This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 222

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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 222

Bloden’s words concerning my safety struck me as utterly absurd.
Robinson could no longer trouble me. By this point, it would be strange if Nelloa herself dared to linger anywhere near me.
“It should be fine. I have Camen and Heart, and Serch, don’t I?”
“Given the seriousness of the matter, I’ll need to order Camen, Salamander, and Ignis to protect you.”
I supposed that made sense—except when Bloden needed to summon them for something else.
‘Surely nothing catastrophic will happen just because the spirits step away for a moment.’
But what Bloden said next surprised me.
“The problem is that you’ve become far too safe.”
“…I’m sorry?”
“Spirits like Raven and Kimarise, the ones I can converse with, understand human concepts to a certain degree and follow orders with nuance. But those three have no such distinction—they either don’t attack, or they kill. One extreme or the other.”
Bloden chuckled at the confusion written across my face.
“You saw how Camen handled the Mantis Sickle Fox. In truth, Camen received orders to protect you that day.”
I recalled my first encounter with a demon beast. After Camen covered it, nothing remained but the creature’s bones and a demon stone.
“Surely that doesn’t mean only bones are left, no matter the opponent?”
“Ignis is actually the merciful one—the target feels no pain before departing. Camen is gentle by comparison, leaving bones behind. Salamander doesn’t even leave that.”
Not even bones left.
A creeping unease settled in, though a different question nagged at me.
“Can Serch actually attack?”
“Of course.”
……
I couldn’t quite imagine a sphere of light mounting an assault, though one thing was now clear.
‘So adorable on the outside, and yet they’re terrifying.’
“Once you’re on your own, I have no choice but to command those three to guard you. The other spirits look like massive monsters to outsiders—it would cause chaos and be awkward having them at your side. And Raven and Kimarise have other duties I need them for.”
His reasoning made sense.
But if I tagged along, wouldn’t I hinder Bloden’s movements? Should I offer to hire separate guards so he needn’t worry?
“There’s no one I’d trust to protect you by my standards. So if you want to move about without concern, it’s best I guard you directly. There’s no helping it.”
As if reading my thoughts, Bloden extended his hand to me once more.
“Demon beasts aside, having you with me is far better if we’re to prevent needless loss of life. Don’t you think?”
I had no choice.
“Then I should pack some things from the house first.”
“That’s fine. Oh, before we head to Kelite, we’ll need to stop somewhere on the way. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Understood.”
As I took Bloden’s offered hand, Crockel began wagging his tail with unbridled joy.
Just as I was about to turn my attention to Crockel’s cheerful mood, I caught the corner of Bloden’s mouth twitch.
But when I looked at him again, his expression was nothing but grave.
‘Did I imagine that?’

* * *

‘Is this even right.’
As Crockel bounded forward and I felt the sharp bite of the wind, the question kept surfacing in my mind.
Bloden had positioned me in front, seated himself behind me, and taken the reins he’d fixed to Crockel. It was the orthodox way to ride.
But the fact that Bloden was embracing me from behind made me acutely aware of his presence.
Though that wasn’t what troubled me most.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Bloden’s heartbeat thundered louder than the sound of the wind being torn apart.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you feeling all right?”
“Why do you ask about my health?”
“…Your heartbeat—I can hear it from here.”
“Ah—you can hear all of it?”
Bloden, startled, thumped his own chest.
“I thought it was a bit loud myself. To think it’s making noise like that.”
‘What? What kind of noise are you talking about?’
At my confusion, Bloden glanced away, looking embarrassed.
“I’ve told him not to gallop so loudly, but he doesn’t listen. Perhaps he’s still too young.”
Then she caught sight of me and broke into a radiant smile.
“To be honest, I think I’m happy being with you.”
The moment our eyes met—his gleaming crimson gaze—my heart began hammering wildly.
Either I’m happy or I’m not. What does “I think I’m happy” even mean? And why am I feeling this way?
Unable to find the right words, I turned my eyes forward again.
I felt his gaze lingering on my back for only a moment before Bloden called my name in a low voice.
“……Hailey.”
Startled by the honeyed sweetness of his voice, I quickly chided him.
“Don’t just call me by my name like that.”
“Then…… Nuna.”
The moment those coy words reached my ears, heat flooded my face. It was a title I’d heard countless times before, but the way Bloden said it now felt completely different from how Baron had.
“D-d-don’t call me that.”
“Sorry, I forgot. But what should I call you then?”
“You can call me Miss Hailey or just as you did before.”
“Miss Hailey? Alright, so I should call you that?”
In that moment, I realized the problem wasn’t the title itself. Whether he called me Miss Hailey or anything else—when Bloden used that voice, my heart simply couldn’t endure it.
“Your Majesty.”
“……Hmm?”
“I think you need to change your tone.”
“I want to, but like I said before—my body’s still young, and my heart won’t obey me.”
“……Is this why you asked me to come with you?”
“Not exactly.”
This time, his voice carried a languid smile.
“So what would you like me to call you? I’d like it if you called me by my name.”
Now I understood—he was a nine-tailed fox.
And I didn’t hate what Bloden was doing. No, I actually liked it.
‘So I’m not only weak to Baron.’
I shouldn’t forgive him so easily, knowing what he’d done. Yet the affection I’d harbored for Bloden all this time kept tripping me up.
With no other choice, I let out a long sigh.
“Call me whatever you like.”
“Got it. Darling.”
The moment he said it, Crockel’s body shook. He was laughing.
At the same time, my heart seemed to explode all the way to my fingertips, and I couldn’t help but turn and strike Bloden’s chest.
“Stop it, really!”
I hit him hard, but Bloden just laughed as if it tickled.
“But you said to call you whatever I like.”
“Why did you have to throw ‘darling’ into that? If you’re going to keep being this glib, put me down!”
“Fine, I’ll drop the darling. Nuna.”
Only then did Bloden’s tone return to normal.
“Anyway.”
I fanned my burning face with my hand and changed the subject.
“When will we arrive at Kelite? Or didn’t you mention we needed to stop somewhere along the way?”
“Right. We’re almost there. Look—you can see it now.”
Where Bloden pointed, ruins of collapsed buildings came into view. Among them, I spotted a wandering demon beast.
“Sweep them away.”
The moment Bloden’s low voice rang out, dark aura rippled up from the ground and Spirit Knights materialized, launching their assault on the demon beast.
The battle was over before we’d even dismounted from Crockel’s back.
“Crockel, take the Spirit Knights and clear out all the demon beasts in the surrounding area.”
After Crockel rubbed his head against me once, he took the Spirit Knights and vanished somewhere. Not long after, the sounds of combat echoed from far away.
As I cautiously surveyed the rubble, I spotted a flag caught beneath the debris.
“The condition’s like this now…… just wait a moment.”
Understanding where my gaze had fallen, Bloden pulled the flag free and shook it out once.
I caught my breath upon recognizing the weathered, faded emblem—it bore the sigil of the Meridian Royal Family.
Since Bloden was Baron and Hailey was Adeline, it was natural he would know. But for another reason entirely, my heart grew heavy.
‘Now that I think about it, there’s something I’m hiding from Bloden too, isn’t there?’
The fact that I was a transmigrated soul.
‘But is it right to tell him?’
From the moment I met Baron onward, I had been myself. Yet if Bloden began to question that my body and soul belonged to different people, or if Adeline’s identity became entangled in it, everything would change.
“Camen.”
Just then, Bloden summoned Camen and opened a passage leading into the earth below.
At the end of that passage, in the underground chamber, there were countless Crukes filled with gold, silver, and jewels stored away.
The legacy of the Meridian Royal Palace.
“What belongs to you will be returned to you.”
The moment those words reached my ears, guilt crashed over me like a wave.
The truth was, I’d never wanted anyone to know that I’d undergone transmigration. And I had no idea how Bloden would regard me once he learned the truth—if he felt betrayed by it.
‘The moment I tell him, this relationship ends here.’
The fallout could spiral beyond my control. Yet I couldn’t hide it forever.
‘At least I’m fairly certain Bloden won’t harm me. So if I’m going to tell him, now is better than later.’
With that resolve, I gathered my courage and dragged my reluctant voice up from my throat.
“Your Majesty, you mentioned before that Meriden Island could perhaps be incorporated into the territory of the Ilpein Empire, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
“The reason I hesitated was that I lacked the capacity to govern a nation. But at this point, there is no rightful owner of this land.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s difficult to believe, but I’ve been hiding something from everyone.”
Bloden fixed his gaze on me steadily. His eyes were calm, attentive to my words, so I took a deep breath and continued.
“In truth, I’m not Adeline. I’m someone from another world who has undergone transmigration into this body.”
“Transmigration?”
“Yes.”
I told him who I originally was.
“I thought I was dead, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself in this body.”
Bloden’s eyes widened. He fell silent for a moment, then asked me with a grave expression.
“I never had the sense that you became a different person.”
“My transmigration happened a few days before I met Baron. Do you remember when I first met you as Baron and mentioned my name was Sojung Kim?”
“So the person I came to know and the person standing before me now—we’re the same soul?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Bloden’s expression brightened at once.
“Ah, never mind what I was thinking. Then there’s no problem at all.”
“No problem? What do you mean?”
“Because what I loved from the beginning was your inner self.”

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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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