Seeing Anan’s hands trembling, Luden seemed somewhat concerned, but he brought me out right away. Luden’s expression was dark as we came outside. Well, with his mother in that state, there was no way he could feel at ease. She was his only family.
He looked back at the door to Anan’s room and sighed.
“If my mother can’t hold on like today, it’s best if you just leave.”
“Understood.”
“Please watch over her often. Even when I’m not here…”
He was speaking sincerely.
“Yes.”
I answered sincerely as well.
* * *
Riding in the carriage, I looked at the check Luden had given me. I thought over and over about what his purpose was in giving this, but nothing came to mind.
The carriage stopped. We seemed to have arrived at the bank. Getting out of the carriage, I entered the square bank building and waited. There were many people, so I waited for my turn at the bank.
“What brings you here?”
“I’d like to exchange a check for money and deposit it.”
I showed the check to the bank clerk. Seeing the Charlot family seal stamped on it, the clerk asked.
“Excuse me, but your name?”
“Annelia Rosaline.”
I showed my identification card stamped with the Duke Rosaline family seal. The bank clerk stood up in surprise, told me to wait, and went somewhere. Soon after, a white-haired man walked over.
“Are you Lady Duke yourself?”
“Yes.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
He quickly bowed his head. Was it because of the Charlot family? Or because the amount written on the check was high?
‘Just how much is it?’
He clearly looked like a bank branch manager.
“I’m Branch Manager Azel.”
As expected, my intuition was right. The highest-ranking person at the bank had come out.
“You’re depositing the money?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, thank you. If you had withdrawn it all, it would have taken time for us to prepare the cash.”
Huh? I thought he’d given me about ten million won in Korean money.
“Thank you so much for trusting our bank with your deposit.”
Azel was extremely pleased. Soon after, I received a paper bankbook. The money stamped there was tremendous.
‘Good heavens!’
Converted to Korean money, it was an enormous amount. Wow, it was enough to buy a huge luxury noble mansion!
“This is appreciation?”
How could I carry this money around? And the cash here was gold coins. If I hadn’t deposited it at the bank and asked for it in cash, my arms would have broken carrying it.
Why would he give such a large sum just as marriage appreciation? This definitely wasn’t simply giving money.
But since I couldn’t figure out his intentions, I grumbled and returned home. In any case, I ended up depositing quite a lot of money at the bank.
But a few days later, a rumor spread through the capital. That I had received a payment for getting engaged to the Charlot family. The content included that while the exact amount wasn’t known, it was quite substantial.
However, having no acquaintances in high society, I had no idea the rumor had spread.
* * *
It happened on a quiet afternoon. I had braided my long hair and was reading a book. I was lying on the bed having a happy time eating delicious cookies.
While turning page after page, admiring the characters’ narratives, Lella opened the door and came in.
“Miss Annelia, Millen Rosaline has come.”
“Uncle?”
“Yes.”
Millen Rosaline was Caromiel’s younger brother. He’d been living an ordinary life, but after Caromiel received help from the Charlot family, he often came to borrow money.
‘But why me?’
“I should meet him.”
Thinking he might be coming to me because it was awkward to ask Father for money, I went to the drawing room. A man sat in the drawing room. He was a middle-aged man with beautiful blonde hair and murky light green eyes, resembling Caromiel.
But if Caromiel had beautiful light green eyes, his felt like various colors mixed together. In conclusion, thinking Caromiel’s eye color was prettier, I bowed my head.
“It’s been a while, Uncle.”
“It’s been a while, Annelia.”
He called me affectionately. I was flustered. Since when was Uncle this friendly? He’d never been like this before.
I looked at Uncle coldly. Somehow I had a bad feeling.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes.”
“Are you getting along well with the Charlot family?”
Was he trying to borrow money from the Charlot family through me?
“So-so.”
“From what I hear, you seem to be getting along well.”
“Rumors?”
My heart raced at the word rumors.
“What rumors?”
When I asked, Millen smiled broadly.
“The rumor that the Charlot family gave you a large sum of money has spread widely. I know he’s smitten with you and offering you money.”
“What…?”
Ridiculous.
‘Who on earth?’
Did the escort knight who went with me spread the rumor? But the escort knight was outside the building and didn’t know what business I went for. Then the bank employees who were there?
I was curious about the source of the rumor.
‘Who spread it?’
I wanted to find that person and shake them by the collar. Anyway, the important thing was that the rumor had already spread, and Millen, who smelled money, had come. He was scheming to borrow money.
D*mn it! My insides were boiling, but I spoke calmly. Forcibly suppressing my trembling lips.
“Ah, so that rumor spread.”
I drank my tea.
“Uncle needs money.”
I tilted my head.
“You borrowed from Father.”
“Don’t I have to pay that back? Uncle is having a very hard time. There are hidden debts too.”
Millen suddenly made the most pitiful expression possible.
“Won’t you give me some money?”
Not even borrowing, but asking me to give it!
‘This thieving bastard!’
“I gave all the money to Father.”
Of course I had it, but I said this for now.
“Tell him you need it for something and ask for money. You have to help your poor uncle.”
I frowned.
‘Is it your money? It’s my money.’
“I can’t give it to you, but I’ll try asking Father to lend it. For now. But before borrowing, let’s secure collateral first. Through a contract so we can seize assets if Uncle can’t repay the money.”
In this world too, you need a contract to legally receive money. At my words, Millen jumped up.
“Collateral, Annelia! Why have you become so greedy? Not even knowing the grace of being raised all this time!”
Millen had done nothing for me. He’d done nothing for Annelia either. And even if he had, he shouldn’t act like this.
Moreover, when the Rosaline family’s situation was bad, Millen was doing well. Yet he didn’t help the family. He jumped up.
“I’ll never see you again!”
He shouted that and tried to leave. But when nothing happened, he stopped walking and looked at me.
“Why aren’t you stopping me? Uncle is angry!”
“Why should I care about Uncle? Just go.”
“Annelia!”
How long did you think I’d be a pushover? His intentions were so obvious it was laughable.
I tilted my head and leisurely smiled with my eyes. What would he do if I said this?
“And you won’t come to my wedding, right?”
The wedding Luden would attend. Millen would want to become close with Luden.
“If you leave like this, you won’t be able to come.”
Then Millen’s face flushed.
“Wicked girl.”
He acted like he would rush at me right then. If he came at me like this, I had something to say too.
“I’ll tell Father.”
“And you call yourself a niece!”
The more this happened, the more firmly I had to act.
“We have no ties now, so I’m not your niece. You said you wouldn’t see me.”
When I didn’t waver at his criticism, Millen breathed heavily. Then, seemingly having organized his thoughts, he smiled at me and spoke.
“…Uncle was just angry earlier.”
When Millen instantly backed down, I was even more dumbfounded.
“I understand, so please leave.”
At my firm words, Millen’s face crumpled. He poured all kinds of curses on me, slammed the door, and left.
What kind of situation was this? Luden gave me money, and someone found out. Then Uncle, who was greedy for money, came.
Very few people knew I received money. And the rumor spread too quickly considering I’d just received it. It was far-fetched to think it happened because an escort knight or bank employee personally blabbed about it. It was too much for a powerless individual to do. It was clearly spread systematically.
So conversely, guessing who orchestrated this was too easy.
Luden Charlot! This was definitely something he’d planned to do something to me.
What on earth is his ultimate goal? What is he trying to test by planning this?
While pondering what Luden’s intentions were, I soon jumped up and went to Caromiel’s room.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“Uncle came and asked me for money.”
There was no reason not to mention this. Get a taste of this. And Luden, you watch clearly too. I’m not a pushover anymore!
“So did you give it to him?”
“No. Why would I give it to him like I’m crazy? Then he said he wouldn’t see me and cursed at me, calling me a wicked girl.”
Hearing my words, Caromiel spoke harshly.
“That bastard!”
“So, I’d prefer if Uncle didn’t come to the wedding. That way he can’t treat me or Father carelessly.”
Caromiel nodded. He expressed agreement with my words like it was natural.
“I’ll tell Marquis Charlot.”
“Yes, good.”
I returned to my room humming, thinking I’d dealt with Millen. I hoped this opportunity meant I’d never see Millen again.
* * *
Luden opened the letter stamped with the Rosaline family seal.
“The Duke sent a letter.”
“How is it?”
“He says to exclude Millen Rosaline from the wedding guest list.”
At those words, Andre nodded.
“…She handled it well. You have to be firm so those types learn.”
Luden said that and leaned back in his chair. Annelia was certainly very different from ‘that’ Annelia he’d investigated.
“You’re meeting Annelia today?”
“I have to.”
Responding to Andre’s words, Luden frowned. This was the first time meeting her since giving her the money.
How would she act? Would she be rude now that she had money? Or would she be the same as before? Seeing how she dealt with Millen, she didn’t seem completely stupid.
“At least her attitude toward maids and others hasn’t changed.”
When Andre reported what he’d investigated, Luden stood up. He had to go meet Annelia.
‘If Annelia realizes I orchestrated this…’
Thinking that, Luden chuckled. If that happened, there would be much to think about. And she’d probably already noticed.
Because her current self was different from before.
* * *
Hearing that Luden had arrived, I went to the drawing room. Luden was drinking tea inside. He brought up trivial topics.
I responded appropriately while glaring at him. He didn’t look entirely pretty to me.
‘What is he scheming?’
Seemingly noticing my wary gaze, Luden smiled.
“Isn’t it frustrating only talking in the mansion?”
“What?”
“There’s a good place to talk. Shall we go there?”
He was suggesting we go somewhere other than the mansion to talk. Why did it smell so sinister? But I couldn’t say I wouldn’t go.
“Where is it?”
“A park.”
“Alright.”
Let’s play along with him for now. I stood up and rode in the carriage with him to the park.
* * *
Getting out of the carriage, I opened my parasol. At the western edge of Yaras, the Duke Empire’s capital, was a beautiful park.
That park belonged to the Charlot family, and the number of people who could enter the park per day was set. So it operated on a strict reservation system.
But since it belonged to the Charlot family, I received Luden’s guidance in the park we could enter without a reservation. In the middle of the park was a lake. Gentle ripples undulated. Red flowers floated prettily on the water.
Around the lake, flowering trees grew. White and pale pink flowers created a contrast. Looking at the lake in full bloom, I admired it.
“By the way.”
Luden asked me.
“Why did you exclude Millen Rosaline from the wedding invitation guest list?”
“Uncle? Didn’t Father write the reason?”
“He only said it was family circumstances.”
I smiled. Father probably couldn’t easily mention the family’s disgrace.
‘But Luden is probably already guessing the reason.’
“Ah, about him. He asked me for money.”
“Aah…”
“When I firmly refused, he even cursed at me and said he’d cut ties.”
Luden nodded.
“But Luden, why did you give me such a large sum? It was more than what you promised Father.”
I narrowed my eyes sharply.
“I’m curious.”
At that, Luden looked at me seriously.
“Don’t you have any guesses?”
“Well…”
I actually did. Though I didn’t know exactly what he was trying to find out, it seemed related to Anan anyway.
“Was it some kind of test?”
At my words, Luden smiled. As he turned his head, the blue lake reflected in his red eyes.
Having organized his thoughts, he looked at me and spoke seriously.
“My mother is precious to me. The reason I’m getting married is because I needed someone to care for her devotedly. I need that kind of family.”
“I see.”
“A good person who doesn’t harm others and is full of compassion. I wanted that kind of woman. And a woman who wouldn’t waver at any temptation.”
That’s right. I knew that too.
“But you’ve changed.”
Ah, so that’s why he did this…?
“We made a contract, but I couldn’t feel at ease. So I gave you enough money to break the contract immediately. If there was no loss in breaking the contract, I thought what Annelia was hiding might be revealed.”
He said that and shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s how it happened.”
“You spread the rumor too?”
“Correct.”
He’s admitting it readily?
“I was also curious how you’d treat people who approached you for money. If you’d become arrogant and recklessly lent money, I was going to use that as a reason to break off the engagement.”
“Really, how complicated.”
I grumbled. I didn’t feel particularly good. Thinking I’d been played by someone made me feel worse.
“I apologize.”
Luden apologized sincerely.
“If you cancel an engagement once, Luden’s relatives would make a fuss, right?”
“Correct.”
I knew well that his relatives were running wild trying to find Luden’s weaknesses. The Emperor said that when Luden became the successor, if he lacked qualifications, he’d be removed from the successor position. So if Luden just canceled the engagement, his relatives would find fault.
So from Luden’s position, he had to test me to find out what kind of person I was, and somehow find an excuse to break off the engagement. In a way, his actions weren’t incomprehensible.
But that didn’t make what Luden did to me disappear.
“I’ll let this incident go since you apologized honestly and had your circumstances, but…”
I spoke firmly.
“You owe me a debt.”
What should I do with this?
“Seeing how you didn’t break off the engagement and spoke honestly, I passed?”
“Correct. And I’ll definitely repay this debt.”
“Then, are you doing business with any trading companies connected to Uncle Millen?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not asking you to cut off dealings with them, just could you make Uncle a bit uncomfortable?”
Then Luden’s eyes widened.
“I’d like Uncle to have some difficulties.”
I hadn’t forgotten him cursing at me. Get a taste of this.
“Understood.”
I extended my hand to Luden.
“Now we’re truly engaged. Please treat me well from now on.”
Having to live with this kind of man for six months, would it be okay? I was anxious, but still, he was my fiancé. The person who would become my husband.
I decided to rely on the fact that Luden’s character wasn’t the worst. He wasn’t someone who would harm people.
Luden also took my hand. A gentle breeze blew across the lake. Feeling the blowing wind, I slowly walked around the lake with him.
It was the moment I passed his test and he decided to accept me as his fiancée.
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Ravingcrow1118
I know it might just be a comic relief thing from the author, but having the main character be obsessed with meat felt so unnecessary to a childish degree. It made me wonder to what extent does the author know vegetables are more than color and can be served in a variety of ways, including imitating meat.