Chapter 22 - 22

He silently stood up. Looking at the window blocked by his shoulders, I realized anew just how large this man was.

"Ben."

Soon, he exchanged a few words with Aide Ben, who opened the door and entered. Shortly after, Ben brought a rather large box from the next room.

Askin slammed the box down on the table and opened the lid.

Amazingly, it was full of gold coins. Askin didn't stop there; he also tossed a pouch.

Jingle. Judging by the heavy sound, it seemed like a pouch full of gold coins. Sure enough, a golden glint was visible between the pouch's folds.

"As you can see, this is all there is for now. I will definitely send the remainder by the designated date."

"..."

I sensed a gritting of teeth in the word 'definitely'.

Looking up at this man carefully, I recalled everything about him from the book.

Although he is currently struggling with debt due to the territory's misfortunes and his sister's illness, this man, though he might break, would never bend. He was as straight as a bamboo.

Given his noble character, enduring this humiliation must not have been easy.

"If I just said I wouldn't break the engagement, you wouldn't have to repay the debt like this. Why do you keep insisting on breaking it?"

"Do you ask because you don't know?"

"I don't think I've ever heard it directly from your mouth."

"..."

Askin narrowed his brow.

"I hate you. I detest you. The way you treat people as tools, and me, no, what you do to me."

Askin sighed softly.

"I hate you, who humiliated Aria, more than anyone in the world. Even if the world ended and only you and I remained, I would never spend my remaining days with you."

I reached out, fiddling with the gold coins, then raised my gaze.

"But it's not entirely my fault."

At my words, Askin's expression showed, 'You're still trying to weasel out by making excuses.'

I inwardly smiled bitterly and pressed on.

Because I was still feeling resentful.

"If you had understood my feelings, those things wouldn't have happened."

"If you're done talking, get out."

I wasn't backing down; I was saying what the real Charlize might have said.

"No, I came to make you a new proposal."

A 'I knew it' expression appeared on Askin's face.

"Don't you want to be free?"

"That's not for you to say."

"You're right. But can't the one who tied the knot also untie it?"

"...What are you trying to say?"

I wet my lips.

"One year. Just maintain this relationship with me for one year. If you still don't like it after that, I'll release you."

"That's an absurd deception. How do I know you won't try another trick then?"

"We can make a magical oath. I'll stake my life on it."

"Huh?"

Askin frowned. His face showed even greater disbelief.

"Your rhetoric is full of nonsense. Even if you let me go, the debt remains."

"What if I... repay that debt?"

"Then you'd become my new creditor. How utterly tiresome."

My goodness, it was like looking at an impenetrable shield.

I sighed softly.

Charlize. What kind of life did you live that people simply cannot trust you...

If this were a society built on credit, you'd be a delinquent borrower. Got it?

"Then shall I stake my life right here? If you have a magically bound contract, bring it."

I crossed my legs and looked up at Askin.

"No, just meet me once more. I'll bring the contract. Just once is enough."

"Why would I?"

"Think of it as being deceived just this once, and all your worries would be solved, wouldn't they? Even if I am deceiving you, you'll just go through with the breakup, and nothing will change."

"..."

I stood up.

"You need time too. Think about it. Wasn't it strange, like you said, that I suddenly started obsessing over meeting you like a crazy person? It's the first time I only asked to meet and didn't pull any other tricks, right?"

Charlize would wrap up anything she liked and give it to Askin as a gift.

Askin's will wasn't involved, and if he later threw away the item, she would commit atrocities against him or those around him.

And that wasn't all. What about the evil deeds towards the knights of the Lemut family?

"...Just take the money and leave."

Anyway, the opportunity I finally created wasn't without its harvest.

Because that man's face wavered for the first time.

Yes, please, I beg you, just let me sign a contract to maintain it for one year. I won't even come near you once you stamp it!

Shouting 'fighting' in my heart, I picked up the box of gold. No, I tried to.

'What is this, why is it like this?'

The box didn't budge.

As I struggled with a flustered face, I felt a gaze. Looking up, Askin was looking at me as if he had seen something unsightly.

His gaze even held bewilderment.

"...You could just call a servant. What are you doing?"

"Ah."

You're right. I didn't know it was this heavy.

"I measure the amount of gold coins by weight."

I shamelessly nodded in agreement to Askin's scolding.

Then his expression became even stranger, though.

"Anyway, were you worried about me? I'm touched. Let's stay engaged."

"...Stop talking nonsense and go back."

"Your rejection is charming too."

Feeling good, I made an inappropriate flirtatious remark.

As I smiled, Askin's expression flickered, as if looking at a truly crazy person.

"Fine, I'll see you again. Pretty one."

"Pretty... what?"

"Ah, because I think you're prettier than me."

Just then, a servant arrived. Well then, goodbye. I got up nimbly and moved.

Then I met eyes with Ben, who was still standing there. For some reason, he quickly turned his head away.

What was that, it looked like he was holding back a laugh. Anyway, whatever.

And so, accompanied by a servant carrying the box and pouch of gold, I arrived in front of the carriage.

Just as I was about to board the carriage, I heard small footsteps approaching.

"C-Countess!"

"Countess! Countess!"

Surprisingly, it was the children of this territory who had been among the crowd earlier.

Why are those kids still here? And near my carriage?

I gestured to the escort knights. Then, the children who had been blocked by the knights hesitantly approached.

I looked around. The residents were standing some distance away.

What, they haven't left yet? I looked around to see if Aria was there too, but thankfully, Aria was not present.

"Well, Countess..."

Since the children couldn't come any closer, I approached them myself.

One boy and two girls. They looked at each other, then hesitantly held out their hands.

"We w-were waiting for you!"

"Th-that's right!"

"Why?"

In the children's small hands were many small, red berries.

"We p-picked these wild berries ourselves!"

"That's right, we wanted to give them to you, Countess!"

"I picked them with my sister!"

Among the children, the boy seemed the oldest and largest, then one girl.

The smallest girl seemed about seven years old.

Perhaps because she'd lost teeth, her pronunciation was lisping. Also, the two girls looked alike, so they might be sisters.

I stared at the wild berries for a while, then picked one up.

Judging by their freshness, it seemed true they had been picked today. Their color was very pretty.

Without hesitation, I put one in my mouth.

I felt the knights beside me flinch in surprise, but I ignored it and smiled.

"Not bad."

Oh, it's sweet.

"I can't accept this for free."

I took out some gold coins from the pouch the servant was holding.

Then I put one in each child's hand. The wild berries they were holding were taken by the escort knights nearby.

"There's no free lunch in my life. That's the price. Go buy some snacks."

"Uh, uh."

"We d-didn't give them to you expecting anything!"

As the children looked bewildered, I narrowed my eyes.

"Oh my goodness. Young children, already so money-grubbing."

"N-no?!"

"Here, this is all. No more."

I added one more gold coin to each child's small hand and gently pushed them.

However, two gold coins were too big for the smallest child's hand.

Noticing she couldn't close her hand properly, my gaze fell on her tousled hair.

"Your hair is a mess."

"Gasp, it got messed up because I ran!"

The smallest child stuttered with a lisp, likely due to missing teeth.

I took a small pin from my own hair and placed it on top of hers.

"Use the pin to fix it."

"Gasp, it's so sparkly."

I grinned and nudged the smallest child towards the one who seemed to be her sister.

Go quickly. Pushed away, the children stumbled back, saying "Uh, uh."

After the children left, I put another wild berry from the knight's hand into my mouth.

Wow, this is delicious, a bit tart.

"Would you like one too?"

"...Ah, no!"

I offered it because it was tasty. But he turned pale as if I were offering poison, so I gave up.

Just as I was about to board the carriage.

A carriage was entering from the opposite side. It stopped near mine, and soon someone got off.

'Who is it?'

The carriage had a crest, but I couldn't recognize it.

Either Charlize didn't remember it, or it was a family she hadn't paid attention to.

Which one could it be?