SOLIRF~20

Chapter 20

The Household of a Noble Tycoon

The man showed unexpected interest in the topic.

“So that clerk’s message earlier—was it about your dismissal?”

As his brows furrowed, I quickly corrected him before any unnecessary misunderstanding could arise.

“No. I received an offer from a better place, so I’m moving on.”

There was no reason to refuse if they were willing to meet all my conditions. It wasn’t like I planned to rot in the same trading company forever. Experiencing a new environment might not be so bad.

I handed him the paper bag containing the fountain pen and the cosmetics.

“Today’s my last day. It’s a good change, so I just wanted to give you something to remember. I might not get the chance to see you again.”

The man’s ice-cold expression softened—just barely, but I saw it.

“You never know.”

“…Sorry?”

Without another word, he took the bag and walked leisurely out of the boutique.

I tried to interpret his words, but when no answer came to mind, I just shrugged it off.



Since I’d agreed to rather unique working conditions, I had already set my mindset to calmly accept whatever strange things might happen in the Marquis’s mansion.

Still, there was one thing I couldn’t figure out.

Why does she like me so much?

Lady Chiara’s explanation hadn’t fully convinced me. But I didn’t dwell on it either. Someone like me, a commoner, could hardly understand a person from an entirely different world.

Two days after the interview, I officially began working as the noble lady’s aide.

I was nervous, of course. I always got nervous on the first day of a new school year—or at a new job.

Because that’s when you can already predict what kind of company life you’re in for.

If the office atmosphere was bad on the first day, your future was basically doomed.

Still, I was financially healed enough to accept any amount of stress with grace.

Knock, knock.

“My lady, it’s Cornelia.”

My first workplace was Lady Chiara Aurelius’s bedroom.

I’d only seen her in the drawing room before, so I was quietly curious to see what a noblewoman’s private chambers looked like.

“Come in.”

At her permission, I carefully turned the doorknob—

—and nearly went blind.

Oh my god. It’s dazzling.

The expression ‘my eyes are bleeding’ felt suddenly very appropriate.

“Human Black Dia…?”

The entire room was styled exactly like the Black Dia pop-up concept: black and pink everywhere—from the bedding to the sofa, the cabinets, the curtains.

It was even more luxurious than the boutique setup, overflowing with high-end furniture.

So people actually live like this? Yeah, my boss does. Ha-ha.

Lady Chiara noticed my stunned expression and smiled, clearly pleased.

“How is it? Do you like it? I redecorated to celebrate the launch of the Black Dia brand. And since you were coming, I gave it a little extra touch.”

It seemed her interest wasn’t limited to beauty or fashion. Her entire life was beauty, fashion, and trend itself.

The level of noble flex here is insane.

Chiara gestured toward the center of the room, where a sturdy ebony table gleamed under soft light. I carefully took a seat across from her.

“Let me guess. You’re thinking I waste money on pointless things too, aren’t you?”

The vocabulary was… surprisingly sharp. For a second, I was speechless—but I quickly recovered.

“If it makes you happy, that’s what matters, my lady. It would be wasteful only if you desired beyond your means, but this much doesn’t affect the Marquisate’s finances in the slightest. In fact, it’s far more reasonable than nobles who gamble their fortunes away.”

Chiara’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.

“My eyes weren’t wrong, then. I look forward to working with you.”

She unrolled a sheet of pink parchment that smelled faintly of vanilla and roses.

“Let me briefly explain your duties. As my aide, your job is to assist me both inside and outside the mansion. You’ll have two days off a week, but you’ll need to attend important events—balls, salons, and the like—when required.”

I already knew as much. I’d experienced plenty of weekend work back in the modern world, so I wasn’t about to get stubborn over that.

“You’ll compile daily reports on upcoming or emerging trends and advise me on how to present myself in society. I cannot stand overlapping styles.”

Her eyes glinted sharply, like a predator guarding its uniqueness.

“You’ll also oversee Black Dia-related work. It bears my name, so I can’t have the brand’s direction veering off course.”

She wasn’t just some shallow noble.

Chiara Aurelius understood branding, personal PR, and public image better than most CEOs I’d met.

Honestly? Not bad.

When the explanation ended, she rolled up the parchment again and added,

“You don’t have an assigned office yet since this is a new position. For now, you’ll share the butler’s workroom. One more thing—something important.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“Maintain your dignity.”

“Dignity… maintenance?”

“Yes. You’re my first official aide. We’ll be appearing in public together often, and your appearance reflects me. I’m not asking for much—just stay as neat and polished as you are now. When there’s an event, the Marquisate will provide a dress, of course.”

That reminded me of the few outfits hanging in my tiny wardrobe.

If my salary had gone up, my wardrobe clearly needed an upgrade too.

Guess it’s time for shopping.

Before the thought could fade, Chiara cut in.

“If you’re planning to shop, I’ll come with you.”

“…Pardon?”

“As your employer, I can’t let my aide dress like a beggar. You’re probably unfamiliar with noble fashion, so I’ll take care of it myself. Besides, I’d like to see your taste.”

Well, I wasn’t about to refuse if she was offering to pay.

Rich people buy good things. I’ll just accept it gratefully.

After assigning my duties, she had Butler Fenel escort me to the office.

It wasn’t as grand as Chiara’s room, but it was perfectly adequate for work.

“When you arrive each morning, greet the lady first, then continue your work here. If you need to go out, inform me beforehand.”

After placing my bag on the desk, Fenel gave me a tour of the mansion.

It was massive.

Just doing a quick walkthrough took over an hour.

It’ll take me days just to memorize where everything is.

For now, I focused on learning the key areas—the office, Chiara’s room, and other spaces I’d use regularly.

The last stop was the staff dining hall.

When a maid noticed us, she quickly brought out a meal.

The menu was far more varied than at the trading company cafeteria, and the taste—divine.

As a lifelong office worker, I judged workplaces by their lunches. So yes, this job scored high marks.

“There’s a separate dining hall for the servants,” Fenel explained. “This one’s for aides and household retainers. When things get busy, meals can be brought to your office.”

I thought dividing people like that seemed unnecessary, but I didn’t show it. I just nodded politely as Fenel continued his explanation.

“At present, the Marquisate’s residents are Lord Antonia Aurelius, Lady Clara, their daughter Chiara, and their youngest son Aidan.”

A four-member family.

I mentally summarized the information.

“Sir Aidan could be seen as the heir apparent, but he’s actually next in line to become the Tower Master. He’s a prodigy, born with exceptional magical talent. He lives mainly in the Mage Tower and only visits the mansion occasionally, so you won’t need to worry about him.”

The Marquisate’s rich and they have a magic genius son? Talk about an overpowered family.

Suppressing a sigh, I kept listening.

“Therefore, Lady Chiara is currently regarded as the likely successor. However, it’s also possible they’ll adopt a branch relative to inherit the title. The Marquis hasn’t made any official statement yet, so keep that to yourself.”

Fenel went on to introduce the head maid and head servant, along with the general household staff. Coincidentally, they were both in the dining hall, so I greeted them politely.

“Oh? A new face?”

A young man’s voice cut through the calm atmosphere.

He looked around forty, with a receding hairline and a sly grin.

As he approached, both the head maid and the head servant bowed and quickly slipped away.

…This feels bad.

Fenel introduced us formally.

“This is Miss Cornelia Libertas, Lady Chiara’s newly appointed aide.”

The man looked me up and down openly, his gaze crawling like a bug across my skin.

It wasn’t the first time I’d dealt with that kind of look at work, so I stayed composed.

“Ah, so you’re the one assisting our young lady? A pleasure. I’m Bartolo, aide to the Marquis himself.”

He extended a hand for a handshake. I accepted without hesitation.

But as our hands met, something felt off.

When I looked up, Bartolo was smirking.

This bastard…

Between our joined hands, I felt it—he had traced his finger across my palm.

A deliberate, sleazy gesture.

My jaw tightened.

Welcome to the noble household, Cornelia. Guess some things never change.