Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 200

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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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First, I’ll go into the Imperial Palace, meet Cecilia, and then throw a tantrum to get her to give me a mansion. Just as I entered the palace with that thought, I came across some strange news.
It is said that Seian Crowell’s standing in high society has changed. It seems people are gathering around him, apparently due to the commotion surrounding the marriage alliance with the Sungkuk Kingdom—both because they judge that this new marriage can be exploited for matrimonial schemes, and because word has spread that controlling Seian would allow them to strike at House Neftis.
I’m curious how she’s doing, so let me stop by Sera’s Crown Princess’s Palace first. Even though she holds some small power, I don’t think it would be enough to renovate that shabby Crown Prince Palace, so I went to check, but the Crown Princess’s Palace banquet hall was bustling with noise.
The smell of alcohol wafted even beyond the window, women’s laughter rang out in giggles, and the faint sound of piano music could be heard as well—judging by the skill, it seemed Seian was playing it himself. A Crown Prince drowning in drink since broad daylight, surrounded by women and playing the piano… You really are like the crown prince of a doomed nation, Seian Crowell.
“Wait, please wait!”
The Security Guard standing in front of the banquet hall made eye contact with me and let out a stifled shriek—his face turning pale as he thought, “Oh no, House Neftis’s mad dog.” Though he was terrified, I found it admirable that he still managed to say everything he needed to say without wavering, so I felt like rewarding him.
“Without an invitation, you can’t, you can’t enter, sugar! You can’t!”
You really do find me scary, don’t you? Well, I suppose you have good reason to—I’m the mad dog of House Neftis, famous for rolling up a guest who came to our house when I wasn’t even ten years old and throwing them out. Why did I do that back then? I remember hearing all sorts of incredibly rude things, like calling me a blood-sucking piglet or whatever.
“Tell Seian that Evan Laef has arrived. If he still tells you to leave, then follow his orders.”
“Yes! Thank you for your understanding!”
The Palace Guard hurriedly handed over the watch to another colleague and rushed inside. Not long after, he came running back, breathing heavily, and relayed Seian Crowell’s message to me.
“They’re telling you to come in!”
“Got it. Good work.”
“As you know, magic is forbidden within the Imperial Palace! And I mean it—no obvious signs of it! Like destroying buildings!”
“Be careful not to let anything slip out.”
“I’m touched!”
This guy subtly says what needs to be said and does his work well. He seems like the kind of talent our Information Chief would like. Thinking I might offer him a position later, I asked for his name, and the man told me his name clearly while crying. Crying, no less—is getting a job at House Neftis really that good?
“Who is this! Isn’t this the crazy dog from House Neftis who got married last time!”
When I stepped into the banquet hall, Seian Crowell, who had stopped playing the piano and was blowing into a wine bottle like a horn, approached me while holding the hand of a cute-looking woman.
The atmosphere was nice until a moment ago, but as soon as I walked in, people stopped laughing and pressed themselves against the wall, watching my every move.
“Ah! I already heard the news that Sung King gave up the marriage alliance. You must have gone through a lot of trouble getting all the way there because of me!”
Indeed, I had gone through a lot of hardship. As I nodded at that thought, Seian Crowell continued blowing the conch shell and introduced the silver-haired, sparkling girl beside him. She looked younger than me—was she around sixteen? Seventeen?
“Hey! This person is my fiancé!”
“Ah, ah, hello, ha, ha, how do you do, Miss Neftis.”
A child with blue eyes trembling like a hamster before a cobra, tears filling their gaze. Well, Seian is part of the Royal Family, so he needs to consider an heir and the engagement is something to celebrate, but no matter how I looked at it, the Female Informant’s features resembled mine. If it was intentional, it was a failed provocation, but if it was unconscious… hmm… so you really are Cecilia’s younger sibling, Seian. Judging by how you’re trying to keep Mark Two and Mark Three close by.
“I see. Congratulations on your engagement.”
“…That’s it?”
“I just got back, so I wasn’t able to prepare a gift.”
I came here today just to throw a tantrum at Cecilia. I just heard the news that you’ve risen slightly in social standing. At my words, Seian Crowell’s expression darkened considerably, his brows furrowed sharply, and he poured out words as if angry.
“Everyone’s got someone new! Hey, that’s right! Let’s have gatherings where couples come together! I’m really curious to see how freely that Apet can handle Imperial Palace etiquette!”
“I appreciate the suggestion, but I can’t attend the couples’ gathering.”
“What?! Why?! Why is he keeping him locked up and not letting him go outside? Is that man really that precious to him?!”
“I’m getting a divorce from Apet today.”
“?”
In that moment, Seian tilted his head with a confused “huh?” His expression was so perfectly tilted, like something drawn in a picture, that I couldn’t help but smile a little.
“That’s cute.”
“Hey, hey! You! What!”
“In the first place, I married the Sung King to make a deal. You’re free now, and Apet can’t stand it either, so there’s no reason to maintain the marriage.”
Once I got Cecilia’s seal, we’d be strangers in the eyes of the law. I showed Seian the documents bearing my stamp and Apet’s stamp. He snatched them up, read through them quickly, and his expression twisted into something bizarre. He looked about to tear the papers apart, but then seemed to reconsider, carefully rolled them up instead, and thrust them back into my hands.
“You should have told me from the start!”
“I have no obligation to tell you everything.”
“But you said you wanted to eat me!”
“That’s separate from this.”
I may like you, but we’re strangers. If I had to define what we are, we’re like former coworkers. If we’d been lovers, I would have given you some hint before the marriage, but I owe no report to someone who means nothing to me.
As I explained this at length, Seian’s face grew increasingly red before he let out one of his characteristic strange cries.
“Y-you scoundrel!”
“Since you’re not in as much of a rush as I am, contact me once the engagement ceremony is scheduled. Don’t believe flattery from just anyone.”
Living like this, I’d end up like the original Seian. I swallowed those final words and gazed at the grand piano positioned in the center of the banquet hall. A black grand piano, it seemed. Probably a gift for Seian.
“Hey, hey, it’s not like that!”
The tone rang beautifully through the distance—it must be a fine piano. I was inwardly convinced when Seian stepped in front of me and made his excuse.
“The one you gave me is in my room! It’s properly in the room where I’m using it!”
“I see.”
“Yes! And expensive ones aren’t really anything special! A piano just needs to have accurate pitch!”
That couldn’t be right. Even I can feel the difference when I play an expensive guitar. Actually, expensive amplifiers make more of a difference than expensive guitars do.
“Well then, I’m busy.”
“Oh! Yes! Travel safely! Don’t lose the documents!”
Understood.
I nodded and on my way out, I found a Palace Guard and told him that if he was interested in working at House Neftis, he should seek out our Information Chief. The man answered well enough with “Yes, ma’am,” but he didn’t seem particularly eager to actually go. There was nothing I could do about it. Perhaps lacking fortune was part of the Information Chief’s job.
I thought lightly and knocked on the door of the Crown Princess’s Palace. It seemed more lively than usual, and inside the reception room, Cecilia and her subordinates were playing some sort of duke game together.
“Welcome. Help us too.”
What on earth were they doing? Not just the Bachelor, but young Seian, Mark Two, and Mark Three as well—all wearing masks and doing strange work. Now that I looked, all the windows were open for ventilation. Were they mad in this cold?
“Come here. Did you meet with Seian?”
“Saw him on the way. He was playing piano and blowing into a wine bottle like a horn.”
“Hehe.”
Even that sight seemed cute to her, as Cecilia laughed dryly and continued her work. Looking closer, Cecilia appeared to be embroidering.
“Certain pregnancy?”
“It seemed like something Seian would need.”
The embroidered text was cut off midway, but I could guess what Cecilia was making. Probably something like “Thirty Steps to Certain Pregnancy” or “Imperial Court Secrets” or something like that. Now that I thought about it, what these consistently mad people were doing looked like making a book.
There was someone stitching parchment with a thick needle, and the masked children seemed to be doing waterproofing and fireproofing work.
“Is Seian’s engagement really something to be this happy about?”
“He said he’d give me offspring.”
Wow. Word choice. Wow.
Her continued tendency to view humans as livestock or something similar was still striking, but the combination of the girl I’d seen and Seian certainly promised interesting offspring.
“If she takes after Seian, I’d prefer a daughter.”
“Oh, I’m fine with either.”
“With that face, if it’s a son, wouldn’t life be difficult?”
Cecilia didn’t argue against my words and smiled with the slightest lift of her lips—as if to say that would be interesting too.
“More than that, I need the Emperor’s seal. I’d like you to process the divorce papers right away.”
“Already tired of her?”
“Apet says she dislikes me.”
“My goodness.”
Cecilia said I’d become truly pitiful, and if I would just kneel before her and bow my head, she would pat me kindly. Unnecessary. I don’t need it, and I cannot kneel before you.
I firmly rejected Cecilia’s offer and asked what I was curious about.
“I want to marry a demi-human. Is there a way to register them in my household registry?”
“At least not under Imperial law.”
Well, even receiving a resident registration was limited to Crownpolis and Ilam, so there’s no way humans and demi-humans could legally marry. Come to think of it, if that were the case, couldn’t demi-humans marry each other either on paper? They wouldn’t receive legal protection within the law’s framework?
“All laws in the Empire are based on humans as the standard.”
“I see.”
My marriage to Gerth would not be recognized under Imperial law, at least. Then there’s no helping it. Perhaps I’ll need to revise the laws of my territory.
“Would it be alright to establish new ordinances?”
“There will be strong opposition.”
“It can’t be helped.”
“Do consider my position as well.”
Indeed, Cecilia has made many sacrifices while taking me under her wing. Perhaps it’s time I do something befitting a subordinate. Instead of creating ordinances for demi-humans, I’ll do something that benefits the Crown Princess and her entire faction.

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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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