This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 220

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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 220

Dantarion bent both knees and locked his posture as if sitting in a chair, his gaze fixed on the wall.
“This time, I’ll reflect calmly too.”
Now that I thought about it, Baron’s erratic behavior—as if he’d hit puberty—made sense. It was because Dantarion and Bloden were two separate people.
Kimarise moved to Dantarion’s side, gazed at the wall, and sat in an invisible chair.
“I shall reflect sincerely as well.”
Beside him, Black Libia stretched both legs forward and planted her rear on the ground.
“Sorry. Apology. Mistake. Black Libia.”
‘You don’t seem to have done anything wrong at all. There’s nothing you need to apologize to me for.’
Black Libia had only defeated a monster for me and delivered Bloden’s note. Oh, and she’d brought along the seal mold too.
And lined up beside her came Camen, Salamander, and Ignis in quick succession.
‘No, you lot didn’t do anything wrong either.’
Honestly, I couldn’t fathom what crime non-human commanders could have committed.
Crockel had acknowledged me even in his original form, and when asked where his master was, Camen and Salamander had even looked toward Baron while eating scorched rice.
‘I was the one who failed to understand their actions.’
As I fell silent, lost in thought, Camen—who had been standing beside Black Libia, watching my expression—transformed into a stone chair.
Salamander tried to climb up and sit on it like a person, but Camen pushed him aside and instead created a smaller stone chair with a backrest beside it.
“Squeak!”
Salamander, his front paws patting Camen affectionately, settled into the newly formed stone chair and gazed at the wall.
Ignis beside him was a glowing orb with no clear front or back, but the side facing the wall must be the front, right?
‘I shouldn’t laugh. No matter what they do, I need to steel myself.’
In the heavy silence that hung in the air, I bit my lip hard and eventually covered my face with both hands.
‘They’re not even human and they’re doing this—it’s too cute!’
I took a quiet, deep breath.
‘They’re not children either, for heaven’s sake.’
Even if I couldn’t forgive them immediately, letting this continue wasn’t a normal response either—that much was certain.
I steadied my voice, making it calm and low.
“Crockel.”
Crockel’s ears perked up as he turned his head to gauge my mood. The expression was identical to how puppies look when they’ve misbehaved and are waiting to see what happens, and I had to clench my lips again to keep composure.
“Come here.”
Moreover, even though I’d spoken in a deliberately subdued tone, the moment the words left my mouth, the heavy atmosphere lifted noticeably.
Crockel approached slowly, wagging his tail, and nuzzled his head against me.
“Whimper. Whine.”
“Black Libia, come here too.”
“Chirp!”
Before I could finish speaking, I caught a flash of movement—Black Libia was standing on Crockel’s head, spinning and dancing.
“Receive. Forgiven.”
Black Libia was so delighted that I almost burst out laughing.
“Ahem. Camen, Salamander, and Ignis, come here too.”
Camen quickly shifted form and came to my side, then without being asked, began pouring out gold and jewels.
“Put those back.”
Who did he think he was, trying to bribe me with treasure?
A dejected Camen stuffed everything he’d spilled back into himself piece by piece.
As I watched, I noticed Salamander and Ignis weren’t moving. Turning my gaze, I saw Salamander looking at me with a pitiful expression—he’d heard me just fine.
‘Why aren’t you coming?’
Then Camen took out chalk and drew a heart on his body. Understanding Camen’s intent, I called the other two again.
“Heart, Serch. Come here.”
“Squeak!”
Salamander’s expression brightened instantly, and he scampered over and clung to my ankle. Serch flew toward me and scattered light.
When they show affection like this, there’s no way I can resist petting them.
“What sin could you possibly have?”
After patting the non-human commanders and sending them outside, I called for the remaining ones in turn.
“Raven, Kimarise, and Dantarion—you can stop now.”
Raven and Kimarise stood up with dejected expressions. But Dantarion looked as though he might cry.
“Calling us like that puts so much distance between us. Can’t you just call me Baron or Dantarion?”
The moment Dantarion wore Baron’s face and made that pitiful expression, I understood something.
I was truly weak only when it came to Baron.
And yet, there was only one thing I had to say now.
“That’s not something we should discuss right now. The three of you should head home for the evening.”
At the Executor’s words, gesturing toward the neighboring house, all three bowed respectfully and departed.
Once the door closed, silence returned, and now only Bloden and I remained in the house.
“Sigh. Sitting around like this won’t solve anything. And His Majesty isn’t even a child.”
I pulled over the chair where Raven had been sitting and positioned it before the table.
“Come here and sit.”
Bloden turned to look at me with an awkward, hesitant posture.
His reddened eyes, glistening with tears as though he might burst into sobs at any moment, reminded me of a puppy abandoned by its master on a rainy day, and my heart softened.
Still, I composed my expression and took a seat across the table from Bloden.
“You’ve apologized more than once already. What matters now is how we move forward. What will you do?”
“……The most ideal solution would be if you became my empress.”
Bang!
“This man still hasn’t come to his senses! And don’t call me that.”
My sharp rebuke was accompanied by a strike against the table, and Bloden flinched.
“I’m sorry. I’ve reflected deeply on this.”
Bloden apologized earnestly, his voice sincere, and soon tears began streaming down his face.
‘Why does he have to cry beautifully too.’
Clenching my fists and forcing myself to concentrate, I heard Bloden continue hesitantly.
“Even if it’s an imperial marriage, the procedure was flawed. We should change the law to allow it to be nullified.”
“You would go so far as to change the law?”
“I truly love you, Hailey. That’s why I won’t do anything you hate.”
“…….”
“But to change the law, I need to come of age. Legal amendments must go through proper administration.”
“So there’s nothing that can be done for now?”
“I could make it happen immediately by making examples of a few people and threatening death to all, but…….”
I sighed and produced a handkerchief, handing it to Bloden.
“Stop crying. And spare me the methods of a tyrant.”
“Still, I thought you’d prefer a peaceful approach.”
Bloden dried his tears with the handkerchief he’d received and took a deep breath.
“I’ll stake my name on it—I’ll make your marriage record completely null and void.”
Marriage nullification.
Because Bloden voiced what I wanted before I had to ask, my heart felt somewhat lighter. If it went that way, his actions would amount to nothing more than saving me from Robinson’s grasp.
However, I had not forgotten that Bloden was the Emperor of the Empire, so I asked him.
“Will there be no issue with Your Majesty’s authority?”
Bloden sighed, his face resigned.
“That’s my mistake to bear. So will you wait a little longer?”

* * *

The next day, Bloden and I went to the Academy, met with the Headmaster, and proceeded with Baron’s withdrawal.
The Academy was already in an uproar. It was only natural—Baron had vanished before everyone’s eyes during class.
In fact, as soon as the incident occurred, an administrator from the Academy came to our house to inform us, though we couldn’t see them at the time because Kimarise’s avatar was guarding the area and blocking people’s approach.
“My commander accidentally opened a Gate while researching it and dragged Hailey’s younger brother before me without meaning to.”
Bloden had met Baron that way and judged the boy to be a talented individual, offering that explanation.
“So after persuading Hailey, I decided to have Baron taught at the Imperial Royal Academy.”
At Bloden’s words, the Headmaster expressed regret but smiled graciously, saying Baron’s fortune had taken a turn for the better. He was quite delighted when Bloden mentioned he would provide generous support to the Academy.
When we finished our business at the Academy and stepped outside, Raven and Kimarise were waiting in the carriage to greet us.
“We’ve sent word to the Lord’s Manor about our visit.”
That was right. Our next destination was the Manor of Duke Snorril.
Yesterday, Bloden had promised to change the law and nullify the marriage. He also said he would compensate me for the damages I’d suffered.
I immediately refused the compensation.
Though I’d been deceived, I’d come to realize that I’d unconsciously received much of his help in the meantime.
Separately, I did have a favor to ask of him.
It was to punish Robinson and Nelloa for their fraud scheme, and the time had finally come.
“However, it seems the Princess claimed an administrative error occurred and went to the Imperial Palace to confirm it.”
“An error, my foot.”
At Raven’s report, Bloden let out a derisive laugh.
“It appears the Princess orchestrated the entire scheme to defraud Duke Snorril of his marriage.”
“I share that assessment. Since things seemed to be turning against her, she fled for safety. But we’ve detected something odd.”
“Something odd?”
“Yes. She took all the food from your house without even unloading it from the cart, or so I’m told.”
“……Food?”
Bloden fell silent for a moment, turning something over in his mind before issuing an order to Kimarise.
“Follow the Princess first and secure her safety.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Kimarise set out at once to find Nelloa, and we climbed into the carriage, heading toward Robinson’s house.
The main gate of the Lord’s Manor stood wide open, and Robinson—his arm in a cast—stood lined up with the knights, butler, and servants, all waiting outside.
Bloden entrusted Raven with assessing the situation and interrogating Robinson.
But just as Raven disappeared into the manor’s interior, dragging Robinson and all the knights with him, a single maid approached me with careful steps.
Her face wasn’t unfamiliar to me. She’d been dating her boyfriend near our house every day off, after all.
“Um, Hailey. I found two things while cleaning the room, and I wanted to show you.”
The maid said she’d meant to tell Robinson right away, but with everything in chaos, she’d been ignored—and then she pressed something into my hand.
“Could you take a look at this first?”
What the maid had given me was a seed, slightly larger than an almond, with the number 128 inscribed on it.

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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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