CHAPTER 13

How The Male Lead Cures The Young Lady Who Has A Limited Time

In the carriage going back to the duke’s mansion.

Breaking the short silence, Noel opened his mouth first.

"So, how do you feel about using me to step on your uncle?"

Noel asked, raising the corners of his mouth while squinting.

In response to the unexpected question, Yvette slightly bit her lip and then released it.

"......was it too obvious?"

"A little."

Noel leaned his head against the carriage wall.

With that smile on his face, it doesn’t look like he was in a bad mood.

"You, too, seem to have had a pretty rough life."

"Don't even say it. What kind of person's life is so eventful, I don't even know if it's hard or not......"

Yvette sighed and shook her head as if the ground was going to explode.

Her previous life was no different than her current life as Yvette Blanche.

There was no such thing as an easy life.

"..... that's why it was then."

Noel, who was still looking at Yvette, muttered.

What was he thinking? His expression was strange.

"Hm? What did you just say?"

When Yvette asked again, Noel shook his head, saying it was nothing.

It was not long before his eyes reached the window.

Just in time, the carriage that was carrying them across the city centre.

Among them, there were couples walking hand in hand with their children.

What makes them so happy, the three of them smiled brightly.

Noel watched them slowly, and turned his gaze to the front of the road.

Then Yvette, who was looking out the window, caught his eye.

Perhaps seeing the same place as him, Yvette's gaze was fixed on the child.

Her expression had subsided before he knew it.

Noel frowned silently.

That expression was one he knew well.

A long time ago.

Because that's the look he was making when he was abandoned by his family.

'…..I don't want to bother you.'

Noel speaks inwardly, biting his tongue and opening his mouth.

“Do you have any prior arrangements after this?"

Yvette raised her head, flinching at the sudden question.

"I don't have an appointment, why?"

"I haven't been out in a long time, so I thought I'd get a change of mood."

Noel said so and smiled.

* * * *

"....to change your mood, did you mean this?"

Yvette muttered with a troubled face.

Now she sits at the largest jeweler in the capital.

As soon as the jewelers saw Noel, they immediately took them straight to the VVIP room.

In the VVIP room, there were a lot of valuable jewels that she had never seen before.

At the sight, Yvette was frozen in place, unable to do this or that.

Because she was worried that she might ruin the product if she moved the wrong way.

Noel, on the other hand, nonchalantly picked up a box on the shelf, as if he were used to these places.

"What about this design?"

The box that Noel held contained a silver ring with a sapphire the size of a baby nail in the center.

The sides were also studded with diamonds, so it seemed expensive.

"….this, You're not going to give it to me, are you?"

Yvette carefully asked, examining Noel's expression.

Something was strange from the moment he suddenly brought her to the jewelry store, saying that he was going to change his mood.

Noel had been offering her accessories since the moment she entered the jewelry store.

"If you don't like it, can I get you something else?"

When Noel tried to call an employee, Yvette panicked and blocked him.

"No, that's not it."

Yvette, who was looking around for a while, lowered her voice as much as possible.

It was because she was conscious of the employees who were nearby.

"......I don't deserve a gift like this from Noel."

Today's work would not have ended this easily without Noel's help.

'To just take it like this, it seems so unconscionable.'

Even though for the first time I asked Noel for help, I had left my conscience at home.

Still, it was a law that had to keep the minimum line.

"It's the first time I've heard that you're entitled to a gift."

Noel bowed slightly with his eyes level with Yvette.

As the low voice tickled her ear, Yvette unconsciously shrugged her shoulders.

'Oh my God.'

The face that she saw right in front of her is so handsome that she can't help but drool.

And Noel knew too well how to use that face.

"But, I only get help from Noel….."

Yvette murmured, quietly dodging Noel's gaze.

"Isn't it up to me to give you a gift anyway?"

"Of course, that's it, but….."

"If it bothers you, you can give me a present, too."

Noel had the nerve to answer and then turned to the display case again.

Yvette could not bear to contradict and quietly shut up.

'What kind of wind is causing this?'

From the moment he asked to go to change his mood, she thought something was wrong.

She never imagined Noel would come out like this.

As if he couldn't feel her gaze, Noel was looking at the display case with a very serious expression.

Yvette watched him and sighed briefly.

'......but thanks to Noel, I feel better.'

Although she pretended to be fine so far, she didn't feel very good when she left the baron.

There was no guarantee that Baron Larishi would not attack her in the future.

Even while riding the carriage, the only worry in her head was that.

But after entering the jeweler's shop, she never thought of Baron Larishi because she had always been with Noel.

'You didn't bring me here on purpose because you knew I was in a bad mood, did you?'

Yvette glanced sideways at Noel.

From the look on his face, there was no way to know what he was thinking.

".....I still owe Noel a lot of debt, so please refrain from giving too expensive gifts."

Yvette slowly approached Noel and spoke to him.

Noel glanced at her and raised the corners of his lips.

"For your information."

Eventually, as he found a ring he liked, he pointed to one of the boxes displayed in the display case.

"I think this would look good on you. What do you think?"

Inside the box was a ring with a blue jewel in the shape of a flower.

As it was the simplest design she'd ever seen, Yvette nodded without hesitation.

"This is fine. The design is neat, and it's not too fancy."

When her affirmation dropped, Noel immediately called the employee.

Yvette looked around the store with a new feeling while the employee took the ring out of the display case.

It was around the time when she thought, 'Wouldn't we be able to buy a country if we put all the jewels together?'

Noel, who came closer, suddenly held out a box to her.

"Huh? Did you pay for it already?"

Yvette opened his eyes wide and looked at him.

"Open it first."

Noel placed the reward in her hand.

Yvette felt curious, and opened the jewelry box as he ordered.

Then, along with the ring Noel picked earlier, a pair of earrings appeared.

"······!"

Perhaps it came as a set, or a blue gem like a ring was embedded in the center of the earring.

The jewel, which was crafted in hexagon, sparkled brilliantly whenever it received light.

Yvette, who was staring down at the earrings blankly, opened her mouth.

".....I can't accept this."

As Yvette tried to hand over the jewelry box again, Noel calmly said.

"Really? Then I'll throw it away."

When he reached out his hand, ready to throw it away, Yvette freaked out and held the jewelry box in his arms.

"Are you crazy? Why throw this expensive thing away!"

I think selling this earrings would cost me a year's worth of living.

The scale of throwing things away was also different, in case anyone wasn't a great noble.

"If you don't want me to throw it away, you can take it."

Noel shrugged, telling her to do whatever she wanted.

From the beginning, he seemed to know that Yvette could not throw it away.

Yvette kept her mouth shut and looked down at the jewelry box.

As she looked at it, her feelings of gratitude and regret were intricately mixed.

".....I got it. Well, I'll just take this."

Yvette murmured, hugging the jewel box tightly.

In fact, she didn't show it, but the earrings were to her liking.

“Now, Noel is forbidden to give gifts to me until I give you a present. Okay?"

Noel smiled at Yvette's mischievous warning.

"Now you're smiling properly."

Yvette paused at his low mutter.

She smiled awkwardly, rubbing the corners of her mouth gently.

Somehow she felt embarrassed.

'I don't look like a snobbish person, do I?'

She was a little worried, but fortunately, Noel didn't seem to care much.

"Shall we go out?"

When Noel got ready to go out first, Yvette hurriedly packed her things.

She decided to send the box directly to the mansion because it could be stolen while carrying it around.

After leaving the jewelry store, the two ate at a nearby restaurant and returned to the carriage.

On the way back to Whitley after they'd finished all their business.

The sunset came through the window softly and shone on their faces.

Perhaps the sun had begun to set, and the sky was turning red.

"......Thank you for your help today, Noel."

As Yvette suddenly spoke, Noel, who was staring out the window, slowly turned his head.

A calm gaze touched her face.

"What are you thankful for?"

"It's just, everything. My uncle's work, and the present earlier."

Yvette smiled and made eye contact with Noel.

It's a little embarrassing to say things like this, but what she's thankful for is that she's thankful.

"If it weren't for Noel, it would have been really hard today."

Noel gave a strange expression to her sincere gratitude.

Then, as if in time, a shadow fell over his face.

".....you have so many things to be thankful for."

Noel murmured low and swept up his hair.

His usual lip, which was always relaxed, was pulled tight, and returned to its original position as if it had ever been.

“It is said that people need to be thankful to be happy. I want to be happier in the future.”

Yvette said so and smiled openly.

At the same time, the shadow that covered the window disappeared, and a warm glow of the sunset spread over Yvette's face.

Noel, who was looking at her quietly, couldn't take his eyes off her for a while.

-to be continued

Translated by Aria

Not 100% correct

Credit to the Author

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