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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struck unconscious. He

eyes bulged.

attacks on the borders. We found them to be bandits and mercenaries, but he never uncovered who was behind it, n what they wanted, but His

Care to explain.

We need to speak

start with this investigation?" I

rang a bell. A younger man came in, one I recognized as

accounts," Renji said, his

glanced at me, bowing, his hands trembling as he turned. "I'll get it to you

him leave and made a note to read the palace's memories about

palace, a familiar voice

""Tsuneo!"

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 he

in colorful

he said proudly, waving the paper

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

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but there was no mistaking the figures. Two people stood at the center-one tall and dark-haired, clearly meant to be me, and the other smaller, with a bright smile, unmistakably Kai. The messy words were

for me?" I asked, surprised by

"Yeah! You're always so busy, so I thought I'd make you something fun... I couldn't figure out how to draw Lady Morgan this time... or write sister... Master Neo is

me learn."

the tension from the ledger, the theft, and the scheming faded into the background. I crouched down to Kai's level, taking the drawing from his small

keep it, and I'm

one."

he threw his arms 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 would

felt seeing my other siblings hug each

had ever been able to even hug his own mother and father. I

his back.