The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 33
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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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33.
Casian didn’t ignore my abnormal symptoms.
“As Rose said, if needed, I’ll call you along with the allowance you love so much.”
The allowance isn’t what’s important right now.
Perhaps the lives of me, my precious ★friend★ Wilhelmina, and you, my demonic boss, could be at stake.
Of course, if you’re offering, I’ll gladly accept it.
Seeing my face still filled with unease, Casian raised his hand and stroked my cheek.
Even though it was spring, the nights were still somewhat chilly, but I could feel warm heat from his large hand.
“At least I don’t think I’ve ever disappointed you with my work.”
“Yes, I know.”
“So until then, enjoy your vacation with Princess Wilhelmina. I like seeing Rose surrounded by her desires with a happy face.”
He’s talking about me like I’m a bundle of material greed.
Well, it’s not wrong, but still.
Casian, who escorted me to the Manor Entrance, quietly gazed at my face, which still couldn’t escape from anxiety.
“Is there something bothering you?”
His tone was truly gentle beyond measure.
With an attitude suggesting I should confess all my fears and leave everything to him, he tickled my cheek.
“Even if it sounds absurd, it’s fine. If it’s something Rose says, there’s nothing I won’t listen to carefully.”
“…This is really just a hypothetical.”
It was just something from the original story with no connection whatsoever, but I couldn’t shake my anxious feelings.
Even though it was a story I had twisted and destroyed as I pleased since childhood.
“I hope Wilhelmina doesn’t get involved in this matter.”
Even though right now I couldn’t find a single point of connection.
I thought I could at least tell him about these worrisome feelings.
Even though he was a demonic boss who only ever brought me overwork.
“You mean the Princess.”
“Yes.”
He never let my words go in one ear and out the other, so I had no choice but to trust him.
Keeping my mouth shut and struggling alone wasn’t my style either.
“I’ll make sure of that.”
Though he answered casually, it wasn’t insincere, and I felt the tension that had been wrapping around my entire body finally release.
“I’m getting jealous again.”
“Pardon?”
Casian showed me a mischievous expression as I felt relieved.
“You’re always only looking after Princess Wilhelmina like that, so I’m wondering if I should even keep other ladies in check to protect my fiancée.”
“What do you—”
My words were automatically swallowed.
Because of him suddenly approaching.
The violet eyes that filled my vision looked at me teasingly, and then.
Smooch—
A soft sensation touched and left my cheek near my lips.
“So please forgive this much rudeness, my lovely one.”
The whispered voice at such close distance that our noses nearly touched made my dulled mind think even more slowly.
“…Uh, mm.”
I failed to notice the presence of someone who had approached to greet me.
“Oh, oh my, oh my…!”
At the surprised sound from behind me, I reflexively turned my head, and there stood Wilhelmina.
Her cheeks were flushed red along with her attending maid, like a matching set.
“Ahem, we didn’t see anything. We just came out for a brief walk.”
What on earth was she making excuses for?
“It seems a bit chilly tonight, let’s go get a shawl and walk again.”
“Yes, yes! Miss!”
Wilhelmina already had a shawl draped over her shoulders, and the maid was holding what seemed to be an extra one she had brought to put on me.
“Wilma—”
“Oh, that’s right! That pavilion over there finished being maintained today, but no one goes near it at night, right?”
“Of course, Miss!”
I tried to explain to her, but Wilma clumsily turned around as if she couldn’t see me and began walking away briskly.
“…”
Only silence settled in the place where Wilma and the attending maid had left.
I stared at their retreating figures for a while, then turned my head toward Casian with an annoyed expression.
“So they say, should we meet the Princess’s expectations?”
He, on the other hand, looked relieved as he kissed my knuckles.
The Male Lead was interfering with my friendship project again.
*
Fortunately, Casian Artez withdrew like a gentleman without teasing me further.
“It would be terrible if Rose submitted a resignation letter, so I should behave and go back now.”
If you could call that being gentlemanly, that is.
When I returned after seeing Casian off at the foyer, Wilhelmina actually showed a disappointed reaction.
“…Why are you coming in already?”
She had been talking to the Villa’s coachman about something, and her face looked serious.
“We promised to have a late snack together, didn’t we, Wilma?”
“That’s not what’s important right now…!”
“My promise with Wilma?”
At my calm question, Wilma pressed her lips tightly shut for a moment.
“That’s not it, but.”
Even if Casian interfered, I could just handle it again.
I approached her with a bright smile.
“I was already so disappointed that we couldn’t have dinner together today, wasn’t Wilma the same?”
“Of course I was! I was looking forward to it so much too! As soon as I decided to bring you to the Villa, I made reservations at that Restaurant first—”
Wilma, who had been pouring out words, turned bright red and then showed an angry expression.
“You’re teasing me right now, aren’t you?”
“Me, teasing Wilma?”
Honestly, it would be a lie to say I didn’t have such feelings at all.
But at least not right now.
After all, there’s no love more precious than friendship existing within me right now.
“…I worked harder to help you so you wouldn’t misunderstand me.”
Wilma tapped my arm lightly, as if upset.
I smiled softly at that sight.
Even though she was a friend, she seemed like a younger sister with many clumsy aspects, which I found incredibly endearing.
“Ahem, then Miss, should we consider the instructions you gave earlier as canceled?”
The coachman, who had been quietly observing our atmosphere, asked cautiously.
“The instructions you gave earlier?”
When I leaned sideways curiously to look at the coachman, Wilma desperately blocked my way and said,
“Yes, tell everyone not to worry about it and just rest.”
“Understood, Miss.”
The elderly coachman looked at us with a somehow pleased smile and walked away quickly.
Since only Wilma could give me an answer, I stared at her intently, and she grabbed my hand evasively and led me away.
“We promised to have a late snack together! Let’s spend time in my room today, I want to talk about novels too!”
“Yes, that sounds good, but what were the instructions…”
“You said the dessert you had yesterday was good, so I had the chef try making it in different styles as well.”
So what exactly was that instruction?
I found it difficult to suppress my curiosity, but ultimately decided to endure it.
I couldn’t become a mean person who torments their friend, since I’m not a devil.
*
The following three days passed without any incidents, meaning without Casian seeking me out for work-related matters.
Whether his words about spending pleasant time with Wilhelmina were sincere, there were no occasions like that evening where he set aside separate time to visit.
However, he would come to see me at least once every day during lunch or dinner, and when that wasn’t possible, even at night.
Each time, the one who was most delighted was none other than Wilma.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that His Highness seems to cherish you so much.”
I don’t think even my own mother would be this pleased.
But when she said such things, she had such a dreamily happy expression that I didn’t bother to correct her or shatter her fantasy.
One of the reasons for my engagement to Casian was also to free her from Casian’s clutches.
“Are you feeling less anxious now?”
Casian, who visited the night before returning to the capital, asked me with soothing words.
“…So that’s why you made time to visit every day?”
“It’s one of the reasons.”
“What are the other reasons?”
“To show our relationship to Princess Wilhelmina.”
As expected, I nodded while sitting on the pavilion railing that Wilma had told me about before.
“The most important reason is.”
Casian sat beside me and looked at me.
What’s with that ominous look in his eyes?
When I became fully alert, Casian cleared his throat and made a laughing sound.
“Because I wanted to see Rose.”
“Does Your Highness find it amusing to tease me like that?”
I know your intention, so I don’t even show a surprised reaction anymore?
How about doing some research on your repertoire, Your Highness?
“Yes, it’s enjoyable.”
This pervert.
“Rose showing me such a comfortable expression, very much so.”
Casian brushed past my ear with his knuckles as if grazing it.
“When I first saw you in the capital, you looked at me too much like a monster.”
Was it that obvious?
I wouldn’t have been that rude back then. Though now might be different.
When I protested with my eyes, Casian showed a gentle expression as if even that pleased him.
“You’re returning to the capital tomorrow?”
“Your Highness will stay a bit longer?”
“Yes, I’ll probably need to look into things for another day or two.”
At those words, I let out a deep sigh.
“There must be a huge pile of work waiting when you return to the capital.”
“Indeed.”
Casian leaned his head against my shoulder with a soft thud.
“How fortunate that Rose is by my side.”
“How much of a hardship it is for me.”
My shoulder area trembled slightly from Casian’s laughter.
“For my worried aide, I’ll send a messenger bird before leaving to say all is well.”
“So you’ll be busy tomorrow?”
It’s an opportunity to appeal to Wilhelmina, yet he’s saying this.
“Because I want to preserve Rose’s vacation as much as possible.”
It was the sweetest sound that made my heart flutter more than any words I’d heard recently.
I answered while stroking the hair of Casian who was leaning against me.
“I’ll wait.”
*
Contrary to what he had said.
Even after finishing all departure preparations and asking Wilma to wait for half an hour, Casian’s messenger bird did not arrive.
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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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