The Fate of the Perennial Sub Male Lead is in My Hands

“Lord Byers.”

“…”

“Lord Byers?”

“…Ah.”

Vileon coughed unnecessarily.

“I’m sorry, I got distracted.”

“You shouldn’t be thinking about work again. You just promised me you’d sleep as soon as you got back to your room.”

He liked the stern tone in her voice. The maid had been telling him the same thing for at least a decade. The message was the same, but somehow the aide’s words were softer.

“Don’t think about anything else and sleep soundly until morning. Precious Chancellor.”

“Good night… Aide Didi.”

“Yeah!”

Stepping out into the corridor, Vileon closed the door. Precious Chancellor. Marienne’s words echoed in his mind.

He knows she didn’t mean it. The problem is Vileon himself.

“I found this in the basement. I’ve been rolling in the dirt for over two hours, and I want to help Lord Byers this time.”

He remembered her face, sobbing and clinging desperately. Marienne had been the one who’s injured, but had been concerned for Vileon’s well-being until just now.

‘Why would you go to such lengths for me, what did I do?’

Marienne told him not to think about it, but he couldn’t help it.

His heart was pounding in his chest, and his thoughts kept branching out.

◇ ◆ ◇

In the meantime, Vileon’s surroundings had also changed slightly. The number of people seeking out the Third Aide of the Ministry of Finance had increased.

Their reasons for seeking her out varied.

People asked Marienne about the reasons why Vileon was not in the office, and which one of the options A and B seemed more likely to her.

When this became frequent enough, Marienne said she would return to her original office.

“I’m getting in the way of your work, Lord Byers.”

“…It doesn’t bother me too much.”

“Even with people coming and going?”

Marienne threw up her hands.

“I am so sorry. Besides, the reason we started sharing an office was because of someone who was threatening me. Now that Her Highness knows my purpose, the Duke of Blackwood…”

The corners of Marienne’s mouth twitched convulsively.

“He knows I’m after his hair, but I don’t think he’s going to kill me.”

Marienne couldn’t seem to keep a straight face whenever she talked about Cain Blackwood.

It bothered Vileon.

What exactly made Marienne dislike Cain so much, and why did her emotions override her brain at the mere mention of him?

It’s often said that a great dislike goes hand in hand with a great interest.

‘If that’s true, then Marienne hates him as much as she hates the Duke…’

Vileon reached for his teacup to stall for time. The tea was cold. That was rather good. The air around him suddenly felt hotter.

Emptying it in just two sips, he looked at his aide, who was waiting for his answer.

“Is that why you want to go back to your office?”

“Hmm.”

Marienne pursed her lips. Her round eyes narrowed.

“It’s not fair, Lord Byers, to give me such a wistful look… It makes me look like I’m some sort of heartless human being.”

For a moment, a small sprout of hope sprouted inside Vileon.

“Yes, but I must go.”

The bud dried up and died before it could blossom.

“That way, the people who come to see me will be able to ask me questions. I didn’t know before, but now that I’ve been through it, I understand a bit about why possessors… why they become workaholics after experiencing it.”

Marienne said.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be to feel like people need me, and it’s actually rewarding to be helpful.”

It felt odd that Marienne was the first to ask for space. Vileon nodded, surprised to find himself feeling more than disappointed.

“Very well, then I’ll have the aide’s desk moved.”

“Thank you!”

Vileon’s mood sank further as Marienne’s desk was returned to her.

On the other hand, the people in the Ministry seemed to feel more comfortable seeking out Marienne. One even knocked on the Chancellor’s door and asked.

“Lord Byers, do you know where Aide Didi has gone?”

And it wasn’t just the Chancellor’s office. Back at the Earl of Byers residence, it continued.

“Big brother, do you know where Aide Didi is?”

Daisy asked, popping her head into the study.

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, my God, I don’t believe it. How can the chancellor of a country not even know the whereabouts of his aide?”

Daisy is an incredibly cute girl. Rumour has it that she’s still two or three years away from making her social debut, but many are already looking forward to it.

But that’s just them, and the perspective of a blood relative is a little different.

Daisy is a very cute girl, right down to the tip of her nose, but she also has a very sharp tongue.

The youngest, who, like her mother, is obsessed with mystery novels, doesn’t change her attitude just because the other person is her biological brother.

She was very consistent.

It’s no wonder that Daisy and Marienne hit it off so well.

Marienne has a tendency to be a little bold with her words, too.

“What’s with the aide?”

“A new board game came out today. Three of our servants had to take turns in the queue just to reserve it. Anyway, my mother, me, and the aide were supposed to play it at 9:00, and it’s now 8:56.”

“It just came to me while I was playing the game.”

Vileon said.

“After dinner, Chloise winked at the aide and said they would do a character interpretation… battle or something.”

The words were unintelligible. Vileon wondered if it was some kind of game, like the youngest said.

Daisy let out an earth-shattering sigh.

“Big brother, I understand that you have a lot on your mind, but next time, I hope you’ll be able to recall such important information more quickly.”

Then the youngest muttered in a low voice.

“Your aide is really quick, too. You should think before you play charades. She’d win otherwise if you don’t.”

Vileon didn’t know what to say. He remembered the last time Marienne had been off sick for two days with a broken ankle. When she came home, the house was a mess.

“No, it’s not right. I’m not Garrett’s parrot. Such expressions are not appropriate.”

Vileon took a moment to choose a word. But no matter how much he searched the dictionary in his head, he couldn’t come up with anything more appropriate than ‘the house was a mess.’

Marienne’s room, to be precise, was a mess.

As if resting the patient wasn’t enough, when Chloise left, Daisy came in, and when Daisy left, the Countess came to visit.

It wasn’t until Count Byers came in with a pot of herbs, suggesting aromatherapy as a way to cheer her up, that Vileon realised.

His family, whom he loved dearly, but with a strange twist, had taken a fancy to Marienne Didi.

Marienne hadn’t mentioned it, so maybe the third child Garrett had snuck into the guest room.

“By the way, big brother.”

Daisy turned to leave the study.

“If we ask Aide Didi about your whereabouts, she’ll tell us in three seconds without exaggeration. Don’t dismiss her as a lowly subordinate. I want you to pay attention to your aide, big brother.”

Daisy jerked her chin up and left the study. She would find a playmate in her sister’s room.

Vileon closed the book he’d been reading, a little incredulous.

“You want me to pay attention?”

A sigh of embarrassment escaped him.

“I’m trying to distance myself from everything, even at home, because I feel overwhelmed by all the attention.”

Of course, it’s a failure. Just moments ago, it was evident. I was trying to isolate myself in the study, but then the youngest sibling came in and started talking about Marienne. Given the circumstances, it’s hard not to think about the aide.

I work after work and Marienne worries about me. I don’t know how Garrett taught his parrot, but it has now learnt the word ‘overworked’.

“Watch out for the overworker! Watch out for the overworker!” the parrot shouts at the top of its lungs whenever Vileon passes in front of it.

‘That’s why I was going to read instead of work.’

Marienne bothered me. I wanted to know everything about her. What she liked, what she wanted to do, what she was doing now.

He wondered what would happen if he let slip that he tend to become overprotective when he considers someone as his own.

While Lord Byers’ affectionate nature is nice, it’s a bit excessive. I’m already a grown adult. Please handle it appropriately. I’m getting tired of it, really.

I don’t know how to respond if she were to say such words. Just thinking about it makes my mind go blank.

“Brother!”

There was a thumping sound and Chloise flung open the study door.

“You told Daisy! Do you know how badly that bloodless, tearless brat dragged your aide? Kyaaaaak!”

Chloise stamped her foot.

“Just when I was at the most… interesting point!”

Vileon watched his sister’s excitement and realised something else.

When the Byers were obsessed with something, they were pretty obsessed with it.

“It’s revenge. Tomorrow is Saturday, right? I’m taking your aide to the ice cream parlour downtown. I heard that Lord Francesco, the guy we bumped into during the Fourth Princess’s engagement ceremony, is a regular there.”

Chloe’s mind was preoccupied with dancing at that time, so she didn’t pay much attention. When did she remember that young man had asked Marienne to dance. Baileon felt slightly uncomfortable.

“What was that again? Oh, right. Priest Anaïs often visits the bookstore across the street. They say that the bookstore’s sales go up every Saturday because of her.”

“Leslie Anaïs is a dangerous person.”

My tone unintentionally became sharp. However, Chloe didn’t bat an eye.

“Who says that? It’s just a coincidence.”

“Don’t expose Marienne to the priestess’s sight.”

Chloise shrugged. Vileon felt a twinge of unease. His reasons for identifying Priest Anais as a danger were not what Chloise had guessed.

Chloise probably assumed he was wary of the priest’s flamboyant female proclivities. That’s a problem, sure.

But the bigger problem is what the priest does behind the veil of luxury and womanising.

His lord, the Second Prince, is a seemingly competent man who cannot hide his cunning nature.

Stories of a priest under the Second Prince’s tutelage disappearing several people without a trace had reached Vileon’s ears years ago.

Marienne had already had one encounter with Priest Anais. From what Vileon had heard, it was no coincidence.

A man who could do no good by being involved.

“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you come along with me tomorrow.”

Cloise raised her chin as if reminded of someone a few minutes ago. Then, with a slightly irritated tone, she muttered.

“I could have used that as an argument in that close call earlier…!”