Chapter 12

“Are you sure that child is coming today? She might say she’s coming and not show up.”

“Of course I’m sure, so stop making a fuss and keep your mouth shut. If you ruin everything because of your nagging, you’ll be held responsible.”

The Larishi baron’s household had been bustling since early morning with preparations to receive a guest.

Baron Larishi urged on his restless wife and glanced at the window.

“It’s about time the guest arrived. Is the meal preparation finished?”

At his question, the servant waiting nearby answered respectfully.

“Yes. Everything has been prepared as you instructed.”

“Good. I trust it was handled without mishap.”

Baron Larishi stroked his chin with a satisfied expression.

Then his gaze fell on the baroness again.

“You watch your mouth today too. Don’t go blabbing and let the child overhear.”

“Don’t say useless things and think about what we’re going to do today.”

The baroness answered haughtily and turned her head away.

“The plan is perfectly laid out, so there’s nothing to worry about. You just stay quiet and watch.”

Baron Larishi smiled sinisterly and walked to the window.

“Ah, I can see a carriage over there.”

Just then, a carriage was approaching outside the window.

In that moment, Baron Larishi, who had been watching outside with a pleased face, froze.

“Darling? What’s wrong?”

Seeing his expression turn strange, the baroness turned her head toward the window.

At the same time, her face stiffened as well.

“Th-that is……!”

“Have the carriage prepared this instant! The most expensive one we have!”

Baron Larishi, thoroughly agitated, snapped at the servants around him.

The servants, who had received the order without understanding why, rushed out.

‘What in the world is going on?’

Once all the servants had left, Baron Larishi bit his fingertips anxiously.

His gaze never once left the window.

‘Why on earth is the Averon ducal family’s carriage in front of my house!’

* * *

At the same time.

A large carriage drew up in front of the Larishi baron’s residence.

The six-horse carriage, which even great nobles rarely used, was large enough that four people could ride with room to spare.

Moreover, on one side was painted a design so large that anyone could recognize it.

A great serpent swallowing a sword.

In other words, it was the emblem of the Averon ducal family.

“Aren’t we a bit too conspicuous?”

Yvette muttered, peeking outside through the window.

Perhaps because it was her first time riding such a large carriage.

It simply felt awkward.

“Who knows. I wouldn’t know.”

Noel answered calmly and looked at Yvette.

If his usual air was more languid and light, today’s Noel radiated a strange sense of pressure from his very attire.

He clearly intended to thoroughly intimidate Baron Larishi.

‘He didn’t need to dress up that much.’

Yvette, stealing glances at Noel, could not help feeling awkward.

A few days ago, she had honestly confided her circumstances to Noel.

It was something he would learn eventually anyway, so there was no reason to hide it.

Of course, she had not told him one hundred percent of the truth—she had added a little MSG to it.

She had intended to play up how pitiful she was as much as possible to stir Noel’s sympathy.

And as a result.

Yvette ended up heading to the Larishi baron’s residence in the most splendid carriage in the empire.

‘By now, the Larishi baron’s household must be in an uproar.’

The Averon ducal family’s carriage was so ornate and large that it stood out from far away.

Just imagining Baron Larishi’s face, thoroughly flustered at the sight of the carriage, made her laugh.

“……You’ve been laughing a lot lately.”

Noel, who had been watching Yvette with his chin propped on his hand, muttered as if to himself.

An unknown emotion rose in his blue eyes and then vanished.

“Huh? Did you say something just now?”

“No. It was just a thought to myself.”

When he said that, Yvette flinched and raised her head, and Noel shook his head as if nothing had happened.

That was when it happened.

“We’ve arrived.”

The rattling carriage came to a complete stop, and at the same time, the driver’s voice was heard.

Noel withdrew his gaze from Yvette and rose from his seat.

“Let’s get out.”

When he opened the door first and stepped down, Yvette followed and stepped onto the stairs.

As the two appeared, the passersby who had been watching murmured.

“That emblem—isn’t it the Averon ducal family’s?”

“I think it is.”

“Then the person who just got out……?”

At first, it was only quiet murmuring.

But as the two drew closer, the people could not hide their excitement and cried out.

“Look over there! It’s the Duke of Averon!”

“What? No way! The Duke of Averon wouldn’t come to a place like this!”

“No, I’m telling you I’m right! That person is definitely the Duke of Averon!”

As the murmuring grew louder, the crowd gathering around them grew larger as well.

‘At this rate, am I going to end up on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper?’

Yvette looked around with a somewhat bewildered feeling.

Whether or not he knew what she was thinking, Noel smiled brightly and held out his hand.

“Shall we go, my lady?”

At the affectionate voice she had never heard before, Yvette faltered and drew back.

Confusion was written plainly on her face.

“……What is that cringeworthy form of address?”

When she asked in alarm, Noel tilted his head slightly.

“Why. Can’t an engaged couple do at least this much?”

Yvette glanced around and lowered her voice so only he could hear.

“We’re not even really engaged yet!”

At that, Noel answered calmly.

“We’ll be announcing the engagement soon enough anyway, so there’s no harm in practicing in advance.”

He gave a light shrug and held out his arm to Yvette again.

After a moment’s hesitation, Yvette reluctantly took his arm.

At last, the two arrived at the front door of the Larishi baron’s residence.

“P-please come in this way.”

The servant who had come out to greet them was trembling and could not even meet their eyes properly.

Seeing his unfamiliar face, he seemed to be a newly hired servant.

Yvette and Noel followed his guidance to the reception room on the first floor.

Yvette took a deep breath before entering.

The thought of facing Baron Larishi again drew a sigh from her.

‘Still, I’m glad I’m not alone.’

Yvette glanced at Noel standing beside her.

Unless Baron Larishi was a fool, he would not dare act rashly in front of Noel.

Thinking that made her feel much more at ease.

When she knocked and spoke, a voice from inside told them to come in.

As she opened the door and stepped inside, Baron Larishi, who had been waiting, shot up from his seat.

“Yvette!”

Baron Larishi greeted Yvette in a highly elated tone.

But unlike his beaming face, anxiety was evident in his eyes.

“First, have a seat.”

Baron Larishi gestured to a chair and immediately shifted his gaze to Noel beside her.

Then his expression stiffened.

After everyone had taken their seats—

Breaking the silence, Baron Larishi spoke first.

“What brings a busy man like Your Grace to this humble place?”

Baron Larishi faced Noel with a forced smile.

Seeing him take the lower posture first, a cold smile rose to Noel’s lips.

“From the baron’s expression, it seems I’ve come somewhere I shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, no. How could that be? It’s just that you came without a prior appointment, so I wondered what the matter was……”

Baron Larishi kept bowing his head and gauging Noel’s mood.

Yvette, quietly watching the scene, let out a silent, hollow laugh.

‘Wow. Look at that change in attitude.’

In front of me, he called me an ungrateful wench and all sorts of things.

As Yvette glared wordlessly at Baron Larishi, Noel lightly placed his hand on her shoulder.

Then he spoke with composure.

“The prior appointment, as I understand it, was made by your side first.”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I heard you summoned my fiancée.”

Noel said this and turned to Yvette with affectionate eyes.

“Isn’t that right? Yvette.”

At his suddenly changed demeanor, Yvette nearly let out an exclamation of admiration.

Honey was practically dripping from Noel’s eyes right now.

‘As expected of the male lead—uselessly good at acting, too.’

Even knowing that look was an act, it was enough to make her heart flutter.

“That’s right. Uncle called me first.”

“So I hear.”

When Yvette nodded belatedly, Noel smiled brightly and turned to Baron Larishi.

But Baron Larishi was no longer paying attention to his words.

“F-fiancée, you say.”

As if he had never expected it, the baron wore a dazed face for a moment.

“Does that mean the two of you are engaged?”

When he asked, stammering, Noel raised one eyebrow.

“Why. Is there a problem with my engagement?”

His lightly asked question carried an edge.

The atmosphere suggested he would cut off the baron’s head on the spot if he said there was a problem.

“Th-there’s no way there would be. Rather, it’s something our side would welcome.”

Fearing he might offend Noel, Baron Larishi hurriedly poured out flattery.

But he could not hide his stiff expression.

“Then that’s a relief.”

Noel smiled brightly and cast a glance at Yvette.

When their eyes met, Yvette likewise smiled brightly.

Seeing Baron Larishi fumbling before him made her feel absolutely vindicated.

‘Go ahead, get a taste of power.’

Yvette sneered inwardly and leaned back in her chair.

Some might call it a cowardly method. But Yvette had no intention of letting the opportunity given to her slip away.

If she was the Duke of Averon’s fiancée, this much abuse of power should be fine, shouldn’t it?

That was when it happened.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

With a light knock, the reception room door opened, and the baroness appeared.

The servants who followed set down the teapot and cups in haste, then withdrew.

“These are precious tea leaves I received from my family home recently. I do hope they suit the duke’s taste.”

The baroness smiled elegantly and gestured to the teacups on the table.

Then her gaze lingered briefly on Yvette.

When their eyes met, Yvette pointedly turned her head away.