This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 196

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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 196

“We’re here.”
Roze pointed to the destination—a sloped terrain thick with overgrown vegetation.
Raven drew his sword. With a single stroke, he cleared away the dense brush, revealing a low Cave Entrance.
I bent down to peer inside, muttering to myself.
“It’s awfully dark in there.”
“Yes, last time we each carried a Lamp and went in carefully. Once we venture a little deeper, there’s a much larger space.”
As Roze answered, Kyle glanced at Raven. Seeing that Raven wore the Backpack, he assumed Raven would produce the Lamp.
Then Raven opened the Backpack and said something none of us expected.
“I didn’t bring a Lamp.”
“…What?”
Baron, who had been watching Kyle and Roze with amusement as their eyes widened in surprise, raised his chin smugly.
“The thing is, we have something better than a Lamp.”
“Just as Baron says.”
Raven smiled softly and pulled something from the Backpack. Something glimmered in his hands.
‘Could it be…?’
The Cave Entrance where we stood was suddenly as bright as midday.
“Oh! Serch!”
Delighted at the sight, I called out the name, and Serch circled around me before perching on my hand.
“Baron, how did you think to bring Serch along?”
“You’ve been too busy lately to go Sea Diving, and I figured the Caves would be dark. Besides, Serch seemed a bit bored, so I thought I’d bring him.”
Just then, Roze asked from beside me.
“What is this?”
“I’ve never seen anything like this before. Did something like this exist?”
Kyle and Roze’s eyes were wide as saucers.
“Ah, this is an insect called a Firefly.”
I explained about the Firefly to Kyle and Roze.
“I always thought you carried some incredibly bright Lamp when you went to the Sea, but it turns out you were taking this creature along.”
“Wow, there are insects like that in the world? I thought it was a spirit of light.”
“Ha, if Baron hadn’t told me, I’d have thought the same thing. He’s the one who tamed Serch.”
“Baron, how do you even do things like this? Taming an insect of all things.”
Kyle shook his head in amazement as he looked at Baron.
“At this point, it’s almost admirable.”
Baron rubbed the area beneath his nose with a smug expression.
“This much? That’s nothing.”
Hearing their exchange, Raven took out a Handkerchief and wiped cold sweat from his brow. I could see his lips quivering slightly as he struggled to maintain a smile.
“We should hurry inside rather than linger here.”
Ah, he was anxious about wasting time at the Cave Entrance.
“Right, let’s go in.”
Serch scattered his light throughout the Caves, illuminating our path brightly. Thanks to him, we reached the campsite where Lord Frediki had camped with Kyle and Roze with ease.
“They made a fire here. We couldn’t go any deeper than this.”
As Roze said, the path leading further into the Caves continued, but it was too narrow for people to pass through. The breeze flowing in suggested it connected to the outside.
“Let’s examine this area first.”
At Raven’s suggestion, I was about to look around when Crockel lightly leaped into the narrow passage.
“Wait, Crockel? It’s dangerous to go alone.”
I quickly tried to stop him, but Crockel glanced back once, wagged his tail, and ventured deeper. As I watched with concern, Baron spoke.
“He’ll be fine, don’t worry. We can call him back when it’s time to leave.”
‘That’s true—even though Crockel’s young, he’s still a Monster.’
I nodded and turned my attention back.
.
.
.
We examined every place we could access. But aside from small scrawls drawn on one of the Cave walls, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.
“Roze, did you draw these back then? Flowers, fish, and a tree…”
Half of the tree was bare branches, and the other half was lush.
“Is that the tree we saw earlier?”
At my question, Roze clapped her hands together.
“That’s the one! After we cooked and ate the fish we caught that day, the rain still wouldn’t stop, so we drew pictures with charcoal and played.”
“Ah! Father drew this and said something about it, but what was it?”
Kyle groaned and scratched his head.
“I can’t remember.”
Just then Baron and Raven returned from scouting the perimeter and shook their heads before speaking in turn.
“There’s nothing within reach of human hands.”
“This picture appears to be all we’re taking from this place.”
“Then there’s only one place left to search. Let’s check out the Lightning Tree.”
I was about to call Crockel as I headed toward the entrance.
“Woof!”
Crockel’s bark echoed from deeper in the cave. At the same moment, a large gray beast suddenly burst through the entrance.
“Wait, Nuna.”
Baron instantly stepped in front of me. Raven moved forward as well.
His hand gripped the hilt of his sword as if he might draw it any second, and he spoke with evident concern.
“Why would an Alpha Wolf come here…?”
The wolf’s golden eyes fixed on me. In that instant, goosebumps crawled across my entire body.
Then Crockel burst out and dropped what he’d retrieved at Baron’s feet.
A clump of gray wolf fur.
“Woof, woof!”
“Ah, so the inside must have been the wolf’s den.”
Raven looked baffled by Baron’s remark.
“What? We didn’t see any wolf fur when we searched earlier.”
“Hard to believe, but it seems it covered its tracks.”
“Good heavens. But surely it couldn’t have hidden that distinctive animal smell?”
“That’s what puzzles me too.”
“Growl.”
While Baron and Raven spoke, Crockel bared his fangs and turned to face the Alpha Wolf.
I felt reassured by Crockel’s response.
Every wolf we’d encountered on the way here had fled with its tail between its legs.
‘I wish the Ghost Wolf’s presence would work on the Alpha Wolf too.’
But the Alpha Wolf didn’t budge. Instead, it narrowed its golden eyes and looked down at Crockel.
“Growl.”
A low rumble came from the Alpha Wolf as well. The way its snout twitched as if about to bare its fangs suggested it wouldn’t be strange if it clashed with Crockel right then and there.
I studied Raven’s expression.
“That creature isn’t intimidated by Crockel’s presence at all.”
Raven’s voice was calm. There was no fear in it—just a face observing the Alpha Wolf with steady attention. Baron wore the same composure.
Thanks to their demeanor, my own panic began to settle.
‘If both of them are acting like this, I suppose it’s safe?’
In that case, I had one thing to do.
I glanced at Kyle and Roze’s condition. Roze had gone pale, and while Kyle was ready to draw his sword at any moment, his legs were trembling.
“Kyle, Roze.”
I carefully stepped back and wrapped my arms around their shoulders.
Just then, I noticed a natural groove worn into a nearby cave wall. It was narrow, but Kyle and Roze could fit inside. I pushed them in and turned my back to block the opening.
If that wolf attacked, there was no way all three of us would survive.
I’d be first, then Kyle and Roze in turn.
“Nuna? Are you shielding those two with your body right now?”
Baron was genuinely bewildered. But I smiled and answered his half-right, half-wrong assumption.
“I’m just staying in the corner so I won’t get in the way if a fight breaks out.”

* * *

Master! There’s dog fur here!
The moment Baron heard Crockel’s cry, he understood this was the wolf’s den. But at the same time, something felt off.
‘Crockel didn’t notice the wolf’s scent?’
And in all the places a person could search, they hadn’t found a single strand of wolf fur.
Just as this struck him as unusual, the Alpha Wolf suddenly entered through the entrance.
Crockel, who had brought the wolf fur as evidence and dropped it before Baron’s feet, now pressed the Alpha Wolf hard.
“Growl.”
-Bold creature, blocking the way before me?
If the Alpha Wolf tucked tail and ran now, the matter would be settled.
“Growl.”
—What’s this? A pipsqueak who can actually talk?
Baron’s ears nearly deceived him at the Alpha Wolf’s words, crisp and unmistakable.
By entering into a Contract with Crockel, Baron had gained the ability to understand Ghost Wolves, but not the speech of beasts themselves.
Looking again, the Alpha Wolf’s bulk matched Crockel’s original size. The implication was clear.
‘The Alpha Wolf is a Ghost Wolf?’
That was when Hailey moved to shield Kyle and Roze.
She said it was to stay clear of the fight, and she showed no real signs of panic. She trusted in Raven and Baron’s strength.
He was grateful for that, but Baron barely swallowed back a sigh that threatened to escape.
‘If the Alpha Wolf targets them, Nuna will be hurt first.’
Raven tilted her head then.
“Baron, I don’t want to think it, but… is this wolf the same as Crockel…?”
At the same moment, Raven’s grip tightened on her blade. She was anticipating a battle that might not come easy.
Rather than answer Raven’s question, Baron lowered his voice and gave Crockel an instruction.
“Crockel. Try to resolve this through dialogue if you can.”
—Ha, you’re blessed with luck, you scrap of a thing.
Crockel began to growl, as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
—I was about to tear you to shreds. But our master shows mercy, and so I shall refrain, worm!

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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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