Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 252

My mind was blank.

It was just hot, so intensely hot.

I felt my strength ebbing away, replaced by a tingling energy in my toes.

Everything swam before my eyes, yet Cidrian’s presence was sharply defined.

The large hand that held my waist so firmly.

The long fingers that gently played with my hair.

Our lips met, a perfect seal, our breaths mingling, heat exchanging between us.

It felt like an eternity, as if the world itself had paused.

Slowly, our lips parted.

Luatisha’s eyelids fluttered open.

Soon, her paraiba-colored [a shade of blue-green] eyes met Cidrian’s.

Cidrian’s eyes were darker, more intense than usual, reflecting a raw, primal desire.

Just as Cidrian leaned in to kiss Luatisha again, she turned her head.

“Sid said he’s alone, right? Yes, that’s right. Sid is alone.”

Luatisha smiled at Liriel.

“My fiancé.”

At that moment.

Crack, crack.

The sound of something breaking echoed from somewhere.

Kwaaaang!

“Fi…ancé?”

The low voice seemed to rise from the depths of hell itself.

People turned, compelled by the eerie sensation.

A hellspawn.

What stood there was no longer human.

It was a hellspawn wearing a human guise!

‘This is insane…?’

Luatisha’s eyes darted around, wide with fear.

Ominous mana poured from Duke Paeraton’s very being.

His chilling eyes were bloodshot, as if filled with pure rage.

‘Something terrible is about to happen!’

Luatisha swallowed hard, scanning the room.

‘Where did my brothers go! Someone stop Dad—.’

Koo-oong!

A sound that should never have been heard reverberated through the hall.

I didn’t want to know what it was. I didn’t want to know where it came from.

But if I ignored it, things would only get worse. There were no ifs, ands, or buts. Everything would be utterly and irrevocably ruined.

Luatisha turned her head, tears welling in her eyes.

Crackle, crackle!

The marble pillar that Zeon was leaning against was being carved and shattered by some unseen force.

“How dare you touch my youngest…”

Zeon’s eyes burned with murderous intent, his face a mask of cold fury.

‘H, his eyes are completely gone!’

Luatisha looked around, fighting off a wave of dizziness.

I didn’t even expect them to stop him anymore.

‘Just stay still!’

But my grim premonition never failed me.

“You seduced my innocent sister?”

Ares narrowed his eyes, a soft smile playing on his lips, as pieces of the interior—or what was left of it—floated behind him, suspended by his mana.

“Our little cotton ball was just born!”

Ixion shouted, and a gaping hole leading to the basement appeared beneath his feet.

People trembled, sweating with fear instead of tears.

‘No, anyone can see that the Paeraton Duchess wasn’t just born…’

‘And didn’t that “innocent” sister grab the Emperor’s son by the collar and kiss him first?’

But no one dared to speak their minds in front of the four devils.

Meanwhile, Marquis Tarenka sat on a sofa with his legs crossed, stroking his chin with a leisurely air.

“If an unfortunate accident occurs and the building collapses, casualties are inevitable. Accidents don’t discriminate based on social standing. It would be most regrettable.”

Marquis Tarenka’s eyes glared sharply at Cidrian.

He didn’t look regretful in the slightest.

No, he’d only be regretful if Cidrian remained perfectly fine and unharmed next to Luatisha.

‘Oh, great.’

Luatisha clutched her throbbing head.

‘This is the Imperial Palace, you know? Not some backwater estate.’

Even so, were they really going to destroy the Imperial Palace?

Did this have to turn into some over-the-top K-drama [Korean drama] fantasy?

Yet, the family’s destructive energy showed no signs of abating.

If anything, it was growing more intense.

‘Is Sid really going to die like this?’

Horrified, Luatisha stepped in front of Cidrian, shielding him.

“No!”

The family members hesitated, taken aback by their youngest’s fierce expression.

“If you bully Sid, I’m really going to get angry!”

The family’s eyes wavered at her impassioned declaration.

‘M, my daughter…’

How could she side with that scoundrel, who wasn’t even worth spitting on, and get angry at them!

But there was no hesitation in Luatisha’s eyes as she glared at her family.

The family flinched, and the overflowing mana began to recede.

The murderous intent gradually faded from their ferocious red eyes, replaced by sullen resentment.

Then, they subtly glanced at their youngest, seeking her approval.

The nobles, who had been trembling in fear, watched the scene with wide-eyed amazement.

They knew the Paeraton ducal family was obsessed with their youngest, but this was something else entirely—.

‘A beast tamer…!’

‘It’s like watching wild beasts, who would never obey a human, being tamed with a single gesture…’

I didn’t know whether to cry because I was witnessing a touching scene of communication between humans and beasts, or because—.

‘I’m alive!’

‘I don’t have to die!’

People hugged each other, too relieved to even cheer.

After all, when whales fight, the shrimp’s back gets crushed [an idiom meaning bystanders get hurt in a conflict between powerful people].

* * *

“Did you hear? The reason Viatrung and I were postponed was because the Imperial Palace collapsed?”

“I was so shocked! The Imperial Palace, of all places!”

“Even though the outer palace’s barrier is weaker than the inner palace, how could that happen?”

“Well, it’s the Paeraton family. They’re practically a one-man army. When four legions come and stomp around, what building could withstand that?”

“It’s a relief that the Paeraton ducal family protects us from monsters. I feel so much safer!”

“But will the youngest daughter of that family ever be able to get married?”

“That’s what I’m saying. The palace collapsed because she was dating.”

“But the more I see them, the more they seem like a good match.”

“Their faces are a perfect match.”

“His Highness Esteban is handsome, but His Highness Cidrian is…”

“I just wish His Highness Cidrian would become the next emperor and marry the Duchess.”

“Did you hear why they kissed in public?”

“Was there a reason?”

“Well, that Saintess, she’s been getting between them—.”

“Wow, the Saintess? That’s so disappointing.”

The power of the public kiss was undeniable.

It was the topic of every conversation where three or more people gathered.

And it wasn’t just commoners who were talking about it.

* * *

[A group of delusional noblewomen are clapping and cheering.]

I glared at the notification window with a sulky expression.

But the magic of making the letters disappear didn’t work.

[One word from the group of delusional noblewomen: Does the auntie have other delusions?]

‘What kind of delusions are you having!’

[There is a mix of joy and sorrow in the stock listing committee’s group of young ladies.]

[One word from the stock listing committee: As expected, stability, victory, and confidence in Cidrian stock! We will buy more!]

[Two words from the stock listing committee: Ah! My stock has become scrap paper! But I won’t sell it. My small and precious stock. I’m waiting for the day it rebounds.]

“…….”

Were these people too invested in other people’s love lives?

I clicked my tongue and waved my hand.

Just then, Baron Dier opened the door to the office and entered.

The moment he saw me, he burst into tears.

“Our young lady, it seems like only yesterday she was following me around saying, ‘Uncle, Uncle,’ but when did she grow up so much…”

“First, I never did that when I was young.”

“That’s too much!”

“Second, you know this is the 37th time you’ve said this, right? Stop crying.”

“Ah…! Do you remember everything I said? This Dier is touched, so touched!”

“…….”

Okay.

I shouldn’t have said anything.

Baron Dier, having stopped crying, placed a report on my desk.

I picked up the document and asked.

“What about the rumors?”

“They’re all over the Empire. How could it be quiet when such a commotion has occurred? There’s even a picture of you kissing on the front page of the newspaper.”

Huh!

How embarrassing!

Even so, why put a kiss on the front page!

“That’s why you shouldn’t have done that.”

Count Kandor, who had entered as the door opened, clicked his tongue.

“You don’t have to tell me that, Count. You were passionately in love yourself.”

When I said sullenly, Count Kandor coughed awkwardly.

‘Hmph!’

“How is the reaction to Paeraton?”

“It’s fine. As the young lady ordered, SSS [likely a secret organization or task force] is controlling the direction of the rumors well. They are good at what they do.”

I nodded.

I was taking preemptive measures in case there was public criticism for destroying the palace.

By emphasizing the power of Paeraton, who ‘protects the imperial people from monsters.’

“I don’t think you needed to worry so much. The public sentiment is all favorable to the young lady.”

“How many lives has the Duchess saved and how much has she done? You can trust people’s support a little more.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust them. But there’s no harm in preparing.”

“That’s what made the current Duchess.”

I chuckled at Count Kandor’s compliment.

“And above all, Liriel might use backhanded tactics in public opinion.”

“There was such an attempt. But personally, I feel—.”

Count Kandor lowered his voice.

“She seems to be surprisingly lacking in public opinion warfare and social gatherings. I like this side because it’s easier for me.”

I nodded.

“I think so too. Her response is a bit lacking, shall we say?”

It would have been different if she had read some romance fantasy novels.

‘She’s not completely stupid. When she’s in danger of being caught using fraud, she uses her wit to absorb the fraud.’

And she even grabbed the title of Saintess, which appeared for the first time in hundreds of years, using it.

“She seems to be strangely lacking in relationships between people. I don’t know if it’s because she’s been supported in a narrow southern society since she was young and has no social skills.”

“Or.”

I opened my mouth quietly.

“She may not be human.”

“……!”

Aktseraken did.

He said that there is no human who can control fraud.

‘So I suspected it from the moment I found out that Liriel was using fraud.’

Now I was almost certain.

‘Ariel was not human either.’

It was still vivid that she turned into a snake made of smoke and ran away when I purified the fraud.

“…It seems to be a serious matter.”

“Yeah, I think it would be good to discuss it with Dad. The problem is—.”

Dad was not in a normal state right now.

I got up from my seat and called Orca.

“Cancel all the small tea parties and salons on my schedule.”

“Yes, young lady.”

Orca bowed her head, but Baron Dier asked me with surprised eyes.

“Are you going to reduce going out in this situation?”

“Yeah, everyone will just talk about my love story if I go out.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s something that can lead to a combination of Paeraton and the Imperial Family, so everyone will be paying attention. Everyone will be very politically minded.”

“…I think they just like the love story.”

“Who wouldn’t talk about it after seeing such a public kiss?”

Damn it!

“Stop it!”

I stormed out of the office and slammed the door shut.

And I leaned against the door as it was.

‘It makes me nervous if you keep mentioning it…’

Unknowingly, I raised my hand and stroked my lips.

It was soft and warm.

It felt like the residual heat of Sid’s lips was still there.

‘…What is Sid doing?’

Should I go see him?

My heart was pounding, and I raised my head, only to see my dad blocking the corridor.

‘Ah, Dad?’

I turned my head to the other side, and my brothers were standing there.

The family’s energy was ominous.

‘Huh?’

In a moment of panic.

Tears flowed from Dad’s eyes.