Chapter 08
Anette was confident. She pleaded earnestly with Julie.
“Please, tell the head maid not to fire me… Julie, I have nowhere else to go. If I go back to the duke’s mansion, I’ll be beaten! I was hit in the face when I was kicked out last time, and I was bleeding! My face was swollen this much!”
“Oh, your face?”
Anette cupped her cheek with both hands to show how swollen it had been.
Julie looked shocked.
Sensing her chance, Anette added more details.
“Even that Berndt guy or whatever tried to break my jaw. My jaw! This very jaw!”
“Oh my, your jaw…”
Anette clutched her chin dramatically. Of course, he hadn’t tried to break it—he had just grabbed her—but that didn’t matter.
“I’m just… a victim of domestic violence! It’s all lies and rumors!”
She felt a slight pang of guilt, but she kept talking anyway.
Julie covered her mouth in surprise.
Anette looked genuinely distressed.
If her words were true, then maybe the duke’s family had spread false rumors to frame her.
Violence against such a delicate girl… Julie was convinced.
In the end, Julie nodded and agreed to help.
As Julie walked away, Anette smiled in satisfaction.
That worked perfectly.
“This method works surprisingly well…”
If anyone else doubted her, she would just pretend to be a victim again.
Whatever Anette had done in the past didn’t matter. It wasn’t her.
That Anette had already suffered and died.
Now, she had a new life.
She needed to survive.
If she got kicked out now, she would have to sleep on the streets or go back to the duke’s mansion.
‘I’m never going back there.’
She would rather sleep on the streets than return to that place.
Now that she had spoken about the abuse, she realized it could happen. They were capable of such things.
She deserved a little peace and happiness now.
Rolling up her sleeves, she headed for the office of the Second Knight Commander.
She was confident about cleaning.
She was naturally quick and meticulous. She wouldn’t allow a single speck of dust.
This was her chance to prove herself.
***
Anette entered the Second Knight Commander’s office.
“Wow… it’s so clean.”
She had heard he was a neat person, and the office proved it.
It was nothing like the first knight commander’s messy office, filled with piles of paperwork.
Keeping a place this clean at all times…
She felt like she might get along well with this person.
Humming, she began to clean.
She opened the large windows to let in fresh air.
She swept the already clean floor and then wiped it down with a mop.
The floor was so spotless it shone.
‘As expected from my hands.’
She loved cleaning, though ironically, her apartment had never been this tidy.
She only cleaned thoroughly when she needed money. Just like now.
After finishing the floors, she wiped the dust from the furniture.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
When she finally stepped back to look at the office, she felt like clapping.
It had been clean before, but now it was sparkling.
“Perfect.”
Feeling proud, she left the office.
Next, she had to clean the Second Knight Commander’s quarters.
‘It’ll probably be as clean as his office.’
Since it was near the First Knight Commander’s room, it wasn’t hard to find.
As she picked up her cleaning supplies, she heard a voice.
“Why are you coming out of there?”
She looked up.
“…….”
It was someone she didn’t want to see.
“Don’t make me ask twice. Why were you in that office?”
His tone was as irritating as ever.
Avoiding eye contact, Anette lifted her cleaning supplies.
“Can’t you see the cleaning tools?”
“You cleaned Charles de Avenne’s room? With those hands?”
“Yes. So what—”
Oh. So the owner’s name was Charles. Interesting.
It sounded like a prince’s name. She hoped he looked good too.
Before she could react, Lucas stepped forward and knocked the cleaning tools from her hands.
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
The tools clattered to the floor.
She looked up at him, startled.
Ignoring her protest, Lucas grabbed her small hand and placed it in his large palm.
A strange spark of energy passed between them.
‘What’s with this guy?’
“Your hand hasn’t healed yet.”
“…….”
Lucas frowned, examining her hand closely.
It still looked delicate and fragile.
Anette studied him in return.
‘Is he obsessed with hands or something?’
She frowned.
He looked like he genuinely cared about her injury.
His expression was as grumpy as ever, but it also seemed oddly concerned.
‘Well, my hands are pretty, but still…’
She felt uneasy.
Weren’t holy knights supposed to be pure?
What a weirdo.
“Uh, can you let go of my hand now?”
“Don’t clean Charles’s room again.”
“Why?”
“Don’t talk back to me.”
Annoyed, Anette pulled her hand away and hid it behind her.
For a moment, Lucas looked disappointed.
‘Seriously, is he a hand freak?’
She narrowed her eyes at him before speaking again.
“I’m just doing my job. What’s wrong with cleaning?”
“If you want to clean, clean my office instead.”
“Can’t I just choose where I clean?”
“…….”
Why was he acting like her boss?
Anette bent down to pick up the fallen cleaning tools.
Above her, his sharp voice cut through the air.
“A rude girl like you working in this temple… does that even make sense?”
She slowly stood up, feeling uneasy.
Was he going to fire her?
“My employer is Anna, isn’t it?”
“You seem to misunderstand something… Oh, is arrogance a trait of the Lois family?”
“…….”
“I’m in charge of this entire knight division.”
Anette swallowed nervously.
She had thought only Anna managed the servants.
But he had the power to fire her too.
“Are you going to fire me?”
“Depends on how you behave.”
How had he turned out like this? What kind of childhood had he had?
Anette hesitated.
“Don’t enter that room again. From now on, you’ll clean my office instead.”
A personal assignment?
Oh, this could be good.
“Will you tell Anna about this too?”
“If necessary.”
So even Anna couldn’t stop him?
That sounded perfect.
Anette had wanted a stable position. If she was assigned a specific area, people would acknowledge her skills.
A stable job and a steady income—exactly what she needed.
“Alright, fine! Then I’ll get going now.”
She walked past him cheerfully.
He had only mentioned the office, so she would finish cleaning the quarters first.
She was curious about the Second Knight Commander, Charles.
Lucas watched her disappear, then looked at his hand.
Her warmth still lingered.
***
“Wow, this place is spotless too.”
Charles’s room was just as clean as his office.
The desk, the bathroom, the bed—everything was perfectly arranged.
She opened the window, letting in fresh air, and began cleaning.
She changed the bed sheets, dusted the curtains, swept the floor, and wiped it with a mop until it shined.
She wiped down the desk and windows as well.
There were glass jars filled with tea leaves and a delicate glass teapot.
The owner must enjoy tea.
After cleaning the room, she entered the bathroom.
Rolling up her sleeves, she scrubbed it until it sparkled.
‘If only this were my room…’
She sighed.
After finishing, she stepped out of the bathroom—
And the door opened.
‘Whoa…!’
She was stunned.
A man with radiant platinum-blond hair walked in.
Even his eyes gleamed like gold.
Golden eyes!
It was like seeing the sun god Apollo in person.
He looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
“Oh, I see you’re still cleaning. My apologies.”
Wow. Even his voice was amazing.
Kind, calm, and smooth.
So this was Charles.
His name suited him perfectly.
“Ah, hello. I didn’t expect you so soon…”
“It’s my fault. I arrived earlier than planned. Did you clean my office too?”
“Yes.”
“It was spotless. I’ve never been this satisfied before.”
“Thank you.”
Anette looked at him dreamily.
What would it be like to have a romance with a man like him?
She swallowed nervously.
