Episode 29: Poisoned Rat(1)
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At the same time, Tarkan was sitting in his office with a serious look on his face.
The warrior remained silent, carefully studying his mood.
βHe must feel complicated after Dionna did such a thing…β
βWho knew Chantraβs sister would act like this.β
After a deep silence, Tarkan finally opened his mouth.
βI think I love Aristine.β
βHuh?β
βWhat in the…β
βIsnβt that obvious…?β
They were wondering why he was so serious but to think he was thinking about that.
βWhat is with all your reactions?β
βI mean…itβs not like thatβs a new thing…β
βAnyone can see you two are all lovey dovey.β
βEspecially Milord…β
He was the incarnation of jealousy itself. And scarily so.
Tarkanβs lips twitched, βSay that again.β
βWhat? I, I didnβt finish my sentence.β
βNo, before that.β
βThat anyone can see that you two are lovey dovey?β
This time, Tarkanβs cheeks twitched.
The eyes of the warriors dimmed as they looked at the hero of this country. They couldnβt help but wonder if this was the same man who usually cut down anyone trying to butter him up.
But since he liked it so much, they unenthusiastically opened their mouths.
βYour Highnesses are truly a match made in heaven.β
βAnyone can see you two make a perfect couple.β
βYou two look amazing together. It is magnificent. A gift from God.β
And every time they sang praises, Tarkanβs shoulders shook.
βI see.β
He mumbled, stroking his chin with a wrinkled brow.
βBut Aristine doesnβt seem to think much of it.β
βThe Princess Consort is a little slow in that regards. Perhaps itβs more accurate to say sheβs not conscious of it.β
βThen why not make her conscious of it?β
When Jacquelin said that, Tarkanβs eyes widened.
βMake her conscious?β
βYes, create a romantic atmosphere or…keep appealing to aspects that the Princess Consort really likes. She canβt help being drawn to you if you keep showing her sides of you that she likes.β
βThat sounds good.β
Tarkan nodded. Sure enough, as a strategist, Jacquelinβs mind worked quickly.
βAn aspect that Aristine likes.β
Tarkan thought to himself, recalling his time with Aristine.
Times when Aristineβs eyes were especially bright. If you exclude eating or talking business…
βMy chest…β
Tarkan unconsciously touched his exposed chest.
γThe bread was really warm and puffy. It felt amazing. γ
He remembered how Aristine looked, speaking dreamily after she touched his chest to her heartβs content.
βThe same thing happened when she was sick and unconscious…β
She groped his chest with such intensity and energy.
βEhem, ehem.β
He cleared his throat for no reason and put his hand down quietly.
The warriors looked at their masterβs face and tilted their heads.
They wondered if he was sick because his ears were so red.
* * *
The Queenβs factionβs scheme to monopolize pig-iron ended in losses and no gains whatsoever.
Thanks to the hard work of the blacksmiths, there was no problem stocking up on scalpels. Their re-use of scrap metals even made it into an article, drawing publicity.
The Queenβs faction tried to draw attention to the sanitation of recycled scrap metal, but it was immediately refuted and instead allowed the public to know that the process had no issue.
Moreover, Duke Skiela, who monopolized the key materials, was warned by the king.
As the rate of surgical infections decreased nationwide due to the increased usage of the new scalpel, interest began to grow internationally.
Aristine and Tarkanβs marriage drew attention throughout the continent so other countries already knew about Aristine making scalpels. However, they only thought of it as a show of philanthropy of some sort.
But when the numbers began to show clear results, numerous countries began to make contact.
They were skeptical because Irugo, which was known as the land of barbarians, was said to have made an amazing medical scalpel but once they saw the real thing, they were in awe.
γI thought Irugoians only knew swords but this scalpel…!γ
γIt really doesnβt rust.γ
γThen again, Irugo has always been good at metallurgy. The introduction of the Princess Consort produced a good synergy. γ
Before, these countries disparaged Irugo to curry favor with the Silvanus Empire. But now that Silvanus and Irugo had reconciled, and they wanted to import medical scalpels as valuable as human life, their attitude change.
This was what King Irugo wanted.
Furthermore, the stainless steel received more explosive attention than the scalpels.
Deciding on a name for the stainless steel became a national issue.
The problem arose after seeing the names Ritlen chose.
[The Goddessβs Blessing]
[The Pure Iron of a Pure Angel]
[Goddess of Steel]
Aristine almost crumpled the paper on the spot.
While questioning his aesthetics, she asked him to bring her the list of all the names that were submitted.
And the names on that list…
[Long Live the Princess Consort]
[Please marry me]
[What are you plans for a new addition to the family?]
[…]
With all the things written, it was hard to tell whether this was supposed to be a naming content for steel or an avenue for writing letters.
Aristine couldnβt bring herself to read past the first page and put it down.
Her head hurt and she didnβt even know what to say.
She remembered Tarkan looking amused when he said, βYouβre going to have a vote among the candidates that Ritlen chose?β.
He must have expected this to happen.
Her husband was intolerable, but either way, this was already something that she promised the people.
But none of these names were usable so Aristine was forced to come to a decision.
βI have to use a trick.β
It felt like cheating, but she could not have it being called goddess-something or angel-whatever. If she chose such a name, she would be so embarrassed, and it would cause setbacks in her business.
Thankfully, she never announced that the voting process.
Originally, she was going to hold a vote among her amazing employees, but she decided to vote by herself.
After deciding that, she half-threatened Ritlen to put a name she decided as a nominee and had a one-man vote.
The result was a unanimous(not really) vote for stainless steel.
SS.
It was an unimaginative name, but it was good.
Sure enough, the best things were the ones you were familiar with.
Anyways, she brought over a few things from earth so she figured it would be good to at least leave a trace of it.
Even the mana-powered furnace that recycled scrap metal was drawing interest at the industrial level.
This was why she purposefully asked Asena not to install the mana-powered furnace anywhere else.
Aristine gladly received their messages.
And while she was busy working, Dionna was banned from entering Tarkanβs palace.
Frankly, her punishment was going to be more severe, but Aristine blocked it. Because she found out about Dionnaβs elder brother, Chantra.
The warriors couldnβt help but feel shaken when they heard that Dionna would be severely punished.
They all held affection towards their late comrade and a sense of debt.
Aristine didnβt hold much of a grudge against Dionna, so she told Tarkan that putting Dionna in probation was enough. Because she felt that was a more rational decision to rally the warriors.
But contrary to Aristineβs intentions, the warriors looked at Aristine, feeling emotional.
γTo someone so benevolent…γ
γIs this the generosity of the goddess of peace…γ
γBut to think His Highness Tarkan overturned his decision. Sure enough, the Princess Consort…γ
Aristine casually ignored what they were saying. She had slowly gotten used the warriorβs exaggerations.
All in all, her days had been pretty good.
There was just one little issueβ.
γAristine.γ
It was when night came.
Tarkan whispered in Aristineβs ear in a husky voice every night.
And every time, Aristine felt strange tingles in her back and shoulder and wanted to shrink away.
Before, they slept side by side on their backs but lately for some reason, Tarkan had been saying the bed was too narrow and slept on his side.
Because of his position, his firm, soft, and warm chest kept touching Aristineβs arm. When Tarkan moved from time to time, she could feel the clear curve of his chest.
The problem was that, the sensation felt so nice that if she lost focus for a second, her hands would move before she even realized it.
There had been more than a few times when she woke up and found her hand resting on Tarkanβs chest.
And the frequency of her dreams about warm, puffy bread had increased.
βBad hand! You bad bad hand!β
Right when Aristine was looking down at her hand and scolding it…
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- Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapter 62 - December 29, 2025
- Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapter 56 – 61 - December 21, 2025
- Honey, I’m Going on Strike – Chapters 50 – 55 - December 7, 2025
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GOOD HAND… A VERY, VEEEEERY GOOD HAND. NYAHAHAHA
(β οΎβ β§β ββ β¦β )β οΎβ Β β οΎβ Β β β»β ββ β»
Lol I was saying that in my mind while I was reading π π
the incarnation of jealousy itself π€£π€£π€£ cannot agree any less!
Keep that hand going! π
Heheheβ¦ how about you shift directions and plan for heirs if you catch my driftβ¦
Wahaahahahhaha bad hand oooh bad hand
He’s slowly winning XD
Thank you for the chapter<3
If he knows that she imagine his chest as a bread..
He knows π she told him since the 1st time and it’s still shown in this chapter during Tarkan’s thinking that she treated his chest as a bread but she was so satisfied with it and happy that he still wants to try this method to seduce her
Thanks for the translate Ruby Nim…
Maybe Tarkan just pretend to be sleep… Waiting for his wife ..
Good job Aristine hand..π€
Mission of wife seducing is ON!! β₯οΈβ₯οΈβ₯οΈ
“Please marry me” lololololπ€£π€£ this is definitely redditor in that universe
Thanks for the translation, I was really excited to read it,it was great π
No no no, Rine. You have very very good hands. Don’t scold them wkwkwk Let your hand find it’s save placeπ
Puahahahahahahahahahaha xDD
Tarkan, u have to keep going that. The real challenge is on: make Aristine aware of her own feelings!
I mean- I can’t blame her, I would also be t-touching that soft mmm **bread** xDDD
Holly handπ
Thank you very much for translating this novel !
soooo many happening in just one chapter. first of all TARKAN REALIZED HE LOVES ARISTINE IT’S NOT A DRILL HE REALIZED AND ADMITTED TO HIS FEELINGS!! AND NOT ‘LIKE’ BUT LOVE!!! second, the soldiers lmaooo, i felt it when they thought isn’t it obvious XD then tarkan immediately thinking of his chest when recalling what aspects aristine likes about him lololol there’s also names for the stainless steel and aristine threatening ritlen to put name of her choice in the list then by herself and selecting it XD lastly, tarkan seducing aristine with his chest and it actually working lmaoo i can’t with them πππ
thank you so much miss ruby β€β€β€
I bet Tarkan puts her hand on his chest after he knows she’s asleep ππ
listen π you don’t understand π i didn’t want this chapter to end it’s so good ππ I’ve been reading and rereading it for days it’s the best chapter π Tarkan not only realized his feelings, he ADMITTED them and to all his men ππππ HE LOVES ARISTINE β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ he’s seducing his wife with tiddy π π
Good heavensπ€£π€£π€£ma dude is seducing his wife with his chest And it’s WORKING
Hahahahahaha xD, first the reunion with Tarkan’s people for reach a strategy to put Aristine head over heels xD, the conclusion of Tarkan got me rolling in the floor laughing xD
Then the scolding for Aristine hands xD hahahahahahaha, this was one of the best chapters xD
Thank you so much for this funny update miss ruby π€π€
Word of advice, never abbrivate anything to SS, itβs still too close to WW2. Perhaps in another 50 years or so.
I was really hoping βAristeelβ would be the final name.
so funny to me how aristine is so touchy yet oblivious at the same time… i can’t wait until they sleep together no shy FLs here π mr *and* mrs pervert. tarkan’s complete image change among the warriors is so funny to me. also dionna is going to waste this chance as per usual… delulu bitches never learn
Aww I thought they would name stainless steel “Ari-Steel” or something more clever
Hahaha yes Tarkan! You use your chest to lure her in! Hahaha remember how shocked and offended he was the first time she touched it in her sleep ππ now his pecs areweapon number 1 in his arsenal hahaha