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Chapter 42

"...." ‌‌‌
"...."
"...?"
When Dale returned to the House, he spotted Marquis Cassion Schultz and simply stood there.
After observing Marquis Cassion Schultz's cheerfully smiling face for a moment, Dale cleanly ignored him ‌‌‌and walked past.
"Enya. You shouldn't keep picking up trash like this man."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"The Alchemist last time was helpful to you, but this man is useless. A ‌‌‌nobleman won't be of any use to ‌‌‌‌you."
"Useless? To a friend."
Marquis Cassion Schultz leaned an elbow on the table and spoke with a bright smile.
"I should try to find my usefulness. ‌‌Since we're friends."
"What would you like for dinner?"
Dale ‌‌went to the kitchen and ‌‌‌began washing his hands.
Then Marquis Cassion Schultz spoke with gleaming eyes.
"My friend likes meat. I'd appreciate ‌‌‌‌it if you'd skip the mashed potatoes and grains. I don't like gaining weight. Keep that in mind."
"Enya. What would you like?"
"Enya enjoys the steak you ‌‍grill for her."
"...."
Only then did Dale's gaze turn toward Marquis ‌‌‌Cassion Schultz. ‌‌
He glared at him ‌‌‌as if an invisible man had finally become visible.
"Haha. How frightening."
Marquis Cassion Schultz waved his hand and laughed.
"My servants are coming in three hours. Since ‌‌the lady invited me, don't hate me too much."
"Dale, that's actually...."
"I'm aware that you didn't say that, Enya."
Unlike Marquis Cassion Schultz, the way Dale looked at me was tender and warm.
Then Dale, who had been watching me, narrowed his eyes as if he'd noticed ‌‌‌something. He ‌‌approached me and started to reach ‌‌‌‌out his hand before hesitating.
"May I touch?"
"Hm? Yes." ‌‌‌
I pulled his hand and placed it against my cheek.
Dale tilted my ‌face slightly ‌‌and looked at my neck.
"You're wounded. This is serious."
Dale, his brows furrowed, wore an expression so distressed he looked ready to collapse from worry.
Anyone watching would have thought it was Dale who was injured, given the wounded look in his eyes.
"I'll fetch medicine."
Dale, who had brought out the medicine box, suddenly fixed a sharp gaze ‌‌‌on ‌‌‌Cassion. ‌‌
"Did you do this?" ‌‌
"The suspicion that you're trash who lays hands on women... that's a rather bleak assessment."
"..."
But Dale's suspicious glare did not fade.
"I'm telling you the truth. I just fell."
"Enya."
Dale approached me and carefully treated my wounds, then let out a sigh.
My gaze naturally followed his handsome face. I found myself staring at his lips without thinking.
His touch on my neck was warm.
He gently turned my head, as if checking whether I had been hurt elsewhere.
The pressure was so subtle that I had to turn my head myself. His hot breath brushed against my ear.
I looked into his clear eyes.
He still wore a troubled expression.
"You're injured here too."
Dale frowned when he saw my collarbone.
"I told you, I fell."
"Enya. Do you know what happens if you fall on your neck or collarbone first?"
"..."
"Your neck would be fatal. Your collarbone would break and you'd die."
At Dale's words, I fell silent.
He was interrogating me in a low voice.
"And you still claim you fell?"
"Hey. You two. I get that the mood is nice, but did you forget I'm standing here?"
Cassion, who had been leaning against the wall, clicked his tongue.
He shook his head with an expression asking what he was supposed to witness.
"Being unmarried is so miserable I can't even live. Won't you cook? Give me food. Dale. Are you going to starve your wife?"
"..."
Growl.
At that moment, a sound came from my stomach.
"Ha, what's this? Looks like digestion is working."
"My apologies. I'll prepare something right away."
Dale lightly touched my cheek and stood up. His back looked particularly broad today, and I wanted to embrace it... no, it looked lonely. That's what I meant.
Then I felt a ‌‌burning gaze. ‌‌‌
"What are you looking at?"
I opened my mouth blankly. Cassion, who had been staring at me intently, broke into a subtle smile.
He seemed to be enjoying being an observer of this little theatrical scene.

"Adeline. Did you think I wouldn't recognize you?"

He recognized me instantly. He said he had known from the beginning.

"I'm the Master of the Magic Tower."

I had underestimated their intelligence network.
Using my true identity as leverage, he began what could only be called blackmail disguised as negotiation.

"I want to visit my friend's newlywed home. Dale has never invited ‌‌‌me, you see. I've invited him many times."
"Ah, unrequited love is ‌‌‌so tragic."
"The lady would never understand my feelings, would she?"

I glared at Cassion, who wore an irritatingly smug smile.
Being exposed ‌‌so quickly ‌‌‌was one thing, but looking at him filled me with an inexplicable unease.
'Could it be...!'
In that moment, a sharp pang shot through my head.
'Is ‌‌‌he after Dale?!'
I found myself considering the genre classification of this novel.
It was a romantic fantasy, after all.
But since Dale was merely an extra character and the novel never mentioned whom Cassion favored, there was a possibility ‌‌‌‌he could have feelings for Dale.
'What is this.'
So my rival—someone I'd have to share my husband with—was Marquis Cassion Schultz?
For ‌‌some inexplicable reason, I felt a bitter sense of having personally delivered my husband's lover to him. Dale was the kind of man anyone would covet.
He cooked well, had a good temperament, earned excellent money, and was young.
There was no finer bridegroom candidate in existence.
"..."
I opened my eyes wide and fixed Cassion with a pointed stare.
"Hm?"
He blinked, looking at me. He pointed to his own chest and silently mouthed 'Me?'
'You.'
I nodded firmly.
Then ‌‌I pointed my finger at Dale. Cassion's eyes widened ‍‌‌as he looked ‌at Dale, then back at me.
'X'
I made a large X with my arms.
Then I tapped my chest repeatedly.
'My husband.'
In that instant, the Marquis's eyes narrowed to slits. He raised one corner of his mouth, furrowed his brow, and then—
"Ha!"
He let out a hollow laugh.
His expression seemed utterly ‌‌‌bewildered. He looked at me with an air of exasperation.
I shook my head ‌‌‌at ‌‌‌‌‌‌him while he clamped his mouth shut and squeezed his eyes closed.
Behind Dale, a silent battle continued.
"My lady."
Marquis Cassion Schultz, who had surrendered first, called out to me in a soft voice.
He shook his ‌head while regarding me with pitying eyes.
"I have no idea how you've survived this long with such poor perception."
"My poor perception?"
Ah.
I looked at Marquis ‌‌‌‌‌Cassion Schultz. Had I startled him ‌‌by seeing through ‌‌‌‌his ‌‌‌intentions ‌‌‌too quickly?
He must have been surprised.
That's understandable.
But Dale is my contractual husband, so it would be problematic if things went well between him and Marquis Cassion Schultz.
Marquis Cassion Schultz was suspicious and unsettling in some indefinable way, though admittedly handsome.
If this inscrutable ‌man somehow charmed Dale into ‌‌liking him as well, then....
'That cannot happen.'
"Are you the type to doubt people's words?"
Marquis Cassion Schultz tilted his head and spoke.
"You seem to be misunderstanding me greatly. I have no interest in Dale. Please ‌‌‌‌don't assume my preference is Dale. I like women, you see."
Glance.
Marquis Cassion ‌‌‌Schultz looked at Dale, lowered his voice, and laughed.
"Quite a lot, actually."
"That's certainly how it appears."
"...It appears that way?" ‌‌‌
Dale had innocent, pure, pitiful, and harmless puppy-like eyes, while Marquis Cassion Schultz had sinister, unpleasant, and serpentine eyes.
I couldn't fathom how the two ‌‌of them could even be friends.
'That's right. How did they actually become close?' ‌‌‌‌
Using my keen observation and deductive skills, I identified one peculiarity.
'The Marquis is the only one pushing for the relationship.'
Dale shows no interest in Marquis Cassion Schultz.
Marquis Cassion Schultz appears quite interested in Dale.
Just as in friendships there are those who initiate contact and those who don't, Marquis Cassion Schultz seemed to be unilaterally clinging to Dale.
Though Dale ‌‌‌was a skilled ‌‌mercenary, the mages of the Magic Tower ‌‌were known for their pride and for sticking together, rarely interacting with other professions.
Marquis Cassion Schultz is suspicious.
"Can ‌you swear to it? You're really not after Dale?"
"I'm not."
But those eyes.
They were like those of ‌‌a dangerous wolf watching an innocent lamb.
"Are you truly not?"
"I swear by Dale."

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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