Chapter 4

Elrose looked at the man who rolled out in surprise.

Soon after, men came out from the door while shouting.

“Hey, you must’ve been wandering around and causing trouble!”

A rough tone could be heard and she could see tattoos all over the guy’s body. At first glance, it would seem very clear that those guys were engaging in illegal work. Their clothes had an emblem of the gambling house.

They were the security guards of the gambling house, and then they clenched their fists and murmured.

“And you’re talking nonsense that you can’t pay back the money you borrowed.”

“You used to be tailed by the female customers, and now you’re lucky enough to cut off the necks of the Suin people on the battlefield?”

The guards giggled at the man lying on the ground. One of them spat on the floor while rolling up his sleeves.

“Now, do you want me to tell you how you’re going to pay back the money you’ve lost? By using physical force.”

Their main job was to borrow money from gambling houses like this and then threaten those who couldn’t pay back in order to extort more.

“…!”

In the increasingly harsh atmosphere, Elrose backed away. She felt like she had to get out of there quickly.

Crunch.

However, the branch made a loud noise as she accidentally stepped on them. The guards then immediately turned their heads.

“Huh? Who are you?”

As the gazes turned towards her, Elrose deliberately lowered her head and spoke in a different voice.

“Oh, I’m just a passing person! Keep doing what you’re doing.”

It was the same trick she used to cheat the monks whenever they came to her cabin. The guards shook their hands when they heard Elrose’s voice which sounded like a beggar to them.

“Tsk, get out of here.”

They didn’t seem to care about her anymore, so she took that moment to turn around and get out of there.

Swoosh!

Something then grabbed onto Elrose’s robe. What is it?

She turned her head and saw the man who was rolling on the ground holding onto her robe with one hand. The man then said as the startled Elrose quickly pulled back her robe.

“Honey, don’t go!”

At that moment, the alley became so calm that even ant steps could be heard.

“…”

“…”

Elrose had never been so dumbfounded in her life. What did the guy just call her? Honey?

“Well, you got the wrong person here…”

“You sent me here to do a big blow! This is all for you!”

“No, what? I don’t know anyone like you!”

The guards glared at her as she shouted in surprise.

“What? She’s a young woman?”

“I’m sure the voice earlier sounded different…”

“Hey, you’re really his wife?”

The men looked at Elrose suspiciously. She then felt a cold sweat on her back. They already seem to think she was connected to the guy.

“That’s great. In fact, beating up a man doesn’t mean he’ll get us the money.”

“Yeah. There’s another way to get the money…”

The men’s gaze on Elrose was like looking at new gold that just rolled in.

“Hey ma’am. If you want your husband to do his job in bed, you’ll need to pay the 50 gold he borrowed, plus interest rates.”

‘I don’t want to be in bed with him, whether it’s my fault or not!’

“No, I’m not his wife…”

“Baby! It’s 50 gold! Are you going to abandon me?”

No, it’s not about abandoning him, it’s about her never knowing him in the first place!

“I don’t know you! Let me go!”

Meanwhile, the security guards approached closely. She tried to escape, but she couldn’t resist the strong grip from the crazy man.

‘Why is this guy so strong?’

In fact, all the days of hard work back in the forest made Elrose confident in her strength to some extent. Of course, she knew she couldn’t beat up a man. Still, there shouldn’t be a problem with trying to just shake off his hand. But somehow, he didn’t even budge.

At that moment, the man who grabbed Elrose lowered his head and whispered.

“Do you have 50 gold?”

Suddenly, Elrose got goosebumps from the voice that touched her ears. It wasn’t out of displeasure.

‘You have a great voice?’

It was a low and deep voice that was completely different from when he was rolling and pestering on the ground a little while ago. At the same time, it was a soft voice that made her body lose strength.

Elrose, who had lost her mind for a moment, quickly shook her head. Now’s not the time for this. What did the man say? If she had 50 gold?

‘I do.’

But the money can’t be spent now. What if there is more?

When Elrose refused to answer, the man whispered again.

“Lend it to me for a moment if you have it. I’ll pay you back.”

At that moment, Elrose almost answered unknowingly, but then she shook her head and came back to her senses.

‘Who is this guy?’

What kind of magic is this guy using? How can he make a person almost lose their soul just by hearing his voice?

“What are you whispering about? Let me see your face!”

The security guards reached for the two of them. Elrose quickly held back.

‘I can’t be caught right now!’

Camila’s request will soon spread around. Her 10,000 gold award will soon be heard by the guards and then they’ll try to get me right away. As Elrose stepped back, the guards seemed irritated and grabbed the hood she had over her head. No, they tried to catch it.

But, it was the strange men that blocked the hands of the guards. As a result, the man’s hood was removed instead of Elroses’.

“Hyuk!”

“Huh?”

Both the guards and Elrose exclaimed at the same time in the alley. Soft black hair like silk can be seen, and his face then looked down.

That was the problem.

“Oh my god…”

Elrose exclaimed without realizing it. He overall really had a manly face with a firm jawline under his sharp nose. Even in the dark alley, his glistening blue eyes seem to have the power to attract people.

‘Handsome.’

For a moment, Elrose looked at the man’s face while forgetting the situation. His looks were really perfect, and the sudden appearance left not just Elrose but the security guards speechless also. Meanwhile, the man’s hand can be felt on Elroses’ waist.

“Huh?”

Elrose then noticed the oddity after the purse had already fallen into the man’s hands.

“Wait, that’s!”

Elrose reached out and tried to stop him, but the man was much faster.

Jingle.

The man threw Elrose’s purse at the guards. Upon receiving it, the guards took turns and counted the money inside Elrose’s purse as if they’ve barely come to their senses.

“Okay, that’s 50 gold! You’re lucky!”

“Now, if you don’t have any more money than that, would you rather work at our store? I think the guests will love it.”

“Yes. That face and body will make a lot of money!”

At those words, the man next to Elrose frowned as if he had heard something he didn’t want to hear. Then, he grabbed Elrose’s hand, kissed it, and said.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. I’m the type to obey only one person. Don’t you think so, honey?”

What even is that guy saying.

There were voices in Elrose’s head screaming about his handsomeness and her money.

‘What?’

A slight surprise passed through the face of the man who was holding her hand as Elrose looked around. He then led Elrose as he waved to the guards.

“Then I’ll leave now since I’ve given you the money. Let’s go, honey!”

Without a moment to even gather her senses, Elrose walked out of the alley with him.

***

They went into another alley not far from where they just came from.

“…”

Elroses’ eyes were wide open. Her money flew away before she could understand what was happening, and she can’t even go back to the place.

“Hey, you okay?”

The man waved in front of Elrose, who was standing in a daze.

“I’m sorry to have caught you in that all of the sudden, but it just happens. I’ll give you 50 gold right away. You’ll have to walk a little, but if you come with me to my accommodation in the west, it’s there… Hey, do you even hear me?”

It was then she heard a bell from afar.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Five bells to signal that it was five o’clock.

At the sound, Elrose finally came to her senses. There’s only an hour left before the government office closes.

‘I’m running out of time.’

There’s no money and no time. Elrose turned her head and looked at the man. She then remembered what the guards had said to him. Baron. They said that.

“Are you really a baron?”

When Elrose asked, the man looked puzzled but nodded.

“I am a baron. Although it’s a win-win situation.”

Elrose clenched her fist at his answer and remembered her prayer to god.

Please send me a person to be my husband.

At that moment, this man rolled down in front of her as if her prayer were answered. Then…

Squeez.

Elrose then grabbed the man’s clothes, and he turned around to face her.