François had never encountered a woman who asked about someone’s salary upon their first meeting.

“Do maidens in Etruscan often ask about men’s salaries as they pass by?”

He looked at the woman with bright brown hair, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Under the pouring spring sunlight, the woman audaciously spoke, her carrotcolored eyes gleaming.

“How much do you earn? I will pay you twice that amount.”

François’ eyes wavered. He managed to regain his composure. Money was needed, yes, but his new job earned him only a small amount. Even if his salary were doubled, it would still be woefully inadequate for his needs.

“Thank you, but no. Please continue on your way.”

He turned to leave.

“Wait a moment!”

The woman called him back persistently.

“François. A domestic worker of Count Leonati. Originally from the Kingdom of Gallico. Despite being able to work in a much larger house, you’re currently working for the count. You, do you know that you are extremely suspicious?”

“How do you know my name? Have you been investigating me?”

François glared at Julia with a frown. It was less an attack and more a sense of tension. He must not attract attention.

“An investigation? No, your employer told me.”

“What exactly do you want?”

Julia rolled her eyes. What do I want?

“You.”

“Excuse me?”

François, genuinely flustered, asked back. Julia only realized how her words must have sounded after she’d said them. Her face turned red and she started to stammer.

“I mean, not that I want to have you, but that I want to hire you! Please work as a domestic worker in our house!”

“Where is your house exactly?”

Julia realized that François truly had no idea who she was.

It felt strange, but it was okay. If she could persuade this man to come to her house today, she would have a chance to win the next round. She was confident she would win in the next round.

“I am Julia de Valdesar, the daughter of the Duke of Valdesar.”

She elegantly curtsied. François, taken aback by the lady’s curtsy towards him, awkwardly returned the gesture. Despite the haste, it was not a gesture befitting of a lady.

“Wouldn’t you consider working for the Duke of Valdesar instead of Count Leonati?”

“This is all too sudden…”

“The salary is double, you get a private room, and a oneweek holiday every year.”

The mention of a private room made François’ eyes waver. He was having a really hard time adjusting to his new life, crammed into a room with eight others.

Seeing François wavering, Julia decided to put the final nail in the coffin.

“Triple the salary. Extra bonuses. I can’t offer more than that.”

“……I will seriously consider it. Where should I contact you?”

“Find me at the Duke of Valdesar’s house. I’ll let you know.”

Julia was confidently promising, yet shivered thinking about the earful she’d get from her mother for offering triple the salary to a domestic worker. But she was certain she could persuade and beg her mother.

Honestly, if her mother saw François’ face, she might not even need to persuade or beg. It was not easy to find a domestic worker who was this handsome from a distance.

‘Why did I do this?’

But she felt a surge of energy from her fingertips. It was a sensation of finally feeling alive.

The day of the royal ball arrived. Ariadne began preparing early in the morning for the ball that would be held in the evening.

“Miss! Time for your perfumed bath!”

Ariadne’s grooming, now undisputedly the mistress of the house, was on a whole new level.

Moving from a rural farm to a mansion in the capital and defeating the apostle of Acereto to build a reputation in society and secure her position in the house, Ariadne’s lifestyle had taken a vertical leap.

It took another leap when she gained administrative rights over the house, and now she was undoubtedly one of San Carlo’s top aristocrats, indulging in the finest culture and trends.

“What fragrance would you like for your hair oil?”

Sancha, who had put Ariadne in a large ceramic bathtub, asked a question. Ariadne tilted her head.

“Do I need to care about fragrance just because I’m meeting the heir to the Valdesar family?”

At the royal ball, everyone has their own partner. Alfonso and Ariadne would not be able to share more than a glance. She hadn’t even considered wearing perfume for a stranger.

“Wow, our lady, do you not even care for the heir to the Valdesar family?”

At Sancha’s amazed teasing, Ariadne blushed.

“No, that’s not it……”

“Do you not care for the Count either?”

“No, no……”

It was just because she had a boyfriend that other men didn’t catch her eye. Although her boyfriend was a prince, his status was nothing more than a coincidence.

Seeing Ariadne, who had buried her flushed face in the water, Sancha laughed brightly.

“And even if you don’t care for him, at the ball, you’ll meet all kinds of people. If a scent lingers even after you pass by, people will remember you, right?”

“You seem like you’ve been to the ball a hundred times.”