This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 219

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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 219

“Princess, what on earth has happened here?”
Robinson rushed to find Nelloa the moment he arrived home, demanding an explanation for what had befallen him.
The fact that Kimarise, whom she’d believed to be Raven’s subordinate, had drawn a black sword from his hand was hardly news to Nelloa.
Bloden was masquerading as Baron, and Raven as an ordinary neighbor—so it was hardly surprising that another Commander might be stationed nearby.
‘But what? Bloden and Hailey’s Marriage Registration was filed an hour earlier?’
More troublesome still was the fact that Kimarise had revealed his identity in front of Hailey.
When a Commander revealed himself, it meant no more secrets from Hailey. In other words, Baron—Bloden—must have disclosed his true self.
The fact that Bloden had brought the marriage documents personally all but confirmed it.
The realization struck Nelloa like a blow.
‘No, even for a novel—what sort of Emperor takes an Empress this way?’
Absurd as it was, this was no time to stand idle.
‘Bloden won’t let Robinson’s fraud pass unchecked!’
He would soon come charging here to investigate the truth of the Public Document Forgery, and he would seize the responsible parties for interrogation.
When that happened, the food Hailey had brought would naturally be confiscated. And if Bloden discovered that Nelloa had orchestrated this—he would show no mercy.
‘First, I need to escape this place and hide.’
Nelloa, now frantic, cut short Robinson’s grievances.
“There must be some mistake. I’ll go to the Imperial Palace at once and verify the details with the Regent.”
She then went to her room, pulled out the Derivative Gate Seed and Signal Stone she’d been keeping on her person, wrote the number 128 on each, and tossed them into the bag where the Derivative Gate Seeds were stored before standing up.
The Derivative Gate Seed and Signal Stone happened to catch on the edge of the bag and ricocheted in different directions, but Nelloa was moving so frantically that she failed to notice.
When she stepped outside, she spoke to the Knights and attendants who were just setting down Hailey’s belongings.
“The Baron is calling for you now. Go along, all of you.”
Then she climbed onto the empty carriage and drove the horses herself. She could endure interrogation, but she could not lose her Mana Recovery Potion.
‘Hah, where should I go?’
Heading to Kelite was too risky. Stanley had once mentioned that Bloden seemed to have someone watching him, and that surveillance might still be in place.
Going to the Imperial Palace was equally burdensome.
There were ways to handle Anna to suit her purposes. But once Anna learned of Bloden and Hailey’s Marriage Registration, Nelloa couldn’t predict how she might react.
After a moment’s deliberation, Nelloa thought of the Ottix Kingdom.
On the day the marriage certificate was filed, Anna had mentioned to Nelloa an ability possessed by the Ottix Kingdom’s King.
Since it was an ability connected to Gates, she’d thought she ought to meet with him separately someday—and it was fortunate timing that this place was even closer than the Imperial Palace.
‘Good, let me go there and think this through.’
Having made her decision, Nelloa turned the horses toward the Ottix Kingdom.

* * *

‘Ugh! I’m losing my mind! These villains!’
Each time the Hoe struck the tidal flat, large-shelled clams kept rolling out.
‘They say if several people put their heads together, they can make a fool of one person in an instant!’
My right arm was more than numb now—it was on the verge of falling off, and brutal soreness awaited. But working like this, at least the fury of being scammed into marriage had subsided somewhat.
Truthfully, if the Marriage Registration had been filed unilaterally in a situation where nothing had happened, no matter what I thought of him, I would never have laid eyes on Bloden again.
But once I heard the story, the only way to nullify the marriage certificate that Anna had approved was to render it void through duplicate registration.
‘At least I escaped the worst forced marriage, and Bloden is far better than Robinson. I even received an apology.’
I stopped hoeing, gathered up the clams I’d dug so far into the Basket, and let out a long sigh. Then I resumed my furious digging.
‘But deceiving me, even with good intentions—how can I trust Bloden now?’
I found myself replaying everything from when I first met Baron—or rather, the young-faced Bloden—until now.
“Aaaaaarrgh!”
My hoeing accelerated of its own accord.
I’d fed him, carried him, slept with him in my arms, wished him well, kissed him—I’d cared for him like he was my own son.
‘The moment I thought our child was the most handsome in the world, I should have suspected that Baron might be Bloden!’
Moreover, Bloden in Baron’s form had made it clear from the start.
He’d said he’d never used formal speech with anyone but his parents.
‘Of course he hadn’t—he’s the Emperor!’
As I kept hoeing madly, my anger did seem to subside a little. But the heat burning in my face wouldn’t cool, and my mind wouldn’t empty.
Why had I overlooked the Romance Fantasy law that the most handsome man in the world must be the protagonist?
‘I mean, would the color of his eyes really change just because his appearance became younger?’
But the moment I learned that Raven Dillon was actually Raven Aner, the reason for the eye color difference became clear without asking.
Raven Aner was a Death Knight skilled in close combat and advanced magic.
I’d watched with my own two eyes as Bloden’s hair changed into every color of the rainbow each time he went into hiding.
‘I should have realized the Emperor could fabricate an alibi whenever he pleased. What an idiot I am!’
I struck my own head with my left hand in self-reproach when Bloden’s voice came from behind.
“Hailey.”
I turned to find him standing there with a dejected expression.
“I told you not to come.”
“That’s true, but you seemed to have no intention of leaving at all.”
Whoosh.
Only then did I notice the tide had crept all the way to where I stood.
Good heavens—I hadn’t even noticed the water rising.
“That was a close call. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I stood and reached for the basket brimming with clams.
Or rather, I tried to.
……
I’d gathered far too many clams.
‘I can’t lift this.’
There was a way to drag it, but only if I moved faster than the tide was rising. If I tried that now, the incoming water would sweep me away before I reached safety.
‘Should I just leave it?’
Bloden lifted the basket with his right hand in one smooth motion, though mud from the tidal flat splattered across his clothes in the process.
“Oh no, your expensive clothes are ruined! Just leave the clams and go.”
“Don’t worry about the clothes. You worked hard to gather these—we’re taking them with us.”
With that, Bloden took my hand and pulled me toward inland.
“It’s dangerous. Let’s get moving.”
His hand was very large.
Warm and reassuring, it made my heart feel oddly peaceful……
No! What am I thinking? Get yourself together, Hailey! Bloden is the greatest con artist of my entire life!
“I understand. Let go of my hand now.”
I jerked my hand away sharply, and he released it without resistance.
I strode ahead, walking briskly while patting my flushed cheeks with both hands. Mud clung to my face and clothes, but it hardly mattered—I was already covered in dirt from swinging the hoe in anger.
My heart was a mess. How could something like this have happened?
.
.
.
When we returned to the house, Raven and the Commanders’ eyes snapped toward me in unison. They were all watching me carefully, and this time Black Libia had entered the house as well.
But something seemed odd. Three of the four dining table chairs had all been turned to face the wall.
“Why are the chairs all arranged like that?”
As I asked, Camen swept the mud from my face and clothes clean in an instant, leaving me looking fresh. She then began removing the dirt from Bloden’s garments as well.
Now spotless, Bloden sat at the chair at the very end in proper posture, gazing at the wall as he answered.
“To reflect.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m going to face the wall and think through every mistake I’ve made, reflect on it, and then ask you for your forgiveness.”
But the Reflection Chair is meant for disciplining children, isn’t it?
Your Majesty is going to sit in a Reflection Chair?
I stood there bewildered, and Raven, catching sight of my expression, took a seat next to Bloden.
“I am truly sorry, Hailey. I too will take time to reflect on my actions.”
Then Crockel quickly scrambled into the chair beside Raven, attempting to sit like a person.
Crack!
……
Crockel was not in his dog form at that moment. Unable to bear his weight, the chair shattered.
“Listen here, you mutt. Are you human?”
Baron—or rather, Dantarion—criticized Crockel harshly, and Crockel immediately bared his fangs as if to bite him.
“Growl.”
Bloden’s cold gaze turned toward both of them at once. Crockel lowered his tail and sat facing the wall.
“Damn it, now there’s no chair because that mutt broke it.”
Dantarion sighed, looking at the broken chair.
I wondered what kind of scene this was. On one hand, with no Reflection Chair left, it seemed Dantarion might skip his own reflection entirely.
But I found myself fixated on the one remaining chair in front of the table.
‘Is he going to use that one?’
Dantarion shook his head slowly and stood beside Crockel. Then he did something I never would have anticipated.
“Well, can’t be helped.”

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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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