Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 320

Suddenly, Duke Paeraton’s gaze settled on his sons, all crowding around his daughter.

‘Those brats,’ he thought.

His youngest daughter, a treasure just to behold.

“Should I become an imperial attendant? I need to look after my little cotton ball in a strange place,” one son declared.

“I’ll be the Minister of the Royal Household. I’ll shower my younger sister with all the finest things in the Imperial Palace,” another chimed in.

“I’ll be a royal guard!”

“Ah, I want to be a royal guard too!”

Watching her brothers bicker, Ruatisha finally burst into laughter.

They were saying it playfully, but their faces already betrayed a hint of regret.

‘How will they manage without their youngest from now on?’ she wondered.

Ruatisha cleared her throat.

“My desire to marry Sidrian is genuine.”

The invisible ears above her brothers’ heads drooped, and the tails on their behinds followed suit.

A quick glance revealed that her dad and grandpa’s ears and tails were also drooping.

“But…”

At that single word, the family’s ears perked up.

“I don’t want to get married right away.”

“……!”

This time, their tails shot up and began to wag—no, not wagging, more like spinning like propellers.

Marriage with Sidrian isn’t just a simple union between two people.

A position and status are added, and with them, increased rights and responsibilities.

Of course, she didn’t dislike the prospect of becoming Crown Princess.

Rather, she was eager to excel and had policies she wanted to champion herself.

She’d felt this keenly while working on the waterworks project and the Paeraton territory initiatives.

‘But there are so many things I want to do before I get married,’ she mused.

Things that would be difficult to pursue while living in the Imperial Palace as the Crown Princess.

Just as the people of the Paeraton territory supported and loved her, Ruatisha also felt a deep affection for them.

She longed to travel freely, unburdened by state affairs, and to spend her time idly, doing whatever she pleased.

Above all else—

Ruatisha’s blue eyes reflected the faces of her family.

Starting a new family.

That’s undoubtedly exciting and wonderful.

It’s not as if her family would cease to be family just because she got married.

But.

‘I want to fully savor this life right now,’ she thought.

Wouldn’t it be nice to take the next step after enjoying it to the fullest?

“R, really?”

“When? When are you getting married? In 10 years? 20 years?”

No, that’s a bit much.

“Don’t ask questions like that. What if I answer too quickly?”

Watching her brothers fuss with sparkling eyes, Ruatisha chuckled.

It was amazing how consistently they reacted this way.

But if Nike suddenly said,

“Mama, Nike wants to get married now. The Young-soo [common Korean name] next door is pretty. Nike is going to get married and become independent now. Bye-bye, Mama.”

—said that…….

‘Absolutely not!’

Ruatisha clenched her fists tightly, burning with animosity towards the nonexistent Young-soo next door.

Suddenly, she understood her family’s reaction very well.

On the one hand, her heart ached a little.

From her family’s perspective, they hadn’t even had the chance to properly cherish their youngest, who had overcome near-death experiences several times, and she already felt like she was leaving their embrace.

They would want to take care of her and look after her a little longer by her side.

So, thinking of her family, she should spend a little more time—

‘No, that’s not it.’

It’s not for her family.

‘I—’

Not because of her family’s feelings or because of her family.

‘I want to!’

Ruatisha raised her eyes and looked straight ahead.

A cool autumn breeze was blowing in from the open window.

The curtains fluttered softly, and the autumn sunlight pooled halfway across the floor of the office.

The faces of her family looking at her were visible.

A natural, familiar, and intimate scene.

An everyday life where her family faces her just by lifting her head.

It tickled from the bottom of her heart, like bubbles rising from the bottom.

Because she knew very well how lucky and blessed this seemingly insignificant thing was.

“Because I want to spend more time with my dad, grandpa, and brothers!”

Ruatisha smiled brightly.

* * *

The inner palace of the Imperial Palace, Yurantes Palace.

A Galante conference hall that ordinary nobles couldn’t even enter, reserved for a select few.

The door, which was usually opened only in times of war, was opened today.

The atmosphere inside the conference hall was very heavy.

As if discussing a momentous issue on which the fate of the country depended.

No, this atmosphere wasn’t one of discussion.

Rather, it was like a warrior exuding fighting spirit before a war.

The conference hall was filled with tension, like a thread that would snap if pulled a little harder.

A touch-and-go situation.

What on earth was the reason?

Could it be that, although kept secret for national security reasons, Kiyasedel had come back to life?

“Absolutely not!”

The dignified voice of the Empress echoed loudly.

“Postponing the wedding! The two people’s hearts are in agreement, and they promised to marry, but postponing it for no reason doesn’t make sense.”

The Emperor also nodded.

“The Empress is right. Hasn’t the position of Crown Princess been vacant in the Empire for too long? Even without an Empress, we’re short-handed—”

“Are you arguing that we should get married quickly to make my daughter work?”

Duke Paeraton’s eyes flashed.

The Emperor was taken aback.

“Ah, no. It’s not that, but doesn’t everyone want it? And Ruatisha is capable and good at her job…….”

Usually, they would want to quickly become the Crown Princess or Empress and take over state affairs.

It was an appeal to give Ruatisha her own special treatment, to entrust her with state affairs immediately without a probationary period, since she was so good at her job.

“Your Majesty! That’s too much. My child is already struggling with so much work. But you’re saying you’ll make her work as soon as she gets married!”

“H, Empress. I’m doing this for you…….”

How great would it be to reduce the Empress’s burden?

“It’s their honeymoon! Honeymoon! During the honeymoon, there’s not enough time to spend together, doing nothing but being lovey-dovey!”

“B, but—”

“Well, would Your Majesty know that?”

The Empress fanned herself with a hmph and turned her head coldly.

He said it to look good to his wife, but he was scolded instead.

The Emperor couldn’t understand.

Everyone aims for the position of Crown Princess for power.

Of course, the Paeraton family isn’t in a position to crave more power, and Ruatisha isn’t marrying Sidrian because of that—

‘But isn’t it much more beneficial to take over state affairs?’

What’s the difference between putting her above the Emperor and not entrusting her with state affairs?

However, the Empress, Duke Paeraton, the Little Duke Paeraton, and Marquis Tarenka were looking at him with contempt.

Even the Empress Dowager.

‘It’s common sense, so why do I feel like I’m thinking wrong in this position?’

“Your Highness the Empress said that the wedding should be held next spring.”

The Empress smiled at Marquis Tarenka’s words.

“It will be the most magnificent wedding. I’ve been preparing for this day for years.”

“There are procedures and etiquette for the Crown Prince’s wedding. To follow them properly, even the spring of the year after next, let alone next spring, which is only a few months away, would be tight.”

“There’s no need to strictly adhere to such formalities. The important thing is the wedding.”

“Are you saying that imperial etiquette is just a formality in the Empress’s position?”

“Originally, old customs are reformed according to the times, and imperial etiquette is no exception.”

“I don’t think that’s the right thing to say in this case. It’s also a wedding. To omit the procedure.”

“They followed it all in the past, but they’ve been omitting it little by little as they move into modern times. It’s not like there weren’t precedents—”

“Don’t you know what happened to the deposed Crown Prince who omitted one procedure? Only a person without roots like that would omit such an important example.”

“……!”

She had nothing to say when Esteban’s case was used as an example.

The Empress bit her lip tightly.

‘That old fox! He’s thinking of doing everything he can to delay the wedding as much as possible by following all the procedures.’

She decided to attack in another direction.

“Aga has a personality that pursues practicality. But would she try to follow such complicated procedures? Rather than that, quickly—”

“Well.”

A graceful voice interrupted the Empress’s words.

Duke Paeraton had a crooked smile on his face.

A strangely relaxed and even triumphant face.

The Empress felt uneasy.

‘Why is he, who would be most displeased with the discussion of his youngest daughter’s marriage……?’

“Unlike Your Highness the Empress’s thoughts, my daughter said she wanted to delay the wedding.”

What……?

The Empress’s eyes widened and shook with shock.

“Dela……y?”

Smirk.

Duke Paeraton’s lips drew the same smile as his daughter.

“She said she wanted to spend more time with her dad.”

He tilted his chin slightly and said arrogantly.

At this, Zeon, who had been silent, opened his mouth as if not to be outdone.

“She said she wanted to spend more time with her eldest brother.”

“She also said she wanted to take a walk with this grandpa every day.”

“…….”

The three men looked at the imperial family with the same smugness.

The Emperor let out a dumbfounded breath, but—

“Aga……?”

The Empress’s face was as if the sky had fallen.

‘Lies!’

But Duke Paeraton never lies. Because there’s no need to.

Above all, he wasn’t the kind of person who would lie about his daughter, of all things.

‘Keuk…….’

If that’s Aga’s will, there’s nothing she can do.

She can’t ignore Aga’s will just because she wants to hurry.

Duke Paeraton rested his elbow on the table with a completely relaxed face.

“It would be good to go through all the procedures, starting with putting in the marriage proposal. Then 2 or 3 years will pass in a flash.”

That’s right.

Ruatisha’s family was carrying out this groundwork out of fear that the time Ruatisha said ‘marry later’ might be 6 months later.

They were too afraid to ask in case they really heard those words.

“Th, then at least an engagement ceremony……. In terms of procedure, engagement ceremonies are held quickly, aren’t they?”

“There has to be an engagement ceremony, but there are conditions on this side.”

“Conditions? Already—”

“Following the procedure properly isn’t a condition. It’s natural.”

“Our thought is that we need a period of deliberation before holding the wedding ceremony. For a more stable marriage…… eudeuk [onomatopoeia for grinding teeth], life.”

I think I heard a slight grinding sound.

“A period of deliberation?”

Zeon answered the Emperor’s words.

“We are talking about spending a certain period of time in the Paeraton territory right before the wedding to find out how suitable each other is as a marriage partner.”

The Emperor’s mouth dropped open.

Right before the wedding, a period of deliberation, and so on, but in the end—

“Isn’t that like making the Crown Prince live with his in-laws during the honeymoon!”

At those words, Duke Paeraton, the Little Duke, and Marquis Tarenka’s faces hardened.

“Honeymoon? It’s a time before we’re even married.”

“Don’t make my daughter a daughter-in-law in a slipshod manner.”

“No matter how greedy you are for my granddaughter, you’ve crossed the line.”

‘No, that’s not the point of my words!’

While the Emperor was at a loss for words, the Empress opened her mouth.

“There’s no choice. Let’s do that.”

“Empress!”

The Empress did not waver despite the Emperor’s cry.

She didn’t like the fact that the wedding ceremony was being further delayed because of the deliberation period.

‘Rather, this is an opportunity.’

Sidrian can come and go to the Paeraton territory under the pretext of tasting that deliberation period in advance.

‘It would be a disaster if Aga went down to the territory during that long time of going through the wedding ceremony.’

There’s a reason why they say that if the body is far away, the heart is far away.

Sidrian must go down to the Paeraton territory and hold Aga’s heart tightly.

Originally, a woman depends on what a man does.

‘And I can go down there too.’

“Hmm, I don’t feel like it’s a bad suggestion either.”

Even the Empress Dowager agreed.

The Emperor looked at the Empress and Empress Dowager sitting next to him.

“Are you agreeing to the Crown Prince living with his in-laws right now?!”

The Empress turned to the Emperor with cold eyes.

“Your Majesty, stay still if you don’t want to block your son’s marriage path. Don’t let your name be engraved in history books as an Emperor without a partner for the rest of your life.”

In the end, the Emperor closed his mouth sullenly.

* * *

Sidrian looked at himself in the mirror.

He had never been interested in his appearance or looks in his entire life.

Because his life was full of despair and frustration to care about such trivial things.

But.

“You have to meet a really good woman and have at least twelve children.”

“The minimum is twelve. Have as many as you can. That’s how you contribute to humanity.”

When that child urged him to maintain his handsome looks.

No, maybe even before that.

Even when he thought he hated that child.

“Or, since you have a pretty face, it’s okay to have them serve you so that others envy you.”

Sidrian began to care about his appearance for the first time.

Perhaps that was—