The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money

Common charges and even crimes unbefitting a noble were revealed.

Embezzlement, tax evasion, exploitation of the territory’s people.

Furthermore, it was discovered that they had committed contract fraud in the spice trade they handled during their trade with the kingdom last year.

If it hadn’t been uncovered this time, it would have resulted in significant losses for the kingdom.

‘In the original work, this was revealed later, and Cassian and Roselita had a hard time cleaning up the mess.’

However, since it was uncovered early and not much time had passed, it seemed possible to reach an amicable agreement with the kingdom with appropriate compensation.

Naturally, the Empress also had to face severe reprimands from the Emperor during this process.

‘How could you try to cover this up! Empress, how could you do such a thing?’

‘I-I didn’t know, Your Majesty. It was something done by the husband of a maid I took in.’

Of course, she cut ties with them.

The Viscount of Irenol lost most of their territory and barely retained the minor title of baronet.

It wasn’t even a hereditary title. The Viscount of Irenol was stripped of his title and had to live a long sentence of hard labor.

‘How could you do this to those who could have been your family!’

The Viscountess babbled on with her delusions, but fortunately, the trial was private, so it seemed unlikely that rumors would spread.

If she had stayed quiet, she could have remained a Viscountess for about half a year more.

Of course, she would have been punished regardless of this incident.

The Second Prince was such a workaholic that he had already sensed something was amiss by the end of the year.

I responded to the Viscountess with a smile.

‘I’m sorry, but I have no interest in those who aren’t even barons.’

Upon hearing my kind words, Viscountess Irenol caused a commotion, asking to see the Empress, but she quieted down after realizing she had been cut off.

She also appealed to her son’s fiancée’s family for help, but thanks to my prior warning before the seizure and search, they were able to amicably break off the engagement.

‘Thank you, Miss Saliche. If it weren’t for you, our daughter could have been in big trouble. We were supposed to sign the gift exchange on the day you informed us.’

They were also a baronial family and intended to promise valuable gifts, including high-value mines, hoping their daughter would marry into a more prestigious family.

Knowing that I had saved someone made me feel even more fulfilled.

As expected, the Empress’s punishment seemed likely to end with a brief period of self-reflection.

However, there was a minor disaster for me as well.

The Demon of the Winter Palace saves the Empire!
— Preserving peace with the kingdom.

In mid-January, when all the events were concluded, I muttered in disbelief at the newspaper headline that greeted me as soon as I arrived at work.

“This is so unfair.”

“What is?”

“Why am I the Demon of the Winter Palace instead of His Highness?”

I merely wielded Cassian’s name. Even though Cassian mostly just signed off, he was the one who investigated everything related to the kingdom based on my information!

“You’re right, it’s disappointing.”

Cassian agreed with me, which was unusual. I stared at him, not expecting such a response, and he smiled gently.

“It should be ‘Demons of the Winter Palace.’ It’s a precious name for just you and me, Rose.”

“…Please don’t say such terrible things, Your Highness!”

He added more words with a pleased expression, enjoying my reaction.

It was truly a chilling story.

Please, Your Highness, take responsibility and let it be reflected only in my salary.

Despite everything, I was hoping that the Empress’s self-reflection would lead to some free time for a while.

Thinking back to the original work, when the Empress was caught plotting and went into self-reflection, there was a sweet period of peace.

So this time, I planned to happily spend a sweet weekend.

I deserve a reward after all the trouble I went through at the start of the new year with the Viscount of Irenol’s affairs and the thorough investigation of trade with the kingdom!

I planned to buy books I couldn’t read during the last holiday, eat delicious meals prepared by the maid, and lounge around comfortably.

“Hello, Rose.”

For some reason, as soon as the holiday began, I ran into Cassian. And not just that.

“I’d like to ask you out on a date. Will you accept?”

He had deliberately dressed up like a nouveau riche gentleman.

His hair, dyed a bright brown for the disguise, was so refreshing.

If I got involved, it would definitely become a hassle.

With that thought, I tried to quickly escape, but the demon was sly beyond measure.

“Triple the allowance, and everything I provide during the date is yours.”

Cassian offered his hand to me with an excessively pretty smile.

“Your Highness, do you know you’re always so unfair?”

“How harsh. I always genuinely try to give you what you like.”

Why does he talk about earning money fairly in such a sweet tone?

“Saphir at the central shopping district. I’ll gift you anything you want from there.”

“……”

I was truly afraid of Cassian Artez.

Saphir was filled with all sorts of beautiful things.

It was a shop where painters, craftsmen, and writers poured all their tastes into creating just one very pretty and unique item.

I once peeked inside and felt like my bank account would be completely drained, so I never even entered again.

Did I say something nonsensical to Cassian by any chance?

Having been engrossed in work in front of him many times, I couldn’t trust myself.

“…So what’s the purpose?”

“Cracking down on an illegal gambling den.”

Oddly enough, this put my mind at ease.

I had been eyeing that place for a long time too, as it was one of the Empress’s sources of funds.

When I sighed deeply, Cassian waved his hand once more and very politely requested.

“Miss Roselita, would you please go on a date with me?”

The beautiful smile of the male protagonist using his natural looks.

I kept telling myself that I was only tempted by the money as I reluctantly took his outstretched hand.

As soon as I touched it, Cassian playfully kissed the back of my hand and met my gaze.

My holiday was brilliantly shattering.

After putting on the dress and hat with a slight veil that Cassian had prepared, I boarded the carriage with him.

When I asked if it was okay not to wear a wig since my hair was a concern, Cassian said something strange.

“You can’t hide your pretty hair with something like that, Rose.”

I took it to mean that the hat alone was enough.

“By the way, Your Highness.”

“No calling me Your Highness.”

“Then what should I call you, hey you?”

Cassian let out a laugh as if he found my words absurd.

“What is our relationship today?”

“…A married couple.”

It was a setting I really didn’t like, but it was the most straightforward.

A couple of entrepreneurs who had commercially succeeded in the kingdom were visiting the imperial capital as tourists.

“Even so, I can’t call Your Highness by your name.”

“It’s perfectly fine if it’s you, Rose.”

“I don’t want to be arrested for insulting the imperial family, Your Highness.”

“…in the past…”

At my refusal, Cassian murmured something inaudible.

“Ian.”

“Pardon?”

“Call me Ian.”

I felt relieved at the name, which was somewhat distanced from Cassian’s real name.

No matter how brazen I was, living with half my liver¹ exposed, calling out the prince’s name aloud was a bit much.

For some reason, I thought it sounded familiar.

“Anyway, Ian.”

“Yes.”

…Why is he smiling so brightly at that again?

I held my breath for a moment under his facial assault before I could bring the main topic back up.

“Weren’t you originally planning to crack down on the gambling den in six months?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If you target that place now, with Her Majesty the Empress in self-reflection…”

“It’ll become troublesome.”

Cassian nonchalantly concluded my hesitant words. Of course, the Empress had several sources of funds, and this gambling den wasn’t the largest among them. But it would be enough to upset her.

“So you decided to take more time.”

There was even a chance that the Emperor might blame Cassian this time.

The Emperor wasn’t entirely innocent regarding the Empress’s sources of funds.

As Cassian said, the Emperor wasn’t a foolish ruler. If the national treasury could be filled, he sometimes turned a blind eye to slightly illegal activities.

The Empress’s gambling den was similar.