The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 23

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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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23.

Even the Emperor’s seasoned chamberlain, who had weathered many storms within the Imperial Palace, carefully set down the tableware before the Emperor.

Looking at the appetizers prepared to whet our appetites, I couldn’t dig in as usual.

The atmosphere in this dining room was far too murderous.

“…You put a lot of effort into the royal wedding period, Casian.”

The Emperor spoke to Casian, his words heavy with weighty air.

“I could not be negligent in the duties Your Majesty entrusted to me, so I merely fulfilled my natural obligations. Moreover, it was my brother’s wedding, so it was only natural to pay attention.”

Even knowing the Emperor’s intentions behind his words, Casian brazenly played innocent.

“It seems you’ve become quite close with Princess Alexis.”

Of course, the Emperor wasn’t one to avoid asking what needed to be asked.

“In doing my best with the duties Your Majesty entrusted to me, we naturally had many occasions to meet and became acquainted.”

Naturally, my superior didn’t give him the answer he wanted right away either.

At that moment, an undignified clatter came from the Empress’s plate—a sound that wouldn’t normally be heard.

It seemed she had lost control of her strength while using her fork.

The Emperor looked at the Empress, who hurriedly smiled, and cleared his throat awkwardly before reluctantly opening his mouth.

“Ahem, I hear Princess Alexis transferred most of the exhibition rights from this royal wedding to you.”

Even at this direct question, Casian leisurely cut a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and only after drinking wine did he slowly speak.

“That’s correct. What the Princess entrusted to me was not the exhibits themselves, but the exhibition rights.”

Casian’s gaze briefly touched upon the Empress.

“Since they are all precious treasures of the Kingdom of Anden, she said it would be best to entrust them to the most trustworthy person during her stay in the Empire.”

At those words, the Empress’s hand movements, which had been pretending to cut her steak calmly, stopped.

Her lips trembled briefly, but it was such a fleeting change that only a dedicated observer like me would have noticed.

Casian sent a brief sneer toward the Empress before immediately turning to the Emperor with a dependable expression.

“So to repay that trust, I plan to personally go check the exhibits. I plan to forbid access to anyone except those I trust, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm… Yes, since good talks are coming from the Kingdom, it would be best to pay meticulous attention.”

The moment the Emperor nodded in agreement, the Empress opened her mouth as if on cue.

“Your Majesty, Prince Casian is truly admirable. However, I have some concerns.”

Her tone was extremely gentle, unlike her usual manner when dealing with Casian.

“What is it, Empress?”

“I’m not questioning the Prince’s work abilities. However, unlike the First Prince, Prince Casian has handled mostly administrative duties, hasn’t he?”

“That’s true.”

“Since he’s handling an unfamiliar field, I’m worried there might be oversights in management. Among artworks and treasures, there are many that are affected by weather or storage locations.”

The Empress set down her utensils, leaving more than half her steak uneaten, and continued speaking while dabbing her lips with a napkin.

“So if Your Majesty permits, I would like to help Prince Casian a bit.”

The Empress’s eyes looked at Casian with the kindest expression ever.

“As Prince Casian knows, my brother has managed many artworks and treasures over the years.”

I was truly amazed.

I thought that to someone who didn’t know better, she would look like a loving and caring mother.

“So how about it? I’m really thinking of the Prince.”

The Empress spoke with an elegant smile.

“As Your Majesty said, I also want to express my gratitude for splendidly conducting the Second Prince’s royal wedding.”

At the Empress’s gesture, red wine was poured into both her glass and Casian’s.

She raised her glass first and offered a toast to Casian.

“After sending one son to a foreign country, my heart feels quite lonely. You’ll understand my desire to think of and care for you more from now on, won’t you?”

I could read a hint of triumph in the Empress’s gaze.

And Casian, who seemed cornered at first glance,

“Of course. I’m deeply honored that Your Majesty thinks of me this way.”

As if he had been waiting for this moment, he raised his wine glass and gladly accepted and drank from it.

*

“The tableware in the Empress’s Palace will be safe for once.”

Though we had been at a murderous dinner just moments ago, Casian whispered to me with a pleased expression as if that were a lie.

Naturally, my superior’s face showed no sign of defeat or worry.

“Indeed, since the Empress will be raising a toast for once, we might need to worry about the wine glasses.”

Even though I had been thoroughly a spectator, that murderous atmosphere seemed to linger in my body, making my shoulders shrink.

Then Casian patted my hand resting on his arm soothingly as he spoke.

“You already knew how I would act and how the Empress would act.”

“Even knowing…”

Even knowing Casian’s personality, his shamelessness and cunning, I couldn’t help feeling tense.

Over the past few days, Casian had really been provoking the Empress excessively.

As soon as the Empress learned what Princess Alexis had left behind, she began sending subtle pressure to the Winter Palace.

‘Saying she was eager to see the exhibits, suggesting we preview them privately for the Imperial Family first, claiming it wasn’t proper etiquette to keep pushing it back like this.’

Of course, none of it worked on Casian.

He only maintained ironclad security around the exhibits.

He even openly refused a visit request from Duke Jamoti, the Empress’s older brother.

So how desperate must she have been.

Over the past week, the Empress had been attending to the Emperor more attentively than usual, then arranged this dinner.

Claiming that since the royal wedding was over, it was proper to arrange a family meal.

Thanks to that, powerless me also had to attend that murderous dinner as Casian’s fiancée.

‘You should have seen His Majesty’s face when he received the Empress’s dinner invitation.’

It was so sinister that I wanted to cancel the dinner immediately.

I let out a shallow sigh thinking about the various things to come.

This time, I had a feeling it might not be as easy to get through as usual.

“Were you worried?”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s all over Rose’s face, the worry.”

In front of the Winter Palace where we had arrived, Casian asked while stroking my chin with his knuckles.

“Is that worry about me?”

It was a question thrown without any expectation, showing only playfulness.

How annoyingly teasing.

“I do worry about Your Majesty to some extent, you know?”

Of course, my concerns about the upcoming workload, the Empress’s fierce attacks, and my precious salary source were much, much greater!

I also wanted to let Casian, who would surely tease me more, know that I do have normal concerns—

…why does his face look like that?

“Your Majesty?”

“…Really, Rose.”

Though it had definitely been full of leisure and mischief.

With a face as if it had all evaporated, he raised one hand to rub his face dry before looking at me.

“When you say such things to me at times like this.”

A shallow, low sigh escaped from his lips.

“I don’t want to leave you only in that place.”

“Pardon?”

Why is he suddenly saying incomprehensible things.

I could only stare at him with wide eyes and a foolish expression.

Though it was now full spring, perhaps because this was the Winter Palace.

Or perhaps my body was sensing Casian’s heart even though my mind couldn’t understand it.

Somehow I felt the fresh temperature of the spring evening was like the chill-mixed coolness of a winter dawn.

Casian quietly observed me with eyes of unfathomable depth, then quietly withdrew his hand from me as if surrendering.

“I’m saying that I was more nervous than I thought too, Rose.”

In a light tone that seemed to break the atmosphere.

“So I was a bit moved, that’s all.”

Casian carefully took my hand, kissing the back of it as he whispered.

“Don’t freeze up like that. Your precious salary isn’t going to run away anywhere.”

It was clearly his usual tone of voice.

But I couldn’t help but notice that his true feelings were different.

*

Hmm.

Casian let out a breath that sounded like either a sigh or perhaps realization as he unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and rolled them down.

‘I suppose I was a bit tired this time.’

He knew all too well that she was someone he would eventually have to send back safely and peacefully to the Salice Estate.

Yet without realizing it, a desire to lean on her had emerged.

Roselita wouldn’t know.

The things the Empress was involved in were far too dangerous.

‘But my little lady shouldn’t know that much.’

If she knew everything, even the brief moments of leisure and joy he could enjoy would all shatter to pieces.

No, perhaps he wanted to protect memories that she herself couldn’t even properly recall.

The small and adorable little lady who would chatter away with her constant nagging.

When she was absorbed in something, she didn’t even notice that her brown hair showed beneath the poorly worn light purple wig.

She seemed thorough and meticulous, yet the occasional clumsiness she displayed was what allowed Casian to keep breathing.

“I have to endure it, then.”

All the emotions that could deepen or build up, Casian let flow away for his own sake.

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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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