Otaku Translation: I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent! C159

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Chapter 159: A Perfect Storm

The newly appointed was… well, not exactly what one would call "noble."

Watching Leon sprint toward the massive carriage while hoisting up an unconscious old steward who had foamed at the mouth, the middle-aged noblewoman couldn’t help but twitch her lips in disbelief.

Though she hadn’t caught the entirety of their exchange, she’d overheard enough to piece together that the young duke had issued some ultimatum—either this or that—which apparently sent the poor steward into a dead faint.

Her only thought now was how utterly doomed must be. With such an unconventional and unpredictable figure as its new duke, it seemed like they were teetering on the brink of ruin.

Hmm… perhaps wasn’t so bad after all. Sure, she could be a bit too forward-thinking for her station, always sneaking off to do things unbefitting royalty. But at least she knew when to play by the rules during important occasions—not like this reckless new duke, who seemed determined to make everyone around him suffer.

---

“Haha, coming here today was absolutely worth it.”

Unlike the melancholy-tinged musings of the middle-aged noblewoman, Princess Veronica leaned back inside her carriage, laughing heartily after witnessing the spectacle. She hastily shut the window behind her, letting out waves of unrestrained mirth.

After several moments of uncontrollable giggles, she finally wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes. Pressing a hand against her abdomen through the folds of her gown, she groaned between breaths, “Oh my goodness, my stomach hurts from laughing so hard! This new Duke of Lionheart really knows how to stir things up… Still, he doesn’t seem half bad.”

Peering through the vent at the rear of the carriage, she noticed with mild admiration that the Lions were actually paying reparations—and even helping right overturned carts under the duke’s orders. Turning to the older woman beside her, Veronica smiled mischievously.

“You know,” she said, “it’s a shame he inherited the title of Duke of Lionheart. If he were Marquess of Silverbloom or Lightshield instead, there might’ve been potential for him to become my . What a pity.”

???

At those words, the noblewoman visibly flinched, her expression freezing mid-thought. “Y-your Highness? You’re… you’re joking, aren’t you?”

Seeing the look of sheer horror on the woman’s face, Veronica chuckled softly before shaking her head. “No, I’m serious. He seems like quite the character. Imagine having someone like that as my prince consort—life would never be dull!”

…

Never dull? More like deadly. If he became your prince consort and passed on even half his trouble-making tendencies to you, I’d be dead from exhaustion in ten years.

“Princess Veronica,” the older woman began cautiously, eyeing the gleam in the princess’s eyes. Realizing that Veronica genuinely found the duke intriguing, she quickly spoke up, hoping to steer clear of any fate resembling that unfortunate steward’s.

“He’s simply not suitable for you, Your Highness. Even if House Lion is nothing more than a hollow shell now, they remain the nominal leaders of the old nobility. None of the families tied to them by blood or marriage would tolerate an alliance with you.”

“Hmph, don’t worry about that,” Veronica replied breezily. Glancing wistfully at the ornate lion-carved carriage disappearing into the distance, she turned back to the visibly tense noblewoman with a teasing grin. “Look at you getting worked up! Those were just idle thoughts. I wouldn’t pick a prince consort so carelessly.”

She paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Speaking of which, Father has other plans for me anyway. Lately, he’s been mentioning possible suitors—the fourth prince of , the , or perhaps the leader of the . So unless something unexpected happens, it’ll likely come down to one of them.” Smiling faintly, she added, “To be honest, in terms of personal qualities alone, none of them hold a candle to our dear Duke of Lionheart.”

…

The noblewoman stared blankly, stunned into silence. The implications of Veronica’s words sank in slowly. If the princess were married off abroad, leaving her homeland behind, the king’s proposed matches—while prestigious—were far from ideal. Each candidate was pushing forty, and none came without baggage.

Take the fourth prince of Morner: widowed after his wife died in childbirth. Or the Grand Duke of Hessen: lame from a childhood riding accident, rumored to have a volatile temper. And the Workers’ Party leader? Known for being difficult to deal with.

Veronica was clever enough to navigate these challenges; marrying into such households might even allow her to sway their allegiances back toward the kingdom. But political marriages built purely on interests rarely led to happiness. For Veronica, life abroad would likely mean decades of quiet unhappiness.

---

“Well? Why are you looking so worried?” Veronica asked, noticing the concern etched deeply onto the older woman’s face. Her voice softened slightly as she offered reassurance. “You know me better than anyone. Don’t fret—I’ll manage just fine, whether I’m sent to neighboring kingdoms or shipped across oceans alone. Trust me.”

Yes… you’ll survive no matter where you go. But will you truly be happy?

The noblewoman studied Veronica’s smiling face, noting the calm detachment in her eyes. Biting her lip, she lowered her voice. “Your Highness, must you leave? Couldn’t you stay—even if it meant marrying someone else, like the Duke of Lionheart?”

“It’s not about what I want,” Veronica replied evenly, raising an eyebrow. “From the start, this decision hasn’t rested in my hands—it belongs to Father. After losing control of the Treasury, he may appear to have stepped back, handing royal affairs over to me. But trust me, he’s never abandoned his ambition to fully dominate the realm.”

“To achieve that,” she continued, “he needs to secure legislative power, military authority, financial control, and key appointments. ’s mother happens to be the finance minister’s sister. In a few years, once Joshua comes of age, promising him the throne could easily sway the finance minister to side with the crown.”

“And by then,” Veronica went on, her tone almost clinical, “whether my reforms succeed or fail, they’ll inevitably anger both the old nobles and the House of Commons. At that point, Father can strip me of my inheritance rights, send me abroad to marry, and pacify everyone’s grievances in one fell swoop. Not only will he gain most of the power I wrested from the old nobility, but he’ll also secure external support, pave the way for Joshua’s succession, and bring the Treasury firmly under royal control.”

She gave a dry laugh. “Just one failed marriage for his eldest daughter, and he gains all these tangible and intangible benefits. Knowing Father, he wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity.”

---

“This… How can he do this?” The noblewoman shot to her feet, fury flashing in her eyes. “All these years you’ve devoted to the kingdom! Even if His Majesty decides not to let you inherit the throne, how can he treat you like this? And Joshua—he’s completely unfit to rule!”

“It’s not about fairness,” Veronica said, shaking her head with a faint smile. “As the king’s daughter, I was born with everything ninety-nine percent of this country dreams of. But every privilege comes with sacrifices.”

She paused, her gaze softening. “Besides, you shouldn’t feel sorry for me. All I’ve lost is the ability to choose my own spouse. Joshua, however, has it worse. Spoiled rotten by Father, he’s practically lost his mind. Isn’t he the real victim here?”

“When will you stop making light of this?” The noblewoman stomped her foot in frustration. “How can you sit there joking around? Aren’t you angry? Are you really going to accept this fate?”

“What choice do I have?” Veronica countered calmly, her eyes flickering. “Should I overthrow everything and cozy up to the old nobles? Or perhaps ally myself with the , allowing those exploitative ‘economic bills’ to pass unchecked? Should I hire assassins to kill my own brother? Or maybe stage a coup, march into the palace with the military, and hang my father from the gallows?”

…

The noblewoman stood speechless, her vision blurring as tears welled up. She remembered caring for Veronica since childhood—a bright, lively girl who used to run wild in the palace gardens, covered in dirt but always smiling like the sun itself. As she grew older, though still fond of laughter, her smiles took on different shades: gentle, resigned, self-deprecating, weary. When was the last time she’d seen that radiant, genuine smile? Three years ago? Five? Longer?

“Oh dear, why are you getting so emotional?” Veronica teased gently, watching the older woman struggle to compose herself. “I was only speculating earlier. Who knows what might change in the coming years? Perhaps…” She grinned mischievously. “Perhaps the Duke of Lionheart will fall madly in love with me someday, defy all familial pressures, and propose using the entire Lion fortune as dowry. Then Father would surely arrange for Joshua to marry a monkey and ship him overseas, ensuring the throne stays firmly beneath me.”

“Pfft!” The noblewoman burst out laughing despite herself, momentarily forgetting decorum. Reaching out, she pinched Veronica sharply on the waist. “Shame on you! That duke isn’t even twenty yet, and you’re already—”

“Ouch!” Veronica exclaimed, panicking as sensitive royal secrets threatened to spill. Lunging forward, she clamped a hand over the older woman’s mouth. “Not another word about that! If you dare mention it again, I’ll drag you across the sea with me—and use you as shark bait!”

“Mmph… Fine, fine! Just ease off—I can barely breathe.…”

---

By unspoken agreement, the two avoided further discussion of future marriages, instead settling into lighthearted banter. Meanwhile, the resumed its journey, carrying a reluctant duke toward the at the end of the .

Once the opulent vehicle disappeared, Veronica and her companion checked the timing of the . Realizing they were running late, they switched to the nobility’s express lane. Their driver urged the horses to full speed, the wheels rattling dangerously until they barely made it through the gates of the Lion estate before sunrise.

“Not bad timing,” Veronica remarked cheerfully, hopping out of the carriage. Handing a false invitation to a waiting maid, she lifted her skirts and dashed toward the main building, ignoring the older woman’s protests.

“I’m heading in first! Hurry up!”

“Wait! Wait for me!” The noblewoman huffed, exasperated, as she watched Veronica sprint ahead with unbecoming gusto. Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly followed suit, lifting her own skirts and calling out breathlessly, “P-Princes! Mind your manners… Hmm?”

Reaching the entrance, she froze, alarmed to see Veronica standing stock-still outside the door. Rushing forward, fearing the princess’s identity had been discovered, she prepared to intervene—but then—

SLAP!

A resounding slap echoed through the grand hall. The noblewoman arrived just in time to witness the newly minted duke single-handedly lift Joshua off the ground, spit venomously into his swollen face, and growl, “Keep me from becoming duke, will you? Go ahead—make good on your threat.”

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