Another Life, Another Me

94. The Scammer

"...What will you do for me in return...?" Ace asked as he leaned his body over mine.

"...?" I sat silently in confusion as a small humorous chuckle passed through Ace's lips.

"Do you really think I'd risk letting you get into danger without getting anything in return...?"

"Danger...? But, if you go with me, I highly doubt that—"

"No. It's still much too risky," Ace said as he gave a blindingly bright smile. 

This man...he was definitely trying to scam me...!

His dazzling smile was so bright that it forced me to squint my eyes a little and hope for the best that I wouldn't fall for any of his tricks.

"Well...What do you want...?" I asked slowly, careful to not make any promises that I wouldn't be able to keep.

"Hmm...What do you think...?" Ace asked.

I stared blankly at him, confused by what in the world he would possibly want from me.

"...I don't really have anything I can give you though..." I mumbled as I thought of my options.

Should I give him...

Money...?

No...

Power...?

No...

Food...?

No...

"There is though," Ace said.

"Hmm? What is it?" I asked.

Ace was silent for a moment as he contemplated what words to choose and, eventually, he opened his mouth and said, "Your time."

"My time...?"

"Yes...if I help you escape the dukedom tonight, I'd like to request for a bit of your time," Ace smiled.

"Um...And what would you like to do with my time...?" I asked slowly.

"May I...take you out on a date tonight, Cordelia?" Ace asked a bit shyly as he gave his signature glimmering smile that blew my rationality away.

A...

A d-d-d-date...?!?!?!

"I...um...well...I mean...if I have time...then...I guess..." I stuttered as my gaze naturally lowered away from Ace's eyes.

I was too embarrassed to even look at him straight in the eye...!

In my whole total thirty years of life, I had accumulated almost zero experience regarding love affairs...

So that's why I forgot that "dates" were even a thing to begin with...

Ace gave a small chuckle and then gave me a gentle pat on the head.

"Thank you, Cordelia. I feel like the happiest man alive now," Ace said as his red lips curved upwards into the shape of a crescent moon.

I slapped my own cheeks to stop myself from blushing too much but it didn't work.

Without a doubt, I was beet red now.

"W-Well...a-anyways...does that mean I get to go outside now...?" I asked as I avoided his humorous gaze.

Agh...this man was definitely teasing me right now...

Right?!

"Mhm...I'll escort you outside of the dukedom tonight...and only tonight," Ace smiled as he enunciated the word 'tonight' very clearly.