Apparently, I’m a Poisonous Woman Who Sells One-Night Dreams, but I Ended Up Awakening a Hero’s Devoted Love - Chapter 1.8

“What?! You’re Lady Mariadoll’s fiancé?!”

Lord Cobalt looked back and forth between Mariadoll and Jerf.

Beside the flustered Mariadoll, Jerf wore a composed smile, though his eyes were sharp as if to warn Lord Cobalt.

But.

“I-I see! That’s wonderful! Truly wonderful. I was worried that because of men like us, Lady Mariadoll might never marry. And to think it’s with the hero, Duke Stanley… Ah, there couldn’t be happier news!”

With tears in his eyes, Lord Cobalt firmly grasped Jerf’s hand and shook it vigorously up and down.

After glaring at a man who might have spent a night with his fiancée, he was now being tearfully congratulated by him. Jerf’s stern face was stunned.

To make matters worse, the emotional Lord Cobalt became talkative.

“This painting… my wife who passed away twenty years ago,. Lady Mariadoll painted it for me two years ago. It’s really well done. Even though they never met, for her to capture such a perfect likeness… her ability is…”

“Lord Cobalt! Please, not that story. There are many knights here too.”

“Oh, my apologies. I promised to keep it secret. But let me say this much. The rumors circulating about Lady Mariadoll are lies. I’ll testify to that. It’s true I spent a night with Lady Mariadoll, but I did nothing improper toward my wife. Well, as you know, we only held hands, nothing more.”

Mariadoll shook her aching head with a sigh and pressed her fingers to her forehead.

He’d just dropped a huge bombshell in front of Jerf, who knew nothing.

(Lord Cobalt is a good person, but when he gets emotional or drinks, he speaks without thinking ahead. Even though I begged him so much to keep my secret.)

There might have been times before when he’d had too much to drink and let things slip.

I’d heard he limits his drinking because he knows he talks too much when drunk, so I felt relieved, but now that seems doubtful.

(He said earlier he was drinking with that thief’s servant, didn’t he?)

I can’t help but think “of all times,” though probably few would believe that story anyway.

Hoping people would dismiss it as a drunkard’s ramblings, I shift my focus to the current situation.

When I glance at Jerf, expecting him to look suspicious, surprisingly his expression is soft.

His thin lips were curved in a gentle arc.

“I also thought those rumors were strange. Mariadoll isn’t the kind of woman the rumors make her out to be.”

“Exactly! You understand perfectly!”

This time, Lord Cobalt slapped Jerf’s arm with a thump.

(Lord Cobalt! He’s a duke!!)

As Mariadoll flustered and panicked, Jerf gestured with his hand to indicate it was fine.

Lord Cobalt took out a handkerchief, wiped his tears, and even blew his nose with a honk. One didn’t seem enough, so Jerf handed him his own handkerchief.

Though their conversation wasn’t really connecting, they were strangely in sync.

Moreover, Jerf seemed to genuinely believe she wasn’t a “poisonous woman.”

(Surely, he doesn’t actually believe in me. That can’t be. He’s just being kind and playing along. He’s too good at acting.)

There’s no reason for him to believe a “poisonous woman” he just met yesterday. Yet, Jerf’s expression somehow seems convinced.

Then Jerf’s eyes fell on the cloth-wrapped bundle and Boston bag Mariadoll was holding.

“By the way, Mariadoll, what’s that bundle?”

“Ah, this? Jewels and a painting I brought hoping Lord Cobalt would buy them.”

“Buy them, you say?”

“Yes, but today isn’t the right time for that, so I’ll come back another day.”

As Mariadoll stated this matter-of-factly and reached for the cloth bundle, Lord Cobalt was faster, stretching out his hand.

“May I see inside?”

“Of course, but I’ll come back another day, alright?”

While Mariadoll hesitated, Lord Cobalt unwrapped the bundle with a stern expression.

The moment he saw the contents, he let out a deep breath and raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Isn’t this your father’s memento? Why would you sell it?… Don’t tell me that Boston bag too?”

“Yes, they’re jewels passed down through the generations of the Zealand barony. It’s embarrassing to say, but I need money.”

Mariadoll’s father, though he used a pseudonym, was a famous painter.

Drolly Jewelers, though not well-known for it, also deals in famous paintings. They’d purchased several from her before, and she’d told them then that her father had been a painter under a pseudonym.

The painting showed the Zealand couple sitting in the garden with Mariadoll in the middle. The soft dappled sunlight and flowers in the background suggested it was spring.

Lord Cobalt shook his head, his voice firm. “I can’t buy this. Instead, I’ll lend you the money. I can’t lend much, but I’ll ask my acquaintances too.”

“That won’t be necessary. Mariadoll, put the painting away.”

Jerf cut him off, walked over to a nearby knight, said something, then returned.

He then took the cloth-wrapped painting and the bag.

“Lord Cobalt, the Third Knight Commander will be here soon. I was asked to temporarily take command here until he arrives, but I’ve given all necessary instructions. I’ll be leaving now, but I’ve handled the handover, so don’t worry.”

“Understood. And how long until the painting is returned?”

“That’ll be up to the Knight Commander’s judgment, but I’ll ask them to return it to you as soon as possible. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Jerf straightened his posture like a proper knight, turned on his heel, and left Drolly Jewelers.

Mariadoll also bowed and hurried after him.

“Lord Jerf, is it alright for you to leave the scene?”

“This wasn’t originally my job. The Third Knight Commander was absent due to another case, so I, as an available instructor, was sent instead.”

“I believe the Third Knight Corps is in charge of patrolling the city, right?”

“That’s right. When a thief breaks into a noble’s house, regulations require someone of reasonably high rank to be on site. With this leg of mine, I’m no longer active, but my rank alone is high. By the way, how did you get here?”

“I borrowed a carriage. It’s parked in a nearby park.”

Jerf, of course, had come on horseback with the other knights. Someone would probably take his horse back to the castle.

“Then let me ride in that carriage too.”

“Shall we head to the castle?”

“No, to my ducal house. Mariadoll, I want to talk with you properly.”

As expected, Mariadoll let out a breath.

After hearing that conversation, it’d be unreasonable not to be concerned.

(The question is how much to tell him.)

Watching his broad back ahead of her, she pressed her aching head.