This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 167

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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 167

Baron gazed at the food covering the large, low table with a disgruntled expression.
Glutinous rice mixed with various grains, scorched rice, miso soup, tofu, skewered rice cakes, spicy rice cakes, kimbap, and an assortment of seasoned vegetables and kimchi.
The dishes Hailey had prepared were arranged so densely across the table that the surface was barely visible.
This lavish spread was, of course, for Camen.
Baron understood perfectly well why it was arranged this way.
Hailey had quietly informed him of Camen’s accomplishments.
Camen had altered the terrain itself, and thanks to that, Robinson had relinquished his rights and withdrawn. Naturally, Robinson’s toll demands became impossible to enforce, and Hailey’s burden vanished.
It was only natural that Hailey felt as though she could soar with joy.
‘Still, isn’t this excessive? It feels like we’re serving a deity.’
With arms crossed, Baron recalled the meals he had received over time.
‘The portions I get are sufficient, but it seems she’s never done anything like this for me. And on top of that, this is exhausting for her.’
Just then, Hailey muttered to herself while wiping beads of perspiration from her forehead.
“Phew. Is there anything else needed?”
And here she was, preparing food while sweating like that.
Baron finally couldn’t contain his jealousy and pouted.
“Hailey. I understand you’re grateful to Camen, but do you really need to go this far?”
“My goodness, what are you saying?”
Hailey smiled brightly without taking her eyes off the table.
“Camen is my benefactor. When someone has done you a kindness, you must repay it.”
“But you said Camen is the Emperor’s envoy. Doesn’t that mean the Emperor ordered this?”
Startled by his words, Hailey glanced around to confirm no one was nearby, then pressed a finger to her lips in warning.
“Shh, Baron. I only told you that in confidence. It’s a secret.”
Baron felt an inexplicable sense of injustice and barely held back the words rising to his throat.
‘Besides, this time Camen drew upon my magical power. That power was replenished by Hailey. So Hailey doesn’t need to do this much for Camen.’
Simply giving him some scorched rice as usual would have been sufficient.
‘At first, it seemed Hailey was only going to give scorched rice, but after hearing that the Lord had even relinquished his rights, she started this whole fuss. Why did Raven relay that information so directly? And if she’s going to be this grateful, shouldn’t she be doing this for me instead? Why doesn’t she think the Emperor might have ordered it?’
But unaware of Baron’s inner turmoil, Hailey hummed cheerfully before suddenly clapping her hands as if struck by realization.
“Oh, there’s nothing to drink. No wonder something looked empty.”
“Huh? Something to drink?”
By Baron’s understanding, with a spread like this, an aperitif would be the only beverage needed.
“You’re giving alcohol too?”
“No alcohol. Camen is too young.”
Hailey went inside the house and soon returned with sweet rice punch, persimmon punch, and fruit juice, which she placed on the table.
Baron then looked at Hailey with bewildered eyes and asked.
“Camen is young? How did you know that?”
“What? It’s obvious just by looking—isn’t it clear that he’s young?”
Hailey countered instead and called out to Camen.
As Camen poked his head up from the ground, Hailey smiled brightly and spoke.
“Look, his eyes are so pure. And he’s adorable too—there’s even a little sprout on his head, isn’t there?”
“Huh?”
“As he grows bigger, doesn’t that sprout grow into a tree?”
Now that she mentioned it, it seemed plausible, but Baron had never given it a thought before. He’d never really paid much attention to what Camen looked like in the first place.
But hearing Hailey say it, Baron reflexively asked Camen.
“Is that really true?”
Camen tilted his head. He clearly had no idea himself.
“Oh, why are you asking about that? That’s just what I think—honestly, I don’t know either.”
Hailey laughed sheepishly, thanked Camen, then pointed at the table and said something that sounded utterly bewildering to Baron’s ears.
“I haven’t prepared much, but I made this for you.”
Haven’t prepared much? Where?
Baron couldn’t possibly understand.
‘She’s never prepared anything like this for me!’
Unaware of Baron’s silent complaint, Hailey smiled warmly at Camen, and when Camen looked at the table, his eyes—which had been button-sized—widened to the size of biscuits.
“I hope it suits your taste.”
Camen looked at Baron. His eyes glistened with what appeared to be profound emotion.
Go ahead, eat.
When Baron nodded, Camen pulled out chalk and drew a large semicircle on his body. It was a wide, beaming smile.
‘Where on earth did he learn to express himself like that?’
Camen began consuming the food on the table one piece at a time.
“By the way, will Camen also restore the Sunken Land?”
“It would be nice if Camen did, but we can’t force him if he won’t.”
“What if someone accidentally falls in and dies?”
Of course, that wouldn’t happen. If anyone looked like they might fall, Camen would secretly catch them.
“We’ve arranged with the Merchants to install safety fences. We’re planning to cover the path with netting so people don’t fall, and we’ll also build bridges connecting to each shop for passage.”
“Why not just ask him to restore it?”
Camen, focused on eating, bowed his body once to Hailey as if agreeing with Baron’s words.
“Oh, he can do that?”
After pondering for a moment, Hailey’s eyes brightened with enthusiasm and her lips curved upward.

* * *

“My, where are you headed, Lord Robinson?”
Late in the afternoon, Nelloa—who had been enjoying tea and the garden flowers with Clark, a reporter—posed the question upon seeing Robinson prepare to leave.
‘Ah, if only the Regent hadn’t interfered.’
Robinson recalled the letter the Regent had sent.
It contained information that Nelloa would become the future Empress, which the Regent held in high regard.
That had been valuable intelligence. It made immediately clear which faction would be advantageous to align with.
But after purchasing usage rights to state-owned land and suffering losses when the ground collapsed, Robinson’s perspective on Nelloa had shifted somewhat.
He’d been tempted then, but reflecting on it now, he recognized that those who blocked roads and collected tolls fell into predictable categories.
Bandits and pirates, thugs in dark alleys.
And she’d commanded him—a Lord—to undertake such work without hesitation.
‘Would there be no problem if someone like that became Empress?’
Though such thoughts crossed his mind, Robinson forced a smile. He couldn’t afford to displease the Regent, the true power of the Empire.
Especially not with a reporter from the Roan Times standing right beside him.
“Isn’t there land below where I purchased usage rights and suffered considerable losses?”
Robinson deliberately emphasized the word “considerable” as he spoke.
“Ah, that?”
Nelloa’s eyes shifted away slightly. She seemed to possess some conscience after all.
Then I’ll make certain to collect on this debt later.
With that resolve, Robinson composed his expression.
“I heard the restoration was completed and they’re holding a commemorative party. An invitation arrived, so I thought I’d take a look.”
Clark jumped up in surprise.
“They restored it? How?”
“I’m not entirely certain, but apparently Hailey spearheaded the effort.”
“Good heavens. This is no time to be leisurely sipping tea.”
Clark quickly sought permission from Nelloa.
“Princess, would it be acceptable if I went to cover the story?”
“Just ride in the Lord’s carriage with us.”
Nelloa rose and boarded the carriage Robinson had prepared and kept waiting.
When Robinson couldn’t hide his reluctance, Nelloa inwardly scoffed.
‘How petty, sulking over a little loss.’
As the carriage departed, Nelloa turned her face toward the window.
The land where the natural disaster had struck truly looked severe. While she found the Lord’s subtly altered attitude toward her irritating and disagreeable, the situation itself pleased her.
If someone happened to misstep and die there, it would become a place people avoided.
It would have been even better if that person who mistepped was Hailey.
So she’d been waiting for news of an accident, but instead came word of restoration completion.
And Hailey had spearheaded it? There was no way Hailey possessed such capability. Bloden had undoubtedly poured his resources into it. Even if he didn’t step forward publicly, the Emperor was exerting his power from behind the scenes.
‘How am I supposed to handle this?’
Then she heard Clark muttering to himself.
“This smells suspicious. The restoration costs must have been astronomical.”
Nelloa turned to look at Clark. Robinson was also staring at him with wide eyes.
“Ah, is my assumption incorrect?”
Clark shrugged as he continued.
“There’s no way a mere commoner could bear the costs that even The Lord couldn’t manage, is there? The money must have come from somewhere dark.”
Nelloa knew better than anyone that the source of Hailey’s funds was actually clean. But she also knew that Hailey couldn’t reveal that source openly.
The corners of Nelloa’s mouth lifted.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
At the same moment, Robinson’s expression brightened as well. He too had devised his own scheme.
The instant Nelloa’s eyes met Robinson’s, she became certain.
Without needing to align their words, she knew that the pressure Robinson and she would apply to Hailey would be identical.
Both Robinson and she would interrogate Hailey about where the reconstruction costs came from as they surveyed the flattened land.
Then the carriage came to a halt. They had arrived at their destination.
‘Let’s see if we can squeeze some tears out of that Hailey, shall we?’
Delighted at heart, Nelloa quickly descended from the carriage and surveyed the problematic site.
In that moment, the landscape that met her eyes left Nelloa utterly speechless.

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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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