The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 141

At Artia’s sarcasm, Tunguel barely held back a curse word that threatened to spill out.

 

“You don’t say much, but your eyes say a lot.”

 

Artia clicked her tongue and held out the document to Tunguel.

 

“……?!”

 

Artia said to Tunguel, who blinked at her in disbelief.

 

“From what I’ve heard, you’ve never paid Luca a decent wage in all these years, if you don’t know, because you’re not decent enough to let such unreasonable things go unnoticed.”

 

It was technically illegal to make someone work and not pay them for it.

 

But even though the law said so, it was not uncommon for wages to be unpaid. And few people were ever punished for it.

 

But what happens when you’re facing Calvin, a man known for his impartiality?

 

Through Evangeline and Clara, Artia met with Calvin and obtained a document from him with the court seal.

 

“This is an invoice, notarized by the court, for the salary Luca has been owed. You have one week to send it to him. If you don’t, you’ll face court enforcement and dire consequences.”

 

Artia added.

 

“Then it will be your name on the front page of the newspapers, not mine. You’ll be the sleepy criminal who took advantage of a young man without paying him.”

 

The smirk on her face and the threats were condescending.

 

Tunguel’s patience was at its limit.

 

“Aaahhh!”

 

She let out an inarticulate scream and collapsed in a heap.

 

The servants she had brought with her rushed to her in alarm, but they could only stamp their feet in bewilderment.

 

“You are all beauty and no skill.”

 

How very Tunguel, Artia thought, and winked at Vivi.

 

Vivi walked over to Tunguel and took her pulse.

 

“Pulse, breathing, all normal. She’ll open her eyes soon, once she’s rested.”

 

“That’s good to hear.”

 

Artia made a disinterested sound and looked at Tunguel’s servants.

 

“Take your master away.”

 

“Yes, my lady!”

 

The servants’ eyes were filled with fear for the noblewoman who had defeated the fearsome Tunguel, but they showed no anger.

 

After the four servants grunted and left, taking Tunguel with them, Artia spoke up.

 

“Come in, Luca.”

 

Within moments, Luca appeared.

 

Artia purposely left the door slightly ajar as she entered the parlor.

 

Then she asked Luca to stand in the doorway.

 

‘Why would she go to the trouble of telling him to do that?’

 

“Tunguel, she’s nothing in front of me”

 

To show Luca the difference in power between Artia and Tunguel.

 

Luca looked at Artia with wide eyes.

 

He had met many women in his life, but Tunguel was uniquely terrifying.

 

She was fierce, and she raised her hand when she wanted.

 

She wasn’t afraid of servants; she wasn’t afraid of nobles either.

 

He’d seen her crush them many times.

 

It was different when she was with Artia. Before her, Tunguel was just a helpless commoner.

 

It was so…

 

The corners of Luca’s mouth twitched upward.

 

He covered his mouth in horror, but Artia gave him a wicked grin as if she’d seen it all.

 

‘Now, let’s pick up where we left off.’

 

“Before you went to see Tunguel, you told me you would follow me.”

 

It was probably a choice he had to make because he didn’t want to go with the ill-tempered hippo, but it was a choice, nonetheless.

 

Artia winked at him, and Vivi came back with two pieces of paper.

 

Artia handed one of them to Luca.

 

“What is this?” he asked Artia, while he had a serious look on his face.

 

“It’s an employment contract.”

 

In fact, it was extremely rare for a nobleman to hire a servant and sign a contract.

 

The perception was that the nobleman would take care of the servant.

 

The servant was supposed to be grateful to the nobleman for hiring him.

 

But Artia didn’t like that kind of relationship.

 

She pays them and they provide the labor. As promised.

 

That was Artia’s ideal relationship between employer and employee.

 

So she drew up contracts with all of the manor’s laborers. Luca was no different.

 

“Read it, it outlines the terms of employment.”

 

But Luca’s expression was strange.

 

The tips of his ears were red and he had a puzzled look on his face. It was then that Artia realized what she had missed.

 

“Can’t you read?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Basically, workers in a nobleman’s mansion were expected to be able to read, if not write, so that they could do their jobs.

 

So Artia naturally assumed that Luca would be the same way.

 

She felt bad that she’d made a mistake, but apologizing wasn’t the right word.

 

“I’ll read it to you then.” Artia said, trying to act nonchalant.

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Artia took the paper in front of Luca and began reading aloud.

 

It was short and to the point.

 

“Artia von Edenberg hereby employs Luca. The term of employment shall be for one year, renewable indefinitely at the option of either party, and the salary shall be ten gold pieces per week.”

 

“……!”

 

Luca’s eyes widened.

 

Ten gold was too much to pay a Kudran servant.

 

“I wonder if you’ve got the denomination wrong.”

 

But Artia didn’t correct him, and continued.

 

“If you agree to this contract, you will do whatever I ask of you in the future. Can you do that?”

 

Luca’s tight muscles tensed.

 

“I’m not going to give you an easy job for as much money as I’m paying you.”

 

He didn’t know what to expect, and that made him even more afraid.

 

But he didn’t dare think of refusing.

 

It was his way of life to lie flat and obey.

 

“Yes, I will do my best.”

 

Artia looked down at Luca’s deeply bowed waist and smiled.

 

She had the face of a villain who had succeeded in a vicious pact.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Luca had never written a contract before.

 

He certainly couldn’t sign one.

 

“Then let’s get to work.”

 

At Artia’s suggestion, they both dipped their thumbs in red ink and stamped the end of the paper.

 

It was a ritual that felt both exciting and terrifying.

 

That day, Luca was formally introduced to the mansion’s workers.

 

The workers looked at him and didn’t dismiss him as a Kudran.

 

Luca didn’t know it, but Artia had warned him firmly.

 

He was assigned a room with four servants.

 

The bed was plush, but a little too short for Luca.

 

He stared at the ceiling, his feet protruding from the covers.

 

“I wonder what I’ll be doing tomorrow?”

 

It wouldn’t be the same work as the previous ladies, he realized.

 

That alone made him feel a little better.

 

That night, Luca fell into the deepest sleep he had ever had in this mansion.

 

The next day, early in the morning, he woke up, cleaned himself up, and sat quietly in his room.

 

He was ready to jump out at any moment if anyone called him.

 

But it was almost noon when Artia called for him.

 

Artia smiled at Luca, who still bowed deeply to greet her.

 

“Did you sleep well?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good, because you’re going to be busy today, so follow me.”

 

Usually, a servant’s work was directed by the same servant.

 

He wasn’t sure what was going on and why Artia wanted to tell him.

 

Luca followed Artia nervously.

 

They arrived at an outbuilding off the main house.

 

A door with a plaque that read “Edenberg Productions (Temporary)” opened to reveal…

 

“Shine!!!!!!!”

 

Lam lunged at Luca, his face like a corpse.

 

If Mikhail, who had been warned by Artia, hadn’t held him back, he would have succeeded in lunging at Luca.

 

“Get off me! I have to get to Shine!”

 

But the way he struggled against his captor was more frightening.

 

Artia suddenly regretted bringing Luca here right away.

 

‘What if he got scared?’ she thought.

 

Luckily, Luca didn’t look frightened at all.

 

Though his eyes were wide as if he’d seen a strange creature.