The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 217

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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 217

The Imperial Consort stared intently into my eyes with a strange expression. When I didn’t avoid her gaze, she slowly opened her mouth.

“It seems I must have appeared quite easy to Dubbled.”

Her tone was gentle, but her eyes were sharp. As if she was thoroughly upset.

I jumped up and waved my hands frantically.

“That’s not true at all!”

“Enough, go back. I have nothing to discuss with a nine-year-old child.”

Really?

This is a golden opportunity and you’re going to let me go like this?

When the Imperial Consort gave a dismissive order and signaled to the Head Maid, the Head Maid approached me.

“Young Lady.”

‘She’s not easy to deal with.’

When people are driven to a cliff, they usually grasp at straws and easily lose their reason. I thought she would readily take my hand when I, the very person who caused friction with Blake, offered to help, but it seemed she still had her wits about her.

Being a child is perfect for catching people off guard, but at times like this, it becomes a hindrance.

Just as the Head Maid was about to grab me saying “Let’s go,” I quickly shouted.

“If it’s my Godmother…!”

The Imperial Consort, who had been holding her forehead as if she had a headache, stopped and looked at me.

“What did you say?”

“Aunt said that if it’s Grand Lady Camilla, she could control the rumors. My Godmother cherishes me. If it’s a request from me, her foster daughter (social circle slang meaning a lady who teaches etiquette and other noble virtues), she wouldn’t refuse.”

It was a well-known fact that the Emperor controlled high society through Grand Lady Camilla.

The Grand Lady cherished me, and she even owed me a debt for helping find her grandson and daughter-in-law.

‘There’s no way the Imperial Consort wouldn’t know this.’

As expected, Empress Yvonne’s expression changed.

“If it’s the Grand Lady, then certainly…”

The Imperial Consort muttered. I smiled inwardly.

‘That’s right. But Godmother would never move unless it’s my request.’

Empress Yvonne raised one hand and dismissed the Head Maid.

“The Grand Lady didn’t move even when troublesome rumors were attached to you.”

“Back then, I didn’t ask the Grand Lady to move. It hadn’t even been four days since the rumors spread, and if things had gotten worse, Godmother probably would have stepped in.”

“But?”

“If I ask her, she’ll step in reluctantly for the sake of the Imperial Family’s honor.”

“…”

The Imperial Consort’s eyes narrowed, so I quickly added.

“—That’s what Aunt said!”

“Count Arieju sent you to me.”

“Huh?”

When I rolled my eyes and cheerfully said “Yes!” selling out my aunt, the Imperial Consort’s lips curved up crookedly.

“So what does she want from me.”

“Nothing.”

“That can’t be.”

“Because I like Your Imperial Majesty. When I said I wanted to help Your Imperial Majesty, my aunt gave me an answer.”

As I fidgeted with my hands while speaking, the Imperial Consort looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Why do you like me?”

“Because Your Imperial Majesty is incredibly cool! You know what? Your Imperial Majesty is the Empire’s first lady. That’s really cool, right? I like cool things, and Your Imperial Majesty is the coolest person ever!”

As I raised both arms up high while speaking, the Imperial Consort let out a small laugh.

She lightly patted my cheek as she spoke.

“As much as you like cool things, I like honest things. Especially children who reveal their desires without hesitation.”

“I’m the greediest kid in the world!”

Really.

As I hid my coldly sunken eyes and laughed innocently, the Imperial Consort smiled.

“Then we can become very close friends. Very much so.”

“Can Your Imperial Majesty and I become friends?”

“Yes. And I’m a very kind person to my friends.”

How wonderful.

The Imperial Consort and I looked at each other and smiled.

* * *

I asked the Grand Duchess to control the social circle. At my request, she severely scolded the gossipmongers who spread rumors about the Imperial Consort at social parties.

Of course, that alone wasn’t enough to completely silence the rumors.

So I called for Blake.

“Leave the Empire for a while.”

“I don’t want to. Things are just starting to settle down, so why should I…!”

“Because after things settle down, you’ll die without anyone knowing.”

“…What?”

“Do you think the Imperial Consort will leave you alone once this matter is settled? Either your father or you, one of you will float up as a corpse in the Luisa River.”

Blake’s face turned deathly pale, and she left the Imperial Capital that very afternoon.

People asked Count Arabel about Blake’s whereabouts after she disappeared without a trace, but he became gaunt as a corpse in an instant and kept his mouth tightly shut.

The reason Count Blake became gaunt was because he heard the situation explained by Blake. As if proving his daughter’s words, Hope Trading Company immediately cut off all support, and Count Arabel finally grasped the situation.

He had fallen out of favor with the Imperial Consort, was rumored in the Imperial Capital as trash who pushed all his daughters into danger out of blind ambition for the Imperial Consort’s position, no one would deal with him, and he was on Dubbled’s bad side.

Realizing he was completely isolated, silence was all he could manage.

The rumors died down.

Blake’s disappearance made people more puzzled, but they kept to themselves.

Because they thought the enraged Imperial Consort had harmed Blake.

If they caused more trouble here, they didn’t know what might happen to them too. Nothing was more effective at silencing people than fear.

The rumors gradually died down, and when news of a certain noble lady’s affair broke, people’s attention focused entirely on the affair news as if they had never gossiped about the Imperial Consort.

A few days later, at Empress Yvonne’s Palace.

The Imperial Consort’s face brightened completely as she handed me a teacup and spoke.

“How did you come up with the idea to send Blake Arabel to a foreign country?”

“Henri, no, my little elder brother told me. He said it doesn’t matter if people think Blake left the Empire because of Your Majesty. Even if someone protests that it’s wrong, it’s not true, right?”

After selling out my aunt and now Henri, I spoke innocently, making the Imperial Consort chuckle.

“I’ve heard much about the extraordinary nature of Dubbled’s second prince. Yes, someone protesting would be more beneficial to me.”

“Yes. Then people who know Your Majesty is being wronged will think about the previous rumors too, ‘Weren’t those actually false rumors?'”

It would be even better if the Emperor tried to pressure the Imperial Consort by being swayed by rumors.

‘Blake Arabel is simply studying abroad, I never threatened her.’ Just pretending to be wronged while wringing a handkerchief would direct the arrows of criticism toward the Emperor.

‘Of course, the Emperor won’t step forward.’

The Imperial Consort might hope for the Emperor to step forward, but Father is keeping the Emperor in check. He absolutely won’t step forward.

“I’m glad Your Majesty is pleased!”

“The Young Lady has worked hard for me.”

The Imperial Consort gave me cookies with a very affectionate expression.

The maids of Empress Yvonne’s Palace chuckled as they watched me quickly take the cookies and munch on them.

“Young Lady is truly mysterious.”

“Thanks to her, laughter has returned to the Imperial Consort’s Palace.”

Then they glared at the nobles gathered in the garden visible outside the window with spiteful faces.

Today was the day when the Imperial Consort met with nobles for the Winter Festival event, and those who had been gossiping about the Imperial Consort’s affairs were scared they might end up like Blake.

“Those who have developed a taste for wagging their tongues should be ruled by fear.”

[That’s what tyrants did. In the world I lived in too. Always silencing the common people’s mouths during troubled times…!]

As Cheolsu started rambling, I gripped the Etoile in my pocket tightly.

‘Right. Tyrants in our world do that too. I know, so be quiet.’

[They may not be innocent common people, but should someone of the Imperial Family rule the people with fear like that? Huh?!]

Cheolsu fumed with excitement. I threw the remaining half of my cookie into my mouth and thought.

‘Of course not.’

[Are you helping while knowing this?]

‘Because I helped with this, our territory’s people could spend this winter warmly.’

For the Winter Festival event, nobles collect money every year. It was customary.

The amount to pay was fixed, but this year everyone was struggling due to the aftermath of the great drought.

Dubbled, which secured the most water sources, had to bear the largest amount, but thanks to the Imperial Consort looking favorably upon me, the event scale was reduced.

The Imperial Consort, who would have ignored even if people were desperate for money to eat and survive, did this simply because I helped her.

‘Why should I care about Empire nobles red-eyed with rumors? Our territory’s people can safely get through this winter.’

If things go well, I might even be able to create a few plots of farmland for each territory resident.

‘If I can do that, I could do even worse things.’

Father said so. Authority comes with a price.

Our family has lived this well thanks to the taxes from our territory residents.

So we must ensure by any means that our territory residents eat their fill and live comfortably. Even if it’s called immoral, even if we’re cursed as dirty schemers, it doesn’t matter.

That’s Dubbled’s belief.

‘Of course, there’s also the personal desire to survive.’

But that can’t be helped since we’re human, right?

I thought shamelessly as I pushed Etoile deep into my pouch.

The Imperial Consort gently brushed away the cookie crumbs from the corners of my mouth.

“Will Young Lady come to today’s meeting as well?”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

I exclaimed “Wow!” in delight.

‘This is perfect! It’s a gathering where only the Imperial Consort’s close associates are invited! I need to hear in detail what happened today since Aunt is away for the selection.’

Long live being an informant!

I went out to the garden with the Imperial Consort.

The nobles who had been waiting for the Imperial Consort bowed their waists and shouted in unison as soon as she appeared.

“Glory to the Empire!”

“Glory! We greet Your Imperial Majesty.”

Among them were quite a few who had brought their children for the purpose of educating them in preparation for the future.

Those who had previously criticized me based on rumors turned their heads away with uncomfortable expressions.

‘Oh my. You came to our mansion to apologize, and now your pride is hurt?’

I snorted inwardly.

Then, the Imperial Consort took my hand.

She then gestured to the Head Maid and said.

“Prepare a seat for the little one next to me.”

The seat next to the Imperial Consort had always belonged to Marchioness Woolston, the State Council Chairman.

The Marchioness flinched and looked at the Imperial Consort.

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty.”

The Imperial Consort pretended not to hear and moved to the head table. A chair was placed, and she pointed to my seat with a bright smile.

“Come, Little One.”

I rolled my eyes and looked around the hall.

All the nobles close to the Imperial Consort had turned pale.

Changing seats meant she intended to replace close associates who hadn’t properly supported her.

And the seat next to the Imperial Consort was mine.

It was the moment my rank in high society shot straight up.

‘Wait a minute, then this means…’

I glanced at the Imperial Consort, who was looking at me with an extremely kind expression, and thought.

‘This means I can cause all the chaos I want from now on, right?’

With the Imperial Consort behind me, what could there be to fear?

The nobles swallowed nervously as they took their seats. The Imperial Consort opened her mouth.

“How about we entrust this year’s Winter Festival to Dubbled?”

The nobles looked at the Imperial Consort with bewildered expressions once again.

The Winter Festival is an event to purify the Cursed Land. So that new sprouts can emerge in spring.

It’s customary for the Family House that oversees the purification to take possession of the purified land.

‘My goodness. I’m really going to get land.’

I covered my mouth with an ecstatic expression.

Truly, long live being a lackey!

So this is the taste of being a tyrant’s lackey!

‘Territory residents, wait for me. I’ll bring back not just a few patches of farmland, but dozens of patches. Let’s eat until our bellies burst starting next year!’

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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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