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Chapter 87. Bait (4)
“Let’s see each other again today. I-I have something to tell you… Please.”
Fortunately, Elusiana, who was able to reach the Grand Duchy of Sestein in time, shook her head as she put down the papers she was holding. The lady seemed to know herself well. Elusiana had possessed this body for ten years, so that lady might be someone who was friends with the real owner of this body.
I’m sure of it.
But why is that lady showing up now and pretending to know her?
…She looks pretty desperate.
Her trembling pink pupils wandered around as if they had lost their way. She looked so pitiful, and Elusiana felt sorry for her, but was it necessary to meet someone she didn’t remember?
Anyway, this is meddlesome. Elusiana tore her hair off as she didn’t know what to do. It was then.
“Do you have any concerns?”
Aster asked, pushing a chocolate mousse cake in front of her. He had a smile on his face, but somehow he gave off an irresistible sense of intimidation.
Am I going to be punished for thinking about something else during work hours? As a maid, she elevated her position to the rank of ‘assistant,’ but she didn’t know if it was annoying to see her goofing around and not doing her best.
Elusiana shook her head and gave the documents she was holding. “This, the source of these funds is a bit… strange.”
“Is that so? Let me see.”
“H-here…”
Elusiana hurriedly rolled her eyes. Fortunately, she could immediately notice the suspicious part as she already marked it. She continued to explain, pointing to the marked part.
“It says that the number of employees has been reduced since three months ago, but if you look here, there is no change in the cost.”
“Hmm.”
“I suspect that the difference may have been embezzled.”
“Why do you think that?”
“It would be more accurate if we checked other items, but there is no change at all just looking at the food items shown here. If the number of servants decreases, of course, the cost of the food should also decrease.”
“I see.”
Aster nodded his head as if he was convinced by Elusiana. Feeling relieved inside, Elusiana swept her chest inside. Phew, that’s a relief.
Aster didn’t say anything while he looked at the papers. He seemed to have no doubts about what she had said.
With a somewhat relaxed expression, Elusiana set her eyes on the chocolate mousse cake Aster had brought. Aster, who had put the papers he was holding onto his desk, suddenly lowered his upper body and stared at her face.
“By the way, Elusiana.”
“W-why are you like that?”
“I want you to tell me now.”
“Yes? W-what?”
Aster’s smile deepened. Was it just her imagination that his smile looked somehow familiar?
“What is your concern? I’m sure I already asked that.”
“M-my concern? Haha, I don’t have anything like that? More than that, Your Excellency hasn’t looked at all the papers yet—”
Elusiana reached out to the papers Aster had put down. But before that, Aster pushed the papers aside. Embarrassed, Elusiana’s gaze wavered.
“Y-Your Excellency?”
“Did you lose your mind? This is what I saw and dealt with in the morning.”
“…Yes? No, it can’t be… Gasp!”
Elusiana checked the papers in her hand again. Somehow, I thought I had a sense of deja vu, but it turned out that the papers were already approved and given to him. Her eyes widened, flinching. She thought she overcame the crisis well, but it was her mistake.
This is why they say someone who’s good at lying ends up causing trouble by getting caught. No, is lying directly to your superior in the name of negligence of duty an even more serious offense? No way, am I going to be fired?
Although her contract was for five years, she might have to pay the penalty if she was at fault for breaking the contract.
Oh gosh. I-it can’t really be like that, right?
Gasp. Elusiana felt dizzy at the moment. That’s because the Grand Duke’s smiling face seemed somehow angry.
“Elusiana Lottie Waieos.”
“Yes, yes?”
“I asked you. What are you worried about? You’ve been distracted all morning, and now you’re ignoring my concerns?”
“W-what do you mean by ignoring? It’s absolutely not like that.”
Elusiana waved her hand desperately. She didn’t know if she should say it was a relief, but the Grand Duke didn’t seem to care much about her ‘mistake.’
“Then answer me.”
However, it would be a problem if his interest went in a slightly different direction. Elusiana smiled awkwardly. How could she say that she was worried about why a friend she couldn’t remember suddenly came to her?
“That, it’s a personal matter, so it’s a little… d-difficult to tell.”
“Are you worried that the newbie from the Klaus family didn’t come to see you?”
“Newbie? Are you… talking about Noel?”
Aster’s red pupils sank low. “Did you get curious because he, who came to visit you every day, didn’t come now?”
Astor’s red pupils sank low.
“…Pardon?”
That’s… what does that mean? Why did Noel suddenly pop out of nowhere?
Come to think of it, I didn’t see Noel today? Elusiana, who had been greatly intimidated, blinked her eyes. She was puzzled by the unexpected question. The Grand Duke’s eyes shook slightly as if he had confirmed something from that appearance.
“If not, then it’s enough… Let’s finish the work.”
“…Ah, yes…”
Aster quickly found his place and sat down. It was so fast that it was hard for her eyes to follow. Her mind was hazy as if a storm had hit her.
What is it?
Elusiana stared at the Grand Duke for a while. The Grand Duke, who looked at the papers with a straight face, seemed perfect in appearance. But just a while ago, he, out of nowhere, threatened her. Had it not been for the papers she had been brazenly deceived with, that weren’t in her hands, she would have thought his storm of emotions just now was a dream.
Seeing the Grand Duke like that, Elusiana tilted her head. But why did His Excellency suddenly ask about Noel… Ah! No way, could it be that he was worried? Noel, who used to visit every day, suddenly didn’t come, so he wanted to find out the reason through her or something like that?
I see!
When they met, they growled and eventually fought with each other. I didn’t even know that and misunderstood them for no reason. After all, His Excellency is secretly affectionate too, right?
Elusiana smiled happily and pulled out the papers she hadn’t dealt with. She thought she should contact Noel later.
* * *
Aster had already seen the same phrase thirty times. He couldn’t concentrate because of the stinging gaze from the side. Huu- how did I get that misunderstanding?
Elusiana went to work as usual. But for some reason, whenever he called, she got startled and put on a bewildered expression. It was from then on he looked more intently at her. He was worried at first if there was something he didn’t know about.
Aster then saw her casually glancing at the door again and again. As soon as he thought, ‘Who is she waiting for?’ his instinctive intuition that the damned face came to his mind. So he handed her a chocolate mousse cake and asked. Really, just to tell her that if she was waiting for him, he wouldn’t be coming anymore.
“This, the source of these funds is a bit… strange.”
At that moment, Aster faced panic for a moment. He couldn’t hear what she was saying.
…What is she hiding? Is there really something between the two of them? It was natural to have doubts. So he couldn’t help but ask until the end. Nevertheless, she remained ignorant to the end.
“That, it’s a personal matter, so it’s a little… d-difficult to tell.”
A personal matter? As soon as he heard it, Aster’s patience snapped. So he asked back in an intimidating way. But those innocent scarlet eyes seemed like they were saying, ‘What are you talking about?’
At one point, Aster realized that something was terribly wrong. …She isn’t waiting for that damn thing? His head went cold. For a moment, he felt as if something had pierced the center of his heart. As if it wasn’t enough for him to be misunderstood, he made a fuss by himself.
Damn it…!
Aster read the same text again and gently closed his eyes. He could feel the temperature at the tips of his ears getting hotter.
This… It’s all because of that damn thing. Why does he always come and get on my nerves?
As a result, he suffered misunderstandings and humiliation for no reason. Aster frowned and cursed Noel, who wasn’t even there.
Aster reflexively opened his eyes. No way, is that guy coming again? I even warned him that I would really kill him this time if I got caught seeing him one more time.
As Aster stared at the door with a fierce look, Elusiana flinched and stood up from her seat. Then she carefully opened the door of the office.