The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 4

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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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04.

Not the demon of the Winter Palace… but demons?

‘Why is it plural…’

Really, I felt sad.

‘The demon of the Winter Palace’. It was Cassian’s famous nickname that appeared in the original work too.

The Winter Palace where he resided was located in a remote place in the original work and had a very old and desolate atmosphere.

In the original work, it was a nickname the Imperial Consort had intentionally given him since childhood to keep Cassian in check, and in the latter half, it became a title that stuck even more due to his unhesitating actions for the protagonist Roselita.

But now…

‘The Winter Palace is well-maintained in an antique style rather than being run-down.’

From the moment I decided to interview for Cassian’s aide position, I had to firmly resolve multiple times not to sympathize with him because I thought seeing that scenery directly would be very heartbreaking.

Contrary to my worries, it was neat and rather had a quiet and serene atmosphere come alive even more because it was separated from the main palace.

Though it was correct that the Imperial Consort gave him the nickname ‘demon of the Winter Palace’ just like in the original work, now instead…

“Our honor has been elevated even higher, Rose.”

So stop lumping me together with you!!

Cassian himself had become quite pleased with the nickname, saying it was convenient for handling work.

For some reason, I was being bundled together and called by that name wholesale.

For me, it was an unfair situation.

What did I even do wrong, when I’m also being ground down by that demon-like guy?

While not hiding my sorrowful feelings, I diligently began sorting documents with quick hand movements.

Since it’s such a pitiful day, I absolutely must leave work on time today!

*

For about two hours, I worked on sorting through documents from the past 10 years.

Since document storage management wasn’t the aristocrats’ responsibility, at least they were sorted by year, so I could avoid the worst-case scenario I had expected.

Though the content of the documents was truly disastrously awful.

After dusting off the documents covered in white dust and getting my hands dirty organizing them, I was finally freed from the Document Room.

‘I feel like I’ve barely passed the first hurdle.’

Though the real work is just beginning.

“Then let’s return. At this rate, my precious aide will end up working overtime again.”

Does it feel like teasing because my heart so desperately desires to leave work on time?

Still, since he wasn’t a boss who forced overtime as long as I finished my work, I held back and hurried to follow behind Cassian to board the carriage.

I wanted to quickly remove the burdensome thing attached to my head too.

However.

“Wait, please wait. Your Highness the Prince!”

The Ceremony Director, who still couldn’t abandon his dignified gait, shouted and stopped us.

Damn it, because of you my departure time is delayed by 5 minutes.

“Th-this is too unreasonable a measure!”

“Hmm, what do you mean.”

The Ceremony Director shouted with a face even redder than when I had opened the Document Room door.

Cassian was utterly relaxed.

“Not even Your Highness! To designate Miss Salice as the person in charge of the Ceremony Hall audit!!”

Dignity, decorum, majesty. The Ceremony Director who had been reciting such things like incantations seemed to have forgotten them all at this moment.

“An audit of this traditional Ceremony Hall! But even that is work for the country…”

From then on, the Ceremony Director began a lengthy speech about how unreasonable this whole affair was.

And I was quietly counting numbers.

To thoroughly calculate how much of mine and Cassian’s work time was being violated because of the Ceremony Director.

“Do you understand?! If you’re going to do something unprecedented, you should naturally provide the person in charge with an appropriate position! This current situation shows no respect for us whatsoever!”

Click.

As soon as the Ceremony Director finished speaking, I precisely recorded in my notebook the time he had spent speechifying.

It was my determination to examine the Ceremony Hall more carefully, proportional to how much of my precious work time had been cut.

“First.”

“What rude behavior is this, Miss Salice! I am in the middle of speaking with His Highness the Prince.”

The Ceremony Director glared at me as if he felt bad about mixing words with something lowly.

But I wasn’t someone who would be intimidated by such a mere glare.

I had!

Five times the!

Bonus at stake!

“I am the close aide to His Highness the 2nd Prince, and since all matters are carried out under Prince Cassian’s responsibility, your claim of lack of respect is preposterous.”

“Are you not hearing what I’m saying?”

“Second, I clearly stated when opening the Document Room that I would only accept complaints through official documents. Are you disrespecting His Highness Prince Cassian right now?”

“Wh-what…?”

“The moment I personally opened the Document Room, it was as if His Highness the Prince had delegated this matter to me – surely the Ceremony Director, who is well-versed in protocol, doesn’t not know this?”

The Ceremony Director’s eyes trembled.

I deliberately straightened my back and spoke to him as if driving in a wedge.

“Ceremony Director, let me ask you. Would you have acted the same way if it were the 1st Prince’s aide standing here?”

“H-how dare you think you’re the same as the Young Master-!”

I cut off those words cleanly and smiled brightly.

It was a smile that perfectly mimicked Cassian’s most irritating expression that I could think of.

“Could you please submit in detail through documents what difference there is in the position of aide to a Prince?”

I even do more work than him, you know?

He only comes to work three times a week.

“Wh-what is this…!”

“Then it seems I’ve given you all the answers, so please let us go now. You’re interfering with His Highness the Prince’s schedule.”

Leaving the dumbfounded Ceremony Director behind, Cassian and I boarded the carriage and departed immediately.

And 3 seconds later.

“You, you…! Not knowing your place…!!”

A voice devoid of courtesy echoed throughout the street.

*

“Tired, Rose?”

Wouldn’t I be tired? When I removed the hair ornament with a sullen face – it was a very careful gesture – Cassian clicked his tongue.

“What a shame.”

“Pardon?”

“I thought it suited you well.”

I think it’s like pearls on a pig’s neck.

Didn’t you hear what the Ceremony Director said?

I cast a gaze full of dissatisfaction at Cassian, then put the hair ornament back in its place.

“Were you hurt?”

“…Pardon?”

Why are you suddenly acting caring.

“If you were hurt-“

Cassian’s gaze deepened intensely.

For some reason, words wouldn’t come out under that gaze that seemed to be searching and piercing through me.

No, I had always been expressing my complaints to Cassian with my eyes anyway…

In any case, though I should have built immunity over the past year, when that face looked at me with those eyes, I somehow felt like I had done something wrong.

The Male Lead was indeed the Male Lead – his face itself was weapon-grade handsome.

Even though he worked like crazy every day to the point where I wondered when he slept, his blonde hair never lost its luster.

To the extent that I wondered if this was the protagonist buff.

Moreover, his violet eyes, which had been the reason for his ostracism from the imperial family, also became a weapon that rendered people immobile when he looked at them like that.

For some reason, I had to stare intently at his features while feeling tense.

That perfect face that seemed to be crafted with care in every detail.

“-to you.”

“…Yes?”

Casian leaned his body slightly forward.

I know when he’s like this, it’s when he’s about to play around.

I know it, but even knowing, it was too harmful to my heart.

When he does this, all the romantic lines he said in the original work come flooding into my head.

But that’s not it!

Even the person he said them to isn’t me right now!

Casian, who had been watching my flustered state, pulled at the ribbon that had been neatly tied in my hair to untie it, his eyes curving gently.

“I was going to give you compensation.”

“…”

“And Rose, it would be the financial compensation that you love so much.”

With a playful low laugh, Casian wound my untied hair ribbon between his fingers and asked.

“Don’t need it?”

Really, truly, this boss of mine.

“…I need it!!”

He was definitely a devil.

*

Leaving work on time, what a joke.

From the time we were arguing at the Ceremony Hall, I knew it was just wishful thinking, but as expected, I ended up leaving work very late.

At a time well past eleven o’clock, no less.

When I barely finished work and struggled to get up, Casian paused his hands for a moment and looked at me.

“Should I take you home?”

“I’m fine.”

If you have time to be considerate, please do even a little more work instead. So this hellish year-end can finish quickly.

Despite my answer, Casian somehow stopped his hands and stood up from his seat.

What a waste… Those few seconds when he stops his hands can’t be compared to other people’s time.

“Rose.”

“Yes?”

Casian’s eyes became serious, as if he was thinking of playing another prank.

I won’t fall for it again today. Being fooled by Male Lead power once a day is enough!

However.

“You really need to go home carefully, don’t think about walking.”

For some reason, instead of drawing it out, he rattled off the main point.

“If it weren’t for times like these…”

Casian let out a deep sigh and even called an Imperial knight directly.

It’s only a 10-minute ride by carriage, but going this far?

When I looked at Casian with a “surely not” expression, he frowned and said.

“There are many idiots in the world.”

Haha, surely it wouldn’t be that bad.

*

Contrary to what I thought.

“Quietly hand over the woman in that carriage.”

On my way home, I encountered a truly low-grade kidnapper.

‘Isn’t the Ceremony Director a complete fool?!’

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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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