If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 4

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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 4
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‘Should I take it or decline?’
The moment the acceptance notice arrived, I agonized over the decision hundreds of times while changing into fresh clothes.
But ultimately, all that deliberation proved utterly pointless.
“Why are you still here, Director?”
“Ah, they requested some documents from our end. You haven’t been in the Capital City long, so you don’t know your way around yet, right? Since I’m already here, I’ll take you there myself. Ha!”
The Employment Agency Director’s meddlesomeness exceeded my wildest expectations.
I wasn’t even sure if this qualified as kindness anymore.
‘Did Aden deliberately ask him to do this so I wouldn’t stray from the path?’
Trembling with anxiety, I accompanied the Director and….
“…Hello, I’m Iliana Grecia. I look forward to working with you. *cough*.”
Before I knew it, I was reporting for duty at La Mar.
Never did I imagine I’d see this dark office again.
“Iliana Grecia.”
And never did I imagine I’d face this dark man again!
Without even glancing at my employment documents, Aden called out my name as he sat at his desk.
His voice was chillingly low and cold. Somehow, it made me feel as though I should confess to crimes I never committed and beg for forgiveness.
“Yes, sir….”
“As stated in the job posting, your probationary period is one month. Your conversion to permanent status will be determined based on your performance.”
“Yes, I understand….”
“You’ll receive training from your senior, Jeremy Sand. It shouldn’t be difficult work.”
“I’ll keep that in mind….”
“Then.”
‘Stop cutting me off mid-sentence. Do you not understand what a conversation is?’
He did this during the interview too—it was clearly a habit of his.
My answers were worthless, not worth listening to? But if I don’t respond, he’ll just say, ‘Grecia, aren’t you going to answer?’ and criticize me anyway!
While I seethes silently, I found myself unable to respond to what Aden said next.
“I hope to see an improvement from your interview performance, Grecia. I’ll be watching.”
“….”
“You’re dismissed.”
In a sense, it was nothing particularly remarkable.
But hearing it in Aden’s voice sent shivers down my spine.
“Sir! You have an external appointment now.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
Whether it was business or not, Aden and Luther left the Merchant Guild immediately.
Standing awkwardly in the middle of the hallway, I finally located my desk.
[Probationary Secretary]
I fingered the nameplate that still lacked my name and cast a furtive glance around the sparse office.
Still, despite being called a Merchant Guild, it was strange how empty the place felt with only me and my senior, Jeremy Sand, around.
A reckless thought crossed my mind. Should I quit right now?
I had been hastily scribbling out a resignation letter when I suddenly froze.
‘…No. If I’m going to leave properly, I’d have to get out of the Capital City, but how would I find a new place, and what about this month’s debt?’
I had put my childhood home up for sale and come to the Capital City where jobs were plentiful. It was all because of debt.
But the problem was that my Hometown house still hadn’t sold, leaving me with barely 2 million Gold in my current possession.
‘Of course, there’s exactly one way left to get money.’
Selling my mother’s belongings, who had passed away fourteen years ago.
But I shook my head firmly.
‘No, that’s absolutely not happening. I’ve been struggling all this time, working two jobs, even three jobs, precisely to avoid touching those things.’
Even as I mentally ran the numbers, there was simply no solution in sight.
“Hmm?”
An envelope sitting on the corner of my desk caught my eye. What was this?
I picked it up carelessly and checked its contents, then jumped to my feet.
“Um, Jeremy Sand?”
My senior, Jeremy Sand, answered without even looking my way, his tone dripping with annoyance.
“What.”
“There’s a bundle of money on my desk. What is this?”
Even as I asked, I instinctively gauged its thickness. Just touching it once was enough to estimate its value.
This was exactly 3 million Gold.
Combined with the money I already had, this was precisely enough to pay off this month’s interest of 5 million Gold!
‘Is this money meant to be transferred somewhere? But even so, it’s strange to just hand over such a large amount to a trainee without explanation….’
While my mind raced with questions, my senior answered irritably, as if asking why I was even bringing this up.
“That? A congratulations bonus for joining.”
“….”
“By the way, your monthly salary, performance bonus, and appearance maintenance allowance come separately at the end of the month.”
“….”
“What, are you saying the bonus is smaller than you expected? For a trainee, you certainly have big dreams. It’s one month’s salary as a congratulations bonus, so if you’re unhappy about it, take it up with the director.”
I alternated my gaze between the 3 million Gold and the half-written resignation letter.
Just moments ago, I had been convinced I needed to leave immediately.
‘Maybe…it doesn’t have to be right now…’
I suppose this is what they call financial therapy.
‘Is Aden actually not the villain behind the scenes?’
How could someone who casually hands 3 million Gold to a mere trainee possibly be a villain? And the salary comes separately on top of that?
I apologize for cursing at him for cutting me off. I was wrong.
“Your probation period is one month. Whether you’re converted to permanent status will be decided based on your performance.”
As I fingered the money, Aden’s words suddenly echoed in my ears.
Continuing to work at La Mar was something I couldn’t do. I knew what their tragic end would be.
I had absolutely no intention of becoming a shared fate with Aden and the others.
‘But just one month, just one month of work…wouldn’t that be okay?’
I knew this was textbook self-rationalization, but I had my reasons nonetheless.
‘Thinking coldly about it, if I can’t repay the debt, my life is ruined anyway. On top of that, I need to find Father.’
My Father, who burdened me with his gambling debts, is currently missing.
The debt collectors dragged him away.
‘They said they’d tell me Father’s whereabouts only after I repay all the debts.’
Still, he’s my only father, though my concern wasn’t purely sentimental.
‘With things as they are, I don’t have the luxury of worrying about the father who dumped his debts on me.’
There’s something I absolutely must extract from Father.
So until I face him, I have no choice but to bow to the debt collectors’ demands.
‘If I combine this congratulatory bonus with the salary I’ll receive at month’s end to build up an emergency fund, I might finally be able to breathe.’
With no certainty about when Sirena’s house would sell, I desperately needed this money to extinguish the immediate crisis.
Besides.
‘If I just disappear without a proper reason, Aden won’t let me off the hook.’
That’s the real problem.
Aden is a villain who will control the entire Empire in just one year.
My personal information—meticulously summarized by my own hand—is now in the grasp of that shadowy mastermind.
‘Wouldn’t it be wise to avoid having both debt collectors and the world’s worst villain chasing after me?’
So my conclusion was simple.
‘I’ll make Aden fire me!’
My fists clenched.
Determination surged through me.
‘I’ll act incompetent enough that he’ll have no choice but to let me go!’
Today’s meeting only solidified my conviction.
Aden clearly dislikes me. So why did he hire me?
‘The other candidates must have been so terrible that he reluctantly settled for me as the lesser evil.’
So if I give him a reason to fire me, wouldn’t he eagerly cast out this trainee he already resents?
Then I could safely leave this shadowy company without the risk of being hunted down!
‘Surely he won’t demand I return the bonus. I get the money and I get to quit!’
I could see the path forward.
‘But I can’t be too obvious about acting incompetent. That would make me look like I have ulterior motives. …Not that I don’t have my own agenda, but still.’
Aden is the type who would throw me into the sea to feed the sharks without hesitation if things went wrong.
So my ultimate goal is to become ‘adequately irritating and adequately unlikeable’.
But there was one very small problem with this otherwise perfect plan.
‘…Hmm, how exactly do I become incompetent…?’
Who in their right mind would set such a goal for their career?

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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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