I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 111

“The late emperor… you mean he loved Caesar’s mother?”

“Yeah. Of course, that so-called great love didn’t last long, and he took a new empress. The current empress dowager.”

Because it was Katana in front of me, I spoke freely—even words that could be punished as insulting the imperial family.

“How can something called love change so easily?”

Katana looked completely baffled.

“Exactly. If it was going to change that easily, it would’ve been better if he’d at least made the right choice politically.”

Then imperial authority wouldn’t have fallen this far. With a bitter look, I shrugged my shoulders and continued.

“Anyway, that’s what an emperor’s marriage is. Something with enormous influence on imperial power. And I’m sure His Majesty knows that better than anyone.”

After all, it had been his own mother who suffered that fate. There was no way Caesar would decide something as important as marriage based on emotions.

“…Then what about you, Evelyn? Are you okay with it? With Caesar really marrying another woman?”

“It’s only natural, so what’s there for me to be okay or not okay with?”

“What if Caesar holds another woman’s hand, talks and laughs with her, goes on walks with her—and when he sees you, he just pretends not to know you? Would you still be okay then?!”

Katana pressed on passionately once again. Her overly vivid example played itself out in my mind before I realized it.

The large hand that once held mine holding someone else’s. The face that once smiled at me now turned toward another.

Then I remembered that time long ago, at the banquet hosted by Duke Spiegel, when Caesar exchanged greetings with a count’s daughter.

And the moment when I had imagined someone else becoming Caesar’s guide instead of me.

My brow furrowed. Of course it wasn’t a pleasant thought.

‘But even so…’

It was something unavoidable. Something done for Caesar’s sake as well.

“Of course. I’m fine with it.”

I forced myself to answer calmly.

****

As soon as the news was announced that the emperor would publicly recruit candidates for marriage, letters poured in from all directions.

Because it was said that the opportunity was open to everyone regardless of rank, nobles who normally wouldn’t have even dreamed of it all rushed forward.

Sorting and organizing those countless letters naturally made the imperial palace busier than ever.

Thanks to that, I was already on my way to the emperor’s palace early in the morning. And there, in the corridor, I happened to run into Duke Bryden.

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

Because of Ian, facing Duke Bryden was awkward, so I intended to greet him briefly and pass by. But the duke stopped me.

“Come, let’s talk for a bit.”

Leading me to a corner of the corridor, the duke spoke with a broad smile.

“It was you who suggested His Majesty openly recruit a bride, wasn’t it?”

“Ah… yes. I just thought it would look better in many ways.”

“Well done!”

The duke beamed.

“His Majesty didn’t seem very willing, but it seems he was persuaded by your words. Things were urgent, and this is perfect.”

He looked as if the wedding might happen tomorrow, so I hurried to clarify.

“But marrying right away isn’t possible. Surely His Majesty doesn’t intend to actually choose his bride this way?”

This method was only for show. The real bride had to be the daughter of a high noble house, one that could bring political gain.

“But now that it’s been announced, we can’t just sit idle. If nothing happens and then a few months later His Majesty suddenly marries into a high noble house, what do you think public opinion will be?”

“Well…”

“Since we’ve already built such a good image, it would be better to take it a step further.”

Then I realized why the duke had gone out of his way to praise me.

“Do you mean… to show something more about His Majesty’s bride search?”

“Exactly. With this open recruitment, the image being built is that of His Majesty’s fairness and his romantic side.”

“…Romantic?”

“I hear letters from noble houses are flooding in. What if His Majesty personally exchanged letters with a few chosen ones?”

It certainly was a romantic idea. Something the noble daughters would love. As I hesitated to answer, the duke went on.

“And then, pick a few more and actually invite them to the palace for meetings.”

“What? But if you go that far and then don’t marry them, wouldn’t that just create bad rumors?”

“Who said he won’t? His Majesty will marry one of them. We’ll invite daughters from all sorts of noble houses.”

The duke winked. I quickly grasped the meaning behind his words.

“All sorts of noble houses” could mean lower nobility, but it could just as well mean high nobility.

In short, they would preselect daughters from politically advantageous high noble families, then invite them to the palace and make it look like a fated romance.

“…But finding the right bride will take time. Until then, are you saying he should just meet with women he won’t actually marry?”

“Like you said, he’s not marrying in a day or two. Taking time isn’t a bad thing. Talking with the noble daughters could be educational for His Majesty. He’d also learn the tendencies of their families.”

It was indeed a good opportunity for Caesar. Better to talk and match personalities first than to blindly marry just because she came from a powerful house.

‘Since no particular noble house is standing out politically right now, anyone among the high nobility will do…’

“Well then, could you put in a good word to His Majesty?”

Finally revealing his real point, the duke smiled slyly.

“But…”

As I hesitated, unable to answer easily, the duke’s brow furrowed.

“Come now… wasn’t it you who first suggested this? I thought I was offering a way to build His Majesty’s image even further. Do you have some objection?”

I pressed my lips shut. Only then did I realize I’d been scrambling for reasons to oppose the duke’s words.

There was nothing wrong with what he said. There really was no better way to raise Caesar’s reputation.

‘And yet, why do I keep…’

“Evelyn.”

The duke urged me. In the end, I had no choice but to nod.

****

At first, Caesar refused, but under Duke Bryden’s continued persuasion—and mine—he eventually gave in. The meetings were to be once a week, only for an hour, and only if I attended as well.

Since an attendant maid was needed anyway, and it was better to have someone who wouldn’t spread pointless rumors, I had no complaints about being present.

With the promise of private time with the emperor, applications from noble families never stopped. More and more letters kept flying into the emperor’s palace.

And so, Caesar’s luncheons with noble daughters began.

At the lunch table, Caesar brought up political topics. They were conversations suited more for an emperor and his ministers than for a courting couple.

The women were wise and beautiful. Every one of them displayed perfect etiquette without the slightest lapse. They looked more than fit to sit in the seat of the empress right away.

Contrary to my initial hesitation at the duke’s suggestion, I soon found myself smiling warmly as I watched those luncheons.

‘Maybe, through this, he really will find the perfect empress.’

I even allowed myself such a hope.

Time passed quickly. Before long, Caesar’s luncheons had become nothing more than another part of his daily schedule.

The thought that he might actually marry one of them grew fainter and fainter. Caesar, too, seemed to treat them less as candidates for marriage and more as partners for discussion.

But things changed when a certain count’s daughter appeared.

As usual, I headed toward the waiting room.

The waiting room was a small chamber attached to the reception hall, where one waited before having a private audience with the emperor.

Since I was the only one allowed to attend the luncheons, I was also in charge of escorting the noble daughters from the waiting room to the reception hall.

At exactly noon, I stepped into the waiting room.

“Lady Lunavel?”

“Ah, yes!”

When I called the name I had been given, the young woman sitting there jumped to her feet.

Wearing a fluffy, adorable dress and letting her pure white silver hair flow down, Lunavel’s face was flushed bright red—whether from nerves or excitement, I couldn’t tell.

“This way, please.”

“Yes!”

As I led her toward the reception hall, she clutched her skirt and hurried after me.

‘That face… why does it look so familiar…?’

I glanced sideways at Lunavel, who was following me quickly, cheeks glowing. Her name wasn’t familiar, nor did I remember ever meeting her.

And yet, something about her wasn’t a stranger. Especially that blushing, embarrassed face.

‘…Ah!’

It was her. The very same count’s daughter who had met Caesar long ago at Duke Spiegel’s banquet.