Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 239

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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 239. What? So Suddenly? (9)
“Huff, haah! Huff! Huuuff!”
“Ugh! Gasp! Huuuh!”
“Should I fetch some water, you two? Something lukewarm?”
“Would you like some restoration pills? We have some brought in from the Southern Region.”
Wait, it’s Shirley and I who should be the ones getting worked up over the ceremony preparations, so why are Croa and Nanakda making such a fuss?
While Shirley and I were busy preparing for the bonded companion ceremony, Croa and Nanakda sat in the family section, breathing heavily and receiving attendants from Larima and Genie Teacher, complaining that their hearts were racing, their breath was short, and their emotions were overwhelming. The kind-hearted Larima understood their feelings completely and helped Emily with the ceremony.
“It’s only natural to be nervous since this is your first ceremony. I’m nervous too, but I wonder what the two who are being bonded must be feeling.”
“Nervous is one thing, but thinking that this won’t be the last bonding ceremony makes my heart so angry that…!”
“That’s exactly what I should be saying?!”
Croa and Nanakda, who had peacefully accepted the restoration pills, showed signs of bickering before they actually started fighting, grabbing each other’s heads.
“You’re the one officially registered in the family registry! You got the best position and now you’re complaining?!”
“You took the final ceremony all to yourself! I’m stuck in the middle and ended up being neither here nor there! What if Pisha doesn’t even remember me?!”
Why do they have to fight on such a good day? I tried to step in to mediate, but Shirley dragged me away, saying it would only make things worse.
“There are several outfits to change into and you’re worrying about that?!”
“Then who told you to have so many outfits made?!”
“If we’re going to do this, we might as well try them all!”
I can’t tell if this is a ceremony or a fashion show anymore. As we were deliberating on what formal wear to use, we decided to do all four receptions: the first reception where we both wear dresses, the second reception where we both wear formal pants suits, the third reception where I wear a tuxedo and Shirley wears a dress, and the fourth reception where I wear a dress and Shirley wears a tailcoat.
So the ceremony will continue from morning until night. The coronation will also take almost the entire day, so I won’t be able to sleep for two consecutive days.
“You’re going to be criticized for extravagance!”
“Even if we held three thousand bonded companion ceremonies, it would cost less than one war that Pisha started.”
That’s a fair point. Still, a ceremony is just consumption, but a war brings indirect profits. When we annex a nation, the domestic market expands, jobs are created, and resource production increases, so the economy runs well.
Of course, what’s really activated is the military supply market, and Aelset and Edison are dividing that between themselves, so ultimately it’s a structure where only my pockets get fuller.
“Come on, let’s go. You said you arranged a press conference too.”
Right, that’s true. The first reception is essentially a showcase, so we invited journalists and set up cameras, and Shirley and I decided to coordinate and wear dresses together. If the nation’s leader actively promotes the bonded companion system, immigration applications will flood in. We have to row when the tide comes in. Each person is my precious tax revenue, and they’re not national traitors.
“Puhehe, puhehehek!”
“It’s a good quality of Pisha that she pursues good policies for the sake of her own trashy desires.”
“That’s a compliment, right?”
“Of course.”
Then that’s settled. I linked arms with Shirley and walked down the red carpet set up outdoors. On the path laid out to receive the approval of my father, the current Emperor, my and Shirley’s son, Leonhardt, walked ahead scattering flowers.
“Mother Shirley! Mother Pisha! Congratulations on your bonded companion ceremony!”
So Leon calls me Pisha now too…? No, why has the name that only my Aunt used to call me spread so widely? Is the sound of the name Pisha really that nice? Besides being easy to tease, is it just easy to say? Pisha?
I walked down the flower path that Leon laid out with a smile that was half sigh, half laugh. Father gave a formal ceremonial address for our bonding ceremony, and at the end, he insisted that the two of us never let each other go and stick together like rice cakes, literally putting rice cakes in our mouths. It was delicious.
I swallowed the rice cake with a mumble, then picked up the microphone and announced to the guests the beginning of the two-day Imperial Palace festival.
“As a Princess, I declare that this may be the last time. I announce the beginning of the reception commemorating the bonded companion ceremony!”
Everyone stood up and applauded at my exclamation, and cameras and journalists rushed in. I answered sincerely for the articles that would be distributed to foreign media, and in the second reception, I announced what Kisomalos has done so far to establish the bonded companion system and what improvements need to be made going forward.
When I distributed neatly organized charts and gave a splendid speech, the Head Attendant Grandmother shed tears and brought up old stories. Compared to the apology speech, it was like heaven and earth, dredging up someone else’s painful history, but the journalists were more curious about the dark history than my splendid speech.
I tried to shut the Chief Attendant Grandmother’s mouth and chase away the journalists, but Father stepped in and explained everything that happened back then. Damn Father.
“Come on, let’s! Pisha, let’s go change into the next outfit.”
“Father, shut your mouth! Don’t say anything more embarrassing!”
Part three of the banquet began as night fell. The venue shifted to the Villa on the Imperial Palace grounds, and a separate banquet commenced with only the major nobility, entrepreneurs, and celebrities remaining.
Parts one through three were strictly business banquets, but starting with part four, we relocated to the Princess Palace where only our inner circle celebrated with us.
Listo, Yupi Grandmother who still had guards trailing her, my Aunt, Larima, Edison, Genie Teacher, the Earthen Princess, Choco, Father, and family members, along with Nanakda’s subordinates and others. We drank and made merry with great fanfare, and in the end, we decided to take a commemorative photograph.
“Come on, gather in the center! Press close together! At this rate, we won’t all fit!”
Under Edison’s direction, we obtained an enormous commemorative photograph with all our faces captured, and everyone decided to have prints made to keep.
The next day arrived with a hangover that felt like my head might split open, but I had to stumble my way to the Coronation Hall in the Main Palace to undergo the coronation ceremony.
“Pisha, will you be alright? If it’s truly difficult, shall we postpone the coronation?”
“We can’t. There are people invited from other nations.”
This wasn’t just my personal problem—it was a matter of national credibility. Somehow, I had to pull myself together and successfully inherit the throne.
I changed into white ceremonial robes in the coronation preparation room and swung about the scepter that Nanakda had gifted me, complete with an Imperial Topaz at its crown. Nanakda’s subordinates gasped in alarm watching me wildly brandish such an ornate jeweled scepter, but Nanakda himself said that if the jewels shattered, he’d simply buy new ones.
Nanakda, I really do appreciate that generous spirit of yours.
“Pisha, the music has started! You must go!”
Wait a moment—if I walk out now, something terrible will happen. I summoned Emily to bring the bucket I usually kept on hand, and I thoroughly emptied my stomach into it.
Phew, that’s much better now.
“What do you think of an Emperor who vomits at her own coronation?”
“It can’t be helped. You suffer from severe motion sickness and a terrible hangover, Pisha.”
“That’s why I told you not to mix your drinks.”
But I was in such a good mood at the time! When you’re happily drinking, you don’t think about the next day!
I shot a glare at Croa, Nanakda, and Shirley, then walked solemnly down the center of the Coronation Hall with a stern expression. At the end of the white marble path, Father awaited me.
“At last, the crown finds its rightful place.”
“I’m doing the coronation, but you’re keeping the actual power, right? I’m just inheriting the title?”
“Ha ha.”
Give me a proper answer, Father. I wanted to press him further, but with so many eyes watching, I could only smile brightly and bow respectfully according to protocol. As I extended my neck forward, Father, the Former Emperor, placed the custom-made crown upon my head.
My head felt heavy. It wasn’t the weight of the crown itself, but the thought of all the responsibilities I would bear going forward made it so unbearably heavy that I couldn’t even lift my head.
What if I just collapsed right here and pretended to lose consciousness? Then I could avoid becoming Emperor. I squeezed my eyes shut and entertained such thoughts when Father flicked my nose with his finger.
“Ow!”
I reflexively straightened up, and the many people gathered in the hall began to applaud. I had no choice but to raise the scepter of office with vigor.
“Long live the Emperor!”
“Long live Kisomalos!”
“May the radiance of the Golden Lamb endure through eternity!”
Damn it, I really have become Emperor. What am I going to do about this! I glared at Father intensely, but Chiron simply smiled with amusement and watched me as if entertained.
Even after the ceremony ended, my work wasn’t finished. To honor my promise to uphold Father’s diplomatic policies as I inherited the throne, I had to meet with ambassadors from various nations, and I drafted alliance documents with Croa and Nanakda to ensure good relations going forward.
After successfully completing my first conference as Emperor, I tried to return to the Princess Palace to finally get some rest, but the Emilys scolded me and guided me in a different direction—to the Emperor’s Chamber.
Oh, that’s right. I wasn’t the Princess anymore; I was the Emperor now.
“Yawn.”
Though I didn’t inherit Father’s room as-is; they’d prepared a new one for me. Well, I still need to keep Father around, so it’s good he kept his own quarters.
Dragged along by the Emilys, I hastily washed and brushed my teeth, and just as I was about to sleep, I heard a knock. Father appeared with a flourish.
“Smoke?”
“What? I’m going to sleep.”
Had he been waiting all this time hoping to smoke with me? A dutiful daughter would follow him at once, but I’m truly too exhausted to move. I issued an imperial decree postponing our smoking session until tomorrow, and Father magically produced wine and a wine glass, then asked me again.
“Drinking?”
“No, I’m seriously exhausted!”
I’ve done a betrothal ceremony and a coronation back-to-back, and I’m absolutely dying! If I drink yesterday and drink again today, I’ll die! I might actually die! As I pressed my point forcefully, Father’s expression grew dejected.
“I see… I suppose there’s no helping it.”
What’s with that hunched posture as he turned away? He’s making my heart ache. Has he gotten so old that he has to play the pitiful one? I was about to join him for drinks out of sympathy, but I was genuinely too exhausted, so I decided to sleep instead.
I could deal with him after waking up tomorrow. I felt like I’d regain some energy if I could just get a bit more rest.

✦ ✦ ✦
“Stretch!”
After a deep sleep, I certainly felt recovered. Though I hadn’t woken in the Princess Palace, all my furniture had been moved here, so the sleeping arrangements weren’t uncomfortable at all. I was thinking of checking today’s schedule and heading out when Choco burst into the room in a panic.
She wore an expression I’d never seen before, and her words came out in stammers as she reported the current situation.
“Y-Your Highness the Princess. Don’t be alarmed. You mustn’t be startled, but you need to listen?”
“You look the most startled to me?”
“It’s, well, ugh, it’s!”
What is it? What’s wrong? As I pressed her, Choco took a deep breath and made a strange sound.
“It’s my cousin, Chiron, that Chiron, he…”
“What about Father?”
“H-He’s not breathing!”
“…?”
If he’s not breathing, that’s a serious problem, isn’t it? She shouldn’t have come to me—she should have called a physician immediately! I ordered the court physician summoned at once and had healing divine stones prepared as a precaution. But Choco kept saying strange things.
“That’s not it, he, he’s d-dead, he might be dead.”
“…?”
That can’t be right, can it? An ordinary person might, but Father doesn’t die just from not breathing. I decided to bring the physician and healing divine stones with me and burst through the door to Father’s chamber.
Father lay quietly on the bed. He certainly didn’t seem to be breathing.
“Father, Father, wake up. Prisoner. Hey, Chiron!”
I shook his body trying to wake him, and even slapped his face. I hit him rather hard, but he didn’t seem to feel any pain.
“Your Majesty, please step back for now.”
“Oh, yes, of course. Let him examine you.”
I yielded Father’s side to the physician and looked around, wondering if something had happened during the night. There were no signs of intrusion. On the nightstand beside the bed, there was a piece of paper torn unnaturally.
I picked up the letter. It was in Father’s handwriting.
Because of my mistake, you died. So this time, it’s only right that I use my life for you.
What does this mean? Right now, everything feels so sudden and confusing that I can’t understand it properly. What does my death have to do with Father? And what does he mean by using his life for me?
“Your Majesty.”
“…”
“Your Majesty.”
My mind couldn’t comprehend any of it, yet tears fell on their own, my chest tightened, and anger welled up inside me.
“The Former Emperor has… ceased breathing.”
Is this how it should be? Does Father have nothing else to say to me but this?

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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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