This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 195

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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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Episode 195

Five of us gathered in front of the Frediki Estate: myself, Baron, Raven, Kyle, and Rosé. Rosé and I each carried a hiking staff, while Raven and Kyle had swords strapped at their hips.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
Crockel, who had been at my side throughout the ship journey, had only left me briefly while I made a final sweep of the village. Yet when he rejoined us, he greeted me with unmistakable delight.
“Ha, you really that happy to see me, Crockel?”
I scooped him up into my arms, and Rosé came over with sparkling eyes.
“Eek! Can I touch him too?”
Rosé reached out before her question was even finished, trying to pet Crockel.
In that instant, Crockel’s mouth curled back. A glimpse of small white fangs showed, and I quickly tapped the tip of his nose with my finger.
“Crockel, that won’t do.”
“Whine.”
Crockel’s ears drooped. He’d obey if told to stay still, but he clearly disliked everyone except Baron and me.
“I’m sorry, Rosé. Even though he’s small, Crockel is a fierce guard dog. Would you be okay just looking at him for now?”
“Okay.”
She stepped back obediently, though disappointment lingered on her face. That’s when Kyle spoke to her.
“Rosé, that mutt—I live next door and I’ve never managed to pet him. He’s cute to look at, but his personality is absolutely rotten.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Even Duke Utra’s son got bitten when he tried to come into Baron’s house.”
“Oh!”
Rosé’s expression brightened at once.
“Wow, good dog. Smart pup.”
“Right? Ha.”
The mood lifted again.
Meanwhile, Raven, who had organized water, snacks, first aid supplies, and a picnic mat into a backpack and shouldered it, pointed to the forest path ahead of us.
“Now we should depart. Hailey, please put Crockel down.”
I set Crockel on the ground as Raven directed. He held his tail up proudly and took his place at the very front alongside Raven.
“The path is narrow, so we’ll need to climb in single file.”
Raven explained our hiking formation.
“Hailey and Rosé, stay close behind me. Kyle and Baron, you two bring up the rear.”
I thought it made more sense for me, being the adult, to walk in front—or at least not at the very back. There could be wild beasts lurking.
But realistically, if such a creature did appear, Baron and Kyle were far more capable of handling it than I was.
I turned to meet their eyes, and both of them grinned, thumping their chests once.
“Don’t worry, you know we’re strong.”
“I’ve gotten way stronger than I used to be!”
“Both of you just be very careful. Understood?”
I gave them a firm reminder, then moved forward alongside Rosé.
Crockel bounded ahead energetically, his nose working and his head swiveling to survey our surroundings.
“Growl, growl! Woof!”
Whenever he barked, the grass on one side would rustle, and bears, wolves, and snakes would bolt out—but before we could react to anything, the beasts would flee with their tails between their legs, as if by magic. Remarkably, nothing came of it.
After this happened several times, Rosé marveled aloud.
“It’s amazing. Crockel’s such a small dog, yet…”
‘I suppose it’s because he’s a magical beast, even young.’
But I couldn’t say that.
“I don’t quite remember what breed he is, but apparently Crockel must be some extremely fearsome variety of guard dog.”
“Ah, I see.”
Rosé nodded and called out to Crockel ahead of us.
“I’m so glad you’re on our side!”
Crockel’s tail, held stiffly upright, wagged quickly as he continued forward without turning around. There was a certain pride in his gait—he’d understood Rosé’s praise.
We walked on a bit further and came to a fork in the road. Rosé pointed to the right path.
“We should go this way. Be careful—it’s steep.”
Following Rosé’s guidance, we walked for about an hour before an open clearing dotted with rocks came into view.
In the center of the clearing, where four paths split off in different directions, stood a solitary gnarled tree of peculiar character. One side of the trunk was charred black as if by fire, with soot descending all the way to the ground, while the opposite branches were thick with green leaves.
“Oh, there’s the Lightning-struck Tree.”
At Kyle’s words, Rosé glanced at me with a smile.
“The adults say it was struck by lightning long ago and ended up like this. Isn’t it strange?”
“It really is striking.”
Rosé indicated the narrowest, most treacherous-looking path and pressed onward.
“If we go a bit further that way, there’s a good spot to make camp. It’s comfortable there.”
Following Rosé’s suggestion, we ventured deeper until we came upon a place where a stream trickled between two large, flat boulders.
Raven looked around, then pulled a picnic mat from her backpack and spread it across one of the rocks.
“Let’s rest here for a moment.”
We drank water, shared snacks, and took a brief reprieve.
Watching white and purple wildflowers sway in the breeze along the water’s edge made me feel as though we were on a proper outing.
“Beautiful.”
The climb up had been exhausting, but now the fatigue seemed to melt away.
Just then, Rosé began plucking white wildflowers and weaving them together. Kyle squatted beside her to watch.
“Kyle, do you remember? While we waited for a fish to bite on the line, I made a flower wreath from these blossoms.”
“Did you?”
“Yes, and you wanted to learn how, but you got bored right away.”
The two of them looked so fresh and charming together.
Watching them, Baron rose from his seat, plucked a few purple wildflowers, and came to sit beside me, beginning to weave them with obvious intent.
“Wow, Baron. You made a heart-shaped wreath before too—you’re really good at this.”
“I learned back then. Do you want to try making one?”
“I don’t know how. At best, I could manage a flower ring.”
“That’s fine. You make a ring, and I’ll make a wreath. If you weave it loosely, it goes pretty fast—just a moment.”
Baron handed me a single flower and began concentrating on his wreath. I watched him for a moment, charmed by how serious his expression had become, then set about making a ring with the flower he’d given me.
Before long, Baron finished his wreath and turned to me.
“Purple is the color of the Emperor, you know.”
“Is that why you picked purple flowers?”
“Yes. It’s a color that suits you perfectly.”
With that, Baron gently placed the finished wreath on my head.
“Thank you. How do I look?”
“Really beautiful. Later, I’ll make you one entirely from jewels.”
“You’re going to make a wreath out of nothing but gems?”
“Yes.”
“That would be incredibly expensive.”
“I don’t care about the cost. I only want to give you the very best.”
Baron must have meant it as a wedding gift. After all, there was a marriage registration form he’d already prepared.
But of course, that would never be filed with the Government Offices, would it? For me, it was like hearing a promise of filial duty.
Still, whatever I chose to think of it—whether as a wedding gift or a vow of future devotion—Baron clearly had plans to earn a great deal of money.
In that case, I should encourage him. I couldn’t dampen the spirits of my child when he was talking about his dreams of success.
I clasped my hands together and broke into a broad smile.
“I’m grateful just hearing you say it, Baron. I’ll be waiting for that day.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Baron’s eyes began to sparkle. A flush crept across his cheeks.
“Great! I’ll find the biggest gem in the world and set it right in the center.”
“Mm-hmm.”
As I nodded in succession, Baron looked increasingly energized.
‘Go on. Make it, my boy.’
Clearly delighted, Baron soon turned his attention to the flower ring I’d made.
“Say, did you make that for me?”
“What?”
To be honest, I hadn’t made it with him in mind at all.
‘I only knew how to make this, so I just made it without thinking.’
But I couldn’t bear to disappoint Baron with that hopeful expression on his face.
“Of course! I made it for our Baron!”
I smiled brightly and slipped the finished flower ring onto the index finger of his left hand.
“Hmm, the size is a bit loose, isn’t it?”
“That’s not the thing though.”
Baron pointed to his left ring finger.
“You don’t wear a ring on this finger—you wear it here.”
Then he narrowed his eyes.
“I’m going to be the man who becomes your husband, so how can we do it like this?”
“Oh, there’s no winning with you.”
What is this little thing saying.
I giggled and removed the ring, then slipped it onto his ring finger as he’d indicated. The purple flower petals resting on his pale finger looked particularly lovely.
“Baron, you look beautiful too.”
The moment the words left my lips, Baron’s face flushed crimson all the way to his ears. His mouth twitched uncontrollably.
‘He’s enjoying this far too much. Heh.’
I laughed softly, and caught Raven’s expression. He was watching us play with clouded eyes.
‘Right, we didn’t come here just to have fun, did we?’
That’s when it happened.
Kyle, who’d been chatting quietly with Rosé while watching her weave flowers together, suddenly bolted upright.
“Wait—I think the caves were that way!”
“Yeah, that’s it!”
At Kyle and Rosé’s words, I quickly brushed myself off and stood, and Raven let out a deliberate cough.
“It seems Kyle is beginning to recall his camping days with Lord Frediki. Shall we get moving, then?”

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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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