The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 135

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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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135.

“…Brother?”

“Sorry for being late, Casian.”

Charley walked slowly through the entrance with the Imperial Guard, his face unusually serious.

I blinked once and checked again at the faces of the knights who came with him.

They weren’t the knights usually stationed at the Summer Palace, but mostly knights from the Sun Palace.

“I didn’t expect Prince Charley to come.”

The Elder Priest was puzzled by Charley’s appearance but welcomed him for now.

Unlike the gaze he sent us, it was friendly – the kind of look that would make perceptive people notice there was a connection.

In contrast, Charley’s gaze was so indifferent it was hard to believe he was usually someone who smiled often.

“This place, Riedern, is precious imperial land that both His Majesty and I must care for.”

“I see. You said Prince Casian was in charge, but I didn’t know you would volunteer for such trouble. This must mean you’re looking after the temple that much.”

The Elder Priest tried to interpret it favorably, but Charley opened his mouth as if he didn’t see what that had to do with anything.

“Of course I want to maintain good relations with the temple. However, this time I’ve simply come to help my beloved younger brother’s affairs.”

“Hmm, I see.”

The Elder Priest withdrew his welcome and showed a somewhat displeased expression.

“Of course, His Majesty did say there’s also a need to strengthen friendly relations with the temple.”

“Indeed!”

The Elder Priest finally relaxed his face only at Charley’s additional words.

“Though I don’t agree.”

Of course, Charley emphasized once more with a bright smile, confusing the Elder Priest.

Not just the Elder Priest, but all the temple officials including the Attending Priest couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

His answer of disagreement sounded like he was saying he’d be merciless enemies with the temple.

Charley went even further.

“Looking at this current situation, I think His Majesty might feel similarly…”

“Pardon?”

He completely threw the Elder Priest and the temple side into confusion.

“Your Highness, as the First Prince, shouldn’t you be more careful with your words?”

The Elder Priest tried to suppress his panic and spoke to Charley as if admonishing him.

“Anyone can misspeak, and the temple always keeps an embracing attitude open.”

However, at those words, Charley shrugged and made a face as if he didn’t understand.

“I was just being honest though?”

When Charley gestured, the Imperial Guards he brought confronted the Sacred Knights surrounding us in unison.

“Your Highness…!”

“The temple side was first to draw swords against the imperial family, so I don’t see why His Majesty or I should be friendly toward the temple.”

At those words, the Elder Priest looked around and hurriedly opened his mouth as if understanding.

“Let me explain everything. This is merely the temple’s rightful duty. Above all…”

The Elder Priest approached Charley with a gentle expression.

“We absolutely don’t intend to do anything harmful to Prince Charley… that is, to the imperial family.”

The Elder Priest spoke meaningfully to Charley, laden with various hidden implications.

At that behavior, Casian whispered to me.

“He seems to want to tell him to think about the Fourth Imperial Concubine.”

“Really.”

“The problem is that brother is brother.”

I quietly nodded in response to those words.

Wasn’t Charli Artez someone we both thought was unpredictable?

From that Elder Priest’s perspective, he’d think Charley would definitely come over…

The Charley I’d observed so far was someone with a talent for turning the tables on people who pretended to be allies at times like this.

After maintaining silence and being lost in thought for a moment, Charley showed an innocent smile.

“Of course I know. As I mentioned earlier, we came to help the temple. We also absolutely didn’t come to interfere with the temple, but…”

At those words, the Elder Priest also seemed relieved and composed his expression.

“But no matter how I listen, you don’t seem to be stating proper evidence that could frame our Casian and our empire’s capable talent, the Clupea Margrave, as corrupt individuals.”

Charli Artez demolished that composure in one blow.

“Ah, I’m just mentioning this possibility, but I’m absolutely not saying the temple drives innocent people to ruin or anything like that. I just have some education myself.”

Then Charley looked toward me and sent a warm gaze.

I flinched slightly at those eyes.

I couldn’t quite grasp what he was thinking this time.

It was subtly similar to when he asked last time if he could ‘consider a debt owed’…

‘What benefit would there be in owing me a debt?’

Someone who’s the Empire’s First Prince, no less.

Whether I was confused or not, Charli Artez continued speaking to the Elder Priest.

“Whatever you’re doing, you need to grasp solid evidence to avoid future problems. It would be troublesome if the temple received the misunderstanding that they put precious imperial citizens on trial based on speculation, wouldn’t it?”

The Elder Priest and Attending Priests looked at Charley, who was splendidly throwing ash on cooked rice, as if wondering what kind of person this was.

And Casian Artez.

“Rose must be too excellent – seeing how everyone is copying Rose’s behavior like that.”

Recited such carefree words in this somewhat serious atmosphere.

*

The Elder Priest, who had been flustered for a moment, soon regained his composure.

He spoke to Charley with a calm face.

“Of course, we have evidence. Though they must be precious to the imperial family as well, we’re also in a position to demand proof from our precious Saint.”

“Then could you show us that evidence? If it’s certain, I won’t say anything more.”

At Charley’s words, the Elder Priest shook his head regretfully.

“Sadly… We never thought such a thing would happen here, so all the evidence of heresy is at the Capital Grand Temple.”

“Then you can examine it after returning to the capital.”

At Charley’s logical point, the Minister opened his mouth as if he had decided something.

“Prince Charley, wouldn’t that damage the dignity of our Saint, the Second Prince, and the Clupea Margrave even more?”

Wouldn’t blindly driving them as heretics again be worse?

This was even the second time for something similar to happen to me.

Of course, it was true that I lacked faith since the Lord hadn’t granted my wishes several times, but strictly speaking, I was just a weak non-believer.

‘Looking at that, there’s no evidence. They were planning to push with circumstantial evidence and if we couldn’t escape the trial, that’s it!’

Once the results came out, they could claim we were heretics.

And by sacrificing Wesley and us, the temple could gain dominance over the imperial family.

Charley wouldn’t be unaware of this…

Yet instead of refuting, he was silently staring at the Minister, wondering what he was thinking.

“So you’re saying you absolutely must conduct the trial?”

“Your Highness, this isn’t something to view so negatively. If they’re truly innocent, they’ll be safe in the trial.”

Locking someone in a sealed room for a week without giving them a drop of water?

The only way to prove oneself was to survive for a week without any health problems.

Showing mental abnormalities due to confinement – failure.

Becoming haggard from not eating – failure.

Even if lucky enough to survive the week, hardly anyone came out intact, so it was basically a death sentence.

Charley tapped his temple with his hand at the Elder Priest’s words.

“That means innocent people will be fine, right?”

“That’s correct.”

Charley briefly made eye contact with me beyond the knights, then read something and cheerfully-

“Then I’ll take it too, that trial.”

Dropped another bomb on the Elder Priest.

*

What followed was a series of farces.

“Wh-why would Prince Charley volunteer for such hardship?”

“Didn’t you say, Minister, that if we’re innocent, we’ll be safe?”

“That’s true, but!”

Charley made a pitiful expression at those words.

“I believe my younger brother and the Clupea Margrave are innocent.”

“Even so…!”

“If they’re not innocent, then I want to be there with my family on their final journey.”

At his words, the Minister couldn’t hide his burning frustration.

‘He must have made some kind of deal with the Fourth Consort?’

And Prince Charley came here to interfere with that, for reasons unknown.

I really couldn’t understand why that person was acting this way.

The Elder Priest tried several more times to persuade Charley after that, but due to Charley’s firm attitude, his words became meaningless.

In the end, he very reluctantly decided to judge us, including Charley.

However, Charli Artez didn’t back down with just that.

“I have one more thing to tell you, Minister.”

“…What is it.”

It was a weak response, as if he was drained of energy.

Toward such an Elder Priest, Charley spoke with a sharp, menacing air unlike before, his face devoid of any trace of a smile.

“When my younger brother and the Clupea Margrave are proven innocent, you should be prepared.”

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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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