Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Her first meal with Carlyx was boring.

They were surrounded with the sounds of clinking cutlery, and they only conversed about the contract.

‘But I’m glad. The divorce settlement is to be expected, and I will be given additional rewards depending on my performance.’

Daisy became a fatalist without even blinking once throughout the meal, and she added a clause that they shouldn’t have intercourse until the divorce.

‘Maybe it’s because I keep talking about it…’

Carlyx, who seemed to be skeptical of her fatalism at first, now seemed to take it seriously.

She was surprised that he didn’t laugh in her face.

‘Maybe it’s because he doesn’t care.’

Carlyx didn’t talk about his children, so she didn’t bother to ask.

He didn’t turn the conversation in that direction at all, but since she also had a headache, she decided to move ahead slowly.

‘I have heaps of work to do.’

Their first night passed by naturally. They slept so far that they couldn’t even touch each other’s fingers.

Just like now.

It was early morning after a night without a heart fluttering moment.

It had been quite a while since she couldn’t sleep in such an unfamiliar bed.

Feeling bored, Daisy turned her body to Carlyx.

‘Handsome.’

His personality and appearance weren’t her taste, but he truly looked like a male lead.

Daisy stretched out her fingers towards his face just enough so it didn’t touch his face.

His thick eyebrows pointed straight up. His eyelashes were thick and long.

Passing through his tall nose, the tail of his mouth was slightly raised. He also had thick lips and a sharp jawline.

“Carlyx Jean…”

As an illegitimate child, he grew up while receiving all sorts of mistreatment and hostility.

The Avarel Empire had a bad perception of illegitimate children already, and it didn’t help that his mother was from another empire.

It was almost impossible for anyone to accept him, who was a foreigner, in a homogenous nation such as the Avarel Empire.

‘What a sad life.’

In order to break down such perception, he grew up enduring harsh training and countless battles. In the end, he gave up.

It had been years since he accepted reality and lost every hope. He soon only followed orders and lived like a puppet.

‘The heroine would change him later on.’

The heroine treated Carlyx warmly and helped him without a hidden motive. And Carlyx, who had been lonely for a long time, was captivated by her.

‘When Daisy was busy disturbing them like a madwoman, he was always cold towards her. And then she died.’

That’s what she read in her previous life.

‘Surprisingly, I don’t remember much about Carlyx’s children.’

It’s not like there was no interaction at all in the novel, but it’s because she didn’t focus on reading it. She couldn’t think of anything.

But that wasn’t a problem.

‘Daisy was pretty loyal, though? No matter how much you hated her, do you need to cheat on her?’

Still, why did you cheat?

You nasty bastard.

Unknowingly, the irritated Daisy held up her fist and hit his forehead.

“What are you doing?”

Oh god, did I wake you up? Daisy quickly took back her hand.

Carlyx pushed up his eyelids. His dignified purple eyes completely captured her.

“I’m asking, what are you doing?”

“I was looking at your face.”

He furrowed his brows.

Daisy raised one corner of her mouth as he looked like he was questioning why she uttered such nonsense.

“You’re not ugly.”

“…Is that a compliment?”

His expression became subtle, but she didn’t bother to answer.

At that time, his big hand reached out to grab her hand.

Daisy, who raised her left eyebrow, asked calmly.

“What are you doing?”

“I have something to ask.”

His hand, which held her hand, became tense.

Daisy stayed still, and Carlyx pulled her into his arms.

Soon, his eyes were scorching against her.

“Anything is fine except for having sex, right?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Daisy frowned as she looked up at him.

‘A kiss, or a peck. Do you mean that? I will act that out later, but why so suddenly?’

As he moved his eyes, his eyelashes created a different silhouette.

Carlyx made a dry sound and pulled her closer. Her nose touched his hard chest.

A dangerously devilish voice rang.

“Even if it’s a political marriage, shouldn’t we at least put on a facade?”

What’s wrong with him this early in the morning?

As she tried to push his chest, she heard a faint shoe sound from outside the room.

Only then did Daisy know what he was talking about.

Carlyx Jean and her. A guy who was a Marquis and a Baron’s daughter didn’t have any reason to marry each other.

Divorce had sullied not only Carlyx’s name, but also the Jean family. It was said that both the Marquisate and Duchy were affected.

Contrary to the duke’s wishes, there were no noble ladies who were willing to marry Carlyx, whose reputation was at the bottom.

At that time, the Colin family was scammed and driven into the corner.

They decided to take advantage of the Colin family’s weaknesses to make up for their flaws.

‘This kind of marriage isn’t rare, but the couple has to behave like a real couple to ensure they hold the power.’

Not him, but her.

For the first time, Daisy made eye contact with Carlyx for a long time.

Carlyx wrapped his hand around her waist.

‘I guess a frugal man like him can be considerate, too.’

Daisy reached out and hugged his waist. A half-hearted warmth flowed on her hands.

Carlyx, who bowed slightly, whispered in a small voice.

“Do you have any complaints?”

“I wouldn’t be lying in this bed with you if that’s the case.”

Daisy smiled as she folded her eyes softly. With her eyelids down, she put her other hand on his chest.

From the servants’ perspective, they would be seen as a harmonious couple.

Both his and her hearts were excessively quiet.

***

When Carlyx put a towel around his neck, a man with a small build passed over a water bottle.

“How can you forget to drink water? Here, drink this.”

Carlyx gulped down the water without a word.

Several knights were seen chatting and resting not far from him.

A man with dark blue hair put his arm around Carlyx’s shoulder.

“It’s hot. Go away.”

Carlyx frowned and pushed the man’s arm away.

You nasty bastard.

Despite Carlyx’s dry attitude, the man continued to ask him as if it was familiar.

“So how’s your meeting going?”

“Don’t ask useless questions.”

That man was Carlyx’s sparring opponent since childhood, Logan Rivai.

They met when Carlyx was still ignorant, and they somehow bonded after that, so he was the only one who spoke informally to Carlyx.

“Are there any of my questions that aren’t useless for you?”

Despite their friendly banter, they were not close enough to be called friends. Perhaps, just a colleague.

Carlyx spoke coldly.

“If you know that, you’d better be quiet.”

“If I’m going to be quiet, do you think I’ll waste my time here with you?”

When Logan tried to put his arm back on Carlyx’s shoulder, Carlyx glared at him fiercely.

Oho, how cute. The grinning Logan scratched Carlyx’s hair.

Carlyx didn’t hold back this time and smacked his hand away strongly.

“I told you not to.”

His low voice was full of warnings.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Carlyx punched him.

Logan, who made an exaggerated scared expression, waved his hands away.

“Oh my, I get it. I get it.”

“If you’re done here, get lost.”

“What do you mean? You should introduce her to me.”

“Why should I?”

“Do you still need to ask why? Don’t you know how often I come here to spar with you? Do you want to pretend not to know me? And I’m the one and only friend you have, so of course you need to introduce her.”

Logan moved around in circles with his arms crossed.

“Is she bad-mannered?”

Manners. Logan deliberately picked on what Carlyx considered important.

“You haven’t even introduced your children yet, have you?”

“More than that, there’s something else I need you to do.”

Carlyx, who ignored Logan’s question, spoke bluntly.

Logan, who raised his eyebrows, tried to say something but closed his lips again.

‘That’s it for today. It’s not even my business. It’s not like I don’t know why you haven’t introduced your children yet.’

Eventually, Logan sat next to Carlyx.

“What is it?”

“Do some investigation.”

“On who?”

“Daisy Colin and Vera Muas.”

Logan looked at Carlyx as if he was unbelievable.

He couldn’t believe that Carlyx asked him to do this.

“Daisy Colin, what do you want to know about her?”

“If you can, dig about her usual activities. If she did some volunteer work or anything, find out about that, too.”

“Didn’t I already do that last time since you ordered me to do so?”

“Birthplace, date of birth, family relationships, connections, and social activities. Instead of those, focus on external activities.

“How boring. I wonder….. What do you think of yourself?”

“….Just do what you are asked. Don’t cut in.”

Carlyx cut Logan off like a knife. Logan asked again with a refreshing voice.

“What about Vera Muas?”

Vera Muas. She was Carlyx’s ex-wife.

“What has she been up to.”

“Okay. You won’t tell me why you want me to investigate them, right?”

“Why do you ask if you knew-”

“Okay, okay. I’ll ask you next time. I’ll go now.”

I never said I won’t ask you later. Logan thought.

Logan got up from his seat and shook his butt. He looked down at Carlyx, who was looking at the knights.

‘You’re always expressionless, so it’s hard to know what you’re thinking.’

Even though Logan already knew Carlyx for a long time, he still didn’t know much about him.

Carlyx was always dull as if he lost all hope in his life. It was like a desert without an oasis.

‘It’s not like I don’t know what kind of family raised him.’

Logan, who got used to him, left the place.

***

“My Lady, can you do this?”

Mei, who brought refreshments for Daisy, asked. She should’ve left to prepare Daisy’s bath, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave.

“What do you mean?”

Daisy held the documents in her arms and walked without hesitation. May stomped her feet at the sight of such a person.

“Can’t you read it somewhere else?”

“I’m comfortable here. Just go and do your job.”

“What if master comes back?”