I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep – Chapter 120

Author: Asternkm

‘So when Ian stretched out his hand, the stone soldiers rose…’

“Be precise. Did he stretch them forward? Raise them? Did he open his palms?”

“Eh? Well…”

Olche blinked, looking uncertain.

“I don’t really know. Everything was so chaotic in the fight… but I’m sure he moved his hands.”

“Hmm…”

His hands. Always his hands.

Now that I thought about it, when he conjured the dagger before me, and when he seared my wound with fire, Ian had also moved his hands.

Could his power depend on hand movement? Or is it just an unconscious habit?

No—unlike the dagger, the stone soldiers had appeared in the middle of an ambush. Even in such a frantic moment, he had still used his hands. That couldn’t be a coincidence. His ability was definitely tied to it.

Then I’d have to stop his hands. But how?

Ian wouldn’t let anyone near him, much less long enough to bind him. Shackles were out of the question.

“But why are you asking this, my lady?”

Olche’s voice broke into my thoughts.

“I want to understand Ian’s power in more detail.”

“And why is that?”

“…What?”

I looked at her, baffled.

“To stop him, of course. What other reason could there be?”

“But still…”

“But?”

Olche hesitated for a moment, then asked quietly,

“Did you speak of this with His Majesty as well?”

“Yes. I suggested Ian’s power might have activation conditions, and His Majesty told me to investigate it.”

Though, in truth, he hadn’t shown much enthusiasm.

“I see…”

“…Why? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What look?”

“That look of doubt. As if finding out about Ian’s power is pointless.”

“No, my lady. I’m sure it has its uses…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

My face hardened at her cryptic tone. Suddenly, Olche stood up.

“Ah, forgive me, but I must head to training now. Please excuse yourself.”

“What?”

She grabbed my arm, yanking me upright like a radish being pulled from the ground, and started ushering me toward the door.

“Wait—what do you mean by that?”

“Good day, my lady.”

Slam! The door shut in my face for the second time that night.

What on earth…?

I crossed my arms, glaring at the door.

There’s no way investigating Ian’s power is meaningless. Then why that attitude from Olche…?

Could Caesar have ordered her silence as well? The more I thought about it, the more a heavy frustration and irritation pressed down on me.

*****

In the dark basement, furnished with nothing more than a desk and a cabinet, Ian sat quietly.

He was reviewing in his mind the plan to invade the Dietrich Empire.

The plan was simple. First, kill Caesar. Then secure Evelynn. For that, it was crucial to seal Caesar’s power.

Ian recalled the day he had faced Caesar at the cabin. The stone soldiers, the walls—everything vanished the moment Caesar’s gaze touched them.

Power: erasure. Condition: sight.

It hadn’t been hard to deduce, just from the way Caesar had kept turning his head to target things. To erase something, he had to look at it directly.

That meant stopping him was also simple.

If Ian created two layers of walls in front of Caesar, the first might disappear under his gaze, but not the second. He would only need to block Caesar’s vision faster than Caesar could erase.

Close the distance, then kill him in an instant.

It would take time, but as long as he made no mistakes, it was a sure method.

Unlike Ian, Caesar could not create weapons.

He may be the perfect shield, but in the end, he’s still just a shield.

If Ian himself had possessed the ability to erase, things would have been different. He would not have hesitated—he would have erased his opponent’s breath without a second thought.

Instead, Caesar, who had once been at sword’s edge, had chosen not to kill but to summon knights to restrain him. The memory made Ian smirk.

Caesar’s eyes were those of someone who had never killed a man. Regardless of his power, that alone was why Ian would inevitably win.

After Caesar’s death, he would secure Evelynn Chester.

With Caesar gone, no one would be left who could oppose him.

I just hope she doesn’t take her own life.

Her death would be troublesome—he needed her blood to keep producing the suppressant.

His eyes shifted toward the cabinet, where vials of suppressant sat neatly arranged. Until now, he hadn’t needed to use them often, so the supply was still sufficient.

But that ended tonight. Tonight, he would use everything without restraint.

Well, then…

The strategy was perfect. Only the timing remained. When to strike the palace.

As he thought, Ian rose slowly from his chair. He took two teleportation scrolls and several doses of suppressant from the cabinet and tucked them into his coat.

There was no point in overthinking. Clever tricks to “catch them off guard” would only make him predictable. Better to leave even himself in the dark until the very last moment.

Now.

He tore the scroll.

****

Days passed with no sign of Ian’s attack.

In that time, the only preparation I managed was asking Katana to inscribe a binding spell into my magic bracelet.

Not that I ever found a way to get close enough to Ian anyway.

In truth, there was no real plan. If Ian came storming in, we would be helpless.

Worse still, among those who knew his true identity, I seemed to be the only one this anxious. Caesar was nowhere to be seen, and no one knew what he was doing.

I brushed my fingers over the bracelet.

Along with the binding spell, Katana had installed a linked alarm system tied to surveillance magic. If Ian entered, the bracelet would scream out loud.

“Haa…”

I wished it would stay silent forever, but I knew better.

By the time the sun had set, I was leaving the emperor’s hall, returning to my chambers.

Dragging my feet along the corridor, I glanced idly toward the gardens.

In the open space at the palace’s center, where the barrier had been lifted in anticipation of Ian’s arrival, iron bars had been erected.

Servants passing by kept stealing glances at them. I couldn’t imagine what good it did to set a trap so blatantly in the middle of the garden.

What’s the point of drawing attention like this…?

The thought was bitter in my head when—

BEEEEEEP!

A shrill noise exploded from my bracelet.

…What?

My heart plummeted, my body freezing stiff.

Inside the barred space, an intruder appeared. Ian. Ian had come.

Thankfully, my body reacted before my mind caught up. In a flash, I ducked behind a pillar, chest heaving.

“Haah… haah…”

I’d barely moved a few steps, yet the tension left me breathless.

Ian… Ian is really here? What do I do? How do I—

My head wouldn’t work in the sudden panic.

I just have to hold out until Caesar comes.

He was the only one who could fight Ian. By now, the alarm would have reached him too—he had to be on his way.

I carefully peeked from behind the pillar. In the distance, inside the cage of bars, a white-haired man was smiling.

It really is Ian.

As expected, he had come alone. He carried nothing, but that was meaningless—he could create whatever he needed.

Even the bars surrounding him didn’t seem to faze him.

He gripped them, testing their strength.

Then he stretched out his hand, and a rock appeared, wedged tightly between the bars.

What is he…?

Another, larger rock slammed onto it. Then another, and another—crashing down until the iron bent under the pressure. The gaps widened little by little.

He’s making space to squeeze through.

At this rate, it would take only minutes. I scanned frantically for Caesar, but he still wasn’t here.

And then came the greater problem—the noise was drawing servants into the garden.

If Ian takes one hostage—or kills one for amusement…

I had to keep them away, but if I tried, I’d expose myself.

I could only crouch lower behind the pillar, heart pounding, while a footman began walking straight toward Ian.

“Excuse me, sir, what’s going on here?”

He must have thought Ian had gotten himself stuck.

“Are you all right?”

Boom! Another heavy rock dropped between the bars. The servant flinched, halting.

“What in the world—”

At last, the bars bent wide enough. Ian stepped out.