Chapter 10
“Welcome! You’ve come to Ratta Ratta Aratta Workshop!”
As they stepped inside, a young man with bright red hair greeted them energetically, his cheerful smile making him seem quite skilled at dealing with customers.
However, the moment he saw Anna walk in behind Sertia, his expression stiffened, and he stammered.
“N-Noona?”
Siblings, alright.
That was enough of an observation.
Sertia frowned, unable to comprehend the situation.
Small workshops like this usually didn’t have designated staff for customer service. They neither had the manpower nor the need—better to spend that time crafting something instead.
Yet, Noeni was stationed at the front, greeting customers as if it were his full-time job.
Even more suspiciously, the workshop owner, who had just emerged upon hearing the commotion, had hands completely different from Noeni’s.
Noeni isn’t a craftsman here.
Still, it wasn’t wise to jump to conclusions. She needed to observe a little more.
At that moment, the workshop owner bowed excessively.
“Oh my, such an esteemed guest in our humble shop…!”
The sheer extent of his groveling made it clear—he had noticed from Sertia’s clothing that she wasn’t just any ordinary customer. He was treating her like he had hit the jackpot.
“I am Gonjiris, the proud owner of Ratta Ratta Aratta Workshop. It is truly an honor to meet you!”
Gonjiris gestured for them to take a seat on the sofa provided for visitors. Then, he snapped at Noeni in a curt tone.
“Prepare tea for our honored guest. Make sure not a speck of dust sullies it.”
He practically oozed the same arrogance as Duke Elionne.
Even more ridiculous was how obsequious he was toward Sertia alone.
“Oh my…! Please, have a seat!”
Sertia held back her irritation and settled on the sofa, her gaze sweeping over the workshop with an icy chill.
A little past the entrance was the work area, while the front was set up as a reception space with an old sofa and a table—better than expected for such a modest establishment.
Except for one glaring issue.
Her calm expression remained unchanged as she glanced at Noeni bringing out tea. His entire demeanor screamed that he was desperately trying to keep something hidden.
She didn’t need to investigate further.
Sertia stared at the teacup on the table before she finally spoke.
“Gonjiris?”
At her low call, Gonjiris clasped his hands together and rubbed them obsequiously.
“Y-Yes, my lady! Are you here to make a request?”
His greasy smile was so repulsive that she had to resist the urge to claw at his face.
“No, not a request. There’s someone I want to take from your workshop.”
“Pardon? Whom…?”
Even as he asked, his mind was already calculating a price.
Sertia silently clenched her teeth.
Then, she caught sight of the dark bruise on Noeni’s neck—and that shattered the last of her patience.
Leaving his pretty face untouched while marking up his body—how utterly disgusting. She let out a hollow laugh.
Leaning back leisurely against the sofa, she crossed her legs and spoke.
“Noeni.”
Her gaze, cold and heavy, made Noeni instinctively shrink. He had already figured out who she was.
“Do you have any debts or vulnerabilities tying you to this employer?”
Noeni lifted his head slightly, trying to gauge her intent, then quickly lowered it.
“N-No, I don’t….”
“Good. Then there’s nothing stopping you from working for me.”
“W-Wait, what?”
Noeni jolted in shock, blinking in disbelief. Sertia’s narrowed gaze sharpened.
“I recognize your skills. I want to hire you. What do you think?”
“What?”
It was an offer too tempting to process immediately. He hesitated, bewildered—until he caught sight of Anna raising her fist silently.
That snapped him right back to reality.
“But… how do you know about my skills? We’ve never even met….”
He trailed off hesitantly, stealing a glance downward—he could feel Anna’s piercing glare.
Sertia chuckled and patted Anna’s arm, reassuring her not to worry.
“I saw one of Anna’s prized possessions—a container you made. We’ll discuss the details later.”
She playfully winked.
Noeni cleared his throat, flustered, and even Gonjiris turned red.
Maybe that was too much?
Her attempt to project a gentle, likable image had gone slightly off track. She needed to dial it back.
While Sertia was mentally readjusting her approach, Gonjiris protested.
“No matter how esteemed you are, you can’t just take an employee from my workshop…!”
Sertia sighed and rubbed her ears as if annoyed.
“Do I look like I’m asking for permission?”
“Of course you need my permission—!”
“Enough. If you yell again, I’ll sew that mouth shut. Besides, isn’t resigning an employee’s choice? Normally, a one-month handover period is required, but this situation is different.”
“What’s different about it?! This is a blatant disruption of business!”
Sertia scoffed.
“Are you really asking that?”
“Y-Yes! If that brat leaves, my workshop will suffer great losses, so—”
Even after her warning, Gonjiris raised his voice further.
Sertia lifted an eyebrow.
A surge of mana escaped her, effectively shutting his mouth as though it had been stitched closed.
“What’s different? I suppose I’ll have to explain it to you myself.”
“Mmmph…!”
“Do you know what happens when a commoner assaults a noble? The punishment ranges from one to ten years in prison. And if I get involved—”
She casually extended her right index finger and dragged it across her throat in a cutting motion.
Gonjiris immediately calmed down.
“Tsk. If you had a little more sense, you might have kept your head intact.”
Fumi, watching quietly, nodded in agreement.
But the foolish Gonjiris refused to abandon his pride.
The moment Sertia withdrew her magic, he lunged at her.
“Who do you think you are—?!”
Yet before he could even touch her, his body was sent flying in an arc, slamming into the wall.
Sertia looked down at the unconscious man and asked, almost casually,
“Your decision?”
Noeni clasped his hands together respectfully and bowed.
“I am at your service, my lady.”
They had been delayed longer than expected.
After sending Noeni home, Sertia rushed to meet Renok.
Her destination was a secluded lakeside.
As soon as she arrived, Renok turned at the sound of her footsteps and smiled.
“Tia.”
It had only been a few days, yet his face seemed even more radiant.
His jet-black hair contrasted sharply with his crimson eyes, which slanted slightly upward, giving him a fierce and intimidating look—yet he was nothing short of perfection. The tranquil lake’s reflection made his striking features even more vivid, stirring within her an unexpected possessiveness.
“I’m sorry. Have you been waiting long?”
“It’s alright. I just arrived myself.”
Yet his reddened fingertips suggested otherwise.
It seemed best to change locations.
“Shall we move to a nearby café? I heard they have amazing cakes.”
“We?”
He seemed to be confirming exactly who “we” referred to.
Sertia chuckled.
“Yes. You and me. My maid can accompany your attendants.”
Her eyes briefly met his subordinates’ before returning to him.
Renok should have responded, but instead, he stared into space, murmuring,
“Just the two of us….”
What’s with him?
Sertia hesitated, puzzled.
Just then, one of Renok’s men, who had been observing from a distance, stepped forward.
“My lord, I will accompany the lady’s maid.”
Apparently, he had excellent hearing.
Renok gave a small nod of approval.
“Shall we walk? It’s not far, but it’s cold—should we take a carriage?”
“I heard the scenery is beautiful. Are you cold?”
“No. Actually, I’d like to walk for a change. Shall we?”
Renok extended his rough, calloused hand toward her. It was still warm.
“Have you been well?”
A formal yet gentle greeting.
“Yes, in my own way. What about you?”
Their eyes met, and something about his gaze unsettled her.
Had he always been this dangerous?
The earlier sharpness was gone—only a beast, longing for affection, remained.
“I’ve been losing sleep… thinking about our engagement.”
Sertia sighed.
“Ah! I completely forgot. Sorry about that. Actually, I wanted to ask you something about it.”
Renok looked open to discussion.
She wasted no time.
“Can we… skip the engagement ceremony?”
His face darkened.
“May I ask why?”
Clenching her fists, she declared,
“I want to protect your first engagement. If you meet someone you truly love in the future, I want you to have a grand ceremony without any unwanted scrutiny. I’m already grateful you accepted this contract.”
She smiled beautifully.
Renok stopped walking and stared at her in silence.
Only Fumi’s amused voice broke the quiet.
“The villain has a long way to go….”
Thank you for the chapter!
My pleasure I hope you are liking the novel