CPSMBD Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Violetta’s Resume

"Ah, you're asking about Chief Aide Violetta's resume? What seems to be the problem?"

"She's too perfect. How can anyone be this flawless? There must be some major flaw we're not seeing."

"Ah, Violetta has been known as an exceptional talent since her school days. You have no idea how anxious I was about whether I could recruit her. Other department heads were practically salivating over her, but I managed to snatch her up quickly."

"The department heads were salivating over her? Those same ones with their noses in the clouds?"

"Indeed. If Violetta hadn't listed the Aide's Office as her first choice for preferred placement, we wouldn't have had a chance. The department heads personally mobilized to try to recruit her."

"It was that competitive?"

"Absolutely. The Academy professors couldn't stop singing her praises... Of course, even with her listing us as her first choice, if I hadn't moved quickly, we wouldn't have secured her."

General Chief Aide Kuan, looked at him with eyes seeking praise.

Friedrich, at a loss for words, gave Kuan the acknowledgment he wanted and dismissed him.

'She studied that hard just to secure the assistant position? To work by my side and win my heart?'

She was quite the formidable and persistent woman.

He would find some pretext to dismiss her. Someone who entered the position with ulterior motives couldn't possibly perform their duties properly.

Friedrich deliberately treated Violetta more harshly than others.

The Crown Prince's Assistant Office was notorious throughout the palace for its difficult and demanding work. As a result, many employees would leave in tears, never to return.

Someone like Violetta, who entered with hidden motives, surely couldn't endure. Soon enough, she too would leave like the others, never to return.

But Friedrich's assumptions proved wrong. Violetta completed every task he assigned, no matter how unreasonable the timeline, even if it meant working through the night.

While she had made minor mistakes when she first started, even those disappeared once she adjusted to the work. She was a perfect and capable employee.

To think she would continue working even with nosebleeds - the power of love was truly remarkable.

'If she likes me this much, I might be willing to reciprocate somewhat.'

However, since their first encounter, Violetta had never once mentioned proposals or tokens of affection.

She simply fulfilled her duties as an aide by his side without a word.

To think she would completely hide her feelings after being rejected once - she was frighteningly thorough.

'Let's see how long you can keep hiding your feelings.'

But from what he observed of her up close, Violetta seemed to have no interest in him whatsoever.

Not only that, contrary to her clingy behavior during their first meeting, Violetta now maintained stricter professional boundaries than anyone else.

"Dinner alone with Your Highness? I've finished my work, so there's no need for overtime. I don't believe Your Highness is the type to demand work outside regular hours. I'll take my leave now."

"No, I'll carry the documents myself. I'm perfectly capable of handling this much on my own."

"Your Highness is your ideal type? Is something wrong with your eyes?"

Friedrich went to the mirror to examine his appearance.

Hair as dark as night and blue eyes that were said to resemble Olivander's free and clear seas.

He was tall and well-built from regular training.

This wasn't bad at all.

'No, not just "not bad" - I'm definitely top tier.'

Plus, he had the undeniable background of being Crown Prince.

Yet despite his handsome appearance and background, Violetta claimed she couldn't find any charm in him whatsoever.

'Why on earth?'

Then why did she make up that story about me proposing to her in the garden?!

Surely it must have been because she was interested?

Or did she completely give up after he rejected her so coldly that day?

Even after their kiss, Violetta's attitude toward him hadn't changed one bit.

When he tried to gauge her feelings, she insisted their kiss was purely for medical purposes - nothing more, nothing less.

'Could it be... she's thoroughly hiding her feelings for fear of being dismissed from the Aide’'s Office?'

It was a perfectly plausible theory.

But then why did she go to those matchmaking meetings?

The more he thought about it, the more puzzling it became.

At least she wouldn't talk about going to matchmaking meetings for a while now.

It hadn't been long since they kissed - surely she wouldn't try to meet other men.

Speaking of which, what excuse could he possibly find to dismiss Violetta from the Aide’s Office?

Especially when she worked so hard she even got nosebleeds. That wasn't good for her either.

Moreover, keeping Violetta by his side was dangerous in many ways.

Just look at what happened this time. She seized the opportunity to steal a kiss from him as if she'd been waiting for it.

He had absolutely no intention of being with a duplicitous woman like Violetta who acted differently from her true feelings.

'Of course, if she were to beg me to date her, saying she'd die from how much she likes me, well, I suppose I might reluctantly agree...'

But how to dismiss Violetta from the Aide's Office?

It had been six years since Violetta began working as his aide.

Friedrich still hadn't found a legitimate reason to dismiss her.

***

"Senior..."

"...Chief... Aide..."

"Chief Aide Violeta!"

Lost in thought while touching my lips, I was startled back to reality by Brahe's voice as he shook my shoulder.

"Huh, what?"

I turned my head to find Brahe looking at me with concern.

"Senior, are you alright?"

"Oh? Yes, I'm fine. Why? What's wrong?"

"How focused were you on work that you couldn't even hear me calling you?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was just distracted..."

It was a misunderstanding. Contrary to Brahe's assumption, I hadn't been focused on work at all.

I had been busy replaying the recent kiss with the Crown Prince in my mind.

Since kissing the Crown Prince, my thoughts drifted back to that moment whenever I had even a slight break.

"By the way, what's the matter?"

At my question, Brahe glanced at the call bell.

"His Highness Friedrich has been summoning you repeatedly. You should probably go to his office."

The bell was still ringing, continuing to summon me.

"Yes. Thanks for letting me know."

Wait. Come to think of it, today was scheduled for regular reports.

I was already 20 minutes late for my scheduled reporting time with the Crown Prince.

'You've lost it, Violetta Estrisen! Where on earth is your mind?'

I quickly rose from my seat and headed to the Crown Prince's office.

Truth be told, it had been awkward facing His Highness since we... kissed.

I had been deliberately avoiding encounters with him.

While unavoidable during general meetings, I had been delegating tasks requiring direct interaction through Brahe.

It was only natural, wasn't it? How could I face him normally after sharing such an intimate moment - the kind reserved for lovers - with my superior even?

But the Crown Prince seemed completely unfazed.

His treatment of me hadn't changed at all.