Chapter 9

The truth was…

I had no idea what Duke Lakan actually looked like.

In the original novel, the Duke always hid his face behind a silver mask, a tradition passed down through generations of his family.

The mask covered even the color of his eyes, and people said that simply looking at it was enough to send chills down your spine.

Besides, he rarely appeared in high society at all.

It might seem strange that the second male lead’s face was never shown.

However, after he finally removed the mask later in the story, Linea only described him with one simple word.

“Handsome.”

Even then, the author never gave any detailed description of his appearance.

I secretly glanced at Carcel.

‘He really is handsome.’

But could this man actually be Duke Lakan?

Realistically…

There wasn’t only one person in the Empire named Carcel.

The sensible conclusion was that they simply shared the same name.

Still…

That didn’t mean I was about to trust this mysteriously kind Marquis of Rivandel so easily.

‘The first thing I need to do is go back to the Information Guild and investigate him.’

Thinking that, I calmly finished signing the contract.

Finally, I smiled and lightly shook hands with Lady Enisha.

“Thank you so much for selling me this land.”

“Not at all. You’ve helped me just as much.”

Lady Enisha’s expression had softened considerably.

Even as we divided up the copies of the contract, her warm gaze seemed fixed on Carcel, who continued attentively looking after me as though we truly were husband and wife.

‘It’s all just an act.’

I looked at Carcel suspiciously before carefully placing the contract into my bag.

The thousand gold I had left would have to go toward developing the mine.

Simply knowing that Mana Stones were buried there wasn’t enough.

The real work was only beginning.

I’d have to locate the deposits…

Develop the mine…

Find a trustworthy merchant company…

And establish a proper distribution network.

There was still a long way to go.

I kept smiling like a happily married wife until we finally left the Viscount’s estate.

Only when we reached the carriage did I quietly step away from Carcel.

It wasn’t because I disliked him resting his hand on my shoulder.

Rather…

I simply wasn’t ready to trust him yet.

‘But wait… he introduced himself as the Marquis of Rivandel. There’s no way he could actually be Duke Lakan, right?’

Carefully, I asked,

“By the way… is your full name Carcel Rivandel?”

“Yes. Were you curious about my name?”

Ever since we’d begun pretending to be husband and wife, he’d become noticeably more comfortable around me.

He leaned down slightly so our eyes would meet.

His crimson eyes looked unusually clear.

‘He doesn’t seem like a bad person.’

More importantly…

Could the original Asha Delmore really have confessed to Duke Lakan?

That couldn’t be right.

She was supposed to be killed by him later.

Just then…

He quietly reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

“It caught my attention earlier.”

His deep voice carried a surprising warmth.

I flinched and instinctively shrank back as I looked up at him.

But strangely…

I didn’t dislike it.

There hadn’t been any hidden intention behind the gesture.

Carcel smiled gently.

“Are you heading home now?”

At that moment…

I decided I needed to learn more about him.

“Would you like to have lunch together first?”

“…”

For the first time, Carcel fell silent.

He looked genuinely surprised.

His eyes wandered uncertainly through the air several times.

I’d expected him to agree immediately.

Instead…

He answered only after quite a long pause.

“Is this my last opportunity?”

“…What?”

“I’d like to say yes immediately… but I’m worried that if I do, there may never be another chance after today.”

His obvious hope that we’d continue meeting made my cheeks turn bright red.

“N-No… that’s not what I meant.”

“Then… there will be another opportunity?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

After all…

If the Information Guild confirmed his identity…

I planned to propose something to him.

A contract marriage.

I had no idea whether he’d accept.

But I wasn’t completely shameless.

From now on, I’d figure out what he wanted in return.

What I didn’t realize…

Was how brightly his face lit up after hearing that there would be another chance to see me.

Carcel smiled at me with an almost intoxicating expression.

“Then any time is fine…”

His voice softened.

“…Asha.”

My eyes widened.

“You called me… Asha?”

“Your name is beautiful. I wanted to say it just once.”

He smiled.

“Would that be alright?”

Honestly…

It felt a little too familiar.

But somehow…

Hearing him say my name in that voice didn’t feel unpleasant.

Before I knew it, this man had quietly crossed another boundary.

And somehow…

His face made everything seem completely natural.

His low whisper made it impossible to refuse.

“Do you dislike my name, Asha?”

“N-No! That’s not it!”

“Then… would you say it just once? I’d really like to hear it.”

Although he asked politely…

His gaze felt strangely intense.

As though refusing wasn’t really an option.

“C-Carcel?”

The moment I softly spoke his name…

His right eye twitched ever so slightly, as though the sound had shaken him to his core.

“Are you alright?”

Normally, I’d have brushed it off casually.

But I’d never had such an obviously handsome man openly show romantic interest in me before.

Little by little…

I found myself getting swept along.

“I never knew hearing someone call my name could feel this warm.”

“No one calls your name?”

“No.”

He smiled faintly.

“My mother has never been particularly fond of me. My father passed away when I was young. I’ve spent my life so busy that there are hardly any people close enough to call me by my name.”

I had only been teasing him.

Instead…

He answered with something unexpectedly lonely.

I blinked.

‘Our situations really are a little similar…’

My resolve softened.

It didn’t help that his face made every word so convincing.

He smiled as though it were nothing.

Yet somehow…

He looked terribly lonely.

Unable to ignore that expression, I quietly asked,

“C-Carcel… then would you like to have lunch together today?”

His eyes softened.

Tilting his head slightly, he looked at me with an unreadable expression.

“Anywhere is fine.”

“I only know one restaurant. Is that okay? Are you picky about food?”

“I’ll eat anything.”

“Then let’s go.”

Carcel guided me toward the carriage.

I told him where we were going.

* * *

“So this is the restaurant you were talking about, Asha?”

At this point, I didn’t even bother correcting him for calling me by my first name.

“Do you not like places like this?”

“I’m just surprised.”

He smiled.

“I imagined you’d usually visit more elegant restaurants that noble ladies prefer.”

“But the soup here is amazing for curing hangovers! They simmer it with the bones, so it’s rich, spicy, and incredibly refreshing. If you come here after drinking, you’ll feel completely revived.”

As I finished speaking, I noticed Carcel staring at me.

Oops.

I hurriedly asked,

“Um… don’t you drink?”

Worried I’d ruined my image, I awkwardly added the question.

Carcel’s eyes widened briefly before he laughed.

“No. I actually drink quite well.”

“Even if you don’t drink, the food here is delicious. And most importantly, it’s really affordable.”

He glanced around.

“It certainly looks affordable.”

I laughed awkwardly.

‘I brought him to the wrong place.’

‘I should’ve treated him somewhere expensive. Now I probably look incredibly stingy.’

As he stepped ahead to hold the door open for me, I instinctively grabbed the sleeve of his coat.

Carcel turned around.

“Yes?”

“Well… actually…”

“Carcel.”

“Right… Carcel. I think… I made a mistake.”

His gaze slowly dropped from my face to my hand clutching his sleeve.

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

I quickly tried to let go.

Instead…

He gently took my hand…

And placed it back on his sleeve.

“What exactly was the mistake?”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“Surely… you weren’t about to say that having lunch with me was the mistake.”

I immediately shook my head.