Chapter 13

The baroness’s expression stiffened at the blatant snub.

“……Well then, do continue your conversation.”

With that brief farewell, the baroness left the reception room.

Afterward, a heavy silence flowed among the three of them.

No one easily spoke, and among them, Baron Larishi was especially restless, glancing around.

‘How did things end up like this?’

Baron Larishi bit his lip hard.

Originally, he had planned to summon Yvette under the pretext of the seal and then secretly slip sleeping pills into her tea.

Then he intended to lock the unconscious Yvette in the warehouse and keep her confined until she agreed to hand over her fortune to him.

‘That’s why I went to the trouble and expense of finding out her address.’

He never imagined she would have gotten engaged to the Duke of Averon in that short time.

The baron looked down at the tea his wife had brought, his face pale.

The sleeping pills he had prepared in advance were carefully stored in his jacket’s inner pocket.

‘Now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to change the plan.’

No matter how desperate he was for money, he could not touch the duke’s fiancée in front of him.

‘First, I need to pay off Viscount Magnus’s debt and then think.’

If he put out the immediate fire first, it would not be too late to prepare again.

After thinking for a while, Baron Larishi opened his mouth toward Yvette.

“Ahem, ahem. Since the topic of your engagement has come up, how about this—just until things settle down, why not let me manage the territory for the time being?”

“……What?”

What kind of nonsense is this now?

Yvette looked at her uncle with a dumbfounded expression.

She could not grasp what he was trying to say or why.

“You haven’t formally held the engagement ceremony yet, so there must be a lot to prepare beforehand, no? And on top of that, managing the territory—your body won’t hold up.”

Baron Larishi prattled on in a hypocritical voice, as if he were speaking for Yvette’s sake.

But Yvette was not fooled by his words in the slightest.

‘In the end, he’s saying he wants to manage the Blanche fortune himself.’

To think he was still trying to get his hands on the money even in this situation.

Should she call it impressive or pathetic?

Yvette swallowed a hollow laugh and looked Baron Larishi straight in the eye.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll handle my own affairs. Fortunately, I have a reliable fiancé.”

Isn’t that right, Duke?

When Yvette signaled him urgently with her eyes, Noel let out a low laugh.

He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation.

“Of course. Whenever you need my help, just say the word.”

Noel muttered this and lightly caught a strand of Yvette’s hair in his hand.

Then his lips touched and left the white strands.

‘……!’

At the unannounced physical contact, Yvette flinched and hunched her shoulders.

Noel’s gaze, which had brushed past hers, was warmer than she expected, and it startled her.

But the most surprised of all was Baron Larishi, who had been watching the two of them being affectionate.

‘Are they really engaged?’

Baron Larishi bit his lip anxiously.

When he first heard they were engaged, he had thought it might be a lie.

But the way the two were now looked exactly like a couple in love.

At this rate, there was no room for him to wedge himself in even if he wanted to.

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to receive help from family than from strangers?”

The baron weakly voiced his opinion, but there was no way his words would work on Yvette.

Yvette shook her head with a firm expression.

“You’ve worked hard all this time, Uncle. It’s time for you to let go and rest comfortably.”

What that meant was: don’t be greedy, just give up.

At the clear rejection, Baron Larishi’s face flushed red.

“Oh, right. While we’re on the subject, please return the seal as well. That’s what you summoned me for in the first place, isn’t it?”

When Yvette, now full of confidence, held out her hand, the baron ground his teeth silently.

‘At this rate, far from paying off my debts, I’ll lose the seal without getting a single coin.’

That was the one thing he absolutely had to avoid.

Unfortunately, God did not seem to be on his side.

“I’m afraid it will be difficult to return the seal right away. I need to organize the ledgers, and I have to notify the territory as well.”

As Baron Larishi tried to hold out to the end, Noel, who had been quietly watching the situation, spoke.

“That’s an interesting thing to say. A man with no right to it trying to manage the territory. Your concern for your niece must be immense.”

Then Noel curled the corner of his mouth coldly.

“If not, are you perhaps coveting my fiancée’s position?”

At the sharp accusation, Baron Larishi flinched and shut his mouth.

He was furious, but at the moment, he could not think of a way to escape this situation.

In the end, the baron had no choice but to hand the seal to Yvette.

“……Here, take it.”

Yvette carefully received the seal Baron Larishi handed her with one hand.

The Blanche seal was shaped like a ring.

In the center of the ring, a single lily symbolizing Blanche was delicately engraved, and on the side, the word ‘Blanche’ was carved in cursive.

Yvette looked at the seal and smiled faintly.

“It seems our business here is finished, so we’ll be on our way.”

After confirming the seal was in Yvette’s hand, Noel rose from his seat.

As he stood, Yvette and Baron Larishi rose as well.

“Take care, Uncle. Give my regards to Aunt as well.”

Having achieved her goal, Yvette greeted Baron Larishi with a refreshed smile.

At the same time, she whispered quietly so only he could hear.

“If you ever contact me like this one more time, that’s when I’ll really set everything on fire.”

At the blatant threat, the baron’s face turned bright red with rage.

But he dared not intimidate her in front of Noel, and could only bite his innocent lip.

“If the opportunity arises, we’ll meet again.”

“……Yes.”

When Noel also offered a greeting, Baron Larishi bowed his head with a bitter expression.

Today was a clear defeat for him.

* * *

Inside the carriage returning to the ducal mansion.

Breaking the brief silence, Noel spoke first.

“So, how does it feel to use me to step on your uncle?”

Noel asked, curling the corner of his mouth crookedly.

At the unexpected question, Yvette lightly bit her lip and let go.

“……Was it that obvious?”

“A little.”

Noel answered lightly and leaned his head against the carriage wall.

Seeing him smile, he did not seem particularly displeased.

“You too seem to have lived quite a rough life.”

“Don’t even get me started. What kind of life is this, so full of ups and downs……”

Yvette let out a sigh as if the ground were sinking and shook her head.

Her previous life was like that, and now that she was Yvette Blanche, it was the same.

Not a single easy life among them.

“……So that’s why you were like that back then.”

Noel, who had been quietly studying Yvette, muttered.

His expression was peculiar, as if he were thinking something.

“Huh? Did you say something just now?”

When Yvette asked in confusion, Noel shook his head as if nothing had happened.

Then his gaze reached the window.

Just then, the carriage carrying them was crossing the city center.

Among the people, there was a couple walking affectionately hand in hand with a child.

Whatever made them so happy, the three of them wore broad smiles.

Noel watched them quietly for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the front.

Then Yvette, looking out the window, came into view.

Perhaps she had been looking at the same place, for her gaze was fixed on the child.

Her expression had sunk into bitterness before he knew it.

Noel furrowed his brow silently.

That expression—he knew it well.

A very long time ago.

When he had been abandoned by his family, that was the expression he had worn.

‘……She’s making me care.’

Noel clicked his tongue inwardly and spoke.

“Do you have any prior engagements after this?”

At the sudden question, Yvette flinched and raised her head.

“I don’t have any particular plans, why?”

“Since we’re out anyway, I thought we might do something to lift your spirits.”

Noel said this and smiled meaningfully.

* * *

“……So ‘lifting my spirits’ meant this?”

Yvette muttered with a troubled face.

At present, she was sitting in the largest jewelry shop in the capital.

The shop’s employees had immediately ushered the two of them into the VVIP room the moment they saw Noel.

The VVIP room was filled with rare jewels she had never seen in her life.

Faced with such an unfamiliar sight, Yvette stood frozen in place, unable to move either way.

Because she was worried she might break something with a wrong move.

Noel, on the other hand, seemed accustomed to places like this, calmly picking up a box from the display.

“How about a design like this?”

The box Noel held out contained a silver ring with a sapphire the size of a pinky nail set in the center.

Diamonds were even embedded on the sides, so it looked expensive at a glance.

“……You’re not thinking of giving this to me, are you?”

Yvette asked cautiously, gauging Noel’s expression.

She had thought something was off from the moment he suddenly brought her to a jewelry shop saying he wanted to lift her spirits.

Noel had been recommending various accessories to her from the moment they entered the shop.

“If you don’t like it, shall I have them bring something else?”

When Noel tried to call the employee, Yvette panicked and blocked his way.

“No, that’s not it.”

Yvette glanced around and lowered her voice as much as possible.

Because she was conscious of the employees nearby.

“……I’m not qualified to receive gifts like this from you, Noel.”

Today too—if Noel had not helped, things would not have gone so smoothly.

‘Receiving things like this one-sidedly makes me look completely shameless.’

She had already left her conscience at home from the moment she first asked Noel for help, but still.

At the very least, she should keep some minimum line.

“This is the first time I’ve heard that one needs to be qualified to receive a gift.”

Noel bent slightly to meet Yvette’s eye level.

His low voice tickled her ear, and Yvette unconsciously shrank back.

‘Goodness.’