This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 11

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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 11

So as soon as Bloden turned ten, they sent him to the battlefield against magical beasts. They didn’t provide any education necessary for ruling, such as imperial studies, political science, or advanced rhetoric.

The reason given was that he would be too busy blocking the endless waves of magical beasts to have time for studying, but in reality, it was to stunt his growth as an emperor.

Once Bloden became an adult, there would be no justification to prevent him from ruling directly.

Anna’s most ideal future was for Bloden, exhausted from political struggles, to abdicate on his own and live in the Northern Region for the rest of his life.

Of course, outwardly she strongly supported Bloden as emperor in her role as regent.

However, behind the scenes, she guided people to naturally develop the opinion that ‘those with abilities should remain in the north as grand dukes to eliminate magical beasts and protect the empire, while a new emperor should focus on governing the entire empire.’

She argued that this way, the empire would be safe from magical beasts and governance would be conducted well.

This was nonsense unless Bloden abdicated voluntarily. No matter what curse-like side effects there were, the emperor possessed tremendous power.

Therefore, Anna’s ulterior motive to induce Bloden’s abdication was quite transparent, but none of the nobles dared openly oppose Anna.

Whenever someone spoke even a word of truth, Anna would start with tax audits and find all sorts of faults to make them criminals. And she would reduce taxes for nobles who supported her and turn a blind eye to their corruption.

Between an emperor invisible in the north fighting magical beasts and a regent governing the country right before their eyes, the comparison was obvious.

The few times Bloden did appear, he always looked like a child.

Sometimes twelve years old, sometimes fifteen, sometimes ten.

‘What can a child do? He’ll inevitably become a puppet anyway. Lady Veldenburg won’t want to give up power. So siding with the regent would be much better for the family’s prosperity.’

The nobles had no choice but to side with Anna.

Understanding this political dynamic, Anna began planning to maintain her regency position from the moment she received news of Bloden’s victory, mobilizing everything she had, and found one method.

“It seems our Majesty will need a partner soon.”

She really needed one.

A very pretty doll who would listen very well to Anna and seduce Bloden enough to completely captivate him.

‘Eighteen is an age of vigorous passion. So a honey trap will work very well.’

Anna had already found a beauty who could naturally infiltrate Bloden’s side.

Princess Nelloa of the Kelite Kingdom.

She was a beautiful yet moderately intelligent woman with brilliant orange hair and cool emerald eyes.

Anna had secretly sent an envoy to the Kelite Kingdom recently, and received a reply from Princess Nelloa.

[I would be delighted to do anything if it means being beside the sun of the Ilpein Empire.]

If Bloden fell head over heels for Princess Nelloa, Anna could continue as regent. He would be too busy with romance and then going off to deal with magical beasts rather than governing the country as emperor.

Additionally, if she formed closer ties with the nobles who supported her, she could strengthen the justification for maintaining the regency.

Nelloa could be blinded by luxury, and when an heir was born between them, Anna could step in and educate the child from the beginning.

The father would be busy fighting magical beasts, the mother busy with luxury, so the child would just need to listen well to this grandmother.

Then one day, if Bloden unluckily died in battle, she could use that heir as a magical beast hunting dog. That way, she could enjoy power that would go down in history without worrying about magical beast attacks.

Having finished these calculations, Anna smiled with satisfaction.

* * *

The next day, when I brought the caught crabs to street vendor Ben with Baron, his expression was truly memorable.

“Wait, I don’t see any traps or anything, so how did you catch the crabs?”

It was an absurd question. Judging by the smell of alcohol, was he still not fully sober?

“How did I catch them? I scooped them up with a net.”

“A net? But crabs mostly come out at night when they’re barely visible, right?”

“Yes. I caught them at night. There were many.”

“Then… did you take a boat?”

At Ben’s ridiculous question, I waved my hands and laughed.

“Come on, does this look like an amount worth taking a boat for?”

Ben’s eyes widened.

“You said you catch sea snails yourself and all that, but you actually go into the sea? The night sea at that? Really?”

Ben confirmed several times, then opened and closed his mouth like a carp before holding his forehead.

“I thought this young lady was joking, but looking again, you’re a dangerous young lady.”

“?”

“Ah, don’t you know how dangerous the night sea is? You’ll die if you go in!”

“Come on, why would I die? I have light, and I time it with the tides. I don’t go in deep, so it’s fine.”

At my nonchalant answer, Ben seemed frustrated and beat his chest.

“Sea slimes roam around when night falls.”

“Sea slimes…? What are those?”

“You really don’t know? Good grief.”

Ben sighed deeply and explained what sea slimes were. After hearing it, I got goosebumps.

“No wonder no one was around.”

Who would have thought there was such a reason? I think I was really lucky.

I was worried about reduced income if I couldn’t do nighttime sea foraging, but after listening, I think I understood why I was lucky.

“During the day, the sunlight is bright so sea slimes hide and don’t come out much. But at night, there’s no such strong light. Torches won’t work.”

In that case, I was fine going into the night sea. Because I had Search.

Ben earnestly pleaded with me.

“I’ll really buy these crabs at a high price, so never go into the night sea again. Okay? Whether it’s you or me, even if life is hard, we shouldn’t do work that involves cleaning up corpses.”

Hearing Ben’s concern warmed my heart. He had tried to lowball the sea snail prices, but he seemed like a good person after all.

“Thank you for worrying about me. Thanks to you, I learned good information too. But I think I’ll be okay, so please keep buying from me.”

“Huh?”

“I have a really bright light. But I’ll be careful anyway.”

Ben clearly looked puzzled, but when I asked him to just pay the purchase price, he didn’t say anything more and nodded.

More money than yesterday came into my hands.

With this much, I thought Baron and I could have a proper meal.

I took Baron to a nearby restaurant.

I had somewhat resolved the urgent necessities, and since we’d only eaten sea snails for two days, I wanted to give him a proper meal.

Soon the food we ordered was placed before Baron and me.

As I cut the well-grilled meat into bite-sized pieces, the conversation I had with Ben came to mind again.

Thinking about it again, I was really lucky. And it was clearly thanks to Baron that I escaped danger.

‘If I had lived alone, I definitely would have gone night foraging with just a torch someday. And then I would have been eaten by sea slimes.’

Baron had pulled out the death flag I had planted.

“What’s wrong?”

Finding it strange that I was staring at him intently, Baron tilted his head. I put a piece of meat in his mouth and smiled.

“Thinking about it again, you’re a lucky charm. Thank you so much, Baron.”

“Huh?”

“After hearing from Ajusshi Ben, it seems I survived thanks to Search. You caught Search for me, right? So you’re my lifesaver. Plus, I earned more money thanks to that.”

I was truly grateful.

When I grinned, Baron’s eyes crinkled too.

‘Aw, his smile is so pretty.’

I should treat Baron even better from now on.

No, it would be better to do something for him right away.

Even though his family fell from grace, he’s from noble origins…

While eating and thinking, I came up with a clever idea.

“Baron, since your identity is clear, you can use banks too, right?”

“I think so?”

“Good. Strike while the iron is hot, let’s go somewhere after we finish eating.”

“Go? Where to?”

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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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