The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 112

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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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112.

Naturally, thanks to the First Consort handing me a case on a silver platter, I had some time to spare.

Since it had been a banquet attended by all the key figures, the Emperor also had to officially give me time to investigate this matter.

Of course, I could have proven her innocence just by using the evidence the First Consort had presented.

But that would only be a half-hearted solution like in the original story.

‘After giving such hints, that would be disappointing.’

Of course, there were only a few scattered words written, but even this was enough of a hint.

Unfortunately, due to the scroll’s activation conditions, I couldn’t go back and see the past directly.

‘The constraint of having to go to that location directly is the problem.’

The problem was that Scaletti Zamotti’s original estate was as far from the capital as the Salice Barony, so there wasn’t time to go there.

Just in case, I unfolded the lair-bound scroll while recalling the Q&A I had requested from the dragon before, but there was no particular change.

‘People shouldn’t rely too much on tricks.’

So I just did what I was good at.

‘The witch has been resurrected!!’

‘Making ridiculous ideas again, you know Salice Advisor is really heartless, right?’

‘…Listen, spirit magic also requires a lot of stamina!’

I worked Samuel Moti and the criminal mages to the bone.

Since they said stamina was needed, I also distributed nutritional juice made with all sorts of good ingredients at regular intervals.

‘Ugh… I’ll just, I’ll just do it. Can’t you just give me meat instead, Salice Advisor.’

For some reason, after drinking the nutritional juice about three times, he refused it.

Anyway, thanks to working the criminals inhumanely, I was able to secure evidence safely.

It would take time to bring the actual items, but that wasn’t a big problem either.

It was thanks to Samuel Moti’s abilities being revealed during the Emperor’s poisoning incident last time, so recordings using light spirits were also recognized as evidence.

Moreover, while the mages couldn’t do other things, they could use long-distance communication magic through scrolls – mail – so I could also secure testimonies from residents using Royal Guards dispatched to that region.

‘He used to come visit often, though it was quite far from Basmach. The young master followed the young lady around like a puppy, saying he was her fiancé.’

‘The young lady seemed to think of it as just an engagement arranged by their parents. We all thought that way when we were young. We thought the young lady would become a princess.’

I squeezed Samuel Moti’s abilities to record all that content as evidence too.

Of course, not everything flowed exactly as I had speculated.

*

“…What, what’s wrong with that?”

After checking the evidence, Gillard gripped the prison bars tightly and trembled.

“I asked what’s wrong with me doing something for the person I love!”

“You have no relationship with the Fourth Consort?”

“Of course not!”

Gillard laughed like a madman.

“Right, everyone who works in the Imperial Palace is like that! Thinking there’s no such thing as pure feelings and making vile speculations.”

Bang-!

Gillard gripped and shook the bars violently.

“You’re probably thinking right now that the Fourth Consort, that Scaletti used me, right? So you’re trying to drag poor, kind Scaletti into this somehow!”

I didn’t say that much.

Though it would be a lie to say I didn’t have such hopes.

“Don’t distort my pure love like that! I just can’t stand it, with my heart wanting Scaletti to be happy…!”

Gillard made an ominous face.

“The Empire’s Emperor stole what was mine without permission, and he doesn’t even cherish Scaletti the most? She, she isn’t someone who should be stuck miserably in the Imperial Palace like that.”

His eyes filled with pity.

“This is all, this is all because my brother ruined everything! If he had listened to me over ten years ago when I said we shouldn’t forgive the Empire after my sister’s death-!”

Taking his hands off the bars, he covered his face in anguish and writhed.

“Then I could have saved her from being oppressed in the Imperial Palace long ago, she could have lived happily by my side… Because I would have looked only at her!”

Wow, really disgusting.

I didn’t have any good feelings toward the Fourth Consort, but for the first time I almost felt a tiny bit of sympathy for her.

“Do you think the Fourth Consort wants that?”

At my question, Gillard chuckled.

“Why is that necessary? I’m saying I’ll save what’s mine.”

It was truly a horrible way of thinking.

“I’ve sacrificed this much, I’ve struggled to save her! Shouldn’t she naturally love me?”

Gillard gripped the bars tightly and spewed nauseating words at me.

“Unlike the Emperor, I only look at Scaletti! So naturally Scaletti should look at me too, shouldn’t she!”

It was a twisted obsession.

Feeling there was nothing more to hear, I told the Royal Guards to guard him tightly, and as I turned around, I heard Gillard’s voice muttering in my ear.

“…I told you to ask me for help anytime, so why… Why, Scaletti. I said I was always on your side. Why not this time…”

From his attitude mixed with disappointment and betrayal, I suddenly realized the truth.

‘Looking at that reaction, in the original story Scaletti really did order it.’

And this time he really moved out of selfish desire.

Unlike the original, Gillard’s actions were excessively sloppy.

Even the content of the threatening letters sent to the concubines wasn’t fatal like in the original, but remained at a level that could be prepared for in advance.

‘It’s a bit disappointing that I can’t bring down the Fourth Consort.’

She still shouldn’t be eliminated yet.

My con artist route, no.

Even to prevent the terrible event of meeting the original Casian.

She, who was still a character in the remaining trials, had to endure a bit longer.

*

“-Since you say the Fourth Consort isn’t involved, it must be true.”

The Emperor checked the report I submitted with a strange expression.

Now only the extradition remained for the Gillard Basmach case.

Since we also had to tie up loose ends to some extent, he was sentenced to 50 lashes.

It was because we had to hand Gillard over to Basmach alive.

Well, his lifeline was scheduled to end by the time he returned to Basmach anyway.

The Basmach King had no intention of forgiving Gillard, who had caused his sister’s death.

His becoming a deposed prince was also because he lost in a power struggle with the Basmach King after advocating war with the Empire.

‘Wouldn’t I have been heartbroken too! But I couldn’t drive all our people into a death trap to avenge my sister. Besides, that wasn’t really his cause either!’

When I shared the content with the King, he spoke angrily as if he couldn’t contain himself.

‘Only the most terrible death awaits that bastard. I’m sorry that our poor management has caused various troubles for the Empire.’

As a monarch of a nation, he also quickly composed his emotions.

However, what was concluded was only Gillard Basmach’s punishment; we still had remaining matters to handle.

“-Evidence that Gillard Basmach and the late Duke Zamoti exchanged communications.”

“That’s correct.”

Naturally, I hadn’t worked Samuel Moti and the mages just to find out about some prenatal engagement.

I intended to properly conclude the Basmach Consort’s fall incident too.

Perhaps because the late Duke Zamoti was alive at the time of the incident, traces of communication with Gillard remained in the Zamoti Duchy rather than with the Fourth Consort.

The Emperor fell into thought while looking at the documents, then soon nodded.

“-Even if it’s an old matter, it’s true that he informed a foreign country of domestic affairs and took actions that could be threatening.”

When the Emperor pulled the bell cord, the Chamberlain immediately entered and bowed.

“Announce that the former Riedern County owned by the Zamoti Duchy will be confiscated. It would be insufficient even to strip them of their Imperial nobility, but in consideration of the Fourth Consort, the title will be demoted to the original marquis rank.”

At the Emperor’s cold words, the Chamberlain responded and soon left the room.

When I remained silent about that decision, the Emperor spoke as if feeling guilty.

“Do you think I’m too soft on the Fourth Consort?”

“That’s beyond my authority, Your Majesty.”

At my answer, the Emperor chuckled.

“Since you’re like a storm that sweeps everything away refreshingly, you might find this frustrating. Even so, I can’t help it.”

The Emperor opened his mouth while closing the report with a thud.

“Justification is important in all state affairs. That principle cannot be broken. As long as I am Emperor.”

“I understand.”

That frustrating aspect of yours very well indeed.

I only cursed him inwardly, but the Emperor chuckled softly.

“You must know that there could have been sympathetic public opinion for the Fourth Consort. Don’t you know well that my decision was quite unfair just by covering that up? Yet you act as if you’re still dissatisfied.”

“I haven’t said anything at all.”

“I knew you’d answer like that.”

The Emperor’s increasingly friendly expressions toward me made me feel quite uncomfortable.

The Emperor tapped the top of the covered report and spoke to me.

“So go and do some work.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve come to know very well that when you’re in the Capital, you think only of work to the point where I feel sorry for Casian.”

Isn’t that a good quality for an advisor?

You even just told me to work right now.

However, my confusion was soon resolved.

As the Emperor smiled broadly.

“Go and inspect the former Riedern County that the Imperial Court will be reclaiming this time. Together with Casian.”

Since he had given me a long-term assignment that would keep me away from the Capital for a while.

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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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