This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 245

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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 245

Had I been trapped inside the Gate for far too long?
“Hailey!”
At first, I thought I was hearing things. So I stood still and listened carefully.
“Hailey!”
The second time I heard it, there was no mistaking it—that was Bloden calling for me. I quickly scanned my surroundings.
“… Your Majesty? Did you come to rescue me?”
“Squee?”
Heart tilted his head, confused.
“Where are you!”
By the third call, there was no doubt. It was Bloden’s voice.
“A rescue team has come!”
“Squee!”
In that instant, Serch flew toward the direction of the voice, and Camen and I quickly climbed onto Heart’s back. Before the darkness could close in around us, Heart bolted after him.
Clink-clink-clink.
I heard something falling behind us.
I glanced back to see small gems tumbling from Camen’s body in a steady stream.
‘Is she happy?’
“Hailey!”
With each moment, Bloden’s voice grew louder.
“Answer me!”
Bloden had to be just ahead. He hadn’t given up on me—he’d come looking.
The thought filled me with such gratitude and joy that tears welled up in my eyes.
“I—I’m here!”
“You’re there!”
The answer came back at once. Soon I could see an exit ahead.
“Hurry! Come on!”
“Squee-eek!”
Heart, who had answered first, grew even more excited and picked up speed.
“That’s right! Over here!”
It was definitely Bloden’s voice. But in that moment, something felt wrong.
‘If Bloden really came to find me, wouldn’t he come to me himself instead of calling out?’
“Hailey!”
“Squee-eek!”
“Stop! Heart!”
I cried out urgently, and Heart tried to halt in shock, but his momentum was already too great—his body careened beyond the passage entrance.
“There! That passage! She came out!”
I heard Nelloa’s voice, and the moment I looked in that direction, my blood ran cold.
In the center of a vast chamber stood the largest Hydra I’d ever seen in my life, its head bristling with what looked like dozens of dragon heads.
Serch was darting back and forth, dodging the Hydra’s snapping jaws while firing beams.
But that was all he could do. No matter how many beams struck it, the Hydra’s body bore not a single scratch.
“Iturn! What are you doing! Hailey’s right there!”
Several of the Hydra’s heads, which had been chasing the rapidly circling Serch, turned their gaze toward Heart and me.
It happened in an instant. One head’s neck stretched impossibly long and descended toward me.
“Squee-eek!”
Heart moved quickly to dodge the Hydra’s strike and tried to retreat back through the passage we’d emerged from. But another head cut off any escape, snapping relentlessly.
Before we could react, a stone pillar erupted in front of us. Camen had blocked the attack.
Crack! Bang!
But the stone wall that had been protecting me from the monsters couldn’t withstand this assault.
The wall crumbled without resistance, and the Hydra’s enormous fangs bore down on me along with shards of stone.
‘This is it. I’m going to die.’
But in that moment, a deep red light blazed from my body and spread in all directions.
Boom!
The Hydra’s head recoiled.
“What now, Iturn! You said you’d tear into her! Did your nerve suddenly fail?”
From Nelloa’s prodding remark, I learned that the Hydra’s name was Iturn. Then Iturn’s grumbling voice followed.
-It’s not my nerve that failed. That woman has a magical artifact.
“A magical artifact?”
At Nelloa’s question, I quickly examined my right hand. On my middle finger, I wore the platinum ring that Stanley had gifted me long ago, and now a mystical light shimmered across its surface.

‘So this is the magical ring that the late Emperor once gave to the King of Kelite ages ago. It blocks life-threatening attacks up to the number of jewels embedded in it, yes?’
‘That’s correct. The one who crafted this ring is no human. They say it was a Deathknight, one of His Majesty’s highest-ranking commanders. Apparently they’re skilled in close combat and advanced magic.’
‘Since the red light in the small jewels still has five remaining, that means we’re safe five more times.’

At the time, hearing that Raven had made it, I’d accepted it without hesitation. Now, looking at the ring, four of the ten small jewels embedded in it glowed red.
‘Thank goodness for the ring!’
“So you can’t attack anymore?”
At Nelloa’s sharp question, one of Iturn’s heads swelled its neck.
—Who knows how much longer I can block it.
“How do you plan to catch it if it runs?”
—That’s why I’m trying to catch it again right now.
“Squeeeeeak!”
Heart, seizing the brief gap created by their exchange, let out a cry and bolted swiftly into the narrow passage. Just as Serch rushed in after it and nestled into my arms—
“Hailey!”
I heard Bloden’s voice calling from behind, and a fierce red light erupted around us.
Whoooosh!
With the roar of flames rising high, the air around us shook violently. In the next instant, a pillar of fire swept through the passage.
‘Good heavens! That’s Dragon Breath!’
The corpse of the monster that had been lying there was engulfed in flames and turned to ash in an instant.
The terrifying firepower made my skin crawl, but thanks to the ring’s magic, neither I nor the spirits were burned.
While Heart ran through the flames, I clenched my teeth and checked the ring’s condition. Only three jewels glowed red now.
Heart only stopped running after we’d gone quite deep.
I thought we might be safe, but another wave of flame came through, and another jewel’s light extinguished. Startled, Heart ran frantically again.
After running for more than thirty minutes, the surroundings finally grew quiet.
“Are you all right, you two?”
I steadied my racing heart and checked on Serch, Heart, and Camen.
Serch had shrunk somewhat smaller than usual, and Heart had no tail.
“Heart! Are you hurt?”
“Squeak?”
At the tilted head’s response, I realized that Heart was a Fire Salamander.
‘Salamanders detach their tails when threatened, don’t they? They use it to distract enemies and flee?’
I asked again.
“Did you shed your tail?”
“Squeep.”
Heart nodded. Though I was sorry about the missing tail, at least there were no serious injuries, so I was grateful for that much.
“Camen, how about you?”
Camen, now palm-sized, met my eyes. Cracks ran deep across its body, and I grew worried.
“Just a moment.”
I quickly made lots of food and fed it to the spirits.
Serch and Heart recovered their strength immediately. Heart’s tail also grew back. But Camen’s cracks disappeared without its size returning to normal.
It seemed the strain had been greater than expected, so I made more food and kept feeding Camen until it returned to its original form.
“That was far too close.”
Now that I’d composed myself, I recalled the scenes I’d witnessed earlier.
The Hydra with so many heads I couldn’t count them all. And Nelloa standing beside it.
One side of the space was completely blocked off, while the other opened into a very wide corridor.
“That place must be the deepest part of the Gate. That colossal Hydra called Iturn seems to be the final boss of this Gate.”
Then I heard Bloden’s voice echoing through the passage again.
“Hailey!”
I froze, holding my breath.
“Are you all right?”
No matter how I listened, it was definitely Bloden’s voice.
“Please answer!”
My heart began to pound.
“Please!”
Bloden’s voice was achingly desperate. Part of me wanted to follow that voice, but I couldn’t.
Both Heart and Camen looked at me with anxious eyes rather than responding to the voice.
‘I can no longer tell if that voice is really Bloden or a trap set by Iturn and Nelloa.’
After hesitating for a moment, I pointed in the opposite direction.
“Let’s find another way.”
Before the words had even left her mouth, Serch swept her light across the opposite passage.
“Squeak!”
Heart bolted forward as well, moving with practiced speed.

* * *

The moment Black Libia caught sight of Iturn, she fled in blind panic—but she only hid herself, never fully abandoning the chamber.
Because of this, Bloden saw through the plan: Iturn and Nelloa meant to mimic his voice and draw Hailey out.
Realizing Hailey’s danger had become critical—every second counted now—Bloden entrusted command of the Demon Lord’s Army to Dantarion and mounted Crockel’s back.
The Main Gate’s passages were so vast that even a deluge of monsters left room to maneuver. Bloden left the swarm’s handling to his army and pressed deeper into the Gate.
—There! There! Danger! My lord!
Black Libia’s anguished cry came just as Iturn unleashed a breath toward a narrow passage—and Bloden saw it all.
“Hailey!”
—That bald-headed bastard!
In that instant, Bloden’s vision went white with rage.
Crockel leaped with all his might toward Iturn while Bloden raised his sword, knuckles straining pale against the grip.
“What are you doing to Hailey?!”
Iturn’s heads turned slowly to regard Bloden.
—Ho, so you are the Emperor?
A violent crimson aura blazed from Bloden’s blade. He cleaved at the neck of the head that had been breathing toward the passage.
—Krkrkr, even a mere spirit couldn’t scratch me—and you, a human, think you’ll wound me?
As a deep red arc scored through the air, Iturn laughed at Bloden with contempt.
—Even your origin, the Warrior Ilpein himself, would find this no simple task.
Then it happened. Iturn’s breath ceased. Moments later, the head that had been breathing dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.
Boom!
The sound echoed through the chamber as the head crashed down.
—What… how is this possible?
Iturn recoiled in shock, words failing him—but soon his eyes flooded with blood-red fury, and a killing intent unlike anything before settled over him.
—Now I see. You are a far more dangerous prey than I thought.
Twelve heads lunged at Bloden and Crockel in unison. Both of them met the charge with everything they had, beginning their desperate struggle against Iturn.

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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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