‘What??Why are you dressed like that?’

With trembling eyes, Lillian looked at the branch manager of Billions. He was an ordinary-looking man in his early thirties. He was a little taller than average, and his body was ‘fluffy.’ His features weren’t remarkable or even handsome but were average. He was such an easy-going man who would have picked up a woman who would have thought, “Is this okay?” if she kept her mouth shut?

But his problem was his clothes. The man was dressed in black as if he was mourning. If it was merely that much, it could be plausible that he was going to a funeral, but his accessories were unusual too.

Silver skulls and chains were hanging from his clothes. The background was black, so I could see it well even if I didn’t want to see it. He had a piercing in his ear, a leather choker in his neck, rings on his fingers, and bracelets on his hands.

Lillian got goosebumps because they looked like they had skulls or crosses. ‘I think I’ve seen that outfit before.... in the dark ages of Korean fashion in the 90s.’

The man even covered one of his eyes with his long bangs. The moment she saw it, Lillian felt her fingers cringe. The man sitting in his seat greeted Lillian with his fingers.

“Yo.”

Did he just say hello to me, “Yo?” Lillian pouted without realizing it. The man who saw her hardened face added with a shrug.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Darkness, the branch manager of the Billions loan company.”

“It’s all.. Mr. Kness. Nice to meet you. I’m Lillian Rossetti.”

Lillian held out a hand with a shaky face. The man was wearing leather gloves with all his fingers exposed and studs poking out on the gloves. Lillian quickly pulled her hand back, taking care not to scratch herself.. Then the man said Lillian’s remaining body temperature with his tongue.

“Ha, I should say a formal hello to the beautiful lady, but I can’t show you one eye. Do you know why?”

“No, you don’t have to tell me. Don’t mind me.”

I don’t want to know. I’ll never want to know. Lillian smiled desperately and declined. But the man didn’t care about Lillian’s reaction. He said, turning his head at an angle with a look of elation,

“It’s a secret.... because there’s a black dragon running wild in my left eye. Heehee.”

....just in case, he was a madman. Only then did Lillian understand what the receptionist meant when he sympathized with her. It was natural that he felt sorry for her when she said she would have a private meeting with such a man.

“That’s real.”

Just in time, Saleos added a word from behind. He was looking at Darkness’s side face with delighted eyes. The demon, who was invisible to others, was clearly enjoying himself and at leisure. Lillian felt envious of Saleos at this moment.

“Come on, have a seat. You’re here for work, right? I would not be a gentleman if I kept such a beautiful lady standing for a long time.”

Darkness twirled his hand at his temple and then made an elaborate “madam please sit down” motion. When she saw this, Lillian’s face contorted into a loving smile that endured the pain. She anticipated a very long and painful conversation.

Unexpectedly, the conversation went better than Lillian expected. Darkness didn’t become the branch manager for nothing. He had a quick head on his shoulders, quickly surmising Lillian’s situation and proposal.

“Then every month, you’re saying you’re going to pay us back with your salary from the Royal Knights, so we should stop the foreclosure?”

Darkness asked after looking over the documents Lillian had submitted. Lillian nodded with a half-resigned expression.

“Yes, as you know, it’s a secure job, so I won’t lose my salary. I’d like you to reconsider the seizure of the mansion.”

Lillian was a member of the Royal Knights. She was a government official. Even if Lillian didn’t know anything about this world, one thing that was for certain is that government employees’ salaries were never cut off. If she had to mortgage her salary, perhaps she could save the mansion. Lillian hoped Darkness would be satisfied.

‘Because I only have to last one year—just one year..!’

In about a year, Aleyna would be kidnapped, and the Billions organization that traded her as a slave would collapse. By then, Lillian’s debt would naturally disappear. However, this plan had one drawback.

‘I’ll have to let Aleyna get kidnapped—as risky as that seems.’

She would need to plan carefully. Otherwise, Lillian’s own neck would fly before the Billions fell apart. For failing to protect Aleyna.

Lillian was in quite a quandary. Nothing was easy. So Lillian set a goal to survive and sustain her shelter and food for now. Her first priority was to buy time somehow. She had to earn money and somehow live.

That’s why Lillian came to Villains—er, Billions, on her own. I was going to hold my salary in mortgage and find my own way for a year. Either she could avoid becoming Aleyna’s escort or find a way to pay off her debts.

While Lillian waited nervously, biting her lips, Darkness peered into the document with one eye.

“Oh, my God. That must be a little difficult. If I get paid monthly on this salary, it’ll take you 15 years to pay off all your debts? How should I say this? It’s a little lame.”

Darkness said, shaking his index finger. Lillian unwittingly gripped her fist, resisting the urge to break his finger. Darkness got up from his seat, flapped his long cape, and turned his back.

“I know it’s rude to a lovely lady, but let’s end the conversation here. Hmmm.. hmm, hee, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do anything for you. Well then.”

***