The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 163

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

163.

The Imperial Palace was turned upside down once again just three days later.

This was because about 80% of the palace staff belonging to the Winter Palace had expressed their intention to resign.

In particular, the Sun Palace moved quickly the very next day to try to entice our advisors and administrators.

“I’ve already promised my grandmother to receive successor lessons starting in spring, so I cannot accept. You can confirm this with my father.”

“I must begin managing the Ashwood duchy as a young duke starting in spring, so I had already intended to resign anyway. I’m grateful for His Majesty’s recommendation, but I cannot accept.”

Wilhelmina and Francis escaped well by answering as planned.

Also, another advisor who came in with Wilhelmina said,

“Ah, my goal was to work with Salice Advisor, so I’m not interested. I knew about the rumors of Salice Barony, and I thought that learning under the great Winter Palace demon would help our estate escape its impoverished situation.”

Since his original goal for applying as an advisor was similar to my goal of coming to the capital, he easily declined.

He said his estate was a bit away from Count Terodima’s territory, and he had applied to be an advisor simply out of curiosity after hearing our rumors.

And the other administrators said,

“I want to spend time with my family and live a leisurely life.”

“I need a superior I can respect and who can protect me.”

“I was getting tired of capital life anyway.”

“I don’t want to volunteer for overtime work for people who aren’t our demons.”

Instead of responding to the scouting with various reasons, they handed in their resignation letters instead.

We had originally recommended they quit and work in Clupea territory or Liarden estate, and unless they insisted on capital life, the atmosphere was that they preferred those places.

“They’ll pretend to treat us well now because they need us immediately. But haven’t we worked with them for a year or two?”

“They’ll suck out all the sweet benefits and steal all the good credit, won’t they? I worked here because I liked Winter Palace’s unique atmosphere where the work I do becomes my achievement.”

“I’m only saying this here, but I don’t think His Majesty the Emperor will respect us as much as His Highness the Prince does.”

“If he were that kind of person, he would have chosen to share the hardships instead of just dumping work on Winter Palace from the start.”

The administrators knew the work dynamics here too well.

They all knew what kind of temperament the Emperor had and what kind of work style he possessed.

And since they were people who had shared all the hardships and joys of Winter Palace together after I arrived, even more so.

Since even the administrators were like this, there was no need to mention the knights, attendants, and maids.

Of course, the maids had somewhat strange reasons…

“If we’re not here, who will touch Salice Advisor’s hair?”

“That’s right! There will be times when she needs to prepare as the future Clupea Margrave and Countess Irenol.”

“There will be social circles there too, and we need to protect Salice Advisor from petty and loose-lipped nobles!”

Thanks to this, I realized why I had been so clueless about social circle rumors.

It was because the maids had conspired with Wilhelmina to block all the strange rumors attached to me.

‘…I knew reasonably well before becoming friends with Wilhelmina.’

Anyway, since these were grateful feelings, I decided to cherish them.

Since the knights were giving up the honor of being Royal Guards, I had only whispered to a few of them beforehand.

“Your Highness, how can you do this when we’ve shared our lives together so many times!”

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t doubt my sincerity? If Your Highness doesn’t work me hard, my body will rust quickly.”

“That’s right! And why are you trying to monopolize Salice Advisor’s sharp tongue! We want to be worked hard too.”

…This side also had mostly people who expressed their intention to resign while presenting really peculiar preferences.

After hearing those stories, Casian tried his best to act nonchalant.

But when others weren’t around, he couldn’t hide his embarrassed expression amid the outpouring of affection.

“I thought I only caused them hardship.”

“Sincerity always gets through.”

I leaned into his embrace and whispered in a proud voice.

“And I’m glad you’ve grown into someone who honestly acknowledges those people’s affection.”

“It’s thanks to what Rose taught me.”

At Casian’s sweet voice, of course I said,

“I know.”

And gladly embraced the reward for my efforts.

*

Of course, unlike Winter Palace, which was preparing to leave with a light heart while carefully handing over documents, the nobles of Sun Palace and major departments were all burning with various heavy duties.

We politely announced that we would leave after a month, and that day coincidentally happened to be the same day the Fourth Prince would leave Dawn Palace.

Of course, the Emperor did try various schemes.

‘…How about delaying academy admission by 3 years… no, about 2 years.’

‘Does Your Majesty want to disappoint another child too? Do you want to make children into untrustworthy people who break promises at the drop of a hat?’

Of course, he couldn’t even break even.

Since Empress Trisha had confirmed it again, the Emperor couldn’t bring himself to give orders.

He probably also knew that if he tried to force anything, I would make my move, since he had already been beaten down by documents full of all kinds of evidence from me.

Thanks to this, His Majesty the Emperor couldn’t even dream of spending time playing around with Coco in the Sun Palace garden during work hours these days.

“They say Sun Palace lights up at six in the morning and turns off the lights at midnight these days.”

“They’re living a healthy life.”

“Right?”

Of course, we didn’t sympathize with the Emperor’s barren lifestyle at all.

“At least it ends before the day is over.”

“Right, of course if we had handled it, we would have made it so it could start at 9 and end around 10.”

“Yes, then he would have dumped work that required working until midnight to finish.”

Casian smiled softly and kissed the back of my hand.

“Rose was courted several times too, right?”

“Yes, for about the first two weeks. But last week and this week, he couldn’t even think of calling me.”

“Now that all the work has been transferred.”

As Casian said, we could now afford the luxury of having lunch and taking leisurely walks.

Of course, there were still things to handle at moderate intensity during work hours.

This was a kind of buffer.

It would be troublesome to completely corner them before we left.

If we did that, they would use all kinds of unreasonable methods to try to keep us.

Of course, there were plenty of ways to shake them off, but it was best to avoid troublesome matters.

Above all, even this much was really livable.

Of course, when we go to Liarden, it will be a bit busier than now in the beginning, but it will still be much better than when we handled all the troublesome work of various palaces.

Since about ten reliable administrators will be with us.

The other administrators decided to follow Francis or Wilhelmina, so there were no worries about the future careers of Winter Palace people.

“We’ll be leaving the capital soon.”

“Are you sad?”

Casian looked at me with a worried face.

“I feel more relieved, though there will definitely be things I’ll miss.”

The townhouse Casian prepared for me, the bookstore I used to visit on holidays, the restaurant Casian and I went to together, the cafe where I spent time with Wilma, and Saphire, which still had many things beautiful enough to enchant my eyes.

But it wasn’t the places themselves that were special, but because of the memories built up there.

“I also know it’s a place we’ll return to someday.”

“Probably.”

“His Majesty the Emperor won’t be able to give up on you.”

Casian nodded at my words and kissed my forehead.

“Sorry for being such a troublesome guy.”

“It’s okay because I knew this when I fell in love with you.”

And if he really wants to call us back, he’ll only be able to do so after overcoming all kinds of obstacles.

At minimum, we’ll have enough time to enjoy our honeymoon and have two or three children to spend their childhood together, so it was fine.

I said this while cupping Casian’s cheeks.

Soon Casian nodded with a shy face.

Just as I was thinking what a really appealing face that was, I heard a short cough from nearby.

“…I’m sorry. You two.”

It was the Emperor’s Chamberlain.

He bowed his head with a face that looked very sorry for interrupting our affectionate moment.

“However, His Majesty the Emperor is calling for you.”

“Both of us?”

“…His Majesty is calling for Prince Casian.”

When I frowned at the chamberlain’s words, Casian smiled and kissed my cheek.

“You don’t need to see me as someone you must protect like that.”

“I’m worried you might casually add more painful memories again.”

“Then I’ll act spoiled with Rose.”

“Who said they’d indulge you?”

Casian chuckled softly at my words.

“Yeah, you will. Rose finds me adorable.”

Really, only this kind of cunning was growing by the day.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Casian’s cheek while whispering.

“Come back victorious.”

At my slightly threatening tone, Casian nodded without hesitation, reassuring me.

*

“-You know why I called you.”

As soon as he entered the office, the Emperor spoke as if even ceremonial greetings were a waste.

“Have you found grounds to punish me?”

“How could there be any, when you came with Advisor Salice and turned my insides completely upside down.”

Even in this moment, instead of pitying the Emperor who couldn’t spare a moment to look after himself, Casian recalled Rozelita’s brave appearance from a week ago.

‘What will you punish me with? You may punish me for coveting authority, but you cannot stop me from laying it down.’

‘Your duty as a prince-‘

‘Shall I repeat what I recited that day? A prince who is not the crown prince fulfills his duty simply by governing a duchy.’

The appearance of his beloved lover who wouldn’t be swayed, even though the Emperor had tried to coax her in various ways.

Casian loved that aspect of Rozelita very much.

Though he wondered if there was any aspect of her he didn’t love.

While Casian held back a laugh that threatened to escape, the Emperor let out a deep breath and set down his fountain pen for a moment.

He rubbed his brow as if truly tired, not acting, and spoke.

“I want to receive a promise.”

“What kind of promise?”

“About the task you two gave me.”

Ah, that.

At the Emperor’s words, Casian recalled Rozelita’s image once more and finally couldn’t hide his smile.

And the Emperor, who saw right through his thoughts, felt his head growing hot.

Because he couldn’t believe that he, the Emperor, was being played by his own son and that son’s fiancée.

It was hard to even find where things had gone wrong.

He had only thought they were children who would solve the succession problem and various administrative issues well even after cutting out the Zamoti Concubine.

He never dreamed they would strangle him with such an unexpected method, not rebellion.

Even now, he had said he wanted a promise to somehow preserve his pride.

‘…If I hadn’t called only Casian, Advisor Salice would have said by now.’

With that brazen face, very firmly.

‘That is merely a minimum condition, and we have no obligation to fulfill Your Majesty’s wishes.’

The sharp sword that worked so well when used against others was so painful and stinging when its point was turned toward him.

So the Emperor had no choice but to call his relatively softer son.

Hoping he would be swayed by emotion like Maribel.

The problem was…

‘He’s becoming like Advisor Salice, what a disaster.’

Even as he smiled foolishly while thinking of Rozelita, there was no vulnerable spot to be found.

He had faced countless political enemies throughout his life, but these were the first such formidable opponents he’d encountered.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————