Raising my Fiancè with Money

Chapter 90: The Empress

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Karhan sighed as he recalled what had happened in the last few days. After determining to win Lilia’s heart, he followed her instructions diligently.

Show strength, win favor with wealth, wear revealing clothes to highlight his body…… For now, the phrase to buy favor with one’s financial power was excluded. Power kept his talents slipping away. His facial expression was out of control, and Karhan lost confidence, especially after breaking the wall.

He was worried about revealing clothes because it was burdensome, but he wore the clothes that Tession recommended last time. It was a shirt that showed the collarbone because there was no button under the collar. It was a little… anyways it worked. However, although it caught her eye, he did not achieve much.

—I prefer wolves more than foxes.

Karhan sighed as he recalled the words of Lilia. It seemed that he and the wolf were not compatible.

Frustrated by the fact that he couldn’t come close to Lilia’s ideal, Karhan grabbed a sword and headed towards the corner of the training arena. He thought that if he was here, he wouldn’t be noticed.

“Milord!”

Frances, who found Karhan in the distance, ran towards him. Karhan, who was digging with the tip of his sheath, flinched his shoulder.

“It is said that the training arena will be repaired this afternoon.”

Karhan, who was crouching, raised his head. Come to think of it, he was told a few days ago that they would replace it with a new soft lawn. Karhan took a look at the fine-looking grass.

He thought it can be used as it is for a few years, but the Bloden family said that the entire renovation work is done once a year.

It was time for Karhan to get up. A small wild flower blooming in the corner of the training arena caught his eye. It was a flower that he had never seen before, but it was strangely eye-catching.

Karhan somehow thought it looked like Lilia’s white cheeks, and after thinking that, suddenly the common wild flowers felt very special. It was clear that this flower would be crushed relentlessly as this area will be renovated in the afternoon.

Karhan reached out his hands and dug gently into the soil. The roots were carefully dug out and wrapped in a handkerchief. Now, after thinking for a while about what to do, Karhan got up completely.

***

“It’s weird.”

Lilia, who had put down her pen, murmured with a frown. Karhan’s attitude has been strange since a few days ago. Suddenly hitting the wall, wearing slightly revealing clothes……. Of course, she couldn’t help but keep her eyes on him because he has a good figure.

Not long ago, she asked him what he needed, and he answered that he wanted two bodies, but she saw him close his mouth with a sullen face. Watching what he was doing, she felt as if he reminded her of something. It’s like the arrogant and reckless protagonist in a romance novel.….

Of course, it was just a feeling and it was all clumsy. Unaware, Lilia sneaked Tession out and asked.

—What’s wrong with Lord Evantheon these days?

—I don’t know, but it seems that he is suddenly obsessed with wolves.

In particular, he shook his head, saying that he even bought a fairy tale called Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Unfortunately, Tession was also unaware of why Karhan was doing this.

Lilia recalled a previous conversation with Karhan. Suddenly, Karhan asked her if she liked foxes, and she answered that she liked wolves. Karhan looked very serious at the time.

‘Is it because of me……’

I should’ve just said I like foxes. She belatedly wondered what the intention of the question was.

Lilia shook her head and fiddled with her necklace, a new habit. It was a gift from Karhan, and she wore it often because it was light and comfortable. Whenever she touched the necklace, she felt a touch on the back of her neck. Long, hard fingers, body temperature hotter than her body temperature.

Lilia put down the necklace and read the data again. Since she was in charge of the hot spring business, she had to go through everything from designs to materials. She was busy working day and night.

After reading for a while, Lilia looked out of the window for a moment because her eyes were aching. The garden was clearly visible through the wide window. She saw a man crossing the garden from a distance.

Lilia watched him like she was possessed. And as he got closer to the front door, he stopped and raised his head. Making eye contact, Lilia flinched unconsciously. Even though there was quite a distance, Karhan was looking at her exactly.

Lilia, who hesitated, rose from her seat. The only reason Karhan visited the main building was when he had business. After leaving the office, Lilia went down the stairs. Then she could see the silhouette of Karhan standing outside the front door. He was talking to the employee for a while.

“Karhan.”

As Lilia called his name, Karhan slowly turned his head. Emotions were evident on his face, which seemed to be frozen all the time. The happy blue eyes stared at Lilia.

Slowly the corners of his mouth rose. The eyes that were beautifully curved parallel to the corners of lips gave a handsome feeling. It was such a pretty smile that anyone could not help but look at it.

Lilia stood still and stared at him. Looking at the friendly smile rising about his cool face, a breeze blew from far away. It was a soft, warm wind blowing from the inside of her heart.

Lilia, who blinked slowly, came down the stairs completely. And she found a small pot in Karhan’s hand.

“……What’s that?”

The flowerpot was huddled with white flowers the size of nails. Even Lilia, who was proud to know flowers well, saw these flowers for the first time. It was like a wildflower growing in a field. Before she knew it, Karhan, who came close, stopped in front of Lilia.

“It’s not a gift, but…….”

Karhan held out the pot in his hand to Lilia. She took the pot with surprise. It certainly looked small when it was in Karhan’s hands, but it wasn’t so small when it came to Lilia.

“Pretty….”

Lilia murmured to herself. Looking at only the colorful flowers in full bloom in the garden, the modest wild flowers attracted her attention.

“It’s a flower I found in the arena, and I really wanted to show it to Lilia.”

After lowering his eyes for a moment, he then met Lilia’s gaze.

“I think you’ve been busy lately…… I took some of the scenery that I saw.”

I wanted to share it with you, he whispered shyly. Lilia’s heart moved for no reason (NO REASON? Girl there are like a thousand plz). She felt good because she felt like she had seen the scenery that Karhan had seen— together.

“Thank you. I’ll leave it by the window and grow it well.”

Karhan saw Lilia smiling brightly. He didn’t even dare to blink so that he could take in every part and forever remember this moment. The tremors of his heart were carried throughout the body. Honestly, he didn’t know Lilia would like it this much.

It was a very different reaction from the books he referred to get closer to Lilia’s ideal type. Karhan thought he wouldn’t be tied to a man like a wolf anymore.

“Oh, and Karhan…….”

At the call of Lilia, Karhan barely blinked. Lilia, who hesitated for a moment, said,

“You asked me before if I liked foxes.”

“……Yes.”

“As expected, It seems I like foxes more than wolves.”

Karhan’s eyes shook briefly.

“You mean, a Fox……?”

“Yes.”

As Lilia nodded, Karhan’s expression became very serious.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lilia thought about his grim appearance.

‘You’re suddenly interested in hunting?’

Now that she thought about it, it seems to make sense. The reason why he asked her if she liked foxes last time may have been to give her a game as a gift. She told him wolf without knowing that it’s harder to catch…… It must have been very difficult for Karhan.

Lilia, who finally realized, nodded and emphasized,

“Fox is enough.”

And a few days later.

Tession came to Lilia with a face that said he really didn’t understand.

“Lord Karhan bought all the books with the fox as the main character. What should I do?”

“……?”

“He’s studying the fox’s habits, is he trying to keep a fox……. The Duke of Evantheon. He can’t keep a pet…….”

At Tession’s words, Lilia became serious.

***

Early in the afternoon, Lilia paused from her work and looked up. The pot on the window frame caught her eye.

Lilia, who was staring at the wildflowers, recalled what happened two days ago. After hearing from Tession that Karhan had become strange, Lilia eventually asked him openly.

—Why did you ask me if I liked foxes last time?

—That…..

Karhan hesitated and faltered in his answer. Lilia, who thought it was suspicious, took the lead.

—Actually, I thought you were talking about hunting.

—…..Do you really like foxes?

—?

—I thought it was a metaphor for a man like a fox.….

Karhan muttered to himself with a very serious face. Strangely enough, the more they talked, the more they went off the rails. In the end, the story seemed to have been concluded there.

And yesterday, Karhan caught a real fox. It was very fascinating to see how he had captured it without a scratch.

All the people in the mansion were watching it, and Violet, who later returned home, looked dumbfounded and dragged Karhan out. Karhan, who returned a long time later, looked as miserable as a fox in the rain.

“I think there’s something going on with my mother…….”

She still didn’t understand the situation yet so it still bothered her. Lilia picked up her pen again. And she sighed unconsciously when she saw a lot of letters piled up in one corner. More than half of them were solicitation letters related to Vanessa.

‘I’ll have to make a decision now.’

Since she exhibited, she has not accepted any further commissions yet. Mysticism is good, but if it gets dragged on any longer, the attention they had gathered would get dissipated. In order to make her a shining painter, she had to release her next work.

However, Vanessa was of the opinion that anyone Lilia chose would be fine. After all, it was up to Lilia. It seemed that she had to decide on the next request today for Vanessa. Then someone knocked on the door.

“Miss, you have a guest.”

The voice from outside made Lilia pause. There were no visitors scheduled for today.

“I heard they’re here for a work request…….”

They seemed to have come in person because of the art. Lilia tried to send them back without hesitation. However, at the employee’s words, she had no choice but to stand up.

After fixing her clothes, she headed straight to the parlour where the guest would be waiting. When she opened the door, she saw a woman sitting somewhat calmly with her hands on her knees. The woman, who felt Lilia’s presence, slowly looked up and at Lilia.

“I’m sorry I came to see you out of the blue.”

Lilia, who stopped at the door’s entrance, greeted her with courtesy.

“May the glory of the Ishtar Empire last forever, Lilia Bloden sees Her Majesty.”

***

TL/N: As we all know, the Tersians are going to be ruined within few chapters and now the arc is in the process of changing, the novel will now be focusing on House Evantheon, Karhan’s succession, the swordsmanship match, The Imperial family, and of course the elders of the House Evantheon who will be playing a very important role in this arc.

The first imperial member to come on screen is the empress, we will see more people who will be affiliated with the Imperial family i.e., the crown Prince, crown Princess, Emperor,