Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 224

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 224. Let Us Take a Moment to Contemplate Why This Work Exists in the Romance Fantasy Category (4)
“Nanakda! You’re the culprit!”
I vaulted over Nanakda’s five subordinates blocking my path like they were hurdles, landing in a perfect pose as I glared at the scheming Cult Leader sprawled across a couch, elegantly peeling grapes. You’re going to develop esophagitis doing that.
“…Culprit? What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb! Funding proxy wars—that’s your specialty!”
You incited wars with money, destroyed even Astiages, and now you’re feigning ignorance. I magnanimously told him that if he turned himself in now, I’d reduce his sentence, but this wretch continued his denial.
“Well, I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but why are you suddenly causing trouble, Your Highness the Princess?”
“Stop playing dumb! If this comes out later, you die by my hand!”
“Where’s your evidence?”
“Motive!”
I was pressing my case forcefully when Nanakda demanded evidence and I faltered. Well, of course I only had circumstantial evidence, but even if I deliberately searched for concrete proof, Nanakda wouldn’t have left such things behind. Even Astiages couldn’t find decisive evidence of Nanakda’s scheming, so they couldn’t appeal to the international community.
Of course, he’d bullied colonies and earned the enmity of neighboring nations, so even if evidence existed, everyone would have ignored it anyway!
“Evidence… I don’t have evidence, but!”
“Ah, let’s follow the law, the law! Isn’t this a nation of laws?”
“Kisomalos is an absolute monarchy, you fool!”
The Imperial Family stands above the law! If only you’d shut up when I tell you to! What are you banking on with such audacity, you Cult Leader? The fifty million Dharma Religion fanatics across the entire Mortal Realm? Of course they’re terrifying! Even absolute monarchies fear religion!
“You’re definitely the one, even without evidence! I’m certain it’s you!”
As I flailed about in frustration with no other options, Nanakda, still elegantly consuming his grapes, spoke with contempt.
“Hmph, without external intelligence, you can’t even speak properly.”
“Ugh!”
That’s right! I’d been wondering why a brilliant idea hadn’t struck me by now—how frustrating! Shirley! My brilliant strategist, where have you gone! Of course she’d be in the Achilles Territory, her family home!
“You wretch, when Shirley comes, you’re dead!”
“How are you going to bring back a girl who left home because of Hisperon? She’s completely lost faith in you.”
That’s also a fair point. I threatened to bring Shirley back, but honestly, I have no way to actually do it right now. Damn it, why is Nanakda so unnecessarily clever!
“From the start, your very idea of marrying the King of Media was flawed. No matter how much the Imperial Family and Media Royal Family pursue a strategic marriage alliance, do you think the people will follow suit? Media and Kisomalos have been at each other’s throats for over a hundred years.”
That’s also… a fair point! Before I met Croa, I despised Media too. I spent every day scheming how to capture Loruruje Fortress and humble those Media bastards.
And no matter how much Croa’s will mattered, the entire Media Royal Family essentially died by my and Father’s hands. There was no reason for Media’s people to view my marriage to Croa favorably.
From the perspective of uninformed citizens, I was exactly the kind of sorceress who crushed the Media Royal Family with force and elevated the puppet Croa as king to seize Media for myself. That rumor contained not a shred of falsehood. I myself had entertained the thought that capturing Croa meant a great prize like Media would roll into my hands.
“You’re right, you’re absolutely right, but…!”
“On that point, I’m generous!”
What are you suddenly saying? Why would the word “generous” come up regarding my marriage to Croa? As I narrowed my eyes in confusion, Nanakda, having popped the last bunch of grapes into his mouth and swallowed audibly, spoke with mysterious intent. By the way, you really will develop esophagitis.
“If you marry me, I’ll turn a blind eye to keeping the King of Media as your lover.”
“…What?”
“A king should rule his own land from his own royal palace. The very idea of remote governance from the Kisomalos Imperial Palace is fundamentally flawed. Who would trust and follow such a king?”
That’s also… a fair point, and everything Nanakda has said so far seems perfectly reasonable, but… that doesn’t make it a reason for me to marry you, does it?
“Ugh…”
…Or does it? If I secure him, I secure fifty million Dharma followers, and realistically, Nanakda is the only man capable of handling Croa’s temperament. When you think about it that way, it also sounds like an attractive proposal….
“Your Highness! Do not be deceived by that cunning tongue!”
“Do not be deceived!”
Whew! I almost fell for Nanakda’s silver tongue again. I came to my senses at the pleas of my companions, the Emilys, and turned away. There was only one thing Nanakda said that was genuinely true. First, I needed to recover my external intelligence before making any decisions.
“You’re dead when you come back, Shirley!”
I repeated what I’d said earlier. Right now I had no options, but the moment Shirley arrived, I felt certain some solution would present itself.
“You have a way to bring her back?”
“I do!”
“Sure you do.”
Right. Truth be told, I didn’t. I was just bluffing. Frustrated, I cursed under my breath and slammed the door shut before heading toward where the telephone was kept. My plan was to call the Achilles Mansion and beg Shirley to listen to me.
Brrrring, brrrring.
But no matter how long I waited after dialing, no one picked up. Was the signal bad out in the countryside? I tapped the antenna irritably while waiting for someone to answer. I was even considering leaving a message when a familiar male voice came through the line.
-Yes, this is Edison, Your Highness.
“Oh, Count Edison! It’s me! Princess Vishnabel!”
-Yes, of course. The only person who would call this number is Your Highness.
Right. Only I know this private number. Actually, I tried calling the mansion earlier, but the butler wouldn’t put me through. Still, it seems Shirley has at least some willingness to talk to me, judging by the fact that she brought her mobile phone with her.
“Where’s Shirley? Is she not there right now?”
-She says if Hisperon is so wonderful, she’ll have him buried with her as a keepsake later.
So she has absolutely no intention of speaking with me. From the way Edison delivered that message and hung up immediately, my suspicion seemed confirmed. She’d brought that mobile phone along just to hurl insults at me when I called.
“Father! Faaaather!”
It seemed persuasion over the phone would be impossible. I’d have to go directly to the Achilles Territory.
Having made my decision, I immediately set about executing it, rushing to Father’s office to demand that he lend me Choco. Father, whose eyes had taken on that panda-like appearance from dealing with paperwork all day, beckoned me closer and then grabbed my chin, turning my face this way and that.
“Your face is positively gleaming. Far too shiny.”
“Well, I’ve been eating well and living well.”
“That won’t do.”
Father said I couldn’t go to Shirley looking like that, and he promptly produced another bundle of wisdom.
“I’ll lend you Choco. And take this with you. Make sure to donate blood generously before boarding the airship.”
“Understood!”
I didn’t know why, but whenever Father gave me instructions like this, everything always worked out, so I trusted and followed his guidance.
I took the mat-like object Father had prepared and visited the court physician, where I had a substantial amount of blood drawn. The physician, who had received an imperial decree to draw blood until I was on the verge of anemia, later received a follow-up call with an additional instruction that struck me like a bolt from the blue.
“Ah, he said not to prescribe any motion sickness medication.”
“What?!”
He wanted me to travel without motion sickness medicine after losing all that blood? My vision was already swimming, but I decided Father must have his reasons and resolved to follow his instructions.
After traveling half a day by airship with Choco and then driving for another hour deep into the mountains, the Achilles Mansion came into view—unchanged even after ten years.
“Shirley! Shirley, I’m here!”
Goodness, between the blood loss and the motion sickness, I had no strength left in my body. Though I’d shouted loudly, my voice came out pathetically weak, so I cleared my throat and tried again.
“Richelieu, Sheryl Achilles!”
I knocked loudly on the front door, but no one came to greet me. Count Achilles must have given instructions to that effect.
“Shall I break down the door?”
“No, no. I can’t cause a scene at Shirley’s home.”
I stopped Choco and moved away from the door to examine the exterior wall. Where might Shirley be? Ah, there. Only the third-floor window on the right has its curtains drawn. Shirley must be in that room.
Positioning myself where I’d be most visible from the curtained window, I spread out the straw mat Father had prepared on the ground and knelt down in the most pitiful posture I could manage.
“Shirley, Shirley, I was wrong!”
With a trembling voice, I simply began to beg.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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