Suddenly, as if splashed with cold water, the room was engulfed in silence.
“Hohoho.”
The first to break the silence was the laughter of Lily.
“Duke, you really have a knack for jokes!”
As Lily spoke, flailing her hand, Duke Hart shook his head.
“I am serious.”
Only then did Lily wipe her smile. With a tense face, she asked,
“Really……?”
Duke Hart nodded again.
At that moment, the previously silent Shaun opened his mouth.
“I appreciate your trust in Nelia, but she used to love playing around so much, she probably won’t be of any help.”
Although grateful for the rejection on her behalf, the unexpected fact hit hard, and Nelia’s mouth turned bitter.
“Working as a maid is not that hard. I’ve given it a lot of thought, so you don’t need to worry.”
Duke Hart’s tone was gentle, yet somewhere imposing.
‘Is this supposed to be a proposal?’
The determined antagonist seemed intent on taking her with him.
That was even more puzzling.
‘Why on earth……?’
Why do they want to use me as a maid?
Is it for revenge because I hurt his foot? To keep me close and torment me little by little……?
Even though the villain in the original story was cruel and vengeful, would he stoop so low?
Rather than speculating his intentions, it was necessary to know exactly.
“I… Mom, Dad. I want to talk to Duke Hart alone for a moment. Is that okay?”
As Nelia hesitated and spoke, Lily and Shaun stood up from their seats.
“Maybe that’s best.”
“Please feel free to talk with the Duke.”
Lily gave a warm smile and stepped aside.
It was just Duke Hart and her left.
“…….”
“…….”
A moment of silence lingered.
The Duke seemed to be waiting for her to speak. Nelia hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Duke.”
“Yes, Nelia.”
What are you thinking?
She wanted to ask, but that might seem too impolite.
First, the thing she was most curious about.
“Why did you lie to my parents?”
“I didn’t want to make things difficult for Nelia.”
Nelia momentarily folded the question mark she had for the Duke and sent him a moved look.
As the Duke said.
Her parents were extremely happy about her recently obedient daughter. If they found out she had stepped on the Duke Hart, the cogwheel of the empire, and caused a massive loss, they would certainly be flabbergasted.
Even if they didn’t know about these circumstances, it was heartwarming that he cared for her so much that he lied for her.
‘…Is this person an angel?’
Nelia shook her head vigorously.
No, the opponent is a villain. He might have other thoughts.
Nelia quickly regained her composed expression.
“Did you… hurt your foot badly?”
“It seems I’ve fractured the top of my foot, so I’m advised to be careful for a while. I’ll have to see the details when the bandages are removed.”
Duke Hart explained the situation calmly, his expression not at all pained.
“How long does it take to remove the bandages……?”
“The doctor did mention a month, but said I should continue to observe the condition even after the bandages are removed.”
In her previous life, the convenience store manager had stepped on a heavy book, and it took about a month to walk properly after the cast was removed.
If the Duke’s recovery is slower, the period she has to work as a maid will extend.
That means she has to work as a maid by his side for at least a month….
“Do you have more questions for me?”
Duke Hart asked first. Nelia thought this was her chance and quietly started talking.
“I… I’m sorry to ask this.”
Duke Hart tilted his head.
“Can I find a replacement for your maid, or could I compensate you with money instead?”
Duke Hart’s gentle expression instantly hardened.
“That might be a bit difficult.”
His eyes fell slightly as he gently held the teacup.
“As I said, the vacant position is my head servant’s. It’s not something just anyone can fill.”
Am I not just anyone…?
Why he would entrust such an important position as head servant to me, I don’t understand.
Nelia thought his words were inconsistent.
“And, I do not require money.”
Nelia felt dumbfounded for a moment at the duke’s firm words.
‘Come to think of it, he is the richest man in the empire.’
Not only was Duke Hart himself a competent man in his financial office, but his family, the Duke Hart family, overflowed with money due to its longstanding tradition.
So that’s why he casually offered to restore the necklace made of ‘Elena’s Tears’.
Duke Hart elegantly drank the tea with a graceful hand motion, then slowly put it down.
“What I want, is you, Nelia.”
When his serious silver eyes turned to Nelia, she felt an odd sensation.
As if he were proposing with a maid’s offer.
‘Strictly speaking, what he wants is not me, but my labor.’
“So, Duke, you are saying you have to take me as your maid?”
“For now, yes. As I said, I need someone to assist me as I have a hard time walking.”
“So, I should pay with my body…”
“That’s correct.”
Faced with the Duke’s unwavering words, Nelia realized there was no escape.
Right, since I started this, it’s only right that I take responsibility.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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