The Male Lead's Sickly Aide Is My Type - Chapter 24
Translator and Editor: Nana and Nabi
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Chapter 24
“Archen… I see you again… Nice to see you…”
Even though she tried to speak in a cheerful voice, but even to her own ears, it sounded far from cheerful. In the meanwhile, Archen gave a slight bow and continued on his way… No, he couldn’t just pass by Carinne, who was in mourning.
He approached her and asked.
“Is there something wrong?”
‘Wow… he asked first… How exciting…’
Carinne silently celebrated a modest congratulatory party in her mind.
“What I said before that if Duke Lucas acts unreasonably, you can come to the Second Duchy… it seems like I’ll have to cancel that.”
His face immediately showed confusion at my words. His clear eyes widened, and he seemed to tremble as if shocked.
Oops.
Carinne quickly realized how her words must have sounded and provided clarification.
“It’s not because I’ve changed my mind. Our Duchy is in ruins.”
She almost caused another misunderstanding.
“Is there something wrong with the Second Duchy?”
Thankfully, the quivering of his eyes had ceased. This man displayed remarkable calmness. He truly embodied the phrase ‘still waters run deep.’ If he showed such depth even in our limited acquaintance, how much more intriguing would he be as their relationship grew?
Carinne caught herself getting lost in fantasies and quickly refocused when she noticed Archen looking at her with curiosity.
“That’s right… It’s Tricia… or rather, my father. He got into gambling last night…”
As she repeated the words she had heard from Marie and Duke Tricia to him, Archen stood still as he listened to her words.
“…So that’s how it happened.”
She waited for Archen’s response with a bitter feeling in her heart. Even though she believed he might be intelligent, she couldn’t fathom how he could solve this. However, he appeared nonchalant and casually remarked.
“It’s not a very difficult problem.”
As he spoke, he adjusted his glasses with his hand covered in navy gloves. Carinne held her breath, observing the gesture. Ah, as expected, glasses-wearers tend to adjust their glasses at critical moments…
‘No, this isn’t the time for that.’
“What do you mean? How?”
“The ancient law isn’t unnecessarily complicated. It’s just written ambiguously, leaving room for various interpretations. There are many issues with it being used as a law.”
“….”
“Viscount Frank probably used his head. There aren’t many people who can read ancient languages, so you can count on one hand those who truly understand the ancient law.”
Archen seemed to boast about his knowledge as he spewed out irrelevant remarks.
Feeling frustrated, she stood up from her seat.
“No, that’s not the point. If it’s not a very difficult problem, then it means it can be solved, right?”
“….”
“Can you help me?”
This time, the person who fell silent was him. Archen avoided her gaze and blinked his eyes quickly.
“The problem involves the Second Duchy and my future. Please help me.”
Carinne clasped her hands together as if in prayer and cast a beseeching look at him. At this moment, he was the only person she could truly rely on. She couldn’t be certain if Duke Tricia or Iris would be of any assistance, and she had no intention of seeking help from Duke Lucas.
Bending slightly, she tried to meet Archen’s gaze. He attempted to evade her determined approach, turning his head this way and that, but eventually, he relented.
Meeting her with his intense blue eyes, he took a deep breath.
“I need to get permission from Duke Lucas first. When is the trial?”
Yes…!
“It’s in three days. So, you promised to help.”
“I will go and speak with Duke Lucas.”
“I’ll trust you then.”
“I have something to do, so I’ll be going.”
“Take care! And thank you in advance!”
Despite it being a conversation between the two, it felt more like they were each lost in their own thoughts.
Archen bid farewell with a gesture and continued up the stairs.
Though he appeared indifferent, she knew he was a warm-hearted person, paying close attention inwardly. Carinne had a strong conviction that somehow he would secure Duke Lucas’ permission. Although she didn’t know how he would accomplish it, the mere thought of his help brought relief.
Recalling his earlier assurance, ‘It’s not a very difficult problem,’ she couldn’t help but trust in his capabilities. As this newfound trust eased the tension in her body, she could feel the pain in her legs from walking for four hours without rest.
Clutched her sore knees, she was deep in thought.
Where should she stay until the trial? Returning to the disordered mansion wouldn’t allow her to rest adequately, yet she couldn’t linger on the stairs indefinitely. Ultimately, Carinne could only think of one place to go.
At least with that person, she knew she would be warmly welcomed.
Knocking her knee joints, Carinne straightened her back and set off towards her destination.
As usual, Duke Lucas sat in his office, facing an unending pile of documents. The workload was immense, and although he tried his best to work swiftly, the stack of paperwork showed no signs of diminishing.
The volume of work surpassed what the Duke could handle alone, making the role of his aide, Archen, immensely significant.
This was precisely why he had chosen Archen, a commoner, over the young nobles from prestigious families. Not only that he had graduated as the top student from the Academy, but his efficiency in handling tasks matched his brilliant academic achievements, and he managed matters with thoroughness and precision, while his exceptional magical abilities added to his remarkable qualities.
With Archen by his side, his workload was undoubtedly reduced by half. He was a truly likable fellow.
…But that was only a few months ago.
Just as Archen entered the office with a stack of documents, the Duke didn’t take his eyes off the paperwork as he spoke.
“What did I ask you to bring?”
“Here it is.”
Archen placed the stack of documents he had brought on the desk. With that, his task was done. However, he didn’t leave the office and stood there quietly as if there was something else to discuss with him.
“Do you have something to say?”
“I heard that Duke Tricia lost a large sum of money while gambling with Viscount Frank.”
“And?”
“They said they would cover up the matter at the trial in three days. Can I represent the Second Duchy?”
Considering they were going to a trial, it must have been a significant matter involving a substantial amount of money. A few months ago, the Duke might not have cared much, thinking it was someone else’s business.
But now, it was different.
“Well, fine.”
Viscount Frank and Duke Tricia were both imbeciles beyond comparison, so there was no need for him to get involved. If he sent Archen, he would handle it well. Though lately, Archen seemed a bit worn out, he surely wouldn’t lose over a simple trial.
As he handed the stack of documents Archen brought, Duke Lucas noticed an unfamiliar paper and unfolded it.
“What’s this? There’s a circle marked on today’s date.”
The marked dates were not limited to today alone. The Duke picked up a calendar and carefully examined it.
Just as Archen was about to step into the office, he suddenly froze in place.
“This is the day I went alone to the territorial citizen’s meeting, and this one is the day of the ball. This is the day I went for territorial patrol. And this one is the Founding Day…”
Each date had a circle drawn over it, and each circle was a perfect circle, drawn with such care. The vivid red color seemed to signify the importance of those specific dates.
“What day was this? Um…”
“I-it’s nothing.”
Archen swiftly took the paper from the Duke’s hand as he entered the office.
Stuttering?
It was the first time he had seen him so flustered. He was usually as composed as a nail on the wall.
The Duke blinked and scanned his aide from top to bottom. Though his calm blue eyes tried to conceal it, having spent three years together, he was certain.
For some reason, his aide seemed unsettled.
“I marked important appointments. Looks like they got mixed in by mistake.”
Archen swiftly clarified, possibly sensing the Duke’s perplexity.
Important appointments…
Those words only served to heighten Duke Lucas’s curiosity. There couldn’t be any appointments that he wasn’t aware of, and there were no appointments this month that deserved to be circled as crucial.
The dates marked on the calendar seemed unrelated, and the gaps between them were inconsistent, making the circles appear more like random scribbles than deliberate markings. What could possibly be the reason for these enigmatic marks?
“Oh, the time has flown by. Preparing for the trial will take a while, so I’ll take my leave.”
He hastily wrapped up his explanation and swiftly left before the Duke could delve deeper into the matter. Avoiding the Duke’s gaze, Archen rushed out of the office, holding the calendar tightly in his hand.
He was undoubtedly enigmatic.
Since appointing him as his aide, he found himself occasionally pondering about Archen. However, such thoughts had become fleeting, only surfacing in the rare moments of respite.
Eventually, the Duke returned his attention to the documents in front of him, letting go of his aide’s puzzling behavior. There was far too much work to finish today, and there was no time to be concerned about trivial matters.
“Don’t worry too much, Carinne.”
As expected, Iris warmly welcomed her, allowing her to comfortably stay in the spacious guest room for three days.
“Everything will be fine.”
Though it may have been an unfounded reassurance, it brought a sense of comfort that she appreciated.
Once again, she felt grateful to Iris. Despite showing up unexpectedly without prior contact, Iris didn’t display any surprise or discomfort. On the contrary, she welcomed Carinne warmly, as if her friend had come for a pleasant visit to her home for the first time.
“So, cheer up.”
Iris gently tilted the teapot, filling her cup with warm tea.
Regardless of the comforting gestures and words, Carinne couldn’t shake off her worries, and it was entirely understandable. After all, there had yet to be any word from Archen. In the three days since her arrival, she had received only one brief letter from Duke Lucas.
“Send Archen on the day of the trial. He’ll be helpful.”
He behaved as if he was doing her a favor, even though he wasn’t helping with anything. That was the extent of the letter she received from him. There was no mention of what Archen was supposed to do on the day of the trial.
She couldn’t fathom why he kept it a secret since she had no intention of spreading it to others.
On the one hand, she felt a pang of disappointment at Archen for not contacting her beforehand. They had grown somewhat close, or at least she had believed so. However, now she wondered if that was merely her own perception.
She held onto hope until the day before the trial, but still, no message arrived from him.
Time passed, and now it was the day of the trial.
Though she appeared to be having a peaceful tea time with Iris, Carinne was filled with anxiety. The trial was just a few hours away. Would Archen manage to arrive on time?
“Even if things go wrong at the trial, there’s a way.”
Iris seemed to notice the darkened expression on her face and spoke with a glint in her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly.
“We could live together at my house.”
“Haha, is that so…”
Carinne wanted to decline that idea.
It wasn’t that she disliked Iris, but spending the whole day together was a different matter. She didn’t feel confident in handling Iris.
“Lady, the Duke’s aide has come to see you.”
At that moment, a maid came in with the anticipated news. Setting her teacup down and quickly getting up from her seat, she headed outside. There was a jet-black carriage parked in the spacious courtyard. Standing right beside it was Archen.
However, he didn’t look like himself.
Carinne was astonished by the sight she had never seen before.
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Zepelim
Meu casal!!!
Obrigada pela tradução
Mangagirl4
Oh my gosh did he mark the days he’s run into her!? If so I’m crying 🥹💗 new favorite male lead 😭💗💗