This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 111

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 111

The moment the Doctor finished his diagnosis, Raven and Kimarise both let out a soft “ah.”
Both of them seemed to have grasped something.
“Do you perhaps know why Baron is ill?”
“Ah, well….”
Raven trailed off mid-sentence, while Kimarise merely bit his lip. Neither of them could meet my eyes.
‘Something must have happened while I was away!’
I saw the Doctor out the moment he finished prescribing a mild sedative, then immediately turned back to Raven and Kimarise with another question.
“Please tell me. What exactly happened to Baron?”
“It’s nothing, Nuna.”
Baron, who had been lying in bed, tried to sit up again.
“Nothing happened at all.”
“Baron, you need to rest now. Stay lying down.”
I gently pushed Baron back down onto the bed, tucked the blanket around him, and placed a goodnight kiss on his forehead.
“!”
Baron’s eyes went wide, and unable to say a word, he touched the forehead I had kissed before settling quietly back into the pillows. It seemed he was ready to sleep now.
But then Baron spoke again, his voice weak.
“Nuna.”
“Hmm?”
“When you kiss me goodnight, it feels like I’m getting better faster… Could you do it again?”
His voice was feeble, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitching upward. Even while ill, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the goodnight kiss.
‘Goodness, what a spoiled child.’
I stroked Baron’s forehead and gave him another goodnight kiss.
“I’ll give you as many as you need, so get better soon. Now close your eyes and sleep.”
“Okay. Hehe.”
Baron, laughing as though he had never been ill at all, closed his eyes.
I gave Raven and Kimarise a meaningful glance to step outside, then drew the cover over the magical stone wall lamp.
As we emerged into the starlit night, Serch brightened the light for us.
Raven and Kimarise were still avoiding my gaze. Both seemed to be weighing something carefully, which only made me more anxious.
“Please, if you know anything at all, tell me.”
Raven spoke first.
“Ah, well… I don’t know the exact details.”
“What on earth is this about?”
“It’s about the Flower Arch that His Majesty sent. You didn’t accept it and sent it back, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. But what does that have to do with it?”
“When Baron saw it, he was so delighted, saying he had become wealthy.”
I recalled the image of Baron cheering with joy.

‘That’s right, Nuna, we’re rich now!’

Kimarise snapped his fingers as if he’d finally found the answer.
“Ah, I had a vague sense of it, but that was it. I thought we’d become wealthy, but then it all disappeared—wouldn’t that be quite a shock?”
Now that I thought about it, Baron had been delighted at the time. But I had returned the gift in its entirety.
“Good heavens, now that I think about it, I never even asked Baron what he thought. I didn’t explain my reasoning either.”
Looking back, Baron was young enough that he might not have distinguished between official rewards and personal gifts. So when he saw all those gold coins, he must have felt like he’d struck fortune.
And I had sent it all back, erasing it as if it never happened.
“Sigh, I can’t even imagine how deflated Baron must have felt. The truth is, I did it all for Baron’s sake.”
“What? You did it for Baron’s sake?”
Raven looked startled, and I exhaled softly.
“No matter how I look at it, that wasn’t a reward but a gift tinged with personal sentiment. His Majesty seemed to have taken a liking to my actions in rescuing the children.”
“Hmm, I’m having trouble understanding. If His Majesty took a liking to you because of your virtuous actions, isn’t that a good thing?”
Raven tilted his head in confusion.
“Besides, the result is the same wealth either way—I don’t quite see why you’d need to distinguish between public and private.”
“Well, you see.”
I explained the core reason I’d refused Bloden’s gift. Raven asked back with a somewhat bewildered expression.
“So you’re saying you refused because Baron is a child of the Extinct Family, and you wanted to protect him?”
“Yes, because it would be nothing but trouble if he caught His Majesty’s eye. Ah, I have one more request for you, Raven.”
I earnestly implored him not to let Bloden learn of Baron’s true identity, and I spoke my resolve.
“I will absolutely protect Baron until he comes of age and can live independently.”
Kimarise asked urgently.
“Is that truly the case? You refused all that wealth solely to protect Baron?”
Feeling embarrassed, I laughed and waved my hand.
“Haha, when you put it that way, it sounds like I’ve made some grand resolution.”
“S-so you didn’t refuse the gift because you dislike His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Why would I dislike His Majesty? He’s quite charming, a virtuous ruler, and he’s been kind to me—I’m truly grateful. But…”
No matter how many times I thought about it, Baron was my precious family.
“I couldn’t possibly expose Baron to danger.”
I bowed respectfully to Raven and Baron.
“Now that I understand your reasons, I’ll speak with Baron calmly once his fever subsides. Thank you for telling me.”
“Hailey, this is a delicate question, but…”
Just as I turned to open the door, Raven asked.
“If you caught the Emperor’s eye, you could become one of the most noble people in the Empire. You truly have no interest in that?”
“Oh, I’m not suited for such a position, and I have no ambitions for it.”
“Still, isn’t that too much wealth to give up for such a reason?”
“What do you mean such a reason? There’s nothing more important than Baron’s safety.”
“But… doesn’t it strain you to lose so much money?”
“It does, but our Baron is more important than that.”
I smiled warmly.
“I can earn money through my own efforts. Our household isn’t abundant yet, but….”
My gaze naturally drifted toward the dark Night Sea.
“There’s plenty to gain from the Sea, and the skewer business is doing well, so we’ll gradually become more comfortable.”
I wrapped up the conversation there, exchanged goodbyes, and headed back into the House.
“Nuna.”
Baron, whom I’d laid down to rest, was now sitting up.
“Hm? You’re not asleep yet?”
“I think I’m all better.”
“Already?”
“Yeah, the goodnight kiss must’ve worked wonders.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his cheekiness.
“The medicine must’ve done its job.”
“I think you’re my real medicine, Nuna… anyway, could you brighten the light a bit more? I want to see your face.”
I opened the cover of the magic stone wall lamp and brightened the surroundings, then sat on the edge of the Bed and faced Baron.
His violet eyes gleamed with vitality. He truly did look in good condition.
“Baron, aren’t you tired?”
Baron studied my expression before breaking into a bashful smile.
“No. I’m fine.”
If that was the case, it seemed we could talk now.
I slowly brushed his hair back behind his ear, then carefully broached the subject.
“Listen, Baron. I’m sorry.”
“Hm? For what?”
“For sending back His Majesty’s gift without consulting you first… actually, you see.”
.
.
.
“Ah, so that’s why.”
After hearing my explanation, Baron slowly nodded in understanding.
“I was a bit upset for a moment, but… hearing you explain it.”
Baron smiled brightly.
“It was a choice you made because you love me so much, right?”
Seeing Baron’s expression turn so pleasant, I felt reassured.
“That’s right. Baron. Your safety is my top priority.”
I pulled Baron into a tight embrace.
“I’ll work hard to earn money, so let’s be patient even if it’s disappointing.”
“Okay, Nuna. I’m fine.”
Baron, smiling contentedly as he hugged me back, suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up to ask.
“But Nuna. I still have 13 years until I become an adult, right?”
“That’s right.”
“So you’re not planning to marry until I’m all grown up?”
“I haven’t really thought about it. If I meet a good man, I could date and marry him. But…”
“…But?”
I paused to consider, then shook my head.
A man could be good for me, but there was no guarantee he’d be right for Baron as well.
“I think it’s something I can decide after you’ve grown up.”
“Does that even make sense realistically?”
Baron tilted his head and continued.
“You said you don’t even know how old you are right now.”
“That’s true.”
“Even if we assume you’re exactly twenty years old now, in thirteen years you’d be thirty-three, wouldn’t you?”
“Well, that’s a fair point.”
“But you’re saying you won’t marry by then? That’s way too late. You could easily miss the prime marriage age.”
“Pffft!”
Laughter burst out of me at Baron’s words.
“What, why are you laughing?”
“It’s funny hearing a seven-year-old talk about prime marriage age.”
Baron pouted.
“I can talk about it. If your status is high, you marry at eighteen, and normally people consider the mid-twenties as the prime marriage age.”
“Is that so? Even if that’s how the Empire views it, I don’t think that way.”
I gently stroked Baron’s hair and smiled.
“In my opinion, whenever I want to marry is the prime marriage age.”
In the world before I possessed Hailey’s body, it was like that. Of course, everyone there had different views on it too.
Baron seemed to enjoy having his hair stroked, leaning into me as he asked.
“Nuna, I’m curious about something.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“So what kind of man would be good for you?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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