Episode 15
“Oh, sorry, Lucy. Was that too sudden of a question?”
“No, it’s fine. I think I probably will. If Asil proposes, I’ll accept.”
A boyfriend who’s ready to propose—how enviable.
But Anette had already decided that if she ever found someone, she would be the one to propose first.
In her previous life, she had been too busy saving money to even have a proper conversation with a man, let alone date one.
But in this life, she didn’t want to live like that.
Of course, if she had to choose between money and love, she would pick money every time. She could give up on love, but never on money.
Lucy glanced at Anette, whose beauty was still something she couldn’t get used to.
“Anette, don’t you want a boyfriend? You’re so pretty.”
“Yeah, seriously.”
“Maybe your standards are too high?”
“Maybe… but I like handsome men.”
Her standards were high, but she had no intention of lowering them.
She would rather stay single than settle for someone mediocre.
Anette continued chatting with Lucy about trivial things as they finished their meal.
She had no plans for the afternoon—it was a rare day off.
As she was heading upstairs to her room, she spotted Julie.
“Julie!”
“Oh, Anette!”
“Julie, you’re in charge of cleaning the third-floor hallway today, right? Are you on your way there now?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
A great idea suddenly crossed Anette’s mind.
With a bright, confident smile, she said,
“I’ll do it for you today!”
“What? Why?”
“I just really want to clean the third-floor hallway today. You can cover for me next time. Is that okay?”
“That would be amazing! My child has a cold, so I wanted to go home early. Anette, you’re so kind…”
Julie grabbed Anette’s hands gratefully.
Julie had been like a benefactor to Anette, spreading good rumors about her.
Anette had her reasons for offering to clean, but seeing Julie so happy made it a win-win situation.
“Really? Oh no, your child is sick? Did you call a doctor?”
“He’s getting better, but I still want to be with him…”
“I’ll explain everything to Anna. Go home now!”
“Thank you so much, Anette.”
After receiving the cleaning tools, Anette cheerfully headed upstairs.
‘I’m going to catch that disgusting voyeur creep.’
She had a different reason for wanting to clean the third-floor hallway.
It was a quiet, rarely used space.
And it was where she had first felt someone’s gaze on her.
She was going to catch whoever it was.
When she reached the third floor, she acted normal and started cleaning.
By the time she was halfway done mopping, she felt it again—that eerie gaze.
She kept cleaning while sharpening her senses.
“I should open a window.”
Pretending to do just that, she casually walked toward the end of the hallway.
Then, making an exaggerated movement, she opened the window.
And that’s when she saw it—the reflection of a shadow in the glass.
She had found the culprit.
‘Gotcha.’
Just as she suspected, someone was watching her.
They were hiding behind the corner at the end of the hallway.
‘Like a filthy little rat.’
“Wow, the weather is so nice today.”
A gentle breeze blew in through the open window. Anette stretched her arms out wide.
It was turning out to be a great day.
Easy money, plus her weekly wages.
‘And once I catch that creep, it’ll be perfect.’
Taking a deep breath, she glanced outside.
It was the perfect day to catch a pervert.
Then, without hesitation, she dashed toward the corner at lightning speed.
And—
“You bastard! Who are you?!”
“Ahhh!”
The person, startled by her sudden charge, screamed and collapsed to the floor.
Anette grabbed them by the collar without hesitation and shook them.
“Who the hell… Huh?!”
Her hands froze mid-shake.
She was too shocked to move.
With wide eyes, she stared at the person’s face.
Maybe she had made a mistake.
The trembling figure stuttered,
“H-how….”
No, she hadn’t made a mistake. She knew that voice.
That clear, sweet voice.
“Charles?”
Charles de Avenne.
The captain of the Second Order of the Temple Knights.
His radiant platinum blonde hair and dazzling golden eyes shone in front of her.
Even after recognizing him, Anette still couldn’t believe it.
His beautiful golden eyes were welling up with tears.
“H-how could you… throw me on this dirty floor….”
“What? Why were you spying on me?”
He looked devastated as if the mere thought of touching the floor was unbearable. His pale skin turned red with embarrassment.
It was strangely… provocative.
Anette, briefly dazed by his expression, snapped back to reality and tightened her grip on his collar.
Charles let out a strained noise and winced.
“……”
“Talk. Why were you watching me?”
“B-because you…”
“What?”
“……are.”
“What? Speak clearly, you bastard.”
He may have been a noble, but right now, he was just a creepy peeping tom.
Anette shook him harder, making his platinum hair sway.
“Ugh…”
“Say it properly!”
“You… are… my… my—”
“What?!”
“My master!”
“……”
…What?
* * *
Who was Charles de Avenne?
First, the Avenne family.
It was the most prestigious noble family in the Aureolus Kingdom.
With the current king aging and weak, the Avenne family was next in line for succession.
Because they were the royal family’s closest relatives.
The eldest son, Robert de Avenne, had been preparing to inherit the title from a young age.
Meanwhile, Charles acted like he didn’t care.
But deep down, he was furious.
‘That dumb, ugly bastard…’
His brother was uglier, shorter, dumber, and lacked grace.
Yet just because he was born first, he got everything.
Charles tried to hide his resentment, but Robert could see right through him.
Robert loved teasing his younger brother, just to see his reaction.
There was one thing Charles couldn’t stand hearing:
“Oh, Charles, sorry to tell you this, but no one in this family likes you.”
“That’s a lie!”
It had to be.
Charles refused to believe it.
He thought his brother was just trying to provoke him.
After all, everyone always admired his beauty.
He was convinced that no one could dislike him.
But Robert wasn’t wrong.
Most people in the family didn’t like Charles.
They just didn’t show it.
With his gleaming platinum hair, bright golden eyes, perfect physique, and exceptional swordsmanship, he seemed like the ideal noble.
And he thought he was humble.
But only in his mind.
To others, his arrogance was unbearable.
He looked down on everyone.
His supposed “humility” was just blatant condescension.
And he had extreme mysophobia—he saw himself as the purest, cleanest being and treated others like they were filthy.
Of course, he was completely unaware of how he came across.
That’s why he decided to become a temple knight.
Serving the Goddess Hella seemed like his divine calling.
And he was certain he would be chosen as the captain of the First Order.
But—
“Lucas Roiental. That arrogant bastard.”
Lucas Roiental ruined everything.
A mere commoner dared to stand on equal footing with him.
It was infuriating.
And now, of all things…
“How…?”
How could she—
How could she look at him with such disgust?!
