This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 232

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

Episode 232

“Was the journey hard on you?”
Bloden checked carefully whether the trip had gone well and if I’d eaten properly, then sent Kimarise ahead to the Imperial Palace.
“There’s a lovely outdoor café that opened nearby. Want to grab some tea?”
We found a table at the outdoor café, which buzzed with festival excitement. As we caught up on the news from our time apart over cool drinks, I noticed Bloden’s manner of speaking had shifted slightly from his usual way.
“Listen, I wanted to tell you something.”
The way he prefaced every sentence with my name and smiled with his eyes—it was exactly like a large dog greeting its master. The problem was that he managed to be both adorable and devastatingly handsome, when really either one alone would have been enough.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?”
‘I’m losing my mind. Why is he this breathtakingly beautiful.’
I raised my teacup to cover the corners of my mouth, which were twitching.
Just as the cup was nearly empty, a rather elegant carriage with an ornate emblem pulled up in front of the café.
“Is it already time?”
Bloden murmured to himself while checking his pocket watch, then turned to me.
“I have somewhere I need to take you today, so I arranged a carriage.”
His expression had grown quite serious.
‘Is this about the Gates?’
It seemed he wanted to change locations for whatever weighty matter he had to discuss.
Thinking as much, I took his offered arm and we settled side by side in the carriage.
But Bloden’s destination proved to be entirely different from what I’d anticipated.
.
.
.
“Welcome.”
We had arrived at an exceptionally grand and spacious dress shop.
Before we’d even stepped down from the carriage, impeccably dressed employees greeted us, and the proprietor himself came forward to receive us and usher us inside.
“We were absolutely delighted when Aner made the reservation. You mentioned a distinguished guest would be visiting, so we’ve prepared with all the care we could muster.”
While the dress shop owner left us in a private reception room, I quickly turned to Bloden.
“Isn’t this a dress shop? A reservation from Aner? What is this about?”
“Do you remember promising to dance the waltz with me at the Masquerade Ball?”
“I… did?”
“Well, you can’t dance without a dress.”
“…But I already brought a dress.”
At my confusion, Bloden laughed.
“I need to know exactly what dress you’re wearing that night, or I might get confused about which partner is mine.”
“?”
Just then, the proprietor and his staff emerged with racks and displays overflowing with elaborate dresses, shoes, and accessories.
“As you instructed, we’ve brought the Empire’s finest dresses. One hundred gowns in total, along with all their matching accessories.”
Good heavens.
Only then did I understand his true intention, and I pressed my palm to my forehead.
‘He wanted to buy me a dress under the guise of the Masquerade Ball!’
He’d likely made the reservation under Raven’s name because booking it under Bloden Ilpein would have caused a commotion.
Seeing the look in my eyes, Bloden leaned close and whispered in a coaxing voice.
“You won’t refuse, will you?”
“…”
“It’s my birthday.”
Ah, that sort of thing really does weaken my resolve.
“Just try one on for me.”
“Just one?”
“Yeah, actually I wanted to ask you to try them all on, but we don’t have much time.”
Bloden checked his pocket watch and clicked his tongue with clear regret.
“We’ll only stay here about thirty minutes, then we’re heading to the Orphanage.”
My ears perked up at once.
“Do you have a reservation to visit the Orphanage?”
Last year during the birthday festival, I’d wanted to visit too, but when I discreetly asked around, it turned out that the Capital’s Orphanage required advance reservations.
Especially during this season, the schedule was fully booked, and even a commoner like me would struggle to get a response to an inquiry.
“Yeah, I coordinated the time with Count Enox’s family. We’ll try things on quickly and head over.”
“All… all right then, just one.”
At my approval, Bloden stood and personally selected a dress.
“How about trying this one?”
His selection seemed casual, but the Red Dress he’d chosen was strikingly beautiful at first glance. It was lovelier than any dress I’d seen before, and my heart quickened without my permission.
But I forced myself to resist the impulse.
The dress he’d picked radiated elegance just to look at it, the kind a Empress might wear. Above all, it appeared to be the most expensive.
“What about the blue one next to it?”
Bloden set down the Red Dress and pulled out the Blue Dress.
The blue dress was also made of excellent fabric, but it wasn’t as ostentatiously grand as to draw every eye in the Banquet Hall—which was somehow preferable.
Bloden nodded approvingly.
“This one’s good too. It’ll suit you perfectly.”
I stepped into the fitting room and, with the Employees’ assistance, tried on the Blue Dress. I’d expected alterations to be necessary, but it fit my body perfectly as is.
Once I was fully dressed, the Employees drew back the curtain, and my eyes met Bloden’s gaze immediately as he sat on the sofa.
“Does it suit me?”
In that instant, Bloden’s cheeks flushed, and his lips curved up shyly.
“Yeah, it’s gorgeous. Do you like it?”
Looking at myself in the mirror from different angles, I couldn’t help but smile.
I’d picked it almost at random, yet the dress fit so perfectly.
“Yes. It fits my body wonderfully. We were lucky to choose well.”
“Good, then let’s sort this out and go.”
Following Bloden’s suggestion, I changed back into my original clothes and stepped out, at which point the Dress Shop Owner bowed to me respectfully.
“Then I shall have all the dresses sent to you by end of day.”
“I’m sorry? All the dresses? I only need one.”
“I—what do you mean, miss?”
The flustered Dress Shop Owner gestured to the dresses hanging on a rolling rack, holding out both hands.
“All one hundred of these dresses here have been custom-tailored to your measurements. Payment has already been received in full.”
“?”
“The Red Dress that the gentleman accompanying you selected just now is especially commissioned work, so it’s our shop’s masterpiece.”
Confused by what I was hearing, I glanced at Bloden, whereupon he smiled casually and instructed the Dress Shop Owner.
“Nothing’s changed. Just send them to the Hotel address I gave you beforehand.”
Only then did the Dress Shop Owner’s expression ease, and the Employees busied themselves packing the dresses. To my questioning look, Bloden explained.
“All these dresses are yours.”
“…But you said to try them on just once?”
“Well, they’re all the same size. Since we had them made to your measurements, one fitting is enough to confirm they fit properly.”
“?”
For a moment, my brain felt overloaded.
I stood dazed until I realized where things had gone wrong, just as the Dress Shop’s grandfather clock chimed.
“You can take your time choosing which dress to wear to the banquet from the ones you like best. For now, let’s head to the Orphanage.”
Once in the Carriage, I hurried to dissuade Bloden from his decision.
“Your—Your Majesty. I’m grateful, but there are far too many dresses. I can’t possibly accept all of them.”
“Too many? The Regent alone has over a thousand dresses. You hardly have any clothes to speak of.”
“Still, there’s no reason for me to receive so many…”
“It’s more than warranted.”
“…”
“Should I list the objective reasons? How much of a treasure you are to the Empire, how you deserve to be treated.”
“…”
“We could even proceed with the commendation through official channels now.”
Bloden’s lips curved upward slowly.
“The type of commendation, the protocol rank, the Emperor’s approval and an Imperial Edict, the Investiture Ceremony, and the granting of land and pension—all of it officially.”
“Ah, no—there’s no need for all that.”
He’d seemed cute and bright when we met earlier, so why was he smiling so smugly now?
Every time our eyes met, my face grew hot, and I looked away.
“It’s too much. There’s nowhere to put dresses at home.”
“You have a Pocket Dimension Bag—what are you worried about? Just store them there and carry them around.”
I had nothing left to say.
As I quietly bit my lip, Bloden’s gaze grew deeper. That look made my chest race, and breathing became difficult.
‘I—I need to change the mood!’
Since Bloden had just mentioned the Pocket Dimension Bag, now was the perfect time to give it to him.
It was his birthday gift and supply materials for the Gate closure expedition.
No matter how I thought about it, he seemed to need them, so I’d spent the entire day before coming here making them.
“Your Majesty, Raven told me that if you align the openings of Pocket Dimension Bags and think of the items you want to move in your mind, they’ll transfer.”
“That’s right. Why?”
“Would you take out your Pocket Dimension Bag? I think now would be the perfect moment to transfer something quietly.”
Bloden retrieved his Pocket Dimension Bag as I’d asked.
I pressed the openings of the two Pocket Dimension Bags together and thought of what I wanted to transfer.
Light began to shimmer where the two bags touched.
“What are you putting in?”
“A year’s worth of food for His Majesty.”
“A—a year’s worth?”
Bloden’s eyes widened in visible shock.
“Yes. Does that displease you?”
“No, if you made it, I love it. But why go to such lengths? Is this a birthday gift for me?”

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