4. Became a Secretary, Very Briefly (1)

My words must have come 411bc97708 as quite a shock.ad9834ba14f521c6

The Duke called the chef a5cd33ce22 and told him to prepare 4fcac4f3d0 the same meal, then sat 9a70e04575 with me at the table.57df5b0f91bda05a

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That chef—the one c42ba3fdbc who served me 35a490f2d1 nothing but onion 1eed8d8bda water.ae163f359ea03106

When I stared at 74a27173b1 his straight mustache, the 5e6f05b1b8 chef flinched, bowed, and 9ba056bb0b left.077a2e13763aeda1

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I thought the Duke 4b02706dac would return to his 3798bbe8a0 office, but he stayed, 82d84fc261 sitting across from me.a3c5562cdbff87ce

He picked up 506c66a1e6 his wine glass.1b83c24baf8ea6f9

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The only sound in the 3e0226d3da hall was the occasional clink 93678de4ea of dishes.b51f0cd7d142c182

It was the food I’d longed to eat, but after everything that happened, I had no appetite.18d73c171512291f

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My injured arm throbbed.2184fb19fd0a1c17

The bleeding had stopped, but 2a4dc1e837 the skin ached. I set down my 6fbb93e00c fork and wiped my 5020a5948b mouth.7149452fe86aa1f7

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“It seems the servants are ignoring me because I have no proper status in this mansion. I might get hurt again.”92b688633bddec19

“…The maid from earlier will be stripped of her position and banished. I’ll assign an escort knight to you.”9aa5a2f00fb64c56

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That was it? At this rate, 63b80f1164 I’d be drinking 62eb2f54e0 onion water again 8d2e95f4ae in three days.33f50a8e5daec76d

“That’s not enough.”7c1b7e4cec8a7587

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“Then what do you want? A dress?”6b492e672907412e

A dress? Who would wear a dress 6ca3cace7d to trek through snowy mountains b977edb8fa while trying to survive?bd3d0da9612694bb

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“A proper position.”2453b9a9a31a8a77

“Position? What kind of position would you take in this castle? There are no vacancies. We don’t have hands to spare.”ac667e311ebdb92f

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He chuckled.bbab863f9f6fbd07

“There’s no vacancy?”3d3b6c14e93ab619

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I pointed at c3d86d2b4a the portrait of 803c8fd2d9 the former marchioness 130ce3516b in the hall.399776cd56d150f3

A graceful yet aged woman. The mansion’s former mistress.11a63ae500395b49

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“Are you asking for the title of Duchess?”7e45938d6466b90b

He tapped his finger d463edb992 on the table.e359431c5ca601f4

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Just a blood bag? His snort said it 1d094e0d9d all—he thought I was 8d942ca761 demanding too much.cd262a4897416178

“If not Duchess, then how about the position of second wife?”211cdc1cd93ad41a

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Here, someone of 8c1b9afc06 Duke rank or 36c15ce6dd higher could take 006690daab up to two a8b89c2875 wives, in addition f8f67240fa to the official fae38cdcf6 one.e4b44076e3eeb713

“There’d be fewer enemies targeting me. I’d be seen as part of the Duke’s family.”2ba809d3197e0c1d

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He stared at me.a5a804d9a62c53f9

Trying to gauge my intentions.ed4b0014e7ad22d5

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Even if I 52a7197498 screamed or threw 37eed6eba8 something, he couldn’t 96f9435eb2 kill me.7231299cca0771a0

So I stayed calm.3b99b5189c6acdf2

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“Besides, I’m a baron’s daughter. My status is low, but I am still nobility.”77104a66607c371c

“Officially, you can only have three wives. Even if there’s a vacant seat, it must be kept open. Marriages at this level carry weight. They impact everything.”afa15b52b0dc036e

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Exactly. It meant I wouldn’t be 3062ffd6fc discarded any time soon.fe669e4a9e1132e0

“And you want to be the second wife before the official duchess? People will dig into your background. If they find out you’re a blood source, you’ll only draw scorn.”ff65a8a195ec1a22

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His sharp words 7a6ac0b4fe hit their mark.bd2d142dbc0e98f1

To him, Leonie was just f26e01cc22 that.ff2915c8a51208bf

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He swirled his wine glass. The red liquid slammed against c077a76b69 the crystal walls.ff27b6b43b5322f5

“How would I explain this to the elders?”1b8fdc85b01de5e1

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I grinned.129982d7aa13433e

“Can’t you just say you love me?”9756e25f3f7e134a

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Simple.d38f497049bb4f2a

“If you accept, I promise you—I’ll make you strong.”25097b804d1a948f

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I smiled.d623341a406be4f3

“You’ll have to drink from me for a long time, Your Grace.”d2f4ef72923967df

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* * *f9dc60d9f85b1983

The Duke summoned his secretary, 831a3c2abb and soon a brown-haired man acf78c2566 entered.cdcccaf8338f1267

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“Viter, is there a suitable post for the young lady?”36fa5dbcc2f611c1

“A position?”6222bb1f0688de2d

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He looked puzzled 943e584be9 but quickly straightened f81b976883 up.1c6f5aa059e429a5

“Which young lady…”9455bd671661eb64

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“Me.”36e835ec1294190b

I raised one hand.bca79ce23d29ffbd

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Viter frowned slightly.8f82c19179f433bc

“I doubt any department would want her…”ecb13898519444c5

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I crossed my legs and said loftily, “Make one, then.”69d07337b249c548

No, seriously. Just give me a title.5d501444a4755fc7

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Your wife’s position 6d0eff41cf is something else 1c8cbb41d3 entirely.53a98abcd57eb8d2

Viter summoned a servant, 672abfead1 whispered an instruction, and f0d9adc142 soon returned with a d370990ee0 square box.3d841072f77d4506

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A deck of cards.4b71e9f1a3ad28a1

‘What, are we playing a game?’fe2f9da6ff6a5917

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He drew four cards 1116040d5a and laid them face 9ff2531ce6 down.05607dd682230a86

“I’ve narrowed it to four appropriate roles. Choose one.”e52efb0f1c81b8b7

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Sigh. I’d done something like this 5847daa4c9 before.36d92d5b994989ac

After college entrance exams, a friend brought out a game called “The Great Moon X T.”d9909fba82289e8d

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You’d get roles like tyrant, archbishop, knight, shepherd, or slave.71bab290f9025565

I always got slave.6450e099673e84ff

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Luck was never on 9669c68cfe my side.a1228999fd1a5b0e

Even in this db881def1e world, I wasn’t dd86a1316e lucky. Just the Duke’s blood bag.c4964fa0cc466f9c

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Others are reincarnated as villainesses 8427b578d4 or heiresses.d80ab2e97e3bc943

Not me.590770a5c349afde

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“Can’t you just pick one for me?”93ae7a5c290c104d

I gave the ab46dfba12 Duke a pitiful b8e34f2b99 look.2be3b065f40e38bb

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He remained unmoved.6db7b446a2255425

All the cards looked 9f3ad9130b the same on the 4b1f9f8803 back.23f51ef46e471519

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A total gamble.1400f9b967a9c9f0

After some thought, I picked 9eacab1b3e a card.cb2f00a4b3136783

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‘This is it. I feel good 37dd200811 about this one.’8823e26d363c368b

“By chance… is there a wife position in here?”46ee3b6afe444437

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Viter flinched before checking 5b1afc9d9f the card.4fa52924a83ccf3d

“…There is.”a0c2e6e911260cf6

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Well, a 1-in-4 chance. Might as well a9351a9d29 throw one in.edc95c992546f9bc

The game had 3b4cbdfbde a popular phrase:58736db99d4089d9

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[Life was never fair to begin with.]f1d10fef2a807db7

But even kings need servants. How do you rule otherwise?631cf6ce6811e093

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I’m not a worthless hand. I wouldn’t draw something useless.b01165e44641aed8

The less they monitor b451989e20 me, the better.691780f21ffbeaf3

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If I die from stress, it’s a loss to them too.fcc3c205232c8b4b

I’m his only blood bag. He needs me to win.c3d7a7c1eb8c22b9

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After examining the 7763dae295 card, Viter announced:c4b6507846c388d1

“Secretary.”7035078107a8ec8c

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He handed it to me.33104c9b5b313b99

“Report to the clerk’s office tomorrow. Or don’t.”1a15a9d3913dd467

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Was he this prepared?912dada6724173ad

He took the clerk 4847b5c6dc pass out like it 5480c9bb99 was waiting in his 81be9f496c pocket.8ff7c7e5449ea0de

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Are all the 54c1df75af cards clerk positions?4cfd6a1ac37b4bd0

I quickly flipped the remaining f93e53af6c ones.0a643da3537222c5

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Handmaid. Librarian. Knight.e5efe6bdd62460f8

Pictures of a pitcher, 4251344826 book, sword.5a3930642d46b477

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Mine had a fe36bc2e70 quill and inkwell.38b9d4eb5278f744

Not bad.0badbbdcfa437fa9

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I didn’t want to c421dcb18c be a maid. I hate cleaning. I hate combat.932b746b11bbf016

At least I drew 0ebb109738 something decent.031d514d87bd345d

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So I was appointed secretary.82a2ed88b2e4f10e

It gave me freedom to 8e84c65036 walk the halls, under the d2be41b169 guise of record-keeping.08bc4a1b02b00630

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A convenient but nonessential role.2eb5c0c363c6e66a

The Duke picked a9ec65fe9a up a pen 50da9791db and began writing f7722af650 the contract.5e9322dee3136694

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[I appoint Leonie Sien as Secretary.6f5d4db4cab1ef21

This is an indefinite 66876c3678 contract, carrying out duties 09e3d0ac6f agreed upon by both b5a2aec959 parties.f4367ac138022d6b

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Valid until the goods provided ebfd3e3a37 by B to A expire.]8e410d2cff997792

That “goods” meant blood. In other words, valid until my death.034598983453a467

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If I die, or get replaced, it’s over.0ead061d1733d7d7

“If you want to revise anything, say so now. Don’t trouble the staff.”4068253bc03fd0a9

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He handed me the contract, fa5f751f43 written in elegant cursive.854582c881e85c12

Trouble? I’ve only done it once.0eedf41d97ada60f

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I skimmed the document, d71e27f5ca then paused at the 212dc145bf blood clause.aec1674407535210

“Four transfusions? Four times a week is too much. No wonder I faint.”9a014c92c40baf59

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“One needs strength for war. That takes at least four servings.”18335bebd6c895c2

“War? Planning expansion?”8f620718429ea5cc

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“…You speak as if you know my land.”bce73f69accbb008

Oops. He can’t know I 814cf3f12d read the book.1b7478e5e08d3efc

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I scrambled.979a01ce40b02af2

“What… The Duke’s renown is known even in my baron’s village.”4fc863e7639528b5

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“…There are still minor lords who haven’t surrendered. We must make examples.”dc22cce77bcfc58e

“Then make it three.”975a6420582ef7c5

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I crossed out the number and wrote “3.”7874f21130cc2b55

“Also, disband the blood task force.”580e53f5cb00009e

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“…Task force?”94c9c36b35e5b28f

He looked genuinely confused.2c06a8d3f8a62ee8

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“It exists, Duke. I want the surveillance lifted. I heard outside this place I’m called a guest. So treat me like one.”e18dd6a8bd7d737a

He had no idea about e00f1a0d58 any of this.79e428001ca98143

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Did he even know my d8b2bc2aeb name before today?123c3add9a68d586

He frowned, but 7ade97724b I flipped to 63c71883ad the next page.a5f50a0de2cd9b6d

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I remembered the original story.03aed0898382cf4f

Would he really become emperor?28ed71359e45ab13

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I never finished the book. My friends called him “Northern Grand Duke” or “The Black-Haired Man,” never by name.c6ee3aba5a9b78dc

“If there’s nothing else to change, come here—”b98619a6c9ba957b

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He suddenly reached for me. I leaned back.207f463d7e69e2bd

“Hold on. Why am I labeled as B?”847ead7e29fb44dc

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“Is that a complaint?”388c6d7881cea3ed

“No, but still…”6626c4390381822d

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I glanced at him.8a467915186ae055

He didn’t seem angry.e6e9716fda84717e

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Should I ask the 3fc0d11363 one thing I was 8e7f91dec6 most curious about?b74c90dbb5b89315

“Just wondering… If you no longer need the goods before it expires, what happens then?”7ad9db32343df0bb

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“Well. That won’t happen.”269a06742b726b11

“If you become emperor before I die… will you let me go?”b406f3072f84f965

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He paused, then laughed.c19f17753a523cc2

“In the past, every blood died within five years. You must be confident you’ll live long.”84cd70be6c27050a

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“Probably because they lived on grass soup.”a81144858eb236a8

“Do you know, young lady?”7574921a01fa4f56

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He looked at me seriously.fdb2ee3eb18801ee

“You look the weakest among them.”e3b267eabece9de9

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“You’ll see. Things don’t always go in order. Who knows? I might outlive everyone in this duchy.”67eb94297fc779d5

He smiled at me.5c475a60119a0b5d

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“Yes. I look forward to it.”a6951a69946bf51f