"That's not it. If I wanted to treat you, I should have gone somewhere nicer. This is a restaurant I frequent, but it's cheap."
However, it has only been two months since the possession.
It's been a month, even, since I started making real money!
It was only natural that I didn't know of any decent restaurants, but to think that I treated Carcel to a meal only to feed him soup.
'It was a judgment error.'
It's not a date... so it should be fine.
I had been living such a hectic life without even having a moment to go on dates, so I thought I’d finally try dating after getting a job, but it just died.
"I'm sorry, I've never been to a restaurant with anyone else."
Realizing I had made a mistake, I awkwardly apologized. The look in his eyes as he stared at me grew a little more intense.
Instead of saying anything else, he smiled faintly.
"So you're saying you've never gone on a date like this with anyone else?"
"A, a date?"
"A man and a woman who were briefly married just moments ago arrive together in a carriage, have a meal, and are then escorted home. Isn’t this a date?”
I mean, not really. But hearing you say it like that makes me feel like a total jerk for not considering this a date.
When I showed signs of hesitation, Carcel made a sad face this time.
"I've never eaten at a restaurant with anyone else either. I was glad that my first was Asha... but I thought this was a date."
"Okay! Let's call it a date!"
Carcel finally let out a loud laugh as I surrendered.
"Asha is a really good person. Seeing how she accepts everything I do, even when I act unreasonably."
"If you realize this is far-fetched, please restrain yourself."
"I feel like if I don't do this, Asha will never give me a chance. It’s forcing me."
Carcel, having said that, walked ahead with my hand still clinging to his sleeve.
Even though he knew perfectly well that I was naturally keeping my distance from him.
He confessed that he went overboard in an intentional attempt to close the distance.
The reason it doesn't look hateful is probably.
'Honestly, is it because he's handsome and doesn't cross the line?'
If he had openly wanted to do something to me or was hitting on me, it would have ended a long time ago.
Carcel never crossed the line I had set.
So that’s probably why I don’t feel uncomfortable with his sudden contact or words.
Carcel gestured as he pulled out a chair for me to sit on.
“Ladies first.”
"Thank you."
Certainly, there was dignity in every single one of his actions. There was no waste in his movements, and they were restrained.
'It also gives off a vibe of being stiff and disciplined, like a soldier.'
Carcel raised his head and asked me.
"Is that the most delicious food here? I want to eat that."
"The chef's special soup, freshly baked bread, and seasoned whole charcoal-grilled chicken are the best."
Since I had been here many times, the menu flowed effortlessly from my mouth.
“Then that’s it.”
I felt unnecessarily embarrassed by Carcel, who answered while looking at me as if I were cute.
'No matter how dense I am, that really looks like the look of someone who likes me.'
It’s not that I’ve never dated due to circumstances, but rather that I’ve never had any human relationships.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I ordered food from the clerk who approached me.
"Please wait about 20 minutes."
"Yes."
I suddenly had 20 minutes.
'What should I say?'
I felt quite awkward about this situation, which had turned into something like a blind date.
I mean, this time spent slowly connecting with others I don't know well, creating points of contact, is the hardest part.
However, fortunately, Carcel came to ask me a question first.
"Asha, are you planning to leave the Count's family?"
"Ah. Yes. Since you've seen it all, you must know."
"Honestly, I was deeply impressed. I highly value that drive to pursue one's goals without hesitation."
"Well... actually, I'm not very good at sitting still at home. It's become a habit, so I feel anxious even if I'm given just an hour of rest."
I have always lived as if I were being chased.
Because I didn't have a next chance.
Ironically, Asha Delmore's life was also like that.
Her family was not well-off enough to accept their daughter, so even if she returned, it was highly likely they would sell Asha Delmore off to another prospective husband instead.
The future was obvious.
'Even if Asha Delmore hadn't been killed by Duke Lakan, the end for a poor, homeless noblewoman wouldn't have been very good.'
Enter a monastery and live a life of serving others.
Otherwise, she would have had no choice but to go from house to house as a private tutor until he got older.
In any case, they would not have been able to escape their impoverished circumstances.
"I was the same way. Well, actually, I don't think I should be saying this to Asha. After all, I grew up in a wealthy family and inherited a lot of money."
"It does hurt a bit. When I think about those 32 bank accounts and 5 houses?"
Carcel laughed at me for speaking to him in a teasing tone.
"To be honest... I don't know how to interact with women, so I mentioned it thinking that showing off my wealth might be attractive."
He covered the corners of his mouth with the back of his hand as if embarrassed, and his eyes turned strangely red.
Seeing that, my wariness faded a little, and I was able to be more honest.
"I'm sorry, but I thought you were a weird person. Can I be completely honest and spill everything?"
"To start with, I am not a serial killer."
"It's not that; I just thought you were a con artist."
"...Me?”
It seems that even though he thought he would be treated as a serial killer, he was definitely not a fraud.
I folded my fingers and quietly listed the reasons to him.
"First of all, you keep flaunting your wealth when I didn't even ask, and trying to buy me things for no reason—isn't that strange?"
"That's just..."
Carcel’s expression turned dejected as he said that.
Since the topic came up, I continued.
"Scammers usually lure you in with flashy things, suddenly pretend to be struggling to take your money, or tell you to invest by promising to make your money grow."
"Come to think of it, that's true."
What do you mean, come to think of it, that's true!
He muttered softly, as if he hadn't realized it at all. I gave a small smile.
"Please never do that again. Especially not to women."
"...Can I be honest too?"
I nodded toward him.
Then Carcel moved his lips a few times, curled his mouth up in a smile, and asserted.
"I have no intention of doing such a thing unless it's Asha."
“Uh... yes.”
I averted my eyes slightly at Carcel, who was speaking seriously, and thought.
'Why on earth is he showing interest in me, just because of that one confession?'
Carcel continued speaking playfully, as if noticing that I was feeling awkward.
"And if Asha wants, I am also willing to hand over 32 bank accounts and 5 houses."
At those words, I also mischievously held out my hands to him for no reason.
"Please."
“...But only if you marry me.”
"Excuse me. How come we're already heading towards marriage after only a brief conversation?"
"Isn't it lucky to at least have a conversation before entering the wedding hall?"
Carcel asked me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
'Ah. This was a romance fantasy, wasn't it?'
It is not the Middle Ages, but rather a setting transitioning into the modern era; however, it is indeed a world where relationships between men and women are still conservative.
Just like Asha Delmore did, as long as the parents agree, people who haven't even had a proper conversation go straight to the wedding venue the next day.
"I've been there once, you know. I don't think the Marquis's family would want me either."
I subtly tried to gauge what he wanted besides just emotions.
Then, Carcel mentioned his situation more easily than expected.
"My mother wants me to get married... but I am refusing because I am the head of the household."
"Excuse me, but how old are you?"
“I’m twenty-four.”
Although he was in his prime, here he was considered an old bachelor.
They said that getting married isn't early even though I'm twenty.
"It seems you are in a hurry to get married."
"But I have one promise I made to myself a long time ago."
He spoke to me as if he were keeping a secret.
"None of my ancestors married out of love."
“Not once?”
"Yes, it is common, but there was never a single ancestor who had affection for their spouse."
"Even so, you live in the same house; how could he do that...?"
As I muttered, Carcel laughed.
"So I decided to break that curse. I decided to meet the woman I truly love and marry her."
"...Ah."
...No, that guy asked me to marry him!
The moment I looked up at him, realizing my mistake, Carcel nodded as if to say I was right.
"That is why I want to marry Asha."
That is how he declared war on me!
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