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Chapter 18
“Viscount, we’re on the same boat. We even agreed to sign a contract.”
“I know.”
“It’s an engagement based on a contract, far steadier than emotions that can waver at any moment. Show some responsibility.”
“…What?”
Oops. Was I too cynical for someone pretending to be a temporary fiancée?
‘At first, I probably shouldn’t have pretended to have a crush.’
It seemed to have eased Cassian’s guard, but continuing the act was exhausting.
“You’ve been acting so differently lately, it’s confusing. I’m worried you might misunderstand.”
Damia deliberately lowered her gaze and tried to put emotion into her voice.
“Why have you been paying so much attention to me recently? Could it be… that you’ve suddenly fallen for me and can’t take your eyes off me?”
Though she said that, Damia was considering a more realistic reason.
Was someone targeting her?
Or perhaps some of her actions had drawn Cassian’s suspicion.
“That’s obviously… no.”
“Really?”
“It’s your misunderstanding. I’m the same as always.”
Cassian avoided her gaze. For someone who had just moved his lips for a long while, his answer was surprisingly mundane.
“Alright.”
Damia replied curtly. Judging by his firm stance, it was time to back off for now.
“But don’t meddle under the excuse of my safety. I can handle my own guards.”
“What? You’re going where?”
The carriage screeched and came to a halt. They had arrived at the village.
“It’s a secret. That’s what you call a lady’s private life.”
Damia smiled and stood up.
“Wait. I’ll catch you.”
“I’m fine.”
“You could misstep.”
Despite overprotecting her, he claimed he was acting as usual.
Damia shook her head slightly.
“Please, get down!”
Since they rode a hired carriage incognito, the coachman didn’t know who they were.
Damia opened the door and jumped down herself—landing lightly and gracefully.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m only doing what a fiancée should.”
Cassian hurried after her.
“Isn’t that a bit too kind for a fake fiancée? Have you forgotten that we’re just in a contract?”
“That’s impossible. A proper man of the Empire should at least show this much courtesy to a lady.”
“You just called me a child, though.”
“A knight should protect both ladies and the weak.”
Really brazen.
Damia’s gaze sharpened further at Cassian.
“Really? I thought you were about to ask me a difficult favor.”
“What could I possibly ask you for?”
Cassian replied arrogantly.
Though slightly irritating, the Viscount was generally a very satisfying employer.
She wanted to fulfill any request, as long as it wasn’t unreasonable…
‘Even if he refuses the setup, there’s no need to offer extra favors.’
No matter Cassian’s true feelings, he wouldn’t break the contract.
As long as the contract terms were met, his attitude changes didn’t matter.
Feeling satisfied with her reasoning, Damia was in high spirits.
“Then it’s better for us to keep some distance.”
“…What?!”
The boy’s face twisted as if he couldn’t believe it.
“You said you had a crush on me, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
Her performance wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, yet Cassian’s belief remained unwavering.
“So wouldn’t you enjoy spending more time with me?”
“At first, I thought so too.”
“But?”
“Obsessive men aren’t attractive at all.”
“Not attractive? Me?”
Cassian looked utterly dumbfounded, as if he’d never imagined hearing that in his life.
“Why are you so surprised? Is it… that you’ve secretly started liking me?”
“Don’t misunderstand! It’s not that I like you…!”
“…Not?”
“…It’s just that my ingrained courtesy comes out naturally.”
Damia swallowed a sigh. Sooner or later, she was growing tired of pacifying him every time he insisted.
“Miss! The coachman told me the way to the guild. I’ll guide you!”
While Damia stayed silent, Romy ran up after finishing her errand.
“The guild? Why are you going there?”
“I’m really going to hire guards.”
“What?”
Damia smiled instead of answering.
“Miss, for what reason have you summoned me?”
Damia looked up at the man before her, whom they had brought along from the guild.
Round brown eyes, curly brown hair, freckled face, and a sturdy-looking build.
“My brother isn’t very smart, but he works well. His name is Luke.”
“I… don’t know if I’ll be of much use.”
Luke scratched his cheek awkwardly.
‘Even though he supports his family through mercenary work, he’s humble.’
Cassian coughed in disapproval at Damia’s smile.
“First, sit and eat this, Luke.”
They were at an outdoor table of a dessert shop on the outskirts of the square. Damia offered Luke some cake.
“Uh… yes. Please, speak comfortably.”
“Then I won’t refuse.”
Romy introduced Damia as the young lady she now served. Even though her status had changed from the daughter of a marquis to that of a viscount’s daughter, Luke didn’t mind.
‘Exactly the person I was looking for.’
Since Luke wasn’t very fast with numbers, he was honest and reliable—perfect as a proxy for a thirteen-year-old noble.
“Sometimes, I’ll ask you to protect me. I’ll pay appropriately.”
“Eh? You need guards? Usually a noble family has them.”
A typical noble household would, but the Ponti Viscount’s house didn’t.
“I have many things to take care of, so I have to come to the village occasionally. I’m really interested in horticulture.”
Damia pointed to the supplies under the round table: seedlings, seeds, and plant nutrients.
“But my father doesn’t approve of my hobby.”
“Ah, I see.”
Luke nodded in understanding.
“I usually send Romy for errands, but sometimes I have to come myself, like today.”
“So should I protect you then?”
“Yes.”
Damia smiled. Luke’s real usefulness wasn’t protection, but she couldn’t reveal that in front of Cassian.
‘I’ll explain later under the pretext of hiring him as a guard.’
Though she had come to the village to shake off Cassian, meeting Luke was an unexpected bonus.
“Are you serious?”
Cassian, who had remained silent with his arms crossed, finally spoke. He wore his hood low to conceal his striking red eyes, a rare mark of the Sarkis family bloodline in the Velotea Empire.
“You refused a knight’s service but claim you’ll hire a mercenary instead.”
So socially awkward!
And she was supposed to keep her identity hidden, too!
Damia lightly pressed Cassian’s wrist, signaling him to stay quiet.
“You…”
Cassian froze, seemingly unsure how to respond.
“Um… is it really dangerous enough to need guards? Could I handle it?”
Luke’s brown eyes flickered with concern, worried she might get involved in danger.
“No. As you can see, my fiancée just overprotects me excessively.”
Luke glanced at Cassian, who even partially concealed his face, radiating an intimidating presence.
“There’s not really any danger, yet she insists on guards.”
Luke nervously bit his lip.
“Hmm…”
“Just do as I say!”
Unable to resist any longer, Romy scolded him. After some hesitation, Luke relented.
“…Understood, Miss.”
“Please take care of it from now on. Here’s a gift.”
“A gift?”
“I got this ointment through my father. I thought it might be useful for a mercenary like you.”
Cassian frowned slightly, but Damia smiled as if unaware.
“Thank you, Miss.”
“You can share it with your companions too.”
It was an ointment made from herbs Damia had grown herself.
It worked on ordinary injuries and even the poisons of monsters that would soon appear in the west.
Although most monsters disappeared after the death of the grand dragon, her past-life memories indicated wolves were causing trouble around this time.
Thus, the ointment was bound to be in high demand. Damia planned to spread word of it through Luke first.
“I’ll contact you soon. Just come to the Ponti Viscount’s house.”
“Yes, I’ll take care of it, Miss.”
Damia stood.
“We should leave now too, Viscount.”
“What’s with the ointment?”
“Just something I had at home; I brought it as a gift.”
Cassian didn’t seem to believe her entirely, but perhaps because he was hiding many things himself, he didn’t press further.
‘This is enough.’
Keeping a proper distance felt best.
