Chapter 265
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Although Nina was in her second year as Duchess, she had never once gone on a territorial inspection.
If she had been the lady of another house, she would have accompanied him at least five times out of ten.
But Ash had never permitted her to accompany him, and she herself had not had the slightest interest in the people’s livelihood, so it was only natural.
…But was an inspection originally like this?
“Wife, I think these gloves would be better. The leather is flexible and the lining is warm, so they seem suitable for everyday use.”
“…Honey, just a moment.”
Ash tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
“Do you not like them? If not, then we can look at something else…”
Nina rose on her toes and whispered urgently into his ear.
“No, we came out for an inspection!”
At that, he exclaimed as if he had just remembered.
“Ah.”
“This isn’t the time to say ‘ah’, you should be working, working!”
“Wait, add this to the bill as well.”
After handing the gloves to the shop assistant, he continued shamelessly,
“This is also part of the work.”
“How is this work? This is shopping!”
An inspection was supposed to be an important duty, walking around the territory and examining the people’s livelihoods.
But the moment they left the residence, he had been busy sweeping through the shopping district.
“Ah, it would be good to purchase a hat and a scarf as well.”
“Don’t change the subject, Honey!”
Nina turned her head sharply to seek agreement.
“Ahem, hmm.”
Hozi, Ash’s closest aide.
And the knights who had accompanied them as escorts covered their mouths with their fists, clearing their throats and avoiding her gaze.
Nina raised her brows.
Though their mouths were covered, she could tell from the twitching at their lips that they were smiling.
The lord isn’t doing his job and is playing around, and none of you are even worried?
At Nina’s intense stare, the knights spoke.
“Ahem, Madam, forgive us for saying so, but as His Grace said, this too is part of the work.”
“That’s right. Each time he comes out for an inspection, he modestly increases the sales of various shops.”
“…Is that really true?”
When Nina asked suspiciously, Hozi added with a grin,
“Of course. How could we dare to report something false?”
“I see? Then instead of buying only mine, we should also purchase something for the Duke…”
“Of course, although this is the first time he has ever toured boutiques like this.”
“……”
Hozi, wearing a deep smile, tilted his head with an innocent look.
“Ah, was that something I shouldn’t have said?”
Nina turned her head, following Hozi’s gaze.
As her eyes landed on him, the fiercely crumpled expression on Ash’s face melted away like snow.
“…Wife, consumption is an act that greatly helps stimulate the economy. Inspections are ultimately for the people’s livelihood, so there is no need to limit ourselves to just looking around, is there?”
Ash shamelessly rattled off words that sounded like an outright lie.
‘Honestly, if you’re going to talk…!’
His reasoning sounded plausible, but she had already seen the dangerous look he had given Hozi earlier.
This was a date disguised as work.
Thinking about how he had practically made her stand like a mannequin and excitedly held up outfit after outfit against her, she was one hundred percent certain.
‘There are already so many clothes I haven’t even worn yet…’
What exactly were they to each other, that he was spending money like this?
She hadn’t even done anything for him.
‘At most, all I did was give him that embroidered handkerchief during the hunting festival.’
The custom-made clothes.
And when she added Henry’s sponsorship and the cost of purchasing works from his solo exhibition, her own credit debt was practically nothing.
‘If you keep giving like this, what am I supposed to do…’
When she let out a sigh in frustration, Ash scoffed.
“Wife, when was the last time you called for a boutique madame?”
“That’s…!”
After her regression, she had only organized the dressing room.
She had hardly ever purchased clothes for herself directly through a dress shop.
Hesitating, Nina protested in a small voice.
“…I haven’t even worn the winter clothes I bought last year yet, and I still haven’t finished paying off the credit I used under the name of maintaining my dignity.”
Why else was she living so frugally?
It was all to settle her debts.
This too was part of paying for her past deeds.
‘Why did I ever live like that?’
Even if she bought all those things, she hadn’t been able to wear them anyway.
As Nina lowered her head with a dejected expression, he cupped her cheek with his large hand.
Brush.
As her head was lifted, she found herself facing his gray eyes filled with warmth.
“W-What is it…?”
At the gaze looking down at her intently, Nina asked the reason, her brows drawing together slightly.
Erica
Wow Ash is REALLY in love with her now. Finding the fact that she DOESNT want to spend money, cute? That’s totally a “male lead head over heels” thing. Which in my opinion makes HIM adorable 🙂