The Royal Deal

Chapter 58

“Yes. She seemed to be worried that my father is coming home later than before.”

Alexcent must have been reminded of something as he opened his mouth. “Ah, Count Lohikin. Unexpectedly, he has an uptight side to him.”

“Really? Are things too much for him… I can’t help but worry if appointing him as the vice-minister was the right choice.”

“It’s not that BAD. Being uptight in the financial department is a strength. He’s doing well so you need not worry.” Alexcent quickly added on as she showed signs of worry.

“Then that’s a relief.”

“Was it the only reason you went back to visit your mother?”

“Mmmm….”

Of course, that was not the only reason. Should I test him a little?

Amethyst who had been chewing on a piece of meat swallowed it before she spoke. “Actually, I visited her because I was curious about something.”

“Curious?” Alexcent quirked his eyebrows.

“Yes. I went to ask her about Aran Bank.”

“Aran Bank? What about it?” He didn’t seem taken aback or surprised.

If he were guilty then he would have shown some change in expression… Does he really not have anything to do with it? Or is his expression a facade?

Amethyst continued on. “Just that… I heard of the banks affiliated with the mansion… and was curious.”

“I’m pretty sure the banks I am affiliated with don’t involve Aran Bank.”

“Right? I must have heard wrongly.”

“Where did you hear it from?” It was a sharp question, she could get busted if she pursued it any further.

I don’t have enough evidence to tell him the truth yet. For now, I should change the topic…

“I think it was from that very thick stack of documents Pon gave me before. There were quite a many, so I was just flipping through… Perhaps I mistook it with another similar bank.”

Amethyst reinforced the thickness of the document by gesturing with her thumb and index finger.

“Oh before I forget, Mother told me about the other banks. Alec, do you know which are the three banks you should avoid in the empire?”

“Where?”

“Aran, Deutsche and Fidorun. And out of all three, Fidorun is the worst. They are the most blood-thirsty ones.”

“Ahem….” Alexcent who had been drinking his wine coughed on it.

“Honey are you okay?” Amethyst hurriedly asked.

“Blood-thirsty ones, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Are they really that….”

“I don’t understand why such banks with bad reputations exist. The banks that live on the blood, sweat, and tears of the citizens of the empire should disappear.”

It was commonly known how people fell into debt after borrowing. A loan with an interest of 40% of the principal… It’s in a blink of an eye before the interest adds up to more than the principal amount. It was a system that in the end, required you to sell out everything you have… Even your body.

If Countess Lohikin had warned her to this extent, it must mean the Fidorun was one such.

“Don’t you agree, Alec?”

“I guess.”

“See, even you share the same thoughts as I. Those kinds of banks are the worst.”

An engrossed Amethyst continued to cut into her steak and rambled on. Alexcent, who was quietly listening, thought to himself as he placed his wine glass back on the table.

There’s going to be a need to change the mood.

Then, with intent, he looked at his wife longingly and spoke, “Don’t get all excited over other things, get excited only by me.”

“What?!”

He answered her question with his lips.

“Hmm…!”

Through joined lips, tongues intertwined. Amethyst could feel her heart pounding from the top of her head to the tip of her toes.

Really, his kisses are the best. All the worries about the unsolved problems simply vanish from my mind.

The ceaseless kissing rendered Amethyst breathless, she hit his shoulder lightly as an indication.

“Mmmmmm!”

Only then did he move his lips to her cheek, ear, and shoulder leaving red hickies behind, while Amethyst rubbed her face against his hair and whispered, “We’re not done eating.”

“I’m eating right now.”

As his naughty hands dove beneath her hips, she quickly grabbed them. “Not yet… we need to clean up, no they will come in to clean this….”

Alexcent lifted his face from between her mounds and brought it up to her forehead. After planting a short kiss, he called out to the maids loudly, who quickly entered the bedroom.

“Clean this quickly.”

“Yes.”

The maids realised that there was a great emphasis placed in the lord’s order as they caught sight of Amethyst who was standing awkwardly with a flushed face.

The dinner was quickly cleared away and the retainers left the bedroom. Alexcent lifted her up and headed towards the bed.

He had been holding back his patience for too long and it had reached rock bottom, so he had no intention of undressing her calmly. He simply ripped it off.

Bzzzzr!

As her skin peeped through the torn clothes, his large hands rubbed and touched her urgently. He was eager to feel her warmth and skin with no space in between them. Spreading his fingers wide, he grabbed her firmly until her skin turned red.

Tomorrow she might be bruised but for now, he was desperately in need of her touch.

Over and over, the two exchanged frantic kisses, and when they were breathless their lips collapsed on one another as they breathed in each other’s scent… until the air in the room was steamy and hot.

⤩

“Carol.”

A voice mixed with warning and disappointment was calling out her name.

“Yes, Sir Dajal.”

“Yesterday, did you come by my place when I wasn’t there?”

As usual, Amethyst was in Dajal’s quarters to carry out her daily cleaning duties. But the man seemed unhappy about something and looked at her like a predator eyeing its prey.  His eyes were trained at her with a piercing gaze as though they were peering inside her in search of the truth.

Due to the tension, she felt her stomach in a knot, her gaze was unfocused and heart pounding.