This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 4

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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 4

In <This Princess Commits Marriage Fraud>, Bloden Ilpain with black hair and red eyes was incredibly handsome and possessed a special ability that only came down to emperors.

Specifically, the ability to summon demons, spirits, ghosts, and such to serve as subordinates.

However, this ability had a side effect called a curse, and the symptoms and danger level varied from emperor to emperor.

Bloden’s mother, the previous emperor Lienda, was unlucky. The more she used her power, the shorter her lifespan became.

She unfortunately had to use much of her power during her reign when magical beasts were rampant, and as a result, she died young. Afterwards, young Bloden, the emperor’s only child, ascended to the throne and the era of regency began.

The first regent was Duke Beldenburo, his uncle and father figure. However, he took Anna, daughter of Duke Roan, as his wife and died suddenly a few years later.

Then Anna Roan, Duchess Beldenburo, began her regency.

She sent young Bloden to the Northern Mountain Gate, the source of magical beasts, under the pretext that it was for the empire’s safety.

Since he couldn’t handle state affairs until he came of age anyway as long as there was a regent, Bloden headed to the Northern Mountains without protest.

His ability’s side effect was that the more power he used, the younger his appearance and voice became, but Bloden didn’t mind.

Even though he was young, he was aware that he was the emperor, and as long as the empire’s citizens were safe from the threat of magical beasts, that was enough for him.

Then one day, Princess Nelloa of the Kelite Kingdom, who had possessed into the book, obtained intelligence that Bloden, who had just come of age, was in the port city of Snoril. Nelloa used the information she knew to play a major role in solving the long-standing child kidnapping case, then made a proposal to Bloden.

‘I know how to break the curse. I’ll lift your curse, so marry me.’

It was a lie told to gain the male lead’s love, but Bloden, who evaluated Nelloa’s abilities favorably, accepted the proposal.

Afterwards, true to a romance novel, Nelloa overcame hardships and adversity to successfully achieve a royal marriage, drove out Anna Beldenburo who struggled to maintain control of state affairs until the end, and ruled the empire together with Bloden.

The claim about knowing how to break the curse was a lie, but it didn’t matter. Bloden hadn’t believed Nelloa’s words from the beginning anyway.

The fight against magical beasts to protect the empire’s safety and peace continued, but Bloden and Nelloa achieved their own happy ending—I had just finished recalling this when.

“Wow!”

An exclamation escaped me without realizing it.

A conch shell about twice the size of my fist!

I had caught many large conch shells when foraging in the previous world too, but this was the first time I’d seen one of this weight and size.

“With this size, there must be an incredible amount of meat inside.”

With this life-changing conch shell added, my bucket was completely full.

‘This should be enough for Baron and me to eat, right?’

I deliberately ignored the other seafood that caught my eye and quickly headed home. It didn’t feel like I had been foraging for very long, but the surroundings were already getting dark.

“Next time I come in, I should light a fire on the beach beforehand or something.”

The sun set faster in this world than I had expected. If I had come out just a little later, I would have almost failed to keep my promise with Baron to return before the sun completely set.

“Oh, come to think of it, I haven’t decided how to get foraging equipment. I need at least a searchlight…”

Most sea creatures were mainly active at night, and to catch those creatures, a searchlight was essential if nothing else.

“Carrying a torch while moving around alone would be too inconvenient, and magic stone lighting is insanely expensive. How do I solve this?”

I was muttering to myself and sighing deeply when I suddenly looked up.

A white glowing orb was blinking from the direction of our house.

“What’s that?”

Even after rubbing my eyes and looking again, the white light kept blinking. Like a lighthouse, it seemed to be telling me that this was where I should return.

I stopped worrying and quickened my pace.

I didn’t know what the light was, but I was glad and grateful that it served as a guide when darkness was falling.

“…”

But unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to properly see the light. As soon as I stepped onto the safe mudflat, the light disappeared.

It was such a strange feeling, as if I had been bewitched by a will-o’-the-wisp.

While I stood there dazed for a moment, a black silhouette moved in front of the house.

“Why are you just getting back now?”

It was Baron.

“Hurry up and come in. I was waiting.”

Baron opened the house door. Warm orange light spilled out from inside.

Didn’t he see that strange light?

I absolutely had to ask.

“Didn’t you see anything strange around here?”

“Something strange?”

“Yeah, a white light was blinking and then disappeared.”

“Ah. That?”

Baron answered with a laugh as if it was nothing.

“That’s just a firefly.”

“What?”

“A firefly.”

That light being a firefly was ridiculous.

“Where in the world is there such a firefly?”

“There is. It’s really rare though.”

Baron tilted his head as if asking why I didn’t know.

“It’s a flash firefly.”

“Th-there’s such a firefly?”

I really doubted my ears, but Baron nodded calmly. He didn’t look like he was joking at all.

“Yeah. It’s a very small bug that produces light about the size of an adult’s fist, suddenly appearing and blinking or continuously emitting light before disappearing like a flash. It used to appear occasionally in the garden of the house where I lived before.”

Baron stroked his small chin with his tiny hand and nodded.

“If you do it right, you can even tame it.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. It’s intelligent so it follows its owner around well.”

Then he smiled smugly with an arrogant look unbefitting a child.

“Well, most people wouldn’t know about it. I heard many people mistake it for ghost fire.”

I was left speechless. Moreover, his tone seemed to subtly look down on me, which was somewhat annoying.

But the moment I made eye contact with Baron, that feeling melted away like snow. It was because this kid was too cute.

Then Baron said.

“Should I catch and tame one for you? I can do it.”

“That would be great, but don’t overdo it. Anyway.”

This tiny kid wanting to do something for me.

Isn’t his heart too cute and lovely?

Plus, if he could actually tame it, I would essentially get LED-level lighting.

“Well, it’s my first time seeing one. How smart of you, little guy.”

I playfully ruffled Baron’s hair with gratitude.

“Eek! Who are you calling little guy!”

This time Baron was the one who panicked. Even his startled expression was cute.

“Hahaha, hurry up and come in. I’ll grill some conch for you.”

Laughing as I entered the house, I was truly shocked.

The furniture fragments I hadn’t been able to clean up were neatly stacked on one side as if firewood had been stored, and the floor, while still old, was clean without any dust.

The fire in the hearth that I had barely managed to keep alive with kindling was now burning intensely as if nothing had happened.

No wonder orange light was spilling out from inside the door.

“Ba-Baron. Did you clean all this by any chance?”

No matter how I thought about it, Baron was the only person who could have done this. But could a little kid really do all this?

“Yeah.”

“How did you do all this by yourself? It must have been hard?”

Baron shrugged his shoulders.

“Even if it’s hard, I have to do it. Since we decided to live together.”

“No. Don’t do this anymore. First, come here.”

I washed my hands clean with the water I had drawn yesterday, then grabbed Baron’s hands and examined them carefully.

“Wh-what? Why are you doing that?”

Whether he was flustered or not, Baron’s eyes widened as he hesitated and pulled his body back.

I won’t eat you, you little rascal.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Huh?”

“Your hands, I mean. If you handle wood pieces wrong, you can get splinters in your hands.”

Really, it made me feel upset.

Usually kids this age can’t work this efficiently. But Baron did. And very quickly at that.

In other words, he had learned to read adults’ moods enough to handle intensive household chores on his own.

The inn owner who the nanny had left Baron with probably made him work until they kicked him out.

‘He’s still so young. Just how much has he suffered?’

The more I thought about it, the more pitiful I felt, so I examined Baron’s palms even more intently. Then Baron, who had been quiet, pointed to his left index finger.

“Come to think of it, this spot did feel a bit stinging.”

“Oh, really?”

I carefully examined Baron’s index finger. But even after looking closely, I couldn’t see anything, so I gently pressed the middle part of his fingerprint.

“How does this feel?”

Seeing Baron tilt his head, it didn’t seem to be there. I gently rubbed the area next to it.

“How about this?”

“It feels painful. It seems like there’s something there.”

I stared intently at Baron’s finger. But I couldn’t see any splinter or anything.

‘What should I do?’

After pondering, I came up with my own solution.

Even if it was unsanitary, I had no choice. If his tender hand got infected because of a splinter, it would be a disaster.

Our house doesn’t even have medicine.

“Then let’s do this. This seems like the best we can do right now.”

“Huh?”

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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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