This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 30

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 30

 

“I don’t know how to offer words of comfort. I heard about it from Ajumma.”

 

After hearing that I had even watched over the stall, Ben let out a small sigh of relief.

 

“I thought we’d lost both our Peter and the stall. But you protected it and even sold things for us… Thank you.”

 

“It was nothing. Here’s the sales money. I sold everything. By the way, what happened? How’s Peter?”

 

When I handed over the money and asked, Ben’s eyes trembled again.

 

“There should only be one or two men wearing old suspender pants in this area.”

 

Ben slumped down on the wooden crate I had moved aside and held his head in his hands.

 

“I asked around all day looking for traces and reported it, but the Guard won’t move easily. They said they’re too busy and told me to report back only when I find a suspicious place.”

 

It was truly an absurd response.

 

“In the end, I went to find the lord. He happened to be at the manor entrance, so I pleaded with him to help, saying a child had been kidnapped.”

 

I could predict the lord’s response.

 

He would surely show reluctance, saying it would be troublesome to find the kidnapper, and that he would keep a close eye on the situation and pursue it if he found any leads.

 

That was the typical response of an incompetent lord with no interest in his domain’s people when trying to avoid bothersome situations.

 

But my prediction was completely wrong. Ben shook his head back and forth.

 

“He said such unseemly incidents couldn’t possibly happen in his domain… And on top of that, I was called shameless.”

 

“…What? Why?”

 

“He said how dare a mere street vendor who pays pathetic pennies in taxes think of using the domain’s public authority based on mere suspicion.”

 

Baron’s brow furrowed deeply.

 

“What kind of—!”

 

“He said I’m so lazy I can’t even properly watch my child, which is why I’m barely scraping by running such a pathetic stall.”

 

The moment I heard those words, I couldn’t contain my rising anger.

 

“Good heavens! Is he insane? What kind of lord says that?”

 

Ben’s eyes widened in surprise at my reaction.

 

“Ah.”

 

Realizing I had gotten excited and raised my voice without thinking, I covered my mouth with my hand and looked around.

 

Sure enough.

 

Several people passing by were staring at me in shock.

 

“Hey, did you hear that?”

 

“Did she just insult the lord?”

 

The atmosphere of their quiet murmuring among themselves felt very strange, so I quickly spoke loudly for them to hear.

 

“Even if it’s a novel, still! Ajusshi, that setting isn’t lord-like at all! Think of it again!”

 

“Right.”

 

Baron quickly chimed in.

 

“Even if it’s imagination, an earthworm lord is a bit much, right? It’s too small to have any dignity.”

 

Ben also coughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

 

“Ahem, ye, yes, that kind of co, content is too much, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, an earthworm is a bit… How about changing it to a wyvern?”

 

“A wyvern?”

 

At Ben’s question, Baron raised both hands high.

 

“Nuna, a dragon! Wouldn’t a dragon be cooler?”

 

Though we stumbled over our words a bit while trying to match the suddenly fabricated situation, Ben’s reaction was appropriate. People shook their heads and went their separate ways.

 

“Oh, what was I thinking. I almost misunderstood.”

 

“I thought there might be a reporting reward.”

 

“The stall ajusshi writes novels? How unexpected.”

 

I swallowed the sigh that naturally came while watching their retreating figures.

 

‘This is a class-based society, right.’

 

Not everyone in the domain would support the lord, but there were bound to be people with high loyalty.

 

Moreover, from what I heard, there seemed to be a reward for reporting people who criticized the lord.

 

In other words, there was absolutely nothing good that could come from words criticizing the lord reaching his ears.

 

Once there were no listening ears around, Baron let out a small sigh and Ben scratched his head.

 

“Phew, I almost got you in trouble because of me.”

 

He said while organizing the stall.

 

“I’m grateful and sorry. And I don’t think I can open the stall until we find our Peter. It might be quite a long time.”

 

It was natural, so I helped organize the stall and asked back.

 

“How are you planning to search for him?”

 

Since the lord was no help at all, there was only one method left.

 

I had to very naturally pass on the information I knew to guide him to find Peter.

 

Though I was anxious it might be different from the situation in the novel…

 

“I’ll have to go around here and there asking.”

 

Ben sighed deeply and forced his lips to curve upward.

 

“By the way, this is quite a prime spot, you know? If I keep leaving it empty, someone else will take it.”

 

Ben’s following words were surprising.

 

“How about you take this spot instead?”

 

Ben added that while people would initially try to take the spot from a child and woman, it would work out.

 

“If you bring a sturdy adult man to stay with you for a few days, they won’t be able to touch you, and you’ll naturally monopolize the spot. That’s how I did it at first.”

 

He seemed to have resigned himself to essentially closing down.

 

I was about to tell him not to think that way when a good idea occurred to me.

 

I could go to Gomchi Restaurant to observe the atmosphere and pretend to accidentally discover suspicious points.

 

If I did that when there were many witnesses, rumors would spread far and wide, and Ben would report it to the Guard too.

 

‘The Guard will conduct their own investigation since they made those statements.’

 

If the situation becomes unfavorable, I’ll just come back. That shouldn’t be dangerous.

 

“Thank you for looking out for me. By the way, it’s almost dinner time, and you haven’t eaten yet, right?”

 

Ben only gave a bitter smile.

 

Well, with his child missing, food wouldn’t go down easily.

 

“You need strength to search, don’t you? I heard there’s a good restaurant around here?”

 

“…”

 

“How about we eat there while you give me advice about the stall, then search together?”

 

“I appreciate the thought. But I’m not in the right state of mind. And Susan, uh… my wife is waiting nearby.”

 

At the same time, his gaze glanced toward one direction. I could immediately spot Ajumma because her complexion was pale.

 

“Perfect! Let’s have Ajumma come too!”

 

I walked over and firmly grasped Susan’s hand to comfort her.

 

“You need to eat well at times like this to have strength. And please tell me what kind of child Peter is.”

 

I looked steadily into Susan’s eyes.

 

‘You absolutely must go there. The later it gets, the more we don’t know where Peter might end up.’

 

Her tear-filled eyes looked downward. Ajumma nodded weakly.

 

It was fortunate.

 

“Good. You said it was toward the port, right? Let’s hurry.”

 

* * *

 

We headed toward the port.

 

Though the sun had set, the port was bright with lights from shops doing business with fishing boats and sailors.

 

Perhaps it looked strange that I was examining restaurant signs while walking down the street, because Baron asked.

 

“Nuna, aren’t you going to a restaurant you know?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It seems like you’re wandering around.”

 

“Oh, that’s… I also heard about it from other people. The name is Gomchi Restaurant, and they said it has a sign with coral reefs and moray eels drawn on it?”

 

Ben scratched his head awkwardly.

 

“I’ve never seen a sign like that at the port. Should we just go to the place right in front?”

 

“No.”

 

I firmly waved my hand.

 

“They said that place is delicious. They said it suits children’s tastes well too.”

 

“Nuna, who did you hear that from?”

 

“Um… from someone passing by?”

 

“?”

 

Baron’s eyes narrowed. His expression seemed to say he didn’t believe it.

 

‘Yeah, I know it looks suspicious too…’

 

Cold sweat broke out naturally, but I forced a smile.

 

“Oh, they also said it was near the Chicken Coop.”

 

Then Susan pointed in that direction.

 

“I know the Chicken Coop. You have to go further beyond the end of the port street.”

 

“Ah, then let’s go that way.”

 

Ben and Susan’s expressions were reluctant as they looked at each other.

 

But since I had suggested we look for it together after the meal, and there was no immediate solution, they trudged along.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

As I was taking a step, a voice suddenly came from behind.

 

“Huh? Baron? Hailey? Where are you going?”

 

It was Raven.

 

“Oh, Raven? What a coincidence meeting you here.”

 

“Ah, I had something to investigate at the port, so I’ve been going around here and there.”

 

“Investigation?”

 

“Yes, well… market research.”

 

“I see. But you’ve been working until this hour?”

 

“Haha, running around on foot, it’s already become this time, hasn’t it?”

 

Raven looked back and forth between us and the Ben couple, then asked cautiously.

 

“By the way, is something wrong?”

 

“Oh, well…”

 

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell Raven directly about Ben and his wife’s personal matter.

 

Since Ben was right next to me, wouldn’t he speak up himself?

 

Then Baron spoke up energetically to Raven.

 

“Ajusshi Ben’s son Peter was kidnapped!”

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