Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 232

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

Chapter 232. What? So Suddenly? (2)
“Your Majesty… if I may.”
The newest Emily—the one who’d looked most frustrated among them all—gathered her courage to speak to me. Her bravery was commendable, but according to Imperial Palace protocol, I couldn’t overlook someone interrupting me mid-speech. Since she’d only recently arrived at the palace and didn’t know better, I gestured lightly with my fingers to indicate a light punishment, and the veteran Emilys immediately understood, dragging the newcomer away.
“I-I am deeply grateful for your mercy, Your Majesty!”
The newcomer at least understood that I’d forgiven her generously. I waved goodbye to the Emily being dragged away and began rattling off the names of those who should receive meeting invitations.
“First, Father and Choco, the Chief Chamberlain and Yupi Grandmother. Genie Teacher and… yes, that’s right—Kirpan! Call him too!”
He’d been the one among Nanakda’s five subordinates who paid the least attention to others’ feelings and spoke most freely. He might just become the wildcard this meeting needs.
“And this part is important.”
As I adopted a serious expression, the Emilys furrowed their brows and continued taking notes. They were so focused I could even hear them swallowing.
“Don’t let Croa, Shirley, or Nanakda find out about this under any circumstances.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“We shall obey your command.”
“I understand about Prince Croa and Count Richelieu, but won’t it be difficult to scheme without the Cult Leader knowing?”
“That’s unavoidable.”
He might be listening in real-time through some surveillance device anyway. All I could do was ask him not to interfere with the meeting.
I decided to relay this through Kirpan and set the meeting for two days hence, then collapsed onto my bed.
If the Kisomalos Empire had permitted polygamy, I wouldn’t have had to agonize over this. Why did my ancestors insist on monogamy and torment their descendants? Wouldn’t more marriage partners be better for raising divine power anyway? Was this some kind of selective focus strategy? Could it be that divine power channeled into Kisomalos gets dispersed if there are too many marriage partners?
“Ugh…”
I really want to ask about this, but when will Kisomalos finally recover from being split in half?! When I first asked how to raise divine power, he said I just needed to date a hundred lovers! So why can’t I marry a hundred people too?!
As I pondered this, I recalled Kisomalos’s fundamental nature. Helga Grandmother was just exceptional—Kisomalos typically ended up being controlled by wives or husbands. What if the First Empress was so obsessively attached that she pressured the monogamy clause into the constitution? That seems quite plausible actually.
“Your Majesty, what about today’s lessons?”
“Tell Marshmallow I have a hangover and can’t attend.”
“I shall relay the message.”
When I was a minor, I’d skip by saying I was napping; now that I’m an adult, Marshmallow will surely nag me endlessly about skipping lessons to drink. But what can I do? My head feels like it’s splitting, and I can barely move. If my condition were better, I’d have scheduled the meeting for tomorrow instead.
“Ugh, argh…”
Even after taking hangover medicine, my head still throbs as if it might shatter. I decided to sleep it off, rested my head on the pillow, and squeezed my eyes shut. I hoped the hangover would be gone when I woke.

✦ ✦ ✦
Two days passed, and the parking lot of the Public Conference Hall in the Outer Palace filled with an eclectic collection of electric vehicles. There was my electric skateboard, Father’s motorcycle that he enjoyed riding around, the high-end vehicles provided to key Imperial Palace officials, Kirpan on inline skates wanting to test tying a rope to my skateboard and zooming around, and finally the prisoner transport vehicle carrying the convicted Yupi Grandmother.
Everyone gathered and entered the conference hall—it was wonderfully chaotic and delightful. For reference, Choco simply ran here.
“Little One, why am I here?”
“Well, honestly, I thought you’d give the most helpful advice?”
There was a reason I dragged Yupi Grandmother, still a convict, out here to attend the meeting. After all, she was a genius at unconventional methods—having tried everything with the person she loved except marriage.
“Don’t call it that! It sounds weird!”
“Then, a genius at loopholes.”
“That’s better, I suppose….”
Grandmother still complained that it amounted to the same insult. Hmm, she’d need to get used to this sort of thing. I planned to mock Yupi Grandmother for the rest of my life.
“Binding them through methods other than marriage—what trash-tier scheming you’ve devised.”
Father praised me with satisfaction, then opened the popcorn machine. The savory aroma of butter filled the conference hall.
“Your Majesty, I’d like some popcorn too!”
“Father, me as well!”
“There’s plenty left, isn’t there? I’ll have some too.”
Popcorn pairs best with cola. I subtly called Emily to fetch some cola, but the Chief Chamberlain let out a loud, deliberate cough to give me a warning look. But I’d been brushing my teeth diligently every day since getting scolded over cavity treatment. After drinking cola, I didn’t just rinse my mouth and go to bed—I brushed properly again before sleeping.
I begged the Chief Chamberlain pitifully to let me have just this once, and Grandmother reluctantly nodded.
“Just today.”
“Grandmother is the best!”
“That’s why the child gets cavities.”
Yupi Grandmother griped that the Chief Chamberlain hadn’t properly supervised me, which was why I’d developed cavities. The grandmothers seemed to quarrel the moment they met, so I cut to the chase and asked my main hope first.
“Kirpan, what do you think?”
“My thoughts?”
“You served longest at Nanakda’s side. Isn’t there a method Nanakda could accept?”
“Well, um, you see….”
Kirpan blinked unnaturally, then glanced at a potted plant in the corner of the conference hall. I carefully signaled, and Choco rushed over. She swept away the areca palm fronds and discovered a listening device, which she crushed with a snap.
Somewhere in the Imperial Palace, Nanakda was probably covering his ears and screaming.
“Phew, thank you. If physical evidence remained, I couldn’t escape punishment either.”
You really do live a harsh life. Most impressive that you came all this way to spill secrets despite knowing you’d face consequences.
“To speak frankly, Nanakda will not yield even an inch on anything except being bound through marriage.”
“Ugh!”
That’s troublesome then. Since I can’t take multiple spouses, my only remaining options are adopting Nanakda as a son to make him family, or giving him an official lover title and letting him live in the palace.
Of course, Nanakda and Croa would hate the former, and they’d hate the latter too…. Either way, I’d get beaten by both of them.
“But Pisha is the next Emperor. Couldn’t you simply change the law?”
“No. This is written in the constitution, so even His Majesty the Emperor can’t touch it carelessly. The system itself of one husband and one wife would need to be ruled unconstitutional.”
Since the first Emperor proposed it, later generations have no way to defy it. When I explained this to Choco, he scratched his cheek saying Kisomalos law was quite complicated.
“Oh, that’s right. Speaking of law, I just remembered something.”
Choco broached the subject, asking if Netcha hadn’t mentioned there’d be good news, then told the story of what happened after Netcha captured the Heavenly Demon.
“Since ‘conferring divinity’ is Netcha’s main achievement, her divine rank rose tremendously this time, right? I heard she became a higher-tier deity?”
“What?!”
“Oh! Congratulations, Choco.”
What? Why didn’t you mention something so important earlier! If things have come to this, wouldn’t it be better to force Choco into the family registry anyway? Should I adopt her as a foster daughter this time? No, wait—in Eastern fantasy, there’s definitely that concept, isn’t there? The one where master and ruler are unified or something? If I formally take her as my master, wouldn’t that put her on equal footing with Father?
“What should I do? Should I make Choco my master? Should I perform the disciple’s ceremony?”
“Ah, our sect differs somewhat from that tradition, Your Highness.”
Was this the same genre discussion I’d had with the Heavenly Demon before? The difference between martial arts fantasy and ancient science fiction? As I brought it up, Choco discussed the genre with a serious expression.
“Our lineage falls under the Immortal Sect, so Pisha must take me as her spiritual guide.”
“Spiritual guide?”
“There’s also the method of Doryeo, but if we do that, Ende will kill me. Absolutely.”
What is Doryeo? I was utterly bewildered when Father immediately understood and drew his pistol, disengaging the safety. What? Is Doryeo dangerous? Dangerous enough that Choco would have to die?!
“So that method exists.”
In the midst of this, Kirpan seemed to have a sudden inspiration and suggested applying the Doryeo case to this situation.
“What if the Princess were to take Nanakda as a religious consort?”
Hmm… I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it sounds like a brilliant idea.

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