I Got Engaged To The Blind Duke - Chapter 239
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Side Story Episode 9
The Second Imperial Consort looked at Tan, who was smiling brightly, with fearful eyes. A cold wind blew through her chest.
What was he saying right now? Was he going to put poison in the food? Was this child capable of becoming this vicious?
Her mind was in complete chaos.
The Second Imperial Consort put strength into her trembling legs and stood up from her seat. If she couldn’t appease her son’s heart, she would have to resort to threats.
“You said you wanted to become Crown Prince? You cannot. You are actually-”
“Hahaha.”
When Tan suddenly burst into laughter, the Imperial Consort was left speechless.
“You truly are magnificent until the very end, Your Imperial Consort.”
“You cannot become Crown Prince! If you want to become Crown Prince, you must join hands with me-”
“No. I will try to become one by myself. I will take what Your Imperial Consort so desperately wanted by myself. So please stay in this palace without taking a single step out, and live as quietly as a dead mouse.”
“What? Are you saying you’ll confine me to this palace right now? How dare you?”
The Second Imperial Consort clenched her fists with hands trembling from rage and struck back venomously.
“Yes. That’s what I came here to say. I will no longer set foot in this palace.”
“Tan, are you truly going to abandon this mother?”
“You should speak correctly. Didn’t Your Imperial Consort abandon me first?”
Tan spoke coldly and turned around.
“Tan!”
The Second Imperial Consort frantically tried to grab his arm, but Tan didn’t even give her the chance and left the room.
Then he spoke to his guard knight who was waiting outside.
“Her Imperial Consort’s grief seems too great. She says she will not go outside anymore.”
“Yes.”
The guard knight locked the door with a large lock.
At that sight, the maid looked at Tan with a bewildered face.
“From now on, do not enter inside except during designated meal times. That is Her Imperial Consort’s will. Do you understand what I mean?”
Tan’s eyes were cold as he smiled with the corners of his eyes curved.
“Yes. I understand.”
The maid quickly answered.
Those who defy the 3rd Prince’s words get their heads cut off.
That was the rumor circulating in the palace these days.
The maid felt her nape grow cold and bowed her head deeply.
Thus the 3rd Prince and the guard knight walked away.
Bang bang.
“Open this door! Aaaah!”
The Second Imperial Consort’s piercing screams could be heard from inside, but the maid pretended not to hear and looked away.
* * *
Emperor’s Bedroom.
Tan looked down expressionlessly at the Emperor, whose face was deathly pale as he wheezed and gasped for breath.
The Emperor could no longer move and was barely clinging to life.
It was the work of another brother who had wanted to ascend to the Crown Prince’s position.
And that brother had died by his own hand.
“Imperial Father.”
As if hearing his voice, the Emperor’s eyelids trembled, but they did not open.
“The 1st Prince died falling from his horse, the Second Prince was devoured by a Demon Beast, and I killed the 4th Prince who poisoned Imperial Father. The 5th Prince left the Palace with one arm severed, and the remaining Princes are still young. So I intend to ascend to the Crown Prince’s position. Would that be acceptable, Imperial Father?”
The Emperor’s blackened face was rigid as stone and did not move, but his breathing became slightly more labored.
Tan continued speaking while looking down at him with dry, emotionless eyes.
“Everyone was born into the high position of Prince, but isn’t it truly tragic? With so many sons from different mothers, if you don’t kill, you end up being killed. So when I become Emperor, I intend to take only one Empress.”
Tan habitually rubbed the scar carved into his chin.
In the process of killing the 4th Prince, he himself had nearly died. If the 4th Prince’s blade had been just a little longer, it would have slashed his face instead of just the tip of his chin.
Tan bent his waist and whispered low enough for only the Emperor to hear.
“Imperial Father. Do not resent that I, whose bloodline is uncertain, will inherit this Empire. It’s all Imperial Father’s fault. So why didn’t you show some restraint?”
Tan straightened his back with an indifferent expression and moved his feet.
Wheeze. Wheeze.
The Emperor gasped roughly as if his breath would give out at any moment.
* * *
News knocked and entered the Crown Prince’s Office.
Tan, who had been looking at documents, raised his head.
“Did you have a good trip?”
“Yes. I had an excellent view of His Grace the Western Duke throwing His Highness the Crown Prince’s card far away.”
When News delivered his report with a snicker, Tan also chuckled while habitually stroking the scar on his chin.
Since the content was sent to provoke him, he had expected the card to be thrown away.
News smacked his lips while watching Tan laugh along.
It was a report meant to anger his superior, but didn’t he look rather pleased instead?
His superior was someone who, when he grasped an opponent’s weakness, never let it go and created profit from it.
How could he have known that the Western Duke would change his face and settle into an enemy nation’s Imperial Palace? It was unfair. Being blackmailed with that information and becoming the Crown Prince’s person was also so unfair it was maddening.
This cunning 3rd Prince had used everything from the moment he decided to become Crown Prince.
He had run forward relentlessly, sometimes persuading his brothers, sometimes intimidating them, and had finally taken the Crown Prince’s seat not long ago.
“…Did she look happy?”
News observed his superior carefully. He could read a tense light in the Crown Prince’s face, which usually maintained a smooth attitude.
He couldn’t tease him anymore. News silently nodded his head.
Then the Crown Prince, who chuckled softly, lowered his gaze back to the documents.
“You may go.”
“Yes.”
News looked at the Crown Prince before closing the door and leaving.
The sunlight that had been pouring through the window was hidden by clouds, casting a dim shadow.
The Crown Prince sitting alone amidst the cool atmosphere somehow looked lonely.
* * *
Capital Outskirts.
The Outdoor Tavern, open on all sides, was bustling and noisy with customers from early afternoon.
“Nothing’s fun these days.”
Tan, who was habitually touching the scar on his chin, lamented to News sitting in front of him while picking up Peanuts to eat.
News frowned as he mentally counted the empty Wine Glasses placed before him.
It was a full 20 Cups. Seeing that he hadn’t collapsed yet after drinking this much, the Crown Prince really had a strong tolerance for alcohol.
“You came outside the Capital for the first time in a while saying you’d observe public sentiment, but you’re only drinking instead of actually observing?”
“Seeing people bustling about like this even in early afternoon, doesn’t it mean the economy is running well?”
News found Tan’s words absurd but soon had no choice but to agree.
After the Crown Prince opened the Empire’s previously closed borders and lowered tariffs, the Market economy was running more actively than ever before.
“The position of Crown Prince isn’t even that fun, so why did everyone want it so badly?”
News looked at his superior before him with irreverent eyes.
“Even your drunken rambling is quite luxurious.”
What good does it do to revive the economy? When the Crown Prince has no attachment to his position.
News also downed his drink with a “whatever happens, happens” attitude.
“I killed them all, so there are no Elder Brothers left to pass the Crown Prince position to.”
“Pfft.”
News, who had alcohol stuck in his throat, quickly turned his head to the side and sprayed the drink out like a fountain.
Clap clap clap.
Tan smiled brightly and clapped his hands.
“You have a Mysterious Ability.”
News wiped his lips with his forearm and quickly surveyed the surroundings.
Fortunately, everyone was making noise among themselves, so no one was paying attention to this place.
“No, please moderate your drunken rambling a bit. You shouldn’t say such things carelessly.”
Tan giggled and laughed as he tossed Peanuts into the Sky and caught them in his mouth.
“Look. I have skills too, right?”
“Yes yes, how admirable.”
News gave him a halfhearted response.
“When Imperial Consort hands me Poison Candy, I was bored of just eating it normally, so when I ate it this way, it went down well.”
“Ah, please stop! Don’t tell me such things!”
At the life-threatening statements, News covered his ears and shook his head frantically.
As if finding that sight amusing, Tan laughed out loud again and tossed his Money Pouch.
“Go order more drinks-”
Just then, a small figure instantly snatched the Money Pouch from mid-air and ran into the Market.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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