I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 106

“Viscount Krause is attending the late Emperor’s memorial?”

I frowned without meaning to.

Of course, it wasn’t unusual for high-ranking nobles to attend the late Emperor’s memorial. In fact, it was even encouraged. But it wasn’t mandatory.

These were the same noble faction aristocrats who didn’t even attend Caesar’s coronation. So why would they show up for the late Emperor’s memorial? And now Krause is going?

Katana continued speaking.

“Who was it again… Heh… some Baron something-or-other was against it, but the Viscount insisted on going. I even asked why, but he wouldn’t answer. It was weird how stubborn he was about it, so I remembered.”

“Really?”

So he’s going even though others opposed it…

‘Has he still not given up on spreading those rumors about Caesar being a tyrant? What’s he planning to do there?’

Floria, who had been quietly listening, spoke with a worried expression.

“But… he’s not going to follow us all the way to Dad’s grave, right?”

“The grave?”

“Yeah. I heard the event starts at the palace and then moves to the graveyard. All together.”

Katana shook her head.

“He said he’s going there too!”

“What?”

“He said it was absolutely necessary to go all the way there!”

That made it even stranger. It wasn’t like he’d suddenly developed some new loyalty to someone who was already gone. There was no real reason for Viscount Krause to follow all the way to the grave.

‘The grave… Is that location what really matters?’

It seemed there was a need to keep an even closer eye on the Viscount.

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t long before I returned to work. Caesar told me to rest a little more, but I couldn’t just keep my hands off palace affairs any longer.

Of course, my duties weren’t limited to being a palace maid. As soon as I returned, I started discussing Ian with Caesar. Today was no different.

“It’s impossible to catch Ian right away.”

I suddenly said that while we were drinking tea in the drawing room, and Caesar nodded.

“He’s not someone an ordinary person could capture.”

“Exactly. All we can do for now is track where Ian’s going…”

“How about issuing a public bounty? Exposing everything Ian has done along with it.”

“But we don’t have any evidence. And if we do that, the Duke of Bryden… he might turn against us.”

“Hm…”

Caesar set down his teacup and spoke.

“That is, if the Duke truly has nothing to do with what Ian has done.”

“I… I’m sure of it.”

I gave a bitter smile, recalling the original story. In the original, a rebellion by the noble faction broke out, and the Duke of Bryden’s household collapsed. Everyone died—only Ian survived by chance and fled to Sallmon.

‘But it wasn’t a coincidence.’

Ian kidnapping Floria and heading to Sallmon, just like in the original… it meant Ian had always thought of Sallmon as his hideout.

So in the end… both the rebellion and the duke’s downfall were part of his plan. Ian had betrayed even his own family.

“We shouldn’t tell the Duke about this. He’s still his father, after all. Without solid proof, he’ll want to believe in his son.”

“Then what, we just sit back and let Ian do whatever he wants?”

A short silence fell over the drawing room.

“Ian wants the throne. He said so himself. So there’s no way he’ll just give up. We don’t know how, but he’ll probably attack again. All we can do is wait…”

“He’s not someone to take lightly.”

Caesar’s face darkened, as if recalling what had happened days ago.

I’d already heard all the details about the battle with Ian—the soldiers made from stone, the danger of the walls, and how recklessly Ian had used his powers.

“…That suppressant still bothers me. The one made from my blood. I should’ve stopped it from being made, no matter what…”

“There was nothing you could do. Don’t blame yourself.”

“Still… Ian said he could make more with just a tiny amount. No one knows how much more he has left.”

Caesar gently patted my hand. Then he suddenly said:

“But if you think about it another way, doesn’t that mean Ian has a time limit?”

“What?”

“I mean, Ian doesn’t have an unlimited supply of suppressants. What if he’s planning to finish everything before he runs out?”

“Oh…!”

That made a lot of sense. We hadn’t talked in detail, but from what I’d seen, Ian was nearly a perfectionist.

He could still use his power without the suppressant, but he’d probably want to fight in the most ideal conditions.

“So that means there’s a good chance Ian will strike soon.”

“Exactly. …Though, we still can’t know exactly when.”

Just then, a flash of inspiration crossed my mind.

“We may not know, but there’s someone who might.”

“Hm?”

“Viscount Krause.”

Caesar looked at me, as if asking for an explanation.

“Ian doesn’t know we’re tapping into Krause’s conversations. He doesn’t even think the Viscount betrayed him.  As for the kidnapping at the cabin… he probably just thinks Krause was too dumb to stop it.”

“Hm…”

“Ian doesn’t value human life. If he had even a small concern that Krause might leak info, he would’ve killed him already.”

Caesar nodded.

“So he still sees Krause as a usable pawn.”

“Exactly.”

“So you’re saying, by eavesdropping on the Viscount, we might find out when Ian will strike?”

“That’s part of it…”

I paused and thought. Would someone like Ian really reveal his full plan to Viscount Krause?

No—definitely not. Ian probably treated people like tools. Everyone would just carry out their own part without knowing the full picture.

‘Does Krause even know what kind of person Ian really is? What he’s truly planning?’

“Your Majesty, why do you think the Viscount follows Ian?”

“To take me down, of course.”

“And then what? Do you think he really wants Ian on the throne?”

Caesar narrowed his eyes.

“Are you saying they both want the throne?”

“Yes! Of course Ian wants it, but Krause must want power too.”

In the original story, the noble faction took the throne, so it was only natural.

“And Ian, at least on the surface, is still the heir of the Duke of Bryden. No matter what, that family is part of the imperial faction. Would Krause really trust him completely?”

“What are you trying to say? That you want to break them apart?”

“No. I’m saying… they’re already broken apart.”

“If they’re already not aligned, why is Krause still working with him?”

“Maybe he’s already stuck in too deep.”

At first, Krause probably planned to use Ian—to weaken the imperial power, bring down Caesar, and take control himself.

But now, he might be realizing that things are going in a very strange direction. Especially after Floria was kidnapped.

“Is he trapped because… he’s afraid of Ian?”

I nodded firmly. There was no other explanation. Krause must already know about the deaths of the Duke of Spiegel and the maid.

Ian was keeping him in line with fear. But if that fear… became reality?

“All we may need to do… is take a very small step.”

“You’ve got an idea, don’t you?”

I couldn’t help but smile. I said confidently:

“Ian’s the one who’s going to make the next move.”

 

 

 

******

 

 

 

 

That evening, at my request, Caesar reached out to the Empress. She responded almost as if she had been waiting.

We immediately headed to her palace. She still lived in the same residence she used when she was Empress. In fact, she rarely left that place.

‘Though after Floria’s kidnapping, she started going out a bit more.’

Following a maid’s guidance, we entered the drawing room, where a tea table had already been set. The only person present was the Empress.

Caesar and I respectfully greeted her, then sat across from her.

Even though we hadn’t told her our reason for visiting, she looked relaxed, as if she already knew.

‘That must be why she dismissed all her maids.’

“You’ve come to collect what I owe you, haven’t you?”

The Empress  asked casually.

“That’s right.”

“And what you want… it’s not something visible, is it?”

“That’s also correct.”

I nodded.  It reminded me of the old days—when we had sat like this, plotting to put Caesar on the throne.

“What I want is information.”

The Empress  raised an eyebrow, as if telling me to continue.

“Information from the time when Your Majesty joined hands with the noble faction.”