Episode 12. I Pick Well No Matter What
From the moment Gray entered the office, Adel couldn't focus on her work at all. It was because Knox—Winter—had been mentioned from his mouth.
Adel pieced together the clues from Gray's casual remarks to grasp Winter's recent situation. He had been subtly avoiding her lately, so it had been quite a while since they'd met.
The winds would soon turn cold, and before that, she wanted to give him the skin ointment that prevented chapping. That was all. Her desires weren't that grand.
However, disappointingly, Mensha and Gray's conversation, as always, devolved into trivial banter. Knox wasn't mentioned again afterward. They passed the time like that and soon wrapped up abruptly.
"I'm off."
"Want me to walk you out?"
Gray smiled slyly.
"You mad? Expecting a guy to see me off? Worry about yourself."
"Don't worry. I take care of myself just fine."
Mensha scratched his cheek, embarrassed to speak positively about himself in front of his staff. Seeing this, Gray narrowed his eyes mischievously.
"You sure about that?"
"Sure? Uh... of course."
The treasury clerks bowed their heads, chuckling at the guest's pointed question and their flustered deputy director's response.
Gray suddenly veered from the exit door.
"Shall we check?"
"Check what?"
He strode over and tapped someone's desk. Long white fingers elegantly rose and fell right next to Adel's ledger.
Disrupting her work, Gray poked the city shop management ledger with another finger and slowly spun it—like when he'd pointed at 'Addie's News' and twirled it.
Adel's eyes lifted, and the two met gazes. Gray's lips curled wickedly.
"Mind if I borrow this one?"
His eyes were on Adel, but his words to Mensha. Mensha startled.
"What? Why? Why her, man."
Gray gestured for Adel to follow. The expressionless Adel paused briefly, closed her ledger, and stood.
"Hey, Gray! Why Adel of all people?! Adel can't lie! Take someone else!"
The staff chuckled again.
Gray spread his palm toward Mensha and waggled his fingers softly like spring dandelion seeds.
"I do pick well, no matter what."
Gray exited the office first, and Adel followed coolly. Mensha stared bewildered at the closed door.
In the shade behind the west wing. Gray leaned against the peeling brick wall. He resembled a delicate silver bellflower blooming against an old fence. His tone was as gentle as his looks.
"How about handing over all of 'Addie's News' to me?"
But the content was anything but.
Now he wanted the whole newsletter. Adel was dumbfounded.
"I'll pay two years' worth of the newsletter's revenue upfront. No loss for you. Honestly, that flimsy paper with uncertain prospects is quite profitable, right?"
"As I said before, no interest."
Gray glanced at the distant sky and inhaled lightly. In that brief moment, wind-tousled hair slowly swept across his palm.
Adel watched quietly. The refined features emerging bit by bit beneath the large hand felt so beautiful and neat it stirred an inexplicable tension.
As if his very existence were a danger alert.
"Then how about this? I hire you."
It was a proposal that made even the perpetually impassive Adel flinch, alarms blaring inside or not.
"Hire me?"
"Yeah."
"For what?"
"My personal aide."
Ah. Adel nearly sighed. It unraveled this easily?
In any case, toward the seemingly sullen Adel, Gray curved his eyes softly.
"You heard, but my aide's salary is three times a clerk's."
Adel pretended to ponder a bit more. For such Adel, Gray added his own finishing blow.
"I'm moving my city office inside the Valoneck estate soon. If you accept, I'll give you a room to work in within the estate."
Adel finally failed to maintain her expression.
Valoneck estate. Where Winter lived. And far better for gathering the family's corruption.
Me, going in and out every day?
"...Inside the estate?"
Seeing Adel's clear interest, Gray inwardly shouted bingo.
Knox it is. My instincts never fail.
Gray slowly reached out and lightly grasped Adel's hair. The hand repeatedly swatted away now succeeded.
Of course, Adel had reflexively raised her hand. But she couldn't brush off the unwelcome touch. Such a tempting offer. She couldn't act freely now.
Sunset was swallowing the sky. Crimson-dyed golden lashes sparkled leisurely like a victor's flag. His gentle voice spread.
"I'll take that as acceptance."
Like a thief finally clutching his coveted jewel, Gray grinned slyly. His long, knuckled fingers twirled in the air before wrapping her black hair more firmly.
"Looking forward to working with you, Adel."
"......"
Silence of assent.
Gray felt accomplishment after ages. As thrilling as expected. He fell deeper into self-admiration for handling it perfectly.
Even this dingy building bathed in serene red dusk became a picturesque painting. Perfect weather. What a world.
Praising his easy world, Adel's dark intentions were invisible to him.
***
After Adel accepted Gray's offer, everything proceeded smoothly.
On her last day as court clerk, Mensha lamented he'd been a madman to take her to Full Moon to meet Gray. Adel pretended ignorance beside him, gazing at the sky.
Though she hadn't actually become Gray's aide then... She held back, lest Mensha grow more bewildered.
As promised, Gray moved his city hotel office inside the Valoneck estate. Adel began commuting to the Valoneck estate instead of Carlo Palace.
As desired, she didn't slack on scouting every corner of the estate whenever opportunity arose. Gray's indifference to her work and movements made it easy. Worth becoming the profligate young master's personal aide.
However, unlike expectations, she rarely saw Knox. Knox, opposite her, worked at Carlo Palace during hours and returned to the estate only after.
In any case, not bad days. Easy access to Valoneck documents, occasional rifling through empty offices' desks or shelves.
'Addie's News' ownership transferred to Gray only. Publication matters remained under Adel's control. Gray didn't interfere with content. Made her wonder why he wanted it.
Adel got along well enough with Gray's other aides too. Above all, she liked Gray's salary. Three times a clerk's felt like five.
Of course, even in these fine days, teeth-grinding moments occurred. Mostly thanks to Gray.
Thus passed peaceful yet not-peaceful time.
***
Two years since Adel became Gray's aide. Periodically, she and Gray reported on assigned family duties—estate governance, mining operations, major state events—in the Valoneck Duke's office.
Gray consistently ignored her work, but Adel valued this time. She knew her value here must prove not to direct boss Gray, but to the estate's master, Valoneck Duke.
Adel strove to impress the duke. Though he was arrogant as Zeus reigning millennia over mortals, hard to appease.
And today was such a day.
"In September, the Bangsian Ho merchant ship captain enters Carlo. To show us eastern rarities—ivory ornaments, premium fermented teas, mysterious scented plants—first, we'll send a liaison along its route."
Adel reported plans for securing expo hosting rights in October. Her week-long pondered proposal.
Valoneck Duke centered Karl traditional nobles. For him, she discarded generic expo themes like 'modernizing industry.' Instead, reorganized around traditional noble culture's essence.
Without neglecting the ultimate decider, the king's tastes. Blending his recent oriental luxury interests with the duke's, she devised 'fusion of splendid, diverse international noble cultures.'
Goods strictly selected too. Jaw-dropping valuables, realistic secure transport. Thus, Adel was confident her plan would pass smoothly.
"As a major trade vessel, word is it carries unexpected rarities. Especially securing mysterious pets central nobles rave about lately. If permitted, I'll take a fast ship to preview and close deals."
The duke listened silently.
He acknowledged Adel's exceptional responsibility. Woman or not, she spared nothing for task success. He'd seen such drive often.
Yet today, his bulging blue eyes brimmed with displeasure.
"Adel."
Adel felt sudden unease.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"You've done something pointless."
"Pardon?"
The duke clicked his tongue. He eyed his son lounging casually against the opposite conference table.
"Gray. Why didn't you tell your subordinate the expo hosting rights went to Cloi Count's family three days ago?"
W-what?
Adel unwittingly clenched her fist. Turning to Gray, he gazed leisurely at the garden outside. Then slowly turned to the duke and Adel, as if just then.
"Ah, right. That happened."
You bastard.
Adel ground her teeth to dust today too.
