When I looked up at him and asked, Carcel covered his nose with his left hand and shook his head.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
He muttered softly. It seemed as though he was saying, "It's a relief to have had a proper meal."
And so, I ended up getting a meal from Carcel once again.
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment, Yurizella was still fuming, unable to contain his anger.
"Mary, if it weren't for her, that dress would already be in my hands!"
Had that happened, she would have put Countess Annexa in her place at the dinner party tomorrow.
The reason Yurizella considered Countess Annexa a rival was simple: both of them were originally from lower-ranking noble families.
Nevertheless, Countess Annexa was highly respected.
If only I had gotten that dress...
Thinking that way, Yurizella's thoughts had reached Linea before he knew it.
'Come to think of it, Linea has been influenced by her lately and keeps talking back.'
It seems like it's time to get discipline back in order.
Since she had invested the inherited money to grow her fortune anyway, Yurizella could not extort that money either.
'Originally, part of my son's inheritance should have gone to her.'
Although Asha and Count Delmore had been married for only a month and had no children, as long as they were legally married, she clearly had a right to the inheritance.
Even so, most of it went to the current Count of Delmore, the second son of Yurizella, according to inheritance law.
'If you stir up trouble needlessly trying to cut off the money supply, and they end up making a fuss demanding that you hand over the remaining inheritance, it will just cause a commotion.'
Yurizella did not know that Asha had avoided it because she knew it would be difficult to get it and found it dirty.
'I have to separate Linea and her.'
Honestly, she did have a commendable idea this time, but in the end, she didn't get anything back.
'Was it true that you intended to give the dress in the first place?'
Yurizella raised his eyebrows.
"That thing might have tricked me, so I'm going to set a date and show it who I really am."
After all, Asha Delmore has no decent family home to return to.
Yurizella made up her mind.
'If possible, ask her to contribute some of her money as well, under the pretext of living expenses.'
Having finished her thoughts like that, Yurizella removed Countess Annexa's dinner party from tomorrow's schedule.
Even if she went, it was obvious that seeing Countess Annexa wearing a dress she did not have would only make her more jealous.
"I won't let either of them get away with it tomorrow."
With that thought in mind, Yurizella finished getting ready and headed to the tea party.
***
The next day, I prepared to quickly finish my business with Isar and return.
"Linea, you're leaving for work today, so can you stay home?"
At my worried words, Linea nodded and held up the book I bought for her.
"I'll stay here while studying. I'll go to the kitchen and ask for dinner."
"Baby, I'll be right back, so study and then play for a bit."
"Yes!"
As expected, my mother-in-law went to a luncheon and hasn't returned yet.
Even if she does come, she'll have to go to a dinner party soon, so she probably won't run into Linea anytime soon.
Feeling relieved, I left home and arrived at Carcel's mansion.
“Are you here?”
Beyond Carcel, who was asking that, Isar was visible.
And there was a carriage loaded with all sorts of luggage, as if they were planning a picnic there like last time, and even servants.
“What about the contract?”
"I’ve revised it and brought it. Let’s go check the rest."
"Okay. Did you sleep well, Mr. Isar?"
As I nodded to Carcel for saying that and acknowledged Isar as well, he pointed to the floor without answering.
"Huh?"
And at that moment, a blue light flickered, the surrounding landscape changed in an instant, and I felt a sensation of floating.
It was a teleportation.
"Aaaah!"
“Asha!”
Even Carcel seemed not to have anticipated such ill will from Isar.
I barely managed to maintain my balance in Carcel's outstretched hand.
When I came to my senses and looked around, I realized that the place I had arrived at was already my own land.
Then a carriage appeared behind us, and finally, Isar showed up sullenly.
Carcel reprimanded him.
"Say something before you use a spell! Asha almost got hurt!"
"I don't have time. I need to check this quickly and get to my next appointment."
Isar brushed past us, carelessly sweeping his hair back.
"The two of you stay there while I go check."
Leaving only that one word behind.
Isar's body rose into the air in an instant.
He could easily cast advanced spells without chanting activation words.
'He really is the Tower Master.'
It seemed like he instinctively knew there was something on that mountain, even without me telling her.
As I stared at Isar disappearing, I heard rough, heavy breathing above me, so I looked up without thinking much.
“Carcel?”
"Yes."
"Ah!"
Realizing belatedly that I was half-hugged in his arms, I quickly stepped back.
"I'm sorry! I did it without realizing it."
We're not the only ones here!
“It’s not like that.”
Carcel shook his head with a face that looked as if he were strangely sweating.
I noticed that the corners of his ears were subtly turning red.
'Did he get tainted like that out of shame because of me?'
I laughed mischievously at Carcel, who was timidly backing away, not knowing what to do.
Seeing him standing there with such a sensual expression, people would probably assume he was thinking about who he was going to beat up.
'But he is actually such a fool, getting so embarrassed just because he touched me.'
Carcel was cute as he tried to strangely avoid my gaze, so I subtly moved closer to him.
"Carceel."
“Do you need anything?”
"No, just because I like it."
I hit my head on his forearm, and Carcel's body stiffened even more.
As I leaned against him, giggling, Carcel opened his mouth resolutely, as if he had made a decision after much deliberation.
"Actually, Asha, I'm Carcel..."
"To be honest, I'm glad you only have the same name as Duke Lakan!"
"Definitely not Lakan.”
Carcel's voice was too quiet to hear, so I continued speaking.
"Ugh, if it had been that scary man, I would have already died of a heart attack. I like Carcel because you are really kind, gentle, and considerate of others."
It was something I really wanted to say to him, as our relationship was deepening before I knew it.
I gently pulled away from him, looked up, and smiled brightly.
"So, I look forward to working with you in the future."
I fidgeted with my hands for no reason, making it look like I was embarrassed.
Were you flustered by what I said just now?
Carcel strangely avoided my gaze and seemed to be breaking out in a cold sweat. Then he answered me.
"...I look forward to working with you as well."
Up until this point, I hadn't realized it either.
What he had intended to confide in me, and what he ultimately had to hide until the marriage.
I was simply proud of the feeling that my relationship with Carcel had grown even closer.
I guess I'll have to search Linea's room.
***
Meanwhile, Yurizella returned from lunch earlier than scheduled.
'It was obvious without even looking how spoiled the child must be.'
She was probably just fueling vanity with all sorts of expensive things.
Since the two of them were undoubtedly out and about again, now was the perfect time.
It was just as Yurizella, holding her head high with such thoughts, was opening Linea's door.
"Uh?"
"What? Were you in the room?"
Linea was in the room, unlike usual.
"Yes."
From the moment their eyes met, Linea became drastically quieter and even hurriedly closed the book she was reading.
“What are you looking at?”
"Uh, just a book."
In fact, Yurizella had not welcomed Linea seeing anything beyond fairy tales and etiquette.
It was because she thought that learning would only make her voice louder.
She first checked the subject of the book Linnea was looking at.
“Math?!”
“Well, that is.”
"Did she buy you a math book?"
"No! I, I begged her to buy it for me."
Linea hurriedly pulled the math book into her arms and shook her head.
"I pestered Mother to do everything for me, so don't say a word to her."
"Ha!"
Are you already taking her side?
"Alright, let's see how many things you begged her to buy for you are in your room."
For Yurizella, it was simply an unavoidable choice.
She started turning Linea's room upside down just like that.
When she searched the room, it was even more ridiculous.
Yurizella snorted as she looked at all sorts of dresses, jeweled pins, and such.
"Anyway, to think she bought something this expensive just because she got a little money. It won't even fit after just one season."
She shook her head.
Is that all?
With rough hands, Yurizella pulled out everything from snacks to books that Linea had tucked into every nook and cranny to hide from her.
"What's the use of teaching a girl something like this?"
Yurizella, who had even clicked her tongue, suddenly noticed that Linea was particularly restless whenever she went to the closet.
So there is still something more hidden in the closet.
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