IBMV – 58

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Count Selton made a bold lie without his face contourting.

Like a person who had premeditated his excuse if he would be caught.

Caroline’s turned even paler, blood draining from her face from the shock.

“No, I swear I didn’t do anything like that!”

“Right, you villain! Don’t speak ill of the director!”

Evan was angry and assisted her with his words. Count Selton raised his hand, shouting arrogantly at Evan.

But Kian wasn’t one to keep still and watch.

“Don’t touch your child. If you don’t want the same thing to happen to you again.”

He warned the count with a low growl.

Feeling the pressure from him, the count faltered and backed down.

The count did not dare to confront Kian without his knights.

Eventually, he nervously swept his hair and shouted,

“I don’t know why you’re here, but this is a personal matter between me and Caroline! It’s not something you should interfere with.”

He was trying to pull the “the unrelated should be dismissed” card.

But I can’t do that.

“Sir Selton, I heard rumors that you were going to sell the orphanage.”

Rumors have recently circulated in private clubs where only the rich were allowed to circulate in the empire.

Count Selton is seeking to sell the orphanage.

At that time, I thought he was trying to do charity work, just like his predecessor, the late count.

Therefore, I thought that they had planned to relocate the orphanage while promoting the sale of the site. but

“Aren’t you planning to get rid of the orphanage?”

“Oh, that’s an interesting guess.”

The count laughed. I thought he was trying to act coy again, but now he threw off his mask, realizing there was nothing to hide.

He smiled meanly and stared at Director Caroline.

“Do you know what I wanted to do as soon as I inherited the title? It was to get rid of this freaking orphanage. I have no intention of wasting my money feeding and putting my kids to sleep.”

The count had threatened Caroline that he would not touch the orphanage if he used her as he wanted.

But even that was a lie.

“How could you…….”

Caroline turned white, shocked that she had been deceived by the count. The count enjoyed watching her appearance and looked back at me.

“However, the princess must have brought it up for a reason…….”

He narrowed his eyes as if to gauge what my purpose was.

I didn’t want to talk to him for a long time, so I went straight to the point.

“Sell the orphanage site to me.”

The count’s eyes slightly grew as if they had heard an unexpected reply. But quickly his eyes glowed with greed.

“How much are you planning to buy it for?””

“I’ll give you a million per pyeong [t1v: an old Korean measurement that’s about 3 square meters].”

“That’s not enough. You have to give me 5 million gallons per pyeong.”

The amount he called was five times the market price, which wasn’t a normal price.

He was blatantly trying to rip me off.

When I hesitated, the count grumbled,

“There is a person who wants to buy it for 5 million won per pyeong. So you have to pay that much, too.”

There is no way to know if his words are true. It could be true, or it could just be a lie to trick me.

But it doesn’t matter either way. This was something worth safeguarding.

I quit pretending to hesitate and opened my mouth.

“Okay, let’s go with that price.”

Count Selton’s smile went up to his ears. He clapped his hands as if he was very satisfied.

“As expected of Princess Ashford. As I heard, you have a big heart.”

The count wrote a contract on the spot so that I wouldn’t change my mind.

When I finished signing, he stood up with a satisfied smile.

Then he looked back at Caroline and said,

“Just in case, you’d better not spread false rumors that I threatened you.”

After speaking terrible things until the end, the count left.

“I want to sue you for sure.”

I wanted to help Caroline, but the complaint was a sensitive issue, so I couldn’t bring it up.

If this issue was brought to court, it was highly likely to escalate into “he-said, she-said.”

Then the count would slander her saying that Caroline seduced him.

But at that moment, I heard a shrill voice announcing with venom,

“…..I’m not going to stand here and watch you get away with this.”

Unexpectedly, it was Director Caroline who said that.

I didn’t know she would say that, who had looked meek.

Is it her true intention to pay back what she suffered from Count Selton?

If that was so—

“If you’re willing to sue Count Selton, I’ll help you.”

Caroline opened her eyes wide.

“I’m also upset to let Count Selton get away with this.”

“…….”

Caroline could not refuse. She, who had been silent for a while, confessed,

“That’s right. I want to pay you back for how you’ve saved us from Count Selton. But….”

I could see why she hesitated.

To sue the count, you must have money and power.

And I have the power to help Caroline.

“Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll help you.”

“I can’t get help from the princess again.”

“You don’t have to feel pressured. It’s kind of weird to say this myself, but I’m an Ashford.”

It means that it doesn’t matter if I spent some money because my family was practically made of money.

Caroline was silent for a moment. I thought she needed time to think.

I held her hand gently and said,

“I know it’s going to be a hard fight. However, some things don’t change unless you have courage.”

Caroline’s eyes shook.

The conflict was reflected in her eyes.

I said such a thing, but I was going to respect whatever choice she made.

Because it was a dilemma that one couldn’t be forced to confront—there was no right or wrong.

It was then:

“I’ll try…”

You can read in advance here.