By Zephyria 
He couldn’t even properly remember how he had made it home. By the time he stepped out of the taxi, Bliss was completely exhausted.
“Welcome back, sir.”
At the security team leader’s question, he only then realized he had returned to the mansion Ashley had purchased in London.
“Ah, yes. Yes.”
Ah, such a continuous stream of lies.
Even as he gave a vague answer, Bliss couldn’t help the sudden prickle of guilt in his heart. Feeling the frantic thumping beneath his palm, he hurried inside, but he felt the man suddenly follow close behind.
“Yes? What? Why? What is it?”
Startled, he spun around and asked urgently. The security team leader hesitated for a moment, quickly averted his gaze, and cleared his throat.
“Um, excuse me. Could you tell Larien for me? That I did my absolute best for you…”
Ah, right.
Only then did Bliss remember why he had been able to slip away so easily. It would have been absolutely impossible without the security team leader’s help.
Ashley Miller is extremely sensitive about his children’s safety; he had even gone so far as to implant tracking devices in all six of them. There was no way he would let his most cherished youngest son wander around London—where public safety was a mess—all by himself. Above all, the youngest son, who looked exactly like the partner he cherished as his own life, was not particularly bright, so the idea of letting him out of sight was unimaginable.
That was why a group of security personnel had been sent along when Bliss came to England. Considering that the other children, excluding Grayson, always dragged around a swarm of guards in addition to the tracking devices, it wasn’t that strange.
However, it was simply a hindrance to Bliss’s meticulous plan.
But Larien had solved that as well. Bliss looked up at the security team leader, who was as large as a bear and blushing up to his cheeks, and thought:
I can’t believe Larien even seduced this middle-aged man.
Feeling something between admiration and fear, Bliss forced a smile.
“I got it. Don’t worry, Larien will be very grateful too.”
“Then, please con—”
“I’ll tell her to contact you.”
Cutting him off before he could finish, Bliss nodded and hurriedly ran up the stairs. Actually, this wasn’t the first time. Since Larien tended to seduce anyone she took a liking to, she already had three wives. Of course, bigamy isn’t legally recognized. However, Larien said it didn’t matter because, according to the laws of ‘Larien’s Country,’ one can have as many wives as they want as long as they are in love. He had no idea what kind of nonsense that was.
More importantly.
“Haaaa.”
Finally collapsing onto the bed and letting out a long sigh, Bliss lay there with his arms stretched wide, staring at the ceiling as he chewed over the day’s events. As he organized them one by one, the scale of it all felt overwhelming. From meeting his soulmate, Penelope, to their powerful harmony, and even her promise to be his helper.
“It weighs on my mind that I ended up deceiving Penelope…”
Bliss murmured in a small voice. But he had already come this far. It wasn’t as if he could give up now.
It’ll all be over once I get an apology from that bastard.
He could just tell Penelope, ‘I have to leave because it was an unattainable love.’ Since she shared the same sensibilities as he did, she would surely understand. He had already laid the groundwork.
Since it had come to this, speed was of the essence.
Clenching his fist while lying down, Bliss made a determined declaration.
“I’m going to turn that bastard into a slave of my love as quickly as possible.”
♬♬♪♩♪♪…
Just as he was burning with resolve, his phone suddenly rang. Fumbling through his pocket to pull out the phone, Bliss sat up abruptly upon seeing the caller and answered.
“It’s me, Larien!”
—Yes, Bliss. I figured it was you.
Larien replied with a smile in her voice and immediately asked a question.
—How did the interview go? It’s over, right?
“Uh, yeah. I just got back.”
When he answered obediently, Larien asked again.
—You didn’t happen to fail, did you?
“Of course not, I succeeded!”
As Bliss shouted confidently, Larien’s voice continued in his ear.
—Really? That’s impressive.
He was about to get angry and ask if she had been doubting him, but she continued first.
—Tell me in detail. What happened?
“Uh, yeah.”
Bliss nodded obediently and recounted everything in detail. As he put the memories he had been dwelling on into words, he felt even more excited, and laughter leaked out.
“So anyway! She told me to come to work starting tomorrow. So I said okay, and I just got back. Oh, right, the security team leader asked me to send his regards. He specifically wanted me to tell you that he did his absolute best.”
—Oh, okay. Is that all?
Larien’s reaction was utterly indifferent. Since she was a cold-blooded relative, Bliss felt a slight pang of guilt toward the security team leader, but that was it.
I did my best too, I’m sorry.
Apologizing inwardly, Bliss readily brought up the next topic.
“Yeah, it’s five days a week with room and board provided. I even have my own room. They said I can go out on weekends, but I plan to stay at the castle if possible. Um, also.”
After a deep breath, Bliss shouted.
“Get this—they’re giving me a weekly wage! I’m earning money. I’m making money! My god, I actually found a job and I’m earning money!”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Bliss let out a “Kyaaa!” and flopped back onto the bed, kicking his legs wildly in joy. As if she could see him, Larien asked in a surprised voice.
—You’re earning money? You? Really?
“Yes, really! Think about it, I’m employed. So of course I get paid!”
It was true. Bliss was truly earning money. To think he was doing something called ‘work’ and getting paid for the first time in his life. This was what being an adult was all about, right?
Now, Grayson was the only one left eating and idling at home. Everyone else was making their own living in their own way, and who would have imagined that Bliss would get a job and earn money before Grayson?
Of course, Larien had never imagined it either, despite being the one who came up with the idea of ‘getting a job at a Count’s estate.’
—Hmm, that’s true. It is true, but…
Larien, trailing off suspiciously, gave a piece of advice in a serious tone for the first time.
—Bliss, it might be a scam. Like phishing, for example.
Startled by the unexpected words, Bliss stopped kicking his legs.
“A scam? Phishing? What’s that?”
Larien paused to choose her words before answering.
—To put it simply, it means they’re lying to you to steal your money.
“Why would they do that? To me?”
—I mean… no, forget it. Just forget about it.
Larien immediately regretted trying to explain. He wouldn’t understand half of it anyway. Moreover, he was so oblivious that even if he fell for a phishing scam, the scammers would probably die of frustration before they ever managed to take any money from him.
—Alright, you worked hard, Bliss. It’s finally started. I thought you’d run away and quit halfway through.
At the admiring praise, Bliss puffed out his chest and tilted his chin up arrogantly.
“I told you, once I start something, I go until the end.”
Larien encouraged him again with a smile in her voice.
—Right, Bliss. It’s just the beginning, so hang in there. Be careful not to get caught.
Bliss replied with confidence.
“Yeah, don’t worry. Everything is perfect, and Penelope said she’d help too!”
—You won’t forget to reward me if you succeed, right?
“Of course, Larien. Now that I’m earning money, I can buy you whatever you want!”
—Great. Then buy me a flat in London.
“Got it. Don’t worry, I’ll buy you one. That’s nothing, I’m earning money now.”
—Good, good. Very good.
Larien nodded with satisfaction, thinking that she definitely wanted to be by his side when Bliss went to buy a flat with his small and precious wages.
—You have to take me with you when you buy the flat.
“Of course. Since it’s Larien’s flat, we’ll pick a pretty one that Larien likes.”
—Thanks, I feel so reassured.
Larien wished Bliss luck once more and hung up. Bliss remained lying on the bed with the phone on his chest, letting out a long, excited sigh.