This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 209

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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 209

The moment Anna’s red lips curved upward, Nelloa felt her shoulders stiffen with tension.
‘So she’s thinking of using Hailey as a puppet.’
That would be terribly inconvenient. Worse still, if Anna discovered that Bloden had feelings for Hailey.
‘Absolutely not.’
Her own future stretched before her with all the predictability of fire consuming wood.
She would be cast aside in an instant, and the Kelite Kingdom’s position would grow steadily more precarious.
Nelloa managed her expression and smiled sweetly.
“I learned it when I was living in Snoril under a false identity. She’s a commoner.”
“A commoner?”
The gleam of interest in Anna’s eyes intensified, and Nelloa caught herself, quickly gesturing toward Robinson.
“Yes, and she’s going to marry the Baron here shortly.”
Anna’s gaze snapped to Robinson. Standing beside her, Robinson had been startled by Nelloa’s bombshell announcement, and after rolling his eyes in panic, he forced his lips upward into an exaggerated smile.
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“A baron usually pairs well with a noblewoman from a respectable house. That young lady seems to fall rather short in status, doesn’t she?”
“Ah, I… well…”
Flustered, Robinson glanced toward Nelloa.
He wanted to admit honestly that the marriage talk was a lie. After all, he’d suffered considerable loss because of Nelloa.
But thinking it over again, whether it truly constituted loss was unclear.
Both his father and he had cooperated with Nelloa precisely to gain connections with the Royal Court.
The expenses had run far higher than anticipated, yet Robinson found himself here nonetheless. And it was Nelloa who had worked to ensure his invitation.
Thanks to her, he now sat in the presence of the Regent, speaking directly with her.
Nelloa smiled reassuringly, and Robinson took courage, smiling back.
“Status is important, of course, but it’s never as important as mutual love.”
“Love, is it…”
Anna studied Robinson’s face. It was neat enough, though hardly striking in any classical sense.
‘Ha, because she’s a commoner, she has no eye for quality? There’s no man who could match His Majesty in looks, yet she settles for this thoroughly unremarkable fellow.’
Anna let out a soft click of her tongue and leaned back against the sofa.
If Bloden was the sort to lose his mind beneath a commoner woman’s skirts, then he aligned with Anna’s ambitions perfectly. She need only manipulate that woman cleverly and use her as a puppet.
But forcing a woman to marry Bloden when her heart already lay elsewhere was unpredictable—there was no telling how the situation might unravel.
Moreover, if a commoner sat in the front row at the Title Succession Ceremony, it meant Kyle and House Enox held her in extraordinary favor. That kind of person couldn’t be bought with money alone.
‘Better to approve her marriage to the baron quickly.’
She was a commoner now, but once married, she would become the baron’s wife. Anna could then call on her freely, deepen their friendship, and draw her to her side.
With luck, she might even bind Kyle and House Enox—factions destined to grow in power—into her camp as well.
Throughout these calculations, Anna tapped her interlaced fingers slowly. Nelloa, observing the gesture, continued.
“In fact, Hailey is quite skilled at commerce. That’s why she and the baron are developing his domain together. They work so well in tandem that their names have appeared in the papers.”
“Well, it seems good ladies are always spoken for.”
Anna’s tone carried resignation, and Nelloa, her voice turning gentle and measured, went on.
“Yes, she said they’ll be filing a Marriage Registration Document soon.”
“A Marriage Registration Document?”
“Yes. Once the document is submitted to the Royal Court, you’ll approve it, won’t you?”
“If they’re happy, of course. But Baron, are you warm?”
Robinson drew out a handkerchief and dabbed the cold sweat beading on his forehead, forcing a laugh.
“Ha ha, to meet with the Regent in such proximity is honor enough. I never imagined I’d be discussing personal matters to this extent.”
.
.
.
After finishing the conversation with Anna, Nelloa led Robinson down the corridor and tilted her head toward a distant doorway. She opened a guest room where no one was present, shut the door firmly behind them.
Once Robinson confirmed there were no watching eyes anywhere, his hands began to tremble visibly.
“P-princess.”
“Why are you shaking like that?”
Nelloa, arms crossed, raised her chin.
“You wanted to court Hailey no matter what, didn’t you? If you marry her, isn’t that even better?”
“W-well, yes, but…”
Robinson’s thoughts turned to Hailey.
Though she was a commoner, the more he saw her, the more beautiful she became. Even at tonight’s banquet, she was among the rare few who could be called a beauty.
But if she’d only been pretty, he wouldn’t have harbored thoughts of courting her formally.
The desire to make her his wife seriously had arisen because of Hailey’s abilities.
At first she was nothing but an illegal occupant on state-owned land, but somewhere along the way she’d formed a commercial district around her house, expanded her connections, and even acquired a Magic Stone Vessel—rare even in the Empire.
The only thing lacking in her at present was social status. But watching the atmosphere at today’s Title Succession Ceremony, it seemed she would overcome that obstacle soon enough.
“Miss Hailey doesn’t even look at me. Even if I wanted to marry, it’s impossible.”
“That’s true enough. But what if there were a way to make her your wife?”
“What? Is there such a way?”
“First, we write a Marriage Registration Document.”
“?”
“You don’t know Marry First, Love Later?”
Robinson had no idea what Nelloa was talking about.
“You really don’t know anything, do you? Well then.”
When he merely tilted his head in confusion, Nelloa waggled her fingers and let a wicked smile play across her lips.
“Just do exactly as I tell you.”

* * *

I’d meant to stay just thirty minutes, exchange pleasantries, and leave.
But Kyle and the people of House Enox were surrounded by an endless stream of congratulations and greetings from the Nobles.
Heir to House Enox, master of the Frediki Domain.
Moreover, Kyle apparently had talent with the sword, which meant his future would eventually encompass the Byeongyeongbaek’s position, territories and all.
‘Soon the Regent’s administration will end and the Emperor himself will take up the reins.’
It was only natural that the Nobles were eager to make Kyle’s acquaintance, to catch his eye at least once.
Since there was no telling when this gathering would end, I decided to move on.
‘Should I walk that path again—the one I took with Raven before?’
I recalled heading eleven o’clock from the Banquet Hall entrance. I’d gone at night during Bloden’s birthday, but now it was daytime and the weather was fine, so I could enjoy a different vista altogether.
Just as I’d expected, the walking path glittered fresh and bright, the trees and flowers catching the sunlight.
Since it was day, other Nobles enjoying a stroll appeared here and there.
The lightness in my step grew as I felt like I’d stepped into a picnic, when suddenly an unusually striking raven alighted directly in front of me.
“Huh? Black Libia?”
“Ahem.”
Black Libia dropped a note at my feet, then spread his wings pointedly and lowered his head. Before I could even return the greeting, he walked away with a distinctive waddle, glancing back at me.
‘He’s signaling me to follow?’
I picked up the note lying at my feet and checked its contents.

[I think the Greenhouse Garden behind here would be nicer today. What do you think?]

As expected, it was from Bloden. The purpose wasn’t clear, but it seemed he wanted to meet.
‘I’d just been wanting to ask about something related to Special Abilities. This works out well.’
When I looked up, Black Libia fluttered his wings once.
“Caw.”
“All right, show me the way.”
Following Black Libia for about ten minutes, a large domed glass greenhouse came into view.
“Welcome.”
I pushed open the door marked [Open], and Bloden greeted me with a warm smile. Then he immediately flipped the sign and locked the door behind me.

[Closed.]

“This way no one will disturb us while we’re taking our walk.”
“I see. So you called me out to walk?”
“I wanted to thank you in person for the Bento Box you sent before, and more than that…….”
Bloden extended his palm to me, and without thinking I placed my hand in his—then I realized what he was about to do and felt my heart drop.
‘Goodness! Is he going to kiss my hand?’
His action unfolded exactly as I’d anticipated.
“Because I wanted to see you alone.”
With his cheeks faintly flushed, he brought his lips gently to my fingertips in a gesture of refined courtesy. The sensation of lips softer than feathers sent a tremor through my entire body.
‘Why did he suddenly sweep in like this?’
My heart began pounding frantically, and I felt warmth flood my face. My mind conjured an image of Bloden and me sharing a kiss.
‘Surely… is he…?’
The fact that Bloden had locked the greenhouse door suddenly began to weigh heavily on my mind.
‘Is he thinking of kissing me today?’

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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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