The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 108

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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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108.

As the Royal Guards in perfect ceremonial dress marched in formation, all eyes turned to them.

Even amidst this, the man continued his defamation against the Imperial Court and Winter Palace without grasping the situation.

“Isn’t it shameful to bear the Imperial name! Is this the Empire’s dignity! If I were them, I couldn’t even lift my head-“

But the moment the Royal Guards completely surrounded him, he momentarily shut his mouth under the pressure.

Though inwardly startled, he raised his voice even louder as if this much didn’t intimidate him.

“Now you’re trying to intimidate me for making legitimate claims! If it’s a fair exam, you should provide proof instead of intimidation!”

He truly seemed very confident in his argument.

The contrast between the splendid, orderly appearance of the Royal Guards and the man’s unreasonable behavior was enough to make passersby stop in their tracks.

Not only them, but other applicants who were checking the results also turned their attention to them.

As people focused on him, the man shouted even more excitedly as if his purpose had been achieved.

“The very fact that you’re trying to threaten me like this is proof that there’s something to cover up!”

How fortunate indeed.

That he’s not the type to be easily intimidated.

‘Well, if he were that kind of person, he couldn’t have planned kidnapping and assassination.’

I clicked my tongue while recalling through this man what Rozelita had experienced in the original story.

In the original, he had disguised his identity to participate in the banquet and gently lured Rozelita away to create an opportunity for kidnapping.

But here, identity forgery and infiltration were impossible from the start.

Because the Palace security officer is my superior, Casian Artez.

If they let in someone so carelessly disguised, it would be a disaster.

So before that guy could succeed, the Imperial Guard had.

‘Do you know, Advisor? We’re truly wronged. How can our kind, gentle, and great Advisor be called a demon!’

‘That’s right. The Advisor is a hero and the god of victory. Those journalists calling Salice Advisor a demon must all have something wrong with their eyes.’

‘If they just received Prince Casian’s training for 10 minutes, they’d immediately take back those words.’

Been receiving complaints that were almost harsh criticism.

When was it, after the Dragon expedition ended?

My superior is a very persistent and meticulous person, so he tracked down everyone who didn’t properly demonstrate their skills during the expedition or made mistakes.

Not only that, among the Royal Guards not selected for the expedition, he found every single one who had been lazy in training.

Naturally, they had to undergo training of truly terrifyingly high intensity.

‘Since when did being a Royal Guard have such high skill requirements!’

‘We’re all just trying to make money, but if it weren’t for my precious wife at home, I would have thrown in my resignation immediately.’

They must have been so exhausted that they didn’t hesitate to speak words that abandoned their honor as Royal Guards.

With such a thoroughly detestable person holding his ground, that man must have been cornered and chose this method of causing a disturbance.

Crucially, he wasn’t someone without enough skill to fail the employment exam.

Of course, that temperament was the problem.

If he hadn’t been deducted points for attitude, he had enough ability to barely make it into the triple selection.

Of course, if he hadn’t received attitude deductions and made it into the triple selection, I naturally planned to call him for an interview.

‘If the interview results were decent, I was willing to hire him.’

If he worked well, I was going to work him hard until the kidnapping episode progressed.

There was even a clause allowing employment of up to 1.5 or 2 times the quota as apprentice advisors, so it was perfect.

A good worker that I wouldn’t need to feel guilty about working hard?

It was an excellent condition.

Whether he was a criminal mage, dark guild master, or attempted kidnapper.

In short, I didn’t deliberately fail him out of pettiness.

‘Being a criminal and incompetent at work, isn’t that a real major flaw?’

If you’ve caused trouble for society, you should think about properly grinding yourself to contribute meaningfully.

With mediocre abilities, yet shouting like that!

Even his current ranting about corruption was running out of repertoire, and people’s gazes were growing cold.

I clicked my tongue and slowly walked toward him.

The atmosphere was perfectly ripe for knocking a criminal flat on his back.

*

“Hello, applicant!”

“Finally someone reasonable appears, but isn’t it too shameful that you can only come forward with Royal Guards in tow?”

Indeed, he was someone whose mouth alone could float if thrown into a river.

“Shameful? Not at all. My superior is very, very protective of his subordinates to the point of overprotection, so how could I refuse.”

However, in that regard, I had no confidence in losing either.

“What? Are you trying to spout nonsense that this is just your superior’s consideration?”

“Of course you wouldn’t know whether it’s nonsense or not, since you’ve never worked as an Imperial Advisor.”

I lightly countered him, then continued speaking in a tone so kind it felt annoying.

“It’s truly regrettable. I wanted to work so, so badly even in a lowly Imperial Advisor position, so I completely understand the disappointment of failing.”

“Disappointed my foot! Why are you pushing that narrative on me?”

“You don’t need to try so hard to console yourself, since I’m also someone who takes pride in being an Imperial Advisor.”

“That’s not it, I’m just criticizing the unfair aspects of an exam I took casually for fun!”

“Ah, of course I understand that you’re saying that to protect your pride. I can also guess that it’s probably the good intention of relieving the grievances of other wronged applicants who can’t speak up!”

At those innocent words, he who had been rudely ranting closed his mouth and looked at me as if dumbfounded.

You should have observed your opponent better before acting.

“But what can we do? Standards are standards, and skills are skills. How could we not uphold the fair standards announced as Imperial Advisors.”

“Just because you say that-“

“Oh my, you should listen to people until the end. It’s not like you don’t know who I am?”

“How would I know who you-“

He who was about to feign ignorance and argue against my words shut his mouth tight at my beaming face.

Honestly, I hoped he would continue talking.

But if you’re going to throw away that opportunity to attack, I have no choice but to make good use of it.

“You should know, shouldn’t you?”

Briefly dropping my business smile, I deliberately looked down on him.

Then I took another step closer to him.

As the distance closed, the surrounding Royal Guards positioned themselves to respond at any moment.

Soon I spoke in a voice small enough for only him to hear.

“Otherwise, are you saying that you’re very incompetent?”

“…What?”

“You seem to have acted up thinking we wouldn’t know your identity and would let our guard down, but think carefully.”

He couldn’t hide his wavering gaze, as if he hadn’t expected to be spoken to so bluntly.

“Don’t say such insolent things. Oh, and one more thing.”

I casually opened the document folder I had brought and showed it to him.

It was his neatly graded exam paper.

“The fairness you speak of is also fully prepared.”

After quickly scanning the documents forced into his view, he looked back and forth between me and his exam paper with an incredulous expression.

“With this score, I still couldn’t make it into the range. You expect me to believe that-“

“Thank you for reacting like that, applicant.”

I deliberately drew a polite smile, then snapped the grading sheet closed and stepped away from him.

“Then from now on, I’ll announce the standards and grading table that you requested!”

“W-wait!”

He hurriedly approached to stop me but was immediately restrained by the Royal Guards.

“Of course, other applicants are also welcome to request confirmation. If you make an official request, I’ll respond personally.”

Seeing the contrasting atmosphere between the man who now seemed frightened and frantic, and myself, subtle anticipation began to circulate around us.

“However, unlike others, this applicant seems to want his grievances publicly revealed, so I’d like to honor that request.”

I recited the guidance as if without any personal feelings, mixing in plenty of regret with polite instructions.

“This is not our Imperial Court’s intention, but since he wants it so much, I’ll clearly inform him of both the grading results and reasons in detail.”

Making it clear that this embarrassing show was not what I wanted, but that gentleman’s wish.

And so, near the results announcement board where applicants had gathered, I conducted a proper commentary event just as he had wanted.

Seeing his face turn red like a ripe fruit, it seemed he was very pleased with this situation.

*

That day’s exam commentary lecture received favorable reviews from many people.

[This Exam’s Direction and Next Exam’s Trend Predictions!]

[Interview with the Top Scorer of the Administrator Exam!]

[The Unnecessary Sacrifice, Who Is He?]

[Imperial Palace Clarifies They Originally Planned to Release Answer Key and Exam Questions.

-Exclusive Report: Actual Imperial Exam Plan Document Obtained!]

Excited by this rare hot topic, journalists also wrote favorable articles.

We also distributed press releases appropriately.

Meanwhile, that afternoon’s protagonist was in a very fitting place.

A room about 10 square meters in size.

In that space containing nothing but a small cot and a palm-sized window, the man wore gray clothes provided directly by the Imperial Palace.

“You must be delighted to enter the Imperial Palace as you wished?”

When I spoke with a smirk, he glared at me resentfully.

“You can glare all you want, but you can’t even dream of kidnapping me now.”

Because there are very solid iron bars blocking the space between you and me.

This person gets to experience the underground prison that even I haven’t tried – how truly enviable.

“-I never did such a thing. Bring evidence before making accusations.”

Naturally, like a true criminal, he resorted to making excuses.

“I was brought here only for causing a disturbance in front of the Imperial Palace. For such a minor offense, it should only be a week’s imprisonment, right?”

I simply smiled brightly at those words.

Perhaps because he had experienced so much that day, his expression wavered momentarily.

Though we hadn’t even properly started yet.

“You know quite well indeed, but what should we do?”

His true identity was none other than.

“That’s the law from 16 years ago.”

A person who had conspired with Scaletti Zamotti during the Basmach Concubine’s Fall Incident.

“Isn’t that right, Duke Lopez?”

“Of course.”

He was also the person the Lopez Ducal House had been searching for over the past 16 years, grinding their teeth to restore their family’s honor.

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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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