This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 106

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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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Chapter 106

It was when Clark was entering the hotel while pondering ways to win Hailey’s favor.

“Ugh, why are things turning out like this.”

He heard some woman muttering.

Standing next to him was a young woman with orange hair and green eyes.

She was glaring at the carriage carrying Raven and Hailey as it moved away, her face clearly showing resentment as she chewed on her thumbnail.

Everyone had been friendly toward the young lady called Hailey, but this woman was peculiarly different.

Moreover, the woman’s face seemed somehow familiar.

‘Where have I seen her before?’

He was certain he had seen her before, but couldn’t immediately recall.

As he stared at her trying to remember, the woman who felt his gaze turned to look at Clark.

“What?”

Her tone was cold, but as the woman looked Clark up and down, her eyes widened.

“Oh? Aren’t you from the Roan Times?”

Clark was even more surprised.

“You know me?”

At the same time, the malice completely disappeared from the woman’s expression and a smile appeared.

“Of course I do. I’ve seen you at the Imperial Palace. You were sitting in the front row at the Regent’s press corps reception, weren’t you?”

There was indeed a waiting room separated by curtains at the press corps reception venue.

The woman smiled brightly then tilted her head.

“Ah, but I can’t remember your name. You definitely said your name when you asked the Regent a question back then.”

Clark immediately pulled out a business card from his pocket. He still couldn’t remember who the woman was, but if she could recall their meeting place so precisely, it was good to make a connection.

“That’s right. I’m Clark Utra, senior correspondent for the Roan Times.”

The woman clapped her hands lightly once.

“Ah, that’s right! That was the name. Since you’re from the Utra Margrave Family, I watched you with interest even while in the waiting room. Things have been so hectic here. Haha.”

“It’s fine. That can happen. By the way, you know our family?”

“Of course, Duke Utra has a close relationship with the Regent.”

The woman took Clark’s business card and revealed her own name.

“I’m Nelloa Kelite.”

Clark was truly shocked.

At the same time, he recalled one of the days when he had interviewed Anna as part of the Imperial Palace press corps.

At some point, Anna had mentioned she was considering the Princess of Kelite as a candidate for Empress. If Nelloa had been watching him, it was probably around that time.

“You’re the Princess of Kelite!”

Though he hadn’t seen her in person before, after that interview the newspaper had obtained a portrait of Nelloa Kelite. Thanks to that, Clark had seen her face before.

“As such an important person, I should have recognized you immediately. I apologize for the rudeness. I just arrived in Snoril so I’ve been quite scattered.”

“Oh my, I see. But what brings you here? Since you’re a journalist, did you come for coverage?”

“That’s right.”

“Then you’ll probably get quite a scoop now. There have been many incidents here recently.”

“Ah, is that so? Do you happen to know anything about them?”

“Yes. I’ve been in Snoril for quite some time.”

At Nelloa’s words, Clark bowed his head and suggested in a small voice.

“I’d like to cover the situation in Snoril. If it’s alright with you, could you spare some time?”

If the information request worked, he planned to use it as an opportunity to build more rapport.

“Hmm.”

Nelloa looked at Clark while pretending to think for a moment.

‘Clark Utra. I didn’t expect to meet him directly here.’

Actually, Nelloa’s claim about seeing Clark at the Imperial Palace was a lie. She had gotten hints from the ‘Roan Times’ and ‘K.U’ initials embroidered on his travel bag and tested whether he was the right person.

Nelloa recalled the original story she knew.

Clark, who was on Anna’s side, appeared as a journalist for the Roan Times in 【This Princess Commits Financial Fraud】.

Thanks to belonging to a major newspaper, his seat at press corps receptions was always in the front row. Also, he never failed to ask friendly questions at every reception to write articles favorable to Anna.

This affected his career advancement. Even when identical articles appeared in other newspapers, the people of the Empire trusted those printed with ‘K.U’, Clark’s name initials, more, and he rode the path to success.

His influence grew to the point where even a single line of an article could sway public opinion, and he eventually became director.

But his end wasn’t very good.

In the original story, though Clark worked at House of Roan’s newspaper, he fell deeply for Robena’s charms.

He constantly poured out articles favorable to Robena, and not stopping there, he even distorted and sensationalized Robena’s fraudulent schemes as if they were legitimate.

Naturally, he earned the fierce anger of Anna and Duke Roan and was assassinated.

‘I should cook him early and make him my ally. If he’s with me, he won’t get assassinated, so it’s a happy ending for this man too, right?’

The first thing to do was make him indebted to her and ensure articles in the direction Nelloa wanted would be published.

Having decided on her course of action, Nelloa gave Clark the kindest smile in the world.

“I’ll answer everything I know. What are you curious about?”

* * *

“Is Kyle at home?”

As soon as the carriage started, I asked about Kyle’s wellbeing first while petting Toto who was nestled in my arms.

Actually, I had known Kyle wasn’t around since earlier. But the place wasn’t appropriate to ask right away, so I waited until the surroundings became quieter before bringing it up.

Baron, who had been comfortably resting his head against me, looked up at me.

“Ah, he’s not here right now.”

“Huh? Where did he go?”

“Raven said he sent him somewhere…”

Receiving Baron’s and my gazes, Raven smiled broadly as if he had been waiting.

“Ah, I sent him on a trip two weeks ago.”

“A trip?”

“Yes, an invitation came from a domain some distance away to observe a gladiator festival.”

“Gladiator festival observation… is that at a gladiator arena? Kyle is only twelve years old, is it okay for him to go there?”

“Ah, it’s not the kind of gladiator arena where they fight while bleeding. It’s a festival where the knights of that domain show off their strength and skill with swords. It’s held at a designated location every year, and even minors can observe if accompanied by a guardian.”

Hearing the explanation, I felt relieved.

Raven added that his merchant guild traded with that domain, so they received observation invitations when the season came.

“Kyle was right next to me when I received the invitation, and he seemed curious. Since Kyle wants to become a swordsman, and recently the domain has been noisy and chaotic due to gate problems, I sent him along with the merchant guild with a guardian attached, partly to broaden his experience.”

“I see.”

“Yes, he’ll see many things, so his skills should improve dramatically when he returns.”

“Ah, that’s a good opportunity.”

I nodded in response and glanced at Baron. Actually, I was thinking that such experience might be necessary for Baron too.

Baron stared at me intently then tilted his head.

“Why?”

‘Is he still too young?’

I stroked Baron’s soft hair and asked Raven.

“Then when will Kyle return?”

“He needs to finish trading not only in that domain but in other places too…”

After calculating for a moment, Raven nodded peacefully.

“If nothing unusual happens, it should take about three more months.”

“What! Three whole months?”

“He’s going around following trade routes even to foreign countries. But why are you so surprised?”

“Ah, no. I just suddenly thought it might be good for Baron to broaden such experience too.”

Baron’s eyes widened.

“Huh? Me too?”

“Well, if you wanted to go, you could go…”

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

“If I had to be separated from you for that long, it might be too much for me.”

“Why?”

“Well.”

I pouted my lips.

“You know since we exchanged letters every day while I stayed at the hotel this time. Even two weeks was too long. So how can we be apart for over three months?”

Baron giggled.

“Because you’ll miss me too much?”

He looked so delighted that I couldn’t help but smile too.

“Yeah.”

“What’s there to worry about? You can just go together when the opportunity arises.”

At Raven’s words, Baron looked at me with an excited expression.

“I like it! How about just you and me going together, Nuna?”

“Just the two of us?”

This was a number I hadn’t considered. At the same time, a thought occurred to me.

‘Is that okay? In the original story, they said there were domains with very poor security.’

Of course Baron was said to be strong, but traveling alone with just a seven-year-old child made me a bit anxious.

But if I said it would be difficult for these reasons, Baron would probably be disappointed.

“Um, how about we first try going on a picnic to somewhere nearby?”

“A picnic to somewhere nearby?”

“Yeah, once we get used to it, we can gradually go farther.”

“Good! Then Nuna, is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Huh?”

I rolled my eyes for a moment, then recalled one of the special places that Bloden and Nelloa had visited in the original story.

“I heard there’s a famous sheep ranch where lots of fireflies fly around…”

Raven snapped his fingers as if he knew right away.

“Ah, you must mean the Firefly Fields at the western edge. That place is also famous for large-scale livestock farming.”

“Nuna, shall we go sightseeing there?”

At that moment, the image of Nelloa from the original story overlapped with the current Nelloa.

Going to the place where Nelloa had flirted with Bloden? My interest instantly dropped.

“…No.”

“Huh? Didn’t you mention it because you wanted to go?”

“I just heard someone talk about having been there before. Now that I think about it, following where others have gone doesn’t seem that appealing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There will be a special place just for the two of us. Let’s look at tourist maps and search slowly.”

“A special place just for the two of us.”

Baron’s face turned red all the way to his ears as he repeated my words.

Baron lowered his gaze and began gently swinging both feet. Then, as if he couldn’t contain himself anymore, he giggled and buried his face in my arms.

“Just you and me alone in a special place, Nuna… Even just imagining it makes me so happy.”

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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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