There’s Something Special About Her Chapter 15

The east wing, which got plenty of morning sunlight, contained the infirmary and the offices of the Duke’s direct family members.

In other words, since Killian had neither a wife nor an heir, the entire first floor was empty except for the infirmary.

Meanwhile, the central part of the second floor of the main building, which faced south, belonged to the Duke, while most of the third floor above it consisted of public spaces such as the office I had been dragged into and the grand conference room.

The remaining west wing, like the central section, contained the offices of the organization’s key figures, including the seven executives.

You could say that the subordinates stood guard on either side of the Duke of Knox in the center.

‘I think they said it was the third floor.’

And right now, I was climbing the stairs in the west wing of the main building.

Although it was morning, working hours had already begun, so a member of the action squad wandering around the main building was bound to stand out.

Just as I stepped onto the stairs leading to the third floor—

“Is that him?”

The voice came from a group standing around the corner on the second floor and staring closely at me. They clearly had no intention of keeping their voices down.

Judging by the marks on their clothes, they belonged to the Foreign Affairs Department, which handled negotiations with other organizations.

“They said he was young and tiny. They weren’t kidding.”

“That little guy took down the assassin who was after His Grace?”

“Anyone who believes that rumor is an idiot. Just look at his size.”

“Why? He could be insanely skilled enough for his size not to matter. You know Helena from Wickers? I heard she’s pretty slender too.”

“There you go talking nonsense again. You think someone like that would be in the action squad?”

Oh, that startled me.

I nearly missed a step when my own name suddenly came up.

“Why are you bringing up that woman’s name first thing in the morning? Just my luck.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Ha! He had a hell of a time because of that woman when he was in Intelligence. Ever since then, he gets like this whenever he hears the name Helena.”

“If my luck is bad today, I’m blaming you.”

Thick curses followed their grumbling.

Hmm. I suppose I did go a little overboard back then.

It was when I was working hard to increase my influence in Wickers, so I had completely destroyed Knox’s Intelligence Department.

Of course, that achievement had helped secure my position as Edward’s aide.

I could only hope that slightly thinning patch of hair wasn’t because of me as I knocked on the door of my destination.

Knock, knock.

A man with an extremely strict-looking face opened the door and asked,

“Who is it?”

“My name is Runelke Eins from the action squad. May I see Mr. Deacon Gold for a moment?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No. I only need to give him something, so it won’t take long.”

“Ha. Seriously.”

The man, who appeared to be Deacon Gold’s aide, gave a dry laugh and spoke without bothering to hide his displeasure.

“Mr. Gold is busy. Someone from the action squad can’t just meet him whenever they feel like it.”

“I understand, but could you at least tell him I’m here?”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

With that, the door was shut right in my face.

However, a moment later, the aide opened the door again and even stepped aside to let me in.

“He’s in the office inside.”

His tone was still stiff, but the intimidating attitude was completely gone, as if something had happened during those few moments.

“Thank you. I’ll be quick so I don’t disturb Mr. Gold’s work.”

I bowed politely, then stepped through the doorway of the office, whose door was already wide open.

“Ah, Runelke.”

“……Mr. Deacon Gold?”

Deacon Gold’s condition was a little strange. He was half lying on a large couch in the office.

His slightly damp, messy blond hair clung to his skin, which was covered in a faint sheen of sweat, while his blue eyes looked languid.

A handsome man looking so disheveled.

There was something about him that made me feel like I shouldn’t get too close.

When I stopped hesitantly instead of moving forward, Deacon Gold asked with a puzzled expression,

“Why are you just standing there instead of coming in?”

“If you’re not feeling well…… I’ll come back another time.”

“Ah, I’m being punished right now.”

As he spoke, he raised one arm and gently waved it, revealing a bracelet around his wrist, where blue veins stood out in a very manly way.

It looked completely out of place on the delicate, handsome Deacon Gold. It was thick and crude, like a heavy shackle.

“I’m the one who introduced the Green Merchant Guild Master to His Grace. I didn’t mean for things to turn out this way, but I made a mistake, so I have to be punished. Apparently, it’s a mana-blocking type.”

So it wasn’t just shaped like a shackle. It really was one.

A mana-blocking punishment was exactly what it sounded like: a punishment that forcibly prevented mana from circulating inside the body.

Those who trained by storing mana within their bodies usually used it freely even in their daily lives, and this punishment prevented them from doing so.

It was severe enough that people described it as feeling like having one arm and one leg cut off.

Since the mana that was supposed to circulate through the body was locked away, it often came with side effects similar to having a severe fever or body aches.

“The Department of Punishments came last night and put it on me. I’ll be like this for the next ten days. I’m afraid you’ve had to see me looking so awful, Runelke.”

“No, I wouldn’t exactly call it awful……”

If anything, he looked dangerously powerful in several different ways.

Anyway, now that I knew Deacon Gold was simply suffering from the side effects of the mana-blocking shackle, I took a seat across from where he was lying.

“Some kind people gave me some cookies this morning. They reminded me of you, so I brought some. I’m not sure if you like sweet things, though.”

Deacon Gold liked sweets enough to keep a pastry chef at his own mansion inside Knox Castle just to make chocolate and desserts.

According to the information I had gathered, he was also a famous gourmet.

In other words, I had come here knowing exactly what I was doing.

“Cookies…… Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten anything yet. Wearing a mana-blocking shackle makes me lose my appetite too.”

Deacon Gold accepted the bag of cookies with a weak hand. After catching the sweet aroma, he smiled softly.

“You remembered me when you received such a lovely gift. I’m touched, Runelke.”

“I’m glad to hear you like sweet things.”

“I’ll need some tea to go with the cookies.”

Deacon Gold pressed a button on the table and said,

“No, I can do it myself!”

I tried to stop him after noticing that hot water, a teapot, and everything else were perfectly arranged in one corner of the office, but Deacon Gold firmly shook his head.

“Runelke, you’re my benefactor and my guest. That’s what I have an aide for. I’m taking up Knox’s precious resources without doing much because my abilities aren’t good enough, so I should at least make some tea.”

“Ah, yes……”

For a moment, I felt like I had caught a glimpse of the infamous Deacon Gold.

The aide entered with a polite knock. At Deacon Gold’s order to bring tea for his guest, he glanced at me before silently starting to prepare it.

I shifted in my seat a few times as if I felt uncomfortable, but honestly, I was enjoying myself.

Tea made by an aide.

How long had it been since I had experienced something like this?

“Mmm, I guess they’re freshly baked cookies. I feel like I’ve gotten some energy back thanks to you.”

Apparently unconcerned by the rough, handmade appearance of the round cookies, Deacon Gold quickly finished his portion.

But when he saw the still-full plate in front of me, he asked,

“Don’t you like sweets, Runelke?”

“No, I do. I’m just a little nervous……”

I rubbed my palms against my knees as if wiping away the sweat and gave an awkward smile.

“I came here without an appointment, but I was wondering if it was really all right for me to sit across from an executive like this. I’ve been thinking that perhaps I was being too presumptuous.”

“Runelke. No, Ruki. May I call you Ruki?”

“It’s just a nickname my seniors came up with and call me whenever they feel like it…… You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“All right, Ruki. Like I said at the infirmary, you’re my benefactor. And for some reason, I feel like I’d like to become closer to you.”

It wasn’t a bad offer.

A chance for a low-ranking member of the organization to become friendly with an executive?

If I really were Runelke Eins from the action squad, I’d consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity handed down from heaven.

Of course, from my position, where I had no choice but to remain in Knox for better or worse for the time being, it was also a useful card to have.

“So if there’s anything I can help you with, come see me anytime. Even if there’s something inconvenient about living in Knox, feel free to come to me. Especially if you bring a sweet gift like you did today.”

Deacon Gold spoke kindly, giving me a playful wink.

……He’d probably be very good at using his looks to charm people.

“Thank you for saying that, Deacon.”

Calling someone by their first name instead of their surname was only possible between people who were fairly close.

When I called him only by his first name instead of before, Deacon smiled broadly, clearly pleased.

As I stared at his face, which was undoubtedly perfectly suited for charming people with his looks, I cautiously began,

“Um, actually, there was something I wanted to tell you. That’s why I came here.”

“What is it? Do you need a raise?”

“That wouldn’t be bad either…… No, that’s not it. I remembered something strange about the Green Merchant Guild Master yesterday.”

“Something strange?”

The smile disappeared from Deacon’s face, revealing his naturally cold expression.

“I’m not completely sure, but he was perfectly normal and then suddenly changed his attitude, didn’t he? And when I restrained him, his eyes turned completely red, and I think the foam around his mouth looked purple at first……”

That was why I had come to see Deacon Gold as soon as my night shift ended.

I wanted Knox to solve the question that had been bothering me like a thorn stuck under my fingernail.

“I think it looked like symptoms of addiction to a mana-overload drug.”