The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 150

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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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150.

How much time had passed? When Ernest’s black hair had turned nearly half white from the steadily falling snow, the solid door finally opened cautiously.

“I apologize, Your Majesty the Emperor. It seems the Empress’s health is still not well.”

A stern-looking knight came out and informed me and the Emperor of the refusal to visit.

Ernest remained standing still without moving at that response.

Watching such a scene, the Royal Guard bearing Riedern’s insignia on one side could only feel troubled.

Ernest, who had stood rooted like a nail until the snow dyed past his shoulders, finally opened his mouth only after a nearby attendant had spoken to him several times.

“—Is Maribel, is the Empress’s body healthy?”

“…Yes.”

Ernest let out a deep sigh at the knight’s reluctant answer.

As if he knew the knight’s response didn’t mean what it literally said.

“If she hates me, tell her to come harm me instead, not to hurt her own body.”

“Her Majesty the Empress told me to convey this: she is merely avoiding Your Majesty because she caught a cold due to winter, so you need not come here repeatedly like this.”

At the knight’s words, the Emperor shook his head with drooping shoulders.

“That makes it even harder for me…”

The moment the Emperor said that and turned around, he seemed to show a surprised expression for an instant.

But that was brief as the swirling snow disappeared in an instant, and the area near the path changed to a scene blooming with various spring flowers.

Unlike before, Ernest wasn’t standing in front of Peony Palace.

But there was a sense of desolation.

Even though it didn’t feel as closed off as now.

When I signaled to Casian, he held me and easily entered Peony Palace.

It was hard to believe this was the Empress’s palace, as there were hardly any traces of servants to be felt.

While I was puzzled, Casian brought me to a place he remembered seeing before.

It was the Inner Garden of Peony Palace where Maribel had laughed and played happily with Ernest.

As we carefully approached the window, a small voice could be heard.

“…Are you really going to send all of these as gifts to the Imperial Concubine, Your Majesty the Empress?”

“Yes, since she’s someone who did what I couldn’t do as Empress, I should fulfill this much duty.”

“…His Majesty the Emperor is truly too much.”

The conversation between Maribel and her maid leaked out.

At those words, instead of stopping the maid, Maribel carefully approached the window.

Maribel’s complexion, which had been lovely and full of vitality, was darker than ever before.

Really like someone who had barely recovered from a severe illness throughout winter.

Maribel gazed blankly at the tree with budding flower buds and spoke as if reciting.

“I came prepared for this, but it’s too painful and difficult.”

“…Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Even when Father tried to stop me, I thought it would be okay, Ernest… His Majesty the Emperor cherishes me, so I thought he would trust my words.”

As Maribel leaned against the window, her golden hair, though dulled, still shimmering, flowed down carelessly.

“But it wasn’t like that. I was prepared that it might not be, but I didn’t know it would hurt this much.”

“…Young Duke.”

The maid called Maribel by a different title, not Empress.

At that, Maribel shook her head.

As if telling her not to let her forget her position.

“I said if we wait a little longer, our child would come… but perhaps that was something I shouldn’t have said as Empress.”

Maribel slowly straightened her body.

“But that would be unavoidable for Ernest, wouldn’t it? I should understand that, shouldn’t I?”

“Your Majesty…”

At Maribel’s composure, the maid couldn’t contain her sadness and tears streamed down.

Maribel carefully wiped the maid’s eyes and spoke.

“I hope my child comes to me soon. Then, if that happens…”

Maribel touched her flat stomach and muttered briefly.

“I could cover my love for Ernest a little with love for that child. I could cover this heart of mine that can’t hate him even though I want to…”

At Maribel’s murmuring, I held Casian tightly.

Because I felt he was my pitiful person.

Though it might have been just a coincidence, I thought perhaps her heart had guided us here.

‘Leaving behind someone with such feelings, how could you embrace someone else, no matter what political reasons there might be?’

Looking at Casian’s face like that, I couldn’t even imagine such a thing.

Breaking down the solid walls of my heart was already a challenge to begin with—

‘Lady Maribel had built walls as solid as mine, or even more so. And he was the one who broke them down.’

What if Casian Artez made me like this and then pretended not to know?

Since I don’t have Riedern blood or anything like that, I would repay him with something he’d regret for life and leave forever.

But Lady Maribel…

‘She can’t even do that.’

Moreover, knowing the choice she eventually made, I felt even more so.

When I hugged Casian’s body even tighter, he instead kissed my forehead with a calm face.

As if he was fine.

That face resembled Lady Maribel too much, making my heart ache more.

“…I will never do anything I can’t take responsibility for, absolutely not.”

“Yes, I know well.”

At my words spoken like a vow, Casian kissed my cheek once more.

Along with that tender kiss, the scenery of Peony Palace changed once again.

With slightly warmer air, Maribel was resting under the shade of lush trees.

She was quietly reading a book, and beside her, Ernest was restless with a face that seemed to want to do something for her.

Maribel paid no attention to him and just occasionally stroked her round, swollen belly.

After some time passed, when she looked up, Ernest was watching Maribel with a tensely alert posture.

She had become a bit more mature, and didn’t have the withered appearance like a dead tree as seen before.

Though she didn’t overflow with vitality as when seen previously, it was felt that she too had become as hardened as possible through years of palace life.

Maribel gently opened her mouth toward Ernest, who seemed ready to receive any command.

“This isn’t the time to be like this, you should hurry and go attend to state affairs. The Imperial Consort and other concubines are also waiting for Your Majesty to come, so you shouldn’t stay here too long.”

“Bel, I…”

“It’s alright, as long as Your Majesty grants what you promised me.”

Toward the restless Ernest, Maribel spoke with a much more resolute attitude than before.

“You remember the name to give our child, don’t you? And also giving the palace as promised…”

“Of course, Bel. I really like the name Casian that you chose. And how could I oppose giving Winter Palace to our child.”

Ernest moved closer to Maribel and gazed at her as if she were lovely.

“Winter Palace is the precious palace where you and I took refuge from Uncle. You’ve been consistently saying since around when I ascended the throne that you wish our child could be protected from any danger.”

“That’s right, and I have one more request…”

Maribel’s hand stroking her belly paused for a moment.

In her slightly downcast eyes, unlike her words, there was no expectation mixed in.

Though he couldn’t have failed to notice this, Ernest asked Maribel as if clinging.

“What is it? This time I’ll really grant anything.”

“You said that before too, but didn’t grant my request not to bring in Concubine Zamotti.”

At the barbed words, he hesitated briefly, but soon opened his mouth pleadingly toward her.

“…This time it’s really true. I’ll really grant it, Bel.”

Looking at such an Emperor, I wanted to close my eyes.

Because I knew he wouldn’t be able to protect her no matter what she said.

“When autumn comes soon, they’ll tell you to go out for monster subjugation.”

“I’ll send the knights.”

At Ernest’s immediate words, Maribel smiled brilliantly.

It was an expression so beautiful it seemed like it would crumble at any moment.

Seeing that, Ernest felt relieved, and Maribel left one pointed remark.

“That’s how you can protect me and Casian. Don’t forget, Ernest.”

She, who had always called him Your Majesty, now called him as she had when they were affectionate lovers.

As if it were foreshadowing, with those words the sky turned pitch black and rain poured down like spears.

It was such a sorrowful autumn rain.

*

When I came to my senses, Casian who had been holding me was gone and I was inside the building.

Listening to the sound of heavy rain, I walked forward instead of looking for Casian.

Though it was my first time inside Peony Palace, I seemed to know where to go.

The scroll on my wrist alternated between becoming warm and cold.

As if telling me the connection would soon end.

I stood before a door that was clearly a bedroom and knocked carefully.

Before long, a voice telling me to come in was heard.

It was unmistakably Maribel Reardon’s voice.

When I pushed the trolley that had appeared beside me and entered, Maribel didn’t look toward me but just stared out the window where fierce rain was falling.

“—That person betrays me until the very end.”

“….”

I didn’t know what to say in response, so I remained quietly silent.

I suddenly realized that neither hasty comfort nor words agreeing with the Emperor’s irresponsibility were things I could offer to Maribel right now.

She had called me here to settle things.

To open the final chapter.

“Are you crying even though you knew everything?”

She slowly turned around to look at me.

Toward me, whose cheeks had been soaked in a mess at some point.

Maribel sent me an affectionate gaze.

It was a look armed with the loveliness she hadn’t shown Ernest from some point on.

She approached me with a mischievous face resembling Casian’s and carefully wiped around my eyes with a fragrant handkerchief as she spoke.

“I’m afraid Casian might hate me for making his precious you cry.”

“…How could he hate you.”

When I know what kind of life you lived, what you endured.

At my words, she asked with a quiet smile.

“—Even knowing that I made a choice you disapprove of?”

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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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