Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 40

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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 40. From Now On, Kill Each Other (6)
“What’s the meaning of this?”
As the vacant-eyed Pig Minister leaned out the window, Prisoner pointed confidently to where he sat and explained why we were here.
“An outing.”
“Surely there are more suitable locations for an outing with Her Highness the Princess…”
“This place has the best scenery.”
“But we have a meeting to conduct?”
“I’m aware.”
So he came here on purpose after all… Head Attendant Grandmother cursed Prisoner for still having that brat Chiron’s temperament, then scolded the minister. When she told him not to worry since this was truly just an outing and to proceed with the meeting, the minister reluctantly picked up his gavel.
“Then we shall commence the Q2 Imperial Palace Budget Allocation Conference.”
Ah, so today was the day for setting the Imperial Palace budget. It made sense—spring had arrived, so it was natural for Q2 discussions to come up. Usually these matters were settled at year’s end, but they would reconvene periodically to make flexible adjustments and reach final decisions.
He must have brought me here to give me some practical education in governance. That madman and his obsession with child-rearing.
While we snacked, sang, and enjoyed the cherry blossoms, the Pig Minister and the old men conducted the meeting efficiently. They discussed the budget for state ranches, contracted labor expenses, and some obscure departments I’d never heard of, and then the Princess Palace budget came up.
“The Princess Palace budget shall remain the same as Q1.”
“Wait just a minute!”
I’d stayed quiet when they kept saying “the same” before, since it didn’t concern me, but now that the Princess Palace was being discussed, I had no choice but to intervene.
“Hold on, the Princess Palace now has one more mouth to feed! How can it possibly remain the same?!”
“Your Highness, please take a broader view. What difference does one more spoon at the table make?”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”
I grabbed Croa by the collar, my entire body radiating indignation, and stood before the conference room window.
“This one may be a prisoner, but he’s still a king of a nation! Clothing him, feeding him, educating him—do you know how much money that costs?! There are dignity maintenance expenses for a member of the royal family!”
“There would be no need for such polishing and refinement, yet Your Highness chose to do so regardless.”
“So I brought the child here, and you think I’d starve him?!”
I have my pride as a princess! Even if he was treated worse than livestock in Media, now that I’ve taken him as my own, I must create dignity where there was none and polish it until it shines!
And look at his face! Now that he’s well-fed and well-dressed, he carries himself with such nobility—how perfect to have at my side! If I paraded around with someone shabby, what would become of my reputation? The Imperial Family’s honor?!
I delivered an entire speech, but the Pig Minister squinted and dredged up my past.
“However, Your Highness does have a tendency toward excessive spending, so raising the budget would be somewhat…”
“When have I ever overspent?!”
“You were enchanted by a man and gave away the very pillars of the Princess Palace.”
“That! That was—!”
Even with ten mouths, I had nothing to say!
As I sat in silence, unable to respond, Croa, unaware of the situation, asked Head Attendant Grandmother why I was acting this way. The chamberlain laughed heartily and told him how I’d been completely smitten with the Boy Hero and had donated an entire year’s budget of the Princess Palace.
“What?! Your Highness the Princess was capable of harboring affection for someone?!”
“Croa, I think you have some rather strange prejudices about me?”
“I simply assumed that, being supreme and unparalleled, Your Highness had no interest in anyone not as noble as yourself!”
“You certainly have a way of saying exactly what you think, don’t you?”
I’d noticed this tendency in him before. I was about to hit Croa, but instead decided to commend his courage in speaking truth, and I began promoting the Boy Hero.
“But listen here. The Boy Hero is amazing, you know?”
Do you know how amazing? He fought three hundred against five thousand and came back victorious! He’s absolutely incredible.
As I continued recounting the Boy Hero’s magnificent achievements and declaring how amazing he was, Croa pouted and the Pig Minister tapped the window frame, scolding me.
“Have you lost your mind?! Sponsoring an imperial bastard because there’s no one else to sponsor?!”
“Ha, if you keep going like that, that man will die young, I’m telling you!”
“If an imperial general dies young, we’ll be defenseless! Don’t forget that the Emperor is the Princess of the Kisomalos Empire!”
Ugh, why is this pig trying so hard to get the better of me today? When I realized I couldn’t win with words alone, I decided to find Prisoner, and Father Emperor gave me a remarkably gentle look before dispensing some wisdom.
“If you bring me a written explanation of why the budget increase is necessary and a reflection essay by tomorrow, I’ll review it.”
“No way!”
Furious, I stomped the ground with my duck-shaped squeaky shoes, kicking repeatedly as I shouted.
“A reflection essay?! I didn’t do anything wrong! And what happens to my dignity in front of my friends?!”
“If you value your dignity more than money, then you’ll have to accept it as is.”
“Ugh!”
I clutched my head and looked at Croa and Shirley. They exchanged nervous glances before taking my side, saying they could simply forgo their luxuries.
“That’s what would really damage my dignity!”
It was better for me to just write the reflection essay than to have my friends walking around looking shabby.
“Just you wait until tomorrow! I’ll bring you an absolutely brilliant budget increase proposal and reflection essay!”
Since I needed to get to work immediately, I returned to the Princess Palace with my friends and Emily. To divide the labor, I started writing the reflection essay first, while Shirley and Croa obtained the official proposal forms that matched the Ministry of Finance format and drafted an outline.
My friends and I worked hard on the Princess Palace budget adjustment proposal, but we still hadn’t received a clear answer. I needed to know whether it passed or not before writing a second request.
We spread out sun loungers on the Princess Palace lawn and lay down, enjoying cold fruit drinks.
In the meantime, I heard that Aelset had gotten furious and taken his private soldiers all the way to Lorowi Territory, so it seemed like the Imperial Palace would enjoy peace for a while—which was nice.
“Your Majesty! Princess Your Majesty! The Emperor is calling for you!”
Oh, aren’t you Emily from the telegraph office? I had told my personal attendant Emily to bring me cold water today, and I listened carefully to why Prisoner was calling me.
“The Astyages Empire is pressuring us to come pay our respects! They’re saying that since the Emperor has changed, it’s only proper that we come pay our respects! These damned bastards!”
“Hmm. Watch your tongue. Disagreeable as they are, they’re still a major power, aren’t they?”
“Still!”
This was something that was bound to happen eventually. While the Kisomalos Empire played the leading role among our neighboring nations, from the perspective of the Astyages Empire, we were a small country they could swallow in one bite.
Of course, we had abundant resources and fairly strong military power, but we couldn’t compare to the Astyages Empire, which had unified all the northern lands and become a super-massive empire.
These people had been ordering Helbatro to come pay his respects when he was still the Crown Prince, saying he would become the next Emperor. Since we’d been bowing our heads all this time, I’d have to pretend to listen obediently this time too… but the problem was that if Prisoner left the country now, it would be a disaster.
The moment Father Emperor steps outside the country, a battle over Vishnabel will break out, won’t it? Because of those fools with eyes bulging out, wanting to become the second Chiron and inherit the throne?
“Prisoner is looking for me?”
“Yes!”
“I can guess what this is about.”
I sighed and shook my head, then got down from the sun lounger.
“Pisha, are you sure you’re okay? Should we go with you?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll tell you when I get back.”
I took Emily’s hand and trudged toward the main Imperial Palace building. In the Emperor’s Audience Chamber, Prisoner was sitting on the imperial throne with an air of importance, and the high officials of the Imperial Palace, including the Chief Attendant Grandmother, stared at me intently.

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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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