This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 263

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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 263

“I, Bloden Ilpein, humbly ask that you become my life’s companion and walk this path with me for all our days.”
The room fell silent as a tomb. Everyone stared at me, both hands clamped over their mouths.
……
Had I ever felt the weight of so many eyes upon me, so intensely, in all my life?
Gulp.
I swallowed hard, but this time there was no hesitation.
Of course, Bloden was absolutely certain I would not refuse this proposal.
The truth was, it hardly felt like a proposal at all—we had already shared our love and spoken of our future together.
It seemed right to give my answer in the same form.
I held out my left hand to him, palm down, and spoke.
“I, Hailey of Snoril, gladly promise to become your life’s companion and walk this path with you for all our days.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Before I could finish, a thunderous cheer erupted around us. At the same moment, Dantarion and Crockel exchanged a high-five, while Kimarise and Raven dissolved into tears and pulled out handkerchiefs.
Bloden slipped a ring onto my left ring finger, his sun-bright smile faltering as joy’s tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
“I love you, Hailey.”
The instant he lifted me up in his embrace, Serch came spiraling down around us, showering us in brilliant light.
I could no longer keep my expression in check.
No matter how many times I heard Bloden’s confession, it was sweet, and the more I heard it, the more my heart bloomed into a smile.
Cradled safely in his broad, sure embrace, I pulled him close and whispered into his ear.
“I love you too, Bloden.”

* * *

“I want a divorce. No—this marriage is void. I’m declaring it null and void, and I want compensation for damages.”
The Lord of a Domain far from the capital of the Ilpein Empire stared at his wife, whose hands trembled as she spoke, then let out a scoff.
“My dear wife, what nonsense is this?”
“You registered our marriage without my consent.”
What she said was true.
Five years ago, when this noble’s courtship of a commoner woman had been rejected and his pride wounded, he had paid off her parents and forged the marriage registration himself, using the law to force her into becoming his wife.
“Why bring up ancient history? In any case, you’ve lived quite comfortably all this time.”
“That was never the life I wanted.”
The Lord saw in her expression that she meant every word.
“Ah, I see—so this is what happens when some Marriage Annulment Law or whatever appears two months ago and gives women like you silly ideas.”
But he had no intention of letting her go.
“That law is just for show, to make it look like we care for women. Only foolish ones like you would fall for it—and even if you sued, it wouldn’t hold up.”
He smiled at his wife with cold contempt.
“That law won’t actually be applied to anyone. Besides, you can’t even leave this house, so I doubt you could file a lawsuit anyway.”
Usually, when he pushed back this hard, his wife would lose her nerve and bow to his will.
But this time, something was different.
“The annulment can be resolved through mutual agreement first, and if you refuse, then through litigation. If the lawsuit becomes difficult to pursue, we can also proceed through official notification.”
The moment she finished speaking, the door opened and a man in uniform entered with two armed knights at his sides.
“We received a complaint and have come to investigate allegations of forced marriage, unlawful confinement, and assault against the victim.”
The insignia on the uniformed man’s chest was unmistakably the seal of the Imperial Palace.
The Lord, sensing at once that the situation was grave, turned to his wife with wide, panicked eyes.
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand the situation. This law is the Anti-Marriage Fraud Law, which His Majesty pushed through with great resolve.”
His wife took a deep breath and fixed him with a steady gaze.
“If His Majesty himself upholds this law, who do you think you are to refuse?”

* * *

[Since the enforcement of the Marriage Annulment Law—known also as the Anti-Marriage Fraud Law—reports of grievances have poured in from across the Empire. Cases of forced marriage, falsified registration, and unilateral marriage arrangements by guardians, which previously had little recourse, have now become subject to review. Numerous marriages have been declared null and void. Victims have expressed their gratitude, saying, “Because His Majesty himself upholds the law, we found the courage to come forward.” Messages of thanks have also been appearing in newspaper advertisement columns for the unnamed woman whose case sparked this law.]

‘It’s good that so many people have found their freedom.’
It wasn’t as though Bloden had been branded a fraud. The world already knew the story—how he had rushed to stop a certain noble’s tyranny in order to protect the woman he loved.
And now everyone knew that this woman would become Empress.

Some people knew that was me. But not a single publication in the entire Empire named me in their reporting.
Even as the gossip columns exposed the behind-the-scenes story of the law’s passage, painting it as some romantic tale that set the whole world buzzing, my name never appeared in print.
The reason was simple.
I wanted to live quietly.
‘Though I suppose this will change once we hold a proper wedding ceremony and I take the throne.’
I lifted my head and gazed at the sky.
The sky above Meriden Island was a brilliant, almost piercing blue, and the mountain breeze blew soft and pleasant across my face. The emerald sea sparkled in the sunlight—the whole scene was achingly beautiful.
‘Everything seems to have turned out well.’
“Shrieeeek!”
“Waaaugh!”
I drew a deep breath, unable to suppress a contented smile, but the cries of monsters still echoed from the distance.
‘Goodness, there really are quite a few monsters left.’
I set down the doenjang stew that had been bubbling over the fire and placed a large frying pan on top, beginning to stir-fry chicken in soy sauce. Though it seemed the heat from the fire was a bit weak.
“Hmm, should I build the fire hotter? Maybe add more wood…….”
“Peep.”
At my quiet murmur, Serch, who had been perched on a nearby flower, chirped in answer and hopped onto Camen’s head just as he was plucking clover leaves one by one.
Camen immediately dropped the clover leaf in his hand, scurried to fetch more wood, and tossed it onto the fire before nudging his head toward me.
I stroked Camen and Serch in turn, then pulled out some scorched rice crackers from my Pocket Dimension.
“Want a snack?”
“Squeal!”
Heart, who had been lying in the fire, answered first and crawled out.
I distributed the crackers among the spirits and watched them eat contentedly.
It had been four hours since Bloden left with the commanders to exterminate the monsters on Meriden Island.
‘Since he said today was the day to thoroughly eliminate them all, he’s bound to look rather worn out when he returns, I’d imagine.’
Soon the noise of the monsters ceased entirely.
I began setting the finished dishes on the table. In a moment, Bloden would arrive riding on Crockel and say, “I’m back, Hailey.”
Just as expected, Crockel appeared.
But the figure descending from his back looked nothing like I’d anticipated.
“I’m back, Nuna.”
The instant Bloden’s feet touched the ground, I jumped and rushed over.
“What! Baron!”
No matter how I looked at it, this was seven-year-old Baron.
“You transformed into Baron from expending that much mana? Were there really that many monsters?”
Baron looked up at me with large, watery eyes and nestled into my arms.
“There were more monsters than I expected. It was quite taxing.”
“……You’re not hurt anywhere?”
“No. The battle was fierce, but I’m fine.”
“Fierce, no less.”
Bloden’s struggles already weighed on my mind, but seeing him in Baron’s form made me worry almost to the point of distraction.
As I fretted without bothering to hide it, Bloden’s mouth twitched with amusement. Just then, Raven’s voice came through, exasperated.
“So that’s why you said you were overexerting yourself—you had another purpose altogether. Incorrigible. Your Majesty.”
“Be quiet, Raven.”
Raven had only just returned with Dantarion and Kimarise.
“Surely we should brief Lady Hailey on the situation, shouldn’t we?”
As it turned out, the commanders had handled all the monsters, found a spot far from any human settlement to bury the corpses, and finished the work cleanly.
Then they’d discovered soil that was excellent for farming and, using the commanders, quickly sorted through rocks and stones to clear the land.
“So Bloden was exhausted not from the monsters, but from land reclamation?”
“He seemed delighted that he still had mana left over and could put it to good use. It will certainly make it easier for the people of Meriden to rebuild when they return, but…….”
Raven trailed off, and one corner of his mouth curved upward in a smile.
“Missing being coddled, were we?”
“W-what are you talking about?”
Bloden, now blushed to the ears, protested with his lips pouting.
“I just thought while I was here, I might as well make it easier for the people to live when they return. Anyway, I’ll go back to normal once I eat Nuna’s cooking.”
“Ah, I see. In that case.”
Raven gestured toward the table laden with food.
“You must be famished. Do eat at once, Your Majesty.”
Seeing the table, Bloden burrowed further into my embrace.
“You eat first. I’m not particularly hungry right now.”
“The food will grow cold.”
“My portion goes in the Pocket Dimension.”
“Then when will you eat?”
At Raven’s question, Bloden looked up at me and smiled sweetly.
“When you tell me to.”
“What?”
“It would be best if you ate right away. Once you’ve finished the meal, you’ll need to return immediately to handle the administrative matters related to Meridian, won’t you?”
“Raven, you’re relentless. Nuna, do I really have to eat right now?”
Bloden whined and took my hand, placing it on his head as he asked the question. The soft black hair beneath my palm was too inviting, and I found myself stroking it without thinking.
He really did want to act spoiled.
‘I want to ask if a grown adult should really be doing this.’
But looking at Baron before me—so impossibly endearing—the words never left my lips.
“Ten minutes.”
“Hehe, you’re the best, Nuna.”
Bloden laughed brightly and leaned his head comfortably into my hand. When I sat down, he went so far as to lie back entirely, resting his head on my lap as a pillow.
He said he just wanted to watch the sky for a moment.
But Bloden wasn’t looking at the sky at all—only at me, eyes unwavering.
“Didn’t you say you’d look at the sky?”
“I’m looking at a beautiful blue sky. Incredibly beautiful, even.”
“What?”
“There’s a prettier sky hidden in your eyes than anything up there.”
……
Bloden reached up to caress my cheek, his gem-like eyes luminous as he spoke.
“Now that Meridian is no longer a worry, all we need to do is go back, rebuild the shattered Imperial Palace, and then hold our wedding.”

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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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