The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 5

Despite my answer, Cassian, for some reason, stopped what he was doing and stood up.

What a waste…. The seconds he stops are incomparable to another person’s time.

“Rose.”

“Yes?”

Cassian’s eyes turned serious, as if he was planning another prank.

I won’t be fooled anymore today. Once a day is enough for falling for the male lead’s charms!

However.

“Make sure to go home safely, don’t even think about walking.”

For some reason, instead of pausing, he blurted out the main point.

“If it weren’t for times like these….”

Cassian sighed deeply and even called an imperial knight himself.

It’s only a ten-minute carriage ride, but he’s going this far?

When I looked at Cassian with a face of disbelief, he squinted and spoke.

“There are always fools in this world.”

Haha, surely not to that extent.

*

Contrary to what I thought.

“Why don’t you hand over the lady sitting quietly in there?”

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

‘Isn’t the head of the ceremonial hall a complete fool?!’

*

“Please stay inside, Miss Assistant.”

The knight Cassian assigned spoke in a low voice from outside the carriage.

Of course, I had no intention of going out.

After all, these were knights assigned by ‘that’ Cassian, and there’s no way an imperial knight would lose to some ordinary folks.

‘I should think about tripping up the head of the ceremonial hall instead.’

To think they thought they could take me lightly and pull such nonsense, I’ll gratefully make good use of this. Thank you, head of the ceremonial hall.

You truly have a unique life experience!

“Please capture them alive if possible.”

After instructing the knights through the door, I took out the work I always carried with me.

‘Might as well work overtime.’

I should get something done while they subdue them to demand extra compensation from Cassian without guilt.

“Ugh–! Ack!”

Outside, the voices of the pathetic kidnappers being subdued by the imperial knights echoed.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the neat sound of a pen continued as if erasing those noises.

*

Thanks to the attempted kidnapping.

It only took a day for the head of the ceremonial hall to lose his position, adding to the crimes he had committed.

Well, the head of the ceremonial hall…

‘This is absurd! To so carelessly remove someone from such a prestigious position!!’

He expressed a baseless grievance, but it didn’t work on Cassian at all.

In addition, through the seized documents, the members of the ceremonial hall were dismissed one after another.

Thanks to that, the office was noisy with all sorts of complaints for a week, but it wasn’t our first time conducting an audit.

Both Cassian and I ignored what needed to be ignored and endured that stormy week.

And so, it was already the last day of the year.

I was planning to handle my work without moving until 6 o’clock today as well.

‘But I’m happy…!’

If I just endure today, a three-day holiday, including the weekend, awaits me.

After leaving work on time, I planned to laze around at home for three whole days.

On Saturday, I would stop by the bookstore to buy a bunch of novels and spend the weekend reading them, and it might be nice to buy various types of pies that I hadn’t been able to eat and have them instead of meals.

I intended to turn off the alarm, draw the thickest curtains, and sleep in late.

Just imagining it made me so happy that I hurriedly processed the few remaining documents.

My lips tickled with happiness.

But then.

“Rose.”

A foreboding voice was heard.

*

“Hmmm….”

How did I end up like this?

Looking down from my shoulders, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Wearing such a properly fitted evening dress felt so unfamiliar and awkward.

Was it the consequence of only wearing comfortable clothes for work?

Still, wearing pretty clothes to work only made me sad.

For that reason, I am a bit sad now. The fact that I had to work overtime in a dress from a famous boutique in the capital.

The dress was so pretty, with its subtle lavender fabric and lace adorning the shoulders and neckline without being excessive.

The current time is 7:28 PM.

Just a couple of hours ago, I was happy at the thought of leaving work and relaxing, but I became a slave to extra pay once again. Because Cassian Artez had bluntly said,

‘Attend the imperial ball.’

And added,

‘Of course, the pay will be tripled, not doubled.’

With conditions I absolutely couldn’t refuse. That confident, annoying face! I really wanted to see that face contort if I said I wouldn’t go…. But then….

‘We’ll prepare what you’ll wear. Everything you wear tonight is yours.’

The truly annoying boss was a genius at eliciting a positive response from me. Well….

‘Though it wasn’t just because of the money.’

When Cassian spoke, I thought I could escape the specter of the debutante ball.

It wasn’t common, but it was also a place where noble children who missed the debutante ball that year could make their first appearance.

Of course.

‘It only applies to high-ranking noble children eligible to attend the year-end imperial ball.’

Even if I was being sarcastic, it didn’t matter, since I could get rid of the talks about one debutante ball.

It’s better to leave just one talk about being a baron’s daughter.

I adjusted the hem of my dress and stood up. 7:30 PM.

It was the time Cassian said he would come.

I couldn’t keep my superior waiting.

Thinking that, I opened the door, and Cassian, who was already standing nearby, burst into a low laugh.

“Rose, you are really punctual. Usually, one would make others wait at times like this.”

I felt rather puzzled at his words. Why was he here early without even knocking?

*

“It suits you well.”

Cassian casually remarked as we headed to the hall.

“Your Highness looks truly splendid today as well.”

When I responded to return the compliment, Cassian chuckled lowly for some reason.

Is it stress from overwork? He’s unusually cheerful today.

“It’s not just a polite remark; it really suits you, Rose.”

…I felt a bit wronged.

My compliment wasn’t just a polite remark either.

Cassian Artez, regardless of the substance, was truly excellent in appearance.

And he was properly dressed in formal ceremonial attire.

The uniform he had criticized several times for being impractical.

The outfit, overflowing with aesthetic appeal, further accentuated his already intimidatingly excellent appearance.

As I looked at him with disbelief, whether he knew the expression on my face or not, he showed his arm.

“We have to work overtime.”

“Yes, but are you sure I only need to attend as your partner?”

I asked him again what I had asked a couple of hours ago.

Since I became his assistant, he rarely attended social events.

When he had to attend, he would just make a brief appearance alone.

Cassian Artez using his time without any intention was unthinkable.

However…

“Yes. It’s rare for you to ask me the same question twice.”

The same answer as earlier in the evening came back.

It couldn’t be helped.

“His Highness Prince Cassian Artez and Miss Roselita Saliche are entering!”

I would just have to gather information needed for future work on my own. Feeling somewhat bashful, I entered the hall with Cassian.

*

The sight of the ball I saw for the first time was splendid and beautiful. And….

The gazes were piercing.

“Oh my, it’s Miss Saliche.”

“Saliche? Is she even of status to be at such an event? Aren’t those below the rank of count supposed to spend the year-end inside their warm homes?”

“She must have pleaded ignorantly with His Highness the Prince.”

“Who would deny it? Trying to make her debut at the year-end imperial ball, and with His Highness the Prince, no less!”

I had to force myself not to let out a hollow laugh.

Instead.

“Your Highness. Could you look over there for a moment?”

“…Why?”

“I think acknowledging those who like you might improve your image a bit.”

At my words, Cassian chuckled and looked directly at them.

The voices of the group, who had been talking loudly without volume control, suddenly quieted down.

“You’re very efficient.”

“It’s all thanks to learning well from Your Highness.”

At my words, Cassian simply smiled quietly and led me with skilled escorting to the Emperor and Empress.

The reason this year-end imperial ball could substitute for the debutante ball was that the Emperor and Empress always attended.

It was customary for noble children to greet the Emperor when entering society, and for women, to greet the Empress or an equivalent imperial lady.