The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 46

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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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46.

“Sixth Prince?”

It was the Fourth Prince’s younger brother who had heard the shocking news today about departing for the battlefield.

In other words, he was the Second Consort’s second son.

He was seven years old, right at the age when baby teeth start falling out.

“Yes, you know me! Big sister!”

Big sister? What kind of crazy cuteness is this?

He was chubby with a childish air about him, red-tinted cheeks, and when he smiled brightly like a child, he quickly covered his mouth with his hand, seemingly self-conscious about his missing bottom tooth – it was absolutely adorable.

He’s Prince’s brother, how can he be this cute!

When I looked at Casian with such eyes, his expression quickly turned bitter.

“I remember being cute when I was little too.”

That can’t be true – even if you were handsome, you had an aura that made it hard to dare call you cute, didn’t you?

As I silently objected, Casian came up behind me, pressed his body close, and habitually leaned his head on my shoulder as he spoke.

“Those who are cute when young tend to be pretty when they grow up, Rose.”

Why do you want me to prove that to you?

As I tried to push Casian away with my shoulder, the Sixth Prince reached out and firmly grasped my hand.

“Big sister, play with me.”

“Huh?”

“I heard big sister plays the most fun games!”

“Ah, but…”

Right now it’s work hours and I need to come up with countermeasures for the Fourth Prince’s deployment…

‘If I pretend not to know, the Empress will definitely use this as material for media manipulation.’

It wouldn’t be difficult for the Empress to completely erase First Prince Charlie’s existence and act as if only Casian could prevent this situation.

Nevertheless, as I was about to waver from my principle of work first due to the Sixth Prince’s overwhelmingly cute appearance.

“Joel, is the Second Consort looking for Rose?”

Casian asked the Sixth Prince a question.

The prince’s beaming face instantly became composed.

“It’s a secret from big brother!”

At words that were as good as confirmation, Casian whispered in a voice the prince couldn’t hear.

“The Second Consort may seem quiet, but she has a track record of protecting two princes.”

“That means…”

“Go ahead, Rose. Ashwood Aide and I can handle your work for a while.”

I was recalling Casian’s schedule for today in my head and hesitated, but soon decided to follow Sixth Prince Joel.

Hoping this wasn’t a trap set by the Empress.

*

Contrary to my expectation that we’d go straight to Lilac Palace where the Second Consort resided, the Sixth Prince held my hand and wandered around various parts of the palace.

As if he was really just playing around the palace with me.

“Big sister, look at that flower, it’s pretty like you!”

As if to show he was indeed Casian’s brother, he naturally spouted sweet words.

“You have to count to ten and then find me, okay big sister?”

He even played a short game of hide-and-seek in between, causing the administrators walking around to give me strange looks.

Their gazes seemed to ask why I, who always rushed around with a face that looked ready to kill everyone, was here playing with a young child.

That’s right, why am I doing this…?

Though my mind was complicated thinking about the work piling up, I obediently followed along, thinking that seven years old was exactly the right age for Sixth Prince Joel to act this way.

Originally, seven-year-olds are the age where even if you send them on errands, they’ll get distracted by everything along the way.

As lunchtime approached, Joel, who had been running around giggling with excitement, hugged my legs tightly and said.

“Big sister, I’m hungry!”

“Ah, then let’s go eat-“

“I just remembered! Mommy told me to bring big sister!”

Whether he had really forgotten while playing, Joel started heading toward Lilac Palace while swinging my hand back and forth.

“Our mommy’s food is really, really delicious!”

He even proudly bragged about the Second Consort’s cooking skills.

Of course, I couldn’t shake my puzzlement at those words.

‘Why would a consort cook directly?’

*

“Welcome, Salice Advisor.”

I was quite surprised to see the Second Consort greeting me.

Since we had only exchanged greetings until now, I didn’t know her well, but she had never been dressed so casually like this.

The Second Consort, as if worried about being criticized by someone, would dress in excessively formal dresses even during breakfast time.

Her two sons, the Fourth Prince and Sixth Prince, were the same.

But now she was wearing a simple but elegantly dyed cotton dress with a neat apron, like a commoner’s wife.

As I wondered about it, since it clearly wasn’t a decorative apron, the Second Consort spoke somewhat embarrassedly.

“Feeding and raising two young children isn’t something that can be done elegantly, Advisor. I’m not being casual because I’m comfortable with you, so please don’t be offended.”

“I wasn’t thinking that, so please don’t worry, Second Consort.”

I was just curious why someone of the Second Consort’s status would personally do work that nannies or kitchen staff should handle.

All the other consorts use both kitchen staff and nannies.

“Mommy, Joel brought big sister!”

“Well done, our Joel.”

The Second Consort carefully let go of my hand as Joel ran to her for a hug, then embraced him tightly and kissed his cheek.

“I heard Salice Advisor likes meat dishes, so I prepared accordingly. My skills are quite modest, so I’m not sure if it will suit your taste, but would you like to come in?”

At the Second Consort’s question as she held Joel’s hand, I gladly nodded.

“Wow, I want to sit next to big sister!”

“Not next to mommy?”

“I’ll sit next to mommy at dinner!”

It was truly a scene that naturally brought a warm smile to my face.

To the point where I wondered if such a scene should be possible in the battlefield-like Imperial Palace.

That was because Lilac Palace’s dining room also had a different atmosphere from other palaces.

As if revealing the Second Consort’s nature, the wallpaper was filled with warm colors, and large windows occupied one side like using the scenery itself as a frame.

Thanks to the Second Consort saying it was a nice day and having the doors opened, a cool breeze flowed in, making the mood refreshing.

It felt like sitting in a nice restaurant in the suburbs rather than a dining room within the Imperial Palace.

Soon, two fair-skinned maids came pulling trolleys and filled the table with dishes.

Though not as fancy as Imperial breakfast or the meals Casian always prepared for me, they were neat home-style dishes that immediately stimulated the appetite.

There was soup with good color and aroma made by cutting mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, etc. into large chunks, and baguette cut into bite-sized pieces and warmed by grilling once more.

The crowning touch was beef bourguignon with a subtle tomato aroma that stimulated the salivary glands.

“Please eat quickly, the pickles are at just the right time too.”

Without hesitation, I took a big spoonful of soup first at her words.

‘Wow, this is incredible.’

Why is someone like this staying at Lilac Palace?

With puzzled feelings, I picked up a piece of baguette, added some beef bourguignon, and took a big bite.

The seemingly simple home-style cooking had a heartwarming flavor that made me happy.

‘Someone with such talent should go out into the wide world and make many people happy…!’

I felt somewhat sorry for eating such delicious food all by myself.

Perhaps because my happy feelings naturally showed, a relieved smile also appeared on the Second Consort’s lips.

She spoke to me not in a pretentious way, but truly like a loving mother.

“I prepared plenty of food, so if you need more, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

The Second Consort seemed like a good person.

No, I hoped she would be.

*

After the meal ended, the Second Consort leisurely peeled fruit and slowly began to speak.

“You seem to have many questions, sorry for not letting you speak during the meal.”

“No, thanks to you I was able to focus on my meal.”

At my words, the consort gently curved her eyes and nodded.

She had already cut a few pieces of apple earlier, and the Fourth Prince and Sixth Prince had run out to the Lilac Palace Garden, saying they wanted to play tag with each other.

“I’m teaching the children not to do other things during meal time, so I unintentionally took up the advisor’s time.”

I shook my head at those words. The consort, having finished peeling, cut the apple prettily and even stuck a fork in it before offering it to me.

When I reflexively accepted it, a pleased smile appeared on her face, making me feel unnecessarily embarrassed.

“They’re nothing grand, but I hope what I’ve given you today can help lower Advisor Salice’s guard.”

The consort put down the fruit knife and wiped her hands clean of the fruit juice, then turned her body toward me and took a respectful posture.

“Please help ensure the Fourth Prince is not sent to the battlefield, Advisor Salice.”

She said this while bowing her head.

“Your Highness the Consort.”

“Of course, I’m not unaware of how much trouble my saying this might cause for His Highness the Second Prince.”

It’s not that it wouldn’t be troublesome.

Casian had already taken that into consideration as well.

“But I can’t be that selfish of a person. Just as my child is precious to me, I know that other people’s children are precious to them too.”

“Didn’t you call me to ask Prince Casian to go to war in his place?”

At my question, the Second Consort slowly shook her head.

Her gentle gaze instantly became cold as ice.

“I know Prince Casian’s nature. Even if he just stays quiet, he’ll volunteer for the difficult work for his younger siblings.”

That was correct. Having experienced hardship himself, he hoped his younger siblings wouldn’t have to go through the same thing.

“But that’s not right. It’s just that I can’t think of a good method by myself, so I called Advisor Salice.”

“What Your Highness the Consort wants to say is…”

“Advisor Salice, isn’t there a way to send someone else who’s just sitting idle to the battlefield?”

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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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