Chapter 78:  Escape (3)

「So, you’ve come. Julius Roger.」

“I greet Your Grace the Grand Duke.”

I bowed my head and offered my respects to the second-in-command of the continent.

With the scorching noontime sunlight behind him, the Grand Duke of the North, seated in front of me, looked truly imposing.

His already sharp eyes glinted even more menacingly in the halo of light.

「Do you know why I called you here?」

Honestly, I did know.

It was probably because, as nothing more than a secretary candidate, I went and bought the eldest daughter’s factory.

However, stating that outright myself could come off as arrogant.

So for now, I decided to match the chilling atmosphere he exuded.

“I’m not sure……”

「I see. It seems Echina didn’t tell you.」

But surprisingly, the Grand Duke didn’t start with the textile factory.

What he brought up was something far more shocking.

「Echina asked me to appoint you as a strategist of the Grand Duke’s house.」

“She asked for me to become a strategist…?”

Caught off guard, I lifted my head.

And there, from within the dark halo, I met the golden pupils of the Grand Duke, glinting intensely.

「I see. So you didn’t know.」

“No, I had no idea.”

Then, is this meeting to assess whether I’m fit to take the strategist position?

But that can’t be.

The strategist post in the Grand Duke’s house is always decided through an extremely thorough executive evaluation.

There must be another reason he called me here so unilaterally.

And I found out that reason soon enough.

「I’ve been watching your recent moves. Quite impressive.」

As expected, it was my suspiciously successful progress that was the issue.

「You acquired the Erian Hotel and built it up successfully, and you secured several high-profile figures as part of your foundation.」

“It was all thanks to the support of the Grand Duke’s house.”

I calmly lowered my head in gratitude.

But when I raised my face again…

I finally came face to face with him.

The second-in-command of the Empire, who was clearly wary of me.

With eyes so chilling they overwhelmed the surroundings of the black lion of the Nord mountain range.

「I see. Knowing it was thanks to the Grand Duke’s house, you still dared lay hands on my daughter’s factory?」

Debier was giving me a silent signal with a look that said I’d better explain this well.

Even that cold, composed chief secretary seemed to be implying I’d better try hard if I wanted to live.

No matter that I had once been the chief secretary in my previous life—this was an atmosphere I still couldn’t get used to.

“I simply did what I believed best as a secretary, for the success of my liege.”

I calmly voiced my true intent.

Of course, my first motive had been to build wealth for myself, but I also genuinely wanted to give Echina a highly productive factory—something that could stand on its own even without me.

「Are you saying all of this was for Echina?」

“Yes, that’s correct.”

I answered with a steady voice, without the slightest tremble.

However, the Grand Duke’s barrage continued without letting up.

「Not for yourself?」

“No. I simply thought Lady Echina needed an independently operating business in order to compete with the other children.”

The Grand Duke of the North exhaled deeply, as if he understood what I meant.

「Do you truly believe that by acquiring that factory, Echina will be able to compete with Freya and the others?」

He quietly turned his head and looked toward the portrait of his family.

His silver-haired eldest daughter, clinging to his arm, standing proudly at his side in the center.

「Freya has been studying the family business for a very long time. Logically, Echina can’t win immediately.」

Duke Luton turned his head back and looked at me.

Then, rising slowly from his luxurious leather chair, he spoke.

「Someone like you would certainly be aware of that. And yet, the fact that you’re already making such aggressive moves…」

The Grand Duke’s massive shadow fell over me.

「I can’t help but suspect that you’re trying to seize the factory for your own benefit.」

As expected, he thought I was betraying the family and planning to siphon the factory away.

Still, this was a scenario I had anticipated.

“I have absolutely no such intention, Your Grace.”

I looked up at the second-in-command of the continent with the most resolute expression I could muster.

Then, placing my fist over my left chest, I declared confidently,

“What must I do to prove my loyalty?”

The Grand Duke frowned slightly at my unexpectedly submissive posture.

Of course he had assumed I was planning to split the enterprise and take it for myself.

Given my actions and achievements so far…

Everything would make perfect sense if I were an industrial spy.

And yet, I was now humbly offering to prove my loyalty?

Could it really be that I touched the eldest daughter’s factory… for Echina’s sake?

The Grand Duke narrowed his eyes faintly in the shadows, as if contemplating that very possibility.

Then, he decided to give me a choice.

「You say you want to prove your loyalty?」

“Yes, I do.”

The Grand Duke stepped out from behind his desk and approached me.

With each step, the sharp sound of his polished shoes struck firmly against the wooden floor.

「Then choose.」

The Grand Duke of the North, with a black jacket draped over his shoulders.

His hair was pure white, but his gaze was as intense as that of a knight commander.

「Take responsibility for the conflict you’ve stirred between my daughters and support Echina. Or…」

He received a cane from the chief secretary, its handle engraved with the head of a black lion.

Then, holding it with both hands like a king from myth, he declared,

「Leave the Grand Duke’s house.」

Leave the Grand Duke’s house.

Those words struck me like a blow to the head.

「The choice is yours.」

“I’ll consider it quickly.”

The Grand Duke of the North brushed past me without another word.

He signaled to the chief secretary to remain behind, then left the office alone.

As if he wanted some time to himself.

“……”

As a result, only Debier and I were left in the Grand Duke’s office.

The chief secretary quietly closed the door.

Then, with his hands behind his back, he stared silently at me as I stood still.

Noontime sunlight poured into the office.

The Grand Duke’s desk began to glow faintly, bathed in the light.

And there, on top of the desk, lay a single application form.

“It’s an executive exam application. His Grace told me to give it to you.”

Strategist of the Grand Duke’s house.

At a glance, it was a sweet-sounding position.

Becoming the closest aide to the second most powerful family in the Empire, ruling over Nord.

Breaking free from the ignored position of a mere secretary candidate, and blooming in various business ventures.

But—

This seat could perhaps lead me to a more twisted life than even my previous one.

If the Grand Duke were to fall ill, then inevitably, the succession war would begin once again.

‘I’d be swept up in that massive storm all over again.’

Of course, unlike the chief secretary, I wouldn’t be poisoned.

And I wouldn’t be the scapegoat framed like I was before.

But if I lost the succession battle, I’d be exiled from the family all the same.

“As His Grace said, the choice is yours, Roger.”

As I stared at the executive application form,

At some point, the chief secretary had come to stand beside me.

“You must be feeling confused right now. After all, you’ve suddenly been offered the strategist position when you’re just a candidate.”

Debier took off the monocle he had been wearing.

He placed it into the inner pocket of his jacket and continued.

“That doesn’t mean you have to give up your candidacy as Lady Echina’s official secretary. It’s possible to hold both roles.”

“Chief Secretary, do you want me to stay by the Grand Duke’s daughter’s side?”

I asked honestly.

Then, Debier remained silent for a moment, as if weighing his answer.

Warm sunlight poured over his face.

Bathed in the brilliant light, the secretary with thirty years of experience looked at me with eyes full of pity.

“If it were up to my heart, yes—I would say so.”

He had watched Echina changing little by little from up close.

In the past, she had focused solely on the knighthood with lifeless eyes…

But now, ever since meeting me, she had slowly begun to recover her emotions.

“Still, you need to be more cautious with your current bold behavior.”

The chief secretary handed me the strategist application form that had been sitting on the desk.

And at the same time, he said,

“If you extend your hand to the other children’s businesses any further, you really might be eliminated.”

His gaze was utterly serious.

As if he were truly concerned for both me and Echina at once.

“So be satisfied with just this much, and work for the family as an executive.”

Unlike the Grand Duke, he didn’t tell me to leave the household.

Instead, he warned me not to get greedy any further.

“A secretary’s role should end right there.”

He wasn’t wrong.

A secretary was meant to assist their liege.

To make them shine—not to shine themselves.

And I had already received too much spotlight.

People were starting to think that everything happening wasn’t led by Echina, but orchestrated by me behind the scenes.

‘I suppose swallowing up the factory made it too obvious.’

“Follow me. I’ll guide you to the official secretary’s office.”

The chief secretary took the lead.

I slipped the executive application form he had given me into the inner pocket of my jacket and followed him.

The room was located right next to Echina’s office.

Debier stopped in front of the door and turned the handle.

And the moment he opened it—

A very familiar room spread out before me.

It was the exact same room I had used in my previous life after becoming an official secretary.

Back then, I wasn’t assigned to any particular child of the family.

Yet I’d been given this room anyway. Was that just coincidence too…?

“I’ll put together a formal schedule for your secretarial duties. Just follow it for the first week.”

“Understood.”

After accepting my response, Debier quietly closed the door for me.

And just like that, I was left alone in the quiet secretary’s office.

“……”

I looked down at the desk.

Its surface had been wiped spotless by the maids for today, and in its polished reflection, I saw a face.

The narrow eyes of someone deep in thought—my own.

Even though the Grand Duke of the North had questioned me for seizing the eldest daughter’s factory, he hadn’t forced me to give it back.

‘I mean, sure, he gave me choices that were borderline threats…’

But considering it was the ruthless Duke Luton, it was a surprisingly gentlemanly response.

With his old temperament, he would’ve stormed in with troops and reprimanded me on the spot.

I suppose he relented because of the results I had shown him—and because of how Echina had begun to brighten, little by little.

Thanks to that, I was being told: if you’ve swallowed the factory, then stay by Echina’s side to the end.

I now stood at a crossroads—either remain, or leave the family.

If I chose the former, I’d have to throw myself into the brutal succession war once again, just like in my past life.

No— even if the succession war ended, Eric’s schemes might still lead to my poisoning.

On the other hand, if I chose the latter, I’d have to abandon the hotel and foundation I had built with my own hands.

I’d have to return quietly to my father’s house, without ever having raised a family of my own.

I walked over to the desk and sat down in the chair.

It was a luxurious, soft seat—a proper secretary’s chair—one I might never sit in again.

“Comfortable, though.”

‘If I hadn’t known in my past life, I would’ve chosen to take responsibility for Echina without hesitation.’

I suddenly recalled her beautiful face, as I looked down at her while dancing.

I had felt like I’d fallen into her bewitching golden eyes, unable to escape.

‘No…!’

I shook my head forcefully, snapping myself out of it.

Then, I looked at the black lion badge placed in the center of the desk.

The badge that only official secretaries were allowed to wear with honor.

“First, I need to save my own life.”

I pushed the badge aside.

Then I pulled a cream-colored sheet of paper from the drawer.

“It’s time to decide.”

I rolled up the sleeves of my white shirt with determination.

And I began to write boldly on the page.

Outside the window, I heard the sound of the family children’s carriages departing.

Tobang and Lucun, who had also become official secretaries, would be packing up their dorms to follow them to their new assignments.

They’d have to move their workplace accordingly.

Windsor and Brook would be reigniting their ambition in preparation for the second-half evaluations.

They’d head straight to the auditorium, reciting the secretary code and studying all over again—

All in hopes of being chosen by someone.

But to me, the sight of my fellow trainees felt distant—like the ceiling mural of Luton Hall.

While they were busy cultivating golden apples to offer to the gods…

I had decided to take a bite of that apple alone.

And with that resolve, I kept writing.

A letter of resignation.

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