The Arrogant Duke Buys the Devoted Love of the False Saintess - Chapter 11

After seeing Lily off as she left the mansion in high spirits, Daebeck glanced at his master, who was looking displeased and lost in thought.

The ducal family’s mansion stood on vast grounds.

Although they employed a sufficient number of servants, due to Damian’s distrust of others, they were rarely seen.

He only trusted those whose loyalty he had literally bought with money. In other words, he purchased their labor, trusted their skills, but cared nothing for their character.

And now, what he desired next was love.

Of course, love that could be bought with money.

Daebeck thought it was utterly ridiculous, deep down.

What trustworthy element could there possibly be in love bought with money?

Love wasn’t supposed to be that kind of thing.

But Damian was a man who, once he set his mind to something, wouldn’t listen to reason.

He had the drive and the ability to follow through. He was sufficiently capable. He had the funds, so stopping him was impossible from the start.

If he said he wanted to do it, all one could do was make it happen.

And so, he declared he wanted the love of the ‘Madonna of Mercy.’

This referred to the beautiful Madonna living in a dilapidated orphanage on the outskirts of the royal capital. Having met her in person, she did indeed have lovely features. Petite, with a slender frame that looked as if it might break at any moment, she was raising fifteen children, which was quite impressive.

She was devoted and rich in philanthropic spirit.

It seemed that when she was distressed, nobles and the wealthy felt compelled to extend a helping hand. Such a fragile and innocent-looking girl.

Though only sixteen, she was so brave and evoked sympathy.

Daebeck felt dizzy at the thought of his master wanting to buy such a girl’s love with money. It was so lacking in common sense that he wanted to ask where his master’s good judgment had gone.

But knowing his master wouldn’t listen once he’d decided, Daebeck went to the employment agency she was said to frequent and requested a contract for the purchase of love.

Honestly, he didn’t think it would work.

He couldn’t imagine the ‘Madonna of Mercy’ agreeing to sell her love for money.

She was a girl who didn’t take a single coin of her own salary, donating the full amount to the orphanage.

He even thought it would be fine if she got angry and told him not to make a fool of her.

But, in reality, the girl came.

And she seemed quite enthusiastic.

Although she seemed bewildered upon hearing the contract details, she even suggested a specific monetary amount for the contract reward.

Quite the mercenary Madonna, indeed.

Her attire was certainly shabby, and he felt sympathy, wondering if she was that desperate for money.

He didn’t know how much the donations to the dilapidated orphanage amounted to, but he had heard they gathered a reasonable sum. Yet, she wanted even more money than that.

Perhaps the orphanage was in dire financial straits.

He even found himself worrying about matters outside his duties, thinking that perhaps resources should be directed toward the orphanage instead.

“How many years could the orphanage operate with the amount you proposed?” Daebeck inadvertently blurted out, prompting Damian, who had been deep in thought, to look up.

“If you’re that curious, you could just ask to see their ledger.”

“No, it was just a passing thought. I have no intention of taking on duties outside my work. More importantly, how does it feel to have bought a girlfriend with money?”

“………… I don’t feel anything.”

Perhaps that was to be expected, since they weren’t really doing anything couple-like.

Still, Daebeck hoped it might bring some small comfort to his lonely and pitiful master.

He didn’t know how much that girl was capable of, but he wished she would approach it with an open heart.

If she didn’t suit his master’s wishes, they could simply dismiss her.

The contract explicitly stated that a penalty fee would be incurred in such a case.

The girl had signed the contract without giving it much thought.

Daebeck was not a villain, but neither was he a saint.

He simply approached his work as work. That’s why he had only briefly explained, verbally, that the penalty would be ten times the payment amount.

He explained it only because he had a duty to explain, not because he sought the other party’s understanding.

It was simply the result of thinking how to ensure his master wouldn’t ultimately suffer a loss.

Therefore, it would be much later that he learned: that the issued check was immediately cashed and the full amount used; that its purpose was to repay someone else’s debt; and that the orphanage’s ledger showed it was operating on a sum considerably lower than he had imagined.