ATPE 14

Chapter 14

After the Evaluation Was Over

‘Not even some tabloid like Gossip in Shedron, but the front page of a daily newspaper distributed across the entire country.’

There was no humiliation greater than this.

Sighing deeply, Serenia lowered her gaze and saw a photograph of the completely burned-down headquarters of Gossip in Shedron.

Beside it was a long article written by someone who sounded more like a novelist than a reporter.

[Meanwhile, the newspaper company that first reported Duke Admancanon’s proposal was completely destroyed by a mysterious fire on the same morning.

Investigation revealed that the company had already submitted a business closure report before the fire occurred⋯⋯.]

After reading that far, Serenia nodded and muttered:

“So it really was Rascal— no, that side— behind Gossip in Shedron after all.”

Secretly acquiring a suitable company, using it for something like this, then erasing it cleanly afterward.

That was exactly his specialty.

Clicking her tongue, Serenia continued reading the newspaper.

[At present, both the Admancanon Ducal House and the Barishart Count family remain silent, causing the marriage negotiations between the two families to increasingly be treated as a confirmed fact.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Count Barishart’s daughter has been missing since the afternoon of December 1st, causing shock throughout the capital.

After investigating the estate, the capital guards discovered traces of a secret underground escape route⋯⋯.]

Halfway through reading, Serenia squeezed her eyes shut.

Her house had been raided.

By the capital guards!

And thanks to this newspaper, the location of the estate’s secret escape route had now been revealed to the entire country.

The house value, which was already miserably low, would definitely collapse completely now.

“⋯⋯At this rate, even if the house gets auctioned off, won’t I still fail to repay the bank debt?”

A wave of anxiety made her shoulders tremble.

But soon she calmed herself and shook her head.

“No. The bank debt will disappear once the marriage registration papers are signed anyway. I just need to survive six more days.”

After comforting herself like that, she lifted the newspaper again and muttered:

“Still, The Shedron Times⋯⋯. If even the newspaper run by Marquis Milton’s family is treating this marriage as a confirmed fact, then that side really must intend to marry me.”

The same unresolved question from yesterday continued to fill her mind.

‘But why?’

Why someone like her, who had no money, no status, and no honor?

‘Revenge? Pity? Or maybe⋯⋯.’

While muttering to herself, her eyes suddenly drifted toward the photograph of the burned remains of Gossip in Shedron.

“⋯⋯Silencing me?”

The thought suddenly appeared in her head like instinct itself, making her suck in a sharp breath.

The war fourteen years ago.

Unlike Rascal, who returned as the kingdom’s hero at only fifteen years old, the strongest knight of the Kingdom of Zigranto had returned branded a cowardly deserter.

Anyone hearing that story for the first time would naturally think something felt strange.

But Count Barishart’s silence had turned that story into accepted truth.

After all, silence was often treated as agreement.

But what if there had been another story hidden behind the one everyone believed?

‘What if Father stayed silent for the sake of the student he cherished, and Rascal benefited from that silence?’

Just like how he had used a tiny newspaper company to spread fake extra editions, then erased every trace by shutting it down and burning it to the ground.

What if he had feared the collapse of the reputation built on sand so much that he poisoned his own teacher—

and then tried to tie down even his daughter by making her an Admancanon instead of a Barishart?

If that were true, then everything made sense.

Why he had publicly spoken about marriage in front of so many people.

If his goal had been to completely block off every other marriage prospect for “Serenia Barishart,” then it all fit perfectly.

No matter how many fools existed in high society, there could not possibly be anyone stupid enough to approach a woman targeted by Rascal, who was famous for crushing anything that irritated him.

Crunch.

The sound of grinding teeth escaped from between her lips.

Clenching her fists tightly, she growled:

“But too bad for him. Outside high society, there seems to be at least one idiot left in the entertainment district.”

At this point, nothing else mattered anymore.

Whether that host merely sold alcohol and sweet words—

or sold his body together with his smiles.

At the very least, he would allow her to remain Serenia Barishart.

“⋯⋯Now that I think about it, he’s basically an angel!”

She tried to convince herself by shouting that loudly.

But only three hours later, Serenia already wanted to take back those words.

The moment she sat down across from Ain, who looked as though he had either stopped halfway through putting clothes on—

or halfway through taking them off.

* * *

The café interior was decorated with countless summer flowers, and the heat from the fireplaces made it feel warm despite the freezing winter outside.

Today, Ain wore a golden wig that looked as though it had been woven from midsummer sunlight itself.

Maybe because of the hair color, he looked even more like a host than usual.

But apparently even that was not enough for him.

He sat there smiling brightly with four whole buttons of his short-sleeved shirt undone, openly exposing his chest.

‘⋯⋯Seriously, what is he even thinking?’

As always, the tinted glasses hid his eyes behind unreadable colors.

Serenia looked directly at him and let out a short sigh.

A suspicious man whose true thoughts she could never understand.

She pouted slightly while glaring at him before tightly shutting her eyes.

The embarrassing sight of his clothes suddenly brought back Angela’s words from last night.

Something about experiences. Something about fantasies⋯⋯.

Something about using his body well, and dynamic movements⋯⋯.

Feeling sick enough to vomit, Serenia forced herself to calm down with a deep breath and a sip of warm mint tea.

Watching her obvious discomfort, Ain asked:

“Young Lady. I’m genuinely curious, but is it perhaps still winter around your area?”

At his question, Serenia answered with a look of disbelief.

“How could it be? I’m completely fine even while wearing this ridiculously short summer dress. And this weird short wig is making me hot too.”

Then she pushed up the sunglasses sliding down her nose because of the sweat forming there.

Still looking unable to understand her, Ain asked:

“Then why are you insisting on drinking such hot tea?”

“Tea is supposed to be drunk warm.”

Serenia was the type of person who insisted on warm tea even in midsummer.

To her, iced tea with floating ice cubes was not real tea at all.

Glancing disapprovingly at the iced mint tea in front of him, she scolded:

“And what about you? Even if it’s warm in here because they’re overusing the fireplaces, how can you drink iced beverages in the middle of winter? Don’t your bones freeze?”

“Oh, I’m the type of person who takes ice baths even during midwinter.”

Serenia tried to glare at him for always having a comeback for everything—

but stopped.

Because she absolutely could not bring herself to look directly at his embarrassing outfit.

Meanwhile, Ain happily observed her inability to properly meet his eyes.

Then, as if feeling playful, he pushed things even further.

Not only did he undo another button, he casually pulled his shirt open wider, proudly showing off his smooth, firm chest without a trace of excess fat, along with his beautifully defined collarbones.

Apparently, he found her reaction extremely entertaining.

Even though she visibly flinched at his behavior, she stubbornly kept looking away.

But Ain still did not stop.

He boldly revealed one shoulder as well and asked:

“How is it? Is it acceptable?”

“⋯⋯What?”

Feeling sick to her stomach, Serenia looked at him with a pale face as she asked weakly.

Completely unaware of her inner suffering, he proudly advertised himself.

“There are actually many people who spend enormous amounts of money just to see this.”

That statement immediately made Serenia frown deeply.

Angela’s words from last night mixed together inside her mind with memories of indecent scenes she had once seen at noble parties.

Barely enduring the worsening nausea, she coldly answered:

“I’m fine. I’m not interested in men’s bodies.”

“What? Then are you interested in women’s bodies instead?”

“Are you insane?”

“No, it’s just strange. Normally people can’t take their eyes off me.”

Serenia quietly stared at him speaking as though he truly could not understand.

Then she let out a deep sigh heavy enough to sink the ground itself.

At this rate, she felt certain she would have to listen to nonsense like this all day.

In the end, she decided to use extreme measures.

“Really? Then take it off.”

“⋯⋯What?”

Seeing him freeze awkwardly, Serenia snorted.

Then, crossing her arms, she tilted her chin toward him and repeated:

“Take all of it off.”

At her words, Ain completely forgot the teasing attitude he had shown just moments ago and quickly covered his chest with both hands.

Watching him sharply, Serenia said:

“Why are you looking at me like that when you’re the one who started saying weird things first?”

“That’s not it⋯⋯.”

“You asked me what I thought, didn’t you? I need to see properly before I can evaluate it!”

“⋯⋯.”

“What? Don’t you have confidence?”

His pride instantly got provoked.

“That’s not true!”

Immediately afterward, he ripped open the remaining shirt buttons and fully exposed his upper body.

“⋯⋯Oh.”

Without realizing it, Serenia let out a small sound of admiration.

It really was a body that looked as though a master craftsman had carefully sculpted it with endless effort.

At that level, she could understand why he wanted to proudly show it off so badly.

‘And he probably earned ridiculous amounts of money with that body too, so of course he’d be proud of it.’

For the first time, she felt she understood him a little.

But understanding and evaluation were two different things.

“Eighty-nine points.”

The world of scoring was merciless.