‘I don’t want to think about it.’

Until just a moment ago, I thought I was living happily for the first time, without any worries and with peace of mind.

At that moment, there was a commotion near the entrance of the mansion, and a carriage stopped as people got out.

“Hello, we’re from Ash Trading Company!”

Those who alighted did not enter rudely but stood at the entrance, greeting loudly towards the inside.

“Yes, please come in.”

Ael hurriedly approached them, burying the past she didn’t want to recall further in the corner of her memory.

* * *

That day, Ael arrived at Ash Trading Company just before the end of lunchtime.

“Huff… huff…”

She had run so hard that the acrid smell of blood could still be detected amidst her rough breaths.

Seeing Ael bent over, constantly catching her breath, Nisha asked curiously.

“Didn’t you come by carriage?”

“Well… the central square… was so… congested… I got off… ran through… the back alleys… cough!”

“Don’t answer, just drink some water first.”

Nisha patted Ael’s back as if to say it was alright. Suddenly, Ael flinched and stepped back.

“Ah…”

Then, seeing Nisha’s expression as if asking why, she hastily said.

“I’m sorry. I was startled…”

“No, it’s my fault for patting without asking. More importantly, have you eaten lunch?”

Nisha changed the subject as if she didn’t mind much.

“No, not yet…”

“Then follow me. I’ll show you how to use the cafeteria in the building.”

“Are you sure it’s alright? You must be busy.”

“It’s still lunchtime. Come to think of it, we didn’t set a specific time for you to come in today, so you could have come in more leisurely.”

“I’m already grateful for the consideration given for the morning hours, I couldn’t possibly do that!”

Nisha gave a wry smile at Ael’s serious reaction, waving her hands.

From the first time she saw Ael until now, Nisha always thought that her attitude was unbelievable for someone claiming to be a noble of Denertum.

If she had just helped her when they first met in the alley, if Kalon hadn’t become suspicious after seeing the book Ael dropped, she would have continued to think of her as just a quiet and calm servant from a noble family.

That’s all she could think.

Nisha had met countless nobles since coming to Denertum.

No matter that she was the branch manager of Ash Trading Company, most of them frowned the moment they knew she was a woman.

Sometimes, there were even ridiculous requests to replace her with a male branch manager.

It wasn’t just men who treated her this way. Noble women also looked at Nisha with displeasure. Of course, they were uncomfortable with the fact that Nisha was a commoner.

No matter how low their rank, how little they had, or how uneducated they were, they didn’t hide their thoughts that they were far superior to someone like her just because they were from noble families.

Aelfrida was a person who had lived in such a place from birth until now.

Her father was even classified as a noble who wouldn’t be reasoned with when Ash Trading Company first looked into the nobles of Denertum.

So she too must have constantly seen and heard the hatred and contempt towards commoners and imperial citizens, yet she bowed her head to them so naturally.

Moreover, she showed a demeanor of not knowing what to do even with insignificant, natural considerations.

And just now, she showed a startled reaction, stepping back when I tried to pat her back.

‘Really… how on earth has she lived?’

How many days must she have lived in abuse and contempt?

As they headed to the cafeteria, Nisha examined Ael’s face, still wearing loose clothes.

Ael’s face had improved remarkably in just one day.

The wounds visible above her collar had faded, and the bruises and swelling on her face had also reduced significantly. At this rate, they would almost disappear within a week.

‘And that’s just from eating well and receiving treatment for one day.’

Come to think of it, it meant she hadn’t lived like that for even a day since being beaten.

Nisha, suppressing her feelings of pity, went to the cafeteria and asked the kitchen staff.

“Can we have the special meal?”

After requesting the menu usually asked for by sick employees, Nisha guided Ael and explained how to use Ash Trading Company’s cafeteria.

Of course, she also mentioned that everything eaten here was free.

* * *

When Nisha and Ael finished their leisurely lunch and even had dessert before coming upstairs, Kalon was waiting for the two. He looked at Nisha and said with a grin.

“Branch Manager, I believe you said you needed to prepare for this afternoon’s meeting.”

“…Um, yes… that’s right… Well then, Miss Ael, I’ll be going now. You can get the rest of the explanation from Kyle!”

Seeing Kalon’s smile, Nisha felt a chill down her spine. She waved her hand and quickly returned to her office.

Left alone in the corridor, Ael turned her head to look at Kalon.

She couldn’t understand why he looked somehow annoyed even though he was clearly smiling.

Kalon glared at the corridor where Nisha had fled, with his arms crossed.

‘I told her to contact me as soon as she arrived.’

He had told her this morning to notify him immediately when Ael arrived today.

So when there was no contact even until the end of lunchtime, he thought that perhaps the conversation with the workers sent to the mansion was taking longer than expected.

But when he went to Nisha’s office, Nisha wasn’t there.

As he went downstairs to look for her, the staff at the entrance who had greeted Ael told him.

As soon as he heard this, Kalon immediately went back upstairs and knocked on Nisha’s office door. But there was no answer. He opened the door and looked inside, but all he saw was an empty office.

‘Where did they go?’

He had clearly told her to contact him first, but where on earth did they go without saying a word?

Kalon felt frustrated. Like someone who had missed something important. It was strange.

It’s true that Ael is important to Ash Trading Company. Because with her arrival, they could restart the plan that had been on hold.

‘That’s why I had a separate office prepared for her.’

At first, he thought she could work together in the office with Nisha or Ino, like himself.

But soon he changed his mind.

‘Shouldn’t we consider security more?’

Many employees come and go in Nisha and Ino’s offices.

Of course, they are all vetted talents, but the documents Ael will be seeing from now on are the most important papers in the contracts Ash Trading Company will be making.

‘Besides, Miss Ael still seemed uncomfortable dealing with other people.’

She was comfortable with himself, Nisha, and Ino, but she still flinched when she saw other employees.

Moreover, when she said her name was Aelfrida but asked to be called Ael, she mentioned that it wouldn’t be good if the nobles found out she was here. Kalon agreed with that opinion.

Wasn’t the reason Ash Trading Company had difficulty finding someone until now because of the nobles watching each other?

If it was said that a certain family was helping Ash Trading Company, they would surely be criticized for bowing their heads to foreign commoners, so the nobles ignored Ash Trading Company’s requests.

But if rumors spread that the young lady of an essentially fallen family was helping, there would surely be those who would come directly to Ael to cause trouble.

Moreover, with the viscount not at home now, there’s no way Ael could deal with them.

‘We need to think about what happens after our work is done too.’

It’s best to make sure that the name of Aradis Viscount family doesn’t come up at all even after Ael quits her work here.

Then it would be better to give Ael a separate, independent office.

‘It would be good to have a quiet place to work…’

Then a room with good soundproofing would be necessary.

‘She’ll have to sit and work all day, so shouldn’t the view at least be nice?’

Then a higher floor would be better, right?

After considering various factors, the place for Ael to work became the room at the end of the 5th floor, the highest floor of the company.

In Denertum’s building style, the top floor wouldn’t be considered a very good floor.

It would be hot in summer receiving all the sunlight and cold in winter receiving the wind, just like Ael’s room in the viscount’s house.

But the Ash Trading Company building, built in the imperial style, is a bit different.

In the Empire, the higher the floor, the better it was considered. So the top floor of Ash Trading Company is furnished with a few offices, a conference room, and rooms for accommodation for employees coming from headquarters or business partners.

Kalon was also staying there.

‘At least until the Oltbea mansion is perfectly ready.’

The grand mansion in the northeast of the capital is now finishing its final touches. Once that work is done, Kalon’s residence will be moved there.