The Arrogant Duke Buys the Devoted Love of the False Saintess - Chapter 7

Lily’s work clothes were the habit of a nun who had lived there until a few years ago.

Since it was also the official attire of the “Holy Mother of Mercy,” she wore it not only inside the orphanage but also when going to the employment agency or shopping.

In other words, she was in a room so magnificent she had only ever seen its like in stories, a room where elegant music seemed about to begin playing at any moment, a room where she couldn’t even relax and sit on the sofa that looked so plush her whole body might sink into it, a room where she agonized over how to move her feet without damaging what seemed to be a rather large, fur-like carpet spread across the floor.

Feeling utterly out of place, Lily was even agonizing over her own appearance—whether she ought to be naked.

They were work clothes, but to put it bluntly, they were old rags. Compared to this room, a cleaning rag might be cleaner. But then again, what about a young maiden being naked? She couldn’t even judge whether nudity was clean or not in the first place.

I’ve had enough. I want to go home.

But she didn’t want to move an inch.

If Lily moved, she felt she would dirty all sorts of things.

Couldn’t someone just carry her away? She wished to be swept up like trash with a broom, dumped into a dustpan, and discarded along with the rubbish.

Far from standing out badly, it was more like they were on different worlds—no, different dimensions.

Even breathing felt presumptuous.

And it smelled so nice, too.

What is this, a society of inequality? Lily, a commoner, genuinely felt like bursting into tears.

Her mind must have been paralyzed somewhere by that sudden, overwhelming debt.

She must have been out of her mind to swallow such a story and come waltzing in here.

Finally regaining her composure, Lily trembled at how frightening the momentum of anger could be.

She disliked nobles, but they were people one should deal with calmly. To face a duke, who stood at the very pinnacle of such nobility, with nothing but anger as her weapon was far too reckless.

Even if she regretted it now, she had already marched in here, so there was nothing to be done.

Looking up at the excessively high ceiling, she saw a chandelier that would surely cause instant death if it fell. Each of its forms glittered, and she vaguely thought she had once carved a stone of similar shape. That was surely a gemstone, though.

That calmed her down, just a little.

Before her sat a prince straight out of a painting.

His lack of expression made him seem even more like a painting.

The man who had guided Lily to this room had urged her to sit on the sofa, and even after she inadvertently sat down, the young man before her hadn’t uttered a single word.

He sat with his long legs crossed, leaning back arrogantly, yet both haughtiness and imperiousness suited him perfectly.

For some reason, he stared fixedly at Lily without moving a muscle.

“Despite this sudden summons, we thank you, Lady Lily, for taking the trouble to come here,” the man standing beside the young man spoke on his behalf.

“Um, just ‘Lily’ is perfectly fine.”

“You have become quite the topic of conversation in the town, haven’t you? The return of the ‘Maiden of Salvation,’ the ‘Holy Mother of Mercy’ and—”

The “Maiden of Salvation” was the name of a saint who existed in ancient times. While she was a proper historical figure, she was a noble-born lady said to have scattered her family’s funds far and wide to aid the common people—a philanthropist with whom Lily had absolutely no connection.

While mentally throttling the count, Lily could only feel deeply apologetic.

She had never intended to become such a grand figure.

She had only dressed things up a little to make collecting donations more advantageous.

She had merely played up her pitifulness to appeal to wealthy individuals and nobles enthusiastic about charitable works.

The story had gotten far too big!

Lily was just a poor person.

A girl with a bit of grit and a moderately charming personality, that was all.

“…That’s an overstatement.”

“You are as modest as the rumors say. Ah, I’ve been remiss in introductions. I am Daebeck Skia, secretary to Duke Fischer. And this is Duke Damian Fischer.”

“P-pleased to meet you…? My name is Lily.”

If it was about rumors, it would be the “Holy Mother of Mercy,” but even so, she wasn’t sure what the correct response was.

Stammering out such a clumsy greeting and bowing her head slightly, the young man didn’t move a muscle.

She couldn’t help but think the job request must have been some kind of mistake.

Because it was a transaction of love.

She seriously wondered if a man at the pinnacle of popularity, so sought-after and popular to the point of being overwhelmed, had any need for such a thing.

“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Lily. By the way, the fact that you have come here means you are willing to accept the work, correct?”

Daebeck spoke cheerfully in place of the duke, who remained silent.

“Ah, I would very much like to take on that work, but I’m afraid I don’t quite understand the details, you could say… Um, it’s absolutely not that I’m being picky or that I don’t wish to comply with His Grace’s intentions…”

Lily couldn’t think of how to steer the conversation without displeasing a high-ranking noble. In any case, she had to confirm the job details and request that he assume her debt.

The hurdle was already too high; she felt oxygen-deprived.

Why, despite hating nobles, did she have to work so desperately to arrange money to repay a debt she hadn’t even created?

It was unreasonable.

A simmering anger welled up again, and Lily clenched her fists tightly.

The hurdle wasn’t just a wall; it was more like having to cross an entire mountain.

And then, just as her consciousness was gasping for air, the duke suddenly spoke.

“I heard you are a devoted woman, rich in the spirit of self-sacrifice and a philanthropist. I wish to purchase that amount of love at your asking price.”