~Chapter 26~Â
Use Me
âAt Count Lambertâs estate, it was under the moonlight. Now, itâs next to a pillar with a moon engraved on it.â
It was both confusing and absurd.
Why does she keep ending up in these situations in front of this man? Is spying on her a hobby of his or something?
But no, his red eyes glaring at her didnât seem amused at all. In fact, they looked deeply displeasedâno, more than displeased, they seemed downright furious.
She didnât know why he was so angry, but if he returned to his seat and mentioned what just happened, it would be a disaster. After all, he was standing not far from where she had been talking with the viscount.
Eleanor quickly put on another fake smile to prevent her plan from falling apart.
“Will you keep this a secret?”
Karsianâs eyebrows furrowed. His fierce expression gave off an intimidating aura. But Eleanor didnât back down and added,
“What I just discussed with Viscount Cunningham… It would be problematic if others found out.”
“Before I answer, I have something to ask.”
His deep voice resonated in her ears.
His unusually low, rumbling tone sent shivers down her spine, probably because she wasnât used to it yet. The tension here was completely different from what she felt when speaking with Viscount Cunningham earlier.
âWhat could this man possibly want to ask me?â
This man, who showed little interest in society and seemed to dislike her, what could he be curious about?
She thought about it intensely for a brief moment but couldnât think of anything.
This man always exceeded her expectations. So, she braced herself not to be caught off guard by whatever question came next.
Yet, the question he asked left her flustered once again.
“Do you still have feelings for the Crown Prince? Is that true?”
His sudden question erased the smile from her face.
His rough voice continued.
“Or was it a lie, something you said to use the viscount to humiliate the fake princess?”
As expected from a member of the great Royster family, he had seen through the truth instantly.
It was odd that he referred to Nora as the fake princess, given what he had witnessed earlier in the gathering, but he probably just expressed it from his perspective as an outsider.
“âŠThis has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
Eleanor stopped forcing herself to smile. She could fool Viscount Cunningham with her act, but this man wasnât someone she could deceive so easily.
He was known to be incredibly kind to the people of Royster, but ruthless towards the nobles. Bribes and flattery had no effect on him, and he was both fair and cold. Thatâs how people described Karsian.
That was Karsian Roysterâs reputation. Now that he knew this much, asking him to keep her secret with a smile wouldnât work. For all she knew, he might run straight to the viscount and reveal her scheme.
“Say itâs the second option.”
But then, an unexpected remark came out.
“Tell him your feelings for the Crown Prince are a lie. That you donât really want to marry him, and that you have another goal.”
“âŠWhat do you gain from me saying that, Your Grace?”
What possible connection could there be for him to say such a thing? With the information Eleanor had, she couldnât understand his motive.
Karsian didnât answer. Eleanor stared at him in confusion and frustration.
His red eyes were still burning as they looked at her.
But upon closer inspection, they werenât just red… They seemed to be a lighter shade of redâŠ
“I will keep your secret.”
His low voice broke her thoughts. Eleanor blinked in surprise.
“However, I will attach a condition.”
“âŠA condition?”
Karsian Royster, who had power, wealth, and even good looksâwhat kind of condition would he want to attach? Eleanorâs heart raced, as if she expected him to ask her to steal a family heirloom from the Duke of Astriaâs house.
Karsian nodded slightly and, almost in a whisper, said:
“Use me.”
What was he saying? By now, Eleanor was too tired to even be surprised anymore.
She sighed, trying to understand what he meant.
“I donât understand what youâre saying.”
“If the ones youâre going up against are the fake princess and the Crown Prince.”
When he mentioned Arlo, his face became even fiercer. That was a clue for her.
âYou wonât be able to handle them alone. So use me. Donât reject my help. Use what I have to your advantage.â
Now, she began to understand his motive.
She finally realized why he had offered his help at the Lambert estate. Why he had asked her to dance at the Marquis of Reeveâs ball, and why he had knocked out the Baron of Fletcher on her behalf. It all made sense now.
âThe enemy of my enemy is my ally.â
Just like how Nora and Damian had joined forces because they had a common enemy, Karsian wanted to form an alliance with her too. To take on their mutual enemies: Arlo and Astria.
It wasnât a bad deal. No, it wasnât just “not bad”âit was incredibly tempting.
If she teamed up with the Duke of Royster and used his power and wealth, her revenge would become much easier. Doing it alone would be like walking a long, thorny path, but with his help, that path would become a smooth, paved road.
Even though Eleanor knew the reality well, she shook her head.
“I can do this on my own, as long as Your Grace keeps the secret.”
She didnât want to involve others in her revenge. Even if the path before her was filled with thorns, she was prepared to endure it quietly.
“…Iâm not saying you canât do it. I believe you can accomplish it on your own.”
What do you know about me? Eleanor frowned.
“But if you go that route, youâll keep facing situations like earlier. People who are worth nothing will dare to betray and insult you, while the Crown Prince and the fake princess will smile quietly, pretending not to notice. That disgusting situation will repeat.”
Eleanor knew this well. If you walk through a thorny path, itâs only natural to get pricked.
Sometimes, even knowing it will hurt, you have to endure it in silence. Thatâs what she believed. But Karsian seemed to think differently.
“I donât want to see you in that position again.”
His voice, spoken in clipped words, carried unmistakable anger.
The veins on his pale skin bulged, and his gloved hand clenched into a trembling fist.
One problem was solved, but now a new one had emerged.
Why didnât Karsian Royster want to see her in such a situation again? And why was he speaking so seriously about it?
âWhat Arlo and Nora did earlier was disgusting.â
Yes, even in her eyes, it was nauseating to see them so well-suited together. Karsian, who disliked both the Crown Prince and the Astria family, must have felt similarly.
“So please, use me however you wish.”
“…Are you saying youâll only keep the secret if I agree?”
Karsian nodded with a firm expression. He didnât seem willing to change his mind. Continuing to argue would just be a waste of time.
“Alright, letâs do it your way.”
Reluctantly, she accepted his proposal. Karsianâs expression seemed to brighten just a bit. It was such a slight change that it was hard to notice.
“Letâs head back now. If we stay here any longer and Kiara finds us, itâll cause problems. Iâm going to the Dukeâs estate, but are you returning to the dinner party?”
“…I was just about to head home myself.”
Why did he leave the party so early?
It was strange, but then again, it made sense. He likely hadnât known that Arlo would be there, and once he found out, he probably wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“Shall we walk to the main gate together?”
She said it without much thought. After all, they were both going in the same direction, so there was no need to walk separately.
But Karsian looked as if he had been presented with a difficult decision. His dark, neatly shaped eyebrows furrowed, and he clenched his teeth as though making a tough resolution.
âDoes he still hate me, even after suggesting an alliance?â
Well, just because the situation had changed didnât mean heâd suddenly start liking her. After all, she was still a member of the Astria family.
Eleanor lightly shrugged and began walking ahead. After hesitating, Karsian slowly followed her.
They kept a distance of about two steps between them. Despite his longer stride, he maintained the gap.
Thinking about how heâd kept a similar distance between them at the party, Eleanor let out a quiet chuckle. In some ways, he was a very consistent person.
Fortunately, they didnât run into any other nobles and soon reached the front gate.
Eleanor thought she could finally head home.
But she was wrong.
“…What? The carriage left already?”
The servant from the Portsmouth family looked flustered as he informed her that the Astria familyâs carriage had already returned to the Dukeâs estate.
It made no sense. Who would dare send the carriage away without her permission?
“Y-yes. The other young lady from Astria said… both princesses would return together in a royal carriage, so she sent it back.”
It was Nora again. Eleanor closed her eyes in frustration.
She didnât mind Noraâs attempts to push her out of high society.
What annoyed her more were these petty tricks. She could easily call for another carriage, but it would waste her time. Even if she summoned one now, sheâd be stuck waiting for at least thirty minutes.
“Sh-should I call for a carriage? Or should I inform the young mistress?”
The servant nervously watched her, afraid she might get angry at him.
Eleanor was about to tell him to call for a carriage. There was no way Kiara would lend her one of the Portsmouth familyâs carriages, so that was the only option.
But before she could answer, the man who had been two steps behind her spoke up first.
“Take my carriage.”
Karsianâs offer startled her so much that she nearly bit her tongue.
“Thatâs alright. It would be uncomfortable for you.”
“As you can see, the carriage is large enough for two people. It wonât be uncomfortable.”
The Royster familyâs carriage was indeed quite large, perhaps built to accommodate its masterâs size. Though it wasnât as fancy as those of the royal family or the Astria family, it looked very comfortable.
But the discomfort she referred to wasnât about physical space.
âA man who canât even stand walking beside me is asking me to ride with him?â
She looked up at him with that thought, and Karsian averted his gaze. It was amusing that he couldnât even make eye contact with her but was suggesting they share a carriage.
“…You made a promise.”
He whispered softly, in a voice too quiet for the servant to hear.
