# 33
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Episode 33
* * *
In the late afternoon, the Duke's Palace was no different than usual.
The knights were exhausted after the morning training, and the servants were smiling warmly at Ruelia.
“Thank you, sir.”
Ruelia got off the horse and rushed into the office.
The Duke was not there.
Instead, Senior was tidying up the papers piled up on the Duke's desk.
'Looks like there's a lot of work today?'
One of the reasons Cayless hated former assistants was because he made him handle the papers himf.
“Butler, did a lot of documents arrive from the fiefdom today?”
Ruelia called out to him cautiously.
Senior turned around, surprised by her presence, and his eyes widened.
“Miss Ruelia, why did you come?”
Ruelia felt heavy in her heart from his look that seemed to ask why she had come.
She came to work as usual.
Did you really get fired?
“I came to work.”
Ruelia approached Senior and began arranging the papers with him.
While she was sorting, she noticed that the documents that had arrived today were being sorted.
“There's no need for that.”
“No, let me do it. This is already my job. This arrived today, didn’t it?”
Ruelia pulled out the papers, but Senior looked stern.
“Do you want to see this old man scolded by the Duke?”
"What?"
Are they actually forbidding her from touching the duchy's documents?
Ruelia almost cried, but she composed herf and asked:
“Where is the Duke now?”
She should go and beg herf.
“At the training ground. You can go and greet him now.”
Does that mean goodbye?
Ruelia headed to the training ground with anxious eyes.
Kyles was training with Belin.
Of course, the outcome was predetermined.
“I lost!”
Belen raised his arms in surrender, as if his soul had been stolen.
But Cales was not tolerant. He kicked the sword lying on the ground and returned it to Belen.
“Do you think you can defeat them at this level?”
"I'm sorry!"
“This way, you will lose even to the Imperial Guard.”
Ruelia shrank from the harsh atmosphere.
'Did something happen with His Highness the Crown Prince?'
Yesterday, they seemed to have dealt with the Crown Prince's car attack incident with the help of the guards.
But the talk of fighting the Imperial Guard made the Duke frightened.
'Is he planning a rebellion regardless of Ayla?'
Perhaps only Ayla's fate had changed.
I felt bad, but this is about the distant future. Now, she had to worry about her job first.
“My lord the duke.”
Ruelia raised her hand.
When Kyles saw her, she waved enthusiastically, feigning friendliness.
"What?"
Suddenly, Kyles turned and left the training ground.
“Where are you going, Sir Duke?”
Ruelia tried to chase him, but the Duke's legs were longer and faster. He entered the building and disappeared.
"What is this?"
Is this how she gets fired?
What had she done to make him treat her like this all of a sudden?
Ruelia sat on the ground in shock.
“Miss Assistant, what happened?”
The knights who were watching Cales and Belin training gathered around her.
“I think I got fired.”
“Who is the assistant position?”
“Well, we expected this wouldn't last.”
Even the knights knew.
Ruelia looked at them with an almost tearful face. The knights were confused.
Belin's blood is not scary, but Ruelia's tears might bring them hell.
“Why don't you go and talk to the Duke?”
“Yes, the Duke will definitely listen to your request. Go and tell him that you want to continue as an assistant.”
Ruelia rose with a gasp thanks to the knights' encouragement.
“We support you in everything.”
“Don't forget us.”
Ruelia followed Kyles enthusiastically, buoyed by their encouragement.
* * *
"Mr. Duke? Why are you alone?"
Senior was about to leave the office after cleaning up when Kyles arrived.
“When did Ruelia come?”
“A while ago, I tried to work.”
“Didn’t I tell her sister to take a day off today?”
“She is always hardworking.”
Senior smiled gently, but Caelce's eyebrows remained frowning.
"And the papers you left? You didn't see them, did you?"
“Fortunately, you didn't see the details.”
Kyles nodded.
“This requires confidentiality. From now on, be sure to send the relevant documents directly to my room.”
"Yes, sir. But won't Miss Assistant notice? She's smart."
“I'll take care of it so you won't notice.”
At that moment, Ruelia's voice was heard from behind.
“Sir Duke?”
Cales pointed his eyes at Senior, who smiled kindly at Ruelia and disappeared into the hallway.
Ruelia looked at Senior's movement for a moment, then turned to Cales.
“Didn’t I tell your sister not to come today?”
Ruelia felt an unusual coldness in Cales' voice.
“I will not make this mistake again.”
“Well, it seems you can't tolerate wine, so don't drink again.”
“So, please forgive me.”
Ruelia pleaded without hesitation.
She was really wrong. While her master was dealing with something serious, she was drinking and collapsing, powerless to help him.
Doesn't that deserve to be fired?
“Permission? It’s not that serious...”
Kyles suddenly raised his eyebrows, the displeasure evident.
“But, do you remember nothing of what happened yesterday?”
Ruelia swallowed.
Surely something happened. You must remember well.
When ing, you must accurately admit the mistake and repent.
-What drink does your dearest knight prefer?
Concentrating, I recalled a part of the memory.
'Why did I ask that?'
It was because of the rumor that she was the Duke's mistress. Even Ayla misunderstood, thinking that the Duke loved her.
'What was the answer?'
She frowned for a while, then remembered.
-Beer in oak barrels is preferred to champagne.-
Caelus knew Belen's taste. He didn't remember her because she was special.
'See? As I expected.'
This was to be expected, and she was hoping for nothing.
However, she felt a slight pain deep inside.
'Is it a headache?'
It seemed different from heartburn, but she shook her head to expel the thoughts and asked the Duke:
“You mean I came in your arms?”
Kyles' nose twitched.
“You don't remember anything at all.”
I failed. There seems to be something else.
“So, did I do something wrong with your suit?”
This would be the worst. A mistake worthy of contempt as a human being, outside the relationship of master and servant.
“Fortunately, that did not happen.”
Ruelia sighed in relief.
“I'm sorry. I don't remember much more.”
Her head hurt, and she couldn't think.
Kyles sighed in dismay.
“Okay. Looks like you still have such a headache that you don't remember. Go home.”
Ruelia's eyes teared up at the Duke's command.
“I don't want to. I'll stay by your side.”
"Quickly tell me what you did. I'll fix everything wrong."
Kyles looked at her with complicated eyes.
Then he laughed lightly and opened his mouth slowly.