I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 37

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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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Episode 37.
Karman’s words shook the foundation of everything I’d said so far, forcing me to reconsider the vague optimism I’d been harboring.
‘Why did I ever believe he would give Cassion a fair chance?’
Karman was a man who valued Royal Authority above almost everything else.
He was the type to sacrifice the personal for the nation’s benefit, discarding his own feelings without hesitation.
His approach to raising his children was Survival of the Fittest. He would drive them to the brink and acknowledge only those who lived to climb back out. That was Karman’s method of parenting.
He could watch Cassion struggle and claw for survival, and if he eventually clawed his way up to become a rival to Dayson, Karman would be pleased—but first, Cassion had to survive alone.
I believed in Cassion because I’d seen his matured future self, but from Karman’s perspective, there was no need to support a Cassion who seemed hopeless, no reason to provoke Dayson and Julia.
I would have to negotiate with Karman using the benefits he would gain from my marriage to Cassion.
All I had to offer him now was my family.
“The Irenber Family holds no interest for you?”
“The Irenber Family is essential to Petrola. But the Irenber Family as it stands now, without a head—isn’t that something I could take whenever I wish?”
My jaw tightened without my meaning to.
Fury rose in me at his arrogant certainty that he could dictate the fate of my family.
‘It’s only that there’s no head of household… surely it can’t be that simple.’
Karman was not the sort of man to reverse his judgment merely because a family lacked its patriarch.
He’d assessed a dark future for the Irenber Family.
What he’d said was true—that he could seize control of us—and the probability that his dark vision of our future would come to pass was high.
‘If I hadn’t returned, that is.’
A head of household of the Irenber Family was a power that could stand against Karman himself, but a headless Irenber was like a pearl with no thread to string it.
‘But the pearl has a thread now. That thread is me.’
And Karman would never reach for the Irenber Family recklessly.
“You won’t seize it by force, will you?”
Something flickered across Karman’s eyes.
“Why do you think that?”
Before answering, I studied him carefully. Could he become my ally? Or, failing that, would he at least watch over me from a position of neutrality?
I concluded it would be the latter. The reason was simple.
“Count Kolkos, who is being considered as my guardian—I believe you know whose man he is.”
The soft look in his eyes, as though he were watching a cute child, sharpened. Karman straightened in his seat.
Karman was wary of Julia.
Julia’s influence was growing by the day.
It was a power vast enough that, without drawing a blade to Karman’s throat, she could easily overturn one or two of his policies.
Precisely because of this, Karman was making an effort not to provoke her. He didn’t want to trigger her unnecessarily and create a rift of dangerous proportions.
Karman wanted to be a good king, so he labored to maintain the stable realm his ancestors had left him.
At the very least, he didn’t want his reign marked by chaos born from conflict between king and queen.
So Karman had left the Irenber Family alone—precisely what Julia was reaching for.
Rather than fight over power, he would cede it. Karman only needed to keep the throne.
A hot surge of anger at this cowardice, this weakness.
While Karman avoided conflict to preserve his position, Julia gnawed away at the kingdom. And Cassion was left to rot.
Karman’s approach might appear rational on the surface, but I knew he was wrong.
The kingdom might stumble along well enough while Karman lived, but if Dayson became king……
‘The realm would collapse in an instant.’
I couldn’t spell out the future I knew in detail and convince him that way.
But it didn’t matter. I only had to prove my usefulness to Karman.
“What a remarkable idea you’ve conceived, Dayson. Well done—you’ve become an indispensable talent for Petrola.”
I remembered the praise Karman had given when Dayson had solved one of Petrola’s difficult problems using an idea of mine.
I couldn’t forget it—such praise, coming from a man rarely generous with compliments, delivered with a broad smile.
‘Dayson had been overjoyed at the words.’
Karman loved talent that benefited Petrola. I simply had to become that talent.
It was something I’d done countless times in my previous life.
‘Eventually he’ll come begging me for help.’
Forget eventually—I’d make it happen now.
But everything takes time, and there is such a thing as proper timing.
Today, I decided to retreat with only the time I’d bought.
“For now, you won’t covet the Irenber Family, not yet—not with Count Kolkos at its head. But I will reverse that mind of yours, I promise it.”
It might sound like the naive boasting of a child, but because I was a child, this promise would score me points with Karman instead.
The Petrola Royal Family ran on warrior’s blood, but Karman, born after the realm had stabilized, had no need for a warrior’s nature and had long suppressed his own. Yet that very suppression created a rebound—he loved combative people.
When you held power, you were surrounded by those who only spoke flattery, so a person who would tell hard truths and challenge you was a gift.
My prediction proved right. The corners of Karman’s mouth lifted.
“I find myself astonished several times over today.”
Once was shock at Cassion’s demand for a gift, twice would be because of me.
“Wait. I don’t know what the Princess of Irenber will bring me, but we can discuss Cassion’s gift after she delivers it. Now I should ask Cassion.”
Karman turned his gaze toward Cassion. Two pairs of golden eyes met in the void.
“Apart from marriage to Princess Diana, you have no other gift to request of me?”
“I do not, Your Majesty.”
At the answer without a moment’s hesitation, Karman laughed as if astounded.
“Aren’t you disappointed? When I could give you something tremendous.”
Suddenly Karman’s expression turned grave.
He was asking whether Cassion was calculating properly.
‘Cassion had better answer this correctly.’
What had seemed like a casual promise to give gifts freely was in fact a test to gauge the measure of Karman’s vessel.
“No matter what you give me, I lack the strength to protect it. Therefore, I need neither gold, silver, nor land. What I wish to receive from you is strength—and that strength is Irenber.”
Cassion made clear, word by word and with force, that he had no intention of exchanging his gift for anything else.
The perfect answer. It would be impossible to say anything better while demanding marriage to me.
‘Impressive.’
When did that Cassion, sprawled and spitting blood, grow old enough to think such thoughts? He was admirable beyond measure.
It was Karman’s turn to answer after all his questions. I found myself curious what he would say.
“I understand.”
At the answer that emerged from the quiet silence, the wind left my sails. Karman’s reply was frustratingly unsatisfying in every way.
“I really must be going now.”
Karman rose, bracing himself on his knees. The second dismissal. We rose without delay and offered our respects.
Whether he acknowledged our bow or not, Karman seated himself at the desk.
We had held a long conversation. Though I had not obtained the result I desired, I had gained a worthwhile outcome. And there was one more thing I needed to settle.
“I shall call upon you again, Your Majesty.”
Speaking as if it were obvious that Karman should meet with me, as if we had an appointment, Karman looked up from the documents he had been reading.
I met his gaze steadily.
Whether he read my determination not to leave until I had my answer, Karman looked back and forth between Cassion and me, then set down his pen. And he spoke.
“Princess Diana. I await the proof of which you spoke.”
A deeply satisfying answer.
***
On the way back to Cassion’s Palace, we sank into our own thoughts without speaking.
The assumption that we could marry at once had crumbled.
‘The atmosphere makes it clear marriage won’t be granted easily. His retainers will be demanding he designate a guardian.’
I gauged how much time remained for me. Not long before the Automatic Guardianship Designation took effect.
‘I must convince him. I need to make it clear to His Majesty that my becoming the head of Irenber Family benefits the Royal Family.’
And the first thing to do when I returned would be to empty Mother’s vault and my own private funds to acquire the Phoenix Bank.
‘I had planned to buy it with family money after obtaining His Majesty’s permission for the marriage.’
Nothing proceeded easily. That was precisely why my determination burned brighter.
‘I won’t run short of funds.’
Most large transactions had systems for splitting the purchase price across installments.
The Phoenix Bank acquisition required presenting half the acquisition funds as collateral, with the remainder payable in installments.
Moreover, I had funds accumulated in the Deposit Guild. Since it wasn’t money I’d taken improperly, I could circulate it for temporary use.
‘I’ll manage the pressing crisis that way, but the fundamental solution is still to convince Karman. How?’
What could benefit the kingdom while also helping me?
If I sifted through the future I knew, something might catch.
“Wrapping up the day quietly is off the table, Diana.”
As I continued to turn thoughts over, Cassion, who had been gazing out the window, spoke while brushing down his neatly combed hair.
What had he seen to put him in such a mood?
I stretched my body forward to follow where his gaze had been resting.
“Whoa!”
Unintentionally I’d leaned my body across his thigh, and Cassion yelped and jumped.
As I turned, gripping the carriage frame, I saw Cassion’s face flushed red.
“I was curious what was outside.”
“Yes, you could see it from your seat!”
“If I stay in my seat, I won’t be able to see what you’re looking at.”
Cassion covered his eyes with his hand and sighed.
“Look and move back quickly.”
Whether he said to move or not, I’d end up moving anyway. The position was simply too uncomfortable.
I stretched my neck as far as I could and looked out the window. In the distance, along the path toward Cassion’s Palace, a figure wavered.
Rare silver hair. It was Dayson.
It wouldn’t pass quietly by. I agree with Cassion a hundred times over.
I Bought the Villains with Money (Serialized)
Author │ Lee In-hye
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyung
Publishing House │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd. — Tiramisu
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ 1101, 11 Digeuntal-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8th Building, 11th Floor)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
© Lee In-hye 2021
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder,
and the content may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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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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