The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 91

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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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91.

“It seems I’ve become far too lenient lately, Countess.”

At First Empress Scaletti’s voice calling her by title rather than name as usual, the Countess trembled.

“Unable to control a single lowly thing. You even got played by that child’s silver tongue, and you’re reporting this to me as if you did well?”

It was even more terrifying that there wasn’t even the usual sound of breaking that could often be heard in the Rose Palace.

When she threw teacups in anger, one only had to endure that moment, but when she didn’t…

The Countess squeezed her eyes shut.

‘Should I have dragged her here by force? Or taken more maids to intimidate her…’

If only the First Empress would understand that unlike before, she now held the title of frontier count and couldn’t be suppressed by status alone.

Even the First Empress herself had ordered her to coax Rozelita because she thought the Emperor might recover…!

‘That’s why I didn’t want to go.’

Rozelita Salice, a bumpkin child from a remote estate who didn’t know her place.

That assessment was erased from everyone’s minds after she’d been in the capital for over half a year.

Unless one was particularly bad at reading the atmosphere.

The Rose Palace maids also mocked Rozelita with their words while secretly praying desperately that the First Empress wouldn’t provoke her.

They clearly remembered what end Countess Irenol, who had worked alongside them just over a year ago, had met.

Wasn’t the downfall of her family the fate of she who had acted arrogantly, saying she was just a baron’s daughter and her son was too precious?

Even though they had done wrong…!

The Countess trembled in fear while feeling deeply wronged.

‘Still, I did my best. Even when I could see the Salice Advisor was displeased, I tried to persuade her several more times.’

If it seemed so easy, she could have gone to the Winter Palace herself to confront them…!

If she had forcibly dragged her, she would have avoided the current trouble, but it would have brought disaster to her family, and she could clearly picture being penalized for damaging the First Empress’s dignity.

So the Countess simply steeled herself.

She would take a few hits from whatever the First Empress threw and be done with it.

However, unexpectedly, the First Empress remained quiet.

The moment the Countess, suppressing her pounding heart, glanced up, she felt an inexplicable terror.

“…Hmm, come to think of it. I wasn’t being rational.”

“Pardon?”

“It would be different from before, wouldn’t it? She’s no longer just a baron’s daughter but now a frontier count. Even His Majesty the Emperor showed her deference, so it wouldn’t have been easy for you to handle.”

Scaletti drew a cold smile while caressing her teacup with her delicate fingertips.

“What’s the rush? His Highness the Second Prince personally gave me plenty of time.”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“He said it would take five days, so there’s no need to be hasty. Actually, this worked out well.”

The First Empress finally seemed to regain her composure, speaking the Countess’s name affectionately with a gentle smile.

“It’s fine, why are you so frightened? Come to think of it, today’s failure makes me think she might have let her guard down.”

The Countess nodded in response to those words while harboring deep doubt.

That ‘Winter Palace witch’ would let her guard down…?

And as if responding to her doubt,

“Your Majesty the Empress, Duke Lopez requests an audience.”

A sudden visitor had arrived.

It felt like a trap, she thought.

The bean-sized loyalty and friendship left to her rang alarms, warning her to speak up. But.

“Finally, that cunning snake who only worked his abacus has made a decision, that giving his daughter to Charlie is right.”

Such a satisfied smile appeared on Scaletti’s face, who had been displeased by her failure just moments before, that she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

*

“Welcome, Duke Lopez.”

Scaletti deliberately wore a dark-colored dress with minimal decoration to greet Duke Lopez.

At the same time, she created a smile that seemed to welcome his visit greatly while appearing flustered due to grief.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you came at a time like this.”

She hoped Duke Lopez would make his decision quickly.

Though she thought it was rather late, it was also true that Wilhelmina Lopez was the only woman of the most noble status to fill the position beside Charlie.

‘A duke’s daughter from an ancient family suits my son’s side best.’

Though the expulsion of the Hanella Countess was heartbreaking, she thought it worked out for the better.

Not a foreign princess, not a countess family with short history, but an old and prestigious ducal house.

If only she could place her beside Charlie…!

‘The reason he’s been weighing options must largely be due to losing the diplomatic domain that the Lopez Ducal House used to handle.’

So Scaletti decided to generously forgive Duke Lopez’s sluggishness.

However…

“I’m not sure if I should be honored by your gratitude.”

Duke Lopez’s first words were completely different from her expectations in both content and atmosphere.

She had naturally expected something like ‘You must be flustered at a time like this’ or ‘I know Your Majesty the Empress has looked upon us favorably.’

“Honored, you say. What between us…”

“I’m not sure what kind of relationship we have.”

Duke Lopez showed an arrogant smile befitting a noble.

“I merely showed Your Majesty the Empress a bit of courtesy.”

“A bit of courtesy?”

“Before coming to the Rose Palace, I stopped by the Sun Palace and submitted a document.”

Though they were clearly speaking the same language, she couldn’t understand what he was trying to say.

Scaletti barely showed a hint of bewilderment as she asked.

“What document was that?”

Surely he wouldn’t have submitted an engagement document between Charlie and Wilhelmina without telling her.

Duke Lopez calmly spoke without even touching the teacup poured before him.

“A request for reinvestigation and correction regarding the riding accident of the Third Concubine sixteen years ago.”

The First Empress’s expression froze and disappeared, then she drew composure.

She lifted her teacup as if she didn’t understand and spoke calmly.

“If there are grievances, they should naturally be resolved. I can only admire Duke Lopez’s sense of responsibility for work he handled long ago.”

All evidence had been erased anyway, and no witnesses remained.

Though Scaletti was confident, she found it difficult to completely calm the turmoil rising in her heart.

‘That Trisha suddenly brought up that incident, and now Duke Lopez too?’

Why bring up something that happened sixteen years ago?

While her mind was complicated, Duke Lopez showed an irritating fishy smile.

“I hope First Empress’s heart remains the same tomorrow, the day after, and thereafter.”

“It naturally will.”

“I’m very much looking forward to it, First Empress.”

Duke Lopez slowly rose from his seat, then greeted Scaletti with perfect etiquette ingrained in his body since childhood.

“I think the Lopez Ducal House will soon be able to reclaim what was taken, and surely everyone working in the Imperial Palace will be delighted.”

“What do you mean…!”

“Diplomacy is too heavy a burden for the Zamoti Duchy to handle, isn’t it? Since their experience is shallow.”

“Are you insulting me and my family now that His Majesty the Emperor has collapsed!”

Scaletti felt a throbbing pain in her solar plexus.

To strike her most painful spot, had he gone mad!

‘A man who only tapped his abacus calculating gains and losses dares treat me this way?’

The Zamoti Duchy was no longer just a countess family in name only, and she was the proud mother of the First Prince!

However, despite her angry voice, Duke Lopez showed no sign of panic and merely clicked his tongue briefly.

“Think carefully, First Empress. The reason why I, who you said acts like a merchant despite being from a ducal house, am moving like this.”

Shamelessly even mentioning the disparaging words she had said about them.

“Your Majesty the Empress, merchants really, really hate making decisions that result in losses.”

In other words, he was moving because he was confident.

Scaletti could only stare at Duke Lopez, dumbfounded by his unexpectedly unnoble language.

Of course, Duke Lopez bowed to her once more, then politely announced his departure.

That perfect etiquette felt like mockery to her.

*

“I stopped by because there’s something I wanted to say, Clupea Margrave.”

“What might that be, Duke Lopez?”

As soon as news that the Rose Palace had been turned upside down came through a maid, Duke Lopez visited the Winter Palace office.

“Indeed, you have quite the skill at cursing me with your eyes.”

Oh my, you’re not completely oblivious.

I had been internally cursing him as this era’s pathetic father who made Wilhelmina emotionally deprived.

Even though I had very kindly reorganized and sent him evidence documents from the horse fall incident so he could reclaim the diplomatic territory that was taken in the past, yet he still hesitated?

‘If he hadn’t received a letter from Wilma, he would have spent at least another day or two just worrying.’

Duke Lopez stepping forward at the appropriate timing was all thanks to the clever Wilhelmina who could read the times well.

She had read my short letter and immediately persuaded her grandparents to help Duke Lopez make his decision.

“I hope you’ll continue to get along well with my daughter.”

“…Pardon?”

“I must take responsibility for making you realize our Wilma’s brilliance.”

You’re really unqualified as a parent for not knowing that intelligence until now.

When I deliberately showed my expression plainly as I looked at him in disbelief, Duke Lopez laughed heartily.

“It’s quite an easy request, isn’t it, compared to how the Margrave stirred up our household.”

Then he really left just those words behind and departed the Winter Palace with a light step.

‘What on earth is that calculating human plotting?’

Even without such a request, Wilma is a very, very precious friend to me, you know?

For some reason, I felt strange, as if I had received some kind of solicitation.

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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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