The Cooking Princess - Chapter 102

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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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The nobles couldn’t believe their ears and were speechless for a while at the shocking proposal to hand over the Western Port.

“The Western Port, that’s….”

A foreign nobleman who almost blurted out that it was practically selling out the country barely managed to shut his mouth.

Everyone present doubted the truth of what Claude had said.

“Haha. To hand over a port as payment for help just because things are difficult right now, Cloud, Duke.”

Since trade with other countries was very important, the western port was a major stronghold of the Luzhiere Empire.

In a situation where pirates continued to disrupt such a place, Prince Shuel had stepped forward and succeeded in dealing with the pirates.

If the port were blocked, the Luzhiere Empire would be completely isolated, yet he would give away one of the country’s major strongholds for free if they made him emperor?

Moreover, Prince Shuel would likely have a higher ownership stake in the port than Cloud, Duke.

When everyone doubted the truth of his words, one of the nobles asked.

“How can we trust you?”

He seemed worried that Claude, having obtained the emperor’s throne of the mighty Luzhiere Empire, would go back on his word.

“Are you willing to marry the bride His Majesty chooses?”

At the question of whether he could marry someone chosen by the Northern Continent’s emperor, Claude hesitated for a moment.

A red-haired girl briefly flashed through his mind, but Claude still maintained his smiling face.

If he was going to take her anyway, the position wouldn’t matter.

Whether she was a legitimate wife or concubine, as long as she was by his side, that was enough.

“Of course.”

***

Chloe, who had no idea what Claude was plotting, had received permission for an audience and came to meet the Emperor.

This time, the Ministers were also present.

They kept clearing their throats with displeased faces and glared at Chloe subtly.

She was sure she had requested a one-on-one audience, so why were high-ranking officials here? After being confused for a moment, Chloe realized the Emperor was being considerate of her.

‘This is the Emperor’s consideration to show me what other people think about this situation.’

He had naturally arranged the setting so Chloe could understand what other nobles thought about the current situation.

“I greet Emperor.”

After Chloe calmly bowed to the Emperor, she asked directly.

“You said the Garnet Estate was involved in a rebellion situation. May I hear the details of the case?”

At Chloe’s words, the Ministers couldn’t hide their anger and shouted.

“How shameless!”

Whether the Ministers were angry or not, Chloe maintained her smiling face and only looked at the Emperor.

“Hmm.”

In the Emperor’s view, Chloe was a clever child.

In fact, even if the Garnet Estate couldn’t overcome this crisis and was completely destroyed, that property would be entirely returned to the Imperial Court, so that would be good in its own way.

“I’m curious what kind of incident made you so certain that the Garnet Family members started a rebellion. I don’t know the details.”

“She’s probably planning to cut off the tail more perfectly by using where she was caught as an excuse. Tsk tsk tsk.”

Chloe boldly confronted the Minister’s sarcasm.

“No, they say our family started a rebellion, but shouldn’t I, who am actually a member of that family, know what happened to clear our false accusation?”

Since Chloe’s words made sense, the Emperor quickly summarized the situation.

“It was discovered that your family and nobles from other empires weren’t simply trading, but were conspiring together. The letters still remain. Would you like to see them?”

Chloe received the letters from the Emperor and read them on the spot.

The content of the letters was about somehow bringing down the Emperor as quickly as possible to make Shuel emperor.

The Emperor added an explanation.

This matter appeared to be planned independently by the Garnet Estate, and since the Prince was busy earning military merit outside at the time and seemed unaware of the current situation, the charge of rebellion was only placed on the Garnet Family.

“Who first discovered these letters?”

“The discoverer was a coachman from your family.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes.

But no matter how much she thought about it, nothing came to mind.

“A coachman…. Then may I ask one more thing? Was the foreign nobleman who conspired with our family to harm the Emperor caught?”

“No. Even their identity is completely unknown.”

Chloe fell deep in thought.

There was evidence in the form of letters, but it was unclear whether they were fabricated or not.

The Emperor believed this was fabricated, but since rebellion was such a serious matter, he had first confined the people of the Garnet Estate.

This coachman who had reportedly accused the Garnet Family of rebellion was, at least on the surface, not someone related to the Empress.

‘Well, that’s right. If the Social Circle found out that an innocent count’s family was framed for rebellion, it wouldn’t end with simple ostracism.’

Framing Chloe for trying to poison Shuel was something done quickly because they knew that even if people knew it was a false accusation, no one could properly respond.

Unlike that time, this incident was one where they didn’t want to be discovered as the masterminds.

But the only evidence was the letters.

They must know they’d be caught quickly if things continued like this.

And they weren’t people who could just buy time regardless of whether they were caught or not.

‘…Wait a minute. It doesn’t, matter?’

According to the original work, Claude was preparing a rebellion.

The rebellion would begin when Shuel became crown prince, with Claude kidnapping the old Emperor.

When the Emperor ultimately refused to acknowledge him, he would even kill him.

And… Chloe knew that the original story was being destroyed in various ways, with events happening out of sequence like bamboo shoots after rain.

‘Huh?’

Feeling like puzzle pieces were fitting together in her head, Chloe asked.

“What about the Duke?”

“What?”

Whether the Ministers frowned or not, Chloe asked urgently.

“Where is the Duke and what is he doing right now?”

“To tell a rebel even His Grace the Duke’s location!”

Whether the Ministers were indignant or not, Chloe asked again in an urgent voice.

“We didn’t rebel. So what about the Duke? Is he perhaps with foreign envoys?”

“What nonsense! Now you seem to be trying to slander His Grace the Duke as well by saying he conspired with foreigners for rebellion, but His Grace is busy fighting off barbarians in the North.”

Chloe continued speaking rapidly with a pale face.

“Our family was indeed falsely accused. Of course, I know we need to prove that. But right now there seems to be a more urgent matter.”

She was now looking straight into the Emperor’s eyes, not the Ministers’.

“Let me speak directly. Since I know that my family and I were falsely accused, I think the culprit is His Grace the Duke. But the way he committed the crime is too sloppy.”

She bit her red lips tightly, then squeezed her eyes shut and added as if she didn’t even want to imagine it.

“As if he’s someone who doesn’t think about the consequences.”

The Ministers who didn’t understand what Chloe meant became angry, their faces turning red.

But only one person.

Only the Emperor understood what Chloe meant, and his face hardened coldly.

The Emperor was certain that the Garnet Family had been falsely accused.

Chloe’s words contained the premise that Cloud, Duke had acted as if he didn’t care about the consequences, whether Chloe’s false accusation was cleared or not.

Either for rebellion or to build his power to create a force that even the Emperor couldn’t ignore,

And to prevent the Garnet Estate from interfering with that plan, he had bought just a little time.

The Emperor ignored the Ministers’ anger and told his Attendant.

“Use communication magic to find out what Cloud, Duke is doing right now.”

“Yes, Emperor.”

The Ministers clamored that there was no need for Emperor to listen to the Duchess’s ridiculous nonsense, but the Emperor’s will was firm.

And not long after, the news brought by the Attendant who had used magical communication was enough to make the entire Hall turn cold.

“He says he will marry the Northern Continent’s princess….”

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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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