The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 9

The dinner gathering was a very private affair, and in the original story, the Empress took the initiative to spread rumors that Roselita and Viscount Irenol’s young master were in an official relationship after she attended.

Ugh, how could they say such horrible things!

But unlike in the original story, I had a sturdy shield of a boss.

Well, it’s not that the original Cassian did nothing.

If only he had been helpful.

That Cassian, unlike my current boss, was such a child that instead of using strategies, he openly and officially protested.

He only ended up being scolded by the Empress, and was told that a friend shouldn’t meddle in others’ marriage affairs.

The original Roselita struggled alone trying to explain, but the situation only worsened.

Nonsense like she was trying to back out of an engagement she had already agreed to, or that she was looking down on the viscount’s family. It started with ridiculous talk and eventually escalated to threatening Roselita’s parents!

They said they would forget everything if she accepted the engagement, and asked if she had thought about what would happen to the Saliche territory if she refused. It was quite a spectacle.

Of course, her parents wanted to respect their daughter’s wishes until the end and pleaded with bowed heads.

‘It’s really irritating just thinking about it again.’

Anyway, seeing her parents like that, Roselita gritted her teeth even more and gathered all sorts of information to damage the viscount’s family and resolve the situation.

Of course, I didn’t have the information guild that the original Roselita had.

But instead, I have public authority!

They don’t seem to realize how many nobles I’ve exposed while suffering under that Demon of the Winter Palace for the past year.

I started sorting out the necessary information from the pile of documents with a sinister smile.

I’ll repay the grudge of having me work on a holiday, with compound interest.

*

Viscountess Irenol was anxious and upset.

‘The nerve of that mere baronial family.’

How dare they put on airs with our family?

‘She’s still a young lady, isn’t she? She must be shy.’

That’s what Her Majesty the Empress said, but Viscountess Irenol could only think it was impudence.

If it weren’t for Her Majesty the Empress’s orders, they wouldn’t even dare to look at the Irenol viscounty!

To think that her precious son would be sold off to such a disadvantageous position.

Today, her useless husband irritated her more than usual.

‘Still, I must endure. Didn’t Her Majesty the Empress say? That she’s young and can be educated.’

She intended to make her cry her eyes out once she entered the viscount’s family.

The audacity to say she’s working to pay off family debts without any shame.

Well, the fortunate thing was that if this marriage went through, the Empress said she would pay off all those debts.

Both the Saliche baronial family’s and the Irenol viscounty’s.

‘Then from that point on, all the money Miss Saliche earns will belong to our family.’

It was an open secret among those working in the imperial palace that Prince Cassian was generous with his assistant and paid a large salary.

Her Majesty the Empress said she would let Roselita return to live in the Saliche territory, but Viscountess Irenol had no such intention at all.

Aside from being reluctant to send her precious son to that remote and rugged rural territory, why would she let go of such a good source of income?

Wasting money on herself and the family? Who does she think she is?

If she’s going to work her bones out for the Saliche baronial family, of course she should do so for the Irenol viscounty!

For her beloved son, she could just provide him with a mistress.

Viscountess Irenol took a deep breath and thought she should call Roselita in again to think about the future.

If she scared her by saying that refusing twice would be an insult to Her Majesty the Empress, she would surely ask Prince Cassian to relieve her of her duties.

It was just when Viscountess Irenol had barely suppressed her irritation and picked up her pen that the lower floor became noisy.

“W-What is the meaning of this!”

At the loud voice of the hot-tempered butler, the viscountess felt her irritation rising again.

The ink that had leaked from the pen tip had stained the paper, adding to the misery of having to take out a new sheet.

She should have fired that noisy butler earlier.

“What’s all this commotion about!”

The viscountess stomped down the stairs, making loud footsteps with the intention of finally cutting him off this time.

But she was dumbfounded at the sight before her eyes.

“M-Miss Saliche?”

There stood Roselita, wrapped in a plain dark blue dress.

What, what is this rustic appearance, and why has she brought such a crowd?

Stunned, the viscountess barely managed to open her mouth and ask,

“What is happening right now…?”

Despite the Viscountess’s question, Roselita only turned around after finishing giving instructions to the administrative officers and guards.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and showed a document to the bewildered Viscountess.

“There was an order from Prince Cassian to seize and search the Irenol Viscount’s estate as of January 5th at 14:27.”

“Wh-what! Seize?!”

The Viscountess shouted angrily at Roselita.

“Miss Saliche, shouldn’t you not be doing this?!”

How dare she do such a thing to a family she was about to marry into!

Such rudeness was unheard of.

However, Roselita, far from being intimidated, merely smiled and responded in a business-like manner.

“Please refer to the attached documents for detailed information, Viscountess.”

As if she was very accustomed to such situations.

‘What’s with that attitude! Shouldn’t she be scared?’

Why was the young lady so composed?

For some reason, the image of the Demon of the Winter Palace, who used to mock the Empress without a care, overlapped with Roselita’s figure.

*

At a similar time, there was a minor commotion at the imperial palace.

The eldest son of the Viscount of Irenol, who had been the assistant to the First Prince, was dragged out on Cassian’s orders.

“P-Prince! I-I am innocent!”

Although Cassian had given the order, the eldest son pleaded with First Prince Charlie to save him.

But Charlie ignored the eldest son’s pleas and spoke to Cassian with a bored look.

“Cassian, if you’re going to take someone, I’d prefer that one.”

He pointed to the Duke’s eldest son, acting as if Cassian had chosen the wrong person.

“He’s a good playmate for me, unlike the young duke who always nags me to work.”

At Charlie’s words, the ‘young duke’ continued processing documents with an indifferent expression.

He was surely the assistant whom the Empress had managed to appoint with much effort, even under the condition of working only three mornings a week.

“If you wish, brother, you can change him anytime.”

The young duke’s hand paused briefly before moving again. Cassian thought it was a sign of expectation rather than anxiety.

“Haha, you know that’s difficult. Cassian, you’re too much. Do you want to see me get scolded by Mother?”

As Charlie spoke and tilted his head, his red hair, resembling the Empress’s, cascaded down his shoulders.

The young duke’s shoulders also drooped slightly, as if in response. Cassian laughed softly at his brother’s carefree tone.

“Of course not. Just imagining you being summoned by His Majesty pains me.”

“Aah, indeed. Cassian, you’re too much. Because of you, I’ll get scolded by Father again.”

Though his words were slightly sarcastic, Charlie laughed foolishly.

“But it’s okay. You were just doing your job, Cassian. I’m not a narrow-minded brother who would hate you for this.”

“……”

Cassian briefly thought that this person might be more difficult to deal with than the Empress.

“So, why don’t we stop with the formal titles and call each other like when we were kids, Cassian? Like ‘bro.’”

No, this person was just a fool.

Besides, he had never used such an embarrassing title.

Cassian sighed deeply, tidied up the situation, and bowed to Charlie.

“Then, I’ll take my leave, brother.”

“Already~? I thought we could have lunch together for once. But I guess it can’t be helped since you’re busy.”

Lunch had long passed.

If Roselita had heard this, she would have nagged him about not valuing time.

Cassian bowed his head in greeting without responding and withdrew from the spot.

Charlie watched his brother’s retreating figure for a moment before murmuring languidly.

“I’m jealous~. I want to work with a pretty assistant too.”

The young duke’s brow furrowed, finding it absurd.

*

January 7th.

The name of the Viscount of Irenol was erased from the central nobility register.