BVDL 06

Chapter 06

“I’m glad we were able to come to an agreement.”

His tone was so solemn that it felt like we should be shaking hands after some dramatic settlement.

“And wash up before you get into bed. It’s not just you using it anymore.”

I usually do wash before lying down anyway…
But there was no way I could say I’d been startled after reading his diary and jumped onto the bed, so I nodded obediently.

“Okay. I’ll wash up and change my clothes.”

He was a year younger than me, yet bigger in build, and with the way he spoke, he didn’t feel like a younger brother at all.

I took out some indoor clothes from the wardrobe. He didn’t seem ready to sleep yet; he picked one book from the stack and sat down at the desk. Glancing over his shoulder, it looked like quite difficult material.

‘Since I said I’d get along with him…’

And after unintentionally peeking at his diary, a genuine desire to treat him well began to rise within me.

Honestly, it was hard to sincerely follow the Duke of Icard, a man who could one day kill me.
But Evan was different. Thinking about how he, too, had no choice in this marriage, we were in the same position. If he wasn’t a child who was innately cruel or indifferent, then I truly wanted us to get along.

“You graduated from the academy today, and you’re still studying?”

I asked casually as I stepped closer.

“You’re really diligent.”

Then I slowly raised my hand and stroked his jet-black hair. It wrapped softly and smoothly around my fingers.

[If there’s something to praise, pat their head.]

“You’re younger than me, but you’re impressive.”

When Evan didn’t say anything, I wondered if he’d suddenly changed his mind and quickly pulled my hand away.

“Ah, did you not like it?”

He didn’t even turn around.

“Sorry…”

“No.”

He murmured, gripping the book cover tightly.

“Ah, then that’s a relief.”

I said quickly and hurried into the bathroom. The last thing I saw was the back of his neck, which seemed to be flushed red once again.

“Have some more of this.”

Since Evan and I shared the same room, we ended up having breakfast together as well.

[Sharing favorite foods.]

At first, I thought I should just be nice so I wouldn’t get hit, but after seeing the diary, my feelings changed a little.

I realized he wasn’t cold by nature, but a lonely child who carefully hid his wishes deep inside.

Having grown up without a family, I understood that feeling well, and I wanted to at least comfort his childhood. Even if he eventually grew into a completely indifferent man. That was why I was now showing genuine enthusiasm about becoming close to him.

“I’m fine.”

Evan handed the tart I offered right back to me.

“I don’t like sweet things.”

“Really?”

“I’m not a kid.”

Liar.

‘Your eyes were sparkling when the tart came out.’

I thought, glancing sideways at him.

“If you don’t want it, it can’t be helped.”

I wasn’t the type to insist twice, so I pulled the tart back toward myself.

While I was eating the tart, Evan was reading a newspaper the servant had brought.

I was idly moving my fork when one of the articles he had opened happened to catch my eye.

[The 500th Anniversary Grand Horse Racing Event! Experts predict the largest betting pool in history]

‘Ah. If it’s the 500th…!’

The 500th anniversary horse race was the event where the male lead of the original novel The Empire’s Great Deal first appeared.

Horse racing, where people bet on races, was one of the many forms of entertainment among noble families. While there were no formal restrictions on status, the minimum betting amount was quite high, making it difficult for commoners to participate.

And I already knew exactly how the male lead made his initial capital here.

“……”

I swallowed a bite of tart.

I’d been wondering how to earn enough money to live comfortably even after running away—and here it was.

‘Right. First, I need to find a way to participate in that and gather some money. Then I should decide where to go after I escape. There’s still time, but I can’t miss this chance.’

There were about seven years left until the year I turned twenty-one—until I died according to my villainous father-in-law’s plan and Evan married the imperial princess.

‘Instead of dying, I’ll fake my disappearance. As long as I officially vanish, Evan can marry the princess anyway.’

What happened to the story after I disappeared didn’t matter to me.

‘I’ll just quietly live it up, spending money and enjoying myself like this.’

Living in hiding might be a little boring, but it was better than dying.

‘And I only need to stay hidden until Princess Elani and Evan get divorced anyway…’

A rough plan formed in my mind.

“Do you want to go?”

While I was deep in thought, Evan suddenly asked.

“Huh?”

“You keep staring at this article.”

“Ah.”

He’d noticed I was looking at the horse racing article.

“Yeah, I want to go. It sounds fun.”

Of course it did—it was my chance to secure a solid starting fund.

No matter that I was the duke’s daughter-in-law, I didn’t have a single coin of my own right now. Every luxury of food, clothing, and shelter was provided, but since I was still a minor, I didn’t have an official budget.

“Since Young Master Evan attends the academy, a budget has been allocated under the pretext of allowance… but in Young Madam’s case, there’s no justification to do so under the current circumstances.”

When I’d subtly asked the butler before, he’d said a budget could be arranged the moment I became an adult. Until then, I was to request whatever I needed each time.

“There may not be a formal budget, but the Duke has ordered that anything Young Madam desires be purchased. If there’s something you want, just say the word.”

There was no way I could say what I wanted was “cash that can never be traced.”

Creating slush funds from the duke’s estate in this situation was nearly impossible. And I couldn’t very well ask the man who had even paid off the count family’s debts to set up a separate budget just for me.

“It’s okay if I go, right?”

“You want to go—who’s going to stop you?”

He answered indifferently.

“It’s in two days.”

Which meant I’d have cash in two days.

Alright. Time to walk the road of money.

Excited, I rattled off questions.

“Who should I tell? The butler? I’ll need to bring a maid, right? But can I place bets myself? Do I need a legal guardian since I’m underage?”

It would be my first outing on my own since coming to the ducal estate, so there was a lot I didn’t know.

But the more questions I asked, the stranger Evan’s expression became.

“Well…”

He tapped his empty dessert plate and muttered,

“I don’t really have anything to do these days either.”

“Huh?”

“Going to watch an event like that wouldn’t be bad.”

“……”

“I don’t hate crowded places.”

“……”

“And I’m pretty good at reading horses, too.”

I stared at him for a moment, then sighed inwardly. Maybe it was because he’d grown up without much emotion—why did he have to talk in circles like this?

Well, it couldn’t be helped. I’d said I wanted us to get along. And I was a year older.

“Um, Evan, then…”

I smiled softly and asked,

“…Do you want to go together?”