She couldn’t keep lying forever. But truthfully, it was to deceive someone other than Sean.

“Why aren’t you working?”

It was Connor Cook, the eldest son of the Viscount Cook family that ruled this territory.

The reason he had specifically traveled to this rural corner of the territory was to see Alice. Her brown hair that barely touched her shoulders and her habit of wearing pants for work, combined with her tanned skin and slender waist, had piqued Connor’s interest.

Alice had caught Connor’s eye when he came to collect taxes while she was barely making ends meet working on farms.

Generally, women considered it an honor when a nobleman showed interest. Especially in this rural area with few people and even fewer young ones. But Alice deliberately avoided Connor whenever she saw him.

“Alice.”

“…Yes, Lord Connor.”

“About your parents and brother…”

“Ah. Yes.”

Alice’s eyes widened at the mention of her parents and brother. When she finally made eye contact with him after avoiding him for so long, Connor smiled triumphantly.

“Let’s talk inside the carriage.”

“…”

He had heard that Alice was looking for her parents whose whereabouts were unknown. Connor lured her by saying he would look into it for her. Though he already knew, he had no intention of giving the information for free.

Alice entered the carriage with an uneasy feeling. Sean watched with a worried face, but there was nothing to be done.

The carriage door closed with only Alice and Connor inside. Connor crossed his long legs and looked down at Alice. He was a commoner not worth a second glance, yet he carried himself with such pride.

“…What will you do for me in exchange for the information?”

“Pardon?”

Connor reached out and traced Alice’s lips.

“…Surely you didn’t think I would tell you for nothing?”

“…”

Alice studied Connor’s expression.

She had tried to find her parents and brother, but the guild’s fee was too expensive and would take a long time to save up. Working odd jobs in this rural area wouldn’t earn enough. She could barely feed herself day to day.

“What… are you asking for?”

At Alice’s words, the corner of Connor’s mouth turned up.

With black hair and blue eyes, Connor had a somewhat mean-looking face. Though he spoke in a gentle, lecturing tone, Alice had heard rumors that he had taken advantage of many women.

Connor unbuckled his pants. As his pants fell to his ankles and he lowered his underwear, his hardened member dripped with pre-ej*culate fluid.

“Suck it.”

“…”

Alice’s eyes wavered.

‘When I was disguised as a man, I didn’t have to deal with this kind of thing.’

But she couldn’t disguise herself as a man in her hometown where everyone knew her.

‘…I suppose he went to the trouble of getting this information because I’m a woman.’

Alice glanced at Connor. His lecherous gaze was scanning her body.

“Give me the information first. …If it’s true, I’ll do what you want.”

“What?”

Connor’s face scrunched up in displeasure. Alice sighed deeply.

“How would I know if the information is real or fake?”

“Ha….”

Connor’s member was getting increasingly harder, but the woman before him was unbearably bold.

‘…For a mere commoner.’

He had heard she was once sold into slavery. But apparently she had paid off her debt and become a commoner, and she seemed to think that was something to be proud of. 

To Connor, slaves and commoners looked the same. The information he had was real, and he had poured money into the guild for it.

‘How much trouble I went through to divert money without father knowing.’

He had spent all that money just to entice one common woman. Now he needed to collect extra taxes from other commoners to cover it before his father found out.

“…You don’t seem to be in a hurry. If you don’t need it, I’ll wash my hands of this.”

But Connor was experienced. Though he had a hasty temperament, he genuinely liked Alice and was acting with unusual caution. 

The Viscount would be shocked to see his son’s changed behavior. Even Connor found his own actions strange.

‘Just for a common woman.’

At Connor’s words, Alice’s eyes wavered. But she had no intention of giving in to his disgusting demands. The mere thought of taking Connor’s member in her mouth made her want to vomit.

Connor moved closer to Alice and kissed her lips. Seeing no resistance from Alice, he sneered. As he pulled away, he said:

“…I heard you were married, but you don’t seem experienced.”

“…”

“Can’t even kiss properly.”

Connor pulled up his pants.

Connor didn’t touch virgins. They were troublesome and unsatisfying in bed. But what if Alice before him was a virgin? 

She hesitated at performing f*llatio. A woman with experience would have done it to get the information.

“…I’ll have to reconsider giving you the information.”

“…Lord Connor.”

“I prefer skilled temptresses, not women who know nothing.”

Yet Connor still gripped Alice’s wrist tightly. Somehow, he didn’t want to let her go.

“Is it true that you’re married?”

At Connor’s question, Alice closed her mouth. She hesitated whether she should lie to a nobleman. When she didn’t respond, Connor made his own assumption.

“So it’s a lie.”

“…”

“Ha. I can’t believe what I asked an inexperienced woman to do.”

“Lord Connor. I…”

“Enough. …Get out.”

“…”

Alice bowed her head and stepped out of the carriage. As soon as she alighted, Connor’s carriage departed for the lord’s castle.

She wasn’t sure if this was fortunate or not. Sean, who had been lingering nearby, ran to Alice when he saw her.

“Are you okay? Did Lord Connor ask for anything strange?”

He had indeed asked for something strange, but she couldn’t explain everything to Sean. How could she possibly tell him that Connor had asked her to perform oral s*x?

“…Yeah. He just asked how I was doing.”

“Phew. That’s a relief. Lord Connor is famous for being a married women killer. …He seems to like widows too.”

Sean glanced at Alice’s silver ring.

Alice smiled weakly. It seemed Connor had lost interest because she wasn’t actually married.

‘My parents and brother…’

It seemed finding their whereabouts would not be easy.