This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 116

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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 116

Kimarise spoke.
“It appears they’re closing the Gate at the Port.”
The Gate at the Port was said to be much smaller than the one near the Wheat Field. Perhaps that’s why the tremor was far gentler than before.
Since we were outdoors, there was nothing overhead to fall, and there was no need to crouch down. We had nothing to do but stand and wait for a moment.
“Nuna.”
Baron stretched both arms toward me.
“There’s an earthquake, so hold me.”
Oh, I did have something to do!
I quickly crouched down and embraced Baron.
Within the gentle tremor, the two arms holding me conveyed a warm feeling. Baron and I burst into laughter without either of us starting first.
Soon the vibration stopped. A long horn blast rang out from the Port.
Kimarise smiled broadly.
“It’s the victory signal. It means all the Gates in Snoril have been closed.”
Cheers from people near and far rang out in succession.
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”
“The Gates have disappeared!”
“Snoril is safe now!”
The cheers continued until we returned to the Farewell Venue. People embraced one another as they cheered.
The Children were gathered together in one place. Before them stood the Administrative Official and the two Knights who had been guarding the table, and I could also see Knights in naval uniforms.
There were also Knights who appeared to have been stationed in the Domain during this time, and they were not in armor. Among them, a couple who appeared to be husband and wife were each holding one of Rea’s hands.
I recalled what Rea had said.

‘The Imperial Knights rotate periodically. This time the rotation is in a week, and by then we’ll have completed the adoption procedures and will go to the Capital together.’

The Gate incident had delayed the schedule, so it seemed the shift change was only happening today.
Only now did it feel real that the children were leaving.
A few children who had been looking around as if searching for something brightened when they saw me.
“Oh, Nuna’s here!”
All the children’s eyes turned toward me.
“Nuna!”
“Nuna!”
The children rushed toward me, vying with one another.
“Yes, you all. So you’re leaving now.”
I was about to open my arms wide to embrace the children.
“Miss, wait a moment, I… Ugh!”
Clark tried to position himself between me and the children but let out a scream before he could finish speaking, tumbling away!
“Ajusshi, what’s wrong with you since earlier!”
“Don’t bother Nuna!”
“Get out of the way! You old fossil!”
The indignant children shoved him away in unison.
Clark had no chance to say anything back to the children.
When the Administrative Official gestured, two Knights silently grabbed Clark by both arms and dragged him toward the Hotel.
Clark shouted at the Administrative Official as he was dragged away.
“No! His Majesty isn’t even here!”
“You’re currently obstructing the farewell event organized by its director.”
The Administrative Official replied with an indifferent expression.
“If you bother Hailey again in the future, I’ll have you expelled from Snorril Domain according to procedure. I’m sure you can figure out how Roan Times will react to that news.”
Clark disappeared from sight along with the Administrative Official’s veiled threat, and the children surrounded me, embracing me eagerly.
“Nuna, we love you.”
“When I grow up, I’ll come visit Nuna!”
“Yes, yes. You all need to stay healthy.”
As I patted each one on the head, a boy spoke up.
“Nuna, they say we can have visitors at the Capital Orphanage. You’ll come see us, right?”
“That’s right. Come visit us.”
At the children’s eyes, mingled with regret and longing, I nodded.
“It’s difficult now, but if the opportunity comes, I’ll definitely go. Until then, you all need to grow up well and properly. Understood?”
The children all nodded in unison.
Soon the children boarded the naval ship with the Knights, and gradually moved farther from the Domain.
Baron, Kimarise, and I, along with the people of the Domain, waved our hands until the children were out of sight.

* * *

As the sun began to set, the courtyard in front of the hotel where the farewell gathering had taken place was neatly tidied, with only passersby crossing through now.
Clark, seated on the hotel’s outdoor terrace, gazed at the quiet landscape and lit a cigarette.
“Ugh, this interview is a bust.”
Still, he was grateful to have some material for a story.
The children from the Snoril Orphanage had been transferred to the Capital Orphanage, and as of today, all three Gates had been closed.
‘I can frame the transfer of the orphanage children as an act of benevolence by Anna Roan, Duchess Beldenburo….’
After investigating the surroundings, I learned that the young lady named Hailey had played a significant role in rescuing the children from the Snoril Orphanage, and sending the children to the Capital was something the Emperor himself had approved.
But whatever article came out of the Capital, the Emperor was too busy managing the Gates to pay attention.
“Tsk, what can I do? If I want to keep working as a journalist, I need to change the frame.”
Clark clicked his tongue and pulled out his pen.

【The Empire in Crisis! Massive Gate Surge of Unknown Origin!】

He started with the headline. It was a direction he’d always written in, so it wasn’t difficult.

[The unprecedented Gates that appeared in Snoril have all been closed by the Emperor’s power.]

Scratch, scratch.
Clark quickly wrote out the article draft in his notebook.

[But can we truly be at ease? Recently, Gates of unknown origin have surged dramatically, threatening the safety of the Empire. Therefore, the entire Empire increasingly needs the power of the Emperor, who will soon begin his duties.]

That was when he overheard people passing by talking.
“I heard Hailey is starting sales in four days.”
‘Hailey? That’s that young lady’s name.’
“Four days from now? Who told you that?”
“Ben mentioned it. He asked Hailey about it while cleaning up earlier.”
“Huh, Ben. He’s quite useful at times like this.”
Clark’s ears perked up. Finally, the day had come when he could become a VIP customer by purchasing large quantities of skewers from Hailey and gain her favor.
‘There’s no harm in getting close to that young lady. I couldn’t make a proper proposal earlier because of all the interruptions.’
If the other party refused money, it wasn’t because they disliked him—it was because the amount was insufficient.
Throughout his career as a journalist, Clark had never encountered a problem that couldn’t be solved by offering a sufficient sum, and he was confident in the power of money.
‘I should write a promotional article for her too, just in case.’
Clark folded his notebook and stood up abruptly. He needed to find out the exact time and location of the sales.
“Excuse me, sirs and madams. May I ask you something for a moment?”

* * *

Four days had passed.
The air flowing through the open hotel window was refreshing. Clark, dressed in formal attire and a necktie, hummed to himself as he gathered his journalist’s notebook and pen, then checked the time.
Noon, twelve o’clock.
There was still an hour remaining before one o’clock in the afternoon, when Hailey would begin her sales.
‘It takes about thirty minutes on foot and ten minutes by carriage, so I have plenty of time. I’ll place a purchase order just before the shop opens, and finish the interview before the doors are unlocked.’
He picked up a rather heavy purse and skimmed through the newspaper he had left on the table in front of the sofa.
The local newspaper carried an article announcing Hailey’s rice cake skewer sales schedule, opening hours, and sales location—exactly as he had requested when he paid for the advertisement.
Twice a week, from one o’clock to four o’clock in the afternoon. For only three hours.
‘Though it’s become well-known, there are still quite a few people in the domain who don’t know about it yet.’
When he visited Hailey’s shop today, she would surely be grateful for his promotional article.
Confident in this, Clark made his way to the taxi stand near the hotel and boarded a carriage.
“Welcome aboard, sir.”
“Yes, take me all the way to that direction over there.”
The coachman set the carriage in motion toward the direction Clark indicated, and shortly after asked a question.
“That direction leads to the beach no matter how I look at it—are you really going all the way there?”
“That’s right.”
The coachman alternated his gaze between the destination and Clark, tilting his head to one side.
“Are you perhaps trying to visit Hailey’s shop?”
“You’re quick on the uptake. Well, I’m thinking of buying some rice cake skewers.”
“You’re going now? To buy them? But the shop won’t be open yet.”
At the coachman’s question, which carried a tone of bewilderment, Clark felt as though he were being treated like a fool.
As Clark pondered the reason, he recalled that there was still at least forty minutes or more before Hailey’s shop would open.
‘So he thinks it’s strange that I’m going this early.’
There seemed to be no need to explain himself at length to a mere coachman. Thus, Clark decided to ignore the coachman and held his head high.
“Spare me the unnecessary questions and just drive the carriage.”

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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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