The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 153

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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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153.

“…It’s not just Casian.”

The Emperor looked sick as he examined the documents I had organized.

At the top were listed the names starting with mine and Casian’s, followed by a long list of advisors, administrators, and royal guards who had contributed to this matter.

Naturally, it was all organized with appropriate rewards based on existing precedents.

In fact, the Emperor only needed to sign.

I opened my mouth to prevent the clearly displeased Emperor from backing out.

“I never thought for a moment that Your Majesty would forget to reward those involved, given how importantly you regarded this matter. But haven’t you been very busy?”

The Emperor immediately looked uncomfortable at my words.

Then he let out a deep sigh.

“Can’t I relax a little now, Salice Advisor? There are no more enemies threatening you and Casian, so why are you in such a hurry?”

The Emperor spoke as if he had never intended to brush off the rewards.

“Your Majesty, I was simply working as usual. Surely until now….”

So I put on a hurt expression.

It didn’t matter if the Emperor realized it was an act.

We both knew each other’s nature well enough.

“Did you think I was working for personal gain? I was simply doing my duty faithfully as an advisor employed by the Second Prince’s palace.”

The Emperor let out a deep sigh at my words.

“Yes, how could I ever win against you.”

“You speak as if I’m tormenting Your Majesty. I even prepared documents so you would only need to review them comfortably.”

Since it was absolutely true, the Emperor simply pressed his lips together and began flipping through the documents with a serious expression.

As he had told me earlier, the Emperor had indeed been living very leisurely days lately.

This was because both the Temple and the fourth consort had lost their power.

The Magic Tower? They had been thoroughly harassed because of Casian and me, making it impossible for them to cause trouble easily.

However, even though the interference from such troublesome parties had disappeared, administrative work was always piling up.

Just because power-hungry people were dealt with didn’t mean the world would become peaceful.

It was still a world where people lived.

But this Emperor had perfect targets to push work onto.

Namely, Casian and me, and the various advisors and administrators we had diligently trained to live like decent human beings….

‘Moreover, Empress Trisha manages the Inner Palace very well and fairly, unlike the former Jamoti consort.’

Her son, the Fourth Prince, was also very capable at handling paperwork, living up to his reputation as a bookworm.

So after the incident in the audience chamber, the Emperor acted like someone leisurely performing an honorary position.

That wouldn’t do.

‘If you hurt so many people to become Emperor, you should hold onto that position properly.’

Where do you think you’re running off to?

While I stood guard, the Emperor read the documents while grumbling slightly.

It was quite amusing how he seemed to be showing me a somewhat intimate side.

As if he wanted to play family now.

Perhaps worried I might nag, the Emperor who had read all the documents set them down on his desk with a troubled expression.

“Everything else is fine, there’s nothing to complain about. Granting single-rank titles to the royal guards, giving reward money to the hardworking Salice Advisor. But….”

“Is there something that concerns you? If so, I’ll check and revise it.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue briefly at my businesslike attitude and shook his head.

“I think you’re trying to give Casian only what belonged to the late Empress.”

“Are you referring to Riedern Territory?”

“You’re too smart not to know.”

The Emperor tapped the documents with his fingertip.

“That I’m planning to announce the crown prince selection soon.”

Of course I knew.

But.

“I apologize, but I had no idea at all. Your Majesty is still so robust, and wasn’t there the precedent set by Jamoti consort?”

I had no intention of acknowledging it.

“Then know it now. It’s something you need to know.”

Are you saying you’re planning to give Casian the crown prince position now?

Now you want to remain as a nominal emperor, push all the work onto Casian, and wield power only when you feel like it?

Using Casian as your retirement plan – what a terrible father.

After never properly acting like a father until now, do you want to hear thanks for bestowing power on him?

As someone who had saved Casian’s life multiple times, I really couldn’t agree.

Casian Artez had never once had a leisurely and peaceful period.

Though we weren’t wealthy, I had lived quite happily in Salice Barony.

My parents were good people, Uncle and Aunt Terodima were generous, and Paul was even fun to tease.

But had the Emperor ever given Casian anything like that?

It was Casian’s will that kept him desperately alive through countless near-death crises, and I was the one who helped him.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

I opened my mouth toward the Emperor with a stupid expression.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I don’t understand why this is something I need to know. Please refrain from speaking to me as if you’re testing me.”

I even deliberately acted uncharacteristically modest.

Very politely.

The Emperor frowned slightly at those words.

“To think you believe I would trap even you – that’s rather hurtful. I thought I had shared quite a lot with you.”

Could you please restrain yourself because it’s creepy?

This personal intimacy building of yours.

And I’ve seen too much to trust you in that way.

‘If you truly loved Maribel, your priorities were thoroughly different.’

But you care that much for your son’s fiancée?

I’d rather ask a cat to guard a fish store.

At least then there would be customers coming to see the cute cat.

“Your Majesty, I came here only as an advisor of the Winter Palace and as Clupea Margrave, a noble of the Empire. And I believe it’s proper not to speak carelessly about uncertain matters.”

For some reason, the Emperor looked satisfied with my answer.

Disgustingly so.

“—Anyway, I have my own thoughts, so I don’t think it’s right to give Casian the Riedern dukedom now. I also want to give it to him in the most complete form.”

So you absolutely won’t give Prince Casian the inheritance rights to Riedern Territory?

The meaning was that he should take ‘Imperial Territory’ Riedern later as crown prince and emperor.

“Your Majesty, have you forgotten your promise to the late Empress?”

So I gladly drew out the card I was holding.

“It remained in the former Riedern ducal family’s treasury – the prenuptial contract you wrote when marrying the late Empress.”

Maribel Reardon was never someone blinded by love, and she knew very well what kind of man she loved.

I drew a gentle smile and spoke to the Emperor.

“Since you loved the late Empress so much, wouldn’t it be nice to keep your promise with her in the beautiful form of a reward? That’s all I suggested.”

“…How did you get this.”

“Prince Casian said he didn’t need a reward since he did it to protect his parents’ honor, but I thought Your Majesty would be pleased, so I recommended it…. Did I really misjudge?”

Facing me as I consistently spoke pretty words, the Emperor shamelessly showed a face that said he’d been had.

Of course, as someone who had recited his love for Maribel in front of me.

The inheritance rights to Riedern Territory are granted to the child born between Ernest Artez and Maribel Reardon.

He couldn’t ignore this sentence written in the prenuptial contract.

If Maribel had another child, he could have evaded by saying he’d give it to that other child instead.

I drove in one more nail toward the Emperor.

“When this document emerged from the treasury, the residents of Riedern were so happy. They said there wasn’t much time left before they could truly serve His Highness as their lord.”

In other words, it would be useless to silence me since many people knew.

The Emperor lost his words at my statement and stared quietly before picking up his fountain pen with a disgruntled expression.

“…Even though I told you it would fall into his hands anyway.”

As if he couldn’t understand what meaning such actions could possibly have.

He pressed his seal firmly onto the reward document I had written, along with his signature.

That day, I expressed my gratitude to the Emperor more respectfully than ever before.

With this, the first condition for me to whisk Casian Artez away from the Emperor had been secured.

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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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