Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 223
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 223. A Moment to Contemplate Why This Work Exists in the Romance Fantasy Category (3)
He’s surprisingly thoughtful. If something matches my preferences, he remembers every detail.
When I first went to Astiages, there were cultural differences and different eating habits, so even while being treated as a guest, there were some uncomfortable aspects. But the second time I went, only food that suited my palate appeared, and he prepared winter clothing so thoroughly that I was able to spend time comfortably?
Considering that Nanakda was my escort both times, he must have written down all my preferences and discomforts from my first visit and reflected them the next opportunity.
He doesn’t boast about the consideration he’s shown me, but he clings to only strange things and acts arrogant. He goes on and on about how difficult it was to obtain jewels I never even asked for.
“Well, I thought you’d like it, that’s all?”
“I mean, it’s not like I pay that much attention to you normally!”
He stumbled right when things were going well. Is he embarrassed now that I’ve called him out? Well, that’s amusing too.
As the cat created a warm atmosphere, Croa’s face turned sullen, and I sensed a tense mood, wondering what I should say to soothe him. If this continues, that sullen face will become a face full of resentment. Should I propose gifting a pair of the cats I received to the Media Royal Family as well? Fine, let’s go with that. Croa seems to like cats anyway.
I hurried to distance myself from Nanakda and tried to take Croa’s hand, when I saw the Media Embassy official rushing over from a distance, looking troubled. The woman came running while sweating profusely in the middle of winter, greeted me first, then whispered something in Croa’s ear.
“Is that… truly so?”
“Yes. I believe you should go see for yourself.”
What is this? A conversation I’m not supposed to hear? Why are you whispering—is this a secret? When I expressed my curiosity, Croa hesitated for a moment, then cut it off with a determined expression.
“Before it reaches Pisha’s ears, I will resolve it and return.”
What, has some bad rumor about me spread in Media again? I’ve told him not to worry about my reputation since I’ve been insulted countless times before, but he said it was unavoidable and decided to return to Media with his retainers.
“Is the situation quite serious this time?”
“If he’s going to do this, why did he suggest a double date in the first place!”
Hmm, so that’s what bothers you, Nanakda. You’re more concerned about the disrupted plans than about the man you dislike leaving—you might have obsessive-compulsive tendencies. For the sake of everyone’s mental health, I suggested he see a doctor, and Nanakda said he’d go if I accompanied him.
Go to the hospital by yourself, adult man.
“Since he went, shouldn’t the Chief Chamberlain also go take care of her business?”
“I cannot leave the Princess alone with a kidnapper.”
“In my attempt to protect world peace, I’ve only ruined my own reputation.”
The Chief Chamberlain never trusted you much in the first place, so there’s no real change. I spoke the truth as I always did and spent my leisure time in the Cat Garden.
Since Nanakda said he’d always wanted to try this, I drank beverages through heart-shaped straws, we put our heads together to discuss the most effective ways to utilize these cats, and then Nanakda escorted me to my room and returned to his quarters across from the Princess Palace.
That guy… I thought he’d be staying at the Golden Temple for a while since he caused trouble with the brainwashing incident, but it seems he’s still lingering at the Imperial Palace. Well, he must have gotten Father’s permission to do so. Father wouldn’t have just said it with his mouth, so I should ask him later how much he extracted.
“Hmph.”
I prefer real estate or helium mining rights over mere money! Or perhaps stocks in a company Nanakda directly manages. Rights to pressure Nanakda are worth a hundred times more than money.
“…Just money.”
Something… feels different. Before regression, when I had just come of age, I shed tears of blood over the lack of money.
Filling the national treasury that Helbatro squandered, chasing away the new women he kept bringing. The Parliament collapsed, Media prepared for invasion and grumbled, Ljubljana not only declared independence but severed diplomatic relations, I was cursed by the people. The Central Continental Alliance ranked last in economic growth rate, and articles about the worst leader and his daughter were published across the continent, national defense crumbled, the country fell apart.
Plug one hole and another leaks. Block that and a hole opens elsewhere. Living each day playing whack-a-mole with all four limbs, nothing was more desperate than money. If I had only had money then, I could have caught my breath. Of course, without the power to continue holding it, my Adoptive Father would have seized it or the nobles would have divided it among themselves.
After regression, becoming five years old, meeting my new father, I learned so much from Father. Really! I learned so very much! But the first and most important thing I learned was that most problems can be solved by crushing them with power.
If I have the strength and power to protect myself, money follows as a secondary matter. When money gathers, people gather too, and opportunities to gain greater power follow. With influence in noble society, control of media, military authority, and various forms of power, people’s insults no longer bother me. Before death, being cursed by the people was so unjust and painful, yet now.
So the point is, no matter what situation unfolds in Media, Croa has no reason to trouble himself because of me. If necessary, I’ll just crush it with power.
“Hmm…”
I considered calling him to relay this, but since Croa asked me to wait, I decided to wait for now. Trusting the man who will become my future husband is also a virtue of a true spouse. I suppressed my urge to contact him and decided to sleep instead.
I thought good news would come soon and remained optimistic, but Croa did not return for over a week.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Ugh… isn’t this taking far too long?”
Croa hasn’t returned, and I haven’t heard from Shirley in ages either. Surely we can’t just sit around waiting like this for both of them?
While I’ve been waiting, my birthday passed and Christmas came and went, bringing a flood of spam deities. According to what Listo told me, Kisomalos did regain consciousness, but he got connected to Media, who’s in a split-personality state, and apparently the Golden Lamb has been carved up several times already.
That’s not really a major issue, so I don’t worry about it much, but I was bothered by the fact that Media and Achilles, who used to visit my dreams every year, didn’t come this time. Well, not as a replacement or anything, but Grant came by offering condolences as a gift, saying he’s been having a hard time because of his descendants. That one’s strange too—he doesn’t appear as a person but floats around in the shape of a shabby book? I’ve heard that’s what deities from religions that prohibit idol worship usually look like.
“Pisha!”
What? If it’s an imperial decree to hand over the throne, I’m not accepting it! Since I’ve come of age, Father sent people a couple of times in between, and I sent them back. This time, did he finally get Choco to force it into my hands? I tried to run away quickly, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape from Choco’s grasp.
“Why are you running away?”
“Aaaah! No! I won’t be Emperor! I’m still just a child!”
“Well, I suppose that’s true.”
I flipped through the letter Choco brought, saying I’m barely a handful and how could I possibly rule as Emperor. Wait, I’m not that small, am I? Does Choco really see me as just a handful?
“There may be a civil war in Media, so you should prepare yourself.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly? A civil war? I urgently snatched the letter and read through it. Croa has been working to expel the Pro-Kisomalos Faction, which maintained close ties with the Kisomalos ambassador who had served as Media’s regent, and it seemed this was causing unintended consequences.
Croa merely eliminated the corruption that arose because of the regent, but he was ultimately following a Pro-Kisomalos line. However, those who interpreted this differently and wanted to exploit it banded together. They claimed to awaken King Croa, who was being manipulated by Kisomalos’s temptress Vishnabel, and incited some nobles and commoners.
They gathered funds and forces, then picked a fight with the fiefdom of Ismenios, Croa’s closest confidant who strongly supported the marriage alliance between Kisomalos and Media.
It seemed Croa had crossed over to Media to mediate this conflict.
“Nanark Grant!”
I immediately identified the culprit and dashed to Nanakda’s room. Funding other nations’ conflicts to escalate matters—that was Nanakda’s specialty.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————