I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 127

When we returned to the palace, we rushed to grasp the situation.

“Did I not order you to keep him under strict guard?”

Caesar’s voice was low as he questioned the gathered knights in the emperor’s office. It was the first time I had ever seen him so angry.

The knights, their heads hung low, muttered excuses.

“We only removed his gag during meals… we never imagined he would bite his tongue then… We apologize.”

“Ha…”

Caesar raked a rough hand through his hair. I stood quietly beside him with Alvin before carefully asking,

“Was there some crucial evidence we had to obtain from Ian?”

Of course, Ian dying by his own hand instead of being punished was nothing but cowardly escape from his sins. Even I, who had wanted him to be properly punished, found it hard to accept.

But Caesar’s anger seemed to stem from something else.

At my question, Caesar hesitated, then dismissed the knights with a simple gesture. Once only the three of us remained, he spoke again.

“We were investigating the magical device that Viscount Krause had used. If Ian had just admitted from his own mouth that he made it, everything would have fallen perfectly into place.”

His eyes shifted to Alvin.

“You mean the eavesdropping device planted inside Sir Alvin’s body?”

“Correct. The viscount testified that it was Ian Bryden who gave her the device.”

“But now that Ian is dead, the viscount’s testimony is useless.”

“Not just useless — she could even overturn it. Claim she had nothing to do with Ian, or that he forced her into it with threats. The dead can’t speak to refute her…”

Caesar let out a heavy sigh.

And knowing someone as sly as Viscount Krause, she was more than capable of it.

It was true she had later claimed Ian had threatened her, and that she had helped us. But all the things she did before — planting the device in Alvin, spreading rumors that Caesar was a tyrant — we couldn’t just let her slip away from responsibility.

‘Especially since this was the chance to link the remnants of the noble faction, starting with her.’

If Krause’s guilt was proven, other nobles connected to her, even without direct ties to Ian, could be caught as well.

That entire opportunity had vanished, and now I understood why Caesar was so furious.

“So, the viscount at least admitted she implanted the device in Sir Alvin’s body?”

“Yes.”

“And now that Ian is dead, you can’t trace its origin. Which makes her testimony unreliable.”

“Exactly.”

“Hm…”

I sank into thought. Caesar’s eyes brightened with curiosity.

“Did you just come up with something?”

“Can’t we simply create the origin?”

“Create it? But Ian is…”

“Not Ian. Someone else. Someone else could have made the device, and that person also worked under Ian… If we do that, we can tie them all together.”

“That device was difficult enough to make that even Katana struggled. There’s no one else we could pin it on—”

Caesar cut himself off mid-sentence, staring at me. I smiled and nodded.

“Exactly. There’s just one person. Rabies.”

Rabies, the brilliant mage and former Tower Master, had been exposed as an ally of Duke Spiegel during the failed poisoning of Princess Floria.

He had been removed from his position as Tower Master, but because skilled mages were rare, he had not been exiled from the empire or formally punished.

What’s more, since no new Tower Master had been appointed, Rabies was still the de facto power of the tower.

He had only lost the title, not the influence. As frustrating as it was, his skills were undeniable.

“Rabies has a confirmed connection to Duke Spiegel. He was involved in the attempted poisoning of Her Highness the Princess as well. And aside from Katana, he’s the only mage in the empire capable of creating such a device. With a little maneuvering…”

“No matter what excuses Viscount Krause makes, she won’t be able to escape. And we might even deal with Rabies at the same time.”

“Yes, and…”

I smiled as I added the decisive point.

“We can also appoint a new Tower Master in his place — under the justification of reforming the mage tower.”

Caesar nodded. It was obvious who I had in mind, even without saying it aloud.

 

****

 

 

 

Caesar moved quickly. Ian’s death was kept under strict secrecy, and he pressed on with a thorough investigation of Viscount Krause.

Behind the scenes, he also gathered evidence to prove the connection between the already-dead Duke Spiegel and Rabies.

While that unfolded, I spent my own time meeting friends inside the palace — to share news about me and Caesar.

Knock, knock— I rapped on Katana’s door.

“Katana, are you in there?”

Before long, a bedheaded Katana opened the door. The sun was already high, but her face made it clear she’d just woken up.

“Mmm, Evelyn?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m coming in.”

By now I was used to this sight. I shut the door behind me and stepped into her room. After clearing off the clutter from her table and brewing some cocoa, Katana finally sat down, having at least splashed some water on her face.

“What’s going on? At this hour?”

“At this hour? It’s a perfectly lazy afternoon.”

“You know I’m always asleep around this time.”

Katana’s voice was still heavy and sluggish — clearly, she wasn’t fully awake.

“I just came to hang out. Well… and I have something to say.”

“Something to say?”

Since I’d already told Floria, I didn’t need as much time to gather my courage this time.

“Actually… so….”

Well, less time didn’t mean no time.

“You see, Katana…”

“Mmhm, I’m listening…”

Katana sipped her cocoa with her eyes closed, looking like she might just fall asleep sitting there.

“So, I… His Majesty and I… um… we’re seeing each other.”

“Mhm. Keep talking, I’m listeni— HUH?!”

Katana’s eyes flew wide open. She was so shocked she almost dropped her cup of cocoa.

“Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean by that? Do you mean what I think you mean? You and Caesar — the two of you are… are getting married?!”

“What? No, marriage is…”

I started to deny it, then clamped my mouth shut. I remembered how Caesar had brought up marriage just a few days ago.

After all, Caesar was the emperor — finding a bride was urgent for him. And I was at the age where I should be thinking about a partner too. In this world, nobles usually married young.

“Marriage? So you’re not getting married?!”

“Uh…”

Pressed by Katana’s excited questions, I finally nodded.

“…We are.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Mm… probably? We will, I think.”

“Woooah, Evelyn!”

The moment I finished speaking, Katana set her cup down and leapt to her feet, throwing her arms in the air like she was cheering a victory.

“I knew it! I told you so! I said it, didn’t I?!”

She seemed happier about being right all along than about the marriage itself.

“So, so? How did he propose?!”

“Huh? Propose?”

“You know, the kneeling-with-a-ring thing!”

“There was no proposal… You know he’s swamped with Ian’s case right now. And it’s not like we’re marrying immediately.”

“Really?”

Katana plopped back into her chair, lips jutting in disappointment.

“Actually, about Ian’s case, I have something else to tell you. Aren’t you curious?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“It’s not set in stone yet, but because of this, most of the noble faction will probably lose their titles or get exiled.”

“That’s great! And then you’ll get married after that?!”

“Uh— maybe? But that’s not the point. It also looks like Rabies will be exiled.”

“Rabies?”

Katana froze mid-excitement and stared at me, her eyes instantly filled with hostility.

Even though years had passed and her life had grown more stable, she clearly hadn’t forgotten her desire for revenge on Rabies.

‘He was the one who kicked Katana out of the mage tower at such a young age, accusing her of making a contract with a demon — framing her with lies.’

“So, do you remember what I said the first time I came to see you?”

Katana nodded, her face serious.

“Yes. I never forgot. You said you’d help me get revenge on the mages of the tower.”

“There was something else too. Remember?”

“That you’d make me Tower Master someday with my talent… Evelyn, wait. You mean…”

“Yeah. I think I can finally keep that promise.”

Katana’s eyes widened.

Unlike before, when I told her about Caesar and me, she didn’t leap up or cry out. She just sat there, still, as if she had to replay the words in her head to believe them.

I circled around the table and crouched in front of her, meeting her eyes with all my sincerity.

“Katana, no one can slander your talent anymore.”

“…Evelyn.”

“No one will throw stones at you.”

Katana’s orange eyes welled with tears.