This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 119

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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 119

After the people had left, Clark, who had been approaching with quick steps, turned back in fright. It was because of the Sea Lice that Baron had summoned.
The Sea Lice was actually a mass of magical power—Baron had split his own mana into fine pieces and moved it.
He had often used it to draw the attention of monsters when staying at the Northern Gate, and it worked remarkably well here too.
Kimarise, who had been watching Clark retreat, whispered to Baron.
“It seems you were quite exhausted. She fell asleep right away.”
He was referring to Hailey’s condition.
Baron nodded and called for Salamander.
“Chirp.”
Salamander scurried quickly out from inside Hailey’s House and cried out. From Salamander’s belly, Kimarise’s avatar emerged and bowed to Baron.
Ever since the incident at the Orphanage Gate, Baron had been more attentive to Hailey’s safety. When he wasn’t by her side, he had arranged for Salamander and Kimarise’s avatar to protect her.
So this avatar was essentially a bodyguard who stayed constantly at Hailey’s side.
Looking at the avatar, Baron recalled the time when he closed the Gate near the Wheat Field and the one at the Port.
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.
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Bloden, who had dismissed the Knight Order and was about to close the Gate near the Wheat Field with only Raven and Kimarise in tow, received an urgent report.

‘My lord. Hailey is searching for you and heading toward the House.’

Bloden shared his vision with Kimarise. Hailey was running toward the House, her face full of worry as she searched for Baron.

‘Nuna is looking for me.’

Bloden covered his mouth with his hand to hide the corners of his lips that were involuntarily twitching upward.
He understood well enough that “searching” could mean something else, but this too was affection. He felt far too pleased that Hailey was calling for him and seeking him out.
When she came looking for him like that, a warm embrace would greet him.

‘Sigh, Nuna really can’t be helped. She has such separation anxiety when I’m not by her side.’

Bloden shook his head gently and sighed, trying to manage his expression with the Emperor’s dignity in mind.
But seeing this, Raven agreed with Bloden’s words.

‘Your Majesty is correct. However, even if Hailey comes all the way to the House, there should be no particular need for concern. Closing the Gate is of utmost importance, and Hailey’s anxiety will be brief….’

At that moment, Kimarise made urgent hand signals to Raven, which Bloden’s eyes also caught. Since Kimarise could now read Bloden’s thoughts, he was grinning and giving Raven hints.

‘You’ll end up hitting your head again if you keep that up.’

Only then did Raven’s eyes snap into focus as he continued speaking.

‘…However, I believe we mustn’t cause His Majesty even the slightest distress. Hailey cares for His Majesty deeply, after all. To ease Hailey’s worries, wouldn’t it be better if His Majesty closed only this Gate and entrusted the Port to me? There’s no need for him to concern himself with that as well.’

Watching Raven’s honeyed tongue at work, Bloden let out a hollow laugh, yet the proposal appealed to him.

‘Fine, I’ll leave the Port to you. Kimarise, go meet Nuna first and buy us some time.’

Raven immediately headed toward the Port, and Kimarise went to Hailey. Afterward, Bloden closed the Gate near the Wheat Field before going to meet Hailey.
When he sat beside Hailey in front of the Hotel, the House had already been tidied to show no signs of earthquake damage, so there were no problems.
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“Squeak?”
At Salamander’s response—tilting its head while looking up at me—I finished my brief recollection and continued my question.
“Was there anything else unusual?”
“Ah, Toto, who had been hiding under the Bed, burrowed in next to Hailey.”
Recalling Toto, I furrowed my brow slightly. My displeasure showed without my realizing it.
“I see. Good work. Now tidy up.”
At my gesture, Kimarise bowed respectfully and began clearing Hailey’s stall with his clones.
When Hailey woke from her brief nap, a fresh-looking stall would be waiting for her.
Toto, who had been curled up snugly beside the deeply sleeping Hailey and purring softly, snorted derisively when I entered the House with the money pouch.
With markings that looked like a dapper tuxedo, Toto was an affectionate and adorable cat to Hailey. But to me, it was anything but.
It was uncannily perceptive of the hidden Salamander and pounced on it, causing Salamander to lose its tail—and it was nothing but a second Kyle, constantly trying to steal my sleeping spot.
If there was a difference between Kyle and Toto, it was that this time, Toto was winning?
Liquid-like in its flexibility, Toto burrowed between Hailey and me every single night. Then Hailey would gently stroke Toto, and I would watch and try to fall asleep.
Even now, I glared at Toto occupying the spot beside Hailey and let out a sigh.
‘I can’t just remove that creature arbitrarily.’
Just when I thought I’d dealt with one rival, a rival cat appeared.
My troubles deepened with each passing day.

* * *

It was when Hailey and Baron lay side by side on the bed after taking an afternoon nap, going out to gather sea lice, and finishing dinner to end the day.
Just as Toto finished grooming his fur, he burrowed between the two of them as usual and began showering Hailey with affection.
“Ha ha, Toto. That’s enough, that’s enough. You need to sleep.”
But those were merely words—Hailey tenderly embraced Toto, who rubbed his head against her and licked her cheek.
Baron found the sight utterly unbearable.
‘This has been going on for days and days.’
In truth, Baron didn’t dislike cats. Rather, he counted himself among those who liked them.
It was only that cat stealing Nuna’s spot beside him that he couldn’t abide.
‘That place was mine. So Nuna, stop holding Toto and hold me instead.’
Baron wanted to say as much, but he swallowed his words instead and put some distance between himself and Hailey.
Lately, whether Toto was present or not, Baron found himself sleeping a little apart from Hailey.
More precisely, this had begun on the day he’d misunderstood that Hailey hated him, lost his will to live and fallen ill, and then had the misunderstanding cleared up.

‘If I become that kind of man, will you marry me?’

That day, Hailey had laughed it off, but Baron lay awake, seized by a strange fervor.
As the night deepened and he spoke with Hailey, the heat in his chest grew stronger and stronger. His eyes kept drifting to her lips, and he found himself swallowing hard for no reason.
It didn’t take long for him to recognize what he was feeling.
‘Nuna sees me as nothing but a child. That’s why she has no reservations.’
But how bewildered would she be if she learned that her counterpart was a man with less than two years left until adulthood?
Guilt washed over him, and such feelings seemed strange to him.
Troubled by the confusion, Baron turned away to hide it, and from that day forward, even when he went to bed, he didn’t nestle into Hailey’s embrace. Even when he lay in her arms, once she fell asleep, he would move as far away as possible. No matter how much he appeared as a seven-year-old child, he couldn’t pretend to be innocent in bed. If he were to embrace Hailey, it had to be in the bright, clear light of day.
No matter how much he appeared as a seven-year-old child, he couldn’t pretend to be innocent in bed. If he were to embrace Hailey, it had to be in the bright, clear light of day.
“Meow.”
Just then, Toto let out a small cry.
Realizing he’d been lost in thought, Baron shot a glare at Toto.
‘That doesn’t mean I’m happy about something wedging itself between us!’
This bed belonged to Baron and Hailey. Not to some stray cat of unknown origin.
But if he tried to push Toto away, Hailey would notice his jealousy and surely hold the cat even tighter. So he had no choice but to pretend to be magnanimous and watch Toto’s intrusion.
Yet the more he watched, the more unbearable it became. He resented Toto for monopolizing Hailey’s embrace.
‘I wish that creature had an owner. Then I could naturally send him back.’
Baron finally asked Hailey carefully.
“Nuna.”
“Hmm?”
“Does that cat not have an owner? Are we going to keep him now?”
“An owner? I’m not sure. The children said he was a stray, but somehow he naturally ended up in our house.”
Hailey smiled brightly as she stroked Toto’s head.
“Toto, do you have a home? Is your owner looking for you?”
“Meow.”
Toto let out a small cry and, as if to say he didn’t understand human speech, rested his head on Hailey’s arm and lay down.
Soon Toto’s body rose and fell in an even rhythm—the first to drift into sleep.
“It seems Toto doesn’t quite understand either.”
“Is that so?”
Baron’s eyes curved into crescents as he offered an angelic smile, his resolve crystallizing in that moment.
‘I’ll find this creature a master and send it away, no matter what it takes.’

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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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