I Became The Villain's Secretary

Chapter 22

'Sigh, His Grace has been acting strangely since last week...'

He didn't know how to put his finger on it, but the atmosphere around Devland was just...different.

He always behaved in a peculiar way, with a rather disturbing way with words, especially when angry, and he also didn't like noise and mistakes.

But lately it's been getting worse, or at least according to Renar. Devland didn't get as annoyed with anyone as he used to, he didn't even talk as much in general.

He was too calm.

And also...

'All he does is stare at me when I'm working, it's so unnerving! Why the heck are you even watching me from the windows?! Do you really think I don't notice? Also, how are you staring at me while you're writing? Even I can't do something like that.'

Surely Devland knew that Renar felt his gaze, but he didn't care it seems.

But at at least he didn't exactly seem in a bad mood, so he wasn't that anxious, it's just that Lady Stuyvesant will be at the main palace soon, and Renar wanted this to just be over before then.

'I would like to have a word with him...'

Claude and Jett were in another room to review and finalize the contract written by all four of them for the past week, and then show it to Devland.

So there was only Adam, Renar and Devland in the room.

Problem is that Adam can't get the hint.

'Eh...I don't know how to get him out of here, Lady Stuyvesant will be here this afternoon, I can't afford to have Devland on edge around her or suddenly behaving all sarcastic again.'

But if Adam couldn't take the hint, then Devland will probably get it, isn't that right? Well, that's what Renar thought, too, but he felt a little bold doing that.

'I mean, I don't want to seem impertinent by looking up and staring back. Seriously...this man is like a ticking bomb.'

He sighed and looked up, there was no need to hesitate now, he's already risked his head many times, and now that his plan was just in motion, he couldn't back out.

Yellow met red just like any other day.

However it didn't go exactly as he expected, they looked at each other for quite a while, and Devland even stopped writing after a few minutes, putting his pen down and leaning back in his chair.

'C'mon you bastard, send Adam out...' Renar's stare was talking for him.

"Ren, is there something wrong by any chance?" Devland asked, smirk forming on his face, eyes narrowing.

Renar's eyes widened, aside from the fact that Devland was suddenly acting as usual, but was he seriously not understanding the situation?

"No, Your Grace, nothing is wrong but..." He raised his chin at Adam, might as well take advantage of Adam's cluelessness and flat-out tell Devland to kick him out.

"What?" Devland tilts his head.

"Your Grace, I would like to discuss something with you..."

Devland feigned innocence. "Well? Just talk?" This personality change was somehow irritating Renar.

Renar stared at him, raising an eyebrow. 'Are you being for real? Don't tell me you did it on purpose to stay so silent.'

But all right, he'll play Devland's game. His face shifted to a worried one. "Your Grace, I've noticed some kind of melancholy in you lately, oh! I'm so worried about you...!"

In all of this Adam held his breath, well, he had obviously noticed a different behavior from Devland lately but...to call it melancholy. It was just hilarious.

Devland raised an eyebrow. "Oh my. Do you think so Ren? I can't deny it, it's true, I've been suffering from this melancholy for a while." He said, clearly mocking him.

Renar rose from his chair. "Don't tell me, Your Grace? Why didn't you tell me anything?!" He ran to Devland, eyebrows tilted upward. “Lord Adam, could you go get His Grace a glass of water in the Young Master’s third palace?”

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Why not a maid—"

"I only trust you and you alone, you know that Lord Adam!"

"Okay but why in the third building—"

"Because the water tastes better there!"

Adam tilts his head and then smiles proudly, rising from his chair. "Heh, yeah...trust me Renar! Don't worry Your Grace, I'll be right back!" He said, running out of the room.

Obviously he just wanted Adam out of the way for a while, and what better place than the third palace where all of Devland's direct subordinates are bullied and held back.

Yet Renar felt a little guilty, but he seriously had no choice!

He sighed and walked towards Devland. “Your Grace, is there something wrong I did?”

Of course Renar already had an idea as to why he was behaving like this, surely Devland was somehow annoyed by that evening.

"Ah well, I don't know Lord Renar, is there something wrong you think you've done?"

Renar bit the inside of his mouth. “Your Grace, even if I don't know my mistake, I will never be so foolish again! To think I might darken the day of the empire's one true beacon of brilliance, I'm so ashamed!” He clutched his chest, eyes shimmering. “Please, forgive this wretched subject! Were I wiser, I would have spent my life composing sonnets in your honor instead of offending the very star that graces our empire with its radiance! Please enlighten me so I won't dare again!”

Oh boy, he was trying hard to get something out of him. Renar knew it wouldn't help much, but Devland just needed to say why he was acting that way and just get it over with after an apology.

Aside from falling asleep during the ride, he had no clue what he'd done wrong, so he had shift his mood to a better one somehow.

But despite trying to please him, Devland was silent for a while, the air shifting in a strange way that Renar didn't really want.

He stood up and walked towards Renar.

'Huh? What is it?'

Devland stopped right in front of him, and Renar looked up right away. It was almost comical, he had to lift his head so much just to see Devland in the eye.

"I see you no longer have any problem looking me straight in the eyes like that, Ren." Devland raised his hand and placed it on the back of Renar's neck, making him froze. “Putting on these shows almost seems like a passion for you, don't you think?”

He didn't seem angry, in fact, his face became calm like before all of a sudden, and Renar felt trapped by the weird atmosphere around them.

But as we all know, there was never something in those eyes that made him feel at ease to begin with.

Renar just couldn't take his eyes off them.