The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 25

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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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25.

I was prepared to counterattack whatever response came back.

But Duke Jamoti had no manners whatsoever.

“Ahem, y-you remember the purpose of my visit here today, Your Highness!”

Instead of declaring his defeat to me, he fled by turning to Casian.

That bastard….

While I was muttering brief anger inwardly,

“Ah, of course.”

Casian nodded, openly mocking him.

“Since the Duke seems to have nothing more to say to my aide’s questions, I suppose we can move on to today’s main topic.”

“A-ahem…!”

The Duke could only cough loudly at Casian’s blow and nodded his head.

At those words, Casian deliberately escorted me preciously and entered the annex ahead of the Duke.

He patted my hand resting on his arm apologetically, as if sorry for taking over the conclusion.

Of course, I leaned slightly against Casian with a look that said I was fine.

Just like a truly affectionate fiancé.

“Kuh, kugh…!”

The Duke’s incredulous throat clearing from behind made me feel quite refreshed.

*

“Rose, don’t your feet hurt? Should I carry you?”

Due to Duke Jamoti’s visit schedule, the inside of the annex was already like a preview exhibition hall.

“Look at that tiara, Rose. The princess said some of the artworks are available for purchase.”

And my superior.

“No matter what I bring before you, everything seems to lose its shine in front of my lovely Rose.”

Was thoroughly enjoying the sound of Duke Jamoti’s blood boiling.

Every time he spoke to me affectionately, the Duke’s complexion changed so colorfully that even I found it quite amusing.

“H-hrm, Your Highness.”

“Hmm? I trust the Duke is observing well?”

Casian spoke with open annoyance at being called.

“It’s rather unpleasant to have you join the brief time I’m spending affectionately with Rose.”

Of course, his speech that was so sweet it made one’s tongue tingle, as if he’d poured an entire pot of honey, wasn’t simply feigned to tease the Duke.

“Your Highness, surely you understand how important this exhibition is?”

Duke Jamoti opened his mouth as if scolding Casian.

“If we don’t inspect it properly, it could cause diplomatic problems with the Kingdom of Anden, yet you’re leisurely enjoying the exhibition with that, with Miss Salice.”

The Duke acted as if he’d caught something, openly showing how absurd he found this situation.

Then, Casian gently wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his embrace as he spoke.

“Are you saying there’s something more important than viewing the exhibits with a visitor’s mindset?”

Casian responded as if he were a complete amateur in this field.

“That’s why I deliberately asked my lovely Rose to treat me as her fiancé rather than as an aide today.”

Casian leisurely spoke while ostentatiously kissing my temple.

“My lover is so thorough about work and personal matters that she’s busier examining the condition of the exhibits than dating.”

He clicked his tongue softly.

“Since you, recommended by Her Majesty the Empress, are with us, I thought I could enjoy a pleasant date with Rose, but it seems you’re quite unreliable. To my Rose.”

I opened my mouth, mixing in plenty of concern at those words.

“Your Highness, how can you say such things with someone right in front of us? Even though it’s true that I’ve become quite worried after reviewing the Ceremonial Hall documents last time….”

“Yes, yes, it was my fault for having Rose examine not only the Second Prince’s documents but also Duke Jamoti’s documents.”

“That was naturally my job. You said I’m the best at reviewing shoddy documents, Your Highness.”

“Indeed, no one matches you for meticulous, careful, and perfect work handling.”

Casian looked at me with a giggle.

Deliberately creating even a soft atmosphere between lovers as if Duke Jamoti wasn’t present.

“Still, Her Majesty the Empress recommended him. My honest feeling is wanting to free you from arduous work, even if just briefly for today.”

“As Your Highness knows, I’m someone who knows my duties very well, so I can’t carelessly pass over assigned work.”

I added a bit of teasing.

“How could I not do my assigned work properly and just pass it over? Are you planning to treat me like Your Highness’s former aides who ran away just because things got a little difficult?”

Just as Casian was about to utter some sickly sweet words at my slightly sulky act.

“This is quite uncomfortable to listen to!”

Duke Jamoti barely managed to maintain his dignity as he spoke up.

I opened my mouth with a clueless expression, pretending to be oblivious.

“What do you mean, Duke? I was only telling His Highness about what happened without any exaggeration….”

I gripped Casian’s hand tightly and spoke with a slight hint of reproach, as if completely oblivious.

“Oh my, did you overhear the private conversation between His Highness Casian and me?”

Duke Jamoti looked at me with an expression wondering what nonsense this was.

“Of course, eavesdropping on others is quite undignified, but it can’t be helped since I also forgot there was someone else present.”

As I casually uttered words that would normally make one furious, Duke Jamoti looked at us with an expression full of things he wanted to say.

Normally, he would have already spat out garbage with that mouth of his.

“…Enjoy your date! I’ll check the exhibits absolutely perfectly for you.”

“Oh my, really?”

You think you can do that?

When I stared at him with eyes full of doubt, I could see Duke Jamoti grinding his teeth slightly.

“Rose, I understand your feelings well. But let’s try entrusting it to him once. Isn’t he someone Her Majesty the Empress thoughtfully called for me?”

“Yes, I suppose there’s no choice.”

I nodded while letting out a deep sigh.

Duke Jamoti couldn’t hide his indignation at our display and turned around, taking out glasses to wear and putting on gloves.

He truly looked like someone who would examine these exhibits thoroughly.

Casian watched his retreating figure with cold eyes while not forgetting to add an irritating remark.

“Please, do look properly, Duke Jamoti. And I’d appreciate clean documentation so Rose doesn’t have to work twice.”

Duke Jamoti’s shoulders shook once more.

Whether that was from anger or the flinching of someone who had seized an opportunity was unclear.

*

For about two hours after that, while pretending to enjoy our date, Casian and I would suddenly approach Duke Jamoti’s vicinity.

By observing the Duke’s reactions then, Casian and I were able to achieve our intended purpose quite well.

How to use the materials we’d gathered now was a separate matter.

Thanks to this, when all inspections were finished and we came out of the annex, Duke Jamoti couldn’t hide his exhausted appearance and had no choice but to walk with a rather undignified gait.

“Now, report.”

“…Pardon?”

Duke Jamoti answered like a fool to Casian’s words, spoken after completely erasing his lovey-dovey act the moment we left the annex.

“If there were any problems during the inspection, shouldn’t you tell us about them first?”

Duke Jamoti flared up upon hearing this.

“You should give me time to organize, Your Highness. No one can immediately—”

“Rose.”

Casian immediately cut off his words and called me.

Of course, since I hadn’t just been dating either, I immediately took out my notebook and began speaking.

“Most of the Kingdom of Anden’s ancient treasures showed no particular abnormalities. There were no significant differences from the condition Princess Alexis provided us either. However,”

I rattled off several concerning points and things that seemed to require attention in front of Casian.

Since Casian and I were intermittently but quite righteous people, we had naturally shared the condition documents Princess Alexis provided with Duke Jamoti as well.

“Based on what I’ve examined now, that’s all I have to report, but I’ll take another look and prepare documentation just in case. So we can share it with the Kingdom of Anden as well.”

As soon as my brief report ended, Casian looked at Duke Jamoti with cold eyes.

“Her Majesty said the Duke would know much better than Rose or I, so is there anything lacking in these words?”

“Th-that is.”

“My lovely fiancé and aide managed to observe thoroughly even while dating.”

“Mi, beforehand! There was an opportunity to examine her beforehand, wasn’t there, Miss Salice!”

Making excuses when he was distracted by other things and didn’t pay proper attention.

When I looked at him in response to his nonsensical words, Duke Jamoti raised his voice even higher, as if he had misunderstood something.

“Using such dirty tricks, Miss Salice! To disgrace the dignity of the Imperial Court like this-“

“Prospective Crown Princess.”

At that moment, Casian cut off Duke Jamoti’s words.

“…Pardon?”

“That’s how you should address her to be proper, isn’t it, Duke Jamoti?”

His tone was as sharp as a winter north wind.

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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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