“Where is my brother?”
“The vice sub-leader went out for an external meeting with a client.”
In other words, he went out drinking.
“Is Joseph not here either?”
When I asked for Joseph, Nataniel’s aide, Margaret flinched slightly.
What?
I looked at her suspiciously. Margaret shook her head slightly and said,
“He is currently out.”
“…I see.”
So both the master and his subordinate are gone.
Where on earth did they go?
“Is this a guest you absolutely must meet right now?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Hm.”
I fell into thought for a moment.
My father was the owner of the merchant guild, but he had delegated most of the work to Nataniel, the vice sub-leader.
So, as unpleasant as it was, Nataniel could practically be considered the face of the Pieren Merchant Guild.
If someone was looking for the vice sub-leader, they were clearly a client of our guild…
And if they couldn’t be turned away just because Nataniel wasn’t here, then they must be a fairly important client.
‘Maybe I can turn them into my partner?’
Just as Nataniel had his collaborators, it would be better for me to have as many people helping me as possible.
Yes. I should meet them.
“Please guide me.”
“Yes, young lady.”
I followed Margaret toward the room where the guest was waiting.
At that time, I was still excited with a faint sense of anticipation.
I had no idea what kind of future was about to unfold before me.
“Good day.”
The moment I faced the tall man waiting inside the room, I froze completely.
“Calix Altemir.”
The main male lead of this novel—and one of the four potential male leads who might have been the one to kill me.
Calix Altemir was waiting for me.
Tremble.
Tremble, tremble.
Am I… shaking right now?
My mind spun furiously.
I tried to find a reason why the male lead was in front of me, but nothing came to mind.
Had the original story progressed without my knowledge?
But I hadn’t done anything related to the original plot.
There had been no connection between me and Calix Altemir until now.
In the original story, the first time the male lead and Rosenia meet is at the heroine’s birthday party.
The heroine’s birthday is in August. Right now it is July.
Even in terms of timing, it was too early.
So I thought I wouldn’t meet the protagonists until that moment came…
‘Why is Calix here…?’
I was flustered by his sudden appearance.
It didn’t seem like Calix had any business dealings with the Pieren Merchant Guild either.
Then why on earth was he here?
Thinking that this man might be the one who killed Rosenia in the original story sent a chill down my spine.
Frozen stiff from tension, I stood rooted to the spot, and Calix slightly raised an eyebrow.
Only then did I snap back to my senses and hurriedly spoke.
“I’m sorry. Have you been waiting long?”
“Are you the representative of Vice Sub-Leader Pieren?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
He subtly avoided answering whether he had been waiting a long time.
Damn it, Margaret. If this was such an important guest, you should’ve informed me earlier!
His mood definitely didn’t seem pleasant.
And I was supposed to make this man my partner?
Sorry. I take it back.
“I apologize for the late introduction. I am Ro… Rens. I’m a commoner, so I don’t have a family name.”
“Lady Rosenia? What are you talking about?”
Margaret, who was standing nearby, cut in cluelessly.
Why are you doing this?!
Are you trying to make things harder for me?
“…No, that’s not it. Haha, outside I’m introduced that way by my father’s order, but I should be honest with you, Your Grace. I am Rosenia Pieren. I’m currently learning by helping my brother.”
I forced a laugh to hide my embarrassment, but inside I was burning up.
Maybe I could have hidden my identity.
Calix didn’t seem to recognize me anyway.
Margaret, are you clueless or pretending to be clueless?
I glared at Margaret behind Calix’s back and spoke rapidly.
“Margaret, bring tea for His Grace.”
“That won’t be necessary. I won’t stay long.”
“…We can’t treat a guest like that. Haha, please have a seat first?”
Why does he keep saying such chilling things?
Feeling like I was about to lose blood pressure before anything even began, I guided Calix to the sofa in the center of the office.
He sat down with elegant, aristocratic movements.
Neatly slicked-back black hair, slightly sharp eyes, a straight nose, and a sharply defined jawline.
He looked like someone who proudly declared, “I am the male lead of this story!”
Why on earth was I sitting face-to-face with the male lead right now?
Hoping this unbearable situation would end quickly, I forced a trembling smile.
“May I ask what brings you here?”
Without answering, he simply took a white envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to me.
I quickly opened it.
Inside was a fairly large blank check and a sheet of paper filled with writing.
Chair set: 43 gold, bedding: 17 gold 50 silver, wallpaper: 58 gold…
The paper listed miscellaneous hotel items along with prices, endlessly and without clear connection.
The check was issued under the name of the Pieren Merchant Guild…
“What is this?”
I asked in confusion, and Calix replied in an even, emotionless voice.
“A damage compensation claim.”
“Damage… compensation?”
“It is the cost of restoring items damaged during the three days the Pieren vice young lord stayed at the Erendis Hotel.”
“What?”
I widened my eyes and looked over the paper again.
Now that I looked closely, everything listed was indeed hotel property.
And the amount on the check was 1,730 gold.
In my past life, that was the price of a luxury high-end watch—or maybe a newly built studio apartment deposit.
“W-wait… are you saying my brother—no, my brother did this?”
At my shout, Calix nodded slightly.
My neck—my neck!!
If I had low blood pressure, it would’ve been cured instantly.
Because my blood was running in reverse right now!
So my brother had caused 1,730 gold worth of damage at the male lead’s hotel?
What on earth has he been doing outside?!
If he keeps acting like this, there’s no way I can live a quiet life!
‘I can’t afford to make the male lead hate me too.’
I stood up abruptly and bowed at a full ninety degrees.
“I’m sorry. My incompetent brother has caused you great trouble.”
“Lady…?”
“I have no excuse. I don’t know how to apologize… I will compensate you fully, even if I must put my name on it—no, even the name of House Pieren. I sincerely apologize.”
I closed my eyes tightly and apologized with all my heart.
Bowing wasn’t difficult.
I had already done it in my past life because of my blood-related family…
The only difference was that the person I was bowing to had changed from loan sharks to the male lead.
Where on earth had Nataniel gone at a time like this?
Or rather… was it actually my luck that I met Calix instead?
If it had been Nataniel, he wouldn’t have bowed and tried to soothe Calix’s anger like this.
“Lady Pieren, please raise your head.”
“Your Grace, but…”
“In strict terms, this is not something you personally did wrong. I did not come here to accuse an innocent person.”
Hearing his voice soften slightly, I cautiously lifted my head.
His expression, previously impassive, had softened a little.
…Was he maybe pitying me?
The slightly eased atmosphere was reassuring, but a lingering unease still clung to me.
How am I supposed to fix this?
I will compensate them, of course. If needed, I’ll even pay double or triple.
But it seemed Nataniel had already made a bad impression on Calix.
And that bad impression must not spread to me or the Pieren family…
As I fidgeted nervously with my fingers, he let out a long sigh.
