The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 24

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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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24.

Casian’s strange atmosphere quickly disappeared, so I couldn’t confirm the detailed circumstances.

Since it wasn’t a problem that would be solved by thinking about it for a long time, I set aside my doubts and began to focus on the immediate task at hand.

After all, the day when I would have to face Duke Jamoti, the Empress’s older brother, was right around the corner.

Before the promised day, Casian thought deeply about something and then said to me.

“I truly love Rose’s usual appearance, but.”

“…What are you suddenly talking about, Your Highness?”

Meaningless flowery words during work hours, really not welcome, you know?

Casian rather welcomed my protesting gaze and tapped on my desk.

“Tomorrow, it would be better to dress up properly.”

“Uh… So tomorrow you want me to accompany you as your fiancée rather than as your aide?”

“Yes, I want to have a date with Rose for once.”

Are you really saying such sweet words about wanting to give me extra pay during work hours?

Momentarily enchanted by those words, I came to my senses and opened my mouth after grasping Casian’s intentions.

“Is this because of Duke Jamoti?”

“That’s right.”

He answered with a beautiful smile as if it were the correct answer.

“Rose would know better, but.”

Of course I know.

Just six months ago, I had to endure his sharp glares or tongue-clicking sounds twice a week.

He became Duke Jamoti only six months ago; before that, he was working at the Ceremonial Hall.

It was already a place full of people who looked down on me, but Duke Jamoti was particularly harsh among them.

In short.

The ultimate old-fashioned stickler among sticklers!

‘How unfair it was that Duke Jamoti wasn’t there during the Ceremonial Hall inspection.’

I really wanted to see his face contort with frustration at least once.

“So you’re telling me to face Duke Jamoti as the prospective Crown Princess?”

“That’s right.”

Casian chuckled softly.

“I think Rose can handle it very well.”

For a moment, my devilish boss looked different to me.

Such legitimate revenge, no, such perfect utilization of human resources in the right place.

‘Though I wonder if that stickler who used to click his tongue whenever he saw me would actually acknowledge it.’

So what if he doesn’t? That would just make it perfect for turning his insides upside down even more.

I smiled back at Casian and nodded.

“Of course, I will definitely meet Your Highness’s expectations.”

A rampage, no, a scheme execution approved by my boss.

I’ll gladly take advantage of this opportunity.

*

On the day of execution, since it was a rare opportunity, I unusually focused on the maids’ preparations.

…Though that only meant I didn’t read reports during the preparations.

Anyway, thanks to the maids’ splendid handiwork, I looked more like a prince’s fiancée than ever before.

I felt like this outfit wouldn’t pale in comparison to Countess Hanella’s attire, who was the First Prince Charley’s fiancée.

Countess Hanella had maintained a peacock-like splendid appearance more than anyone else in the social circle since her engagement to Prince Charley.

‘Of course, this dress doesn’t give off a flashy feeling at first glance.’

Rather, that’s why I was impressed by Casian Artez’s taste.

Using a pale green fabric with a subtle sheen as the base, excluding frills and lace decorations, and adding embroidery at strategic points for decoration.

There, generous jewel decorations were added as accents, but the balance was so exquisite that it didn’t look excessive and harmonized well.

Moreover, utilizing the fabric’s characteristics to create natural wrinkle forms that became decorations in themselves, it was truly a craftsman’s dress.

“I thought you’d keep me waiting today.”

When I went outside at the appointed time, I saw Casian leaning against the wall, looking over documents.

He immediately organized the documents, handed them to his attendant, and approached me.

“I’m happy because you’re prettier than I expected.”

“When did you order this?”

Casian, who had been giving a mannerly greeting, burst into soft laughter at my honest question.

“It’s my hobby these days.”

“Pardon…?”

“It’s quite enjoyable, finding and ordering dresses that suit Rose.”

Casian lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles while smiling.

“I can’t prepare your beloved additional income with something mediocre.”

It was his usual playful tone to lighten the mood, but for some reason, I couldn’t easily retort as usual.

‘His eyes…’

Why do they look a bit different?

Besides the emotion of wanting to tease me and his usual goodwill, there seemed to be another emotion mixed in, albeit faintly, that was difficult to recognize.

Without realizing it, I found myself staring intently into his eyes.

Casian didn’t avoid such a gaze but rather met it openly, then raised his hand to lightly cover my eyes.

“It would be nice if you’d let me escape a little.”

Along with those enigmatic words, I felt his breath approaching near my cheek.

“…Your Highness?”

Unusually, I sensed a faint hesitation from Casian.

In the slow flow of time, just as I felt strangely that only my pulse was quickening a bit.

“-We need to work, Rose.”

As if it were nothing special, as if there was nothing extraordinary about it, he whispered to me.

Along with that, his warmth that I had felt so close, and his large hand that had blocked my vision, were both withdrawn.

In my restored vision, I blinked for a moment and looked at him as if to confirm.

The depth of his eyes that curved in a gentle arc had already returned to normal.

Armed only with slight mischief and trust and goodwill toward me.

*

The treasures of the Kingdom of Anden were all stored in an annex located north of the Winter Palace.

Casian and I had arrived about 30 minutes earlier than our appointment with Duke Jamoti.

“Your Highness the Prince!”

However, showing how anxious he had been, Duke Jamoti had arrived even earlier and was waiting, hurrying toward Casian as soon as he saw him.

“Duke Jamoti greets Your Highness the Prince.”

Indeed, a former Ceremonial Hall member…

While not hiding his urgency at all, the moment he got exactly five steps closer to Casian, he offered his respects without a single flaw, which was admirable.

I also slightly bent my knee to greet Duke Jamoti before being criticized.

He looked at me with the same disdainful gaze as before, but he didn’t hurl sharp words at me to my face like he used to.

‘Your Highness, having an aide befitting your status is also a duty as royalty. When there would be talk even about having Baron Rose as an aide, how about a baron’s daughter who hasn’t even had her debutante ball.’

It doesn’t uphold the Empire’s dignity.

Will you really call such an aide your first aide at foreign ceremonies too?

Walking around the Imperial Palace without properly greeting Her Majesty the Empress.

Knowing shame and stepping back would be true loyalty.

And so on!

Since he only said unpleasant things every time he saw me, I thought he had some kind of hate comment switch installed.

‘The debutante ball is as good as done, and now I’m not just a simple aide but a prospective Crown Princess?’

While I was wondering in my head why that notorious trash talker’s attitude had changed, his mouth opened quickly.

“Seeing that you brought Miss Salice, you must be planning to have her cultivate refinement as a prospective Crown Princess.”

Duke Jamoti spoke to Casian as if he were sincere.

“I’m very pleased that Your Highness seems to be thinking of selecting a proper aide, as I advised in my previous counsel.”

At that moment, Casian gently tapped my pinky finger.

It was a considerate signal asking if he should handle it himself.

Of course!

I had no intention whatsoever of handing over my prey to someone else.

“To think you would consider the one I serve like this, as His Highness’s first aide, I’m truly grateful.”

“I wasn’t asking you, was I?”

“I believe it’s also my job to answer words that aren’t worth His Highness’s response, don’t you think?”

I looked at Duke Jamoti with the annoying smile I had learned so well from Casian.

“You know very well, Duke, that the position of Prince Casian’s aide isn’t something just anyone can do.”

When they were the ones who isolated him in the first place!

“You’ve always told me I was lacking, Duke, and I do think those words might be right in some ways.”

“You know your place?”

“Of course. But I’m also someone who knows responsibility.”

I raised my hand to cover my mouth and made a sound with clear mocking intent, then opened my mouth again.

“Wouldn’t I be better than the second son of the Zamoti Duchy who ran away saying he couldn’t handle a slightly burdensome task?”

“Th-that had legitimate reasons…!”

“Ah, of course I heard that the second son of House of Jaemoti quit because he was suddenly assigned the honorable clerical position of drafting documents for the Ceremony Hall.”

At my words spoken with all traces of laughter gone, Duke Jamoti’s eyes trembled as if convulsing.

“I happened to review the documents your son wrote a few months ago, you know?”

Right during that Ceremony Hall audit.

And Duke Jamoti knew the results of that very well too.

Just before the second son was dishonorably dismissed, Duke Jamoti had whisked him away claiming there was urgent business at the estate.

Duke Jamoti’s triumphant face became distorted.

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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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