TLDOWN 13

Posted by zahid, Released on July 22, 2025

CHAPTER 13:

Would You Like Some Too, Duke?

Akkia flicked his finger against the tabletop.

The second hand of the clock pointed to 8:30 p.m.—thirty minutes past the time he was supposed to meet Lea at the annex.

“Just what is she doing?”

His voice carried a trace of irritation as he muttered quietly. Had he perhaps treated her too leniently all this time?

Now, he even felt a bit indignant at the apothecary who was late for their meeting without a word.

Eventually, Akkia’s patience ran out, and he stood up. Then, he immediately headed toward where he assumed Lea might be.

Just as he stepped out of the annex and approached the main mansion, he overheard the voices of the servants chatting between the house and the open grounds.

Akkia was about to walk past them, assuming they were just complaining about a long day. That was, until he heard a familiar name.

“You were the one who met Lea this time? Why? I’ve been chasing after her for ages!”

Someone asked in a deeply disappointed voice.

“You still don’t get it. Chasing after her doesn’t mean she’ll see you. It’s all up to her, you know.”

“Still, that’s too harsh. I waited all day for her to finish work!”

The man shouted in frustration, earning scolding glances from the other servants.

“Tsk tsk. That’s why you failed. Use your brain, man.”

The group of men gathered closer, leaving the sulking one behind. Akkia’s brow twitched as he watched them.

It wasn’t an unusual sight. Young men often talked about women. The problem was that the woman they were talking about… was Lea.

“How much did you spend?”

“Ten fairy coins. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it for my girl!”

The surrounding servants egged him on excitedly. Encouraged by their reactions, the man leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice.

Akkia couldn’t hear more than that, but he already had a good idea of what they were talking about.

“Did they actually give her money to win her favor?”

Scenes from earlier that day flashed through his mind—Lea smiling among the men, lightly touching a servant’s arm.

That had to be connected to this conversation.

Sigh.

Akkia let out a short breath. It was a sigh laced with disappointment.

“What does it matter to me what that woman does?”

Truthfully, whether Lea was seeing another man—or doing something more—had nothing to do with him.

Her only role was to make his antidote.

And yet…

“Why does it bother me?”

Like a stone sticking out of flat ground, their words grated on him. He had the urge to yank that annoyance out and throw it away.

His steps quickened toward the apothecary’s room. He looked agitated—angry, even.

Then, just as he opened the door to the apothecary—

“James, did you forget something?”

Lea called out cheerfully, using another man’s name—as if that man had just been there moments ago.

And at this late hour, when everyone else was supposed to be resting.

A secret meeting with a man in a place no one visits at night…

Akkia gave a bitter laugh.

And as if on cue, the vulgar words of the servants echoed again in his mind.

“If you tell me, I’ll help you fi— Huh?”

Her eyes—always shining bright like fresh greenery—blinked in surprise. That innocent expression…

He clenched his fists before he even realized it. An inexplicable irritation surged in his chest. He had to confirm something.

“Why don’t you show me, too? What you did with James.”

That image of Lea from the servants’ conversation.

“Show you what?”

What was he implying she did with James?

Lea blinked, not quite understanding.

Then suddenly—

“No way…”

It dawned on her. He was misunderstanding. He thought there was something going on between her and James?

Lea’s face turned red with fluster.

James had just stopped by for a sprained ankle! How did it turn into this?

Akkia clicked the door shut and slowly walked closer to where she stood by the desk.

“Why is he coming closer?”

The closer he got, the more uneasy she felt from the strange aura surrounding him. She instinctively stepped back.

“Such an innocent face you’ve got.”

Her back hit the hard desk. The distance between them closed to barely a handspan.

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I might have been fooled.”

“Wait! Please, Your Grace, listen to me!”

Lea waved her hands frantically. He had misunderstood—badly.

Where should she even start?

“I only spoke to James for the first time today!”

She couldn’t believe what he might be imagining.

“What you saw earlier—it’s all a misunderstanding! I was just—”

But before she could explain, Akkia placed both arms on the desk, leaning close.

“So how much did James pay you?”

“Huh?”

“How much money did he give you?”

What? Paid me?

Lea blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of his question.

“James? I’ve never received any money from him.”

Maybe he meant the treatment fee? But she shook her head. She got a salary as an apothecary—she wouldn’t charge extra.

“What? He didn’t pay? He was that serious?”

“What?”

Why was money coming up in a medical conversation? Something felt off.

“You seem pretty popular among the male staff in the mansion. But James—he was genuine, huh.”

“Oh?”

Suddenly, it all clicked.

He wasn’t talking about treatment—he meant the supplements!

“People seem to like them more than I expected. Honestly, I didn’t think they’d be so popular.”

“Hah?”

Lea’s honest reply left Akkia dumbfounded.

Finally, Lea realized what this was about.

They were supposed to meet in the annex, but she had buried herself in making supplements instead. Of course, he was upset.

Lea lowered her gaze in guilt and mumbled her excuse.

“I’m sorry. I needed a bit of money… That’s why I did it.”

“So the male servants really did…”

“…I apologize.”

When Lea admitted fault without excuses, Akkia sighed in disbelief.

He had clung to a faint hope that he might have been mistaken—but no.

“How many?”

He must mean how many supplements I sold?

Lea began counting on her fingers.

“About ten so far.”

“Unbelievable.”

There were only fifteen male servants in the entire mansion.

Ten of them had given confessions—and even bribes?

His head was spinning.

“So how much did you rake in?”

“About… 200 fairy coins…”

Lea’s voice grew smaller as Akkia’s tone grew sharper.

Two hundred? From servants?

“That many men wanted to win her over?”

He staggered back in disbelief. As he stared stiffly, Lea bit her lip and asked cautiously:

“Um… were you… interested too?”

“What?”

“I mean, you suddenly showed up like this, so I wondered if maybe you wanted to buy some as well…”

Well, she was caught. No point denying it.

She decided to admit her fault and promise not to let it interfere with her antidote work. But she still needed money.

A bribe was essential before asking for permission. Lea quickly added:

“I’ll give it to you for free, Your Grace! Special, no charge!”

“What kind of girl are you…!”

Just as he was about to scold her, Lea suddenly held out a small bottle.

“What’s this?”

“A supplement!”

“A supplement?”

“Yes!”

“She expects me to take this and feel better or something?”

Annoyance crept into his brow. But unaware, Lea continued confidently.

“It’s a vitality booster. High in vitamins and minerals. A health supplement. I normally charge ten fairy coins, but for you—it’s free. For life!”

“What?”

“I won’t let this interfere with the antidote project. Could you just turn a blind eye to me selling these in the mansion…?”

“Hah…”

Akkia looked down at the supplement bottle and started to piece it all together.

A moment later, he stepped back, seeming to finally grasp the situation.

“Your Grace?”

Thud.

He collapsed into a chair, rubbing his face.

“Unbelievable.”

Everything he had imagined was an utter misunderstanding.

So those servants were all talking about supplements?

He felt like a fool.

“Your Grace? Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell…?”

Concerned by his unusual demeanor, Lea approached hesitantly. Akkia looked up at her and asked:

“Why are you even selling this stuff?”

He picked up the bottle from her hands and shook it.

“And what’s with that obsession with money—talking about deposits and such.”

“Obsession? You’ve got the wrong idea!”

But the guilty flinch betrayed her.

Akkia chuckled dryly, eyes narrowing as he looked up at her.

“If you’re not planning to hand over all the profits, you might as well be honest.”

“So petty!”

He looked like he meant it—and he was the kind of man to follow through.

“As if I’d give up money I stayed up all night to earn.”

She couldn’t possibly explain it was a desperate effort stemming from her past life. Even in her previous life, as an orphanage kid, she’d always struggled.

Now, even after reincarnating, nothing had changed—she was still alone.

But she didn’t want to go into all that. Especially when she might have to run away one day. Giving away personal information was dangerous.

Emotional appeal it is, then.

“I have a sick little brother…”

“You’re from an orphanage.”

How did he know that?!

Lea sighed in disbelief. If he already knew, maybe he’d understand a financial struggle—

“It’s precious money needed for the orphanage’s upkeep…”

Akkia snorted at the ridiculous excuse.

“You don’t look that financially strained.”

This isn’t working either.

Apparently, he had done a thorough background check.