I Became the Tyrant's Helper - Chapter 28

Nuss’s eyes widened. Perhaps he hadn’t thought this out?

He hadn’t anticipated anything more than simply escorting Ahel, and that had been enough pressure.

Not missing his flustered reaction, Ahel hesitating, said, “And… One of my co-workers at Ophelia’s has a condition called cataplexy.”

“Cata… plexy?”

This was his first time hearing about the condition, and his expression showed his confusion.

She said, nodding as if sensing this reaction, “It’s a condition where she faints if she is shocked or surprised; almost like she’s fallen asleep…” she forced her voice to crack a bit, and said with as much doom as she could muster, “She may even blackout if she sees me accompanied by an imperial knight.”

“Oh!”

At her tone, Nuss’s eyes grew even rounder. How could there be a condition that made you faint through shock or surprise?

Ahel watched his reactions play out over his face, and secretly smiled inside.

Contrary to what she’d just told him, there weren’t actually any employees at Ophelia’s who suffered from that condition.

She had fabricated it all to convince Nuss to leave her, remembering everything Jetti had told her previously.

In her deepest, most serious tone, she drove the final wedge, “It’s because of her that I don’t want you to accompany me, Nuss. I will be devastated if you do, and it causes her to have an episode. His Maj… Ray wouldn’t want to see me distraught.”

The effect from just mentioning Ray was instantaneous.

The shocked Nuss loudly blurted out, “Then! Your friend will have no reason to faint! And you will have no reason to be sad, Madam Ahel. I shall follow your lead.”

She was glad the situation was going as she’d planned, but masking her triumph, she said in a tremulous voice, “Thank you, Nuss! Ray will also be glad when he hears this.”

He was visibly relieved at her words, and she watched as his shoulders, relaxed, before subtly adding, “Then, Nuss, can you wait on the first floor until I’m through with what I have to do?”

“What? Yes, Madam Ahel! Ha-ha!” he said, waving his hands around, “No need to worry about me! I’ll just busy myself by having have a slice of Ophelia’s famous cake.”

At the relief from his nerves, he seemed to have forgotten his duty already, and was babbling excitedly about cake.

All right, Nuss. Let’s continue to not remember what my aim for coming here was. It’ll be good for you, too.

With a bright smile on her face, she brightly clasped her palms and said,

“Clearly you like cake and you’re in luck, Nuss! I was planning on buying you a slice!”

At her contagious smile, Nuss smiled back, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

It seemed that his smile muscles had relaxed along with his anxiety.

That’s probably for the best, Nuss.

Looking at Nuss’s innocent expression, she felt guilty, but there was no other choice. She had to go to Pelanders.

I am sorry, Nuss.

Silently delivering an apology to him, she stood up from her chair.

“Then I’ll see you inside, Nuss.”

“Yes, yes! Please, go first, Madam Ahel. I’ll follow you in soon.”

She exited the carriage alone, walked up the stone steps, and pushed open the large front door of Ophelia’s.

Light from the delicate chandeliers shined down on her as soon as the door opened.

Standing inside, before she even turned her head to look around, “Ahel!”

The one she’d come looking for seemed to have discovered her first.

Watching Jetti as she came out of the inventory closet, she quickly approached her.

“Jetti.”

“Oh, oh!”

After looking around and checking that no one was in the inventory closet, she grabbed Jetti’s arm and headed inside.

Jetti allowed Ahel to drag her away, a dazed look on her face.

When Ahel turned around after closing the door, Jetti asked with a puzzled face, “What is this? What brings you here, Ahel? Today is your day off.”

Green eyes and brown hair. She possessed a genuinely normal look.

And in an atmosphere where all of the employees at Ophelia’s rejected her, she was thankful that her only friend had come to her.

Ahel, staring at her, opened her lips.

“We made a promise.”

“Promise?”

“Yep. Speaking of which, Jetti, I want to ask a favor. You’re off work now, right?”

Jetti’s eyes grew bigger and the expression on her face even more bewildered.

“Ohh. A favor? Of me? What is it?”

“I was supposed to meet someone here, but Nefelie also wanted to meet me right away.”

“Nefelie?”

Nefelie, the general manager and owner of Ophelia’s, had never asked for Ahel before.

Jetti was taken aback. That much was obvious. Nefelie had never called her before.

Ahel, guilt ridden by all the lying but unable to tell the truth, nodded calmly on the outside, said, “Yes. She sent a letter stating that she had something important to tell me. Speaking of which, the person I’m supposed to meet will come here soon. He is a brown-haired, brown-eyed man dressed in the uniform worn by imperial knights.”