The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 96
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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 96】
If she had taken a cut for herself, that would be one thing.
Yuna didn’t even properly know what they were doing.
She just thought they were a small construction company, so she wrote a blessing with good intentions.
‘But they’re trying to make me an accomplice with those bastards?’
“This is ridiculous slander. There must be some mistake.”
The Cardinal who had informed her that Yuna’s name was being mentioned alongside the fraudsters pressed his fingertips firmly against his forehead.
“So why did you do it?”
“Because they paid a large donation. I thought I could do that much as a courtesy…”
“You shouldn’t have attended the investment briefing at the very least.”
“But they said attending the investment briefing would show even more faithfulness.”
It was too large a donation to refuse.
And all they wanted in return was for her to sit prettily in the front row of the investment briefing!
‘Anyone who wouldn’t do it would be a fool.’
“How was I supposed to know? That those fraudsters would use me as a figurehead and spread rumors about the Temple having road development plans—”
Bang!
Unable to bear it any longer, the Cardinal slammed the desk, and Yuna flinched.
‘Eek.’
“In any case, please exercise restraint for the time being. His Holiness the Pope also suggested that it would be good for the Saint to offer a hundred-day prayer.”
A hundred-day prayer meant exactly what it sounded like—being locked in a prayer room and praying for a full hundred days.
It was called prayer, but it was actually a punishment given to priests who had caused trouble.
“Why should I? If you think about it, I’m a victim too! I was also used by those people!”
Why doesn’t anyone understand her?
It seemed like she was only being persecuted here too, and Yuna felt sad.
‘At least they should ask what happened, shouldn’t they?’
How could they unilaterally listen to only one side and corner her like this?
Yuna abruptly stood up from her seat.
“This won’t do. I need to get some fresh air.”
“What? But now isn’t the right time… Saint, Saint?”
She could hear the Cardinal calling from behind, but Yuna didn’t even pretend to listen and rushed out.
‘What would being locked up in a prayer room solve?’
She had to utilize and make use of whatever she had.
The reason Yuna had been able to quickly establish herself in this strange world was because she actively utilized her knowledge of the future.
However, now that there was no future she knew left, she had to utilize her connections.
‘The Empress Dowager first.’
Yuna walked while organizing what to say in her head.
‘If I tell her how hard I worked at the Special Tax Bureau, she’ll understand. Hard work never betrays a person.’
“I became Deputy Bureau Director to celebrate Your Majesty’s birthday. To draw from the welfare budget for Your Majesty’s birth and spread Your Majesty’s benevolence widely—”
“Who told you to do such a thing!”
However, upon hearing the Empress Dowager’s angry voice, Yuna was startled and hiccupped.
“When the Empire’s unemployment problem is serious, you would host my birthday celebration with public funds that should be used for the Empire’s citizens! Are you truly trying to disgrace me?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Yuna struggled, but the Empress Dowager had already made up her mind.
“Yes, I’ve also heard about what atrocities you’ve been committing at the Agency Bureau. However, I thought you might have your own difficulties, so I was waiting.”
Incompetence could be forgiven, but corruption could not be overlooked.
The Empress Dowager completely revised her plan to keep Yuna tied to the Special Tax Bureau and investigate the Temple’s background.
‘If I leave things as they are, one entire Agency Bureau will be ruined.’
She couldn’t let the precious asset her daughter-in-law had built collapse.
“I forbid you from involving yourself in Special Tax Bureau affairs for the time being.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will not dismiss you from your Deputy Bureau Director position. However, I judge that you have failed to fulfill your duties. I will impose a suspension, so go back and reflect on yourself.”
“…!”
It wasn’t dismissal, but it wasn’t a light punishment either.
However, the Empress Dowager didn’t even give Yuna a chance to clear her grievances.
“I’m tired from listening to your nonsense, so withdraw now.”
Yuna, who was driven out just like that, didn’t know what to do and changed direction.
‘Let me go see His Majesty.’
She wasn’t asking him to solve anything.
She just needed comfort and warmth right now.
As Yuna entered the Main Palace, she encountered the Head Maid.
Usually, this person would bow her head as soon as she saw her and naturally guide her to the Emperor.
‘What’s with that look?’
The Head Maid looked at Yuna coldly and said firmly.
“His Majesty said he will not see the Saint for the time being.”
“No, but I could at least have a message delivered—”
“Please leave.”
The Head Maid dismissed Yuna with what appeared to be a perfunctory bow.
Yuna stood there dazed, then bit her lower lip.
Her body trembled at the truth she suddenly realized.
‘What, did he abandon me?’
The Emperor’s coldness wasn’t just for a day or two, so she couldn’t help but know.
How could there not be a single person on her side in the world?
* * *
The catalyst that amplified Yuna’s inferiority complex was Rianel.
“By the way, isn’t Princess Vincenheim really amazing? How did she know it was a scam?”
“She might have smelled the crime even before going down to the site.”
“Well, that’s probably why she solved the case so quickly?”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs civil servants were talking about Rianel.
The fraud case, if it had gone wrong, could have shaken the livelihoods of countless people, so stopping it early was significant.
“But how did she know to go there? The Princess was a Special Tax Bureau Team Leader, wasn’t she?”
Why would someone who should be working at the Agency Bureau go to such a dangerous place?
Yuna’s lips twitched.
‘Because I sent her! That woman achieved merit thanks to me!’
“That? The Saint who became Deputy Bureau Director this time ordered it. She kicked her out of the Team Leader position as soon as she arrived, but since she couldn’t do it without any justification, she sent her away with busywork.”
“What, so she accidentally achieved merit at the place she was kicked out to?”
“Wow, the Saint really got hit hard.”
Yuna trembled with anger, but when they started badmouthing her regarding Prince Zarban’s protocol preparations, she hid behind a tree and pressed her head down so her face wouldn’t be seen.
Now really wasn’t a good time.
As soon as the voices grew distant, she frantically started walking.
‘Anyway, these civil servants are all disagreeable!’
Walking wherever her feet took her, she found herself in front of the Special Tax Bureau Building.
She must have unconsciously come here because she had been commuting here for the past few days.
‘I didn’t really want to come here either.’
As Yuna grumbled, she hid again when Special Tax Bureau people came out of the building during lunch break.
“Please have one each.”
Asil was distributing sandwiches to people.
“Wow, thank you.”
“But is it okay to eat this?”
“Despite your words, you’re already unwrapping it.”
“I couldn’t help it after smelling the aroma.”
The people from the Tax Bureau were enjoying their sandwiches deliciously, unaware of her inner thoughts. Yuna felt a surge of anger.
‘You ran off to the Empress Dowager and tattled about all my mistakes, and now you can swallow those sandwiches? Huh? Can you really swallow them?’
“They’re delicious no matter when you eat them.”
“But I heard this shop is owned by the Bureau Director, is that true?”
“Yes. Originally it was a shop in the Shopping District in Front of the National Academy, and since my Master liked it, I used to visit frequently too. Then two years ago, when they were experiencing financial difficulties, I acquired it. I moved the shop to its current location so I could visit more often.”
“I see.”
The Tax Bureau people just heard it as an interesting episode, but Yuna was different.
‘Right, he was the sub male lead, wasn’t he?’
If the Emperor was the male lead of this world, then Duke Asil’s role was the sub male lead.
The role of loving and longing for the female lead, suffering for a lifetime!
‘I might have buttoned the first button wrong from the start.’
Perhaps choosing the kind and devoted sub male lead would have been a better choice than the Emperor, who looked after his own interests at every crucial moment.
As lunchtime was coming to an end.
“Um, I have something to discuss with you briefly.”
Having made her decision, Yuna used her position as ‘Saint’ to call out Asil when the others, including Rianel, had left their seats.
When they had chatted about trivial things like weather and food and entered an empty promenade, Yuna brought up the main topic.
“It’s just that, the Special Tax Bureau people seem to misunderstand me.”
“Yes. After interviewing several people, it seems your impulsive nature and overly innovative methods didn’t align well with them.”
Tears welled up in Yuna’s eyes at the first considerate words she’d heard after receiving only criticism.
‘I really should have gone for the sub male lead…!’
“I’m a bit like that. I’m a perfectionist and so enthusiastic that I have a tendency to move first without considering others. But I do it because I want to see everyone succeed together…”
Yuna chattered rapidly, then moved closer to Asil.
“Right. You know the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration is coming up soon, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t have a partner by any chance.”
Asil answered with a smiling face.
“I do.”
“Of course you do. Yes, yes?”
You do? You’re supposed to be someone who only looks at the female lead with unwavering devotion, so how?
“If it’s not rude to ask, may I know who that person is? Don’t tell me you’re entering with Princess Vincenheim again? You’re so kind. You’re looking after your team member, aren’t you? But you don’t have to do that this time. The Temple has many excellent Holy Knights…”
“Saint.”
Asil cut off her words with a low voice.
“All of your blatant actions irritate me.”
Yuna wasn’t the only one who had waited for a moment when there were no people around.
Yuna was flustered.
She had always thought he was a kind person.
The cold, unsmiling face of the man was chilling.
“Wh, what.”
Yuna unconsciously stepped back, but Asil quickly closed the distance and grabbed her shoulder.
He grabbed her shoulder, but it felt like her neck was being strangled.
Yuna stared at Asil, forgetting even to breathe.
From this man.
She couldn’t take her eyes off this chilling ghost.
Meanwhile, words fell like bombardment into her ears, settling one by one.
“You ruined my Agency Bureau, badmouthed my people, tried to interfere in my private life, and added disgusting advances on top of that.”
The most important thing.
“Why did you kill my Master?”
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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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