Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 72

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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 72. Typically, visiting one’s maternal grandmother’s estate means being treated to her secret weapon. Ours was marinated flounder. (3)
The Emperor and I harmonized our groans together while waiting for Lorowi. One sat with his head in his hands, the other lay down cooling his forehead with the back of his hand. When Lorowi arrived later and saw this sight, her eyes widened.
“What on earth are the both of you doing?”
“You want to ask why after making such a mess outside?”
Father had clearly cursed, yet Lorowi’s gaze remained gentle as she observed him.
“Did His Majesty inform you, Your Highness?”
“No. Vishnabel was like this from the moment she arrived here.”
“When I came to fetch her, she was already collapsed from high blood pressure, was she not?”
Whether Choco had called a physician while fetching me or not, the Imperial Physician who visited the office wrapped a blood pressure cuff around my arm and studied the gauge intently.
“It’s stress-induced. Your numbers are dropping in real time as we speak, so please relax and rest.”
After prescribing sedatives and urging me not to stress, the physician left the office. Just looking at that old woman’s face makes my blood pressure spike—how am I supposed to avoid stress?
“I merely stationed a single battalion. Aren’t both of you being rather timid?”
“That’s not the problem right now.”
“The problem is they’ve gathered! There’s a Lorowi Standing Army in the Capital right now!”
When I shouted in frustration, the woman’s face showed interest.
“That remark as well—did His Majesty tell you?”
“No. I didn’t share outside information with Vishnabel.”
“That’s not a deduction a child could make alone.”
“She was like this from our first meeting.”
Prisoner had found it unremarkable from the start, but the previous Lorowi leader nodded thoughtfully and smiled softly.
“So only the shell resembled that one.”
The old woman’s smile deepened strangely. Unlike our first meeting, she wore a peculiarly gentle expression as she sat before my sprawled form on the sofa and asked in a measured tone.
“How did you deduce the existence of the Standing Army?”
“What do you mean how? Three hundred tanks gathered overnight! Did they sprout from the ground? Fall from the sky? Obviously you’d built bunkers and stationed them in advance!”
“Bunkers are defensive fortifications. They’re not easily constructed, and I certainly couldn’t build them in secret.”
“You deployed personnel gradually during the Capital expansion project, didn’t you? That’s what Shirley said!”
“Your close associates are quite capable.”
What? You’re not even denying it? Do you want to die for treason, really?!
I told Prisoner to execute that old woman for treason without further discussion, but he said it wasn’t that simple and slowly opened his mouth.
“Lorowi will resist to the end. If full-scale war breaks out, the Imperial Family’s losses will be catastrophic.”
Whether we win or lose, only ruins remain. A war that yields no profit whatsoever must never occur. When Prisoner said this, the previous Lorowi leader smiled contentedly again and brought up a subject without its subject.
“You truly do resemble her.”
“I don’t resemble your daughter.”
“I never mentioned my daughter.”
Goodness, this old woman really doesn’t miss a beat. My Aunt has terrible eloquence, yet where did Grandmother learn such rhetorical skill?
“My request is simple, Your Majesty. I have much to discuss with my granddaughter, whom I haven’t seen in so long. Please lend her to me for a fortnight.”
“Last time you said a few days?”
“Upon reflection, a few days seemed insufficient.”
Why is this old woman suddenly doing this to me! Even if it’s strange that I mentioned the Air Force, isn’t it odd that someone who never showed her face once before my regression is acting like this?
As I made a face showing my utter displeasure, Prisoner brought up the Imperial State’s political situation to protect me.
“After taking Vishnabel away, you plan to push me aside with the Princess at the forefront and seize the regency, don’t you? How could I possibly trust you?”
Prisoner spoke well. If it were my Aunt, she lacks the political acumen to accomplish anything even with me around, but with the Chamberlain—that’s a different story entirely. She’s not trying to make me a puppet Emperor and seize the Imperial Kingdom, is she?
Since it was such an obvious plot, I contorted my face into an ugly grimace and stuck my tongue out playfully. The previous Chamberlain of Lorowi let out a “Ha!” of genuine amusement, then lifted her head proudly and spoke.
“Would the great Lorowi really need to borrow a child’s hand just to deal with one Imperial Family?”
Wow… I had to admit that this grandmother’s confidence and temperament were truly remarkable. Faced with the audacity of an elderly woman boasting that she could reduce the Imperial Family to ruins without my help, we found ourselves applauding involuntarily.
“Wow… I’ve lived a long time, but I’ve never seen a person like this before.”
“I’ve also never encountered anyone more mad than Chiron.”
“When madness exceeds all bounds, it inspires awe.”
“Anyway, I’ve brought the contract you favor, so please grant me just two weeks.”
Since my neck was no longer stiff, I crawled up onto Father’s back, and from there I could see the contract clauses the Chamberlain had written. It seemed she truly harbored no ill intent toward me—most of the terms were heavily disadvantageous to Lorowi, and there was even a promise that if I were injured or the return date delayed, she would become the Imperial Family’s dog.
“As I mentioned before, the Princess’s will is the most important thing.”
Even seeing these conditions, he didn’t back down. Truly, Prisoner is my greatest protector. I found myself falling for him all over again.
“Hmm, I don’t mind you going.”
“Shall I accompany you again this time? I’ve become quite the expert at protecting the Princess now, haven’t I?”
“No. If an explosion detonates, Choco gets hit once and I get hit once, so that’s enough.”
“Whimper.”
Last time I was reluctant to go, but this time I want to go and confirm something. I need to find out what this business about Lorowi hating me is all about.
“I have a condition too.”
“What is it?”
“First, renovate all the bathrooms to the latest style.”
“We’ve already begun construction on that.”
“….”
Didn’t Lorowi spend all their money on war and become poor? They could have renovated those bathrooms but chose not to all this time? And now funds suddenly appear at will like this—could it be that only my Aunt was actually poor?
“While I’m staying at the Marquess Estate, I’d like my Aunt to be there with me too.”
“You want me to call that child?”
“If you don’t want to, then no.”
“No. I shall summon her to return.”
Now that I think about it, my Aunt is still fighting with Aelset, right? If my Aunt leaves, wouldn’t Aelset win the war? I don’t want to change things now that Pankration Teacher has taken a liking to me.
“Wouldn’t things be strategically disadvantageous without my Aunt?”
“No. The commanders I’ve trained since my youth are far more capable than that child.”
“Oh….”
Poor Aunt. She’s being severely underestimated by the Chamberlain. Even though she’s the legitimate heir of Lorowi and the current Marquess, it hurts to hear that she’s dispensable in war.
“And since it’s inconvenient when people change, I’ll bring along the experienced Emilys and my friends too.”
“I shall guarantee their safety as well. I may add supplementary clauses to the contract, Your Majesty.”
“Vishnabel, has there been a change of heart?”
Prisoner asked why I’d suddenly changed my mind when I was so reluctant to go last time, so I pondered for a moment before deciding not to elaborate.
“Just… there’s something I need to look into.”
“Is it a personal matter?”
“Yes. I’d prefer you didn’t ask.”
“Understood. I won’t pry into the details. Do as you wish.”
Prisoner is so reliable—he trusts everything I do without question. It’s wonderful. When the day comes that I must place my complete faith in him, I’ll return this trust tenfold.
I laughed with delight and playfully teased Prisoner on his shoulder, then informed him that I would be returning to the Princess Palace and making a brief visit to my Maternal Grandmother’s Estate. The Emilys busied themselves packing, and since Croa would be accompanying us this time along with Shirley, he was absolutely thrilled about the outing.

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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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