Chapter 6

"I'm glad the agreement was well-made."

His tone was so stern, that the atmosphere was as if he had just made a dramatic settlement.

"Wash up and lie down on the bed. Now you're not the only one using it."

I usually wash up and lie down…

But I couldn't say that I was surprised to see his diary and ran to the bed, so I nodded softly.

"Yes. I'll go wash and change."

He was a year younger than me, and he was bigger than me, and his way of speaking was not at all like a younger brother.

I pulled my indoor clothes out of the closet.

He picked one of the books he had piled and sat down at his desk as if he hadn't thought of sleeping. Looking over my shoulder, it was quite difficult.

'Because I said we'd get along well first…'

Moreover, after reading his diary unintentionally, I began to feel like I wanted to be nice to him.

Frankly speaking, it was already hard to follow Duke Icard, who could kill me, with sincerity.

But Evan had a different story.

We were in the same boat, considering that he had no choice in this marriage.

I really wanted to get along well if he wasn't a mean and indifferent child.

"You graduated from the Academy today. Are you studying again?"

I crept along to him.

"Very sincere."

Then I raised my hand and stroked his black hair. A soft, smooth, hair wound around my hand.

[Patting one's head when there's something to praise.]

"You're younger than me, yet you're so great."

Evan was silent, so I thought he had changed his mind.

"Oh, you don't like it?"

He didn't even look back.

"Sorry…"

"No."

He muttered, holding the book tight.

"Yes, I'm glad to hear that."

I spoke quickly and went to the bathroom.

The last time I glanced at him, his neck seemed to be burning up again.

* * *

"Eat more of this."

Evan and I stayed in the same room, so we even had breakfast together.

[Sharing their favorite food.]

At first, I didn't want to get hit, so I just thought I should be nice to him, but after seeing him, I changed my mind.

This was because I realized that he was not an indifferent person, but a lonely, tight-lipped child.

I didn't have a family, and I knew the heart well, so I wanted to support him as much as he was young.

Even if he eventually grows up to be a completely indifferent man.

"No, thanks."

Evan gave back the tart I had put out.

"I don't like sweets."

"Really?"

"I'm not a child."

Lie.

'Your eyes were shining when the tart came out.'

I thought about it with my eyes slightly opened.

"If you don't like it, I can't help it."

But I didn't recommend it twice. I brought the tart back to me.

So while I was eating the tart, Evan was reading the newspaper the servant brought.

While I was playing with forks absentmindedly, one of Evan's articles in the newspaper caught my eye.

[The 500th anniversary of the largest horse racing event! Experts, predicting the best sales ever.]

'Oh, the 500th anniversary!'

The 500th anniversary of the horse racing event was the first time the male lead of the original novel "The Great Deal of the Empire" appeared.

Betting for horse racing was one of the several entertainments of aristocrats, but the minimum betting amount was quite high, making it difficult for commoners to participate.

And I already knew the male lead was getting his initial funding there.

"…"

I swallowed a piece of tart.

I was thinking of how I could make money so that I could idle and eat comfortably after running away.

'First, I must somehow participate and save money. And I'd better run away later and decide where I'm going to go. There is still a lot of time, but I can't miss the opportunity.'

The year I turned 21 years old.

About seven years are left until I am supposed to die and Evan marries the princess as planned by my father-in-law.

'Let's not die, but disguise myself as missing. If I officially disappear, Evan can marry the princess anyway.'

It didn't matter how the story went on after I went missing.

'I'm just quietly spending flat money and playing and eating like this.'

It would be a little boring to live in hiding, but it was better than dying.

'I just have to live in hiding until Evan and Elani get divorced…'

A rough plan was drawn in my head.

"Do you want to go?"

As I was racking my brain, Evan asked.

"Huh?"

"Because you've been looking at this article for a while."

"Ah."

He seemed to have noticed that I was looking at the horse racing article.

"Yes, I want to go. I think it could be fun."

Of course, it's an opportunity to get good money.

No matter how I'm said to be the duke's daughter-in-law, I didn't have a penny of my own right now.

All kinds of high-end food, clothing and shelter were provided, but the budget was not set because I'm still underage.

"Evan went to the academy, so the budget was set up in the name of pocket money… In your case, there is no reason to make an exception under the circumstances."

The other day, I asked the butler, and he told me that I could draw up a budget from the moment I became an adult.

So if I need anything, I can ask for it when I need it…

"No formal budget has been drawn up. There was only one order from the Duke to buy everything you wanted. If you want anything, just tell me."

I couldn't answer back then that what I wanted was "cash that was never tracked."

In this situation, it was almost impossible to make a secret fund from The Dukes property.

However, I couldn't ask the Duke to even pay back my father's debt to recreate the budget for me.

"May I go?"

"You want to go, but someone will stop you."

He said sullenly.

"After two days."

That meant I would get cash in 2 days.

Now, let's walk on the road to money.

I asked excitedly.

"Who can I talk to? Can I talk to the butler? Should I bring the maid? By the way, can I bet by myself? Should I have an adult guardian?"

It was my first time going out on my own after coming to the Duke's residence, so I didn't know a lot.

But as my questions poured out, Evan's expression became strange.

"What…"

He muttered, tapping the dessert plate he had finished eating.

"I don't really have anything to do these days either."

"Huh?"

"I'm a pretty good speaker."

"It wouldn't be bad to watch events or anything."

"…"

"I don't hate crowded places."

"…"

"I know how to ride horses pretty well."

I stared at him and sighed inwardly.

It was because he was a child who grew up without emotions, so I didn't know why he was spinning around.

There is nothing I can do. Because I said let's make sure we get along first. And I'm a year older.

"Well, Evan, then…"

I asked with a big smile.

"… Would you like to come with me?"