How I Ended Up Becoming the Imperial Princess While Trying to Pay Off an Illegal Loan - Chapter 9

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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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009.
Tamia slipped deftly between father and son, who were still hurling insults at each other.
“Your Majesty, I’m terribly sorry. Darling, forgive me.”
“……?”
Their quarrel halted mid-breath at the sudden interruption.
She tucked the Emperor under one arm and Leon under the other, then hoisted them both clean off the ground.
“Up we go! Now, come on—let’s have a proper reconciliation, shall we?”
“Wh-what in blazes are you doing—!”
“I won’t put you down until you’ve made peace.”
The two royal men dangled from either side of Tamia like sacks of grain, their legs thrashing uselessly in the air.
“Tamia! Release us at once!”
Leon cried out in alarm, while the attendants in the Audience Chamber stood frozen, unsure whether to intervene.
“Come now, darling—apologize to His Majesty this instant. And Your Majesty, do stop being cross!”
Tamia was already making her way toward the chamber entrance with both men still tucked under her arms when it happened.
Crack—crash!
The marble floor directly beneath the Emperor’s throne fractured and caved inward, opening into a gaping chasm.
“Ahhh!”
The attendants shrieked in terror.
The Emperor’s face went ashen—he’d nearly plummeted straight into that abyss. Yet Tamia, still holding both men aloft, spoke with the utmost calm.
“You see? This is what happens when you quarrel. The floor gives way.”
The logic was absurd, but the Emperor found himself unable to mount any objection.
“Since I’ve just saved your life, Your Majesty, show some magnanimity and apologize to your son first. Reconciliation handshake time! Let’s hear it—clap, clap, clap!”
The two royals, dangling helplessly from her grip, ended up grasping each other’s hands.
“Hehe, whhat a remarkabble wife I’ve gaained, indeed.”
“Your Majesty, since you’ve extended the hand of apology, I humbly accept it in return.”
“Wonderful. Now you must stay close like this from now on, understand?”
Tamia set them down with a satisfied smile.
When the portly Emperor stumbled and nearly lost his footing, Tamia caught him at once.
“My goodness, but Your Majesty—you’ve rather a lot of excess weight about you. You’ll need to reduce your portions and exercise regularly.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“If you find it difficult to exercise alone, just tell me anytime. I can give you a proper, rigorous regimen!”
Tamia flexed her forearm and made a sharp fist to demonstrate.
Terrified at the prospect of being seized by his daughter-in-law for an intense training session, the Emperor instinctively took a step back.
“I, I’m feeling rather fatigued. I believe this audience is concluded. You’re dismissed.”
“We’ll pay our respects again another day. Please do rest well!”
Tamia swept her skirts wide and beamed.
* * *
“What? Say that again.”
Duke Dupont slammed his fist on the desk and shot to his feet.
“So Tamia married the Second Prince, apparently? She went to watch the Couple’s Love Protection Monster Hunting tournament, and the two of them took first place!”
“The Couple’s Love Protection Monster Hunting tournament?”
“Father, what happens to me now? I can’t marry Tamia?”
Chris, whose dull brown hair hung limp and whose murky brown eyes were reddening with tears, whined pitifully at his father.
“Father, you can fix this, can’t you? Tamia and I can still make it work, right?”
“Be quiet!”
Dupont slammed the desk again, and Chris clamped his mouth shut, startled.
‘I’d meant to marry them off since they were close in age, keep her within reach……’
Now the entire plan had crumbled.
Dupont’s mouth twisted cruelly, his eyes burning with rage.
‘Shall I bleed them dry with usurious interest and drive them into bankruptcy?’
As Dupont was plotting to crush Count Arderin, he shook his head.
The problem was that Tamia’s new husband was the Second Prince, Leon. Whatever the circumstances of their marriage, the Imperial Family would never stand idly by and watch their in-laws suffer.
‘Wait—circumstances?’
“Chris, tell me exactly what you saw.”
“Well, Tamia didn’t seem to know her husband was a prince. Oh, and she said she’d only been after the prize money. So I guess it wasn’t exactly a sham marriage, but……”
There it was!
Dupont grasped how the marriage had come about.
‘That fool Tamia actually showed some wit for once.’
She’d rushed into marriage and won the tournament prize to pay off her debts in one stroke.
He recalled hearing at a social gathering this year that a new rule had been established for the Couple’s Love Protection Monster Hunting tournament—that the prize would be awarded only if the couple remained married for one full year.
“Chris, wait a little longer. Perhaps another opportunity will come around in a year.”
“A year?”
Chris asked back, bewildered.
Just then, a letter arrived from Count Arderin’s estate.
“Count Arderin wanted me to convey his sincerest apologies.”
Duke Dupont unfolded the letter with a displeased expression.
[……I felt the need to inform you quickly, so I’m writing first. My daughter Tamia married without my knowledge, and this makes it impossible for me to accept your proposal. I shall visit you shortly to offer a proper apology. ……]
“Damn!”
Duke Dupont, unable to contain his rising fury, tore the letter to shreds.
“How high and mighty! A provincial buffoon barely scraping by hunting monsters has no right to such airs!”
Chris, seized with terror, curled himself into a tight ball and retreated to a corner.
From experience, the best course of action when Father was angry like this was to make himself small.
Some time passed.
“……I should write a reply.”
Duke Dupont picked up a pen and began drafting a response on fine stationery.
[……I had been feeling guilty about making such an unreasonable demand anyway. I sincerely congratulate you on your daughter’s marriage. ……]
* * *
“Have you heard? The 2nd Prince has suddenly married and brought his wife home!”
The 2nd Prince’s Palace was abuzz with the master’s sudden marriage.
“They say the Princess saved the Emperor’s life the moment she arrived at the palace!”
“My, how did that happen?”
“Well, you know the underground canal that runs beneath the Audience Chamber? Apparently it suddenly collapsed. But the Princess lifted His Majesty right up and carried him to safety.”
“I heard she tossed him up like a cheerleader and caught him on her shoulders!”
“Come on, that can’t be right. Have you seen how large His Majesty is!”
“Really though? The servants working in the Audience Chamber are going absolutely mad!”
“Oh, look! The Prince and Princess are coming! Hush!”
The gossiping servants caught sight of their master arriving unexpectedly and quickly bowed their heads.
Meaningful glances flickered between them.
‘She lifted the Emperor with her bare hands?’
‘Impossible. She looks so slender and delicate.’
“Wow, this is the Prince’s Palace?”
Tamia looked around in wonder.
“It’s a hundred times bigger than our Town House.”
Leon had been about to point out that the Town House was abnormally small but realized the futility and stopped himself.
“Yes, this is the 2nd Prince’s Palace—where you’ll be living from now on.”
“But……there doesn’t seem to be anything expensive here.”
The 2nd Prince’s Palace, despite its size, was sparsely decorated with no lavish ornaments to speak of.
“Husband. Could it be……?”
Tamia glanced around before leaning close to Leon’s ear and asking softly.
“Is the Prince’s Palace……poor?”
“What?”
Leon let out an exasperated laugh. But Tamia’s expression remained utterly serious.
“You said you’d provide a Maintenance Allowance. You can actually afford that, right?”
“Good heavens, what exactly do you take the Emperor’s son to be?”
“I’m just saying—there’s no Dragon Leather Carpet here, no Golden Lion Statue. Not even a gleaming vase, let alone a teacup the size of a fist. How does that make sense!”
“I simply have no interest in luxury goods.”
Leon gestured to an attendant, who promptly brought a ledger.
It was the Imperial Budget Ledger.
Leon flipped through the pages and pointed to a specific section.
“The Maintenance Allowance allocated to the Princess is three thousand Derya per month. If there are special occasions, additional funds are provided separately.”
“Three thousand Derya!”
“Typically it’s all spent on dresses, jewelry, and such things…….”
Leon continued in a voice meant only for Tamia to hear.
“But some can be used for maintenance expenses, and some can go toward paying debts. By the end of a year, you should be able to pay off about half.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you looking down on me?”
Tamia’s eyes widened as she turned on Leon.
“Looking down on you?”
“Half in a year? I could pay it all in ten months. Three thousand times ten is thirty thousand.”
Does he think I can’t do basic arithmetic?
Leon was the one left speechless by Tamia’s presumptuous tone.
“Surely you’re not planning to use your entire Maintenance Allowance to pay off debts?”
“Of course. I don’t need jewelry or dresses.”
“The Imperial Family holds events constantly. If you stand beside me in the same dress every time, my reputation will suffer for it too.”
“Your reputation?”
Tamia, who had been stubborn until then, fell silent and lost herself in thought.
“……I can’t let my husband’s reputation be damaged because of me. All right, I’ll see to it.”
“I’m grateful for that.”
Leon let out a soft laugh.
He had no idea how the year ahead with Tamia would unfold.

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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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