The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 21

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

21.

It didn’t take many days for Alexis to finish negotiating with the two would-be kidnappers.

‘More precisely, it should be called the day she negotiated with the Empress.’

Since Her Majesty the Empress of our country was involved in this incident, Alexis wanted me to handle the aftermath process, so naturally I could know all the details as well.

“How about it, am I quite useful too?”

“….”

What kind of answer are you expecting to that question?

I quietly looked at Alexis once, then turned my head back to the remaining documents.

Soon she burst into hearty laughter.

“I was just curious about your impression. When you finish a job, don’t you naturally want to hear from others how it went?”

Alexis seemed to quite enjoy attention.

At her gaze as she leisurely sat on the desk looking at me, I let out a shallow sigh while finishing the last document.

“I think it was all appropriate handling. I’m grateful that you seemed to consider the parts that Prince Casian and I might find uncomfortable.”

“What I wanted to hear was something more raw than that.”

Alexis got down from the desk with a thud and approached me.

“For example, about Count Gash Yeongshik being made to look like a debauchee.”

That’s right, Alexis had sent Count Gash Yeongshik back to his country on charges of sexual harassment.

And she even attached a grand scandal about him harassing an Imperial Royal Guard, getting beaten up, and causing a ruckus.

“I thought it was Your Highness’s mercy.”

“Mercy?”

As if it was an unexpected answer, Alexis laughed softly.

“Isn’t it much more moderate than nearly harming his own country for personal gain? The Count’s family could save face by just sending Yeongshik alone to a monastery or something.”

Nobles aren’t nobles for nothing – they’re nobles precisely because they should work their bones off for the country befitting that status.

But to stick his foot into something that could become material for international tug-of-war just to pursue private interests.

‘Stupid, so stupid.’

If he wanted to become a concubine, he should have competed fair and square with his looks.

“It’s really a shame. Why doesn’t the Gash Count family recognize this broad heart of mine, while only you, who belongs to someone else, appreciates it.”

Alexis spoke while playfully tapping her chest.

With a face that wasn’t troubled in the least.

“More importantly, Your Highness, are you really okay with the wedding preparations?”

“Of course, I don’t know why you’d think I wouldn’t be, Miss Salice.”

A sly smile appeared on her face.

“Anyway, we’ll hold another ceremony when we return home, and isn’t it natural as a partner to do your best to fulfill your beloved’s wishes for the one wedding in your own country?”

Though it seems like you’re enjoying the Empress’s suffering from it…

I quietly swallowed those words.

After that day, the Second Prince told the Empress not to interfere with his wedding at all.

Alexis casually let slip the conversation the Second Prince had with the Empress, saying it was Imperial business, and the content was truly remarkable.

‘He silenced Her Majesty the Empress by saying he knew several things she had done to the concubines.’

Since you know anyway, it would be nice if you could share some before leaving.

But even for a fire-attribute filial son, that would be asking too much.

I just swallowed my regret and decided to look forward to the childish and splendid royal wedding with the same heart as Alexis.

The Empress was listed as the person in charge of the royal wedding preparations, and His Highness the Second Prince was designing a wedding with very mismatched complementary colors.

If you packaged it very, very well, you might be able to call it tropical fruit style, or maybe not…

He was even adding additional decorations with colorful gems to perfectly fine wedding attire, incorporating his refined taste.

“I hear my new mother’s teacup purchase costs keep increasing?”

I really wanted to chime in and talk about how much the Empress has been breaking teacups to vent her anger these days!

But unlike Count Gash Yeongshik, being someone who knows moderation, I just smiled brightly.

“How boring.”

Alexis looked at me as if she never expected an answer in the first place.

“Your Highness must be happy to have gained such a nice side income.”

“Of course. Enough to let my love have sweet dreams for a long time after returning home.”

Alexis’s smile was leisurely and cool.

It was probably her true face that the Second Prince would never know for a long time.

‘The Empress’s family was turned upside down.’

That was the second reason teacups were being sacrificed.

About half of the trade business with the Kingdom of Anden was beaten down to barely covering transportation costs for a while.

The Duke’s family, which was the Empress’s natal family, would probably be struggling for some time.

Moreover, Alexis showed the meticulousness of completely excluding their business related to the state and only touching the business side they did to build the family’s wealth.

Whether to call it fair and square, or scary because she seemed to have already grasped so much.

When I let out another shallow sigh, Alexis waved an envelope in front of my eyes.

“It’s yours.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m someone who keeps promises thoroughly. Didn’t I tell you?”

Alexis dropped her hand, letting the envelope fall into my hand as she spoke.

“That I would make the return gift satisfactory.”

“Uh…”

I thought showing me the entire aftermath process with the Empress was already a tremendous return gift.

“Of course, it seems you also took some things on your own.”

She said that and winked stylishly.

As if the information I took on my own naturally belonged to me.

“This is what I’m giving you, so it would be very interesting to see you hand it over to that annoying Prince Casian and get something in return.”

“I’ll do my best.”

At my answer, Alexis lifted me from my seat with a relieved face as if already satisfied.

“Good, then now you’re liberated.”

“…Pardon?”

“I don’t want to use the word ‘fired’ for someone as capable as you.”

Despite the compliment, I stood there dazed for a moment.

“You react faster than anyone to orders to work, but you’re so slow when told to rest.”

Alexis laughed softly.

“I think I need to return you soon. It seems only you can handle Prince Casian.”

Alexis’s advisor, who only went there during regular work hours, was indeed getting thinner by the day.

“So I have no choice but to liberate you.”

I felt a bit of regret at her appearance.

Alexis was honestly a good boss. It would be rude to compare her to Casian.

“…Thank you for everything, Your Highness.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Alexis spoke as refreshingly as when she asked Casian for me, then placed another envelope on top of my hand.

“It’s severance pay, Advisor Salice.”

Wasn’t that included in what you just gave me?

No matter how I thought about it, my liver seemed too small.

At my face showing slight puzzlement, Alexis added a word as if giving instructions.

“Make sure to open it together with your superior.”

Her lips formed a mischievous shape.

*

From then until Alexis returned to her country, Casian and I spent truly busy days without a moment to breathe.

It was because the Empress was slacking off just enough not to be caught by the Emperor, while subtly taking out her frustrations on us.

‘Do they think we’re easy targets? Easy?!’

I collected records of her private fund usage with the angry determination to someday make her pay, gathering evidence bit by bit.

Furthermore, I put more effort than usual into work that could be compared with the First Prince so the Empress would be completely upset, and subtly withdrew from the Second Prince’s splendid festival.

After all, he said it was the Second Prince’s royal wedding and told us not to mind it.

To start caring about it now, how ridiculous.

‘Casian had smoothly covered things up with the Emperor.’

My superior’s cunning worked very well, and it seemed the Empress had received some subtle criticism that day.

Everyone working in the Palace knew that Casian’s workload was explosive.

To what extent? When I passed by, the gazes of people who had looked at me with criticism or reproach a year ago had changed.

‘They’re showing sympathy…’

If you’re going to sympathize, do it with money, or better yet, take some of our work.

Especially the First Prince’s aides, who had clearly been burning with competitive spirit just six months ago, were strangely hesitant these days.

If you have something to say, come and say it, at least let me blow off some steam.

Thanks to this, Casian and I only got to check the return gift and severance pay that Alexis had left after the royal wedding was safely completed and we had finished seeing off the departing guests.

By the way, it was quite enjoyable to see the Emperor glaring at the Empress when she appeared at the wedding ceremony without a single trace of monotone.

‘The Aristocracy and state guests questioned the Second Prince and Empress’s taste.’

Everyone really struggled to find words of praise.

Anyway, after all the events were over, the moment I eagerly pulled out the envelope.

“Would money be good, or would granting a wish be better?”

“…Pardon?”

“Shouldn’t I pay that much as the price for wanting to see what’s Rose’s?”

Casian Artez struck first.

“That way, whatever comes out of that envelope, I don’t think I’ll lose Rose.”

Adding those cryptic words.

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