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

Chapter 36 ‘Yeah, it was his birthday.’Caesar’s last words shook me. I wondered if anyone had ever wished him a happy birthday, even a casual one, and meant it today.I sobbed and took Caesar’s hand in mine.“I get it.”“Huh?”“I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, that’s not hard!”“Really?”“Yes.”I took the bouquet from Caesar’s hand, placed it on the table, and led him to bed.I put a blanket on Caesar, who was quietly lying on the bed, and pulled a chair next to him and sat down. As soon as I took a seat, Caesar grabbed my hand as if waiting for me.“Holding your hand makes me feel ease.”Caesar said, his face brightening as if he’d been dead for a while.“Maybe it’s because I’ve suppressed your powers.”“Not just that, but…”“What?”“… No.”“Then go to sleep now, because I’m not going anywhere.”I smiled into his eyes, and Caesar finally closed them. Dense lashes replaced the blue pupils.I sat next to him, holding one hand, and waited for his breathing to ease. The shadow of the moonlight coming in through the window grew longer and longer.Finally, Caesar’s chest rose and fell regularly. I sneaked a look at Caesar’s face. Maybe it was because his eyes were closed, but the lines of his face seemed more different than usual.He’s grown up, I thought, and at that moment, Caesar smacked his lips like a child. I swallowed a short laugh and closed my eyes too.“… It’s real.”As Caesar said, holding hands made me feel at ease. Even though unlike him, I didn’t have the ability to rampage. ***** At the same time, a woman sat in a room many times more opulent, her gaze fixed out the moonlit window as she spoke.“Her name is Evelyn Chester?”“Yes, Your Majesty.”Another woman standing in front of her bowed deeply. She was the spy the Empress had brought in as a new maid after she’d kicked Marriott out.“It is said that she worked at the Princess Palace before. She is the maid of honor of the Princess, and it seems that she has maintained a close relationship with the princess to this day.”The princess’s favorite maid. The Empress remembered her young maiden, who one day came into the Emperor’s bedroom holding Floria’s hand.‘Is that the maid back then?’Then I saw a similar face. With the maid who went up on the podium today and whispered to the Crown Prince.The Empress had been suspicious of Caesar’s behavior today. His behavior toward Duke Spiegel, to be exact.He had grown in height and face in just a few months, and even if it was a growth spurt, that kind of intimidation didn’t come easily.Moreover, the Duke of Spiegel was more cautious than he appeared. He wouldn’t be so foolish as to poison the crown prince openly, which meant he was being set up.For a moment, Duke Spiegel looked up at the podium and pointed at someone. At that time, the only women on the podium were the Empress, Princess, and Evelyn Chester.‘She doesn’t look like she’s up to anything…’The Empress remembered Evelyn’s compact and cute face and the large ribbon she wore on her head. Rather than making a trap, she gave the impression of someone being caught in a trap.‘No, you can’t judge someone by their appearance.’The Empress shook her head and ordered the woman.“You will keep a close eye on Evelyn Chester from now on.”“Yes, Your Majesty.”“And…”Duke Spiegel’s behavior was not to be ignored. To think he was in the same boat as her, and then to go behind her back without a word.The Empress was about to say something, but then shut her mouth.“Your Majesty the Empress?”The woman who had been waiting for her looked at the Empress, who did not say anything, with a puzzled face.“… No, you can go.”“Yes, Your Majesty.”The woman left the room as quietly as she had appeared. The empress stared at the side where she had disappeared.‘It’s not the time yet.’If the nobles, including Duke Spiegel, were plotting things behind her, she needed to do something. Something that could counter the Duke’s power…The Empress got up from her chair and walked closer to the window. She clenched her fists as she looked into the darkened street.‘Somehow…’If it meant her life and Floria’s, she was willing to do anything.  ***** The next day, Caesar slowly opened his eyes. It had been a long time since such a refreshing morning.It was not difficult to find the reason. Right next to his bed, Evelyn was asleep, clutching his hand.Caesar got up slowly, fearing waking Evelyn, then carefully lifted her up and laid her on the bed.‘Evelyn is lying in my bed.’Caesar felt a tight feeling of fullness in his chest.Last night, I remembered Evelyn’s face, who held out a bouquet of flowers in front of me. No one could guess the emotion Caesar felt at that moment.Caesar had never looked forward to his birthday before. Because when he was born, everything was ruined. It all started from that day that his mother became weak and eventually passed away.So he shouldn’t expect a celebration, he thought. It was unworthy.But Evelyn fulfilled that desire. She wished me a happy birthday from the bottom of her heart, and she even brought me a gift. The thought of those tiny hands making a bouquet of flowers made my heart pound.She even listened to my request to hold hands.Evelyn acted as if she could read Caesar’s mind without saying a word.‘Maybe… because we’re meant to be?’Caesar looked down at his destiny with loving eyes.For a long time, his gaze never left the bedside table. Or, more precisely, the bouquet of flowers on it.It was a simple bouquet with unorganized leaves, but it meant more than anything else for him.It was his first birthday present. He wanted to keep it until the day he died. But flowers wilt, and how could he keep a bouquet forever?Caesar’s expression grew serious.  ***** I opened my eyes and was immediately stunned. When I said it was unusually soft, the place I was lying on was Caesar’s bed.I seemed to fall asleep while holding Caesar’s hand last night.I couldn’t sleep just because I felt comfortable!‘Did I crawl into bed?’I bolted upright and straightened the bedding. Only then did I look around, but Caesar was nowhere to be seen.I don’t know where he went, but it was good for me. Before Caesar returned, I had to pretend that nothing had happened. I hurriedly got out of the bedroom and headed for the dorm room.The people I passed didn’t look at me too strangely. They didn’t dare to think that I had fallen asleep in the crown prince’s bedroom, but rather that I had gone to work early in the morning.After I washed and changed clothes in the dormitory, I was able to go back to work at the Crown Prince’s Palace.As I was walking along, looking around unnecessarily, like a thief in the night, I heard a voice saying.“His Highness the Crown Prince yesterday. Wasn’t he a bit… cool?”Huh? I pricked up my ears at the familiar name. It was some maids chatting. I hid behind the corner of the wall and glanced at them.“Right? me too! I thought he was really cool too!”“He grew up remarkably. He has a handsome face and the feeling of intimidation is real…”“I know!”They continued to compliment Caesar. From his looks to his walk. I just shrugged my shoulders, because it wasn’t even my story.It was probably a good thing that Caesar took the lead on this one. It was a chance for him to show that he was no longer a weak prince.Not only the maids, but also the nobles must have changed their perception of Caesar.As I was about to start walking again with a happy smile, I heard a familiar name once again from the stories of the maids.“But have you heard about Duke Spiegel?”“Of course! You don’t know how surprised I was. I never thought… he would die like that.”What? Dead? I opened my eyes wide in surprise.Attempting to assassinate the royal family was, of course, a sin worthy of death. But I didn’t think Duke Spiegel, the head of the noble faction and a man of great power, would really die.I thought he would save his life at any cost…‘Even in one night? Is that possible?’I moved a little closer to the maids to find out more about what had happened. The duke’s power was dead or alive, but they were not particularly careful with their words.“I heard that all scheduled investigations and inspections have been canceled?”“Yeah. The culprit is dead, so what’s the point of investigating further, even if he doesn’t want to pay the price. Suicide in a dungeon?”What? I almost screamed without realizing it, so I covered my mouth with both hands.So it was said that Duke Spiegel committed suicide before the investigation into the case was properly conducted. Why the hell?So Duke Spiegel had committed suicide before the case could be properly investigated. Why on earth?After all, what was in the vial was not poison, but a stimulant. Even after the investigation began, direct evidence was difficult to come out.Without direct evidence, he could have saved his life using his power. The Duke had no reason to commit suicide.‘It’s not suicide.’