Chapter 7

Irene smiled, showing a glimpse of the bag Beth had taken care of. It was filled with white paper and colored pencils.

“It’s still too early for you to go out alone…”

“I am not young. Besides, I am not alone. Beth decided to follow me.”

When Irene had an invincible and excited face, Benjamin was anxious.

Whenever Irene’s mood was good, an accident would always occur.

That’s why Benjamin couldn’t keep up with Irene.

Today was her ‘long-awaited day’ to go out alone that she had been eagerly waiting for.

He didn’t want to interrupt her with his worries.

“Now, I know how my parents felt.”

He laughed bitterly, recalling the old days.

“Why?”

“It reminded me of the first time I was ‘going out alone’.”

Benjamin knelt in front of Irene and delicately passed her long hair behind her shoulders.

“When I returned, my parents were standing in front of the entrance. They’ve been standing there worrying about me the whole time I went out. They hugged me like a baby.”

Was it so? Irene didn’t remember. It probably disappeared beyond consciousness because of many pleasant memories.

“At that time, I thought, ‘why were they so worried about me? Couldn’t they at least believe me?…'”

Only when Irene, who grew up, and is going out alone, could Benjamin understand their heart.

“Now I see it wasn’t a matter of trust.”

“Then…. what’s the problem?”

“Well.”

Benjamin smiled meaningfully, fiddling with Irene’s hair once again.

Of course, it was a matter of affection. However, it was something that Irene had to realize on her own later, so he didn’t necessarily answer.

“Enjoy your outing and come back. When you arrive, tell me everything that happened.”

“I’ll do that if brother doesn’t mind .”

“It’s a brother’s responsibility to take care of you. I’ll see you off to the carriage.”

Benjamin, who said so, grabbed Irene’s hand and walked her to the carriage.

As Irene climbed into the wagon, the Count’s carriage began to move slowly.

Irene stared outside, clutching her leather bag tightly. It was the same scenery she saw every day, but today it looked a little different. It may be because she was going out alone without a guardian.

In this world, for a child of an aristocratic to go somewhere alone was something incredible. Because an aristocracy was no different from a brand, if there were room for someone to act in that name, it would be that they weren’t allowed to go out alone.

Of course, Irene’s parents opposed her going out alone, saying,’ What if someone kidnaps our Irene because she’s so cute?’1

‘Am I cute?’

Irene stroked her face with her small fingers.

Her chubby cheeks were soft and her eyes were round. The silvery hair that resembled her brother’s fluttered.

‘Ugh, I think I’m cute, but…’

I felt a little embarrassed because I was examining my own face.

Perhaps because my family told me I was so cute, I thought I must have been appealing.

The wagon that kept running stopped in front of the big library.

Irene, who got off in front of the main gate, looked up at the big building with her head up.

“Are you going to go see the children’s book, Miss?”

Beth, who followed her, asked as if to guide her. But Irene shook her head.

“It’s all right. I can find it.”

Irene went to see the collection of ‘regular publications’ that she had last visited with her father.

My father had said, ‘There’s no place like here to find the latest information.’

Therefore, it was always crowded with many people, and it was said that it was a place where everyone meets at least one person they know.

There were many people today.

They would either stand there and read newspapers or look into magazines.

There were also people sitting at a desk who were copying graphs and charts.

Irene picked out some of the books and magazines she needed and took a seat.

Some people looked at her strangely, thinking it was weird that a child was choosing a book for adults, but it was so crowded that they soon lost their interest.

Perhaps they thought that it was a child who followed her father and was rummaging through any book she found.

Irene couldn’t take her eyes off the magazine for a long time and soon heard Beth’s excited voice nearby. Maybe Beth met someone she knew.

Irene smiled and turned around to Beth. Apparently, it was her friend who worked at another mansion.

“Beth, it’s all right for you to talk to your friend. I’ll sit here quietly.”

“No! How can I leave you alone….”

“But I’ll be here all the time, and Beth will be bored. It’s hard to keep talking here anyway.”

In the first place, Irene was already eight years old.

If you count it in Korean style, I would be nine years old. I was old enough to be in the second year of elementary school. At this age, one could go to school alone.

So being alone for a few minutes was not a big problem.

Moreover, this was a library that only a limited number of people could enter.

Besides, Beth seemed to be happy about her offer. Perhaps she was bored sitting next to Irene.

“I promise. I’ll never move from this spot. I’ll behave myself.”

Irene spoke as if she was making an oath and pushing Beth back.

“Then, I’ll just talk for about 15 minutes and come back, my lady.”

“A half-hour is fine.”

“That worries me, my lady.”

“Then you can go for 20 minutes.”

Irene waved her hand gently.

Beth looked back several times before leaving, and Irene waved at her.

Then I focused on the magazine again. Several job postings caught my eye.

「Asking for an office manager. Guaranteed high salary, provided accommodation, please contact us.」

「Please inquire about the management of the shrine, salary, working hours, and group matters.」

「The Duke of Blake seeks office assistance. Short-term high profits, flexible work.」

In fact, there was a tremendous meaning hidden in that notice, which was written in a simple but difficult manner.

「Asking for an office manager. Guaranteed high salary, provided accommodation, please contact us.」

Given the high salary for providing accommodation and meals, it seemed like, “I’ll give you a lot of money, so don’t think about going home and work here like a slave.”

What a vicious enterprise.

「Please inquire about the management of the shrine, salary, working hours, and group matters.」

This must mean that the salary was small, but the working hours were long, and the other conditions were also bad.

They probably wrote it down because they didn’t want to look terrible compared to other job information.

Not providing proper information to job seekers is also an essential virtue for bad companies.

「The Duke of Blake seeks office assistance. Short-term high profits, flexible work.」

Irene looked at the letter’ flexible work’ with a stern look.

That’s a piece of sh*t.

It was a resilience that doesn’t decrease in force but only increases every time.

There was nothing to see. The Duke was also certainly a vicious enterprise.

Irene lay on her desk.

How the hell is this world going on? There are not even any good jobs.

Those evil enterprises who want to take advantage of my smart and kind brother.

What should I do?

“Hoo…”

Irene closed her eyes for a moment and listened to the sounds coming from around her.

A variety of stories came and went about in the crowded library of the capital. Of course, it was about investment and finance.

“Bad luck, Benjamin Webber.”

There was also backbiting.

…… that’s also the backbiting of a person who was full of hate for him.

Irene looked up slightly and turned her eyes toward them.

It was a murmur of boys standing obliquely between the shelves.

Fortunately, the distance was not far, so all the great anger they shared was heard even if they didn’t move separately.

“You know why teachers who go in and out of Webber Street change every time?”

“Oh, what is it?”

“That’s what that unlucky guy does to show off. My cousin’s elder brother also got fired this time. I heard he got ignored right in front of him.”

“Seriously, did that happen?”

“Well, given Benjamin Webber’s dirty personality, I think it’s right he did it. Benjamin always looks at other people with a look of contempt, doesn’t he?”

“Webber’s genius natural appearance is like that. Looks like he is aiming for Crown Prince aide post later on.”

“He’s thinking he will be ahead of us anyway, so even if he gets close to us; he doesn’t have much to lose. Isn’t that right?”

No, what nonsense are they talking about? There are some things to say to people and some things you can’t say!

Who will be the aide of whom, huh!? Do you think I would let my brother be taken away by such a vicious boss?1

Irene jumped up from her seat with a little excitement.

I could forgive the backbiting but not those words that said my kind brother would be an aide to a vicious boss.

I’ll go and correct it right away.

Please don’t put my brother in such a bad position.

“It’s unlucky to show off anyway.”

Irene strode in front of the boy who said so.

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

The moment I shouted,

Coincidentally, someone was venting their anger at the boys with the same words at the same time as her.

Irene raised her head and gave her opponent a clear.

“Ah…?”

Her opponent, too, as if he saw her, was now surprised to see Irene.

It was him.

The boy with black hair who she glanced at Benjamin’s room.

Today too, the boy was dressed in a modest suit.

If his hat was tightly put on the head, Irene might not have recognized him.

‘I saw him in my brother’s room…’

It is also a moment to face each other in a momentary stillness.

The boys, who had been slandering Benjamin, looked at the two alternately with a dumbfounded look.