The Arrogant Duke Buys the Devoted Love of the False Saintess - Chapter 8

“Hey, are you listening? Or did you not hear me? I’m saying I’ll buy that precious love of yours at your asking price.”

It seemed this was neither a mishearing nor a slip of the tongue.

Love, he said.

Lily had sold anything and everything that could be sold, but what did it mean to sell love?

Was it, after all, about selling her body?

Even though she came from an orphanage, and some from such places had gone down that path, she had no intention of pretending to be some pure maiden who knew nothing at this point. Her body was untouched, though.

It was vulgar, but straightforward. She didn’t think her own body held that much value, but she disliked nobles enough that she could resign herself to it if that’s what a noble wanted.

However, the Duke’s words seemed to carry a different nuance.

In any case, what the Duke wanted was probably for her to love him, right?

And he would pay money for that.

The fact that he believed love could be bought with money was already beyond her comprehension, and honestly, it felt a bit insulting.

And yet, that was the job being asked of Lily.

—Really, what nobles think is just so mysterious…!

As Lily stood there dumbfounded, Daebeck, who had been standing by her side, shrugged his shoulders.

“I explained that we would speak first, didn’t I?”

“Time is finite. We’re not making any progress at all.”

Even when glared at unhappily by the Duke, the secretary didn’t flinch in the slightest. His mental fortitude is monstrous, Lily thought, feeling a pang of envy.

In this world, you simply can’t get by without a tough mentality.

“Sometimes transactions require time, you know. Especially with personal contracts like this, one should be cautious.”

“It was immediate when I bought Trak and the others, wasn’t it? They serve me splendidly with loyalty. You’re paid well and do your job properly too, aren’t you?”

“Those men were former mercenaries. They’re accustomed to contracts. As for me, well, I’m a secretary, so I work for what I’m paid.

In reality, you’re probably the only one who believes you bought their loyalty with money.”

Lily’s eyes widened at the secretary’s words, delivered with a show of shrugging his shoulders as if to say “good grief.”

Bought loyalty with money!?

This guy, he’s one of those.

The type who believes there’s nothing money can’t buy, and who would probably be convinced to buy some suspicious pot promising riches if it were sold to him.

So even among the wealthy, there are people who are a bit… out of touch, Lily thought, feeling oddly comforted.

Even if he’d been swindled, he was still a proper rich man now, which spoke volumes about the scale of his assets.

“Excuse me, may I confirm something?”

Feeling a bit more at ease, Lily addressed the two who were arguing.

“What is it?”

“Um, the love that Your Grace wishes to buy… what exactly does it refer to?”

If he was asking for a spirit of philanthropy, then perhaps it meant being on speaking terms?

She still couldn’t quite grasp what she was supposed to do.

“I simply want the very best, the ultimate thing in this world. That kind of love.”

“Pardon?”

Somehow, she managed to understand that she was being asked for something utterly, supremely grand.

No, but isn’t providing that kind of love impossible!?