The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 177

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story 02-7.

His Majesty the Emperor had childishly decided to make a surprise visit without notifying us.
In fact, even now that he had arrived, not a single official document bearing the Imperial seal had come through.
The staff of the Sun Palace, left with no choice but to obey the orders of such a formidable superior as the Emperor, could not hide their embarrassment and avoided meeting our eyes.
The Emperor, who had started all this fuss, seemed quietly to expect some reaction from us.
[He’s always been such a narrow-minded man, after all. It seems he wanted to see you and Prince Casian in an awkward predicament, arriving unannounced, just to satisfy his own vanity.
Though truth be told, if he’d simply worked harder himself, none of this would have been necessary. Looking at how he’s managed things this time, it seems he has the capability to reduce his lifespan—or rather, his sleep hours—a little.]
Thanks to the sensible communication of Empress Trisha, the only truly proper adult in the Imperial household, the Emperor’s little scheme came to nothing.
Even without that warning, there would have been no reason for us to be caught off guard—we already knew this was no mere wedding, but an event combining matters of many kinds.
“Welcome, Your Majesty. It is a great honor that someone of your busy schedule has made the journey all the way to Riedern County, though I must say your reproach wounds me. I was merely concerned for your health. We both understand well that affairs of state requiring your personal attention are more pressing than our wedding.”
I offered a most respectful greeting, yet the Emperor’s brows furrowed sharply.
“Hmph! I’ve made the effort to come all the way here, and still you lecture me about my duties. It’s not as though handling urgent matters settles everything.”
Even rotting at the core, he remained Emperor enough to grasp the general drift of what I meant.
Realizing that lingering here would only bring more nagging, he began to hurry us along.
“I’m not as young as I once was. The journey from the Capital here has exhausted me. The roads are rather poorly maintained as well—my back aches terribly.”
“I shall have you shown to your quarters at once. Despite our efforts, this being a place of such deep history, there are limits to what can be assessed and arranged in the span of merely a year or two. I do hope you will understand our limitations.”
At my words, the Emperor merely pouted his lips.
‘Good grief. And at his age too.’
I truly could not fathom why, knowing full well I would not respond with charming humility to such remarks, he still managed to feel wounded when I inevitably heard things like, ‘Why did you leave this place in Jaemoti’s charge for decades?’ and took offense at them.
Empress Trisha appeared to share my sentiments, regarding His Majesty with a subtle gaze.
At this, the Emperor hastily cleared his throat and extended his arm to her gallantly, as if to escort her away.
“Ahem, in any case, off to rest with you! You must be fatigued.”
“Yes, and the Fourth Prince should be arriving soon as well. I do look forward to seeing him.”
Thus Empress Trisha departed with His Majesty, guided by another servant toward the guest quarters.
Before she left, she cast a brief glance—with curious eyes—toward Maribel, who stood conferring with another guard at the landing.
*
After that, naturally, I took care to ensure that Maribel did not encounter His Majesty.
Of course, I briefly considered the approach of showing her the now-aged Emperor in his decline, enough to dampen any romantic interest.
Setting aside our own existence for the moment, I thought it more likely that Maribel’s own happiness lay in being bound to someone else.
But the greater risk was that His Majesty might take one look at the young Maribel and create some unwanted situation, so I chose the path of keeping them apart.
Besides, Maribel herself had her own wishes.
“Well, it’s a bit embarrassing to mention now, but the truth is I’ve never even made my debutante debut, and I’m worried something might go wrong when dealing with distinguished guests. Particularly, I’d rather avoid high-ranking gentlemen.”
Though she’d phrased it diplomatically, it amounted to saying she wished to avoid His Majesty.
For the foreign guests of other lands—excluding His Majesty—she showed no such gender-based hesitation, and even displayed curiosity at seeing them from afar.
Our avoidance strategy flowed smoothly, aided by the cooperation of Empress Trisha, who seemed to have noticed something.
“For a moment there, I felt younger myself. That’s why I do hope Marion Deal walks only upon peaceful paths.”
So Empress Trisha said as she subtly informed us of the Emperor’s movements.
While we were occupied with the many guests as the wedding drew near, she even sent her own maids to help protect Maribel when we could not tend to her directly.
As a result, despite the short time, Maribel seemed to have developed considerable affection for Empress Trisha.
“A princess of Seolkuk, no less—is that why she’s so graceful? I learned ever so much from her.”
After being invited to Empress Trisha’s tea time, she spoke with barely concealed delight.
And in truth, Empress Trisha had given us one further service: the moment she learned His Majesty would visit, she had immediately contacted the King of Seolkuk to arrange a playmate for the Emperor.
The two troublesome adults became each other’s entertainment, and thanks to that, the wedding day arrived safely and peacefully.
*
“Oh my, Rose. You look absolutely beautiful!”
“R-Rose… I could have sworn you were only this tall just yesterday. When did you grow up enough to wear a wedding dress?”
Once all my preparations were complete, my first visitors were, of course, my beloved parents.
They were soon followed by the familiar, welcome faces of Terodima’s household.
“Rose, you’re absolutely radiant! Standing so still like that, I could have sworn you were a beautiful angel descended from the heavens!”
At the Count’s words, Paul’s face took on a distinctly sour expression.
“Hey, Rose. You’ll share the plans for recycling all the decorations from the wedding, right?”
He then delivered a remark utterly unsuited to the occasion. I felt deeply reassured that my old friend hadn’t changed one bit.
“Of course. Reardon Domain has plenty that needs attention, so I made sure all the decorations we’ll no longer need are from recyclable materials.”
“Those two really are just the same on every occasion.”
At my reply, Countess Terodima let out a relieved laugh.
After that, various other visitors came to see me before the ceremony.
The village people, including Baker and Bunch; Empress Trisha and the Fourth Prince; the Sixth Prince.
The First Consort and the Second Princess, their faces bright with joy and excitement.
All of them were people I held dear, so I was glad to see each one.
Of course, those who had once worked with us at the Winter Palace and now serve at other estates came as well.
“Congratulations, Salice Advisor. I am delighted beyond measure to see this day come for you. I have prepared a humble gift, and I humbly hope you will accept it.”
Francis Ashwood, who had returned to his domain and was now fully undertaking the education and duties of an heir, paid me a formal visit.
His silver hair and complexion seemed to shine more brilliantly than when he worked at the Winter Palace, and yet somehow his face held a wistful expression.
“After the wedding, there is a matter concerning our work that I should like to request. Would it be acceptable for me to write a letter to both of you?”
“Of course. There’s no need to ask permission for such things beforehand. We’re like comrades-in-arms, aren’t we?”
“Comrades-in-arms….”
At my words, a quiet satisfaction and excitement bloomed across Francis’s face.
No matter how I thought about it, the Winter Palace had thoroughly ruined that man’s tastes. A work-life balance advocate transformed into a workaholic….
And of course, my most treasured friend Wilhelmina came as well.
“Thank you for giving me the chance to gift you something blue. I wish I could adequately express how happy and honored I feel right now.”
Wilhelmina, her face flushed with excitement, carefully opened the jewel case.
“I consulted with Grandmother for a long time about whether to choose something new or something passed down through our family for generations. I gave it much consideration.”
What Wilhelmina presented was a breathtakingly beautiful platinum bracelet. Small sapphires of the deepest blue adorned it throughout, but the true centerpiece was the magnificent large diamond set in the middle.
“This is a diamond with a blue cast to it. After Riedern’s honor was restored, Dragons ceased to be treated as aberrations, didn’t they? So Grandmother said that gifting you the Blue Diamond left behind by the Dragon—you, the master of the Dragon Lair—would be the most fitting choice.”
“Oh….”
The beauty of it drew a gasp from my lips. Even Pea, who clung to me as it was my wedding day, let out an exclamation.
—To see the traces of a cherished friend, what a special day this has become.
It seemed to be the memento of the Dragon who had once guarded this land and fallen into sleep.
“Is it truly all right for me to accept something so precious? Would it be acceptable if I borrowed it instead?”
“Someone else is preparing the borrowed gift, remember? So please accept this as something wholly blue, Rose. Your joyful face alone has already become a precious gift to me.”
The words were sweet enough to make my heart race. As I nodded with emotion, Wilhelmina’s face grew even more radiant and dear.
With her gift, all four traditional elements for a happy marriage were now complete.
Blue came from Wilhelmina; something old was the locket my mother had kept from my grandmother; something borrowed was the anklet of Empress Trisha.
As for something new, there was more than enough—my dress, gifts from Casian, things prepared by my family, and far too many others to count.
And there was also something specially prepared by Maribel.
She was the last guest to visit me before I walked into the ceremony.

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