ALL NOVEL Chapter 45
* * *
It was an hour later, at the top floor VIP area of the Benichi Tea Salon. It was a place where only the top 20 customers by sales could reserve a room since every seat was a private room. Naturally, there was always a spot for Selleana, so it was perfect for a secret meeting like today.
Hair, check. Outfit, check. Makeup, check.
Selleana checked her appearance one last time, took a deep breath, and then knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
When the door opened, the man sitting inside was Collin, the ‘black-haired man’ from the Masquerade Ball, whom Selleana had been searching for nearly two months.
“Excuse me, Sir? You… know me, right?”
“Ah, Miss Lea.”
As if he had anticipated their meeting, Collin greeted her with a very calm demeanor.
“Would you like to have a cup of tea with me if you have time?”
Fortunately, the man had time, and that’s how they ended up meeting alone.
He still looks handsome.
He was handsome, but… something was odd. His presence didn’t feel as intense as it did back then. Even through binoculars, she had found him irresistible.
Did I idealize him too much in my memory? Or w
as it because she was too drunk that day to remember correctly? Swallowing her inner turmoil, Selleana opened the conversation according to the script she had prepared for a long time.
“I received the letter you left at the hotel a bit late due to a mix-up on your end…”
“I see.”
“Perhaps you were upset because I took so long to find you…”
“Well, let’s say I was.”
Huh? Was this how he always spoke? Somehow, it felt flippant.
“I came here in the first place because I was curious about Miss Lea.”
“Ah, as expected. My angel.”
It was embarrassing for Selleana, remembering how polite and gentle his voice had been…
Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling, she decided to get to the point. “I wanted to see you again. I have a proposal for you.”
Selleana cleared her throat and sat up straight. Although she couldn’t muster her usual flamboyance, Selleana’s beauty shone with confidence. “Marry me, how about it?”
“Excuse me?” The man replied slowly, furrowing his brow.
Selleana smiled as per her script. “I’ll explain the details later, but I’m from a quite influential family. My parents adore me and have arranged a marriage for me, but I have no interest in their choice.”
The man’s bushy eyebrows twitched.
“It was just talk among the adults, so don’t take it as a slight against you… Anyway, I think if I have to marry, it should be with someone I once felt a connection with, like you.”
Selleana spoke each word carefully, smiling as elegantly as she could. She wanted to see if her smile worked, but the man’s expression remained ambiguously neutral.
“There’s a lot you would gain from marrying me. Money, I’ll ensure you lack nothing to maintain your dignity, offering you an amount equivalent to the annual income of a sizable estate as dowry. Status, if you’re not already a noble, I’ll make sure you get at least a title of baron. So…”
Selleana leaned back lazily and crossed her legs slowly. “Marry me.”
“…”
The man didn’t immediately react, which wasn’t unexpected.
“You might be surprised by the sudden proposal. I’ll give you a few days to think about it.”
The few days were for Selleana to perfectly persuade him, knowing members of the Doloret guild were on standby, ready to gather the information that could aid in negotiations.
“I’ll give you five days. Take your time to consider—”
“May I answer now?”
“
Oh
. Would you like that?” Selleana tried not to show too much excitement in her response.
“I refuse.”
“Yes?”
Selleana’s brows furrowed at the utterly unexpected response.
He’s rejecting me? Really?
When Rakrensius asked her what she would do if he refused until the end, Selleana thought such a thing would never happen. She was convinced Collin was smitten with her, and with her power and wealth, no one could resist her.
As if mocking her certainty, the man smirked and continued. “
Aah
… I didn’t expect you to cling like this.”
He leaned back, crossing his arms. “We had our fun for one night, why not leave it at that, yeah?”
“What?”
“You’re asking me to take responsibility, aren’t you?”
“…”
“Damn it, what a hassle.” The man scoffed. His disdainful tone was awkward but nonetheless irritating. “I really despise clingy women.”
Selleana’s eyes narrowed at his sneering tone.
“The only reason I came today was because you turned Wilshe’s publishing house upside down looking for me.”
“…”
“You have no idea how embarrassed I was before Wilshe… It’s really unpleasant that you investigated me like that.”
“But you left a note…! Saying you wanted to meet again!”
“Until that day, I thought maybe we could meet once more. I didn’t expect you to be so desperate.”
“
Ha
.”
“And one more thing.”
The man rummaged in his pocket and then casually placed something on the table. It was the hairpin Selleana had left behind.
“Given your wealth, I wonder how much you’re willing to offer as a reward.”
“Are you expecting a reward?”
“Well, it’s just pocket change to you, isn’t it?” His tone became more vulgar and provocative.
Was he always like this? Selleana eyed the man suspiciously. But something was off. Though the man had been crooked, there was an undeniable grace in his posture. And as Selleana’s gaze lingered, he subtly averted his eyes, lightly biting his lip.
…Huh?
Recalling how his lips slightly parted when she spoke at length about marriage, a sense of déjà vu washed over her.
Could it be.
Selleana fixed her gaze on his face while rummaging through her handbag for her checkbook. The amount she hastily wrote down, along with her signature, was fifty million reot.
“You won’t say it’s not enough, will you?”
The man’s eyebrows twitched as he checked the check pushed towards him.
“I’d like to ask you one favor instead.”
“I said no to marriage.”
“Not that.” Selleana licked her lips nervously. “Perhaps…”
* * *
It was that night in the tower master’s quarters.
[You said you ended it well, so why the sigh?]
The voice of his friend echoed in Rakrensius’s mind as he slouched on the sofa.
[You meant to disappoint the daughter of Elard by meeting her in your disguised form. And you succeeded, didn’t you?]
“…”
[And that was with my perfect advice.]
Perfect, indeed. Selleana had left without further pressing for a contractual marriage. The friend’s advice was to act like a ‘bad guy,’ mixing in some ‘patheticness’ since the bad guy might be someone’s taste.
“Isn’t that enough that we enjoyed the night together?”
[Maybe make your tone a bit more vile.]
“We enjoyed one night together, so let’s leave it at that, eh?”
[Yes, that’s the tone. Remember it when you talk about the reward. Got it?]
All the preparation paid off. How displeased Selleana was could be gauged by the irritation in her gesture as she signed the check. He had worried about hurting her, but fortunately, Selleana did not seem too heartbroken. Or… should that be considered fortunate?
“Strange.”
[What are you talking about?]
“She gave up too easily…”
[Even when things go your way, you’re still not satisfied, are you?] The sword scoffed. […Well, I think it’s odd too. Considering how eager she was before, it doesn’t seem like her to back down so easily.]
Even so, the sword thought it was a good outcome, recalling additional lines practiced in case Selleana persisted. Rakrensius’s acting was so poor that any more complex dialogue would have exposed the act.
When Rakrensius plans to meet Selleana as ‘Collin’ and refuses her, the friend initially suggests sending someone else to his place, using magic to make them look and sound similar. However, Rakrensius insisted on going himself to protect Selleana’s privacy and, partly, fearing the stand-in might fall for her. But why this lingering unease?
“I told you, I’ll manage somehow. Using financial, psychological, or physical means.”
Was it just talk? The more he mulled over Selleana’s unexpected reaction, the more his mood soured. It was a relief that Selleana had backed off, but his feeling let down by her easy surrender was troubling. The ambivalence was difficult to bear. And then…
What was the last part about…?
He was caught off guard by Selleana’s last move.
“Perhaps… Can I touch you one last time?”
What Selleana asked for in exchange for the check… was to touch his cheek. The sensation of her slender hand caressing his cheek was still vivid. As if holding her hand, Rakrensius gently stroked his own cheek.
…Anyway, it’s a good outcome.
It had to be.
Finally, a dragging issue had been conclusively addressed.
And I’ve gained something to cherish for life.
He thought of the slip of paper with Selleana’s signature, which he had placed in the jewel box instead of the hairpin.
Even if I starve to death, I must never use this check.
* * *
It was the next afternoon, in the tower master’s office.
“Master, Lady Elard’s carriage has passed through the main gate.”
“
Ah
, yes…”
The news of Selleana’s arrival brought a reflexive joy, but he felt no enthusiasm. His hand trembled as he pulled on his hood and adjusted his monocle.
It’s probably the end…
Today’s matter would surely be to cancel the request.