The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 133

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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 133】

Seir closed his gaping mouth and struggled to compose his foolish expression.

He wanted to preserve his last shred of pride as a demon.

-Fine, take it, take it all. Human currency never held much meaning for me anyway.

Collecting human currency as payment for creating counterfeit gold was purely for amusement, not out of love for money.

‘Demon currency isn’t money—it’s gold.’

However, Rianel mercilessly scraped away his pride.

“This is insufficient.”

-What? In, insufficient?

Seir’s brow furrowed.

Instead of answering, Rianel tapped the amount written on the tax bill with her finger.

‘Damn it!’

Demons weren’t human, so they shouldn’t be subject to imperial law.

Even if Rianel was the protagonist of this story, she shouldn’t be able to directly influence him.

‘What kind of trick did she pull to be able to seize even the gold I had stored in my warehouse!’

He couldn’t understand why he was powerless to resist administrative documents written according to human law.

-Is, is this enough?

Sometimes the phrase “I don’t understand” was another expression of fear.

Seir was trembling as he felt an invisible force controlling him.

‘I thought this was a world collapsing because its original author had died…!’

It was Cardinal Oven who had summoned Seir.

[You want me to create cracks in this world? Is that your wish?]

While it was interesting that a human who believed in god in a godless world had asked for help, what truly caught his interest was this world itself.

Demons destroy worlds and grow by feeding on the power that leaks from the cracks created in the process.

Seir wanted to become the king of demons someday, so he accepted the proposal.

[How truly intriguing. Very well.]

But he couldn’t make a contract with the cardinal.

This world, which didn’t allow demons, suppressed Seir from exercising more power than necessary.

Still, when Yuna joined, he thought the world was smoothly falling apart.

‘Did I misjudge?’

He realized too late that this world had changed its central axis to continue existing without its original author.

‘I see, those things have become the new rules of this world.’

Though they themselves seemed unaware of it.

Even in the midst of all this.

“There are still unpaid taxes remaining.”

Rianel was notifying Seir to cough up more gold.

-Filthy humans, just how much do you want!

Along with his gold, his ambition to devour this world was also melting away.

‘I wouldn’t take this kind of world even if you gave it to me!’

What use would there be in devouring such a dirty and disgustingly calculating world?

Seir shuddered with revulsion.

* * *

-I will never again set foot on the land where you bastards reside.

The demon’s form crumbled. The shadows that had formed the demon’s body scattered like ash, then seeped into the air and disappeared without a trace.

What remained were tungsten, gold processed to make counterfeit gold, and gold recovered from the demon’s warehouse, all mixed together.

The site had become so peaceful that it was hard to believe a demon had been there just moments ago.

Rianel collected gold from various spots in the forest while listening to birdsong.

“A portion of the recovered gold can be used as funds for compensation payments to the victims.”

Since there would be those who would falsely report damages to take advantage of this opportunity, they would need to thoroughly investigate transaction records to verify actual damages.

“Former Team Leader Ronel will be pleased.”

Though Til had been team leader for only a short time, Asil often called him that.

It was because his reaction was amusing.

Regardless, Til would definitely be delighted to see the recovered gold.

‘Of course, the workload will increase as we go through the administrative procedures of converting the recovered gold to imperial currency and distributing it to victims.’

The two conducted one final search of the site.

Just when they thought they had recovered most everything.

“It seems even demons do some reading.”

Asil picked up a novel from a tree hollow.

The book was so worn that its leather cover was frayed and its pages were tattered with fingerprints, making it difficult to even estimate when it was made.

It might simply be the demon’s personal possession.

“Let’s collect it for now.”

Rianel said.

Whatever it was, if it was found at the scene, it had to be classified as evidence.

Asil nodded and took the book.

* * *

When the source of the counterfeit gold was revealed and the Imperial Palace officially announced victim compensation procedures, the Empire was once again greatly stirred.

“The Special Tax Bureau pulled off another big case, didn’t they?”

“They didn’t pocket even a single piece of all that gold and turned it all over to the national treasury. They’re really amazing people.”

“Exactly. I would have secretly taken a few pieces.”

“By the way, when are they giving out the compensation? Has the schedule been announced?”

“I don’t know, but an announcement should come down soon. After all, it’s the Special Tax Bureau handling this—surely they won’t go back on their word?”

“True.”

With news that victim compensation would be provided, the market, which had been stagnant for some time, quickly regained its vitality.

Shops that had been closed began opening one by one, and victims who had been in despair chattered with anticipation.

At the center of all these changes, the name of the Special Tax Bureau was mentioned, and the vitality brought by change extended even to government meetings.

The Empress Dowager surveyed the assembly hall and declared.

“With this, it has been proven that the Princess is unrelated to the counterfeit gold that was disrupting the Empire’s order, so there should be no one opposing the Princess’s involvement in the Empire’s affairs.”

She would firmly establish the first foundation for setting the Empire right, here and now.

“We will thoroughly investigate and punish those who spread malicious rumors to slander the Princess.”

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

“Who was it? Tell me.”

Yuna was interrogating the maids in her room within the Imperial Palace.

The maids, including Hadi who had been on meal delivery duty, were pressed against the wall, trembling and not daring to breathe loudly.

“When I was having a conversation with His Holiness the Pope, only you were present.”

So if word had leaked out, it could only be one of you.

Yuna slowly walked in front of the maids lined up in a row, watching each one of them.

Every time Yuna’s gaze fell on them, the maids would shrink their shoulders or hold their breath.

“Tell me which one of you was the informant.”

“S-Saint…”

“If you don’t speak—”

The corners of Yuna’s mouth curved upward wickedly.

“I’ll finish you all off, so keep that in mind.”

The maids remained silent with their heads bowed. Only the sounds of their breathing and frightened whimpering continued, as no one dared to speak rashly.

A little distance away from them stood Elder Maid Linda with her hands clasped together.

Having worked in the Imperial Palace for a long time, she knew when the civil servants took their lunch breaks and when they left the government building.

That’s how she had been able to secretly deliver the information she had discovered to the Special Tax Bureau.

It wasn’t done out of some great sense of justice.

‘That child didn’t need to die.’

The deceased Head Maid Susan had been Yuna’s collaborator, working together with her on all sorts of dirty deeds.

So while Susan’s death was frightening, it wasn’t regrettable.

But that child was not.

‘The innocent child who knew nothing died in your place.’

To protect Yuna’s position as fiancée, the child who had never laid a finger on the ledger died as someone who embezzled the imperial budget.

Even after hearing that news, Yuna felt no guilt.

‘Even in that moment, you were only worried about your own downfall.’

Someone like you.

Someone like you who doesn’t see people as people should never become Empress.

“It was me.”

Because another person shouldn’t die for someone like you, I stepped forward.

“Since I did it, please let the innocent children go.”

“….”

All eyes gathered on Linda, who had stepped forward.

A deep silence settled over the room.

What broke that silence was a light laugh that escaped.

“My goodness.”

Yuna slowly caressed Linda’s cheek.

Her cool body temperature was like that of a snake. Linda wanted to pull away, but gritted her teeth and endured it.

“Are you stepping forward for those children now?”

“I merely confessed the truth.”

“Truth, truth, yes… You stepped forward for that word that only sounds good but is actually wretched.”

Hehe, ehehehehe, hehe, he, hahahaha.

The sound that resembled sobbing mixed with Yuna’s ragged breathing and spread into twisted mad laughter.

“I hate the truth. Truth makes us realize that we are nothing, worthless beings.”

And I will dare to punish you who reveal the truth and cause my downfall.

The moment Yuna’s hand slipped from her cheek and wrapped around Linda’s neck.

Linda realized.

‘I’m going to die here.’

But in that final moment.

What came to mind in that instant was not her own long and arduous life, but your face.

[This is Ensilen. If there are any areas you judge need improvement regarding life within the Imperial Palace, please submit your opinions without hesitation.]

Linda closed her eyes.

‘In this long life, dying for someone who sees people as people wouldn’t be so bad.’

“Still, a rat who cares for others.”

Along with the mockery spilled carelessly.

“How kind.”

Crack.

Her neck twisted.

* * *

The next day.

“The culprit has been revealed?”

Princess Tiren asked, and Milena, who had become the new Head Maid of the Princess Palace, bowed her head.

“Yes. But….”

The culprit who had framed the Princess was revealed to be the maid Linda.

She was found dead, having left behind a suicide note confessing to her crimes.

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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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