Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 129

☆ 제129화 ☆

* * *

“Pfft……!”

“Pwahaha! That’s the real answer. Lady Paeraton knows her stuff!”

People laughed at the answer, unsure if it was a joke or not.

In high society, such wit was a crucial quality.

However.

‘……Amazing?’

Some people’s eyes gleamed rather than bursting into laughter.

Lady Paeraton pointed out the loophole in the first question and proved her abilities with the second answer.

Outstanding analytical, logical, and reasoning skills, plus quick thinking!

No one could deny her brilliance.

That alone was enough.

However, those abilities were in the realm of ‘being instructed,’ not ‘instructing.’

Lady Paeraton took it a step further with her last answer, showing the qualities of ‘instructing.’

‘The reason she didn’t give the third answer from the start wasn’t just to create a twist for laughs.’

The order of the answers was likely thoroughly calculated.

If the second answer hadn’t come first, some might have doubted Lady Paeraton’s abilities.

There were many people who ordered subordinates around without having the ability themselves.

How many nobles simply repeated or ignored their subordinates’ information and opinions, leading to flawed judgments?

‘Well, well, it seems a child who will truly usher in a new dawn for the Empire has appeared.’

They had only focused on the fact that the closed-off Paeraton Duchy had deeply immersed itself in central high society, but now it was clear that Lady Paeraton was the duchy’s treasure.

‘……My grandson is eight years old, so his age is just right for Lady Paeraton.’

‘Hmm, my son is fifteen, so is that a bit much? Maybe there’s a chance when he’s older.’

‘She’ll probably come to the social clubs after the Dawn Festival, right? I should tell my nephew to send her a letter. It’s a good thing I have a nephew even if I don’t have a son.’

The fact that she was partnered with Sidrian was not that important.

Frankly, how rare was it for children who were partners at the Dawn Festival to actually get married?

It was just a childhood memory.

More than anything, wouldn’t the choice be Lady Paeraton’s?

At that moment, inside the box seats where the Paeraton Duchy and Tarenka Marquis were seated.

“……What is it? I suddenly feel dirty.”

Ixion frowned and tilted his head.

Zeon’s eyes flicked open and scanned the audience.

“I suddenly want to clean up all the vermin in this hall.”

It wasn’t just the two of them.

All five men were emitting a fierce aura as they scanned the audience.

No one had said anything out loud about wanting to pair Ruatisha with their grandson? Son? Nephew?

It was truly an animalistic sense.

‘Why are they suddenly acting like this again?!’

Erkel, the Baron, was sweating bullets at the sudden change in atmosphere.

Until a moment ago, the atmosphere inside the box seats had been amicable.

While watching Ruatisha answer clearly,

“Cute.”

“Lovely.”

“Perfect.”

“Are you recording properly?”

“This is a video that will become a treasure of Paeraton and Tarenka! You better be ready to lose your head if you miss a single moment.”

They had been threatening…… no, anyway, they had been happy.

The five men had been enjoying themselves as if they were at their youngest’s talent show, regardless of the competition.

But suddenly, they were glaring at the audience as if they were about to commit murder, so it was only natural to be bewildered.

“Erkel.”

“Yes, yes!”

Baron Erkel answered nervously.

‘If they say they’re going to murder these nobles, I’ll stop them even if it costs me my life……!’

Supreme loyalty to the Paeraton Duchy!

“Don’t think about anything else and focus on recording. Lulu tilted her head by about 3 degrees just now.”

Could a 3-degree movement really be called tilting?

But the Paeraton Duke was the boss, and Baron Erkel was a mere subordinate.

“……Yes.”

To hell with loyalty and cleaning up the mess, it seemed like it would be better to just kill them all and be done with it.

* * *

“Lady, we have heard your answer well. Lady Micheloin, are you alright now?”

The questioner carefully asked Lady Micheloin.

Lady Micheloin’s face was paler than before. Her forehead was even damp with cold sweat.

“I’m, alright.”

“Nothing is more important than your health. If you’re forcing yourself to stay because you think staying is also a virtue, you don’t have to.”

“Yes. You’ve done well enough so far, and everyone knows that, not just us.”

The questioners tried to soothe her, but Lady Micheloin couldn’t hear them properly.

It was a moment of choice.

Whether to leave without saying anything or to give the answer she had prepared.

“…….”

The moment she heard Ruatisha’s answer, she realized.

Even if she gave the answer she had prepared, Ruatisha would be the winner.

Unlike herself, who hadn’t grasped the true meaning of the question, Ruatisha had said something beyond the correct answer.

The Empress would also not reveal Micheloin’s corruption.

What could she do when she had lost due to a difference in skill, even though she had received the questions in advance?

It would be more beneficial to keep Micheloin’s weaknesses in her grasp.

However, she was ashamed.

If she left without answering, she could at least maintain a minimum of conscience.

There was also room for negotiation with the Empress.

‘……But that’s just running away.’

Lady Micheloin turned to the side.

Ruatisha was looking at her with a worried expression.

A face that couldn’t even imagine that the opponent she was competing with was deceiving her.

‘……I wanted to fight 멋지게 [coolly/admirably] too.’

Micheloin, which had been her pride, couldn’t be more resentful.

But did she even have the right to blame her family?

‘I’m committing corruption right now.’

Lady Micheloin raised her head.

There were five questioners in total.

But countless people would be watching her from inside Dilucullum Hall.

And the words she spoke from this place would echo throughout the Empire.

“……I’m really alright. No, I’m not alright.”

Lady Micheloin said with a deathly pale face.

“I think it would be better to go in and rest. Call the palace doctor一.”

“No.”

A voice trembling relentlessly cut off the questioner’s words.

Her head spun as she saw the faces looking at her with puzzled expressions.

What are you doing right now?

Stop it.

Aren’t you thinking about the aftermath?

You are now using your own hands to throw Micheloin’s honor, history, pride, and achievements into the dirt.

But Lady Micheloin moved her parched lips.

“Two days ago, I received today’s questions in advance.”

She said it.

She had said it.

There was no turning back now.

“Yes?!”

“……What are you talking about?”

“Lady Micheloin, you know the seriousness of what you just said, right?”

The questioners’ once gentle expressions hardened.

“I know the answer to this question. No, it’s probably not the real answer. I know a simple answer to the question. Approximately 7.21 million cricket bats were produced in the Empire last year.”

“…….”

“I have no interest in cricket games. If I hadn’t received the questions in advance, I would never have known.”

The interview room, as well as Dilucullum Hall, was enveloped in a chilling silence.

No one could open their mouths.

Shock, astonishment, suspicion.

Of course, only one person was different.

The Empress grabbed the armrest as if she would break it and 벌떡 [boltteok – abruptly/suddenly] stood up.

She could feel the Emperor, Empress, and Grand Empress Dowager looking at her with surprised eyes, but she couldn’t control her expression.

Stopping herself from shouting to shut that mouth right away was the only thing she could do.

The Empress quickly left her seat and ordered her aides with fierce eyes.

“Go, go right now and shut that bitch’s mouth. Whether you block the mirror crystal transmission or whatever, end it here!”

The Empress shouted lowly and surveyed the situation.

The questioner, who had barely recovered from the shock, opened his mouth.

“……This is an issue beyond my authority. Lady Micheloin, a detailed investigation into the leak of the questions will be conducted separately shortly.”

At those words, the Empress was a little relieved.

Even if the Empress’s name came up during the private investigation process, she was confident that she could somehow stop it.

No matter how much the Emperor checked her, he wouldn’t let the Empress of the Empire be involved in such a matter.

This was a matter of the imperial family’s dignity.

It was then.

“Lady Micheloin.”

Ruatisha’s clear voice echoed through the hall.

“There must be a reason why you revealed the leak of the questions and your own 부정행위 [bujung haengwi – cheating/dishonest act] in front of everyone like this.”

Lady Micheloin, who had been intimidated by the heavy words that she would be investigated separately, turned her head and looked at Ruatisha.

“Of course, an investigation will be conducted and the truth will be revealed 명명백백하게 [myeongmyeongbaekbaekhage – clearly/unambiguously] under the name of the righteous Emperor, but I’m curious about the reason.”

“Lady Paeraton.”

One of the questioners opened his mouth urgently.

But Ruatisha didn’t stop.

“As one of the victims of 부정행위 [bujung haengwi – cheating/dishonest act], it’s my natural right to hear the reason directly.”

“…….”

The questioner who had called Ruatisha shut his mouth.

Ruatisha didn’t ignore the investigation process and even built up her justification, so there was nothing to say.

Moreover, everything in this room was being broadcasted right now.

It was better to keep his mouth shut than to rashly interfere.

“……The Lady has enough rights. Before being formally investigated, there is one thing I would like to reveal in front of everyone.”

You’re crazy, Claudia Micheloin.

Lady Micheloin thought so, but she couldn’t stop her mouth.

This might be the last chance to restore the family’s dignity, but she was throwing it into the trash with her own hands.

She could negotiate with the Empress regarding the family’s corruption on the condition that she didn’t reveal the Empress’s name during the question leak investigation.

‘But if that were the case, I wouldn’t have revealed the truth from the beginning.’

She had no intention of living as the Empress’s puppet doll.

‘Your Majesty, you must have thought that you had me in the palm of your hand because you held my weaknesses.’

The image of the enraged Empress glaring at her with the intent to kill flashed before her eyes.

‘But I also have Your Majesty’s weaknesses in my hands.’

벌컥! [beolkeok – abruptly/suddenly]

The door of the interview room opened roughly and palace people came in.

It was the moment when they were about to drag Lady Micheloin away without hesitation.

Ruatisha stood in front of them.

“You better not touch my body. I don’t even know how cruel my family can be.”

Her bright blue eyes shone sharply.

The palace people flinched and stopped at the 압도감 [apdogam – overwhelming feeling/pressure] that couldn’t come from a ten-year-old.

“Lady, we are escorting a sinner who committed 부정 [bujung – dishonest/illegal act] at the Dawn Festival presided over by His Majesty the Emperor. Why are you stopping us?”

The palace people said anxiously.

The intelligent Lady Paeraton would surely give a justification for stopping them.

Then they would have nothing to say and wouldn’t be able to drag Lady Micheloin away right away.

‘Even if we buy time and the crystal mirror transmission is cut off…….’

“So, what.”

“……?”

That’s it?

Ruatisha closed her mouth and remained silent.

Now was not the time for her to speak.

Lady Micheloin tried to calm her trembling body.

How surprised her parents, who were watching her in the hall right now, must be.

I’m sorry.

But I will pursue the path of living by revealing the truth.

As my mother and father taught me.

“The reason I committed 부정 [bujung – dishonest/illegal act] is because Her Majesty the Empress threatened me with my family.”

As soon as she finished speaking, hot tears flowed down.

She couldn’t even understand the meaning of the tears herself.

Anger, disappointment, relief, frustration, joy, liberation, fear…….

All sorts of emotions poured out like a flood.

She saw Ruatisha, who had been standing firmly in front of her, slowly turning to look at her.

She hadn’t been able to smile sincerely at Ruatisha while looking at her.

But now.

Lady Micheloin’s lips trembled and went up.

Soaked in tears, it was the most sincere smile she had ever given in the past few months.

* * *

Lady Micheloin’s 폭로 [pongno – revelation/disclosure] was like detonating a huge bomb inside the Imperial Palace.

“Oh my, the Empress?”

“Could it be because she’s His Highness Prince Esteban’s partner?”

“……She even leaked the questions, so was that really all? There’s no guarantee that she didn’t use her hands on other things.”

“Everyone, you’re going too far! How can you doubt the Empress of the Empire based only on the words of a fourteen-year-old Lady!”

“I’ll return those words to you as they are. What reason would a fourteen-year-old Lady have to slander the Empress of the Empire?”

“We should see Lady Micheloin’s words as the truth.”

“Even if you think Lady Micheloin is telling the truth, the truth may be different. Someone else may have been playing tricks in the middle一.”

“Someone else? Who on earth would play such tricks? Frankly, even if she committed such 부정 [bujung – dishonest/illegal act], the winner is obvious.”

No one could disagree with that statement.

The reporters who had entered Dilucullum Hall closed their mouths and played with their typewriters without hesitation.

From the nobles who came as spectators to the doormen of the hall, everyone was talking about this unprecedented situation.

But there was an exception everywhere.

“Did you hear?”

The Paeraton Duke crossed his legs 방만하게 [bangmanhage – arrogantly/insolently] and raised his chin.

“My daughter threatened me with my back [implied: used my own teachings/influence against me]. Very excellent.”

Baron Erkel’s eyes, who had been 열심히 [yeolsimhi – diligently/earnestly] filming Ruatisha’s 모습 [moseup – appearance/figure] until this moment, clouded over.

‘……Is that something to be proud of?’