Chapter 2
Emily closed the door and headed towards the living room, biting her tongue.
It was noisy inside, perhaps that’s why she couldn’t sleep well.
“Maybe I inherited some of Granny Nohan’s genes,” she muttered.
Emily sat at the dining table, unfolded the newspaper, but soon grimaced and exclaimed, “Oh no!” A man appeared, trampling a bouquet of roses through the small window.
“Is today the day for temperament meltdowns?”
Since Granny threw this at me, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Lord Hamilton was always stingy, not even sharing a piece of cookie for free. Yet here I am, the unexpected heir. Emily shook her head in disbelief, remembering the day she became a royal bureaucrat.
The day she received her first assignment in Lord Hamilton’s office.
As Emily greeted, the duke, who was licking his lips, said, “This time they sent a fledgling.”
It was March, the beginning of spring. Determined to look beautiful, Emily reluctantly pushed her yellow sweater into the closet for the day.
“I’m going crazy,” she muttered.
Quietly watching the man turn away after trashing the wilted bouquet of roses, Emily kicked the trash can in front of her house.
She hadn’t even dreamed that someone was watching. Using the curtain as a shield, Emily peered outside.
Ian turned his body after seeing her. The sight was enough, the spectacle ended there.
“Huh?”
It seemed like their eyes met as the man turned around the corner.
“What’s going on?”
Emily, who had been tense for a moment, sighed without hesitation as she watched the man turn away.
“Hmm,” Emily stared blankly at the duke’s coat sprawled carelessly on the table.
Since that day, she had tried countless times to return it to Lord Hamilton, but each attempt had failed.
She felt helpless as to how easily it slipped away like a slippery eel.
“Should I just throw it away?”
But when she saw the shining gold button on the table exclaiming,
“I’m expensive,” any such thought vanished.
If by any chance she had lost it and someone demanded compensation, it would be a disaster.
“Let’s get ready for work.”
Emily, who had been contemplating the symbol of the heir, suddenly rose from her seat.
It was a bit early to go to work, but staying at home wouldn’t make things any better. On days like this, it was better to go to work early and breathe in the dawn air.
Thinking of strong coffee more bitter than medicine, Emily hurried to prepare for work.
“I need directions.”
“I don’t know.”
Emily blocked the approaching man with her hand.
The response of “I don’t know” before the question even finished was a magical answer that could solve all problems.
“I don’t know.”
Emily Fulton knew nothing. She didn’t know the route she had been taking to work for three years, nor did she know where she bought the coffee she was holding.
Feeling the brisk morning air tickle her nose with each sip, Emily walked briskly. She didn’t forget to mentally chew out Lord Hamilton, the culprit of this job, instead of having breakfast.
“Mr. Milton.”
She reached the office door. Emily halted her steps at the unexpected voice.
Instead of Lord Hamilton, Roland Viscount, who had grabbed the tail end of last year’s flood budget instead of the financial directorship, grinned as he extended his face.
“Good morning, Mr. Financial Director.” He chuckled and shook hands with Emily, who greeted him with a stern face.
Roland Viscount looked older than he did yesterday. He indeed had a talent for turning people away with number games.
“Good morning, Mr. Milton.”
“Are you serious? You call it a good morning when you’ve been spending nights in the office for days without even going home?”
Emily sent Roland Viscount a puzzled look.
“I hope it turns into a good morning.”
Dead-eyed warriors of the overturned heroes lay scattered on the floor as Roland Viscount muttered.
“I hope you can leave work early today.”
Roland Viscount, who was acting as the financial director, was quite well-regarded by his subordinates compared to the finicky Lord Hamilton.
Every year during the personnel transfer, there would be a line forming at Viscount Roland’s department. Despite the endless battle with numbers awaiting, Viscount Roland was well-liked by people.
“Mr. Chairman is not here yet. I’ll contact you separately when he’s in a better mood.”
Being in the neighboring department had its perks.
As Lord Hamilton always said, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. A sip of coffee, a piece of cookie, it all added up to these favors.
Emily didn’t have any complaints about these occasional benefits.
“Thank you, Mr. Milton.”
“You’re welcome. But before that, wouldn’t it be better to freshen up, change your clothes, and wake people up?”
Emily glanced at the people beyond the door and suggested to the countenance Viscount who smiled genially, albeit with a thick head.
“Just let them sleep for 10 more minutes, what’s the harm?”
Emily slightly nodded her head towards the Viscount, who wasn’t even her direct superior. Moreover, there was a vast gap in their status.
“Then.”
Emily quickly opened the door and entered the office.
“Oh.”
There was a dusty smell in the stuffy air from last night. Emily hurriedly walked towards the window. As she opened it, fresh morning air flooded the office.
“Phew.”
The air she had just let in and the air from outside felt different.
“Take what you receive each day as it comes.”
It was her own philosophy and motto as Emily returned to her seat. She didn’t forget to put down her bag, tidy up the reception area, and put out fresh tea for Lord Hamilton’s seat.
By the time the lord arrived and sipped his tea, it would be appropriately cooled. And Emily’s expectations were never wrong.
“Seeing you again today.”
As Emily settled into her seat, Lord Hamilton entered as if he had been waiting. It was exactly 8:30 on the dot. Emily nodded in agreement at Lord Hamilton’s meticulousness, where even a minute of deviation was not tolerated.
“Indeed. I’ll be counting on you today as well, Mr. Chairman.”
After the greetings, Emily extended her hand. All she did was sift through documents before they were sent to the emperor.
At least that’s how it seemed to Emily. But there was no one else who could handle such simple and tedious tasks as perfectly as Lord Hamilton did.
Snap.
Snap snap.
Hat.
Gloves.
Coat.
“Perfect!”
Today, Emily handed over the hat with her left hand. Even so, Emily’s precise and accurate movements in arranging everything couldn’t hide the satisfaction on Lord Hamilton’s face. He felt like rolling his foot against the perfectly fitting pegs.
“Here is today’s morning schedule.”
As he sat down, a moderately warm tea was waiting for Lord Hamilton on his desk, while Emily, with perfectly unfolded documents and a brisk tone, discussed the day’s agenda.
Today started off perfectly.
“The Foreign Ministry must have crossed paths with Emily.”
Sipping on the slightly sweetened tea, Lord Hamilton looked at the top of the pile of documents, where the trade negotiation files lay.
Seeing a memo crumpled from the first page didn’t bode well.
“That’s all.”
“Nothing special today either.”
The lord nodded as he listened to the day’s schedule. Outside, thick clouds had gathered. Although they seemed like they would pour rain, the reluctant cumulus clouds were welcome guests to the lord.
“On days like this, many people just space out.”
Emily raised her head as she watched the lord smile with satisfaction, thinking about causing a commotion around the office.
“No wonder there was someone doing useless things in front of someone else’s house since dawn.”
Emily glanced at the lord, her gaze sharpening. Despite the chilling thunderous words, the lord’s expression remained unchanged.
“The ever-energetic Mr. Milton.”
Lord Hamilton responded to Emily’s comment. With a slight tap of his foot, his turning chair movements resembled dancing.
“Your Grace.”
