Chapter 77

Ayla’s work doubled thanks to the secret account that Theon inadvertently showed her.

She wasn’t given any work related to the secret account, so she didn’t understand what he was thinking by showing her such a huge thing. To be honest, she didn’t want to know. She was afraid that she would die from overwork if she had more work to do here. It was a murderous workload. It was not easy to work as a secret accountant while also working as a maid.

Who will recognize this hard work? She felt that her dark circles were getting deeper day by day.

Another noticeable difference was that she was given documents containing fairly heavy content, unlike the insignificant documents that she had previously reviewed.

There were still only accounting errors caused by the new treasurer’s simple mistake; but looking at the trend so far, she thought she would unravel something big sooner or later.

She trusted her feelings, so she looked more closely at the documents she was reviewing; but fortunately, there have been no significant changes until now.

As a result, the amount of time she spent in his office naturally doubled, and there were many things they unconsciously got to know about each other.

Just like now.

“It looks like you didn’t add honey today.”

“Sorry? What do you mean? Your Highness doesn’t add honey to cinnamon tea, right?”

“I mean you, not me.”

‘Why is he meddling? It doesn’t suit him.’

Ayla smiled awkwardly at Theon’s indifferent and friendly tone, and said, ‘I’m going to add it now.’

Ayla especially liked the sweet taste.

Little Ayla’s eating habits, who never gave up the sweet desserts even though she skipped meals, were a major headache for the Countess of Serdian.

Because her digestive system was weak from a young age and she had frequent indigestion, the Countess always kept a close eye on Ayla.

Thanks to that, she heard nagging from her mother every day, but she didn’t know how to give up her desire for sweet food.

When the Countess, who was scolding Ayla, left the living room, Count Serdian would gently approach his young daughter, who was sulking, and give her a sweet honey tea without the knowledge of his wife, telling her to relax.

Reminiscent of her faint childhood memories, Ayla smiled a little.

Knock, knock.

Ayla, who was sitting in front of the table, hurried to the small room where the bed was placed at the unexpected knock.

Except for special occasions, very few people visit Theon’s office.

Theon did not hide his strict personality from his adversaries, and he did not back down even when nobles in high-ranking government positions came.

As they had to be prepared to be held for half a day if they came here on their own with documents, they sent them in letters or through their secretaries as much as possible; so those who visited were close to zero.

The secretaries also left documents to be reviewed in the morning, but they never came before Theon summoned them separately.

Her curiosity was amplified as to what kind of person came to Theon’s office fearlessly.

She quietly put her ear next to the closed door.

Soon after, a slow but regular footstep was heard along with the sound of the doorknob spinning.

***

Louis, who opened the door, entered the office with a light smile.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

“What’s the matter?”

Seeing Louis standing in front of the desk, Theon’s eyes were wary.

“I came to report on the task you ordered.”

On the first day Louis started working, Theon instructed him to make a budget for the upcoming ‘Spring Flower Festival’.

In fact, it was one of the tasks that Louis had done for no reason just as a means to check his ability, as there was already a budget plan.

As if mocking Theon, who thought that it was a difficult task for his newly appointed secretary, Louis, to do alone, the budget proposal he worked on for the first time was excellent without anything superfluous.

He wasn’t hoping for a high standard, as he thought he would know that it was a low-importance task because he had been informed through the secretaries who worked the other day that there was a budget proposal.

But looking at the results Louis brought, he could see how much Duke Daniel paid attention to the education of his only son.