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

Chapter 41 “I really lived thanks to Erinne. All of us as you can see, her life was in danger. and… Does he still have no idea about this?”‘He’ was, of course, referring to the Emperor.“Yes…”“That’s fortunate. It’s good for Erinne.”Erinne made an uncomfortable face. It was because she felt guilty.I was now saying, ‘the Crown Prince’s life is in danger, and yet the Emperor values his own security more.’That day, Erinne admitted that the emperor was not a good father. You must know for yourself that no defense is possible in that regard.“And Erinne.”“Yes?”“I believe that the Crown Prince will become the Emperor.”Erinne, startled by the sudden words, looked at me, her mouth twitching, unable to speak.On the surface, there was nothing wrong with my words. It is a natural fact for the Crown Prince to become Emperor, but it was also obvious that the current Crown Prince was not worthy of the throne.So, my previous words were, as it were, to express my support for the Crown Prince.“So…”I liked Erinne quite a bit, and I wanted to win her over completely to our side.“Today’s political meeting, I want you to watch.”“What’s that…”“Because one day Erinne will have to make a new choice, won’t it?”After the Emperor dies, Erinne must choose. Which one will be the next Emperor, which one will rise to power, which one she should stick with… to survive.I smiled at Erinne, then quickened my pace to keep pace with the servants. Now was the time for action, not words.And I was confident in Caesar’s behavior at the political meeting. I was confident that I could change Erinne’s mind, and the minds of everyone else in the room. **** The political meeting finally began, and the atmosphere was more relaxed than I had expected. The nobles sat around a large conference room that wasn’t as glamorous as a banquet hall, but it wasn’t simple either.At the head of the long table sat Caesar, the nobles with higher titles were seated in order. There were also a couple of local nobles and a commoner, and they sat at a table a short distance away.The servants and maids who followed, like me and Erinne, were also seated at that table, so that they could observe the meeting.The aristocrats and the imperial factions, who sat in a mix, smiled and asked their regards and talked. It was a pretty good atmosphere. At least on the surface.“Well then…”A light refreshment was prepared on the table, and the Duke of Bryden rose from his seat as the secretary to conduct the meeting sat down.The Duke of Bryden had the same gorgeous blonde hair as his son, Ian Bryden. However, thanks to the atmosphere of his face and voice, he did not look lighthearted.“I must first introduce the distinguished gentleman who has the honor of joining us, as I’m sure you all know, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Caesar Dietrich.”It was then that the atmosphere suddenly became tense as if walking on thin ice.The nobles all rose from their seats and bowed down to Caesar, but their eyes were full of hostility that could not be hidden.‘It’s worse than I thought, isn’t it?’Perhaps it was because of what had happened at the banquet the other day. Caesar had watered down the Duke of Spiegel for them to see.Come to think of it, that might explain why some of the seats were empty.‘I’ve heard that the aristocrat faction’s power has been weakened since Duke Spiegel’s death, so maybe that’s why they’ve been absent from the meeting.’The lack of noblemen was certainly a welcome sight, but the mood was not. Like an animal in crisis, the hostility of the nobles was sharp enough to be seen.Without realizing it, I swallowed dry saliva. I couldn’t help but feel nervous, even though I thought I’d prepared everything perfectly.“Shall we begin our meeting, then?”Duke Bryden clapped his hands lightly, as if to break the ice.Once everyone was seated again, servants took the minutes from the clerk and distributed them among the nobles. The papers never made it back to our table, but I glanced at them.The minutes read, as Katana had warned us, ‘An Act to Increase Taxation’. Everything was exactly as I expected.“Today’s agenda was specially initiated by me. It would be nice to be able to share our opinions.”The Duke of Brayden said. There were snickers and murmurs here and there. It was obviously a pro-aristocracy agenda.At that moment, someone suddenly raised a hand.“May I make a suggestion?”It was Count Fergie. I recognized him easily. I remember seeing him at Duke Spiegel’s banquet hall. He was clinging to the Duke’s side, looking very loyal…As I watched him anxiously, Count Fergie spoke.“I wonder what His Royal Highness thinks of this proposal?”I flinched, my hands trembling in my lap. It was clear he was trying to test Caesar.Count Fergie’s mouth curved into a wicked grin. Despite his outward show of politeness, he was clearly attacking Caesar.Originally, the Crown Prince attends a political meeting, he is supposed to be an observer. No one would blame him if he just nodded and said nothing.‘Of course I don’t intend to do that, but…’Caesar, who had heard everything from me last night, had no intention of staying in his seat.‘But even so, it’s such a blatant attack.’I looked at Caesar with a slightly bewildered face.“Isn’t a master the one who walks ahead rather than following? So please tell me.”Count Fergie looked around with an exaggerated expression on his face. It was a look that seemed like a smirk.‘Are you thinking of putting revenge on Duke Spiegel’s death?’It wasn’t just Count Fergie. The nobles of the aristocratic faction were waiting for Caesar’s next words, with eyes telling them to do it if they had to, others with a strange sense of anticipation.Caesar spoke with a relaxed expression on his face.“The one who walks ahead.”Although it was not loud, there was a sense of intimidation that filled the meeting room in a low voice. Is it true that a seat makes a man? It was completely different from when he was in front of me.“If I walk ahead of you, are you willing to follow?”Caesar asked bluntly. “What’s the point of asking if you’re going to disagree with me anyway?” he asked.“If you walk in the right direction, people will follow you. So please tell me.”Count Fergie held up the minutes.“Whether His Royal Highness is in favor or opposed to increasing the national taxation.”Here, if Caesar approves, he would be painted as a selfish imperial family who doesn’t care about the sufferings of the people of the empire, and if he opposes it, it means that he would be tipping his hand to the aristocracy.‘If the aristocrats insisted on raising taxes first, Caesar would only sneak in ideas on top of that…’Caesar was only fifteen years old. They were asking a child to solve a problem that even they couldn’t solve.I looked at Duke Bryden, but he didn’t move. He was waiting to see how Caesar would respond.“I’ll cut to the chase, for I’m sure this is what you want to hear.”Caesar looked slowly across the table.“I agree with increasing the national tax.”When Caesar said that, Count Fergie walked away as if he had been waiting.“You agree? You mean you want each and every commoner to pay compulsory taxes to the state? Are you aware of the conditions outside this palace, His highness? Someone is starving to death, while others are leaving food behind because it doesn’t suit their taste!”‘No, is that real…?’I involuntarily clenched my fists. Thanks to Marriott, the crown prince’s palace had a much smaller budget than the others.And yet Count Fergie was talking about it as if it were a luxury that Caesar could afford.‘Say something… Tell him to stop being so arrogant and get mad at him!’I glared at the back of Caesar’s head and muttered to myself, though I didn’t have a telepathy.“I see.”But Caesar merely muttered the words. Count Fergie, rising to his feet, added.“And yet you agree on increasing the national taxes? Heh… You wouldn’t say that if you’d ever personally jumped on your feet and saw the lives of commoners even once.”“Is that so?”“Yes. Politics is running around with your feet, His highness, not by reading a few lines in a book.”Laughter flowed from all over the table at Count Fergie’s stinging words.‘Can’t we do this?’Before presenting the idea, we had to bring the atmosphere toward us as much as possible. At least the Duke of Bryden had to be in Caesar’s favor.While I was unable to step forward and could only watch anxiously, Caesar spoke in a tone that seemed completely unaffected.“By the way, Count, it’s truly strange.”“What do you mean?”“You’re so well aware of all that, so why are you engaging in the politics of books?”