My Sweet Deceiver

Chapter 30

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Tehez watched journalists posting provocative articles and decided to tame them.

With nothing less than money.

It was because she knew that feeding them money was the easiest and fastest way rather than intimidating or harming them. That’s why she had Delphine provide reporters with nice meals and gifts.

The results of that work were only coming out now.

While Danielle was away, a well-dressed, handsome man came in looking like an employee and set the food down in front of the Baron and Tehez.

“Please eat while working.”

The man smiled charmingly and placed a wine glass in front of Tehez. He poured alcohol for the Baron and placed a tray full of food, stuffed with what appeared to be freshly cooked meat.

“Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

The man was smiling as if to bewitch the Baron.

“Eat.”

The man offered food to the Baron, and Tehez naturally picked up only the glass of wine placed in front of her.

The Baron also picked up the tequila without paying attention to the food.

He wasn’t in the mood to chew on something because he was so nervous about making a mistake until he lured the Second Prince to the ‘battlefield’.

But how could the woman be so nonchalant?

The Baron looked at her again and again, and she looked amazingly calm.

“The Baron should take refuge with his family for a while. You’re taking a rest in the mansion I’ve arranged.”

Saying so, she lifted her eyes to look at the Baron, and his eyes shone.

“Is there anything else I should do?”

“Even though it was a risky business, you’ve worked hard enough.”

Having said that, the woman looked at the Baron and smiled a little. 

She then handed him one of the relatively heavy pockets behind her.

“If you want anything while you’re resting, use this money. It’s small, but it’s my sincerity.”

When the Baron opened the seal, it was filled it heavy money.

10 years. 

Enough to eat and rest.

“H- Princess, this is too much. I can’t take it.”

“Don’t say no, Baron. I heard the Baron’s eldest daughter plays the piano very well. Please use this money to fund her study abroad.”

“Still, this is…”

Barbier hesitated, fiddling with the fabric of the luxurious bag. However, when Tehez was not bitten, he immediately gave up and took the bag.

“You thought well.”

Baron Barbier thanked her once again. Then, he said, “I had a question for a long time.”

“What were you curious about?”

“I was really curious to know where all this money is coming from.”

Barbier was the soon of poor aristocrats, who had been poor for generations. It had already been decades since he came to the capital from the West, but he was still unable to escape the status of an ‘aristocrat from the countryside.’

How much trouble did he put into for the higher nobles when he came to the capital?

He sought invitations to banquets held by high-ranking nobles and tried to communicate, but in vain.

The old aristocrats of the capital did not pay much attention to the insignificant Baron. It was because they had been a lot of such people. 

Because there must have been a lot of aristocrats who struggle to get in the line.

That did not mean that the Baron could get along with the new nobles, not the old nobles. Even those who became nobles with enormous wealth did not join the Baron to the group. The reason was that he was born different from the new nobles. Although he was torn apart, it was because his grandfather was an aristocrat, and Barbier couldn’t really be considered a ‘new aristocrat.’

In the end, Barbier had no choice but to survive on his own. The safety of his life and family was in his hands. He had invested in trendy items in the capital with the intention of creating tax, and sold his products to get investment information, but he had never made much money.

Since then, Barbier has lived his entire life, realising that wealth is a distance entity for him.

“Don’t you want to make money? We’re here to help.”

As he was contemplating whether he should go to the West, there was a helping hand that came to him.

She was the First Princess.

Barbier had nowhere else to retreat, so he held her hand. 

And Baron Barbier’s world, which was narrow and broke, widened in an instant just by meeting her.

She was a person who sat still and made a massive amount of money that he could not imagine.

She doesn’t flatter anyone. 

She doesn’t go to parties.

How was that possible?

He was in awe of her before he could even feel her condescension.

“I do not know.”

Tehez smiled softly with a cheerful face as if she was going to tell the Baron a secret. 

She immediately gave the correct answer.

“The answer is information. When information is given or taken, the timing is the most important.”

“I see. I don’t know if I can say this, but I respect you.”

It was the Baron’s sincerity.

“Don’t think that, Baron. The Baron knows very well that I’m not doing this to make money.”

True. 

The Princess was doing all this with only one motive. 

To crown the First Prince.

“I also wish the First Prince ascends the throne.”

“Nice. I have a carriage ready. I’d like to go back and pray a lot in the temple.”

“Alright.”

Barbier greeted her and walked out of the door. 

There was a lot of money in his hand.

Although he did not know the cause, he knew well that the money was good.

When everything was sorted out, he would be able to return to the capital again.

As the Baron left, Melby, standing behind Tehez, came up to her and offered her food again.

“Princess, did you have dinner?”

“No, because I don’t feel like eating.”

Tehez refused.

“I specially asked the kitchen to make this, so why don’t you eat even a little?”

Tehez looked at Melby, who smiled charmingly, without saying a word.

“He’s sleeping.”

Was Fabrice really sleeping now? 

She wished he was.

Melby looked into the woman’s eyes defiantly and answered.

“Yes, Princess.”

“Do you need money? You must have used up all the funds I gave you last time, right?”

“Oh, my God.”

Melby laughed as if he was dumbfounded.

“There are a lot of people who give me money besides the Princess. Gold coins are worth my feet.”

“But why?”

Tehez asked, genuinely clueless.

This woman was the only one who didn’t fall for him. 

He was the most famous escort in the country. 

A man who was said to be sculpted by the Goddess of beauty.

He worked as a server in a gambling house, and was in charge of gathering information by using his outstanding beauty. 

He got a lot of Louis gold coins by having love affairs with the noble ladies, his side job.

Occasionally, their husbands would come and thresh Melby, but it didn’t happen often. 

Because in most cases, the marital relationship of the aristocrats was often bilateral.

They often pretended to be an ordinary friendly couple who overlooked each other’s love.

But this couple was unique. 

Denis and Tehez.

Melby started at the woman’s chin.

They both lived inside the walls made by their love for each other, do they?

It was as ridiculous as a goat walking on two legs like a human. 

Melby remembered asking Tehez such a question once. 

“Princess, are you not in love with him? If it’s the Princess, there would be many men who would throw themselves at you.”

And what did the Princess say?

“Stop talking nonsense and focus on work.”

Melby had a small smile on his face.

“I’m worried about you. Do you skip meals every day?”

Melby pushed the plate of food and came closer to Tehez. 

His strange and alluring scent permeated Tehez’s nose.

“Melby.”

“Yes, Princess.”

He had the most confident smile.

“The perfume smells too much. Can you open the window for me?”

“…Okay.”

He got up and opened the window, pretending to be okay.

“When is Danielle coming back, Melby?”

“Ac-”

“Go down and get Danielle.”

“…Okay.”

Again, it was Melby’s defeat today.

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『 The Second Prince – As soon as self-reflection is over, there was a party in a frenzy』

『 The Fluctuating People’s Heart – Where is the Crown going?』

『 Exclusive – Shocking confessions of feelings of Miss A who served the Second Prince!』

The temperature was getting lower.

Tehez sat in her office early in the morning and read the newspaper.

It was also confirmed that all those who were sent for the task were safe. 

Fortunately, no one was hurt or sick. Because of the delay there, it was dawning when she returned to her palace. 

She couldn’t even sleep.

As soon as she arrived, she sat down at her desk. 

She felt very refreshed.

“The article came out well.”

Danielle and Eli breathed a sigh of relief at Tehez’s words.

She snapped her fingers. 

She looked like she was thinking of something.

“Now, let’s raise the Prince’s support.”

“Alright.”

Danielle informed Tehez of the schedule. 

“You have an appointment with the Marquis this evening.”

“Don’t worry. I know it well.”

Tehez yawned slightly, and Eli placed the steaming hot coffee on the desk.

“Thank you, everyone. You all may leave.”

“Okay.”

Tehez was sitting in her office, sipping coffee and reading papers that had been pushed aside. 

Her eyes felt tight.

It was because she didn’t sleep well yesterday. 

How long has it been?

Knock, knock

“Yes, come in.”

Tehez said without raising her head, knowing that Danielle had always come to see her. 

Danielle always knocked and said, “It’s Danielle,” and came in.

Someone else was coming in with clear, loud footsteps.

He approached her with a bright smile and looked down at her while holding a plate of food.

“I heard you didn’t eat.”

“Yes.”

Tehez replied calmly.

She had skipped her meal, waiting for the morning paper.

Denis placed the plate on the tea table and called her with a gesture. 

Tehez got up from her seat as if possessed and sat down in front of Denis.

It was a sandwich. 

“You work while you eat, wife.”

Tehez was stunned by his friendly behaviour and couldn’t help but accept it.

“Thank you.”

“My wife works, and I, her husband, have to take care of her.”

Tehez didn’t answer. 

She couldn’t tell if he knew something or not.

“By the way, where did you go yesterday? My wife…”

In the end, she thought he had come to her to ask this. 

She brought up the answer she had prepared.

“I didn’t know it was late because I was praying at the temple.”

“I see.”

Denis was staring at her.

She knew he knew it was a lie, but she didn’t know if he was going to let it go or if he was just going to stare at her.

Tehez put the sandwich in her mouth and murmured.

She was not sure if she was chewing properly. 

He abruptly got up from his seat and staggered towards her. 

Tehez was startled by the sudden approach and swallowed the food she had been chewing.

“Wife.”

“Yes, Prince.”

He was looking down at her. 

He lifted her hair and inhaled the scent as if kissing it.

“Why does someone who’s been to the temple smell like perfume?”

Denis added with a gravely dangerous smile.

“It smells like a man’s perfume, too.”

(To be continued in the next episode)

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