Ten minutes later, Carcel left the room without a single hair out of place.
Matt, who was waiting for him at the door, asked.
"Have you found out anything?"
"It wasn't a big deal. I heard he was sent by Asha's in-laws."
More precisely, he said that they had someone assigned to Asha because they suspected she had suddenly come into money recently.
He felt wronged, claiming he knew nothing beyond that and had only accepted the request from the housemaid to earn some simple pocket money.
However, Matt was puzzled that her in-laws had hired someone.
"Since the husband has passed away anyway, it isn't like the two of you meeting is an affair, so why did they put them together?"
“Why would they do that?”
Carcel chuckled.
"They intended to just provide Asha with food, clothing, and shelter and treat her like a slave, but they realized she was more astute and driven than they thought."
He smiled proudly, even though he hadn't done it himself.
"This is why the true worth of a wise person like Asha is revealed, even if they try to hide it."
Carcel's expression softened for a moment as he recalled Asha, shining like a smooth, round pearl.
At that sight, Matt asked with a look that said, "Damn it."
"Yes. Well, I admit that, but what are you going to do about that guy? If you let him go like this, I think he'll just blabber on."
"Declare him missing. To ensure there are no issues with Asha and my marriage, burying him underground for about a year should be fine."
"Yes."
Not killing him was a generous act in itself.
"Ah. And always keep someone by Asha. Send the guy who is best at stealth; Asha will be shocked if she finds out."
"All right."
Carcel walked straight over to the desk and sat down.
When he thought about the date tomorrow, he didn't have a single moment to rest.
Then, as if he had been waiting for this moment, Matt came over with a stack of documents and slammed them down on Carcel's desk.
"If you take care of just this, you can go home today."
Thanks to being used to this much, Carcel picked up the documents as if nothing had happened and began speed-reading them.
It was just as he was turning the page to the next document after processing a few of them.
Tsk.
A drop of red blood fell onto the white paper.
"...Huh?"
It was Matt who reacted faster than Carcel.
"No, what, what is going on?"
"It's just blood. Print this again."
Saying that, Carcel set aside the document with a drop of blood on it.
However, Matt started making a fuss.
"This is a matter where we must call in Dr. Levarn immediately!"
"Why are you bringing the doctor for a nosebleed that has already stopped?"
"Duke, have you ever had a nosebleed even after staying up all night for a week?"
At those words, Carcel's mouth was tightly shut.
There was no.
All the children born into the surprisingly tough ducal family of Lakan were similar to Carcel.
In short, with a solemn face from birth, he said, "Mother, your son was born at XX: XX. Please take good care of him."
It means they are the kind of kids who would say, "That's all."
The children of the Duke of Lakan do not cry even once, with expressions that are more mature than those of adults, even in their cradles.
Carcel has also occasionally been injured, but has he ever been bedridden due to lack of stamina?
“Nothing.”
At Matt's words, he belatedly realized his strange physical condition.
"Am I really lacking stamina? Just because I rested for a few days?"
"First, I will call the doctor. There must be a serious problem."
Carcel also eventually had no choice but to nod.
And a few minutes later.
"I am not sure how to express this, but..."
Dr. Levarn put down the stethoscope and diagnosed with the most serious expression in the world.
"It appears this was caused by elevated blood pressure resulting from an excessive increase in blood flow to the heart. Have you been under a lot of mental stress recently?"
Matt interrupted before Carcel could even answer.
"He recently started dating."
"Congratulations. However, what I mean is regarding the psychosomatic aspects that arise in work or daily life."
Matt shook his head.
"The Duke is mentally numb, so he doesn't even know how to feel stress."
Carcel also agreed.
"Why on earth do I have to be stressed out?"
"Indeed, I asked a foolish question."
In the end, the doctor had no choice but to look for the cause elsewhere.
"In that case, it seems there is only one reason."
The doctor shouted resolutely.
"The only thing that has changed in the Duke's life recently is romance! That is why the recent changes in his relationship with the woman have had a psychological impact."
Matt asked that question.
"Did the two of you have an argument today, or was there any particularly memorable incident?"
"What would I gain by winning against a small and frail woman like Asha? There was no argument at all."
Carcel couldn't understand the very idea that he had fought with Asha.
"The only peculiarity was that Asha looked even prettier than usual today."
Matt looked puzzled, letting that level of nonsense go in one ear and out the other.
"Then, was there nothing special happening between the two of you today?"
"Ah."
Carcel's gaze deepened as he suddenly recalled what had happened today.
"I'm not sure if I should say this, but..."
"Did you even kiss?"
"What kind of bullshit is that? Asha is a noblewoman."
You kissed before marriage.
That was actually an insult to Asha.
Carcel warned Matt with a cold, subdued look in his eyes.
"Do not even mention what kind of physical contact Asha and I had. It would tarnish her honor."
"No, am I some kind of pervert? I'm not even curious about my boss's love life. I'm just asking because I don't know the reason!"
Matt felt utterly wronged, as he usually just had to come in on time and approve the documents regardless of what Carcel was doing with Asha.
However, at those words, Carcel opened his mouth very cautiously.
"However, today I held hands with Asha for the first time."
“Yes?!”
'So, with that indifferent expression, he actually is dating.'
Matt, who was thinking that, felt nauseated by the sight of his boss looking shy.
However, wiping away the saliva that was about to drip down the corner of his mouth, he asked.
"Couldn't that be the cause?!"
"Do you get a nosebleed from a good thing?"
"Imagine holding hands with her again."
Carcel's gaze deepened, and soon, truly...
Tuk
A drop of nosebleed flowed down.
“I saw it!”
Seeing that, Matt chirped in a confident voice.
The doctor also nodded. And he prescribed a prescription.
"It seems you should eat something nutritious."
"Tonic? Can't you just prescribe some kind of medicine to make someone impotent and be done with it?"
"The issue of the Duke's offspring is a matter of grave importance to our family as well, so I cannot prescribe medicine that might cause side effects."
Carcel, who was about to undergo a health tonic for the first time in his life, furrowed his brow deeply.
"For the time being, I will prescribe nutritional supplements and create a meal plan for you, so please make sure to take them consistently. Other than that, there is nothing else special I can do for you."
And so the Doctor went back, but Asha appeared before Carcel's eyes.
Today was a historic day when he held her hand.
The moment he held Asha's hand, a burning sensation surged to the top of his head.
Even as his mind was in a state of disarray, the only thought he had was that he must not grip Asha's hand too tightly.
As he wrapped her tiny hand around his, her hand, fragile as if it might break, held his back...
That alone made his heart feel like it was going to burst.
Carcel realized that he should have considered it fortunate that he did not have a heart attack today.
“I miss you.”
Carcel, having muttered those words to himself without realizing it, tried hard to erase Asha from his mind, counting down the days until he would meet her tomorrow.
***
A few hours later, Mary paced anxiously near the back door used by the servants.
'No, she clearly said she would find out what Asha Delmore was doing tonight.'
It was already past 1 a.m.
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