I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 52

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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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Chapter 52

That afternoon.
I had a private meeting with Father.
I confessed every detail of what had happened, and Father scolded me for roughly two hours.
I thought that would be the end of it, but then I heard words from Father that shattered my world.
“Berry Berry, you’re getting no allowance this year.”
“Gasp! Why?!”
“First, going out at night without telling me. Second, making Anne complicit in your lies. Third, putting yourself in danger. Fourth….”
Father began folding down his fingers one by one, and all ten were folded by the end.
“Do you have any objections?”
“No, sir….”
Just as Jeffrey had warned, Father was furious and completely cut off my allowance.
My primary source of income—ten cona a month—had been severed.
One might argue that I had gold coins, but a seven-year-old spending gold coins was practically begging for questions about where they came from.
I needed pocket money.
‘Snacks…. I need to buy snacks….’
Tears welled up at this cruel reality.
Life as a seven-year-old was unbearably harsh.

***

The morning after the Wild Dog Tribe became Reytan’s subordinates.
The reception room of Count Roslyn’s Mansion.
“Marquis, how is it that you’ve traveled such a distance in person….”
Count Roslyn greeted Marquis Ash while rubbing his hands together.
Jeweled rings with large stones glittered on the Count’s fingers. The appearance of the rural lord, which had been plain just a month ago, grew more ornate with each passing day.
“I had business nearby and grew curious about your wellbeing, so I thought I’d stop by. Has anything troublesome occurred in your domain recently?”
This was thanks to the compensation Marquis Ash had provided for the inconveniences caused by land development, and the recently increased taxes he’d squeezed from the domain’s residents.
The residents had sighed at the inflated taxes, yet they paid without significant complaint.
It was because they harbored expectations that their own income would rise due to the land development.
“There are matters, but nothing worthy of the Marquis’s concern. It’s merely those penniless vagrants outside my domain refusing to pay taxes while spouting nonsense about needing military assistance.”
Count Roslyn let out a derisive chuckle, recalling the small villages beyond his territory.
Baron Voltman.
Despite his pitiful status as a baron with nowhere to go, I had graciously allowed him to live within my jurisdiction. Yet he can’t even handle a single Wild Dog Tribe and continues to pester me.
“Ah, the Wild Dog Tribe.”
“You’re aware of them?”
“Of course. They’re a tribe that settled on my family’s lands without permission. Humanoids, you say? Talking beasts, nothing more. They lack all sense of propriety, yet they presume to be treated as human.”
Marquis Ash leaned back against the sofa as he spoke.
“Why not eliminate both of them in one stroke? You’ve been eyeing those villages as thorns in your side anyway.”
“That would be ideal. What if you expanded the land development to include that area? I’ll grant the permits myself.”
“Not a bad idea.”
Greed gleamed across the faces of the two nobles as they conspired together.
Just then, Marquis Ash’s eyes fell upon a newspaper resting on the table. It lay neatly folded in half, bearing no signs of having been opened.
“Let’s see what today’s paper has to report.”
As if he owned the place, Marquis Ash picked up the newspaper. The smile that had graced his face vanished in an instant, his expression hardening.

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【EXCLUSIVE REPORT】 Has the Imperial Decree Been Violated?!
The Dark Transaction Between Marquis Ash and Count Roslyn
A shocking incident has recently rocked the Empire’s noble society. Claims have emerged that Marquis Ash and Count Roslyn violated the Imperial Decree and attempted to illegally develop land in the region inhabited by Wild Dog Tribe humanoids. …(excerpt)…
The crux of the matter lies in Count Roslyn issuing development permits to Marquis Ash. Most notably, there is strong suspicion that the land documents owned by the Marquis Ash family have been forged….
———-

Crash!
Tiny characters filled the page.
A front-page exclusive article spanning the entire first section of the newspaper.
The main points were that the authenticity of the land deed from Marquis Ash’s estate was questionable, that the regional lord had colluded with the Marquis, and that the land was actually territory belonging to the Humanoid Tribes—forbidden for private ownership by imperial decree.
“What is this!”
Marquis Ash’s mustache trembled. He immediately checked the newspaper’s name at the top of the page.
Daily Sunrise.
The largest newspaper company in the Heishal Empire, with the most branch offices.
A prestigious publication that received numerous awards each year, produced renowned journalists, and held the top position in the industry with its long history and authority.
“These so-called credible journalists dare publish such baseless drivel!”
“Y-yes, sir. But Marquis, is it true that the land deed was forged? We only proceeded with the development permit based on your word….”
It was a brief alliance held together by money. Count Roslyn began distancing himself from Marquis Ash, seeking a way out.
Marquis Ash jumped to his feet in fury.
“Forged? And how much money did you take from me—how dare you speak like this!”
“That was the development permit fee, as you said, Marquis….”
“Bah, a provincial lord spouting ignorance. Think carefully, Count. Don’t forget you signed as the appraiser guarantor for the land deed.”
“M-Marquis!”
Marquis Ash’s composure crumbled.
It was because of the word “imperial decree” in the article’s headline.
The current Emperor, Frederick Karl Igselona.
Marquis Ash knew exactly what kind of man the current Emperor was.
Since ascending to the throne, he had never fathered a child with any woman—a complex he desperately tried to mask by being hypersensitive to public opinion.
“This won’t do. Count, I’ll be taking some time away. Don’t contact me or visit.”
“What?! What am I supposed to do!”
The Emperor would personally take responsibility for and resolve any matter that tarnished the honor of the Igselona Imperial House. He would never let something like this slide.
Perhaps he already—.
“W-wait! The Count is currently with a guest!”
It was the moment Marquis Ash decided to go into seclusion.
As the butler’s voice of protest rang out, a man entered the reception room.
“H-how did you come to be here….”
A deep navy uniform and copper-colored hair swept back and fixed above his brow. Eyes cold and unyielding.
He was a famous figure throughout the Heishal Empire, his appearance flawless and impeccable.
Nobles with much to hide often referred to him in hushed tones.
The merciless head of the Investigation Department, Demian Knox.
A Grand Master chosen by the Sword of Earth during his regular duties—an eccentric who continued his work as an investigator despite rising from commoner to a rank rivaling high nobility.
“How fortunate that Marquis Ash is here as well. This saves me some effort.”
Demian withdrew a silver badge from his jacket pocket and showed it to both the Marquis and the Count, then spoke to them with a weary expression.
“You’ll both need to come to the Investigation Bureau. It’s an imperial decree.”

***

Father had never been able to refuse Marshall Grandmother, his benefactor from long ago.

“I’ll accompany you as well.”
“No.”

When Marshall Grandmother flatly rejected Father’s insistence on joining our outing, he decided to remain in Leaf Village.
After twenty minutes of riding in a carriage with just Marshall Grandmother, we arrived at a bustling town.
Well-paved roads and buildings of four to five stories lined the commercial district. My heart raced at the sight of such a landscape.
“Your father was so insistent that I feed you properly, so let’s have lunch first. What does this little chick want to eat?”
“Anything, as long as it’s not bitter or spicy!”
“That place over there should do nicely.”
It was a private room-style restaurant.
Marshall Grandmother and I were guided by a waiter down the corridor and into a room at the back. After we placed our order, the waiter served water and left.
I smiled brightly at Marshall Grandmother sitting across from me.
“Show me the newspaper, Grandmother!”
“Getting straight to business, I see. Here you go. I found it by the restaurant entrance.”
Marshall Grandmother handed me the newspaper she had brought.
Daily Sunrise.
It was today’s edition from the newspaper company where Marshall Grandmother was a major shareholder.
I quickly unfolded the newspaper, and the article I had promised Marshall Grandmother immediately caught my eye.
“Filling the front page with small-town gossip—Izra must have been beside himself with excitement. If I funded the newspaper company from its inception, I have to tolerate this much.”
“Hehe. But President Izra seemed quite pleased, didn’t he? Look at how boldly he printed the headline.”
“That fellow is far too money-hungry.”
“This edition must be selling incredibly well, right? It’s an inter-species human rights issue. Everyone’s interested regardless of race or status~”
“…Don’t speak of such matters in front of your father. If Reytan learns that his daughter is a genius beyond mere intelligence, he won’t be able to sleep. That man worries far too much about you.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
I nodded in agreement.

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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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