🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 9
To be honest, I didn’t know what Duke Lakan looked like.
In the original story, the duke had always hidden his face behind a mask for generations, for some unknown reason.
The silver mask that concealed even the color of his eyes was said to be terrifying enough to send chills down anyone’s spine just by looking at it.
I had also heard that he rarely appeared in high society at all.
It might seem strange that the second male lead’s face was never shown, but later, when he finally removed his mask, Rinea did mention that he was “handsome.”
However, perhaps intentionally, there was never any detailed description of his appearance until the very end.
I glanced up at Karcel.
‘He is handsome, though.’
But could this man really be Duke Lakan?
The name Karcel wasn’t unique enough for there to be only one person in the entire empire with it.
So logically, it made sense to assume they were just namesakes.
But that didn’t mean I was going to naively trust Marquis Rivandel, who was showing me this suspicious kindness, and brush it off.
‘I need to go straight to the information guild and find out.’
With that thought, I completed the contract without hesitation.
Finally, I lightly shook hands with Lady Enisha.
“Madam, thank you so much for selling me this land.”
“No, no. Thanks to you, I was able to benefit as well.”
As she said that, Lady Enisha’s expression softened considerably.
Her gentler gaze seemed to be directed toward Karcel, who continued to fuss over me like a devoted husband even while we were exchanging copies of the contract.
‘Even though it’s all an act.’
I looked at Karcel with suspicion before carefully putting the contract into my bag.
The remaining one thousand gold coins would have to be used to develop the mine.
Just knowing that magic stones existed wasn’t enough. The real work was only beginning now.
From detecting and developing the magic stone mine to partnering with a trustworthy merchant group and distributing the goods—it was going to take a long time!
I continued smiling until we left the viscount’s residence, pretending to be a loving couple.
Only when we reached the carriage did I quietly slip away from him.
It wasn’t because I disliked Karcel’s hand on my shoulder.
It was more because I had a strong feeling that I still couldn’t trust him yet.
‘But wait… I said he was Marquis Rivandel. There’s no way he could be Duke Lakan, right?’
I cautiously asked,
“But your name really is Karcel Rivandel?”
“Yes. Were you curious about my name?”
Once he had started touching me, he became even more comfortable approaching me.
He lowered his head slightly to meet my eyes, and his red eyes looked unusually clear.
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
Besides, more importantly—could the man whom Asha Delmore had once had a crush on, even confessed to, possibly be Duke Lakan?
The same Duke Lakan who would later kill her?
That was when it happened.
He suddenly reached out and gently tucked my hair behind my ear.
“I’ve been bothered by it for a while.”
His low voice carried a warmth that made me freeze.
I flinched and looked up at him, but I didn’t hate it.
I could tell there was no hidden intention behind Karcel’s touch.
He smiled at me gently and asked,
“Are you going home now?”
At that moment, I decided.
I needed to learn more about this man.
“Would you like to have a meal with me before you go?”
“……”
At my suggestion, Karcel went silent for a moment.
Perhaps he was surprised too, because his eyes wandered through the air several times.
I blinked.
I had expected him to eagerly agree.
But surprisingly, his answer came only after a long pause.
“Is today my last chance?”
“Pardon?”
“I want to say yes immediately, but I was worried that if I agreed, there might never be another chance.”
The obvious desire in his words to leave room for another meeting made my cheeks turn red like spring strawberries.
“N-no, it’s not like that.”
“Does that mean there will be another chance?”
“Yes.”
I nodded repeatedly.
After all, if his identity was confirmed, I would have something to propose to Karcel.
A contract marriage.
I didn’t know whether he would accept it, but I wasn’t completely without a conscience either.
Because from now on, I intended to find out what he needed.
What I didn’t realize was how bright his face became just because I said there would be another chance.
Karcel looked at me with a charming smile and continued,
“Then I don’t mind whenever it is… Asha.”
My eyes widened in surprise when he suddenly called my name.
“Asha…?”
“Your name is pretty. I wanted to call you that just once. Is that not allowed?”
No.
It was a little overwhelming for now, but…
For some reason, hearing it in that voice didn’t feel unpleasant.
This man, smoothly slipping past my defenses like a snake crossing a wall, seemed determined to create his own justification with nothing but his face.
And with that lazy, low whisper, I found myself falling for it despite myself.
“Does Asha dislike my name?”
“N-no, that’s not it!”
“Then can you call me by my name once? I just want to hear it once.”
He asked politely, but the gaze he fixed on me was sharp.
Almost as if I couldn’t refuse.
“Ka-Karcel?”
Even with my hesitant pronunciation, he twisted the corner of his right eye as if he had been struck dizzy.
“Are you alright?”
Normally, I would have acted naturally.
But this was the first time a handsome man had so openly shown romantic interest in me, and I kept getting swept along.
“I never knew hearing someone call my name could feel this warm.”
“No one calls your name?”
“No one. My mother doesn’t like me very much, and my father passed away when I was young. I’ve been too busy living to have many people close enough to call me by my name.”
I had only been testing him.
But instead, a much darker story than I expected came out, leaving me blinking.
‘His situation is a little similar to mine… It’s kind of sad.’
My heart began to soften.
Especially because his face was extremely convincing.
He smiled faintly, as if it were nothing important, but there was loneliness in his expression.
Unable to resist that face that somehow made me feel weak, I asked,
“Ka-Karcel. Then would you like to have lunch with me today?”
At my words, Karcel’s gaze changed.
He tilted his head slightly and stared at me with eyes that were impossible to read.
“Anywhere is fine.”
“I only know one restaurant. Is that okay? Is there anything you can’t eat?”
“I eat everything.”
“Then let’s go.”
Karcel led me toward the carriage.
I told him the destination.
“Is this the restaurant Asha mentioned?”
By now, I didn’t stop him from calling me by my name so openly.
“Do you dislike places like this?”
“It’s unexpected. I thought Asha would usually go to restaurants that women liked more.”
“But the soup here is amazing for hangovers! They boil it with the bones, so it’s rich, spicy, and refreshing! If you come here the day after drinking, it clears your stomach right away!”
I looked up at Karcel after saying that, noticing that he was unusually quiet.
He was staring at me.
Oops.
I quickly asked,
“Ah… You don’t drink…?”
Worried that my image had become strange in his eyes, I hurriedly added that.
Karcel widened his eyes slightly, then soon let out a small laugh.
“No. I’m actually a good drinker.”
“This place is still delicious even without alcohol. And more importantly, it’s cheap.”
“It looks like it should be cheap.”
I laughed awkwardly at his comment.
Thinking about it, I realized I might have brought him to the wrong place.
‘I should have treated him to something expensive. I probably look like a cheapskate.’
I quickly grabbed the sleeve of his coat as he stepped forward to open the door for me.
Karcel turned around.
“Um, but…”
“Karcel.”
“Yes, Karcel. Actually… I think I misunderstood something.”
His gaze moved from my face down to my hand tightly holding his sleeve.
“Ah! I’m sorry!”
I tried to pull my hand away, but he caught it and placed it back on his sleeve.
“What did you misunderstand?”
He looked at me.
“It’s not that having a meal with me is a bad idea, is it?”
I shook my head.
