CHAPTER 4

Atliata hesitated before getting to her feet and quickly followed Mizel as he disappeared down the corridor.

Why is the Grand Duke calling for me? Did my power not work properly? And why is that man speaking so politely? Didn’t he speak down to me yesterday?

Her mind filled with endless questions, and before she realized it, she had stopped in front of another enormous door.

The massive crimson wooden door was carved with delicate patterns, making it look expensive at a glance.

Of course, everything inside the Grand Duke’s castle was luxurious, but this door stood out even more.

As the heavy doors opened to either side, she saw the Grand Duke once again seated with the large window behind him, just like the previous night.

The overwhelming pressure from yesterday was gone, and with his face more visible, he somehow looked slightly different.

The Grand Duke appeared to be working, quietly writing something across a sheet of parchment with soft scratching sounds.

“Please come closer.”

Mizel guided Atliata to the front of the Grand Duke’s desk.

Isn’t his attitude completely different from yesterday…? Though that’s not what’s important right now.

Atliata carefully examined the Grand Duke’s face, searching for anything that had changed.

Something… the sharpness around his eyes seems a little softer… or is it just my imagination?

The scratching of the pen suddenly stopped.

“Yes… I suppose that’s the case.”

Atliata blinked in confusion at the unexpected remark.

“I’m sorry… What do you mean by that?”

Instead of answering, Idwin handed a sheet of parchment to Mitchell, who was standing beside him.

Mitchell accepted it, let out a quiet sigh, and held it out in front of Atliata.

“Please read it.”

She glanced between Mitchell and the bundle of parchment before slowly accepting it.

Undoing the string, she unfolded it.

“An employment contract?”

At the unexpected words, Atliata held the parchment close and reread it five times in disbelief.

It was unquestionably an employment contract.

“From today onward, I will employ you as my secretary.”

She raised her head at the low voice.

The Grand Duke continued speaking with a face that was impossible to look away from.

“From now on, your duty will be attending to me at night.”

Atliata stood frozen for a moment before asking blankly,

“I’m sorry… I think I misheard you. What did you just say?”

“His Grace said that Miss Atliata will be appointed as the Grand Duke’s secretary, and your duties will include attending to him at night.”

Mitchell answered with a weary sigh in place of the Grand Duke.

“Attending… at night…?”

Atliata’s face gradually turned pale.

Do people actually write employment contracts for that kind of night service?

It wasn’t the first time she had heard those words.

Several years ago, while wandering from place to place, rumors about Atliata had reached the ears of a young provincial lord.

His bloated body, swollen from overindulgence, dragged her away before bringing up that very same “night service.”

She had briefly considered where his vital points were before eventually being dragged into his bedroom in the middle of the night.

Her fairly beautiful silver hair and striking teal eyes.

For a commoner with nothing, being described as “quite pretty” only brought trouble.

She wasn’t a breathtaking beauty, but her attractive appearance always caused problems at times like this.

Atliata recalled that unpleasant memory.

The horrifying night when she had been dressed up against her will and sent into the young lord’s bedroom.

“Young Lord, would you allow me to sit beside you and sing you a lullaby?”

Though she had resisted until then, Atliata smiled brightly as she approached him.

“Hahaha! Of course! I’ve heard everyone praising your singing. Come here and sing beside me!”

She lowered the shoulder strap of her slip gown slightly before sitting close beside the young lord on the bed.

“Then would you close your eyes for just a moment? You’ll feel wonderful.”

“What a tempting little thing… Hahaha! Very well!”

The young lord closed his eyes, his face flushed with anticipation.

Atliata raised her hand above his greasy head, keeping it just short of touching him.

“May the curtain of night cover your eyes.

May you witness a brand-new world.

When the dim dawn arrives,

you shall awaken from this dream and face another reality.”

A gentle light flowed from Atliata’s hand.

As the song ended and she lowered her hand, the young lord opened his eyes.

“Ah… Aaaah! Who are you?! Why are you in my room?!”

“You summoned me here yourself, Young Lord.”

“Y-You were this ugly?! Get that hideous face out of my sight! Guards! Is no one outside?!”

Feigning disappointment, Atliata quickly stood up.

“Get this ugly woman out of my sight immediately!!”

Soon afterward, a maid rushed inside to calm the hysterical young lord.

Seeing that Atliata looked exactly the same as before entering the bedroom, the maid couldn’t understand the situation at all.

Although the illusion had exhausted her and left her dizzy, she had escaped the crisis.

How many years ago was that now?

The illusion-inducing song consumed an enormous amount of power, and her body had suffered greatly afterward.

If she had to sing it again this time, she was certain it would drain even more strength.

After all… this is the Grand Duke of Raphareon.

She glanced at the Grand Duke’s face and irritation welled up inside her.

At first I almost wished he’d simply ask for that kind of night service…

But she remembered the peaceful expression on his face as he had fallen asleep while listening to her song the previous night.

She had thought he merely looked frightening, not that he would be such a shameless man.

“It seems His Grace the Grand Duke has a preference for commoner women?”

“…What?”

“I didn’t realize you had that sort of hobby. If I happened to become pregnant, would you acknowledge the child as your heir?”

Once her frustration burst out, it poured forth like a broken dam.

“…Hahahahaha!”

The Grand Duke burst into manic laughter, the same laughter she had heard the previous night.

Atliata stared in complete bewilderment.

Standing beside him, Mitchell lowered his head and released another deep sigh.

“As I told you, Your Grace, calling it ‘night service’ would only cause misunderstandings.”

“Hah… It has been a very long time since I’ve laughed this much.”

Before Atliata could recover from her confusion, Mitchell continued.

“Miss Atliata, your nightly duty is simply to sing a lullaby every evening. It will take place in the study. Can you read and write?”

“Huh…? Y-Yes!”

“Then organizing the books in the study will also be part of your responsibilities.”

Remembering how desperately she had been trying to think of a way to escape moments earlier, Atliata’s face flushed bright red with embarrassment.

Idwin watched her with amused interest.

“Your weekly wage will be 100 Cronin. Officially, you will become my secretary after Mitchell. Any other questions?”

Wasn’t Yuel’s friend’s cousin’s younger sister a maid at a marquess’s estate? I think she earned around fifty Cronin a month…

Even considering the Grand Duke’s household would naturally pay more, one hundred Cronin every week was an astonishing amount.

“The contract will last for one year, during which you will reside at the Grand Duke’s estate. If my insomnia is cured within that year, I will pay you an additional half year’s salary.”

“What happens if I refuse?”

“Then you simply won’t earn money by singing.”

One hundred Cronin every week, plus half a year’s salary…

Even a rough calculation meant she could save an enormous fortune.

She had always saved diligently, but every time she settled somewhere new, unexpected expenses followed.

If she could stay here for a year and save that money…

She could finally travel across the sea to the Waltheim Empire, the place she had long dreamed of reaching.

With that much money, settling there would no longer be difficult.

“Very well. I’ll sign the contract.”

“My name is Mitchell Norbert. If you need anything, come to me. Your duties begin tonight. Please sign the parchment.”

Atliata accepted the feather pen and approached the Grand Duke’s desk.

He certainly likes feather pens.

After reading the brief terms, she signed her name at the bottom.

Light immediately radiated from her signature.

“This parchment came from the Mage Tower. Until the contract period ends, neither party may cancel it freely, nor may anyone reveal its contents to outsiders.”

One hundred Cronin every week for a year? That’s more than worth it.

For the first time, the words “night service” sounded pleasant.

“Understood.”

“Then the contract is complete. Hansen.”

Idwin called someone while smiling broadly.

The door behind Atliata opened, and a middle-aged man in a three-piece suit entered before bowing respectfully.

“I am Hansen, the Head Butler. I will assist you alongside Mitchell, so please remember my face. Hansen, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Lady Atliata, please follow me.”

“Ah, you can just call me Lily.”

Hansen straightened his posture even further.

“That would be inappropriate. You are Lord Mitchell’s successor as secretary. This way, please.”

Being addressed as “Lady” was something Atliata had never experienced in her life.

Feeling awkward all over, she scratched the back of her neck and quietly followed Hansen.

After Atliata left, Mitchell lowered his head and let out another heavy sigh.

“Are you truly certain about keeping her by your side? Even the Simos couldn’t uncover anything about her past.”

The Simos were the Grand Duke family’s elite knights.

They carried out espionage, intelligence gathering, and countless covert missions.

Yet even they had failed to uncover Atliata’s past.

“If even our finest knights can’t uncover the past of a mere wanderer, who knows what she’s hiding? What made you trust her enough to appoint her as your secretary…?”

“But Mitchell… you saw it yourself. I fell asleep.”

“I can’t even remember how many years it’s been since I last slept.”

Leaning comfortably into his chair, Idwin smiled.

His face remained stern, but it looked noticeably more relaxed.

“…Yes. I don’t even remember the last time I saw Your Grace smile.”

Idwin rubbed his chin as he recalled the previous night.

“Mitchell… I truly fell asleep. I’m beginning to think that prophecy may actually be true.”

A prophecy passed down through the Grand Duke’s family for generations.

O one bound by the swamp, the melody of the sea shall become your salvation.

Everyone had believed the elderly priest who delivered such an ominous prophecy to the mighty House of Raphareon was insane.

But after the previous Grand Duke and Duchess of Raphareon died unexpectedly at a young age, leaving only the young Idwin behind, the elders of the house began to fear the prophecy.

It was around that same time that Idwin’s endless nightmares and sleepless nights began.