Chapter 5
Carstel nodded in understanding.
There was just one thing Carstel didn’t know—that Matt had never been in a relationship either.
But Matt sure could talk.
—In the early stages, when you’re getting to know the other person, if you put pressure on them, it’s over from the start. So you have to ease in naturally. Got it?
Carstel began putting Matt’s crash-course lessons into practice.
“I hope you don’t feel burdened. I’m fully prepared to hand over all thirty-two of my bank accounts containing my entire fortune, along with the deeds to about five properties, to Asha. So this is nothing at all.”
As he said this, Carstel thought to himself:
‘A natural display of wealth—good.’
Asha, on the other hand, shook her head as she listened to the scale of his assets.
The more he spoke, the more it sounded like a swindler’s repertoire, and the more suspicious it became.
He’d volunteered information about his wealth without being asked, and was offering unprovoked kindness—it was textbook.
Unlike Asha, who was now convinced that this man was definitely a con artist, Carstel remained completely oblivious.
“……Don’t hand over things like that to a stranger.”
Asha said this and also turned down the toys he had tried to give as gifts.
“And one toy is enough for Linea! This is too much to carry, and it’s excessive, don’t you think?”
“Ah, don’t you have a separate storage shed just for toys at your residence?”
“……Excuse me?”
Carstel tilted his head in puzzlement, but then understood.
‘The Delmore Count’s household must be in quite poor shape.’
With that thought, his gaze unconsciously drifted to Asha’s dress.
For a noblewoman’s attire, it was rather worn.
‘I’ll have to ask Matt next time how to naturally slip a dress gift to a lady.’
“This is enough. This one was the only thing I originally came to buy anyway.”
Among the other toys, Asha picked out a single doll.
It was the kind of dress-up doll currently popular among nobles, complete with its own wardrobe filled not only with various dresses but also tiny accessories made of real jewels.
“How much is it?”
Asha picked up the doll and headed toward the counter, as if she intended to pay for it herself.
Seeing that, Carstel was drawn to follow behind her.
“I’ll pay for it.”
At those words, I tilted my head.
‘They say you should never go into debt with a con artist. And even aside from that, I can’t accept an expensive gift from a stranger!’
I refused.
“There’s no need for that. I have money too.”
“It’s not about the money. That’s not the issue…”
In an instant, the unfamiliar scent of him closed in from behind me, and my eyes went wide.
Our bodies weren’t touching at all, yet his scent seemed to envelop me from behind.
A firm arm reached out from behind me and picked up the doll.
Naturally, I had no choice but to turn around toward Carstel.
“As I said before… I’m sincere with you, my lady. I would like to get to know you.”
Even I was surprised by those words and lost my voice for a moment.
In that low, husky tone, he whispered lazily:
“So, to secure a next meeting, would you allow me to have this one debt with you?”
“Uh…”
“That is, if you’d accept this lacking man, who knows no other way to arrange a next appointment with a lady.”
As he said this, Carstel lowered his long lashes and tilted his head—his eyes were tender, so tender.
My mind went completely blank for an instant.
‘It’s because he’s a con artist. That’s why he’s so skilled at seduction. It’s his job to bewitch people with a face like that.’
In all my life, the only luck I’d ever had was cracking open an egg with a double yolk or finding a seat on the way home from work.
So there was no way a wealthy, handsome man would suddenly buy me an expensive gift just to sincerely show his interest—that was impossible from the start.
“……Charge it to the Marquis of Libandel’s household.”
“Understood.”
While I was flustered and lost for words, Carstel smoothly redirected the bill to his side.
“Ah… thank you.”
Since things had gone this far, asking for the bill back would have been pathetic, so I turned to him and gave my thanks.
Carstel smiled, his eyes curving warmly.
“It’s nothing. If it’s of any help to you, my lady…”
With that low whisper, his gaze slowly traced down from my eyes, to my cheeks, and then to my lips.
Then, all of a sudden, he smiled.
“That alone would have fulfilled my purpose.”
“No, that’s a bit of an odd thing to say.”
“I mean it.”
At those words, my eyes finally flushed pink at the corners.
The gentle words of a handsome man who acted as though he’d do anything for me made my heart waver slightly—but a sliver of defense mechanism held firm.
‘Just how much money does he need to go this far with such pretty words?’
Though he had an intimidating appearance, I couldn’t deny he was handsome enough to deserve praise.
For some reason, I clutched my slightly fluttering heart and bit my lip.
Seeing that, Carstel leaned toward me with a puzzled look and asked:
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Not at all.”
“Are you hungry?”
“……Why that, all of a sudden?”
We’d been talking about something else just a moment ago, and now the subject had changed entirely—I couldn’t keep up.
On top of that, I’d never even been in a relationship, so I was weak against a handsome man’s face!
And even weaker against such direct, straightforward interest.
I subtly turned my head to avoid his gaze. Flustered by the eyes still on me, I hurriedly said:
“I, I should be going now. Before it gets any later.”
“I’ll escort you.”
I meekly accepted Carstel’s offer.
After all, the way back to the Count’s residence from here was quite far, and hiring a carriage would exceed my budget.
I took the Marquis’s hand again and climbed into the carriage.
A short while later, I stepped down from the carriage with a pale, stunned face.
Alone in a carriage with a con artist…
‘No, why on earth did the Marquis of Libandel buy that for me?’
Like some kind of cliché, he’d even said to wrap up all the finest toys.
‘They say con artists always spend money first before trying to win a woman’s heart.’
Honestly… I was a little swept away.
No—anyone would be, when a man with that kind of face gives a lonely smile and says he’s buying a doll just to secure a next meeting. That’s seduction, plain and simple.
‘If I were even a little more naive, I might have believed it and opened my heart just a crack.’
But rationally speaking, the Marquis of Libandel was such a handsome man that women would flock to him without him even trying that hard.
Ah, though his appearance was a bit intimidating.
And every time our eyes met, he’d give this eerily blood-tinged smile that made my knees weak.
Because of that smile, despite his good looks, he didn’t really inspire a desire to get closer.
‘Still, for some reason, he did seem quite interested in me.’
Unable to figure out how to regard this enigmatic man—the Marquis of Libandel—I let out a small sigh.
At least I was relieved that, thanks to my protests, he only bought one doll and one box of snacks.
Though even so, the price was beyond imagination.
‘Plus, the doll has more outfits than I do dresses.’
It was certainly a doll that Linea would want.
In the original story, there was a line about Linea envying other girls her age who had this doll.
The reason I remembered such details was probably because, when it came to novels, my memory was better than average.
Still, thanks to that, I had a good grasp of what Linea would like.
The problem was that I’d have to repay this amount later, without fail.
‘I absolutely cannot just accept this for free.’
I had a distinct distaste for unexplained favors.
Clutching the gift for Linea tightly in my arms, I entered the house.
I tried to walk in as quietly as possible to avoid someone I didn’t want to run into.
But—
“……Every single day. We have a daughter-in-law, and all she does is go out.”
I closed my eyes tightly.
Of all places, the drawing room was right next to the front door.
And my mother-in-law, who had apparently been waiting for me with a grudge, walked out of the drawing room.
I quickly put on a smile.
“Were you waiting for me out of concern, Mother?”
When I asked with bright, oblivious cheer, she let out a sharp ha of disdain.
“Just how much did you go out and spend today? You look like you’re having the time of your life.”
“Oh, Mother. I don’t recall ever receiving a single penny from this household. I earn everything I spend myself, you know?
