I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 181

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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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Side Story Episode 1

26. The Brown-Haired Man

Laksek’s hands trembled as he read the morning newspaper in his Study.
Though advanced in years, Count Trabel remained vigorous and sharp.
Unable to contain his seething rage, he let out a thunderous roar.
“These wretches!”
His fury was so intense that the newspaper in his grip crumpled halfway.
Then Laksek’s golden eyes caught the photograph in the article just as it was about to be crushed.
He quickly released his grip.
He’d saved the photograph, but his anger remained unabated. He slammed his desk.
“They took my granddaughter and treat her like this?!”
Simply striking the desk did nothing to ease his ire.
In the photograph, Berry was attending a charity event hosted by the Third Concubine.
His granddaughter stood at the far right edge, wearing a faint smile.
Unlike the other concubines’ elaborate gowns adorned with lace, Berry’s dress was plain and unadorned.
As if she alone had misunderstood the dress code.
“Four times this month alone! Four times!”
Such incidents had become increasingly frequent of late.
Articles depicting what appeared to be the concubines ostracizing Berry had been published multiple times.
“If this is just what made it into the papers, I can only imagine how severe it must be within the Imperial Palace!”
“….”
Seated on the sofa before Laksek’s desk was Reytan Quartz Trabel.
His face was ice-cold as he silently sipped his tea.
He wanted nothing more than to confront the Emperor immediately and protest this situation, but Berry had stopped him.

——
I’ll handle this myself.
Father, please don’t get involved.
——

It was a reply that had arrived a few days prior.
They say a true father must know how to respect his daughter’s independence, but….
“…Theon.”
My disciple’s name—now the Crown Prince—escaped my lips.
Laksek reacted to it.
“That infuriating bastard!”
What in blazes was my son-in-law doing?!
“He took her away as if he’d treasure her, and in just half a year he’s caused this disaster?! If only he’d handled things properly in the meantime, none of this would have….”
Wait.
Laksek stopped mid-sentence and fell into contemplation.
Then he burst into a satisfied laugh.
“I was intimidated by the Imperial Family because I thought I’d entrusted Berry to them. If I show the power of House Trabel to those concubines’ families, they’ll know to tread carefully on their own.”
Laksek immediately sought out Callet, his advisor, to put his thoughts into action.
“Callet, find the connection points between those families and Trabel. If there are none, create them.”
“Father.”
“What is it, boy.”
Sensing that I was about to interfere, Laksek spoke in a sharp tone.
True to his intuition, I withdrew a letter from my pocket and unfolded it before him.

——
Grandfather, please do not involve yourself.
And do not even think of applying pressure from the outside.
——

“….”
My granddaughter’s sharp rebuke, as if she were playing with me atop my own head.
Laksek let out a groan and pressed his hand to his forehead.

***

Six months since I entered the Igselona Royal Family.
It had been a state of emergency since morning.
“Don’t do anything.”
I stood in the bedroom still in my nightclothes, stretching both hands out like a trainer restraining a wild beast.
“I’ll handle it.”
At my words, Theon—dressed in pajamas and holding a newspaper in one hand—looked at me.
He wore a smile, but his face was on the verge of erupting with barely suppressed rage.
“Berry, why do you have to struggle to resolve things? If you just stay still, I’ll take care of it myself.”
Theon tapped the newspaper in his hand.
“I’ve tolerated the small incidents until now because that’s what you wanted, but this time they’ve crossed the line.”
Recently, taking advantage of the Empress’s chronic back pain worsening, the concubines’ territorial behavior had intensified.
They arbitrarily changed the venue for poetry recitation gatherings, deliberately excluded me from conversations, and subtly mocked me through their tone and actions.
In truth, compared to Aunt Mariane, it was rather mild, so it hadn’t bothered me much.
The problem was that as their territorial behavior intensified, these subtle acts of ostracism began appearing in photographs and articles.
‘To do such things even at public events… I’d call that foolish.’
I recalled yesterday’s events while looking at the newspaper Theon held.
Contrary to the message that we should dress as modestly as possible for the charity event, the concubines appeared in all manner of elaborate finery.
The Third Concubine looked startled when she saw me in a plain dress, then said:

“It seems the message didn’t reach the Crown Princess properly. Since the Igselona Royal Family has its dignity, we’ve decided to disregard the modest dress code.”

If instead they had dressed me in an elaborate gown while they wore modest attire, the concubines could have efficiently won the people’s favor and diminished my standing.
But this incident resulted in my approval rating among the Empire’s citizens rising slightly, while suspicions bloomed that the concubines were tormenting the Crown Princess.
“It’s fine. It actually benefited me, didn’t it?”
“I’m not fine with it. Berry.”
Theon shook his head firmly.
“The instigator is the Fourth Concubine, right?”
The Fourth Concubine was a princess from a foreign land, one year younger than Theon.
She had a scheming nature and hid her role as the instigator while manipulating the other concubines to torment me.
From our first meeting, she had been particularly displeased with me.
‘I believe the cause is jealousy, but…’
She, being my age, had been essentially sold from her homeland to the Heishal Empire and entered into a political marriage with the Emperor—a man old enough to be her father. My situation was different.
“I’ll go deal with the Fourth Concubine. From now on, no one in this Imperial Palace will dare treat you carelessly.”
“Theon!”
I stopped Theon again.
Theon, the Emperor’s only son and the Crown Prince, outranked the concubines.
If Theon gave an order, the concubines would be unable to do anything that very day, but…
“That’s the thing, Theon…!”
I swallowed hard.
I didn’t think Theon’s affection for me could ever wane, but there was something I felt oddly guilty about and couldn’t bring myself to say.
“Are the Concubines harassing me? I don’t mind at all.”
In fact, if I simply pretended to be hurt and accepted their torment, the Concubines were satisfied—what could be easier than this?
It wasn’t as though I needed to restore plummeting stock prices, nor was I ruining an entire year’s grape harvest due to drought.
Theon, Father, Count Trabel.
They all possessed enough power to stop the Concubines’ harassment.
The Imperial Palace couldn’t ignore a protest from the Crown Prince, the Grand Master, and the Count of Trabel.
“I’m grateful that you all take my side.”
Yet I had a clear reason why I couldn’t afford to make enemies of the Concubines.
“If I use force, the harassment will stop. But will the Concubines truly continue to invite me to their private gatherings afterward?”
“…Private gatherings?”
“The tea time held every Friday at two in the afternoon.”
Yes.
If the Concubines’ feelings were hurt, the moment the harassment ceased, they might never invite me to tea time again!
‘That place is…!’

“An inventor from their kingdom has created a flying vehicle. They say balloons can carry people. It’s absurd, isn’t it?”
“The Vaneba Kingdom has also developed new technology. Some sort of injection that relieves pain without using Holy Power. I hear they’re planning to test it on commoners.”

A gathering where high-grade intelligence flowed from the mouths of Concubines born as princesses of foreign kingdoms!
Occasionally, when I timed my questions well, they would answer—and participating directly myself yielded far more information than sending Akum to eavesdrop.
‘Since I no longer know the future, this intelligence is invaluable.’
Which is why the Trabel Estate and the Crown Prince couldn’t act!
“I’ll earn the money myself, Theon.”
“….”
Theon stared at me as if at a loss for words.
“I’ll stop the Concubines’ harassment so Grandfather and Father can stay out of it.”
This time, he gave a slight nod.
“So.”
“I understand.”
“Hm?”
Theon opened his mouth.
“I’ll help too. Your plan to stop Berry’s harassment.”
I had gained an ally.

***

But Theon would have no role to play in my plan.
I had already devised a method to resolve this most peacefully.

——
【Editorial】 The Imperial Family’s Hidden Secret? The Igselona Royal Family Concubines Draw the Line
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Shaping public opinion.
The concubines would naturally make the Empire’s citizens cautious of their actions.
The Igselona Royal Family had maintained an atmosphere of avoiding negative public sentiment thanks to the Emperor’s image management efforts.
With this approach, harassment would decrease, and they wouldn’t dare exclude me from tea time!
I smiled as I read the editorial from Daily Sunrise.
And the very next day, an article appeared that contradicted my intentions.

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【Exclusive】 The Crown Princess’s Origins Under Fire…
“Reytan Quartz Trabel is Not Her Biological Child” Claims Emerge
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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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