I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 108

The very next morning after the mogofos seeds arrived, Viscount Krause requested an audience with the Emperor. She believed this was her last remaining option.

I have to get away from Ian.

Krause could no longer trust him. Even though she had followed every order, Ian now seemed intent on killing her.  But she couldn’t confront him outright, either.

Then, she remembered the former princess and Evelyn Chester. They had been kidnapped by Ian—but escaped unharmed.

And the one who had rescued them… was none other than the Emperor.

He definitely has some kind of ability.

Ian had been eager to uncover what the Emperor’s power was. If he was that concerned, then… maybe the Emperor’s power was truly something to fear.

Krause’s thoughts quickly jumped to that conclusion.

The enemy of my enemy is my ally.

Since they now shared a common enemy—Ian—it wouldn’t be so strange to join hands with the Emperor.

Of course, Krause had no intention of sincerely siding with him. Only until she could ensure her own safety.

Arrogantly, she intended to use the Emperor for her own ends.

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

The request for an audience was quickly accepted. Not long after, Viscount Krause was seated across from Caesar in the Emperor’s drawing room.

She didn’t explain much. She couldn’t exactly confess that she had been following Ian’s orders all this time.

Instead, she claimed that she had learned of Ian Bryden’s true identity and that he had been controlling her by exploiting a weakness. Eventually, she said, she even felt her life was in danger—and that was why she had come to the Emperor.

“So? What is it you want from me?”

Caesar, who had listened quietly until then, asked.

“I doubt you’re here just to complain.”

“I came to ask… if Your Majesty could guarantee my safety.”

“In exchange?”

“I can offer information on Ian Bryden.”

“We’ll see…”

Caesar turned his gaze away with an uninterested look. Krause, caught off guard by his unexpected response, looked startled.

“I… I mean it. Doesn’t Your Majesty want to capture the one who kidnapped the former princess?  He’s not going to stop. He’ll do the same thing again and again!”

“But according to you, didn’t he already try to kill you?”

“Pardon?”

“Then what makes you think he’ll still feed you useful information?”

Krause fell silent. Caesar was right. Ian had already tried to kill her, which meant he was severing ties with her completely.

“And didn’t he order you to plant mogofos flowers at the late Emperor’s grave?”

“Yes…”

“If you fail to complete that task, won’t he become even more suspicious of you?”

“Well…”

“I assume you didn’t come here to confess everything and then actually go defile the late Emperor’s grave.”

“O-of course not!”

Krause quickly shook her head. Now, Caesar looked at her calmly.

“Right. Then I suppose Ian has no further use for you. So is it really worth protecting you now? Honestly… it seems more worthwhile to imprison someone who tried to commit such an offense.”

Every word rang true. Krause dropped her head without realizing it.

She had thought she was entering this negotiation with the upper hand.  She believed the Emperor would be desperate for information on Ian—so she thought she could steer the conversation however she wanted.

But things weren’t going according to plan. If this kept up, she wouldn’t just lose the deal—she might be imprisoned for her own confession.

While she was at a loss, Caesar threw her a lifeline.

“How about this instead?”

“…Sorry?”

“Act stupid.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Yes. Just like you’re doing now.”

As Krause blinked in confusion, Caesar continued.

“Pretend you don’t know Ian tried to kill you. Act like someone who still trusts him but is scared of him.”

“But… how? He already sent me mogofos seeds…”

“Then say the letter never arrived. Say you got the mogofos flowers yourself because you had no choice. If you still follow his instructions that far, he’ll have no reason to doubt you.”

Krause slowly began to process his suggestion. Caesar went on.

“And even if he does suspect you’re lying, he’ll assume it’s just out of fear—just a desperate excuse to survive. At the very least, he won’t think you’re planning to betray him.”

“But…”

“He already thinks you’re beneath him.”

As insulting as it was, she couldn’t deny it. Krause remained silent.

“This way, it’ll be safer for you too.”

“But… what about the mogofos flowers?  Are you really telling me to go through with something that disgraceful to the late Emperor?”

Though she had intended to do exactly that, she now spoke as if she would never stoop to such a thing. Caesar shook his head.

“Of course not. Just say you prepared everything, but then the flowers mysteriously disappeared.”

“…What?”

“Say you have no idea what happened. They vanished without a trace. Say that, and no one will press you further.”

“But…”

“I guarantee it.”

Caesar spoke firmly.  Krause still didn’t fully understand what he meant. There was no way Ian would believe such a ridiculous excuse—flowers vanishing into thin air?

“What do you think? Going along with my idea.”

But Krause had no other options. In the end, she nodded.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

 

Time passed quickly, and the day of the late Emperor’s memorial arrived.

I was sitting at the table in Caesar’s bedroom, waiting as he changed clothes behind a curtain.

“Still, I’m glad everything worked out. Nothing’s going to happen today, after all.”

“Right.”

His voice came softly from behind the curtain.

Everything had gone smoothly.

That day, we had successfully intercepted Ian’s real letter. Olche had knocked out the courier, and Caesar had erased the courier’s memory.

The courier couldn’t even remember whether he had delivered the letter or not.

That was exactly why we told Krause to claim the letter hadn’t arrived. Ian would blame the courier, not her.

And telling Krause to say she’d prepared the flowers herself—but they mysteriously disappeared—served the same purpose.

The excuse sounded ridiculous, but Ian would believe it.

Because he’d assume Caesar had used his powers.

That way, we could fool both Ian and Krause without any contradictions.

Ian would believe Krause hadn’t received his letter. And Krause would believe Ian had sent her poisoned mogofos seeds.

In the end, nothing happened. But we had succeeded in bringing Krause to our side.

Now, through her, we could at least gather clues about when and how Ian planned to strike.

“Shall we go, then?”

Caesar stepped out from behind the curtain. He wore a black formal uniform—without the ornate decorations he usually had.

We headed together to the banquet hall. The atmosphere was solemn, not lively like usual. All the nobles wore similar black uniforms and sat quietly at their tables.

Viscount Krause was no different.
When Caesar and I entered the hall, she gave us a brief glance, then quickly turned her head away.

At the front of the room, three chairs were arranged on a platform—for the Empress, Floria, and Caesar.  A large portrait of the late Emperor hung between heavy red curtains.

“Do your best up there.”

I looked at Caesar and spoke. He was to give a short speech from the platform.

He squeezed my hand where no one could see and stepped up.

He delivered a brief ceremonial speech, and the nobles raised their glasses in a toast to the late Emperor.

The banquet portion of the event concluded, and it was time to move on to the Emperor’s grave.

Everyone boarded their carriages. Behind the one carrying Caesar and me was another with the Empress  and Floria, followed by the nobles’ carriages.

Mounted guards positioned themselves between the carriages for security.

We arrived at the gravesite, where another formal ceremony was held.

The royal cemetery—where only members of the royal family were buried—was a wide, open space. Tables and chairs were set up as if for another banquet, and soon the nobles were seated, quietly having their meals.

At a table reserved for the royal family sat Floria, the Empress, and Caesar. Floria, clearly remembering the late Emperor, clung to the Empress’ hand in tears, while Caesar sat in silence, a somber look on his face.

I stood back, a bit behind, seated with the other attendants.
In truth, Caesar had been quiet ever since we got into the carriage.

No matter what, he was still his father by blood…

Of course his heart wouldn’t be at ease. I had just resolved to help him process everything today, when, suddenly, Caesar rose from his seat and began walking toward me.