I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep – Chapter 51

Author: Asternkm

“What kind of place is Summerhill?”

Inside a slowly moving carriage, Caesar asked.

Ever since Caesar ascended the throne, the lottery had become an official national enterprise. This meant the pilot project secretly taking place in Summerhill no longer needed to remain a secret.

As soon as that happened, Caesar announced he would visit Summerhill, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“It’s a quiet place. There are far fewer people than in the capital. There’s not much to see either.”

The scenery outside the window was peaceful, as if to confirm my words.

“Since father keeps coming up to the capital anyway, there’s no need for you to visit personally…”

“I just wanted to see it once. I’m also curious about where you were born and raised. From the pictures, it looks like a very beautiful place.”

“Well…”

It was indeed a beautiful place. Because it was less developed than the capital, it was a place where people lived in harmony with nature.

“How much farther is it? It’s farther than I expected. Didn’t they say you used to commute from your home to the palace?”

Although Summerhill was an estate near the capital, it still took about an hour by carriage to reach it.

“We’re almost there. We should arrive soon.”

Clunk. At that moment, the carriage came to a stop.

*****

An awkward tension hung over the dining table where four people were seated. Caesar and I sat next to each other, while my mother and father sat opposite us.

The table, which was usually lavish and abundant, was practically overflowing with food today. Even so, it couldn’t compare to the banquets hosted by Duke Spiegel.

“Your Majesty should, of course, take the head seat…”

My father, who was visibly uneasy, was interrupted by Caesar shaking his head.

“This is more comfortable. Besides, this isn’t about business or anything like that… Think of it as your daughter bringing a friend over.”

“Ah, yes…”

A friend? Even if he called himself a friend, my father’s tense expression didn’t relax. This was the first time he was meeting Caesar since he became emperor, so it was no surprise that he was nervous.

“The food is delicious,” Caesar said bluntly.

“Oh, thank you.”

My father quickly expressed his gratitude and, now slightly less nervous, continued speaking.

“All of it is made with ingredients from Summerhill. Many of the estate’s residents are still engaged in farming, so we receive their harvests as taxes.”

“Do you cook and eat them instead of selling them?”

“As you know, the estate is surrounded by mountains, so the cost of transporting goods for sale is quite high. Besides, the quantities aren’t that large to begin with.”

“I see.”

“They’re all grown fresh, so the flavors are excellent.”

Sensing his pride, I chimed in.

“That’s just an excuse. The truth is, my father refuses to eat anything not grown here. He says the taste is different.”

“Not just your father, Evelyn. You’re the same way.”

Even my mother added a comment. Laughter spread across the table. The once-tense atmosphere quickly eased, as if it had never been there.

My parents talked about the Summerhill region, while Caesar shared stories about how I was doing in the imperial palace. While we chatted non-stop, the table was soon cleared of food.

As expected, dessert was served, and that’s when the conversation shifted to business.

“Thanks to Baron Chester handling things far better than I anticipated, the pilot project was carried out without a hitch. At this rate, expanding it across the entire empire within the year shouldn’t be a problem.”

“You honor me, Your Majesty. I didn’t do much.”

At Caesar’s praise, my father straightened up again, looking tense.

“The truth is… I came with a proposal.”

“Please, give your command, Your Majesty.”

“What do you think about assisting with the project that will be conducted in the capital as well, Baron Chester?”

“…Pardon?”

My father’s eyes widened, and I was equally surprised at the unexpected suggestion.

“But I am just a provincial noble. There are many central nobles far more capable than I am—”

“No, I don’t think so. I already know how outstanding your abilities are, Baron. More importantly, you’re someone I can trust.”

My father looked at my mother and me with a bewildered expression, as if unsure how to respond.

“I’m not asking you to move permanently. I understand how much you cherish Summerhill. Instead, I’ll prepare a residence for you in the capital. How about staying there, at least until this project is successfully completed?”

Caesar spoke smoothly, as though he had planned everything beforehand. There was no way my father could refuse, especially since it was an excellent opportunity for both him and our family.

“…It would be an honor, Your Majesty.”

Still looking overwhelmed, my father eventually bowed his head.

*****

At Caesar’s suggestion to look around, we stepped out onto a forest path not far from the baron’s estate.

From the beginning, it was just Caesar, me, and a few escort knights who came to Summerhill together. Among them, only Alvin, the aide, followed us at a distance.

In other words, there was no one on this path who could hear our conversation. Seizing the opportunity, I abruptly asked Caesar:

“When did you come up with this idea?”

“What idea, all of a sudden?”

“Inviting my father to move to the capital. It didn’t seem like something you said on impulse.”

“Hmm…”

Caesar deflected the question.

“Summerhill certainly is a quiet place.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

I hurried after him in small, quick steps, urging him to answer. Finally, he stopped and turned to face me.

“…Do you not like it?”

“What?”

“Do you dislike me making the decision on my own?”

Despite the calm tone of his voice, Caesar’s eyes wavered slightly. The way he looked, as if he was checking for a reaction, reminded me of a puppy that had done something wrong.

“It’s not that I dislike it… I’m just curious about what you were thinking.”

There was no reason for me to dislike the idea of him doing something good for my family. I was just caught off guard by how sudden it was.

“I’ve already told you. It’s because the baron is capable and trustworthy.”

“But Duke Bryden has been helping you all this time, and you’ve already built solid alliances with the emperor’s faction nobles. Even without my father—”

“Evelyn.”

Caesar cut me off abruptly and took a step closer.

“A powerless crown prince. A crown prince with nothing but an empty title. An heir to the throne who had every advantage by bloodline and position but no one’s support. That was me.”

“…What?”

The sudden turn in conversation left me stunned.

“I never questioned the way people looked at me. It was true, after all. I didn’t deserve to be emperor, and I didn’t think I had the power to become one. But the one person who told me I could be emperor, who made me believe I could become emperor… was you, Evelyn.”

“…….”

“You protected me, helped me, believed in me… and pulled me out of the miserable depths I was in. You even made me emperor.”

“Your Majesty, that was because of your own strength…”

Before I could finish, Caesar suddenly grabbed my hand. His fingers intertwined with mine firmly.

The thought that someone might see us didn’t even cross my mind. Caesar’s eyes, so steady and unwavering as they looked at me, wouldn’t let me think of anything else.

“You asked when I started thinking about it, didn’t you? It was a year ago, during the pilot project in Summerhill.”

“…What?”

“I started thinking about it back then.”

With the picturesque scenery of Summerhill in the background, Caesar spoke softly.

“When I became emperor, I wanted to give you power.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. Did that mean that from the beginning, the decision to conduct the pilot project in Summerhill had been for this reason? To… give me power?

“I figured that giving the Chester strength would also be a way to empower you. Was I wrong?”

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

“I still have a long way to go, but… I don’t want to stay in your shadow anymore.”

“Your Majesty…”

“You once told me that I had to become emperor so that you could survive. I still don’t fully understand what you meant by that, but one thing is clear: now, I want to protect you.”

Caesar released my hand and took a step back, as if nothing had happened. His intense gaze softened, replaced by his usual expression.

I never wanted power. I never expected Caesar to protect me either. After all, I planned to leave the palace and live quietly in Summerhill two years later.

From the start, all I wanted was for Caesar to awaken safely, gain strong imperial authority, and secure both his and my survival.

But even so, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. It was almost moving. Was this what it felt like to rescue a stray puppy, raise it, and watch it grow into a full-grown dog?

Caesar had already grown so much, to the point of saying he wanted to protect me…

Smiling, I reached out and gently tousled Caesar’s hair.

“What are you doing?”

“Praising you.”

“I’m not a child…”

Despite his protest, Caesar soon let me continue running my hand through his hair. A laugh escaped me.

Even though I now had to stand on tiptoe to reach his head, he still didn’t seem much different from the boy he had once been in my eyes.