The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 85

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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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85.

He definitely seemed to have a taciturn concept when he was the Dark Guild Master.

No, even in the original story.

Perhaps because he had shed a layer and was now working openly as a criminal, Samuel Moti had become quite talkative.

Of course, maybe….

“That’s right, that’s right. The witch gives praise when you do good work.”

“The newbie’s not bad. I heard that spirit users have almost all disappeared, so I was disappointed about research materials, but you’re good!”

“Ahem, I’m not only valuable as a spirit user.”

“Right, right. As expected, unlike us, since you’ve lived as a criminal for a long time, you quickly do well with the tasks Salice Advisor gives you.”

I thought he might have caught it from the chatty Criminal Mages.

I was worried I’d have to separate them if they started fighting, but fortunately they got along well.

Seeing how they didn’t plot anything useless and only put their heads together about efficient prison life, they seemed to have blended well into the Winter Palace atmosphere.

Anyway, Samuel Moti showed quite useful talent in bookkeeping calculations, perhaps not for nothing that he had been a Dark Guild Master and information Merchant Guild Master.

Especially.

“Look at this, Administrator. You can’t fall for things like this. These are the books from the West District 35th street kids, right? If you don’t stay alert because they’re deceiving you like this, you’ll be fooled quickly.”

He was very helpful in identifying criminals’ scams, making him really useful to other staff members too.

Indeed, if there was potential for rehabilitation, the thing to do was throw them into intense work.

*

Although Samuel Moti had only been defeated in front of us, since he had truly been the master of a large-scale dark guild within the Empire, the effects we could gain were considerable.

[Illegal gambling hall in the capital’s West District arrested!]

[Gang that committed violence in the southern regions surrenders with tail between legs….]

[Duke Ashwood discovers smuggling ring.]

[Young Duke Jamoti reports art forgery criminals!]

Once he, who had been like a pillar of criminal organizations, was removed, it became easier to uproot those other nobles had been troubled by.

Of course, unlike other places, the Zamoti Duchy had simply sold out someone they had been secretly supporting.

‘The Empress was wearing herself thin.’

Most of the follow-up measures reported in the articles weren’t handled by the Winter Palace.

Particularly, the gambling hall case in the capital’s West District was work commanded by the Fourth Prince, who had been newly assigned a palace this time by the Emperor’s order.

‘Don’t be too disappointed, rather think deeply that I’m being fond of you, which would be even better.’

Before giving orders to the Fourth Prince, the Emperor called us and personally spoke to us.

It seemed he still wasn’t allowing the white cat Coco to be touched, but just having it curl up quietly nearby seemed satisfying enough, as gentle joy lingered in the Emperor’s eyes.

‘I’m likely to be scolded by the Second Empress over this matter, so at least you should understand. Isn’t that right?’

The Emperor, who was speaking while rolling a toy toward Coco, looked truly peaceful.

Also, on one hand, should I say he looked leisurely from having conserved his strength.

Anyway, we didn’t misinterpret the Emperor’s intentions.

Just from destroying the dark guild and sweeping up all their assets, the Empress was already fuming.

‘So he’s probably trying to disperse where her anger reaches.’

The Second Empress’s mind would become that much more complicated, but since she wasn’t a weak person, we trusted she would handle it well.

We were also prepared to cooperate whenever it became difficult.

Incidentally, First Prince Charley had definitely not been idle while we were away from the capital.

He wasn’t exceptionally outstanding, but he wasn’t incompetent either, so he handled the work given to him quite properly.

This was thanks to a quite clever advisor from a baronet family entering the Summer Palace after Francis Ashwood left, filling the vacancy admirably.

It was said that unlike before, this was an advisor Charley had chosen directly, not the Empress.

She was a truly fine talent who had shared academy life with Wilma.

The Empress was displeased, saying she was just the second daughter of an insignificant baronet family with only a long history and nothing special, but she allowed it for the single reason that she was Wilhelmina’s academy classmate.

‘In other words, she still hasn’t given up on Wilhelmina as Prince Charley’s engagement partner.’

This was thanks to the rumors about Wilma having a one-sided love for Casian dying down considerably after the Countess Hanella’s tea party.

Wilma had written me a letter regarding that matter.

It was fortunate that after Samuel Moti started working at the Winter Palace, I remembered Wilma’s situation that I originally knew and quickly had him search for medicinal herbs.

The illness of Countess Lopez, Wilhelmina’s grandmother, wasn’t an incurable disease, but the problem was that the medicinal herbs needed to cure it were difficult to cultivate and therefore hard to collect.

It was a disease that could only improve by taking large quantities of the herbs at once, but since they were hard to obtain, most people could only receive life-prolonging treatment.

Naturally, the Lopez Duchy had searched for the herbs, but it wasn’t easy work with human power alone.

Even for a ducal family, there were limits to endlessly employing people.

However, as long as it wasn’t the very depths of the earth, even a little light was bound to reach, so tracking the location of medicinal herbs wasn’t particularly difficult work for Samuel Moti, who had been an information Merchant Guild Master.

Through that incident, Samuel Moti grumbled that he had received all sorts of letters from various doctors including the imperial physician, but he seemed secretly pleased.

He readily agreed that his spirits, who had always just gathered information related to other people’s love affairs and been exploited in gambling dens, seemed to have found their proper place.

He probably didn’t know it, but this also became good evidence for us to judge whether it was acceptable to have Samuel Moti repay his crimes through labor.

Anyway, with all these good things happening only to the Winter Palace in succession, the Empress was becoming even more anxious.

What should have been a trivial train inspection had become a big catch, and what should have been important trade with Seolkuk had been handled so cleanly that it became a minor matter.

Moreover, the fact that her son Charley had suffered for several days in the process would also have been displeasing to her.

Additionally, the existence of Coco, the white cat the Emperor loved, would have irritated her as well.

Her anger had reached a level that couldn’t be calmed just by breaking expensive teacups.

*

It was near the end of February when spring breezes could be felt little by little.

Although he had just started working, true to his reputation as a desk worker, the Fourth Prince was quite a clever person.

Thanks to this, the work at the Sun Palace decreased a little, and the work at the Winter Palace could also be reduced slightly.

At least enough for the Emperor to hold teatime during lunch hours, pointlessly taking away my work time to show off the white cat Coco.

“She’s put on quite a bit of weight, hasn’t she? When you brought her, she was just a baby who couldn’t even open her eyes properly.”

“I heard Your Majesty has been caring for her adorably. Ian, no, Prince Casian seemed quite pleased.”

When I deliberately got the title wrong once and then corrected it to prove my relationship with Casian, the Emperor chuckled.

“How many people don’t know you’re engaged? It’s fine to call him as usual. And Casian is….”

The Emperor playfully threw words to the Second Empress, who was sitting beside him quietly brewing tea.

“I think he’s not the type to do that, but what do you think?”

“They’re such a devoted couple, I think it would be fine if Your Majesty just looks kindly upon Salice Advisor. She said something nice for Your Majesty to hear, didn’t she?”

At the Second Empress’s words, the Emperor nodded with a big laugh.

Coco was playing by batting at a soft toy mouse the Emperor had newly made for her.

And beside her, Prince Joel was carefully following along, observing Coco as if she were adorable.

“Do you like her that much, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor didn’t answer the Second Empress’s words, but just from the look he sent, we knew.

That he was longing for something.

Probably not something from the past, but something he had once dreamed of but never achieved.

Thinking this, we all drank the tea the Second Empress had excellently brewed together.

Although I still didn’t really understand tea flavors, I thought it was good, probably because the brewer’s touch was so excellent.

The fireplace crackling and burning, and the soft sunlight coming through the lightly drawn curtains.

Even the cold wind mixed with spring air blowing weakly through the slightly opened window.

It seemed like evidence of a very peaceful and gentle moment.

Until the shattering sound that destroyed it all.

Crash—!

“…Co, Coco, get, get back…!”

The Emperor, who had been enjoying tea with a rare peaceful expression, suddenly gasped for breath.

“Your Majesty!”

Thud—!

And the Emperor’s massive body, which had been desperately trying to convey something to me and the cat, tilted sideways.

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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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