Chapter 28
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28
As his navy-blue eyes scanned Abel up and down, his thoughts were plain to see. He clearly didn’t trust this so-called “Gold Digger” with the first layer of protection, and he had no intention of hiding it.
“My, such a worrier. This face is the only reason I ended up on this path, you know. I was originally headed for a Combat Team, but the Intelligence Unit practically begged me to join them. Don’t you remember?”
Abel grinned, the corners of his long, beautiful eyes crinkling as if drawn by an artist.
“And now you’re comparing me to the kids coming in as backup? I’m hurt.”
“Right. Your face is certainly something to look at. Just succeed spectacularly and put them all in their place.”
The tone was so impassive it felt utterly insincere. The message was crystal clear: I don’t care if you succeed or not, just don’t make a mess.
Abel stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath.
This is why I want to quit this damn job.
Why did those Combat Team bastards, young and old, always have to provoke people who were just minding their own business?
Just as that man had said, he would have to succeed spectacularly. He would show them just how desperately the target would cling to him. And after putting every last one of them in their place, he would finally quit this dog’s life of a job.
Abel licked his lips with a seductive flick of his tongue, then called out to Barbara, who was just rounding the landing of the staircase.
“Ma’am?”
When Barbara stopped and looked up, Abel lowered his voice to a near whisper.
“Is it all right if I wait in His Excellency’s study?”
Abel, who had initially been displeased with the location of Seo-ah’s room, quickly changed his mind.
It would be several days before Oscar returned. That meant that until he arrived, the study was practically a private chamber—and a private chamber was the optimal place to ply his craft.
“Go ahead.”
With Barbara’s permission, Abel turned and headed back to the study.
Seo-ah seemed to be holed up in her room.
Abel took off his jacket and draped it over the sofa, then undid several buttons on his shirt. After running a hand through his pomade-slicked hair to give it a slightly disheveled look, he settled languidly onto the couch.
From his vast experience in seduction, he knew that when it came to the question of whether emotion or the body comes first, the body won by a landslide. You mesmerize with your eyes, entangle with your hands; once bodies are intertwined, emotions follow as a matter of course.
Countless targets had fallen for it.
Besides, she was a stranger here, and she was afraid. In a strange and frightening place, even the smallest kindness or sign of trust could feel monumental. The incident on the train, however, was a bit concerning.
“…Are you coming?”
He’d pondered what she could have meant by it, but no clear answer came to mind. It must have been just the naive words of an Outsider.
Abel glanced at the mirror on one side of the study. Even to his own eyes, his appearance was satisfyingly handsome.
Like a spider that had spun its web, Abel set his trap and waited leisurely for his prey.
He checked his watch.
Well, this much time is fine.
“……”
He picked up a book he had no intention of reading and flipped through it aimlessly.
“……”
He even let out a fake cough to announce his presence.
“Ahem.”
There was no response.
The only reason he couldn’t bring himself to open that thin door was because of Oscar’s answer to his question about initiating physical intimacy.
“As long as there are no side effects.”
Besides, it was always best for the first move to be disguised as a coincidence.
But as time passed, Abel’s expression began to sour. By the time his patience wore completely thin, his vision was tinting red with anger. He couldn’t stand it any longer. He was about to knock on the door to find out what the hell she was doing in there when Barbara entered.
She had brought dinner. Seeing his state, she laughed.
“You’re practically undressed. I feel bad being the first one to see you like this.”
“Cut the crap. We’re on the clock.”
“Watch your tone.”
Then, as if to mock the patience Abel had been exercising all this time, she easily knocked on Seo-ah’s door.
“Young Lady, I’ve brought your dinner. I’m coming in.”
The door opened. Unable to restrain himself, Abel peered over Barbara’s shoulder to see what was going on inside. The moment he saw the state of the room, Barbara let out a stifled, cough-like laugh, and Abel swallowed the groan that threatened to escape him.
The entire afternoon he had spent with his clothes half-off, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for that woman to emerge, suddenly felt utterly pathetic.
The woman he had assumed was timidly holding her breath and staring blankly into space—as if she believed this place was so welcoming and safe—was curled up on the bed, sound asleep.
Seo-ah, who had unwittingly exhausted Abel Sting’s patience to its very limit, didn’t wake until the next day.
Tweet, tweet. She awoke groggily to the unfamiliar sound of birdsong, only to realize with horror that she hadn’t just taken a nap but had slept soundly through the night. Her face went pale.
I’m insane.
She had dozed off while watching the sunlight, but now the pale dawn was painting the world in shades of blue.
To think she had slept without realizing night had come and gone, or that dawn was breaking.
What’s more, it seemed she hadn’t even known someone had entered her room. On the side table was a note from Lady Barbara, who must have brought dinner and left. It said to pull the cord if she woke up and was hungry.
The clock read six in the morning.
She hurriedly unpacked her things and went to the bathroom to wash up. Today, instead of a dress, she chose a blouse and a skirt. She buttoned the shirt all the way to her neck and smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt with her hands. As she was combing her hair, braiding it, and tying it with a ribbon, she heard a presence outside.
Knock, knock.
“I’m coming in.”
The person who opened the door was Barbara.
“You’re awake.”
She held a tray of food.
Seeing her hold the rather heavy-looking tray with one hand, Seo-ah hurried toward her, but Barbara set it on the side table before she could reach it. On the tray sat a bowl of steaming soup, some crispy-looking bread, a simple selection of fruit, and a cup of tea.
“Please eat at your leisure. Just leave the dishes when you’re done; I’ll clear them away later. Also, His Excellency has arranged a weekly allowance for you, Young Lady. As the sum is quite large, it would be difficult to bring you the cash every week. I was thinking of keeping a safe for you in my office and depositing the money there. How does that sound?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“If you need money, just let me know anytime. I can advance you the amount you require.”
“I will.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Um…”
Seo-ah calmly began to speak, running through her to-do list in her head.
“The city looked wonderful from the carriage on the way here. I’d like to visit a place with a lot of people later. Where would you recommend?”
Her heart pounded as she asked.
Worried that Barbara might refuse, Seo-ah watched her reaction, but thankfully, she didn’t object.
“Are you saying you’d like to do some sightseeing?”
Instead, she asked a question, as if she didn’t quite grasp the intent. Seo-ah quickly added more.
“Yes. A place where many people come and go… like a market. I’d like to see one, if possible.”
“A market, you say…”
Barbara trailed off as if in thought, then raised an eyebrow and continued.
“That’s not difficult. You should visit the Central Market. It’s the largest market in Vies.”
“The Central Market…”
Barbara stared impassively at the Outsider who was repeating her words as if to commit them to memory. The dawn light fell on a pale face that possessed the characteristic softness of someone who had never known physical hardship.
For a moment, she wondered what could have brought her here all alone, but the thought was fleeting.
“It would be best to get some money before you go. For now, please enjoy your meal.”
With that, Barbara left the room.
Only after she heard Barbara cross the study and the click of the hallway door closing did Seo-ah sit down in front of the steaming food.
About an hour later, Barbara returned. As she quietly cleared away the dishes, Seo-ah asked her a question.
“Is it all right if I go to the market now?”
An hour was a long time to just stand around. Barbara glanced at the clock, lost in thought for a moment before answering.
“It should be open by now.”
If that was the case, there was no reason to stay in the manor.
Seo-ah followed Barbara out. Barbara handed the dishes to a man in a suit who was passing by in the hall, then led Seo-ah to her office. It was located on the first floor, in the center of the mansion, to the side of the grand staircase.
“How much should I get for you?”
“Before that, I have a question. On the way here, I saw many tables set up outdoors. Is it okay to just sit at those?”
“Those are usually cafes.”
“Cafes?”
“Places that sell tea or coffee.”
Barbara gave the Outsider, who was not just ignorant of the world but completely clueless, a long look before simply taking out 200,000 Kerte.
“This should be more than enough for the market.”
The Outsider clutched the two glittering 100,000 Kerte gold coins in her hands.
Watching her, Barbara felt the urge to click her tongue.
A naive face perfect for swindling, small white hands that knew no calluses, and two gold coins clutched within them.
It was a moment that made her seriously question Abel’s abilities.
Barbara took a small, pin-backed pouch from a drawer and held it out.
“Pin this to the inside of your skirt and put the money in there.”
Even as she said it, she wondered if this naive girl would understand. But while she might not have known what a cafe was, she apparently knew how to attach a pocket to her clothes. She skillfully pinned the pouch to the inside of her skirt. Then, for the first time, she offered a faint smile.
“Thank you, Lady Barbara.”
Seeing this, Barbara finally did click her tongue, albeit quietly. And as she did, she thought that she would have to double the number of backup agents she sent.