Evie Ariate was as small as she looked with her eyes.

Her hands that barely grasped a handful of her hem, and the height of her forehead that just reached the middle of Zion’s back.

So Zion could completely cover Evie by just standing.

But there was one problem.

‘You fool, what about the skirt?’

Zion held back with all his might from saying this.

Evie’s long nightgown skirt was visible between Zion’s legs. This was not something that Zion could cover no matter what he did.

Zion was simply astonished at Evie Ariate’s sloppiness.

After all, it wouldn’t be good to show this appearance since she had a husband.

Even so, it would be sufficient to pass it off as merely bumping into each other in the kitchen.

Rather, if they were caught hiding like this, it would look even stranger, and Zion couldn’t understand Evie Ariate’s way of thinking.

However, Evie had a valid reason that Zion hadn’t quite grasped.

First of all, there was a very high probability that Mrs. Marso would ask ‘What are you two doing there?’ if she saw Evie and Zion, and the probability that Evie’s curse would put her in a predicament through this question was also extremely high.

Evie imagined being killed by the Count as she chose to hide behind Zion, saying ‘I was talking with the Count!’, ‘This person is Count Laurel!’, ‘He’s a nobleman!’

“Ah, I thought someone was there. Were you alone?”

Mrs. Marso, who came out wearing a sleep cap, brushed her chest as she looked at Zion.

“I was startled by a woman’s voice. It must have been a noise from the next room. I forgot to mention that it’s not soundproof.”

Mrs. Marso spoke busily and clicked her tongue.

Fortunately, she did not discover the hem that appeared beneath Zion’s legs. It was thanks to the darkness and her poor eyesight.

Mrs. Marso said goodnight to Zion, who she happened to bump into, and headed back to her room. Then she stopped and said as if she suddenly remembered.

“Oh, if you don’t mind, come down and eat with us tomorrow morning. And greet that couple too.”

The lady said, intending to introduce Evie and Diess to Zion.

To this, Zion mumbled lowly instead of answering yes or no.

“Those people seem like a fake couple.”

“Huh?”

The lady tilted her head at the incomprehensible noise.

And behind Zion, Evie desperately clutched his hem.

With the feeling of his clothes being pulled and his back being scratched, Zion deflected the conversation.

“I will come down when I wake up in the morning.”

The lady nodded suspiciously at Zion’s belated answer and then returned to her room, muttering how odd he was.

As the sound of the door closing was heard, Zion spoke to his back.

“You can come out now.”

With that, Evie withdrew from Zion’s back, her hands neatly clasped together in the same posture she had been hiding in.

Evie avoided his gaze in embarrassment, and Zion looked at her quietly and spoke in a more relaxed tone.

“It will be like this now. Even in Tienda.”

Evie, who had been looking elsewhere, raised her head.

Then she laughed awkwardly, grasping the meaning of his words.

It was a word to cling to, hide, and coerce.

It was a generous and arrogant word that she would move as he wanted, just like now.

So Evie laughed. And Zion, unaware of why Evie was laughing, asked.

“Do you need more calculations to give up the saint’s seat?”

“I need it.”

“You’re thoroughly calculating indeed.”

Zion spoke in a clicking manner to Evie, who quickly replied.

Isn’t it too clumsy for calculations? It was a criticism with this meaning.

His tone was still cold, and his expression was also chilly, but Evie remembered that this man had hidden her behind his back and continued speaking.

“I’m thoroughly calculating, so the numbers have to add up. Earlier, you said I was only being used, right?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Because it’s true.”

Certainly, here is the translated passage, adhering to your guidelines:

“It’s true. But doesn’t everyone use each other? They use each other, need each other, and then gain the qualifications according to their value. I think this is natural.”

Evie’s chattering attitude was somewhat different from before.

It was brighter than before when she was just lowering her body and watching the Count’s face.

It might be considered arrogant, but Zion silently watched, not disliking such an attitude.

“So the Count’s proposal doesn’t add up. I don’t even know if I really have the qualifications to accept that proposal, and I find it hard to trust the Count who has blocked my way without thinking.”

The expression of blocking her way was also overly provocative, but Zion generously passed over even this.

So, Evie confidently concluded, relying on that allowance.

“And above all, I think I’ve done well so far. Me. Always used, but while being used.”

“What do you want to say then?”

“Please don’t interfere because I know how to do it well.”

The curse caused a slip of the tongue, but Evie was not flustered as before.