This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21

The octopus hit the floor so hard that it made quite a loud sound. The lively octopus that had been full of energy suddenly went limp and didn’t move at all, as if nothing had happened.

It seemed to have died instantly.

‘He killed an octopus by slamming it on the floor? And that little kid did that?’

I was so dumbfounded that I just stood there in a daze, while Baron anxiously examined my arm in a panic.

“Nuna! Are you okay? Hey? Is your arm alright?”

“….”

Since I remained still, Baron pulled over a chair and made me sit down.

“I understand being shocked out of your mind. You almost got bitten.”

No matter how I looked at it, his expression showed genuine concern for me. He was even breaking out in a cold sweat, so I couldn’t bring myself to ask him what he was doing to the octopus he had worked so hard to catch.

“Puhaha!”

Young Baron was so cute that I could only burst out laughing.

“Huh?”

Baron looked puzzled.

“Baron, I’m fine. Unless it’s a magical beast, octopuses don’t bite. They’re naturally the type that clings like that.”

I explained to Baron step by step.

“So it’s not dangerous?”

“Right. Not at all. Watch carefully.”

I caught an octopus swimming in the water and made it into a skewer.

“See? I’m going to make it like this and grill it.”

I had just finished making the second octopus skewer and was about to catch a third octopus.

“Nuna. Wait a moment.”

“Yeah?”

“You do something else. I’ll take care of all the octopuses.”

“…Huh?”

“Even so, I can’t stand watching them stick to your hands. I hate seeing it. So I’ll help you.”

“Eh?”

Baron nodded with a determined expression.

“This kind of thing should be done by a man.”

Just then, the conch shells I had put over the fire made a popping sound as they burst.

“You have to cook other things anyway, right?”

“That’s true, but.”

Before I could even finish answering, Baron bravely stuck his hand into the tank.

“Eek! This thing!”

I could see goosebumps rising on Baron’s arm.

“Don’t push yourself. Baron.”

“No, I’m, I’m, I’m fine.”

Baron gritted his teeth and vigorously washed the wriggling octopus.

Baron was so strong that I worried the octopus legs might break off. But surprisingly, his strength control was skillful, and his cleaning was thorough.

After washing the octopus well, Baron’s expression became much more relaxed.

“The clinging feeling was really strange, but it’s nothing special. Just like you said, Nuna, it doesn’t bite either.”

“Wow, you’re quite skilled.”

Baron shrugged his shoulders at my spontaneous admiration as I examined the octopus’s condition.

“Well, this much is nothing.”

Then he grabbed a cooking knife.

“Aah! Baron!”

I was the one surprised by his unexpected action.

“The knife is dangerous! Put it down quickly!”

‘What kind of child wants to handle a knife!’

A knife was different from an octopus. And if I forcibly took it away and someone got hurt, that would be troublesome, so I could only try to stop him with words.

“Don’t worry.”

Baron, keeping his distance from me, threw the knife into the air, spun it, and caught it.

“I’m better with knives than you, Nuna. Want to see?”

The next moment, I was truly amazed.

Those small hands began spinning the knife around like twirling a pen.

‘H-how is that possible?’

As I stood there dazed just watching, Baron instantly dismantled the octopus and rolled it around a skewer.

“See, this is how you make it, right.”

Baron’s technique was so skillful that I was left speechless.

Baron, who put his hand back into the tank and pulled out another octopus, grinned.

“At first the sucker feeling was strange, but doing it more, I got used to it. Leave these guys to me.”

Baron quickly finished preparing the octopus.

He’s still young, so how can he use a knife so well? Are all knight families like this?

It seems the future knight commander displays his genius from a very young age.

Thinking about it that way, it seemed to make sense again.

* * *

When the meal preparation was almost finished, I finally had to admit it.

“Baron, you know what.”

“Yeah?”

“I think you might be a genius.”

“Huh?”

“I think you’re a swordsmanship genius.”

“Ah.”

Baron rolled his eyes around and then brushed under his nose with his finger.

“You’re saying I’m cool, right?”

“Yeah. Amazing. Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve seen someone use a knife that well. Even most adults probably couldn’t do that.”

“See, I told you I was good with it.”

Baron’s shoulders straightened and his nose went up in the air.

“Still, being this impressed, hehe. It’s embarrassing.”

Even that was so cute that I had to do my best to hold back my laughter.

.

.

.

Thanks to Baron’s help, we soon finished setting the table.

Glossy rice and soup, steamed eggs. And grilled conch shells and octopus skewers.

And although we didn’t put it on the table, since we had scorched rice, dessert would be scorched rice and scorched rice tea.

“Baron, Ray….”

After arranging the plates and cutlery, I casually called Baron but then caught my breath, realizing my mistake.

Should I call Raven over?

“Yeah? What do you need?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

I shook my head at Baron’s question.

‘If I ask Baron to do it, it’s obvious what will happen.’

He would just stick his head out the window and beckon Raven with his finger.

This is a proper invitation, so that won’t do.

“I’ll go out for a moment, Nuna. Wait just a bit.”

I opened the door and went to the neighboring construction site.

I saw Raven talking with the construction workers. Perhaps because of his excellent physique, the white dress shirt he wore comfortably with two buttons undone suited him very well.

“Hello.”

At my greeting, Raven turned around and told the workers to go have their meal, then asked me.

“Is this the lunch you were waiting for?”

“Yes, I came to escort you.”

“Escort me…”

He quietly mulled over my words, then smiled with his eyes gently curving.

“Thank you. Just a moment. I have something to bring. Would you like to go ahead?”

“Yes.”

When I returned to the house, Baron pouted his lips.

“Don’t tell me you went to call Raven?”

“Yeah, since lunch is all ready.”

“Why go through all that trouble? You could have just asked me. You could have opened the window and called him.”

As expected.

“Hey, invitations should be polite.”

Just then, I heard a knock from outside. When I opened the door, I saw Raven holding a bouquet of roses.

“Please come in, Raven.”

At my welcoming greeting, Raven held out the bouquet.

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner. This is a gift.”

There were exactly five roses, with large, full blooms and very beautiful colors. The rich fragrance characteristic of roses wafted up, making me feel very happy.

“Wow, they’re so pretty! Thank you so much.”

As I received the flowers, Raven bent his waist slightly and lightly kissed my fingertips.

“Oh my.”

I quickly covered my mouth with one hand. It was to hide my rising smile.

To think I’d experience the romance of romance fantasy novels here.

But then, I met eyes with Baron, who had slightly furrowed his brow.

“Huh? Why, what’s wrong?”

“You seem really happy about it.”

I cleared my throat.

Who wouldn’t like flower gifts from a handsome, elegant gentleman?

“The roses are so pretty.”

“Nuna, do you like flowers?”

“Of course. And roses like these aren’t easy to see around here.”

Then Raven, looking at Baron, opened his eyes wide then narrowed them.

He seemed somewhat surprised.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“No, it’s just… your height… seems to have suddenly grown a bit…”

Raven raised his hand to massage the bridge of his nose. Since he still seemed to doubt his own eyes, I quickly asked.

“Right? Doesn’t his face look a bit different too?”

“Did I really grow taller? That can’t be right?”

At Baron’s question, Raven, who had been quietly examining him, nodded in bewilderment.

“Yes, you do look somewhat different from yesterday. It’s strange.”

“Strange enough?”

Baron’s expression was so serious that I was puzzled. Isn’t growing taller a good thing?

“Kids naturally have growth spurts sometimes. Instead of this, please sit down quickly. This way.”

I guided Raven to the dining table, seated him, and sat across from him.

Raven’s eyes widened again.

“Oh, this is a menu I’ve never seen before.”

Since it was a dish I was confident in, I had prepared it ambitiously. But seeing him find it unfamiliar made me wonder if I had prepared the meal too much by my own standards.

But I had my own reasons.

‘I don’t know how to bake bread!’

I was good at home cooking but not confident with Western food. I couldn’t give him my homemade sandwich instead of a sandwich.

“Well, it’s not actually local food, but it should be healthy.”

Baron nodded.

“Try it. I had it for the first time yesterday too, and it’s unique. And it’s delicious. Just watch me eat and follow along.”

Baron demonstrated how to eat, having tried it once yesterday.

Yesterday, I was too busy sitting across from Baron and feeding him to notice. But watching from the side, I could feel elegance in how he sat properly and ate.

A smile gradually appeared on Baron’s face as he quietly chewed the food in his mouth.

Seeing this, Raven’s expression gradually brightened.

“Oh, you’re eating it very deliciously.”

Baron, having swallowed his food, looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Nuna, this is delicious too.”

Hehe, how does the crab broth mixed with clam stock taste?

Raven also sat elegantly like Baron and ate the rice and soup placed in front of him.

But that was only for a moment.

With his eyes wide open, he moved his mouth a few times, then without giving me a chance to speak, began eagerly spooning up the rice and soup.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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