This Emperor Is Running a Marriage Scam - Chapter 84
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 84
“Hmm….”
Other than doing odd jobs, the only method that immediately came to mind was running a stall.
“I’m not sure yet. Let’s go to the night market first.”
I dusted off my skirt and stood up.
Standing side by side with Baron, something suddenly occurred to me. I measured Baron’s height with my hand above his head.
“Why?”
“Oh, I suddenly thought before going to bed yesterday that you seemed to have grown quite a bit taller?”
I had wanted to measure his height, but Baron was already asleep.
“Huh? I grew quite a bit?”
Baron tilted his head as he compared his height to mine with both hands.
“I don’t really notice?”
Baron was right.
“Yeah, I must have been mistaken.”
“Nuna!”
Just then, Kyle’s voice was heard. Looking back, Kyle, Raven, and Kimarise were standing there, ready to go out.
It was time to go to the night market.
* * *
The town square was bustling with people.
Temporary shops lined the perimeter, and outdoor pub tables were arranged in circles further inside. Small lamps were strung overhead, adding to the festive atmosphere.
“Hey, over here!”
“Hailey!”
Ben and Cosette had already secured a table and were holding beer mugs.
“Come sit here.”
Thanks to them securing seats for us in advance, we could sit comfortably and slowly look around.
“Baron, there’s a water balloon throwing game over there. Let’s go play that.”
Ben’s son Peter excitedly grabbed Baron and Kyle’s hands. Ben chuckled at Peter’s enthusiasm.
“My son has been waiting just for you guys to come. He said he’d introduce you to his friends.”
“Right, before the water balloon throwing, we’re going to gather with the older kids and friends to decide who’ll be the prince and princess.”
“Huh? Prince and princess?”
“Yeah. Then we’re going to have a contest to see who can blow the biggest bubble gum bubble. After watching the puppet show, we’ll choose a leader and play hide-and-seek too. Come play with us.”
“What’s that about?”
Baron’s face stiffened at the unexpected proposal. Meanwhile, Kyle brightened up and immediately stood from his seat.
“Oh? That sounds fun!”
“Right?”
Baron declined Peter’s proposal with a reluctant expression.
“I’m not going. You guys go by yourselves.”
“Why? Baron, if you just go, you’ll be chosen as prince right away.”
The girls choose the prince and the boys choose the princess. The selection criteria was looks.
“You’re handsome.”
Peter’s face showed sincerity as he tried to persuade Baron.
I had to agree with this. If the criteria for prince and princess was ‘looks,’ who else but Baron would be chosen?
“I’m handsome too, but if Baron goes, well….”
Kyle conceded with a slightly disappointed expression and asked Peter.
“Oh, but how do you decide the leader?”
“That’s decided by arm wrestling, and the strongest kid becomes leader.”
“Huh? Then Baron would become the leader too?”
“No, you can only do one of the two. But Baron, are you strong too?”
“Yeah. Honestly, he’s stronger than me.”
Peter’s eyes widened as he looked at Baron, then he eventually chuckled.
“Come on, he can’t be stronger than the older kids though.”
“No, he’s really strong. You’ll see when you watch.”
“Really? But Baron is seven years old. The older kids are fifteen. They’re really strong.”
“Baron is a genius. Honestly, he might be stronger than adults.”
“He did seem to lift things easily.”
Ben, who had been listening to the conversation, asked me in amazement.
“Miss, is your brother really that strong?”
I smiled and nodded slightly.
“I don’t know if he’s stronger than adults though.”
“Come to think of it, Linda from the government office mentioned something.”
Susan added as if remembering something.
“The monster drawing that was posted along with the gate notice—Baron, you drew that, right?”
“Oh right, that’s right.”
Ben also recalled that incident and chuckled as he brought his beer mug to his lips.
“This kid can do everything.”
Baron’s cheeks reddened, seemingly embarrassed by the flood of compliments.
“Why are you talking about useless stuff.”
And Peter’s face filled with curiosity. Baron coldly spoke while avoiding the sparkling eyes directed at him.
“Who said I’d do that? I said I’m not going.”
“Why not? If you go, you’ll make lots of friends and have fun.”
“I don’t need friends.”
Then Kyle casually draped his arm over Baron’s shoulder.
“Hey, you’re only seven years old, and if you live like that already, life won’t be fun, you know?”
“Not fun? I have the most fun when I’m with Nuna.”
“Geez, this little Nuna-obsessed kid.”
Kyle, looking like he couldn’t do anything about it, requested from me.
“Nuna, please tell him to go.”
“That’s right. Go ahead, Baron. I think it’s a good opportunity. You’ll make lots of friends.”
When I readily agreed, Baron’s eyes shook like an earthquake had struck.
“What, Nuna? Where did everything I just said go?”
“I heard it all, but that’s just what you think, right? You need to try hanging out with them at least once to properly know what it’s really like.”
I was confident.
‘He’ll probably be having fun playing with them in less than five minutes and won’t want to go home.’
Baron’s gaze turned to Raven.
“Baron. Hailey is giving you advice for your proper growth, isn’t she?”
Raven smiled and took my side.
“Seeing Baron grow up properly, Hailey would feel the reward of being a guardian.”
“…Raven, you too?”
“If you don’t like that, you should hurry up and grow up.”
“….”
Baron was silent for a moment, then stood up as if he had no choice.
“Fine, so where is this place.”
Peter’s expression brightened even more as he pointed to a spot not far away.
“It’s close. We agreed to meet over there.”
A small puppet theater stage was set up there, and children were gathering in small groups in front of it.
“Nuna, I’ll be back.”
“Baron. Wait.”
I quickly placed three coins in Baron’s palm. This was enough money to buy light snacks to share with friends or play a couple of games at the stalls.
“Have fun.”
Baron stared down at the coins placed in his small palm. He looked bewildered, so I asked carefully.
“Huh? Is it too little? Should I give you more?”
“Oh, no. It’s just my first time receiving something like this.”
Only then did Baron smile slightly and put the coins in his pocket.
“Thank you, Nuna. I’ll be back.”
Baron and Kyle followed Peter. It seemed like Peter was introducing Baron and Kyle to the children in front of the puppet theater stage.
Soon Baron was surrounded by girls. Just as expected. After a little while, a paper crown was placed on Baron’s head.
“See, honey. Wasn’t I right? I said Baron would be the prince.”
Ben, who had been watching, nodded at Susan’s words and laughed loudly.
“To me, Peter is the most handsome in the world.”
“That’s because he’s our son.”
“Right. Hahaha. Exactly as you said.”
A little later, a girl also wore a paper crown. The proud girl tried to stand close next to Baron.
She was about to link arms with him when Baron quickly distanced himself and stood apart. The hesitant girl sat down on the spot. Seeing several people comforting her, it seemed she had burst into tears.
Kyle could be seen comforting the crying girl. But whatever he said, the girl soon linked arms with Kyle and giggled.
Potter, watching this scene, also chuckled.
“Sigh, those two boys, I don’t know what they’ll become when they grow up, but they already feel like they’ll be sinful men.”
“Both in different ways, right?”
“I think sister-in-law is right.”
Cosette and Carter also giggled and laughed.
Soon people who appeared to be puppet theater staff began distributing something to the children and organizing the seating.
“What are they handing out?”
Raven squinted his eyes and then smiled brightly.
“Ah, seeing what the kids are putting in their mouths, it looks like lollipops.”
Soon the puppet theater began. The surroundings were so noisy that the content couldn’t be heard, but the simply-made puppets moving in front of changing backgrounds could be seen clearly.
From the atmosphere, it was an ordinary puppet theater. However, Raven couldn’t take his eyes off the puppet show. His expression even gradually hardened and his eyes narrowed.
Cosette, who had been observing him, asked.
“Wouldn’t it be better to watch from closer?”
Only then did Raven’s expression return to normal.
“It’s not worth watching a children’s puppet show that closely. We should yield to the children, shouldn’t we.”
Just then, Baron suddenly stood up and returned to our seats.
Baron took off the paper crown from his head with an annoyed expression and placed it on the table.
“Huh? Baron, aren’t you going to play more?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————