“Did you just come out of Deborah’s room?”

Still with her head bowed, Shelley said.

“Yes, master.”

“What is she doing now?”

“She is sleeping now.”

“Now? At this hour?”

Zen, who was asking like that, frowned and raised his voice before even hearing Shelley’s answer.

“Why? Is she not feeling well?”

“It’s not that, she said she was tired from staying up all night.”

“……”

Zen covered his mouth with his large hand and maintained silence for a moment before saying this.

“When she wakes up, check her condition, and if she’s okay, tell her to call… no, tell her to come see me. But if her condition is bad, don’t bother relaying my message and you come find me instead.”

“Understood.”

Zen, letting out a deep sigh, went back the way he came. The sound of his walking was not loud and slow, completely different from earlier.

Only after Zen’s figure had completely disappeared could Shelley let out a silent sigh of relief.

‘Anyway, judging by the master’s attitude, the young lady is no ordinary maid.’

Shelley was not a cunning person, but she was a calculating one. And it was already established that Deborah was a higher-ranking maid than herself.

So there was no harm in lowering her attitude and being careful with her words.

“I look forward to working with you as well.”

Shelley bowed her head respectfully, as if greeting the head maid rather than a newly arrived maid.

Deborah thought while hiding her bewildered feelings.

‘It seems like she’s drawing a line with me. This line isn’t bad, but I’d prefer to get along comfortably with everyone if possible.’

It wasn’t like they would only meet for a day or two, so being treated like a superior like this seemed unbearable.

It seemed Deborah would have to discuss this matter with Zen.

Fortunately, since Zen was looking for her first, she wouldn’t have to hear something like ‘Did you ask to see me just to talk about this?’

‘But I probably won’t be able to avoid the nagging. Of all times, he came when I was taking a nap, oh…’

Deborah was visiting Zen’s office for the second time today already. Knock knock. When Deborah lightly knocked on the door, Zen’s voice was heard from inside.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Deborah. I heard you were looking for me-”

“Come in.”

Zen answered before Deborah could finish speaking.

‘How urgent.’

Deborah wrinkled her nose and shook her head. What kind of nagging would grate on her nerves? And what was the reason for looking for her?

With uneasy expectations, Deborah entered the office.

Just a few hours ago, papers were strewn about on the floor, but now it was clean. There was no dust smell peculiar to paper or cigarette smell, only a cool and fragrant scent.

However, there were far more documents piled up than before. Even earlier it had formed a sufficiently huge mountain range, but now…

‘My goodness. When on earth will this be finished?’

Deborah, who was unconsciously worrying about Zen’s workload, soon put aside her concerns when she noticed the piercing gaze examining her. Who was worrying about whom now.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Baker.”

“Yes. A very good afternoon indeed.”

Feeling the sarcasm in his tone, Deborah steeled herself inwardly. Now the nagging begins! I must manage my expression well.

“So, you stayed up all night? What for? Was the bed uncomfortable?”

“No.”

“Then why… Are you perhaps not feeling well?”

Zen said, sharpening his gaze like a finely honed blade.

“No. I just stayed up all night organizing the documents I gave you this morning, but my health is fine.”

Zen twitched one eyebrow.

“You stayed up all night for just that?”

“Yes.”

“Ha. I was going to call you about that anyway, but hearing this makes it even more absurd.”

Zen opened a drawer and took out the documents Deborah had handed over in the morning.

“By any chance, do you have some connection with the Blaise family?”

Deborah blinked slowly with an awkward smile.

‘Hm. What is he suddenly talking about?’

Deborah said cautiously.

“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly saying this.”

“You really don’t know? I thought the requirements would be something like asking for more money because the work content changed, or asking for personal time, things like that.”

Zen said while flipping through the two-page document.

“Participate in Dia Blaise’s tutor interview. Don’t commit any wrongdoings. Act as kindly as possible towards her. And what? Allow yourself to give opinions regarding Dia Blaise?”

Zen fired off words sharply with his pleasant voice. On top of that, he distorted his eerily beautiful face maliciously.

“Was being a nanny your dream?”

The document precariously held by Zen’s fingers slowly fell onto the desk.

“But what a shame. She’s a grown adult.”

“I know that too. But I heard from Madam Saint. She said that lady would be very lonely and have a hard time because she doesn’t have any maids or servants who came with her from her family home.”

“So that’s why you’re doing this? For someone you’ve never even met?”

Zen sneered heavily.

Deborah understood why Zen was reacting this way.

‘He must find it strange that someone who said they didn’t want to be a body servant maid until recently is now acting so passionately.’

But she couldn’t back down here. Deborah decided to borrow Madam Saint’s name one more time.

“Madam Saint asked me to please do this.”

“Ha. That person cared about the Blaise Count’s daughter that much?”

Zen said, raising his chin.

‘Well, honestly, Madam Saint didn’t ask like this, but. Well, it’s true that she said to be of help.’

Deborah smiled brightly and opened her mouth.

“Yes. Madam Saint is a kind person.”

Answering like that, Deborah thought. From now on, she would act as if she had no conscience. For Dia’s happiness, and for everyone’s happiness, she would act shamelessly.

“…Well, fine.”

Zen clenched his fist tightly. His tendons stood out prominently, as if they would burst through his skin from how much strength he was using.

“Everything else is fine, but what do you mean by not committing any wrongdoings?”

Deborah’s pupils trembled slightly.

In fact, Deborah had agonized a lot when writing that part. Wasn’t the sentence itself already too blatant?

Nevertheless, this was an extremely important matter.

While the appearance of another woman carrying his child may not have been the only reason Dia left him, it was certainly the decisive factor.

So she had courageously tried to sneak it in, but to have it pointed out so directly like this.

‘If I don’t explain well, I’ll become a scoundrel who turns an innocent person into a scoundrel.’

Deborah moved her lips as she had thought about in the early dawn. Hoping the situation would pass over smoothly.

“I’m a devout person, so I can’t work for an immoral household.”

“Ha. So you’re really saying don’t cheat? What do you take me for.”

Zen’s face became as fierce as an angry leopard.

Yes. In the future Deborah knows, a huge incident occurs where some woman appears claiming to be pregnant with Zen’s child, but this event has not happened yet. So it was natural for Zen to be displeased.

‘What should I do? I can’t exactly tell him that he’ll do such a thing in the future.’

Deborah swallowed her tension down her throat and explained slowly.

“I’m not doubting Mr. Baker’s morality. I just want to make sure. It’s like how I know Mr. Baker has the financial means to pay me 500 crowns a month, but I still worry if I’ll really receive my salary until I sign the employment contract.”

“Ah. So you’re saying you’re not officially employed yet. That’s why you spouted nonsense about going back.”

Zen smiled bitterly and crossed his arms. As expected of the male protagonist. Just crossing his arms made the cloth wrapping his forearms tighten as if it would tear.

“That wasn’t exactly my intention.”

‘It wasn’t…’

Zen quietly gazed at Deborah standing before him.

With her hands neatly folded and wearing an autumn breeze-like peaceful smile, she looked as dignified as if she were the true owner of this place.

Zen didn’t dislike that image. Apart from the fact that the name ‘Dia’ came from her lips.

‘It’s funny all over again.’

In fact, it was thanks to Dia that Zen was able to reunite with Deborah. If he hadn’t been recruiting a maid for Dia, the two of them probably would never have met in their lifetime.

Yet Zen found it uncomfortable and unpleasant that that name came from Deborah’s lips. Even though Deborah who brought it up seemed unbothered.

‘Anyway, she says she dislikes immorality.’

Whether Deborah was really devout or not, he knew from the beginning that she was someone who greatly disliked such things.

So he knew that if Dia was by Zen’s side, Deborah wouldn’t even glance at him. No matter how beautiful and precious things he offered while professing love, she would look at him with disgusted eyes.

‘So not now.’

Zen can’t drive Dia away right now. Because he couldn’t convince Madam Saint.

Also, if Madam Saint, who could become cruel enough for revenge, found out that Zen was discarding the Dia card because of Deborah, he didn’t know how things would turn out.

Even if she liked Deborah, she might put Deborah in danger.

‘Debbie shouldn’t face even the slightest danger.’

So Zen had to quickly show results that Madam Saint would find satisfactory, and furthermore, complete the revenge.

Only then would he not lose this woman before his eyes.

This woman who still seemed like an illusion, making him clench his fists lest he unknowingly reach out his hand towards her.