Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Noah’s gaze didn’t leave her face. Kashika, lips slightly parted as she debated whether to speak or remain silent—whether to lie or tell the truth—remembered that silence was the best answer and pressed her lips firmly shut.
Noah asked,
“Did I say something offensive?”
“Of course not.”
“Then, your answer?”
Look at this brat. Kashika didn’t answer—she simply smiled.
Perhaps that was answer enough, for Noah’s expression stiffened.
“That’s none of your concern, my lord.”
“If you become my lover, won’t it become my concern? Like how many men have been drawn to you.”
And what are you going to do if there were many?
Kashika found this conversation uncomfortable.
Not that she could avoid it, either.
From the beginning, this conversation had breached the bounds of decorum. Of course, those so-called high nobles only pretended to be elegant—they were crude behind the curtain. But at least they kept up appearances. What kind of noble asks his mistress how many men she’s had?
…Do they?
She wouldn’t know. She’d never been a mistress before. Then again, she’d never truly been a wife either, but at least she had the legal title. And she hadn’t even agreed to any such arrangement yet.
As she considered how to dodge the question, Kashika decided a change of subject would be best.
“My lord Lambroiche—”
“Noah.”
“…Pardon?”
“Call me Noah. We’re supposed to become close, aren’t we?”
“…Noah, then. You say you don’t want to marry.”
“Yes.”
“If it’s just for appearances, then is this kind of conversation necessary? Aren’t you simply looking for someone to accompany you at parties for a while?”
Kashika said. Noah smiled. Her question—wasn’t he just looking for a pretty doll to parade around with no scandal or entanglement—seemed to amuse him.
Noah replied,
“Then are you suggesting I keep a convenient mistress on my arm and meet other women behind her back?”
“….”
“So you’re determined to ruin my reputation, my lady.”
So, what—he expects her to stand by his side as his mistress and stay there?
This didn’t feel right.
Kashika had, in her own way, been trying hard to accept the situation.
Granted, her effort mostly amounted to wondering how she might find a handsome commoner willing to take her virginity and then get discreetly executed for it. But still—even if she was a noblewoman and commoner lives weren’t valued more than flies, wasn’t it still a bit much to ask someone to play that role?
Besides, with all the revolutions and cries for liberty across neighboring lands and continents, even here—though a different continent—the people had come to value a commoner’s life as more than that of a fly or a dog.
So… a handsome commoner slightly better off than a dog.
Ah, troublesome. Truly troublesome.
“My lord Lambroiche.”
Maybe it would be better to just refuse.
“Yes, my lady?”
“If it’s just for that kind of role, there are many far more suitable women than me. In appearance, in refinement, in standing in society.”
“I have no desire to associate with such people.”
“Why not?”
“Because they all want more than I’m willing to give.”
“And you think I wouldn’t?”
At that, Noah looked at her calmly.
His face seemed to say, You? No way.
What do you take me for? Kashika thought.
She had her own share of desires, too. It’s just that her indifference usually outweighed them. As she stared sharply at him, Noah let out a quiet laugh.
“Yes. I don’t think you would.”
And what exactly gave him that confidence?
“You’ve always been like that.”
“That was nine years ago. I do have desires, you know.”
“Then go ahead. Indulge them.”
“….”
Kashika closed her mouth. No, when he so bluntly told her to indulge her desires, the desire itself faded. Instead, a creeping unease crawled up inside her—wasn’t this stepping into something dangerous?
“Even if you have desires, you don’t plan to act on them, do you?”
Noah said.
“And besides, you lie quite well. I find that very appealing.”
Noah’s gaze didn’t leave her face. Kashika, torn between speaking or staying silent—between lying or telling the truth—opened her mouth slightly, but then remembered the best answer was silence and clamped it shut.
Noah asked,
“Did I say something offensive?”
“Of course not.”
“Then, your answer?”
What the hell is this guy? Kashika didn’t answer—she just smiled.
Maybe that counted as an answer, because Noah’s expression stiffened.
“That’s not something the viscount needs to know.”
“If you become my lover, it’s something I’ll find out anyway, isn’t it? Like how many men have been drawn to you.”
And what if there were many? What exactly are you going to do about it?
Kashika found the conversation increasingly uncomfortable.
Not that she could avoid it.
This entire exchange was already outside the bounds of etiquette. Of course, high-ranking nobles acted elegant only on the surface while being anything but refined underneath, but they at least pretended. What noble ever asks his mistress how many men she’s had?
…Do they?
She wouldn’t know. She’d never been a mistress. Then again, she’d never properly been a wife either—but technically, she had been one, so let’s leave that be. Besides, it wasn’t as if she’d agreed to anything yet.
As Kashika tried to figure out how to dodge the question, she decided it was better to change the subject entirely.
“My lord Lambroiche—”
“Noah.”
“Pardon?”
“Call me Noah. We’re supposed to grow close, aren’t we?”
“…Noah, then. You said you don’t want to get married.”
“I did.”
“Then why even bother with a conversation like this if you’re only looking for a mistress for show? You’re just looking for someone to tag along at social gatherings, aren’t you?”
Kashika asked. Noah smiled, as if amused. Her question—essentially, wasn’t he just seeking someone to sit quietly by his side without stirring scandal—seemed to him like she was making it clear she didn’t intend to cause any rumors.
Noah replied,
“So I’m supposed to keep a woman on my arm and go see other women behind her back, is that it?”
“….”
“You’re determined to ruin my reputation, aren’t you, madam?”
So what, he wants her to be his lover and stay beside him?
This really didn’t feel right. But Kashika, in her own way, had been trying to accept this situation.
Admittedly, her effort so far consisted mainly of wondering how she might find a handsome commoner to take her virginity and get discreetly executed afterward. Even so, even if noble lives outweighed those of commoners, it still felt wrong to throw someone into that kind of role.
Besides, with other countries and continents filled with citizens rising up and demanding sovereignty and freedom, even on this continent, people had started to value commoner lives slightly more than flies or dogs.
So… a handsome commoner slightly more valuable than a dog.
Ugh. Troublesome. Truly troublesome.
“My lord Lambroiche.”
Maybe it really would be better to refuse.
“Yes, madam?”
“For that sort of role, I’m sure there are far more suitable candidates than me. In looks, of course—but also in refinement, and social standing.”
“I have no interest in meeting such people.”
“Why not?”
“They want more than I’m willing to give.”
“And you think I wouldn’t?”
Noah quietly looked at her.
His expression clearly said, You? As if.
Excuse me, what do you take me for? Kashika thought.
She had her own desires, too. It’s just that apathy had always outweighed them. As she glared at him, Noah let out a soft chuckle.
“Yes. I don’t think you would.”
What is he basing that confidence on?
“You’ve always been that way.”
“That was nine years ago. I have desires too, you know.”
“Then show me those desires.”
“….”
Kashika shut her mouth. No, if he was going to say it so plainly, it made her not want to. A vague sense of unease crept in, as if she were stepping into something dangerous.
“Even if you have desires, you never intend to fulfill them, do you?”
Noah said.
“And you’re an excellent liar. I quite like that about you.”
What do you mean I lie well? When have I ever lied to you? Kashika looked at him in disbelief. At the very least, she had never lied to Noah Lambroiche.
Had she?
Surely not.
Why would she even need to deceive him in the first place? Kashika was about to ask but stopped herself. Talking to him was already tiring enough.
“Isn’t that right?” Noah asked.
Right about what? Kashika asked in return. She still didn’t understand what exactly he found so appealing.
“Why do you like that I lie well?”
“That’s because…”
Noah paused for a moment, then answered.
“Being a lover doesn’t just mean having someone by your side.”
What else could it possibly mean?
Of course, a lover didn’t only mean someone who sat beside you, but still—Kashika didn’t know enough to guess what else he wanted. She hadn’t even debuted in high society and had spent nine years in seclusion. Surely there were better noblewomen in the capital.
“A partner.”
Noah said. Partner, my foot. Whatever she imagined by that word, it was clearly different from what he was thinking.
“Someone to scheme with.”
What in the world is Noah Lambroiche plotting? What could he possibly be planning that made him come all the way to this remote place to find a widowed marchioness and talk about lovers and deals? Why pass over all those noble ladies in the capital just to come here?
At this point, she was honestly curious what he was up to.
And then he added,
“Besides, it’s not an offer you can easily refuse. You can’t possibly repay that debt, can you?”
Right. There was still the money problem.
“You don’t actually think I was making a polite suggestion, do you?”
“Was that polite?”
Kashika asked. Noah smiled. He thought he’d been plenty polite. He looked at her and lifted his chin slightly—just enough to come off as arrogant. Then he laced his fingers and rested them on his knees.
“Best agree while I’m still being nice.”
“Very kind of you.”
So damn smug.
Kashika thought. And once she thought it, memories of the past bubbled up. Yeah, he’d been kind of smug back then too. She couldn’t remember exactly how or why—but he had definitely been insufferable. Kashika said,
“Fine. I wasn’t planning to refuse anyway.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Still, becoming a lover isn’t something you just declare. It’s a transaction. Shouldn’t we draw up a contract?”
“Of course. Right now, if you’d like.”
“No.”
Kashika refused. And for whose benefit would she write up a contract right now? The late Count Elpertz may have been tricked because he was young and naive, but Kashika had lived long enough not to fall for any scams. Sure, things had been easier after she came of age and her senses had dulled a bit, but she had no intention of being careless.
“My lord Lambroiche.”
“Noah.”
“Noah, then?”
“No need for titles.”
“You’re well-versed in law, aren’t you?”
“…Not a fan of that tone.”
“So, when you said ‘no need for titles,’ you meant I should just drop honorifics entirely?”
“Madam.”
Noah said. That sounded like a no to casual speech. And since he was still using polite speech with her, she decided to stick with it too. In high society, even lovers weren’t allowed to speak informally.
“Then drop the ‘madam’ with me as well. We’re going to be lovers or whatever anyway—just call me by name.”
“Kashika.”
