wolf beast-clan. That’s why they were also the families that most frequently combined to produce alphas.

Therefore, it was so obvious that he, an alpha, would imprint on a wolf beast-woman from the Tilbet family that it was taken for granted not only by himself but by the entire wolf beast-clan.

Yet he had suddenly imprinted on a human woman.

Since an imprint once made cannot be undone, he had no choice but to nullify the marriage talks with Reina Tilbet who had wolf beast blood flowing through her.

He placed the quill pen in the pen stand and crumpled up the stained letter paper.

But after taking out new letter paper, he ended up crumpling the blank new paper again before even putting it down on the desk.

Quitting? So suddenly? Just like that?

How many months has he worked to give such sudden notice without any prior warning?

The displeasure he had barely suppressed burst forth, tearing off the mask of composure.

And not because of the twisted imprint, but because of one personal attendant.

Usually, he wasn’t an employer who would get angry at a servant quitting to take care of their ill mother.

That’s why he had barely contained this rising irritation and bewilderment and acted reasonably.

As always, like the rational and logical being he was.

He had acted so appropriately, so why was he this angry?

Due to his Tigrium language ability, his salary would have been set high from the start.

And he even received that high salary in advance!

Though he was specially positioned as a personal attendant for his ability in the Tigrium language, he was more awkward and passive at serving than anyone else.

And now he’s leaving without even using that language ability once! Since the marriage with the Tilbet family was off, there was no need for an interpreter. In fact, since communication with Reina Tilbet was no longer necessary, the logical and cold conclusion should have been that it didn’t matter who served as his personal attendant.

But still…

How infuriating, and… infuriating!

In this unsettled situation with the imprint, that guy decides to leave on his own?

Does he not consider his master’s uncomfortable state of mind at all?

He was being unreasonable even while knowing that Clyne Liden knew nothing about his imprint.

Right. He had even accommodated that guy’s peculiar vacation circumstances.

But now even that vacation wasn’t enough and he’s abandoning him with a resignation letter.

That infuriating, fragrant rascal.

“……!”

Suddenly his eyes widened.

Abandoning him? How dare a mere servant abandon their master?

“I’ve gone mad. I’m really not in my right mind.”

To feel abandoned by a mere personal attendant saying they’re quitting… he was clearly mentally unstable since the imprint.

He closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths.

He wasn’t normal right now. He needed to calm his excitement.

The inexplicable anxiety, unease, and displeasure…

All of this must be because of the imprint.

So he had to believe it would be resolved once he found the imprint target.

Chloe.

If he could just find her.

* * *

“Since you put up a guarantor when receiving the advance payment, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

Wilson said while looking at the documents.

It was Kalkus’s identity guarantee document that Chloe had submitted as her guarantor when moving into the Duke’s mansion.

Though the butler was displeased about her suddenly quitting, he said she could leave even tomorrow without much comment since the Duke had given permission. Now she just needed to resolve the advance salary well.

“Yes. Kalkus Tarkan, he’s my friend.”

“Hmm… Kalkus Tarkan, this person’s identity was guaranteed by Lord Bergen.”

“Yes.”

Not just anyone could receive an advance salary.

Chloe had put forward Kalkus as her guarantor, and since Kalkus worked as Lord Bergen’s servant, Kalkus’s identity was guaranteed by Lord Bergen.

While a guarantee from a commoner with nothing would be meaningless, Lord Bergen was reliable.

Actually, it was a bit surprising how Kalkus had received an identity guarantee from Lord Bergen.

Such employers were rare.

Anyway, Kalkus had brought the identity guarantee confirmation document, and thanks to that, Chloe was able to receive her salary in advance.

She hadn’t wanted to use Kalkus, to whom she was already greatly indebted, as a guarantor, but there had been no other way.

“The address is still here in Bergen? You live in the same area as your guarantor.”

Having resolved his biggest concern about the salary, Wilson checked the basic personal information again.

It was the job application document that Chloe’s twin brother Clyne had sent by mail to apply for the ducal household.

Since Clyne had written it, it was actually a document Chloe had never seen.

“Yes. Since we’re neighborhood friends. I’ll send the money as soon as I find work back home.”

Thinking of Kalkus made her heart heavy.

What should she say if he asks why she had to quit after only three months?

“Indeed. But remember that interest accumulates the longer the date is delayed. I don’t want to be harsh, but this is purely regulation.”

“Yes! Of course!”

Checking that it was time to serve afternoon tea, Chloe bowed to Wilson and hurried towards the Duke’s office.

In the Duke’s office, only the clinking of teacups that Chloe handled while brewing tea could be heard.

The Duke sat at his desk with his arms crossed, staring intently at Chloe as if something displeased him.

Though the room was usually always quiet, today, his silence felt especially burdensome and the noise from the teacups seemed particularly loud with him watching like that.

“So, are you done talking? Until when will you be working?”

Finally, the Duke spoke just as his wordless gaze was becoming unbearably uncomfortable.

Chloe firmly gripped the teacup in her hands.

She was worried she might accidentally drop it from being too nervous.

“I’ll work until today and leave sometime tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow…”

“Yes.”

“……”

The Duke closed his mouth again.

But his lingering gaze remained fixed on her.

Somehow it was a silence where even swallowing saliva felt uncomfortable and breathing freely was difficult.

“Should I bring the tea to your desk? Or leave it here on the table?”

Just tell me to leave it on the table and leave quickly. Tell me not to come closer. That’s what you did last time!

“Leave it there.”

Phew…

That was a relief.

At least until the Duke suddenly stood up from his seat, muttering “I’ll come over there.”