The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 120

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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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120.

“Stay still, Rose.”

Casian instantly pulled me into his arms and hid us in a corner at the top of the stairs, avoiding the sudden presence we began to sense.

The sight of servants bustling about the manor gradually came into view, as if to remind us that we had come to the past.

Amidst the commotion, what particularly caught my ear was none other than voices.

It was the voice of a man and a woman who still sounded somewhat youthful.

“It sounds like Maribel’s voice.”

At my whispered words, Casian nodded in agreement, then embraced me and moved to a position where we could hear the voices better while avoiding the servants moving about.

As always, his movements were something I, an ordinary person, could never imitate.

Thus, we were able to position ourselves appropriately on the balcony of the adjacent room where the voices could be heard.

Casian held me in his embrace while appropriately concealing our bodies behind decorative flower pots and held his breath.

As the situation became somewhat familiar, the conversation could be heard clearly.

“I understand your reasons for opposing this, Father. But….”

“Maribel, you could be in danger.”

The man, the Late Lierden Count, let out a deep sigh.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t want it either, when the person closest to the throne has even volunteered to escort you to your debutante ball….”

The Count’s voice was filled with worry.

“Why wouldn’t I want to give you a proper debutante ball as a dignified countess in the capital…. Even Her Majesty the Empress is taking such care of you when she hasn’t even met you yet.”

A jewelry box with elaborate craftsmanship could be seen inside the room.

From the familiar engraved crest and the Count’s words, I could tell that the Empress of this era had gifted debutante jewelry for Maribel.

“I’m truly sorry, I didn’t exactly fail to dissuade Prince Ernest either.”

“…I’m not telling you to apologize, Maribel. You’re thinking that if we refuse the Imperial Court’s debutante ball invitation now that things have escalated this far, it will bring disaster upon our family, aren’t you.”

“….”

Unlike Maribel, who looked apologetic and restless, there was no trace of anger in the Lierden Count’s voice.

Only concern could be felt.

“That’s a trivial matter, Maribel. I can apologize as much as needed, and I’m not afraid of paying fines or earning the Imperial Court’s displeasure.”

The Lierden Count slowly caught his breath.

“I’m just afraid you might get hurt. You know what kind of secret our family holds, don’t you.”

“I know, Father. That’s why I thought it was my fate to live only in Riorden Estate.”

With a thud, Maribel knelt down in front of the Count.

The Count’s gaze naturally turned to his daughter.

“But I don’t think that’s right. Grandmother said so too, not to ignore my intuition.”

“Maribel….”

The Count gazed at Maribel quietly, then raised his hand to carefully stroke her head.

“But do you only have certainty within you? Really?”

At those words, Maribel only gave a bitter smile.

“You know why the Empress has acted this way, I want to be of help to Prince Ernest.”

“…Do you care for him that much?”

The Lierden Count, who had been silent for a moment, asked with a heavy expression.

“Enough for you to endure so much?”

“Yes, he’s someone who begged me to just stay by his side even after I refused him several times. I can no longer, any more than this….”

Maribel quietly rested her head against her father’s knee.

“I can’t refuse him anymore. I’ll try my best, please trust me. I’m the healthiest child among all the Lierden Countesses in history, that’s what Grandmother said too.”

At his daughter’s affectionate words, the Count’s sigh grew even deeper.

“I should have refused Prince Ernest’s visit to the county….”

But looking at the Count’s eyes, we realized he wouldn’t be able to defeat his daughter.

‘What on earth could the secret of the Lierden Countess be.’

That they would hesitate even to go to the capital for a debutante ball.

As I pondered and stared without realizing it, I momentarily met Maribel’s red eyes.

As she startled and sat up, the air changed once more with a strong wind.

*

“…We’re back.”

“No.”

Casian, who was protecting me as I looked around bewildered and observing the subtly different arrangement of flower pots from before, changed his posture.

And the fact that Casian’s words were true became apparent within seconds.

“Bring more ice water, you can bring out everything from the storage!”

“The medicine preparation is complete!”

Unlike before when the father-daughter conversation was merely serious, now the manor felt completely turned upside down.

The smell of medicinal herbs could be felt everywhere, and the manor servants all looked equally busy.

“Maribel, my child!”

Then a woman’s anguished voice could also be heard.

“You said it would be fine, that it would be fine. You.”

From her attitude toward the Lierden Count and her face that somewhat resembled Maribel’s, I could tell she was the Countess.

Swaying with her frail body, the Countess pounded on her husband’s chest.

“That’s why I sent her off with some hope, but why our daughter!”

“…I’m sorry, Countess.”

As she was busy resenting the Count, a man with his head deeply bowed came into our view.

It was Emperor Ernest Artez, looking even younger than when we had seen him before.

The Countess couldn’t hide her resentful gaze toward Ernest.

“This is why, this is why…! Didn’t I tell you repeatedly not to dare set your heart on our child because she’s weak, Your Majesty!”

The Countess screamed in fury even while her face had turned pale as someone about to faint.

“Why, why! Why must my daughter risk her life for mere shallow affection! When Your Majesty can’t even love her that far!”

“Madam….”

Looking at the screaming Countess, Ernest stood there dumbfounded like someone who had nothing to say even with ten mouths.

Only saying sorry in a crawling voice….

“You swore that you would protect her, that you would absolutely, absolutely never let her near …!”

Even while the Countess poured out her resentment as if she couldn’t bear it anymore, she somehow managed to swallow the dangerous words.

Knowing that it would put her daughter in more danger.

Eventually, the commotion barely subsided when Maribel, who had barely regained consciousness, called for her mother.

“Don’t blame His Majesty too much, Mother….”

“My good daughter, Maribel.”

“If Mother collapses like this, I’ll be even sadder.”

While listening to her daughter’s intermittent words, the Countess only nodded and shed endless tears.

As we held our breath, the surroundings turned dark.

As if to indicate that time had passed.

At a time when most people in the manor were asleep, conversation could be heard flowing from Maribel’s room.

“Really…. It’s not Your Majesty’s fault, Father.”

“Maribel, wouldn’t it be better to reconsider even now?”

“Really, it is. I was fine throughout the entire ball. But suddenly the Second Empress said…. that since I would be entering the Imperial Court, it would be good to receive the Minister’s blessing….”

“…You know that’s poison to you.”

A blessing is poison?

Even as I wondered about this, Maribel’s story continued.

“I know, but it was my choice, wasn’t it.”

Maribel raised her trembling hand to grasp her father’s hand.

“I endured it well. It’s not that Ernest failed to protect me. It was a place with only women, and I didn’t know such a thing would happen either.”

Even at Maribel’s calm words, the Lierden Count’s stern expression didn’t soften.

And the thought that suddenly occurred to me from Maribel’s story—

“…That is failing to protect you, Maribel. Prince Ernest won’t be able to protect you in the future either.”

The Lierden Count spoke it aloud.

“He swore he would protect you no matter what. But he couldn’t even protect you for three days in the capital, child.”

“Father….”

Maribel spoke as if she was fine, but knowing the outcome, both Casian’s and my hearts only grew heavier.

“I have my own greed too, Father. Just as Ernest needed the name of the Riarden Ducal Family to ascend to the throne.”

Maribel patted her father’s hand.

“For the sake of the Riarden Ducal Family, I want to use His Highness.”

Duke Riarden couldn’t immediately respond to his daughter’s voice, which showed clear determination even through trembling breaths.

The Duke gazed into her eyes for a long moment, as if reading every bit of her engraved will, before finally opening his mouth with difficulty.

“…Is that your resolution as the next Duke of Riarden?”

Maribel quietly nodded her head.

“Riarden has sacrificed too much until now. And this isn’t just Riarden’s matter. I don’t want to make the Riarden estate my grave without properly setting things right.”

“…Why would you shoulder such a heavy burden?”

“Because I want to protect everyone I love.”

Maribel’s voice somehow pressed heavily on my shoulders.

Casian’s arms around me tightened with strength.

“Father, Mother, and everyone in the Riarden estate too.”

“Prince Ernest is also among them, isn’t he?”

At Duke Riarden’s somewhat sulky words, Maribel smiled weakly.

“It’s a secret, but he only comes after all of those.”

“…So you’re saying you’re using him?”

“Yes, I think it’s the best opportunity for Riarden to finally break out of its shell. The best chance to reveal that dragons are not blasphemous, along with the sacrifices our Riarden has borne, and to set everything right before it’s too late.”

Maribel firmly grasped the Duke’s hand.

“So please give it to me, so I can endure even in the capital. Something that can stand against the temple—”

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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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