Chapter 29 Baron Linton
"──So that happened! Ah, last night was so much fun..."
The morning after the ball hosted by Viscount Caireno, Rhiannon excitedly recounted the events of the previous night to Kaine.
Having spent the entire night at the ball, she was utterly sleep-deprived.
Still, her face was radiant.
She must have had a wonderful time.
Kaine, while serving breakfast, listened intently, his eyes narrowing in feigned focus as he played the role of the perfect, attentive listener.
After a while, Rhiannon seemed satisfied with her own recounting, clasping her hands together with a dreamy look on her face.
"Ah, balls are just so delightful! Being pampered by so many people felt like a dream. The food was delicious, and Viscount Caireno was really a great person too."
"It seems you enjoyed yourself thoroughly, which is the most important thing."
Kaine replied with a mischievous smile, offering Rhiannon a cup of tea. It was lemon tea, steeped with generous amounts of lemon and sugar—perfect for a tired morning.
After taking a sip, Rhiannon suddenly tilted her head, pondering something.
"By the way, something felt odd. Among everyone, I felt like some kind of saint. They said I donated to an orphanage, became a patron of a promising painter, and even helped a kitten..."
"Hehe, my lady, you truly are as admirable as they say. All those things mentioned, weren't they things you did?"
Kaine placed a large stack of documents with a loud *thud* right in front of Rhiannon.
She widened her eyes in surprise.
"Um, what is this...? A new assignment?"
"No, it's not," Kaine replied smoothly. "This is a list of orphanages you've donated to, along with the names of trade merchants and promising painters you've invested in. Have you forgotten?"
"F-forgotten...?"
With no recollection of any of it, Rhiannon could only gape as she flipped through the documents.
Each one was unfamiliar, but clearly listed donations to orphanages and investments in ventures she'd never heard of—each signed with Rhiannon's name.
Her face drained of color as she continued to flip through the papers, her signature perfect and unmistakable on every page.
This meant that, on paper, Rhiannon had been living up to the saintly persona she had been praised for at the ball.
It was clear that Kaine had been working behind the scenes, orchestrating everything without her knowledge.
Kaine smiled slyly, placing a hand over his chest.
"Don't worry about the funds. I used a bit of the Clahsen family's assets, but rest assured, I will definitely recover what I invested—and the donations? They'll come back fivefold, tenfold even."
"My butler is too capable..."
"And here, I have a kitten I found weak on the roadside."
"Oh, how cute..."
Rhiannon was taken aback as Kaine suddenly presented her with a small, gray kitten.
She absentmindedly began to pet the fluffy creature as it mewed softly in her arms.
A quiet moment filled the room, the only sound being the soft purring of the kitten.
Rhiannon was torn. Should she scold her overly capable butler for using her name without permission, or should she commend him for his efforts?
Perhaps she should change her signature to prevent him from mimicking it again.
But even if she did, Kaine would probably replicate it again anyway.
(Hmm... well, I did get a lot of compliments, so maybe it's fine! And the kitten is adorable!)
She decided to stop overthinking it.
She had known from the start that her butler was far beyond the ordinary.
There was no way a simple noble girl like her could control him.
Rhiannon sighed, feeling a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"I have a lot to say, but I'll hold back. My policy is to let my subordinates be free."
Kaine chuckled, his grin mischievous.
"Oh, is that so? You're quite fortunate to have such a generous master."
Rhiannon snorted at Kaine's teasing expression.
"Still, I was really surprised to be taken to the ball so suddenly. Next time, please give me a heads-up."
"That's not going to happen. You can't lie, so it wouldn't make sense to do it any other way."
"What?!"
"It's better for you to be a little shy until you get used to it. If you get to know them too well, your flaws will show."
"Honestly, you really say whatever you want to your master without holding back!"
Rhiannon's forehead twitched in frustration at Kaine's words, but she couldn't argue, as it was true.
Ignoring Rhiannon, who was grinding her teeth in annoyance, Kaine cleared his throat to change the subject.
"Now, onto the main topic. The ball is for finding a future partner. Did you meet any promising gentlemen?"
"Well..."
Rhiannon immediately furrowed her brows.
To be honest, while she had somewhat enjoyed the ball last night, she didn't remember much about the gentlemen.
Many had approached her and introduced themselves, but they all seemed quite similar.
"Ah, well, you can't really get to know someone after just one meeting..."
"It doesn't have to be anyone special. Come on, there must have been someone who stood out a bit. Try to remember, even if you have to force it."
"Ugh..."
Rhiannon struggled to recall yesterday's memories, mumbling to herself.
"Oh, I think there was one guy who was nice. I think his name was Baron Linton. He had light brown hair and seemed kind."
Rhiannon clapped her hands together.
However, upon hearing the name Baron Linton, Kaine's expression turned serious.
"Please, anyone but him."
"What? Why not?! I finally remembered someone! He was polite and seemed handsome!"
"Wasn't he handsome? Excuse me, but are your eyes corrupted, my lady?"
"What kind of way is that to say it?! It's rude to Lord Linton!"
Rhiannon pouted, but after a moment, her expression shifted, as if she suddenly understood something.
"Oh, I get it. Kaine is jealous of Lord Linton, right?"
"..."
"That's right! It's rare for me to compliment a gentleman like this! It's not strange to feel a bit jealous..."
"...That Lord Linton is me, my lady."
With a face that looked as if he had just bitten into something sour, Kaine confessed.
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