The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 168
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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 168
This Emperor’s secret journey was entirely orchestrated by Leblaine.
The sequence of events was as follows.
First, the chairman dropped a fist-sized diamond on the path where the Imperial Chamberlain’s grandchild walked to and from school.
The child quickly picked it up and brought it to his grandfather.
After that, Seria visited the chamberlain and said, “Diamond from such and such date, here it is,” and finished with a knowing laugh.
The chamberlain, who had received a bribe through such an innovative method, was astounded and said:
“In the 40 years of bribes I’ve received, this is the most despicable and underhanded method. Using a child, how amazing! Even if caught, there would be about ninety-nine excuses!”
When masters of corruption and bribery gathered together, manipulating one chamberlain was this simple.
Afterward, the chamberlain, moved by the sincere bribe, subtly spoke to the Emperor.
“The aftermath of the great drought is reaching even the Imperial Capital. The people’s hearts are restless, and uprisings are occurring everywhere.”
“Soon we’ll distribute the water sources sent from Dubbled to each administrative office. That should provide relief, and the people’s hearts will calm down. But why does your expression look so dark?”
“I have served three monarchs from the previous Previous Duke to Your current Majesty. Even a foolish old man has seen and heard things. The Previous Emperor was not recorded as a sage ruler. Could that be due to lack of sincere heart? It’s because parasites who fill their own bellies with devotion meant for the people are rampant.”
“Just get to the point. What are you trying to say?”
“When people gain power, corruption inevitably follows. This Empire has many who have stagnated and rotted. Will the water sources safely reach the common people?”
“Hmm, your words have merit. I should summon the heads of the administrative offices and give them a stern warning.”
“Would there be any official bold enough to reveal their greed before Your Majesty?”
“That’s true too. …Make preparations. I must go on a secret journey.”
“Your Majesty…! How could Your Majesty go personally! Please reconsider!”
“No. You’re right. I’ve been too lenient with the officials. ‘Stagnated and rotted.’ Those are apt words. I must go and see with my own eyes.”
“Heaven will be moved by Your Majesty’s sincere heart!”
The secret journey was decided with the chamberlain prostrating himself flat and crying out “Your Majesty!!”
The Emperor, wearing his hood pulled low, frowned at the long line stretching through the Imperial Capital outskirts.
“What is that line? Has some unauthorized street vendor set up shop?”
The chamberlain answered as instructed by Seria beforehand.
“It’s the line leading to Saint Olga’s treatment center.”
“Treatment center?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Hans, who had been surveying the treatment center area under Leblaine’s orders, overheard the conversation and his eyes flashed.
‘The Emperor has arrived at the treatment center. Everyone prepare!’
Receiving Hans’s signal, Seto poked the side of the actor (Hope Trading Company worker) who was at the very end of the line.
The actor then jumped up and recited the lines he had been memorizing since yesterday.
“Ce, Cecilia Olga is truly a wonderful person!”
“Of course! Ah, is there a separate emperor? If someone looks after us common folk, that person is the em, emperor!”
“Ce, Cecilia Olga is the em, emperor of this street. Heh heh!”
The Emperor’s face twisted with anger.
But if he punished all the ignorant people babbling nonsense for insulting the Imperial Family, there would be no one left in this Empire.
The Emperor clicked his tongue and tried to turn away.
Seeing this, Seto hurriedly signaled to Hans.
‘Deploy Team 2!’
When Hans waved his hand from behind the rock, small children came running to the end of the line.
“Is this the Saint’s treatment center?”
“Th, that’s right!”
“Wow, wow!”
“Did you also come to receive treatment from the Saint?”
“No. We came to see the Saint. They say she’s a wonderful person.”
“Th, that’s right.”
“They said the Saint looks after us whom His Imperial Majesty has abandoned!”
The little children hopped around in agreement.
“The Saint is amazing.”
“Big brother, I wish the Saint could be emperor. Right?”
“No way. There’s a stupid emperor living in that palace over there.”
“But the Saint is more amazing!”
The Emperor’s face turned red and blue.
The Chief Chamberlain glanced around nervously and said.
“Do not let your heart be troubled by the words of foolish people.”
“Am I such a petty person! I was just… ah, yes. I was merely angry at someone who built a treatment center without my permission.”
“That’s right. Saint Olga is neither a priest nor a doctor, so by rights she shouldn’t be treating people.”
“Exactly! How dare this charlatan toy with my people for profit? I should make an example of her in front of the people so these wicked groups don’t run rampant.”
“Truly wise.”
The Chief Chamberlain subtly fanned the Emperor’s anger as Seria had requested.
The Emperor headed toward Cecilia with an angry face, pushing through the line of people.
Cecilia was sitting on an old chair, examining an old woman’s leg.
A faint light rippled from where Cecilia’s hand touched, and soon the old woman’s face became much more comfortable.
“Don’t go out to work in the fields for a while.”
“Oh my, it’s almost harvest time, what am I to do if I can’t work in the fields?”
When the old woman jumped up saying “I can’t. I can’t” and shook her head, Cecilia said with a mischievous expression.
“With such severe inflammation in your joints, if you go out, we might have to amputate your leg next time?”
“Am, amputate?”
That’s when it happened.
The Emperor approached with a stern face and said.
“Hey.”
‘You came.’
Cecilia, who immediately recognized the Emperor’s identity, hid the communication magic tool hanging on her ear with her hair and then raised her head.
[Tell him to get in line if he wants medical treatment.]
“Please get in line if you want medical treatment.”
Cecilia, who followed Leblaine’s words well, looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor let out a scoff and frowned.
“Who gave permission to set up a medical facility here without authorization?”
[This isn’t a medical facility. Where in the world is there a medical facility without even a building, not even a tent?]
“This isn’t a medical facility. There’s not even a building, not even a tent. There’s no such medical facility in the world.”
Come to think of it, there really wasn’t even a tent. The national law states that ‘medical facilities’ cannot be established.
A medical facility. In other words, you cannot build a house for medical treatment.
‘Exploiting legal loopholes… how cunning!’
The Emperor’s face turned bright red.
“Are you qualified? Unqualified people cannot provide medical treatment!”
“That’s…”
[Shh, shh! Don’t say anything!]
Leblaine hurriedly stopped Cecilia from speaking and sent a signal to Hans through another communication stone.
Hans, who received the signal, poked the person at the front of the line (a trading company worker) in the ribs.
“Why are you interfering with the Saint’s treatment!”
Then the trading company workers disguised as patients shouted in unison.
“Aren’t you just making a fuss because you want to get treated first?”
“Stop interfering and get lost!”
“Get lost!”
As the trading company workers hidden among the patients incited them, ordinary patients also glared at the Emperor with wide eyes and criticized him.
The Emperor was flustered by the people’s shouting.
“No, no, these people… There are two hospitals authorized by the Imperial Palace in this neighborhood, and there’s also a shrine! You should receive treatment from qualified doctors and priests, not be swayed by charlatans!”
A trading company worker disguised as a patient shouted as instructed by Leblaine.
“Do you think we don’t know that and gathered here! Do you know how much money it costs to get treatment at a medical facility authorized by the Imperial Palace?”
“That’s right! For people like us to cross that threshold, we’d have to offer up our farmland!”
“Hospitals and shrines are places only for noble lords!”
The Emperor became increasingly bewildered. He didn’t understand what they were talking about.
“Private hospital fees have been frozen by imperial decree. So that even commoners can receive treatment…!”
“What imperial decree! The Emperor who lives luxuriously in the Imperial Palace, what would he think about us! Do you think those hospitals only make money from treatment? They’ll obviously charge a fortune for medicine costs, surgery fees, special treatment fees, you stupid fool! Stop talking nonsense and get lost!”
The Emperor couldn’t contain his anger and grabbed the collar of the person shouting.
“Should I call the Imperial Guards for you to come to your senses! You fools, I’ll immediately…!”
[Now’s the time!]
“Stop it!”
Cecilia grabbed the Emperor’s arm.
“Let go of this!”
Slap!
Cecilia slapped the Emperor across the face.
“What, what are you doing…!”
“That man didn’t have money for a horse, so he carried his sick wife on his back and came here, over 300km away. Even though he himself is suffering from lung disease.”
In reality, the person who had grabbed the Emperor by the collar was the Emperor himself.
Only then did the Emperor look at the man whose face was deathly pale and shut his mouth tight.
“Also, that child lives in a private orphanage and couldn’t afford hospital fees, so his cold developed into pneumonia.”
“…”
“Do you think we don’t know that we shouldn’t break the law?”
“…”
“We know, but this is all we can do. Hospital fees that are pocket change to the Imperial Family and nobles are an insurmountable fortune to them.”
As she spoke, she became sad. Moisture welled up in Cecilia’s eyes.
The Emperor silently looked around at the frightened and sick people.
They all had ordinary and kind faces. People who couldn’t be imagined capable of breaking the law.
“…”
The Chief Chamberlain quietly pulled the shocked Emperor away.
“Let’s go, Your Majesty.”
“…”
“Shall I call the Imperial Guards?”
“…No, no.”
The Emperor retreated dejectedly. Only after he was out of sight did Cecilia let out a sigh.
Taking that as a signal, the Hope Trading Company workers who had been hiding among the patients burst into cheers.
The romantic play with script by Leblaine and direction by Leblaine had perfectly concluded its first act.
* * *
A few days later, the Emperor turned the Medical Facility and Temple upside down.
Those who had been cleverly inflating the treatment fees set by imperial decree with medicine costs, surgery fees, special treatment fees, and such were all caught and had to be punished.
“You did a good thing.”
Seria said with a bright smile. I answered while resting my chin on my hand.
“This wasn’t what I intended. I was stepping backward and caught a mouse, you know?”
“Isn’t it good that it turned out well?”
“It’s troublesome. Troublesome. Things should be getting worse, but strangely they keep turning into good deeds.”
When I sighed, Seria chuckled.
‘Ah, this isn’t the time for this.’
I quickly connected communication magic to Trigon.
“You did as I instructed, right?”
[Yes, I cast magic to make him think of Cecilia Olga when the Emperor was asleep.]
“Good, perfect.”
[But will the Emperor really fall in love from doing this?]
“No?”
No way. There’s no way things would go that well.
[…Then didn’t I struggle for nothing?]
“Trust me. Would someone who married as ordered and had children as ordered know what love is?”
[But….]
If he keeps coming to mind, I’ll get confused.
Thinking ‘Do I like that person?’
I clearly saw it in my past life.
The Emperor was romantically hopeless.
And the next day, Cecilia came to see me.
“Miss, you were right! The Emperor is an idiot!”
“Really? What did he come and say?”
“…You’re the first woman to slap my cheek.”
See? He really is romantically hopeless, right?
I grinned.
‘Well then. Shall we turn the Imperial Palace upside down now?’
But that’s when it happened.
The chairman came running to me frantically and shouted.
“This is terrible!”
The chairman came running to me frantically and shouted.
“Triloni… no, Tree is…!”
“What?!”
When Cecilia and I jumped up, the chairman answered with a pale face.
“She’s grabbing each other’s hair with Emeline in the shopping district!”
What the hell is this about!
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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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