SWNOVELXO Chapter 64
To get straight to the point, the cause of Baroness Pavron’s illness was indeed her ribs.
It was a condition that could have easily turned life-threatening, but fortunately, she was young, and with the timely support of the Marchioness of Ambrose, her treatment proceeded smoothly.
In fact, the Marchioness had made sure her “investment” was thorough.
Not only did she assign the best physician in the Imperial Capital to the case, but she even arranged for Helios—a high-ranking priest who was notoriously indifferent to most donations—to personally visit the Pavron household.
Rumor had it that at first, Baron Pavron had been utterly bewildered by the sudden turn of events. But the moment his wife stopped coughing after receiving divine treatment, he was so overwhelmed that he burst into tears.
News of this had already reached the Duchy of Blaire over the past few days.
How?
‘Because the social gossip columns know everything…’
The idle nobility had an insatiable curiosity about other people’s affairs.
Naturally, all sorts of exaggerated tales had made their way into the gossip papers.
There was even a claim that Baron Pavron had thrown himself at the feet of the Ambrose couple, begging for their forgiveness and repenting for his unfilial ways.
As far as I knew, he had simply visited them to express his gratitude…
Well, in any case, it seemed that the conflict between the Marchioness of Ambrose and her son’s family had finally come to an end.
‘Then, what’s next for me…?’
Recruitment, of course.
On my way back from the Poletta leather workshop, I found myself absentmindedly staring at the uneven garden stones when an impulsive question slipped out.
“How did you feel when I chose you?”
Flinch.
The large figure beside me noticeably tensed.
“…Pardon?”
As if wondering whether I was really speaking to him, Ian pointed at himself and looked at me directly.
Ah.
Now that I thought about it, I had completely skipped the context.
Caught up in my excitement about recruiting Baroness Pavron, I had spoken too abruptly.
Shaking my head lightly, I clarified,
“I mean when I offered you the position of my bodyguard. How did you feel?”
“…Ah.”
Only then did Ian’s face return to its usual unreadable expression.
‘He’s the type whose emotions show more than he realizes.’
As I inwardly smiled at that thought, his gaze lowered slightly.
“…I didn’t dislike it.”
“…What?”
“I didn’t dislike it.”
Hmm?
What kind of answer was that?
Did he mean he liked it? Or just that it wasn’t unpleasant enough to refuse? It was too vague to tell.
Seeing my puzzled expression, Ian hesitated for a moment before adding,
“…I was a little taken aback, but you did consider my convenience.”
“Oh, you mean when I agreed to let you work part-time?”
“Yes.”
Well, that was true.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
Typically, a bodyguard’s job required round-the-clock protection. From his perspective, it was understandable that he thought I was being considerate.
But the truth was…
“I guess I can admit it now, but that was purely for my own convenience.”
However, as time passed and I spent more time with Ian, I realized that having someone around wasn’t as uncomfortable as I had thought.
And now, I was certain that was only possible because he had been subtly considerate of me in ways I hadn’t initially noticed.
In short, I was grateful to Ian.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I was that you were there to help me that day. Honestly, I should be the one thanking you.”
…Was that too sentimental?
But expressing sincerity always came with a bit of embarrassment.
Avoiding his gaze, I spoke in the most genuine tone I could muster.
“…By the way, I just thought of something. If you’re okay with it, what do you think about hiring more bodyguards?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Well, isn’t it better to have multiple people rather than just one? You’re busy, after all.”
When I first hired Ian, I never expected to be going out so often.
Because of that, there were times when he had to work past his designated hours, yet he never once complained.
Though… he did occasionally stare at me with a certain unreadable expression.
‘Like he was silently asking when I’d finally let him go home.’
Yeah, that was probably it.
That was why I had made up my mind—to hire another bodyguard besides Ian!
“I also think it would be better to respect your personal time.”
“…That won’t be necessary.”
“There’s no need to refuse. From what I can tell, you seem to value your privacy. You only work three hours a day, and you never accept assignments that require travel. That makes me think you’re probably juggling another job, right?”
Curious about what he actually did, I carefully asked,
“…You wouldn’t happen to be able to tell me what your main job is, would you?”
“…I’m afraid not.”
Ian took an awkward step back but then spoke with firm resolve.
“However, instead of hiring more guards, if necessary… I can consider extending my work hours.”
Would that really be okay?
He always looked exhausted.
At first, I had mistaken him for the Duke of Blaire, but that seemed laughable now—because the two were completely different.
The Duke was an exploitative employer who squeezed every last penny from me.
Meanwhile, Ian was a diligent worker who remained loyal despite my tendency to keep him past his working hours!
But there was one similarity between them…
As time passed, both of them seemed to develop darker and darker circles under their eyes.
Anyway, what I really meant to say was—
Even though I didn’t know what his main job was, I couldn’t shake the guilt of making him work even more.
“…Are you really okay with this?”
“Yes. I am. Also, it’s time for me to clock out. May I leave now?”
At some point, we had arrived in front of the ducal estate.
“Oh, of course. Go ahead.”
“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He gave a polite bow and turned away, his steps crisp and orderly.
Even as he walked off, the precision of his movements reminded me of the Duke.
‘Do all swordsmen move like that?’
Tilting my head in thought, I pushed away my musings about Ian.
‘Anyway, how should I approach this recruitment offer?’
Now that the Marchioness of Ambrose was actively supporting Baroness Pavron, offering money alone wouldn’t be enough of an incentive.
Besides, there was something about her…
‘She seems like the type who needs to feel passionate about her work.’
There were all kinds of people in this world.
Back when I was a corporate worker in Korea and even now as an administrator in Lemeia, I had encountered them often.
‘The kind of people who only work when they find it fun.’
Unlike me—who had always worked out of obligation—they thrived on genuine passion.
And that passion often drove them to success.
‘I got that feeling from Baroness Pavron.’
After all, even when she was coughing due to her fractured ribs, she had been enthusiastically rambling about a story she had thought up.
Thinking back on it, it was only possible because of her incredible passion.
‘Maybe… real writers should be people like her, not someone like me who just adapts existing stories.’
Even after Ian left, I remained outside the ducal estate, pacing through the garden, lost in thought.
That was when—
“Princess.”
A dark shadow loomed over me.
Whip!
Startled, I looked up—only to meet the sharp gaze of the Duke of Blaire.
“Let’s talk.”
“Y-Your Grace?”
For some reason, he was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.