I’ll Become the Heroine’s Capable Divorce Partner - Chapter 12

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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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Chapter 12

‘Really, do you have to make it so obvious?’

The corners of my mouth, forcing a smile, trembled slightly.

Endure it, endure.

The man before me is the Crown Prince.

He’s not someone I can carelessly confront…

I calmed my boiling insides and changed the subject.

“What brings Your Highness here?”

“I also came to visit the sick. The explorers just returned from their voyage.”

Explorers?

I perked up my ears.

The Crown Prince’s greatest achievement in the original work.

That was supporting the explorers to pioneer the New Trade Route.

Actually, the process wasn’t easy at all.

Just launching the fleet alone cost enormous amounts of money.

Building several massive ships, providing supplies to the explorers, and even creating new maps.

None of it cost just a penny or two.

Since gold coins didn’t fall from the sky, naturally all these costs had to be scraped together from somewhere.

Initially supported by the Imperial Family’s treasury, later even the Crown Prince’s personal fortune was completely drained to provide support.

Everyone pointed fingers at the Crown Prince, calling him foolish.

‘I have no idea how long you plan to keep pouring unlimited gold coins into those incompetent fools.’

‘Really, that’s exactly what I’m saying.’

‘Honestly, I wonder if His Highness the Crown Prince has been swindled…’

But despite the pouring criticism, the Crown Prince trusted the explorers.

And that faith returned with tremendous results.

After countless efforts, the explorers finally discovered the New Land.

Enormous amounts of silver were extracted from the Silver Mine, and luxury goods like tea leaves with unique fragrances and tobacco flowed endlessly into the Empire.

Particularly effective was the discovery of a special spice called ‘Black Gold’ – Quiloa.

As Quiloa established itself as a premium spice, the Imperial Family, which became the sole supplier of Quiloa, also accumulated tremendous wealth.

And the kind and righteous Crown Prince returned part of that wealth to care for the Empire’s needy people…

Well, anyway.

‘Right now is still the time when the Crown Prince is making various mistakes.’

Even so, he’s destined to be the victor who will eventually accumulate tremendous wealth through exploration.

I asked back without much thought.

“Are the explorers’ health conditions poor? To the extent of being hospitalized at the Medical Center.”

“Since they just finished a long voyage not too long ago. I had them hospitalized to recover their strength as well.”

Although the Crown Prince answered as if nothing was wrong, well.

I glanced sideways at the Crown Prince.

‘Somehow his expression doesn’t look good.’

That was because worry that couldn’t be completely erased lingered over the Crown Prince’s handsome face.

At the same time, I felt a deep sense of unease.

The National Scope Medical Center is one of the finest hospitals in the Empire.

The best medical staff are stationed there and the hospital fees are also considerable.

Of course, the Crown Prince has a nature that values people highly. He might have wanted to give the best treatment to his explorers.

But.

‘Still, isn’t hospitalizing them a bit excessive?’

Even taking time out of his Crown Prince duties to personally come visit them.

And what was that serious expression when talking with the doctor earlier?

‘Wait.’

Suddenly, content from the original work flashed through my mind.

‘Come to think of it, the problem that kept troubling the Crown Prince in the story was probably…’

Words slipped out without me realizing.

“The explorers’ illness.”

“…Princess?”

The Crown Prince looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“Don’t they have loss of appetite and fatigue? And bleeding gums too.”

It didn’t take long for the Crown Prince’s suspicious expression to change to surprise.

Purple eyes filled with shock stared intently at me.

‘Oops.’

Meanwhile, I belatedly realized my mistake.

As everyone might guess by now, the disease the explorers were currently suffering from was scurvy.

However, the fact that the explorers were ill was being kept strictly confidential until now.

But I had suddenly rattled off the symptoms one by one.

‘Do I look suspicious now?’

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

At the same time, the Crown Prince asked me with piercing eyes.

“How do you know those symptoms, Princess?”

Because I read it in the original work?

…Since I couldn’t answer that, I quickly put on a poker face.

“It’s a secret.”

“Princess, that’s…”

“Originally, women need to have one or two secrets to be attractive, don’t they?”

Having answered carelessly like that, I unconsciously avoided the Crown Prince’s eyes.

S-sorry.

Even so, it hurts when you look at me with such disgusted eyes.

“Princess, this is a very important matter.”

The Crown Prince asked again with a serious expression.

“You know, don’t you? The New Trade Route development is a national project that the Empire takes seriously. Even the smallest clue is desperately needed.”

Meanwhile, listening to the Crown Prince’s persuasion, I felt somewhat mischievous.

This is like leaving the answer up to me, isn’t it?

Of course, from the Crown Prince’s perspective, it must be so frustrating that I understand why he’s acting so urgently, but…

“Just with words?”

Finally unable to hold back, I shot back.

The Crown Prince looked like he’d been hit on the head.

“I understand your difficult situation. But I don’t have an obligation to give you advice, do I?”

“That’s… certainly true.”

The Crown Prince finally seemed to calm down a bit.

He asked in a subdued voice.

“What do you want?”

“If the problem is solved through my advice, please distribute the profits from the New Trade Route development to me.”

I lifted my chin and looked straight into the Crown Prince’s eyes.

Then I gave him a bright smile.

“I won’t ask for much. 5%, how about it?”

* * *

About 30 minutes later.

Joshua was walking through the hospital corridor as if entranced by something.

‘Feed them fresh vegetables and fruits.’

Elodie von Laventess’s clear voice still rang distinctly in his ears.

‘Orange or lemon, asparagus or tomato, cabbage and such would be good too.’

It was an excessively simple solution for something that had been such a headache until now.

Of course, that was assuming Elodie von Laventess’s advice was genuine.

Elodie von Laventess had even shrewdly extracted a simple contract in exchange for that single piece of advice.

– Joshua Kael de Eisenach shall distribute 5% of the profits generated from new trade route development to Elodie von Laventess, on the condition that the explorers’ disease is cured.

Below that was not only the Crown Prince’s signature, but also the Crown Prince’s seal stamped with his seal ring.

‘Of course I trust Your Highness the Crown Prince, but still, I need a minimum safety net.’

Elodie von Laventess, her face beaming with joy, carefully tucked the simple contract into her bosom.

‘Then please try following my prescription once, and when the results come out later, we’ll write up a formal contract.’

With those final words, Elodie von Laventess promptly left as if she had been waiting for that moment.

Joshua, who had been mulling over her advice, unconsciously let out a bitter smile.

‘What kind of pointless act is this.’

The Empire’s leading scholars had put their heads together and agonized over this for a long time, yet hadn’t even found a clue until now.

But that strange disease…

‘Could be solved by merely changing their diet?’

Moreover, there was another strange part.

‘What’s gotten into the Princess?’

Joshua narrowed his eyes.

Usually, it’s normal to receive payment first before giving advice.

Above all, if it had been the usual Elodie von Laventess, she would never have done anything that put her at a disadvantage.

But this time, why had she offered the solution first?

‘In many ways, this is a losing situation for me, but I’m telling you first.’

‘After all, human lives are at stake.’

Of course, she had made a show of it several times.

But well, feeding them vegetables and fruits wouldn’t harm their health.

Thus, Joshua gave instructions to the doctor without much thought.

“Make sure to include fresh vegetables and fruits in the patients’ meals.”

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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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