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“Why are these shoes in such poor condition?” 

I wiggled my feet, nervously gauging the Duke’s reaction. The shoes I was wearing weren’t custom-made; they were just off-the-shelf, fitting me reasonably well but not perfectly. After the long walk here, they had rubbed against my heels, causing blisters that bled and stained the precious leather shoes with spots of red. 

The Duke’s intense gaze was fixed on the stained shoes, making me think he was about to scold me for ruining them. 

‘How petty, for someone so wealthy…’ 

Of course, I couldn’t voice that thought out loud. I had already made a fool of myself with that dolphin comment, and I couldn’t afford to make things worse. So, I quickly clasped my hands together and apologized.

“I’m…sorry…”

The Duke lifted his head, his brows furrowing slightly, as if my apology wasn’t sincere enough to satisfy him.

“For dirtying the shoes…”

Just as I was about to offer a more thorough apology, the Duke let out a deep sigh and turned his attention to Lily.

“Why are these shoes in such poor condition?” 

It seemed his earlier question wasn’t directed at me but at Lily. She flinched and quickly lowered her head.

“I measured her size at the tailor yesterday. I told them to hurry, but they said it would take at least five days, no matter how much they rushed…”

“The Elpinard name cannot be associated with such shoddy footwear. Send someone to have them ready by tomorrow. Tell them it’s my order.”

By tomorrow? Was that even possible? It seemed unreasonable, but Lily didn’t hesitate and bowed her head.

“Yes, Your Grace. I will convey your orders.”

After hearing Lily’s response, the Duke set me down on the desk. I suddenly found myself sitting among the paperwork he had been processing, feeling incredibly awkward. I was worried about getting ink on my clothes or smudging the writing on the documents. I had already upset the Duke with the ruined shoes; the last thing I needed was to create more trouble.

After all, my goal was to win the Duke’s favor and secure him as an ally. As I tried my best to position myself away from the papers, the Duke sighed again above me.

“And why are these clothes in such poor condition?”

“Pardon?”

I panicked, thinking I had somehow stained my dress with ink. Frantically checking my skirt, I looked up just as Lily hurried to explain.

“I will ensure new everyday clothes are sent as well.”

“Is this really the best you could dress and shoe her in? Did you have nothing prepared?”

“…No, Your Grace.”

“Tsk.”

The Duke clicked his tongue, his eyes flashing with irritation.

“The insolent one should have been sent to hell, not just the punishment room,” the Duke’s icy gaze suggested he was moments away from severing Hannah’s head himself.

‘No, that can’t happen!’ 

Truth be told, I wasn’t particularly concerned about Hannah’s fate, but her death would complicate things for me. 

‘I have two quests tied to her…!’ 

The God of Judgment and the Goddess of Peace had each issued conflicting quests related to Hannah—one seeking revenge and the other forgiveness. This was the first time I’d encountered competing quests, and the rewards were higher than usual.

‘A whopping 30,000 coins!’

Most other quests offered around 10,000 coins, so 30,000 was a substantial reward.

‘I can’t let this go!’ 

Worried that the Duke might actually send Hannah to the afterlife, I quickly grabbed his sleeve.

“Hannah can’t go to hell!”

“…Why?” 

The Duke glared at me, his eyes flashing dangerously, as if questioning how I dared to oppose his decision.

‘Terrifying!’

I suddenly understood why Lily had been so tense at the mere thought of meeting the Duke. If I weren’t a former dark mage in the body of a four-year-old, I might have fainted from fear already. But I couldn’t back down now. I stared him down with determination.

“Hannah is…”

The key to completing a quest worth 30,000 coins!

…Of course, I couldn’t say that.

“Hannah is my maid, so it’s my right to punish her!”

Traditionally, a servant’s discipline was determined by their master. Meeting my fiery gaze, the Duke raised an eyebrow instead of responding.

“Hmph.”

His reaction was one of disbelief.

“And how do you intend to punish her with those soft little fists?”

He glanced down at my small hand clutching his sleeve. Though my hands were tiny, they seemed even smaller next to the Duke’s towering figure.

‘I can’t let him see me as just a child.’

Realizing this, I quickly released his sleeve and hid my hands behind my back. The Duke, with a stern expression, began to smooth out the part of his sleeve I had wrinkled.

‘Does he dislike creases that much?’

Given that Axel’s father was so particular, it wouldn’t be surprising. I quickly reached out and patted down the wrinkles in his sleeve, trying to smooth them out as best as I could. Though I couldn’t make it look brand new, I could at least flatten it somewhat.

But the Duke’s fist trembled slightly as if my efforts were more irritating than helpful.

Just as I began to slow my hand, worried that I was making things worse, a calm voice intervened.

“Let her do as she wishes.”

Axel stepped in. “Looks like she has something in mind,” he said.

“Hmph. What kind of thoughts could fit in that tiny little head?” The Duke’s tone was dismissive, but then he made a more agreeable remark. “If you’re willing to take on this troublesome matter, it makes things easier for me.”

He glanced at me briefly, but without lingering, he quickly turned his attention back to Axel. “But you’ll keep an eye on her. You were the one who reported that maid’s insolence to me, so I was planning to leave her punishment in your hands.”

It was clear that the Duke trusted Axel’s judgment over mine. To be honest, my original plan was just to assess Hannah’s condition today and come up with a strategy later. 

‘But if Axel is on board, maybe I can even complete the quest!’ 

I shot Axel a meaningful look, urging him to accept the task.

“I’ll do that,” Axel responded briefly to the Duke before effortlessly lifting me off the desk and tucking me under his arm like a parcel. It was a clear sign that he saw me as little more than baggage, which was a bit humiliating. Lily, startled, hovered anxiously around us, but Axel paid her no mind and turned to leave.

‘Oh!’ 

Realizing we were about to leave without properly thanking the Duke, I quickly bobbed my head in a bow. It was important to show gratitude, especially since he had agreed to my request. However, Axel moved so swiftly that I wasn’t sure if the Duke even noticed my gesture.

As I squirmed in protest at being treated like a sack of potatoes, Axel let out a small chuckle. “Still as eager to please those in power, I see?”

“It’s not about pleasing; it’s just good manners,” I retorted. If a bit of politeness could smooth things over and make life easier, why not? Axel seemed to view it as a matter of pride, but I saw things differently.

Practicality was what mattered most!

‘A lofty sense of pride doesn’t put food on the table, does it?’

Having started from the bottom, I had no qualms about flattering people if it got results. Of course, someone like Axel, who had been raised in the prestigious Duke’s household, probably never needed such survival skills.

With a simple glance, Axel signaled for Lily to leave us, then turned to me and asked, “So why do you want to see that insane maid? I figured you had some plan in mind, so I helped out.”

“I need to earn coins.”

“Coins?”

“Yeah, the coins for that piggy bank you made. I need them to avoid dying.”

“…What do you mean by dying?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m living on borrowed time right now.”