The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 34

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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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34.

“Wilma, I’m sorry.”

“What’s going on?”

Wilhelmina grasped my hand tightly with a worried expression.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you so anxious.”

I tried to put on a business smile somehow.

But even the corners of my mouth wouldn’t lift properly.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I really appreciate you saying that, but right now…”

“I understand. You’re His Highness the Prince’s aide, so you can’t tell me everything.”

Wilma squeezed the hand she was holding even tighter.

“I’ve seen many times how Father and Brother don’t easily share work matters with each other, so don’t worry about that.”

At times like this, I couldn’t help but realize that she was truly a lady from a distinguished noble family.

“Then just tell me one thing. Would it be better for me to stay here, or return to the Capital?”

It was truly ocean-like understanding.

And I didn’t have the luxury to refuse Wilma’s consideration out of unnecessary guilt.

I knew that it was actually miraculous that there had been no real trouble until now, and I also knew how cruel this world could be to its protagonists.

“I think it would be better for you to return, my lady.”

Wilhelmina nodded as if she had expected as much.

“I’ll return without incident, and you’ll spend time with His Highness the Second Prince, your fiancé, before coming back.”

“Thank you, Wilma.”

“You don’t need to say such things between us, we’re friends.”

After saying that, Wilma even went so far as to call the villa’s butler and arrange for me to stay a few more days.

When I said I could just find a suitable inn, Wilma made the scariest face I’d ever seen from her.

“Well then, I’ll see you in the Capital. Don’t get hurt.”

“Yes. Oh, and Wilma.”

I wasn’t sure if she’d listen to me since I wasn’t Casian, but being treated as strange was better than not saying anything and regretting it later.

“Could you be careful about outside activities until His Highness Casian and I return to the Capital?”

I had no basis for it whatsoever.

But I didn’t want to see a future where she might be used by the Empress for something due to a mischievous god’s prank.

While I was thinking this, Wilma stared at me quietly for a moment.

“That’s also something you can’t explain the reason for, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

I deliberately answered cheerfully and shamelessly.

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

And my precious friend granted my request with a smile as refreshing as my boss’s.

I saw Wilma off like that.

Hoping that when we met in the Capital, I could laugh and say it was all just my needless worry.

*

After seeing Wilma off, I took out one of the lighter dresses I had brought.

‘Ilium.’

Casian had given me the address of lodgings two days ago, just in case.

‘Of course, my shy fiancé would never suspect me enough to come barging in.’

Even his unnecessarily mischievous whisper was vivid.

‘He probably didn’t get into any real crisis.’

He had to be fine.

‘He’s a cunning person, so he definitely found a way to survive.’

He’s probably smirking right now, saying he couldn’t keep his promise with Rose.

Even while thinking that, my anxious heart made me tie the ribbon crookedly.

I glared at the mirror for a moment.

After confirming my appearance that Casian would definitely tease me about if he saw it, I briefly touched the ribbon then left it alone.

I had to leave something for my mischievous boss to work with.

This was the greatest blessing I could offer him.

*

‘Rose must be worried.’

She would be, definitely.

Casian thought this as he swept back his damp hair.

‘My aide acts like I’m the most annoying person in the world, yet cares about me the most.’

Probably more than anyone else left in this world.

Since I have virtually no one left who could be called family.

“Phew…”

I want to contact her and tell her I’m okay.

“Fighting a mage alone was a bit too much after all.”

I could picture Roselita appearing before me, ready to pour out a lecture.

Asking what I kept the knights around for.

“But cut me some slack, Rose.”

As she thought, he was cunning beyond measure, so he wouldn’t do something like cutting off his escape route.

‘Don’t think it’s cowardly, always leave a way to run. Got it, Ian?’

The talkative little lady whose pronunciation was slurred because her teeth were coming in.

When he had told her his name without really hiding it, she couldn’t pronounce it properly and called him Ian – that was the warmest memory of his childhood.

Each and every one of those words had accumulated within him to create who he was now.

‘I’m really going to get scolded.’

That little lady had definitely said:

‘Hey? Got it? Not when you’re dying! Don’t go reminiscing about the best times and stuff.’

Casian chuckled softly as he hurriedly applied hemostasis to his heated side.

Well, since I’m not dying, I should stop thinking about it.

I can’t make her cry again.

Since it wasn’t serious enough that he needed to comfort himself by pulling out those precious memories one by one.

As Roselita thought, he was quite cunning and thorough, always preparing for contingencies.

Even now, he was making good use of the emergency kit he’d made by working the mages mercilessly.

“Phew…”

Casian took a deep breath at the unpleasant sensation he felt when the hemostasis and suturing were completed.

Though warm energy gradually spread and fever rose, this much seemed manageable.

‘I don’t want Rose to find out I used the emergency kit.’

Just getting lectured was fine, but he didn’t want to see her face full of heartache.

Casian pondered for a moment, then took off his blood-stained white shirt.

It would be better to be treated like a pervert.

‘I’m really sorry for stealing your vacation.’

To resolve this matter, he had to meet Roselita first.

*

“A cottage…? And in such a secluded place?”

Though I came here for work.

If the Empress’s excuse was a meeting with my fiancé, wouldn’t it be right to get pretty lodgings?

‘That would be official business expenses, so I could use the budget for it.’

The address Casian had given me was for a cottage located in a forest isolated even within Ilium.

Just like before.

‘Like the cottage I rented to avoid people’s eyes when I was trying to save him.’

Is this also a kind of signal to me?

Sighing briefly, I opened the cottage door and entered, but it was quiet inside.

“He really stayed here for several days…?”

But there’s no sign of anyone actually living here?

Beyond clean, it really felt like a space that had been empty for several days.

This means I have no clues to track Casian…?

Giving me the address was probably telling me to come rescue him if something happened.

Even before, Casian had said cryptic things to me several times.

Until now, he’d never failed to contact me or show up within the promised timeframe, so I never had occasion to use it.

‘Should I have tested it out beforehand?’

While feeling absurd and examining the interior of the utterly modest cottage, I sensed a presence outside the door.

At the approaching signs, I carefully hid myself beside the large wardrobe.

‘Maybe it’s a mage connected to this incident.’

Getting involved with those nasty bunch would be troublesome.

Just as I was wondering if there was a back door, the door opened with a creaking sound.

“…Hello, Rose.”

Hearing a familiar voice that sounded somewhat drained, I emerged from my hiding spot.

“Your Highness!”

And the next moment, I found myself holding my breath.

Damply wet golden hair, a complexion that seemed somewhat pale, eyes that had grown fierce in a way that suggested how dangerous a place he’d been.

And below his neck, the clearly visible and undeniably magnificent curves—

“…Why are you undressed?”

I blurted out something foolish without filter.

That undeniably magnificent upper body, no, no, this isn’t the time to be looking…!

Flustered, I managed to fix my gaze that had been wandering up and down on his face, then turned my body away at the thought that occurred to me.

“Did you develop some strange hobby? It’s not even weather to be walking around undressed like that!”

“Did you like it?”

“Of course I did, no! Why are you asking something weird.”

“Something weird?”

At my righteous response, Casian clicked his tongue and slowly approached.

The next moment, he placed one hand on my shoulder and extended his other arm to block my escape route.

“Is there anything more important than matching the taste of a fiancée who likes pretty things?”

His low voice, rougher than usual, whispered in my ear as he lowered his body slightly—

Rough voice?

“…Stop fooling around and put on clothes right now.”

My flustered feelings instantly cleared.

Because I realized his condition was quite poor.

At those words, Casian slid his hand down from my shoulder to wrap around my waist, then opened the wardrobe door in front of us with his other hand.

“Don’t make that face, Rose.”

“How can I not?”

I could feel the burning fever from the body touching my back.

After taking out a shirt, Casian held my waist tightly for a moment before releasing me and obediently began putting on clothes.

Only after hearing the sound of shirt fabric rustling several times could I finally turn around.

With his body this hot, yet that pale complexion.

Whether he knew my feelings or not.

“Rose, ribbon.”

He reached for my disheveled ribbon.

“Is the ribbon really the issue right now?”

“Yes, because Rose entrusted it to me.”

With such a serious and grave expression, I couldn’t bring myself to stop him and let him retie it.

As soon as a satisfied smile appeared over his poor complexion after fixing it, I grabbed Casian’s hand and dragged him to the bed, laying him down without ceremony.

“Even though I’d really like to respond to the temptation, Rose—”

“Shut your mouth.”

Normally I would have played along with the joke.

“Just be quiet and sleep for now.”

“…Rose, but the mages.”

“Don’t even think about becoming a burden to me with that sick body.”

When I spoke deliberately more coldly, Casian nodded as if admitting defeat.

Instead, he took out a small cube from his pants pocket.

“I’ll leave this with you.”

Along with a smile full of trust.

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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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