The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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101.

“I’m sorry, I asked too personal a question.”

I hurriedly stood up and gathered the scattered documents while apologizing to him.

Of course he’d be flustered if I suddenly asked about his romantic preferences out of nowhere while working.

He must be wondering what I was thinking.

“Oh, no, not at all.”

Francis Ashwood stood frozen like he had malfunctioned, then hurriedly bent down to help gather the documents.

“By any chance, did… did my grandfather say something to you?”

“Pardon?”

The Ashwood Viscount?

I looked up with confusion instead.

I could see Francis flustering about, unable to hide his bewildered expression.

He seemed even more panicked as documents got stuck between the floor tiles.

“If that’s not the case, there’d be no reason for you to ask-“

Since I was responsible for breaking him, I reached out to help.

“such a thing…!”

Unfortunately our timing was off, and his hand trying to grab a document brushed against the back of my hand.

Of course I didn’t think anything of it-

But Francis’s eyes shook mercilessly as if something had gone terribly wrong.

“Ashwood Aide…?”

The moment I looked at him with concern while holding the documents I’d picked up instead, Francis raised the hand that had been reaching for documents to cover his face.

And then immediately.

“I’ve been, rude!”

He hastily placed the documents he’d gathered on my desk without even organizing them properly, then fled the office as if escaping.

And as I quietly watched his retreating figure, Casian, who had appeared without my notice, sent me a displeased look.

“When did you arrive?”

“…When you were asking the Ashwood Aide about his ideal type.”

But why didn’t he come in and instead waited outside the door?

Did he develop a hobby of eavesdropping?

Thinking this, I rubbed the back of my hand where Francis Ashwood had touched.

Then Casian suddenly grabbed my hand and began scrubbing it vigorously with his fingers.

“Nothing got on it.”

“I know.”

“I washed my hands cleanly too.”

“I know that too.”

Then why do you look so displeased?

And Francis Ashwood too…

No matter how I look at it, that reaction must be that, right?

“I guess I was being insensitive. I should have been more considerate of the Ashwood Aide.”

“…What?”

Casian looked at me with surprise as if he might jump.

“Did Your Majesty know?”

“…”

At my words, Casian looked at me with a face mixing surprise, bewilderment, and even futility.

“That’s impossible.”

“Pardon?”

“Rose, noticing something? From just that much?”

“You’re treating me like I have no sense of awareness at all.”

I’ve read so many novels up until now, after all.

“But if Your Majesty knew all along, you should have told me.”

“…What did you say?”

Casian’s expression became even more menacing.

Why is my superior acting like this today?

“It’s something to be considerate about.”

“…”

When I opened my mouth as if to explain, Casian’s murderous momentum was cut short.

“Huh?”

“Isn’t it mysophobia?”

No wonder he dressed so neatly from head to toe even in summer.

He even wore gloves religiously during work hours when he first came to the Winter Palace.

I just thought he was trying to be thoroughly polite.

‘Wilma would feel sorry and ask if I haven’t been able to read many novels because I’m too busy.’

It’s a trait that often appears in novels.

I’ll have to be more careful when dealing with the Ashwood Aide from now on.

I nodded with that thought, but Casian leaned his head against my shoulder and let out a deep sigh.

“Your Majesty?”

At my words, Casian tapped my cheek with his knuckles.

“The title went back again.”

“It’s because we’re in the office.”

I’m too used to it, what can I do?

“You’re talking as if you only do it in the office.”

“Please don’t say things that would cause misunderstandings if others heard.”

“I wish someone would misunderstand, please.”

Casian let out another deep sigh and muttered quietly.

At his words “It’s far,” I wondered what he meant.

The time for work to end?

“Rose.”

“Yes?”

“You need to know how sinful you are.”

“…Pardon?”

Then Casian, with no intention of answering my question this time either, simply held me tightly.

“Should I think of it as fortunate instead?”

“So what exactly?”

“That Rose is oblivious.”

Hey, I did notice the mysophobia, so isn’t it too harsh to scold me just for realizing it a bit later than you?

Feeling wronged, I pouted and decided to put up with Casian’s annoying behavior for just 5 more seconds.

*

“You know, Rose.”

“Yes.”

About 30 seconds later, Casian, who still wouldn’t let me go, opened his mouth with somehow sunken eyes after hearing about the conversation with the First Consort.

“For the first time, I thought the Ashwood Aide was a bit pitiful.”

“Pardon…?”

If you knew he had the inconvenient habit of mysophobia, shouldn’t you have pitied him from the start?

He must have so many things to worry about and how bothersome his life must be.

“Well, at least it’s fortunate that Rose didn’t readily offer to send him to the First Consort.”

“That’s only natural.”

“Right.”

Fortunately, this time Casian didn’t show the pettiness he often displayed toward Francis.

“As Rose said, it’s true that we don’t have that right. Though there might have been a possibility he’d listen if it was Rose’s request.”

Casian leaned back against the sofa with a face that seemed lost in thought.

“That probably wasn’t the direction Ashwood Aide was hoping for.”

“Of course not, Ashwood Aide came to the Winter Palace to do proper work, right? He’s finally gotten into a good rhythm with the administrators too.”

His achievements at the Winter Palace were recognized to the point that even that stubborn Ashwood Viscount was said to view Francis differently these days.

Moreover, the administrators had recently been talking excitedly as if it were their own achievement about how his opinion regarding internal affairs of the Ashwood Viscount’s Domain had been accepted.

Working in this harsh workplace and finally seeing results, of course he’d hate to transfer now.

“Well, let’s leave it at that.”

Even so, my superior muttered something incomprehensible about feeling sorry for Ashwood Aide.

“Anyway, those who’ve lasted long in the imperial harem are certainly different, even though I haven’t seen them up close.”

“Just the fact that there were hardly any rumors about such an incident shows that.”

“The First Consort isn’t someone without influence.”

Casian straightened his head that had been leaning back and looked at me as he spoke.

“So I don’t think she’ll unreasonably antagonize us over this matter.”

He spoke as if he could see right through what I was worrying about.

“…I hope so.”

“It’s okay, Rose.”

Casian smiled sweetly at me.

As if telling me to be at ease.

“Even if something does happen.”

“You’ll protect me?”

“I’m always ready to run away.”

Casian laughed playfully.

“But before that, I think my reliable aide will handle things well, and as always, I’ll firmly support you from behind.”

At those words, my slightly tense face relaxed.

It was a voice that felt even more reassuring than words promising protection.

However, as always, things tend to happen in ways we don’t expect.

*

“…You must absolutely refuse, understand?”

Francis Ashwood, the eldest grandson of Ashwood Viscount and Second Aide of the Winter Palace, was suddenly ambushed on his way home from work.

And with words full of complaints at that.

“Really, I had absolutely no intention of spending such a horrible time with you.”

“…I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“This is why the Empress! She doesn’t know my taste at all.”

Today had actually been another day full of work.

Due to the sudden vacancy at Rose Palace, the Winter Palace was particularly swamped with tasks.

There wasn’t a single part of his shoulders, wrists, or fingers that didn’t ache, but it was pain he’d grown accustomed to.

It was also pain that brought daily newness and a sense of accomplishment, making him wonder if he was really capable of doing this much.

Having relaxed his guard while leaving the palace, Francis Ashwood couldn’t quite understand what the Second Princess who had blocked his path was saying.

Why he should spend time with her, or what he was supposed to refuse.

So he asked the Second Princess back, just as Rozelita had taught him well.

“Your Highness Second Princess, if there’s work that requires cooperation, please send documents, and if it’s urgent business that must be resolved verbally, please state your business clearly.”

“Wow…”

But at his neat words, the Second Princess looked truly shocked.

“How could she try to force me on such a boring and charmless partner…!”

“Pardon?”

Francis Ashwood found it hard to agree with the Second Princess’s assessment.

Because he thought Rozelita looked very cool whenever she spoke precisely in the midst of intense work.

‘Of course, I’m still quite lacking compared to Salice Advisor.’

It seemed he still hadn’t learned humility.

To think so lightly that this much would be not bad.

While Francis was thinking this, the Second Princess let out a short sigh and spoke to him as if explaining.

“Didn’t you hear from Salice Advisor? The Empress said that if I wait just a little, you’ll come to my palace.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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