The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 27

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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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27.

After a full week of overtime work, we were finally able to open the exhibition successfully.

We mobilized trustworthy knights and carefully moved all the exhibits to ensure not even a scratch would mar them.

Although the ticket prices for this exhibition were quite expensive, we allowed anyone regardless of social status to view it.

For the first time in a long while, newspapers wrote articles about Casian’s decision in a positive tone.

[Prince Casian’s Bold Decision! Anyone can visit the Anden Kingdom Exhibition if they can get tickets.]

[Anden Kingdom Exhibition, viewing guidelines from the Second Prince’s aide office!]

Really, how long has it been?

Since an article about Casian and me was published without mentioning anything about demons…!

As I looked at the article feeling inexplicably moved, Casian burst into laughter.

“How disappointing, Rose. I was quite fond of that special title between you and me.”

“Please keep it as Your Highness’s personal nickname only.”

Despite my firm words, Casian showed no sign of being discouraged and reached out to fix my hair.

The careful touch brushing past my ear and the seriousness in his eyes as he looked at me.

“…Do I have some stray hair sticking out again?”

I asked cautiously, wondering if my stubborn hair had acted up on its own without my knowledge.

The moment I quietly looked up at him, our eyes met at close range.

Casian’s hand, which had been fixing my hair, paused for a moment before moving again.

“That’s impossible. The maids did your hair today.”

What is this strange unpleasant feeling?

Since I didn’t do it myself, there’s no way it could be sloppy?

While I showed my sulky mood on my face, Casian’s hand withdrew.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face, as if my slightly disheveled hair from work had been arranged to his liking.

“And Rose, since you don’t seem to know, let me tell you.”

“Yes…?”

“I find those careless aspects of yours absolutely adorable.”

I stared at him with my mouth slightly agape like a fool at those words.

Is that a compliment or an insult…?

“It’s a compliment, Rose.”

My superior arbitrarily read my mind and answered, then offered his arm.

It was time to go start the exhibition.

*

Since this was the Anden Kingdom exhibition held to commemorate the royal marriage, it wasn’t just me and Casian as the organizers, but also His Majesty the Emperor and other imperial family members attending.

“It seems you put a lot of careful thought into this, Casian.”

“Since the Anden Kingdom and Your Majesty entrusted me with this work, I simply did my best.”

Casian answered the Emperor’s praise with rare politeness.

The Emperor’s face softened slightly due to his son’s answer that pleased him for once.

“The Empress also helped out in various ways, I hear.”

No, all she did was send Duke Jamoti to interfere.

I felt a bit wronged remembering the past week of overtime work, but

“What great thing did I do? I merely filled in a few gaps as an adult of the Imperial Court where Prince Casian was lacking.”

The Empress smoothly claimed credit with an elegant smile.

“Prince Casian handled all the exhibit storage, and my brother and I only gave some helpful advice after looking around a bit.”

Of course, she didn’t miss laying the groundwork for today’s events either.

“Did Casian follow your guidance well without causing you trouble?”

“Of course, Prince Casian is always so mature, how much could I have had to worry about? Your Majesty, really…”

At the same time, despite her insides probably boiling, she very calmly pleased the Emperor.

It wasn’t for nothing that she had occupied the position of favored consort for over twenty years in this Imperial Palace.

‘Though considering she hasn’t become Empress, His Majesty must also be quite cunning.’

After this round of pleasantries, positive reactions erupted among the attending nobles.

“My, Her Majesty the Empress seems even more benevolent since sending off the Second Prince.”

“She must be quite upset, yet she embraces the Second Prince like that.”

“It’s really heartwarming to see the Imperial Family so harmonious, it puts my mind at ease.”

Though it was a bit obvious.

The groundwork the Empress had laid.

When I glanced at Casian, he seemed to have similar thoughts and whispered with a strange smile.

“It seems she wants to make me look like an ungrateful bastard?”

“It does seem that way.”

“Then I should live up to her expectations even more.”

After answering calmly, he asked the Emperor and Empress to join him in starting the exhibition.

In front of the gathered reporters, the Emperor, Empress, Casian, and First Prince stood side by side for the prepared ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Then they began touring the exhibition according to the scheduled program.

Casian and I took turns acting as guides, explaining the exhibits.

When we were about halfway through, Casian was introducing not a very ancient treasure, but the final work left by a famous sculptor from the Anden Kingdom about fifty years ago.

“Hmm, I’m getting a strange feeling somehow.”

The Empress spoke up as if commenting on the sculpture.

“Is that so?”

“It’s not just because it’s a posthumous work that I’m feeling this way.”

The Empress narrowed her eyes and quietly examined the sculpture, then asked Casian again.

“Where did you say the stone used for this sculpture was quarried? I heard it earlier, but I’d like to listen carefully once more.”

“It’s a special mineral that can only be quarried in the border region between the Anden Kingdom and our Empire. It’s so rare that even the mineral’s name was given by this sculptor.”

“Hmm, that’s right. It is rare indeed.”

The Empress, as if remembering something, directed her words toward Duke Jamoti.

“Brother, didn’t we have this mineral at the Count’s Manor?”

“Y-yes, that’s correct, Your Majesty the Empress.”

The Duke answered as if prepared, yet seemed nervous about something, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and letting out a short sigh.

“Father, the previous Duke, had a hobby of collecting unusual minerals. Since he cherished Your Majesty the Empress, he even allowed you to play with them, so it’s natural you’d remember.”

“That’s right, somehow it looked familiar.”

The Empress chuckled, then spoke again with a serious expression.

“However, the color of that sculpture seems strange somehow.”

“Could you explain what you mean by that?”

When Casian politely asked as if seeking guidance, the Empress momentarily couldn’t hide her satisfaction.

“Prince Casian, do you know why this mineral’s nickname is ‘couple stone’?”

“Because it only emits a special light when it meets another mineral even rarer than itself.”

“That’s right, but this couple stone doesn’t seem to be emitting that special light.”

“What do you mean by that…”

The Empress let out a short sigh.

“I mean its color is exactly the same as the stone I used to play with as a child.”

“How is that strange…”

Casian deliberately didn’t hide his confusion as he asked the Empress again.

“If there’s no difference from the stone Your Majesty played with as a child, isn’t that normal?”

“Oh my, Prince Casian. I really should have taken better care of you.”

The Empress spoke to the Emperor as if deeply sorry and heartbroken.

“The Anden Kingdom is disrespecting our Empire this much, and you can’t even recognize it!”

“Pardon?”

Along with Casian’s foolish response, the nobles’ murmuring instantly grew louder.

“So you’re saying the Anden Kingdom didn’t send the stone that should complete the set?”

“It seems so. We even sent our precious Prince as a marriage partner, how could this…”

The Empress then kindly provided the answer to the puzzle as well.

“The Kingdom must have been concerned. No matter how favorably they view Prince Casian, the stone that completes the set is a sacred stone so precious that only a few temples possess it, so they couldn’t send it.”

At those words, the Emperor’s face hardened instantly.

“I am truly inadequate, Your Imperial Majesty. I should have informed you of this beforehand to prevent our Empire’s dignity from being damaged in front of so many people.”

The Empress even raised her handkerchief to dab at the corners of her eyes.

Then, as if it were all her responsibility, she turned her head toward Duke Jamoti.

“Brother, you too! I sent you to prevent exactly this kind of incident, so how could you fail to handle things so thoroughly!”

At the stern rebuke, Duke Jamoti hurriedly lowered himself.

“N-no! I went to assist Prince Casian under the Empress’s orders, so how could I have been careless?”

“Then what?”

At the Empress’s words, Duke Jamoti answered as if truly regretful.

“The Kingdom of Anden, which is engaged to our precious Second Prince, would never disrespect our Empire, so this is…”

Duke Jamoti trailed off as if being cautious.

“It’s alright, brother. If you have any doubts, please speak up quickly. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”

When the Empress sought permission as if encouraging him, the Emperor nodded as if suppressing his anger.

The Emperor was already sending murderous glares toward Casian.

“Prince Casian, to think you would try to bury this matter like this! When I first examined the exhibits, and when I examined them a second time! That statue was radiating a brilliant light completely different from now.”

“That means…”

“Your Highness, please honestly beg for forgiveness immediately. Say that you were negligent in management and the sacred stone was stolen!”

Duke Jamoti’s voice rang out boldly, filled with conviction.

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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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