This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 50

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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 50

“Yes, if it’s alright with you, we’d like to invite you to our house for a meal. How does that sound?”

“A meal… there? Ha, don’t you know your place? Or are you doing this on purpose knowing full well?”

Nelloa frowned and retorted.

“That place is probably so dirty it’s crawling with all sorts of bugs, isn’t it?”

“What? Dirty? It’s where adorable sea lice friends gather and live together. Thanks to them, they often climb onto our dining table or fall on our heads, and we get so genuinely delighted that we dance every time.”

“What?”

“Very occasionally, the path to our house gets completely covered in black with sea lice.”

Of course, that was a lie. Since it was by the seaside, there were sea lice, but they only appeared occasionally and weren’t numerous.

“They’re so quick that before people can step on them, they slip away making swishing sounds.”

Terrifying just to imagine, right? Never come here.

Nelloa’s complexion turned completely pale. Bringing up sea lice was an excellent choice.

“I didn’t see anything like that when I went there? Even if they exist, aren’t they only around your house?”

Meeting Nelloa’s questioning gaze, Raven answered nonchalantly.

“Lady Hailey is correct. Since sea lice are creatures that live by the seaside, it’s natural to see them. Days when you don’t see them are very lucky days.”

Raven was indeed quick-witted. But still seeming unconvinced by Raven’s words, Nelloa asked again.

“The Baronet is quite the jokester too. How can you build a house and live in such a place?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Raven. They were curious about how he would respond.

“I apologize, but.”

Raven glanced left and right to see everyone’s expressions, then shrugged his shoulders.

“I like sea lice. Lord Kimarise likes them too.”

Kimarise chimed in agreement.

“That’s right. Their black, hard shells are charming. The swishing sounds they make when moving together are also delightful.”

Nelloa and the Lord couple looked as if they doubted what they had just heard.

Baron smiled brightly and added a comment.

“Right. I like sea lice too. Sometimes they climb up on people they like. It stings when they bite though?”

Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen sea lice climb up people’s bodies.

Baron was exaggerating, but three people were saying the same thing. I couldn’t say something different here.

Since everyone was taking my side, I should play along too.

“That’s right. If you look closely, sea lice are cute too. We often have tea time conversations about sea lice.”

Nelloa’s eyes began shaking wildly. She looked confused about whether this was a joke or serious.

Then the Principal’s Wife rolled up her sleeves and said something unexpected.

“This is so absurd I can’t believe it. Princess, why don’t you go see for yourself? Let’s go right now while we’re at it.”

At those words, Nelloa, who had only been rolling her eyes, also stood up.

“Right. I need to go right now and see for myself.”

Ugh, this is problematic.

But I couldn’t show it, so I pretended nothing was wrong and took Baron’s hand.

What choice did I have? If no sea lice appeared, I’d have to say today was a day when they weren’t visible.

“Yes, let’s go together.”

Then the Lord asked a sharp question.

“I’ve never heard of sea lice climbing up on people. Also, sea lice come out mostly from rock crevices. Rocks that big would be somewhat away from the residential site, wouldn’t they?”

Raven answered calmly.

“That’s usually the case. But that particular area is unusual.”

“There is some gravel on the access road, but I don’t think sea lice would come out there. I’ll examine it myself, and if I determine you’ve insulted the Princess, I’ll punish you severely.”

“…”

The Lord’s tone was ominous.

I had a feeling we were doomed. Could it be that I’m the one who gets a refreshing punishment for messing with the female lead?

But Baron smiled innocently.

“Wow. There are so many people who like sea lice! How exciting!”

Raven also calmly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Indeed. If you go and like what you see, perhaps we could invite the Lord, Princess, and the Director couple to our sea lice tea conversations?”

* * *

Eventually, everyone ended up going to our house.

The Lord, perhaps worried that grouping similar people together might lead to conspiracies, deliberately mixed up the personnel and had them ride in two separate carriages.

Me, Baron, and the Director couple.

Raven, Kimarise, the Lord, and Nelloa.

Divided this way, we got off at the section entering the beach.

“Let’s go.”

Raven and Kimarise led the way, followed by Nelloa, Duke Snorril, and the Orphanage Director couple.

‘What should I do?’

As I slowly followed behind, pondering, Baron firmly grasped my hand.

“Nuna. Give me a piggyback ride.”

“Huh?”

“Maybe because I walked to the orphanage, I’m tired. My legs hurt.”

I gladly offered my back to Baron. People glanced back briefly, but they all continued ahead without concern.

As I was about to follow them, Baron, who had wrapped his small arms around my neck, whispered softly.

“Nuna, are you really not scared of sea lice?”

“Yeah. They don’t harm people.”

“Would you scream if lots of them came out?”

“Not particularly. Even if I don’t love them, living near the sea means you have to get used to them.”

“True, Nuna even catches octopus.”

I giggled at Baron’s words.

That’s when it happened. I felt like Baron’s weight on my back became slightly lighter.

‘Is it just my imagination?’

Soon, an unusual sound came from somewhere.

Swish swish. Swish swish swish.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Aaaaah!”

“Oh my goodness!”

“Ahhh! Honey!”

The screams of Nelloa, the Lord, and the Director couple pierced the sky simultaneously.

“?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Toward the people who had gone ahead, that is, where Nelloa was standing, a large number of sea lice were rapidly gathering.

At the same time, I narrowed my eyes.

‘Are those really sea lice?’

The size, movement speed, and general shape were similar to sea lice, but looking closely, they seemed to look a bit different.

‘Those don’t seem like… sea lice?’

But seeing them from a distance, it was hard to be certain.

I guess in this romance fantasy world, there are various types of sea lice too.

Soon, several of the quickly crawling sea lice began climbing up Nelloa’s dress hem.

“Kyaaaaaaah! Mommy!”

Nelloa burst into tears in panic and ran toward where the carriages were waiting.

“Ahhh! Get off! Get off my dress! Ack! My hair!”

She jumped around frantically shaking her dress, and despite her hair becoming a mess, she pulled at it without caring.

Her dignity as a princess had long disappeared, but it was understandable.

The Lord and the orphanage director couple were the same. Shocked, they escaped from where the sea lice had appeared and ran following behind Nelloa.

“Damn it! They got inside my clothes!”

The Lord, who had been frantically shaking his clothes with rough curses, screamed in surprise.

“Aaah! It’s hot!”

“Honey! Sh, shoes! I think one got into my shoe! Aaah!”

When the Lord’s wife quickly took off her shoe and shook it, a pitch-black crab fell out with a thud and burrowed into a crack between stones.

Shasha-sak, shasha-sasak!

I quietly held my breath and only rolled my eyes. The sea lice that weren’t quite sea lice, having created unprecedented noise, instantly burrowed under stones and pebbles, disappearing without a trace.

“Oh my.”

Raven clicked his tongue and slowly walked back to where Nelloa’s group was.

“If you scream like that, of course all the sea lice will be startled and run away.”

Kimarise let out a deep sigh.

“Haah, what a shame. They had formed such a spectacular sight.”

Baron also added a comment.

“It’s really rare for them to come out this much. They must have been very happy that the Princess came to see them.”

Nelloa, whose legs had given out and collapsed, was panting with her face covered in tears and snot. Her hair was also tangled in a mess, making her look somewhat pitiful.

I approached Nelloa while carrying Baron on my back.

“Are you alright?”

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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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