The Dragon King's Substitute Bride

Chapter 107

CH107

Tsunco

Renji's jaw dropped. "How large? Not a simple calculation error?"

"Given that they are large sums that have been broken up into smaller mounts and moved around? The sums are too large and too secretive to be that."

He opened the ledger. He scanned the entries, his eyes widening as he saw what I'd already discovered. He opened the records he'd been looking at. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, clearly unsure of what to say.

"I... I don't know how this could have happened," he stammered, his voice weak. "We've been following all protocols. No unauthorized transactions... at least none that I've seen

I raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. "And yet, there's money missing."

Renji's hands shook as he fumbled with the papers, his panic rising. He wasn't the thief. That much was clear from the way he seemed confused. He checked and re-checked numbers, but he looked just as confused as he should be. Stop applying pressure on him, Tarofu said.

He's the first stop.

Tarofu sighed. So much was lost... Look at his hands, Tsuneo.

dropped my gaze to his hands and were shaking, but then I could see the faint lines of what ooked like light there. It was in a pattern. I could almost read it.

What is that?

Jaths of loyalty. He hasn't broken a single vow. Remind him of that. We are a reasonable man, we lways have been.

I know that you have done all that you should have," I said. He raised his head. "I did not come ere to cast doubt on you. You are the expert, however, and I need your help uncovering the how nd the who."

enji's shoulders slumped and he grumbled, shaking his head.

no longer handle the day-to-day, Your Highness. His Majesty asked me to take on a higher level

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you were struck unconscious. He

eyes bulged. "What

We found them to be bandits and mercenaries, but he never uncovered who was behind it, n what they wanted, but His Majesty was adamant that they were prioritized." Sacred Lands, Tarofu said, growling. There are only a few who would know where they were and have a reason to

Care to explain.

We need to speak with my Pyra before

start with this investigation?"

came in, one I recognized as Renji's nephew. He did not have oaths on his

to the treasury accounts," Renji said, his voice cold. "And I want

at me, bowing, his hands trembling as

and made a note to read the palace's memories about what had transpired in his office. Then,

a familiar voice called out

""Tsuneo!"

to see Kai running down the hallway, his small legs pumping as he rushed toward me, his tutor trailing far behind, calling for him to slow down, though he seemed amused and far less stern than

in

proudly, waving the paper in front of my face. "It's for

at the paper. It was a crude drawing, the lines uneven and

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be me, and the other smaller, with a bright smile, unmistakably Kai. The messy words were just

this for me?" I asked, surprised by

eagerly. "Yeah! You're always so busy, so I thought I'd make you something fun... I couldn't figure out how to draw Lady

me learn."

tension from the ledger, the theft, and the scheming faded into the background. I crouched down to Kai's

Kai," I said smiling. I'll keep it, and I'm sure my wife won't mind being

one."

around me in a hug. I hugged him back. My eyes burning a bit. I remembered being his age and knowing that only my parents

remembered how lonely that felt seeing my other siblings hug

never seemed that Kai had ever been able to

his back.