Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 82

The Baby Runs the Romance Fantasy with Cash- Episode 83

☆ Chapter 83 ☆

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“Why would Her Most Precious Imperial Consort grace such a humble place with her presence?”

The Imperial Consort didn’t even bother to respond to Count Miaren’s words.

She walked past the kneeling Count and approached me.

“Hngh, hngh, waaaah!”

I wailed more passionately than ever before. Thinking about when my uncle hit me, tears just welled up.

“I wanted our first meeting to be filled with smiles. Why is our adorable Princess crying so sadly?”

“Hic, hiccup!”

“Now, I want to soothe your tears, but may I hold our Princess?”

With tear-filled eyes, I glanced at the Imperial Consort and nodded.

The Imperial Consort picked me up, sat me on her lap, and patted my bottom.

“Shh, it’s alright. Your pretty face is all messed up. What made you so sad?”

“It hurts.”

I clutched one cheek and made a face.

“That grandpa hurt me.”

“Count Miaren!”

The Imperial Consort, who had been looking at me with a kind face, turned as sharp as a honed sword and rebuked him.

“Hitting such a young child? Is a Count even worthy of being called an aristocrat of the Empire? This child is even a hero who saved the nation!”

“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding, Your Highness!”

“I saw it clearly with my own two eyes. The Count raised his hand to this child.”

“Th, that’s…….”

Muscles tensed in the jaw of Count Miaren, who was prostrate on the ground.

Well, he must feel wronged.

He must be so frustrated he could go crazy and jump up and down.

But what could he do when the Imperial Consort had seen it?

Count Miaren had rushed at me, waving his hands, and my figure was hidden from the Imperial Consort’s view by his large body.

‘From the Imperial Consort’s perspective, it would have looked like I was being hit. Serves him right!’

I grinned, and my eyes met Count Miaren’s.

I nodded and smiled even brighter.

‘Yes, that’s right. I planned this.’

Before meeting Count Miaren.

Orca had told me that Count Miaren had arrived, along with other news.

That the Imperial Family’s delegation would soon cross the Duke’s estate’s main gate.

I already knew that the Imperial Consort was personally leading the delegation to the Duke’s territory.

I had expected them to arrive at the estate within the last few days, but the timing was unbelievably perfect.

I thought, ‘This is timing sent by the god of romance fantasy!’

And immediately devised a plan.

The automata clock could be operated from the outside.

The signal that the Imperial Consort had arrived was when the two lovers kissed.

If Count Miaren acted with courtesy, nothing would happen.

But if he still couldn’t come to his senses and acted rudely—.

‘My cider [refreshing and satisfying outcome] will be even more refreshing, like this.’

I hugged the Imperial Consort tightly, as if to show off, and sobbed, “I was so, so scared…….”

Count Miaren’s lips lost their strength as he realized what had happened.

Soon, anger flickered in his eyes, and his jaw tensed even more than before.

“Th, that cunning thing used trickery! I am being framed!”

“Trickery?”

“Yes! That girl is daring to deceive Her Imperial Highness! It’s all a trap一.”

“Did this child use magic to move the Count’s hand?”

“Th, that’s, not but…….”

The Imperial Consort scoffed.

Count Miaren’s face turned red.

“I, I was just trying to scare her! With Duke Paeraton watching with his eyes wide open, would I really hit her?!”

Fool.

Completely counterproductive.

Not only can he not manage his territory, but he also can’t handle himself? All he knows is how to be a lackey.

Indeed, the Imperial Consort’s eyes sank deeply.

“I clearly said I saw it with my own two eyes. Are you now saying my eyes are mistaken?”

At those words, Count Miaren’s face turned ashen.

“I, I am deeply sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean一.”

“Our Princess must have been very surprised.”

The Imperial Consort didn’t even listen to all of Count Miaren’s words and stroked my hair.

It was the first time I had been held so warmly in the arms of an adult woman.

I often hugged the maid unnies [older sisters/maids], but they didn’t hold me in their arms and comfort me like this.

Feeling a bit shy, I fidgeted with my fingers and blurted out.

“It’s Ruatisha.”

“Oh my, may I call you by your name?”

“The Imperial Consort saved me.”

“Hehe, of course, I knew your name. But I hesitated to call you in case it would be rude to a little lady. I’m very happy you allowed me to.”

“…….”

I lowered my gaze and stared at my fingertips.

My feelings towards the Imperial Family weren’t very good.

Of course, that was inevitable.

Because they sent my dad to war, separating him from me.

If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have had to go to Marquis Tarenka’s residence.

Moreover, they even sent Lady Apelia to try to control our family.

‘Even if that was solely the Empress’s doing, still.’

But seeing the Imperial Consort being so kind and respectful made my heart soften a little.

I glanced at Count Miaren and asked.

“Why did the Imperial Consort come here?”

“I came to meet our Ruatisha. To give Ruatisha, who has done a great deed, a reward.”

“A reward?”

“Yes.”

At the Imperial Consort’s gesture, a maid who had come with her handed her a scroll wrapped in gold-leafed silk.

It was too big for me to unfold with my own hands, so the Imperial Consort personally unfolded the scroll for me.

‘Wow…….’

I inwardly clicked my tongue as I looked at the endless list.

‘This is no joke?’

All sorts of gold and silver treasures, and toys that a child would like, and even land.

The greedy Count Miaren glanced at the scroll even in this situation.

Well, it would be disappointing if he didn’t react like that. I deliberately asked why she came to rub it in his face.

I called out something that looked expensive at first glance.

“Um, Tears of the Goddess……? Are you giving me the goddess’s tears?”

At my words, the Imperial Consort burst into laughter.

“That’s not it, it’s the name of a jewel. A very beautiful jewel worthy of the title of goddess. It’s the color of Paraiba, just like your eyes.”

“T, Tears of the Goddess are an imperial treasure, aren’t they? That seems a bit excessive. You must also consider the dignity of the Imperial Family…….”

“The Imperial Family has more dignity than the Count needs to worry about.”

The Imperial Consort said coldly.

Oh my, how pathetic and white-livered [lacking courage].

Jealousy towards a young child.

Of course, I told her to be jealous.

“C, can I really receive something like this?”

I asked innocently, hiding my dark intentions.

“Of course. Because you are a great hero who saved this country by creating the cure.”

“Me?”

When I widened my eyes, the Imperial Consort smiled as if I were cute.

But I didn’t answer that way just to be cute.

“Count Miaren said I kill people. But am I a hero?”

“What……?”

“He said I killed all the people in the Miaren territory.”

When I made a sad face, the Imperial Consort opened her mouth in disbelief.

Soon, a sharp gaze turned towards Count Miaren.

“Count Miaren.”

“Y, Your Imperial Highness…….”

“It’s already outrageous that you would say to an ordinary child that they killed people!”

“…….”

“What about this child! Knowing that the black plague had broken out in the Count’s territory, she immediately sent a delegation to deliver the cure. Am I wrong?”

“……That’s right. But that’s all Paeraton’s一.”

“It was none other than the Count who refused that and failed to respond properly, bringing Miaren territory to this state!”

“H, but who would believe that! That such a young child made it!”

“Baron Lindhall and Count Adersen immediately accepted the cure. Was Duke Paeraton’s guarantee insufficient?”

Well done, Imperial Consort!

“Instead of taking responsibility as a lord, you are shifting the blame to this child! You should be ashamed!”

That’s right, that’s right!

“Once this black plague situation is completely resolved, His Majesty the Emperor will hold the Count accountable. You better be prepared.”

At those words, Count Miaren’s face turned ashen.

“D, epidemics cannot be controlled! No matter how well you do, there are limits一.”

“No.”

The Imperial Consort cut him off.

“This time is different. Think about how Lindhall was restored.”

“…….”

“It’s all thanks to this child.”

The Imperial Consort gently stroked my hair.

I looked up at her and asked with the most frail, pitiful, and tearful eyes possible.

“Th, then I’m not a bad child who kills people?”

The Imperial Consort made a choked-up expression.

“Of course not.”

After answering me kindly, she turned her cold eyes back to Count Miaren.

“Count Miaren, if you had admitted your past mistakes and repented, I was thinking of pleading for leniency to His Majesty.”

“I have enough一.”

“But seeing the Count’s behavior today, I know for sure. No matter how much responsibility you bear, it will be light for the Count.”

“What do you mean by that!”

“I have a question. Is it really okay to entrust the rule of that vast land to the Count?”

Count Miaren opened his mouth blankly.

“D, does that mean you are going to remove me from the position of Count Miaren?!”

The Imperial Consort was silent.

But that was the answer.

“No matter how much Your Imperial Highness, no, even His Majesty the Emperor, cannot do that! This is an act that shakes the order of the Empire!”

“I only said it was a question.”

“…….”

“But am I the only one who feels that question?”

The Imperial Consort gave a bitter smile.

As she said.

If the Emperor tried to remove the head of a family who was even a Count just because he didn’t like him, all the nobles would stir and oppose it.

‘But it’s different now.’

From the nobles who have suffered damage from the black plague, they will want to grab Miaren’s collar.

“Your son is still young. But you happen to have a younger sister who excels in both literary and military arts, don’t you?”

“Th, that girl is much worse than me!”

“Really? I’ve always thought of her as quite a good talent.”

Count Miaren’s eyes flickered like a lamp in the wind.

He realized how he would be held responsible for the black plague.

He opened his mouth with a desperate face.

“Y, Your Highness! There is a reason why I did that! Do you know what that child said to me earlier? She is acting up in front of Your Imperial Highness!”

Count Miaren pointed at me with bloodshot eyes.

“You! I will repeat exactly what you said一.”

“I’m sorry for calling you grandpa…….”

I quickly spoke before Count Miaren could tell her exactly what I had said.

A dejected face and a sullen gesture were a bonus.

“I was wrong. You were the same age as my dad……. I thought you were a grandpa. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Silence.

“Huh……. Are you saying that you’re doing this just because a child called you grandpa?”

“N, no, that’s not all一.”

“You should have managed things better.”

The Imperial Consort clicked her tongue.

Count Miaren’s face turned red.

“I don’t want to see any more of this disgrace. Now I’m so sad that someone like this is an aristocrat of the Empire that I could cry.”

The Imperial Consort pointed at Count Miaren with her chin.

“Take him away.”

At those words, the imperial knights who had come with the Imperial Consort grabbed Count Miaren’s arms.

“L, let go of me! Do you know who I am! Your Imperial Highness! I am Count Miaren! You can’t do this to me! If Her Majesty the Empress finds out, cough!”

Count Miaren, who was struggling with his large body, was hit by a knight and fainted.

The Imperial Consort’s eyes, which I glanced up at, were like ice that had swallowed fire.

‘Hmm, she really doesn’t get along with the Empress.’

I narrowed my eyes.

At that moment, a notification window popped up in front of me.

[Quest 〈Life is Real, Jongman!〉 has been completed!]

[5000 Cash Gacha Ticket has been awarded as a reward.]

[As a result of ignoring the reader, Count Miaren is in great trouble.]

[You can’t miss this kind of thing in gossip!]

[Your influence within the Empire slightly increases.]

Gossip is the best way to spread rumors.

I nodded.

Meanwhile, Count Miaren was completely dragged out.

I came down from the Imperial Consort’s arms, spread my skirt, and curtsied.

“The daughter of Paeraton greets Her Imperial Highness.”

“Oh my, such an adorable lady.”

I smiled brightly and looked at the Imperial Consort.

“Then, Your Imperial Highness, what is the reason you came to find me?”

“Didn’t I tell you the reason earlier? I came to give you a gift.”

“That’s the reason why His Majesty the Emperor’s delegation came to find me.”

The Imperial Consort’s hand paused.

“What I’m asking is the reason why Your Imperial Highness came all the way here.”

Now, let’s not pretend we don’t know each other.

From the conversation earlier, I roughly grasped everything about the Imperial Consort.

That she wasn’t just a kind, gentle, and intolerant person, but a good person.

The smile on the Imperial Consort’s lips deepened.

“Even a young lion is still a lion. Your loveliness has momentarily blinded me.”

I smiled back.

The fact that the Imperial Consort came as a delegation was a political act.

“You guess.”

I answered without hesitation.

“The Empress’s reputation is declining in society because of Lady Apelia.”

“Yes.”

“I made the cure for the black plague, and my stock is rising.”

“You’re saying that so calmly.”

Because it’s true.

“Everyone wants to meet me, but they are reluctant to move in a situation where they can’t guarantee how the black plague is spreading.”

“That’s right.”

“Risking the danger and personally coming to find me to praise and encourage me. With that alone, unlike the Empress, the Imperial Consort can gain the image of valuing the country more than personal success.”

In fact, the area from the Imperial Capital to Paeraton territory isn’t that dangerous.

“As expected of Paeraton, you’re smart.”

The Imperial Consort smiled, but she didn’t seem particularly impressed.

That’s right.

“Anyone can think of this much.”

I smiled.

“Even though you came with such political calculations, the first thing you did was to comfort me and gain my favor? That’s a waste.”

“That’s too much. I just comforted you because I felt sorry for a lovely child crying.”

“There must be a reason why you’re trying to win me over. Everyone wants the cure from me. But I’ve already responded to the Imperial Family’s request.”

The Imperial Family was also saving the black plague, so they needed the cure.

“I don’t think Your Imperial Highness would specifically request a separate cure. But I don’t have anything else that the Imperial Consort would want besides the cure.”

Because they don’t know that I own black gold.

“Then there’s only one answer.”

“What is it?”

“You tested me.”

Just as I had grasped the Imperial Consort while being held in her arms, the Imperial Consort was also grasping me.

“So, you deliberately showed me your true colors because you knew I was being tested?”

The Imperial Consort’s eyes sparkled like someone who had discovered a treasure.

“I thought you were a cute and innocent child, but now I see you have about ten sly foxes inside you.”

“I am honored, but isn’t Your Imperial Highness the same?”

“Yes, that’s why I like you.”