If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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If the Villain’s Secretary Suits Me
Chapter 24
I had to give him an answer, didn’t I?
“That’s very kind of you, thank you so—wait, just a moment, Director!”
But my gratitude never reached its conclusion.
Aden had started moving toward me.
I hastily stopped him and jumped to my feet,
“Please don’t move! …Phew, thank goodness. Everyone’s safe.”
I carefully gathered up the spiders that had nearly been trampled, one by one.
After retrieving a new box and glass jar to place the spiders back inside, I even picked up my glasses that had flown off into the distance, then spoke cheerfully.
“Alright, you can move now.”
Though I did catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye.
‘Did he just reach out his hand to me? …Was he trying to help me up?’
As I pondered this, Aden turned back toward me, his expression as dry and cold as always.
‘I must have been mistaken.’
Then again, Aden was the type more likely to step over a fallen person than help them up.
Judging by how naturally he was now pressing his shoe down on the Debt Collector’s back.
“So those spiders—Iliana Grecia raises them?”
“No, I caught them as a side business.”
“A side business.”
“Yes, five of them make one set for 50,000 gold. Apparently it’s become trendy among kids these days to keep mountain spiders like these. They’re gentler than they look—as long as you don’t handle them carelessly.”
After such a remarkably peaceful conversation conducted over an unconscious man, silence descended.
Aden’s ink-black gaze settled across my home.
The sprawled man, the pepper spray rolling across the floor, the marriage agreement, and the worn jewelry box still clutched in my hands—his eyes swept over it all before finally settling on my face.
Aden opened his mouth slowly.
“So then.”
“Yes?”
“Besides telling me you can move, is there anything else you’d like to say?”
Anything else I’d like to say? I was confused.
“How would you like me to handle this.”
His voice had dropped far lower and deeper than usual, and the slight downward glance of his eyes made his meaning unmistakably clear.
Aden was asking me how I wanted him to ‘dispose of’ the Debt Collector.
It was chilling in multiple ways, but I answered quickly.
“Since you’ve asked so kindly, I’m sorry to impose, but I have one favor to ask.”
“Yes. Tell me.”
“…Um, do you happen to know how to repair a door, Director?”
I pointed to the door lying on the floor.
“As you can see, even the hinges are completely broken…”
“…”
“I won’t be able to face the Landlady Grandmother otherwise.”
‘Never mind handling people—just deal with that door you smashed to pieces….’
I’d tried to change the subject without seeming too obvious, but there was no way to predict how Aden would react.
It was just as I turned my head, my nerves taut beneath the surface.
“Ha.”
Surprisingly, Aden laughed.
It was barely more than a hollow chuckle, a faint smile that flickered across his cold features for just an instant, yet that brief warmth—
“If that’s what you want.”
—was as unfamiliar as it was remarkably beautiful.
***
There were two reasons I hadn’t borrowed Aden’s hand to “handle” the Debt Collector.
One was my goal of keeping him out of prison.
And the other was….
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking something’s off about this guy lately.”
‘There’s no need to dirty Aden’s hands with work that isn’t even his concern. Vargas will take care of it anyway.’
It was because of Thomas, the remaining half of the pair of Debt Collectors who always worked in tandem.
I’d rifled through the unconscious Debt Collector’s notebook and contacted Thomas, who arrived immediately, saying he’d been looking for his missing partner.
“Money-hungry or not, to think of selling off a kid I’ve known since he was this small….”
Thomas shook his head in disapproval.
“Anyway, I’ll take this bastard with me.”
“Yes.”
“Where else would you find a debtor like you these days, paying on time no matter what? Don’t worry about it—I’ll handle the report myself, so there won’t be any repercussions for you.”
Hmm, was that really him being considerate of me….
‘Of course there shouldn’t be repercussions—this wasn’t even my fault.’
In any case, this was precisely why I didn’t fully trust Thomas.
‘If he were truly a good person, he would’ve at least given me a hint about Father’s whereabouts.’
Thomas was kind—for a Debt Collector—but by ordinary social standards, he was hardly a decent person.
I’d heard he could be even harsher to others than the unconscious Debt Collector was.
Perhaps the reason he treated me relatively well was because he had a child around my age?
‘Anyway, Thomas said he didn’t know anything about this marriage agreement either.’
As I was thinking this, Thomas, who was hoisting the Debt Collector over his shoulder, let out a cry of pain.
“But who’s that dark-looking guy outside?”
I almost laughed.
‘So he looks dark to other people too.’
In any case, that dark-looking man had been outside the whole time, communicating with someone over the phone.
So I hadn’t been able to give him advance notice that Thomas was coming, but—
“Aaaagh! Who are you!”
“I should ask. Who are you?”
At the scream, I rushed out to find Aden twisting Thomas’s arm without hesitation.
Thomas, freed by my explanation just before his shoulder dislocated, was still grimacing in pain.
“He’s the representative of my new employer.”
“Boss? With that kind of strength, you could tear down a city wall with your bare hands. Were you a mercenary or a knight before?”
“I’m not entirely sure about that myself.”
“Anyway, it seems you’re paying decent wages? You’ve settled this month’s payment too—well done. Just keep making your repayments like that.”
Thomas seemed indifferent as long as I paid the interest on time; he didn’t particularly care how I earned the money. It had always been this way.
I found his apathy convenient. Thanks to it, I didn’t need to explain anything about Aden.
As Thomas prepared to leave, he suddenly asked another question.
“But why did the boss come to your place at this hour?”
I could only give the same answer.
“I’m not entirely sure about that myself.”
Why had Aden come?
That was something I couldn’t begin to fathom.
Seeing my expression, Thomas shrugged and turned to leave, hoisting the Debt Collector onto his shoulder.
Just then, Aden seemed to be finishing his call and was coming back inside. Something suddenly occurred to me, and I grabbed Thomas’s arm.
“Wait, Thomas. Did you really not see my letter?”
“A letter?”
“I sent one to my Family Home to notify them about my move here. It only had the address, no message. But this man keeps insisting he never saw it….”
Hmm.
Didn’t Aden just hesitate when I mentioned the letter?
Something felt off, but clearing up my grievance took priority over analyzing his every subtle reaction.
“No, there was nothing like that. I even checked the Mason Merchant Guild just to be sure, and it wasn’t there either.”
“Really? That’s strange… Did I put the stamp on wrong?”
“Or the mail carrier could have made a mistake. You have a communication device now anyway, right? I’ll contact you through that if anything comes up, so make sure you answer properly from now on.”
“Yes.”
And so Thomas left.
‘But why isn’t Aden leaving….’
I was wondering how to address him as he stood silently in the doorway, staring at me.
He broke the silence first.
“Can you walk?”
“Huh? Yes, as you can see?”
“Then that’s settled. Pack a few essentials and come out.”
“Pack?”
“It won’t be comfortable staying here tonight because of that ‘door.'”
I half-expected he might not fix it himself but would call a repairman instead.
The way he emphasized ‘door’ made it seem like he was hinting that I’d asked him to handle such menial work….
It was true I couldn’t stay here, and given my position, I needed to follow his lead. So I decided to comply.
I packed my jewelry box and a few essentials into a small bag and followed him out.
‘Oh, maybe he’s going to open the office door? Perfect—I can sleep on the Break Room sofa.’
But despite confidently saying I could walk, my steps were unsteady.
The aftermath of the brawl caught up with me late; my ankle throbbed with pain.
Still, as I carefully made my way down, I heard a small sigh from above my head.
“I’ve got you.”
With that, he extended his arm toward me.
The mountain path was pitch black without a single light, yet how had Aden noticed me stumbling?
Before I could think, I found myself gripping his forearm and bowed my head in gratitude.
“Oh, yes. Thank you so much.”
And I offered him the thanks I hadn’t been able to express earlier.
“And thank you again, truly, for helping me today.”
He didn’t respond, but Aden’s arm continued to support me.
Because of that, I felt no anxiety despite the slippery mountain path.
Still, the way he simply commanded me to grab hold without explanation left me uncertain—was he concerned for my safety, or did he find me pathetic?
It was probably the latter. When I fought Jeremy, I thought he was worried I might be hurt, but it turned out to be suspicion on his part.
“If I recall correctly, ‘fighting’ wasn’t listed under hobbies on Iliana Grecia’s résumé.”
At his sudden remark, I nearly choked.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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