Chapter 120: Episode 24 _ How Much Will You Give _(1)
1.
“Wow.”
“You’ve arrived, Viscount?”
The mont Han Simin entered the Imperial Palace and faced the princess, an exclamation popped out of his mouth first.
He knew the princess was naturally pretty after the curse was lifted, but to think it was to this extent!
’As expected, is it all about makeup for won?’
It didn’t seem to be just the makeup buff.
Glossy hair. Instead of dangling accessories, a single simple hairpin provided a point of focus, and the single dress she wore beneath it naturally drew the gaze of n—no, of people.
Considering the characteristics of nobles who liked to dress up and show off, it was a modest outfit to the point where it was hard to believe she was a Princess of the Empire, of the continent. But Han Simin was not fooled by that.
’Makeup plus money. On top of that, a natural face that can only be obtained in this shitty ga of luck. With this trinity, my heart is actually racing.’
The dress and the hairpin.
How much would those two sparkling items be worth?
He calculated while marveling at the princess’s pure white limbs and flawless skin.
’Just that one hairpin could probably buy a building.’
It was an unavoidable instinct and, at the sa ti, the natural behavior of one who adapts to reality.
Moreover, hadn’t he seen the Emperor up close several tis?
This was the Emperor who personally participated in an auction and spent a fortune to buy
15 armor for the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.
Furthermore, considering he was holding a festival larger, more splendid, and longer than any other Imperial event, would he set a low value on the dress and hairpin she wore?
Whatever the cost, he must have prepared sothing precious.
“Thank you for coming.”
Thinking like that, the princess looked exceptionally beautiful.
This wasn’t just on the level of winning the lottery.
His heart was pounding.
“Don’t ntion it. Of course I had to co. It’s our Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.”
As a result, cheesy lines just poured out.
“Ugh. Simin Oppa, aren’t you going too far?”
“Shut up.”
What did the gazes of others matter in front of love!
He moved his steps while holding the hand of the brightly smiling Princess.
“You look especially beautiful today.”
She remained silent.
The reality where the interest he had placed on the three slaves he brought along was nowhere to be found!
The Specialists, abandoned in the Imperial Palace they were visiting for the first ti, let out awkward laughs.
They hadn’t t the Emperor yet, and it was their first ti seeing the princess, but just from the current situation, it seed they could understand how he got involved with such high-grade NPCs and maintained it until now.
And based on that, they raised the probability a little higher.
Perhaps Han Simin could really make the ridiculous story of selling noble titles for money a reality, just as he said.
* * *
The corners of the Emperor’s mouth also curled up as soon as he saw the fully dressed-up Princess.
Before being the tyrant of the continent, the beautiful appearance of a father who didn’t mind getting involved with an unheard-of adventurer for his daughter!
“...So you ca.”
“What do you an So you ca? Aren’t you showing your dislike for your son-in-law a little too openly? It hurts my feelings.”
“I never said I disliked you.”
“It’s written all over your face, you know?”
However, the joy was brief.
Because he saw the slick face following in while holding the princess’s hand.
“You ca quickly. You could have co by tomorrow.”
“Ay. How could I do that? I’m holding back my desire to just settle down here.”
The Emperor was speechless.
“Ah! You heard the news, right? That I crushed the guy who was ssing with
in a territory war.”
On top of that, he scratched at the Emperor’s nerves.
The Emperor, who was resting his chin on his hand with his legs crossed on the throne, frowned.
“The Dukes are being annoying about that issue.”
One Emperor and three Dukes.
The Emperor was certainly the sky above the sky, but he did not ignore the three Ducal families that had established, protected, and maintained the Empire.
Ruling the continent alone was sothing that could not and should not happen.
For instance, it was special treatnt.
If other nobles displeased the Emperor, he would kill them without asking for a reason. But for these families, he would at least look for a justifiable reason, and unless it was sothing truly deserving of death, he would grant them the privilege of forgiveness at least once!
The Emperor’s goodwill given to the Ducal families who had been with him since the previous generation and always maintained the position of number two.
That couldn’t be an indulgence to bare their teeth at him, but in a situation like this, it ca as quite a headache.
“I heard you ordered Baron Karan to steal it. The treasure of Marquis Haines’s family.”
“I didn’t order him. He just brought it on his own.”
The Emperor fell silent.
“But why are you telling
that, Your Majesty?”
“Marquis Haines is the son-in-law of one of the three Great Dukes.”
“Aha!”
Han Simin had no interest in history and even less interest in other people’s family affairs, but when it ca to his own items and money, his brain worked extraordinarily well.
Everything was clarified with the Emperor’s single sentence as to why the story of the ring he obtained for free was coming up.
“So that pig’s uncle is a Marquis, and that Marquis is the son-in-law of one of the Empire’s three Great Dukes?”
“That is correct.”
“But why are they complaining to you, Your Majesty? They could just take it up with
directly.”
Of course, understanding was one thing, and accepting it was a separate issue!
It was a story that could be easily resolved if approached politically, but the Emperor kindly explained it to him, who wasn’t even attempting to do so.
“Because it’s an opportunity. You, who have officially beco my son-in-law, touched the treasure of a Duke’s family. For them, who have been waiting for decades, or perhaps hundreds of years, hiding their teeth for a chance, it is a very good opportunity to expand their standing even a little.”
“Hmm.”
So that’s how it is.
It seed like adults interfering in a kids’ fight, but he nodded and acknowledged it.
“It’s my fault.”
The Emperor fell silent.
What could he do?
He had to admit what needed admitting and take what he could take.
“Still, it’s a relief. That they didn’t co straight to
to complain. If they had asked for a territory war or sothing, it would have been a big problem.”
“Haa.”
The sound of the Emperor’s sigh ant nothing.
He ignored it appropriately and slyly stepped back.
“Then I’ll see you at the coming-of-age ceremony. Bye to you too, Princess.”
“Yes, Viscount.”
Originally, he intended to et the Emperor and casually throw out so bait about the Specialists, but since the atmosphere beca heavier than expected, he decided to aim for the next opportunity.
“What is it? Did you cause trouble again, Oppa?”
“Trouble? What trouble. Isn’t the ga always like this? Ridiculous episodes pop up here and there, proceeding even when users don’t understand. Tsk tsk, wondering where they learned this damn storyline that throws all plausibility to the dogs. You really have to hand it to BetaGo.”
Yeseul fell silent.
Listening to him, that didn’t seem to be the case.
She clicked her tongue watching Han Simin stroke the controversial ring as it reflected the sunlight.
No matter how hard she tried, it seed it wouldn’t be easy to adapt like Han Simin in this place.
2.
Unlike the carefree thief accomplice, the victims who had their treasure stolen hadn’t been able to stretch their legs out and sleep, let alone sleep properly, until now.
“Damn it. That bastard Karan. How did he steal the ring? Did you catch where he is?”
“He entered the Northern Forest, so pursuit is difficult.”
“Damn it. Bring him back alive no matter what happens.”
“Yes.”
It wasn’t that he trusted him.
He just hadn’t been wary of him.
After all, he was nothing more than a fool with a screw loose.
An existence to whom he gave a suitable title just to keep up the family’s appearance, and whose occasional whining he would just roughly accept and gloss over.
He was a vain and arrogant child, but since he was sent to the provinces out of sight anyway, it didn’t really matter.
That was the problem.
To think he would commit such an audacious act.
“Phew.”
It was more baffling than infuriating.
The betrayal hit him from an unexpected angle, leaving him stunned.
Tsk tsk.
“I apologize, Father-in-law.”
But bafflent was bafflent, and reality was reality.
He bowed his waist to apologize to the old man in front of him.
The Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.
To think he had to sit on a bed of thorns in this atmosphere on such a good day.
He ground his teeth, but getting angry wouldn’t reverse what had already happened.
“Of all things, he had to steal that ring...”
“Forget it. It’s not as if the stolen item is sitting inside a dragon’s belly. It is rely in the hands of an adventurer, so it poses no significant problem.”
“Still, isn’t he the Emperor’s son-in-law?”
“That is precisely why we can retrieve it with greater certainty.”
What mattered was how they handled things from this point forward.
“Seeing as the Emperor hasn’t denied it, it seems certain that he possesses it.”
“...I apologize.”
The Duke shook his head.
The ring was undoubtedly a precious treasure and, simultaneously, a source of powerful force possessed by the Ducal faction.
However, that story only applied to those who knew its true value!
“To anyone else, it is nothing more than a rare gem. We simply need to retrieve it. Since we have secured the conditions to expand our influence using him as a pretext, you should focus solely on retrieving the treasure.”
“Yes.”
Despite his affirmative response, Marquess Haines’s expression showed no sign of relaxing.
Perhaps it was a natural worry.
Even if others did not know the value of the pretty stone with gold hidden inside, the fact that it was in soone else’s hands—and specifically in the hands of soone he could not easily touch—ant he would be consud by the anxiety that its true value could be revealed at any mont.
“Marquess, that adventurer is currently at the Imperial Palace.”
“...What?”
The piece of information that arrived just then was enough to make Marquess Haines stand up.
“Where is he now?”
“After having an audience with His Imperial Majesty, he is currently wandering around the capital.”
“What about escorts?”
“There are no separate escort knights attached to him. There are three adventurers who appear to be his companions.”
“Is that so?”
An impatient mind inevitably leads to action.
The Marquess imdiately prepared to leave.
The Duke watched him but did not stop him.
“Be careful. He is an adventurer who has beco the Emperor’s son-in-law.”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
He offered only advice.
There was trust between them, and confidence in their power.
Although they were currently bowing at the waist and lowering their heads beneath the Emperor, if an opportunity ever arose...
“A crisis always turns into an opportunity.”
The one single advantage the Emperor lacked.
Experience!
The Duke sipped his tea.
* * *
What is the most childish, yet simultaneously most threatening form of intimidation?
Many thods could be listed, but from the perspective of the victim, the dirtiest and pettiest one always boils down to a single thing.
The abuse of power!
“Are you Viscount Simin?”
“Who are you?”
A fateful encounter in the middle of the capital!
Marquess Haines’s gaze naturally drifted to Han Simin’s left hand.
The jet-black ring that anyone would notice first.
He wanted to grab him by the collar right then and there and demand he hand over the ring, but he held back.
After all, the family treasure was a secret to the outside world.
It wouldn’t look good in the eyes of others, and letting it be known that the treasure hadn’t returned to his hands would only lower the chances of retrieving it.
So, he found another way.
“I am Marquess Haines. Circumstances imply that you insulted our family during the territory war with Baron Karan. I wish to hear it from your own mouth.”
“Huh?”
’What kind of bullshit is this?’
While Simin tilted his head at the sudden appearance and malice, Marquess Haines raised his voice as if he wanted everyone to hear.
“How dare a re Viscount insult not only , a Marquess, but even Duke Sar? And yet you show your shaless face here?”
“Tsk, tsk. Oh my.”
“I have never seen such a shaless person.”
He had deliberately brought a crowd of nobles from his faction, including his family, to the festival.
In this situation, passersby were bound to misunderstand and assu that Han Simin was the one in the wrong.
“Follow . It seems we must determine right from wrong.”
He created the atmosphere and controlled the narrative.
A group naturally ford an encirclent!
He fell silent.
In that brief mont, Han Simin felt it.
It was perhaps an instinct.
The instinctual anxiety that he might lose the treasure that had beco his!
’Ah, shit. It’s this bastard.’
* * *
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