If You Tell a Pickpocket to Save the Male Lead

“…Yes, you’re smart.”

Estribal gently put down his teacup.

“I was testing what you know.”

Estribal pulled up the corners of his mouth to form a picturesque smile. Ciello, who was momentarily taken aback by his rare smile, nodded with a smug expression.

“I’ve been scolded just for that, so I’ve memorized it for sure.”

“Very good. You seem to want to go to the founding ceremony.”

“Of course. It’s my first time going to the palace!”

Ciello nodded with hopeful eyes. Estribal responded in a joking tone.

“Well, it wouldn’t be your first time.”

“No, that, um…”

At that moment, there was a knock on the office door. The smile disappeared from his face.

“Come in.”

Estribal said in a calm, settled voice. The blindfolded servant appeared politely.

“Duke, His Majesty has summoned you.”

“I see. I’ll go right away.”

Estribal stood up as if he had been waiting. The servant cautiously added.

“It seems His Majesty is very upset…Please keep that in mind.”

“A very welcome piece of news.”

Estribal responded sarcastically and put on his black coat.

“Don’t go out recklessly, just read a book.”

“Eh~…”

Ciello nodded reluctantly, looking as if she hated it. As Estribal opened the door to leave, he threw out a comment.

“I’ll test you.”

“What?”

Startled, Ciello jumped up. Estribal closed the door with a smirk.

****

The Emperor’s private room was a mess with things broken in anger. One of the silver-haired servants was trembling, looking a mess, as if he had been violently treated.

“How dare you, with blood not yet dried on your head!”

The Emperor threw his wine glass. With a scream, fragments flew everywhere. Estribal, who had entered the private room, frowned and spoke.

“Your Majesty, you called for me.”

The once-brave Emperor lifted his gaze. He checked Estribal’s face and took a deep breath.

“You. You’ve come. I…”

Estribal glanced down at the servant and carefully interrupted the Emperor’s words.

“I understand you’re in a hurry, but I’ll take care of the ears first.” (TL: the trembling servant that could likely listen/hear their conversation)

“What does it matter, I’m going to kill him anyway.”

At the Emperor’s cold reply, the servant’s face turned pale. Estribal calmly responded.

“If the grudge is deep, even the corpse will open its mouth.”

At his words, the Emperor gritted his teeth and nodded.

“…I see. Clean that up and come back.”

Estribal respectfully bowed his head and grabbed the arm of the fallen servant.

“Save me, please…Ah!”

Estribal wrapped the naked servant in a blanket and took him to the garden connected to the private room. The servant flailed and wailed.

“Please, just spare my life. Just my life…”

“Cover your ears. Shut your mouth.”

Estribal laid the servant down, still wrapped in the blanket. Then he pulled out a gun and pulled the trigger towards the sky.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out. The servant covered his mouth with his own hand and swallowed a scream. As Estribal gestured with a blank expression, the servant fumbled to button up his clothes and muttered.

“I didn’t know, I didn’t know. How could someone so beautiful and kind before ascending to the throne…”

“Enough. We don’t have time.”

Estribal pulled out a bill and handed it to the servant.

“Go far from the capital. Never stand out. Don’t even tell your family. You understand what I’m saying.”

The servant nodded, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Thank you. Thank you. May I ask your name…”

After a moment of thought, Estribal spoke.

“Remember it as a favor from Princess Rayysandella.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Estribal confirmed that the servant had disappeared into the bushes and returned to the Emperor’s private room. As he stepped on the carpet, he felt a sticky liquid, whether it was alcohol or some other bodily fluid, he couldn’t tell. Even though he couldn’t smell it, it was disgusting.

Estribal picked up a rolling wine bottle and set it on the table. The Emperor, who had been leaning casually on the throne, lifted his head.

“Did you take care of it?”

Estribal nodded.

“Raysandella, that wicked woman…let alone being grateful for sparing her life, still dared to stab me in the back with a newspaper.”

The Emperor emptied his glass in one gulp and put it down with a thud.

“I didn’t like her from the start. Such a woman should have been killed from the womb. Pointlessly as a reserve…”

The Emperor looked at his own hand and clenched and unclenched his fist. His speech was definitely not suitable for his niece. Estribal, who had been watching him for a while, spoke up.

“I have a plan.”

“What?”

The Emperor looked up at Estribal. Estribal saw the black swamp piled up in his eyes. Both the empire and Peregrine were floundering in his greed. Estribal felt nauseous without eating anything. Because he knew he was in that swamp too.

‘…No, it’s not.’

Estribal shook his head inwardly. He had an opportunity. Although the undried mud was dripping from his body, he was able to escape from this sticky swamp for a moment. So maybe he escaped from the fate of ending this world with his own hands.

So he must not waver. One wrong step and he’s back in the swamp. And falling into the pit again, it’d be no longer just him…

Estribal suppressed his nausea and opened his mouth calmly.

“If the princess attacks you by holding the founding ceremony, why not hold it more grandly? As if to show off.”

“That’s right. Serpiente is caught today, and the Path of Hunting is opened tomorrow. That’s really easy?”

The Emperor scoffed. But Estribal was still calm.

“It’s not necessary to have the power of Serpiente to go hunting.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just a trivial snake statue. If you make the same thing and pretend to pass it on, the people will not doubt your power.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

“Can you do it? It’s a matter of deceiving the disgustingly sensitive palace magicians.”

“Deceive? Your Majesty.”

Estribal smiled broadly and continued.

“If your authority is shaken, this empire will also be shaken. So isn’t it all for the empire?”

The Emperor looked Estribal up and down. In his almond-shaped eyes, with delicate golden eyelashes, there was a hideous suspicion. But by then, Estribal was used to it.

“As you said, I will also receive the promised reward.”

Estribal smiled. It was a low laugh that mimicked the Emperor. Seeing his laugh, the Emperor seemed relieved and nodded.

“That’s right. You’re like me. Once my goal is achieved, I’ll give you what you want. So.”

The Emperor leaned back leisurely on the throne and spoke.

“Just do as you’ve been doing. No unnecessary thoughts.”

“I understand.”

As Estribal turned to leave, the Emperor called out to him.

“You, you’ve developed an interesting hobby.”

“Yes?”

Estribal turned his head. The Emperor laughed ominously.

“I didn’t know you had such a taste. Now that I see it, you’re worse than me. Imprisoned.”

Estribal did not answer. The Emperor picked up a medicine bottle on the table and shook it.

“Try putting this in a drink.”

The Emperor tossed the medicine bottle to him as if throwing a bone to a dog. Estribal caught the bottle in surprise and looked at the Emperor.

“What is this…”

“What indeed.”

The Emperor licked his lips with his tongue and gave a vile smile.

“Just a drop will do. Just a touch with your foot and you’ll be dying to unbuckle your pants.”

Estribal stared at the medicine bottle. The Emperor chuckled and spoke.

“Well, you might not need it…but it’s still fun. The high and mighty ones, their legs give out and they crawl on the floor, it’s quite amusing.”

Estribal’s eyes reddened. His cheeks twisted in disgust. He quickly bowed his head to hide his expression. On the carpet where his gaze fell, there were brutal traces of violence. In his hand, was the tool of sin.

“I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.”

Estribal opened his mouth, struggling to suppress the nausea rising to his chin.

“Alright, go.”

At his reaction, the Emperor seemed pleased and waved his hand. Estribal bowed his head and retreated.

****

Estribal, who had returned to the mansion, moved with a blank expression. Having been to the palace, he was always downcast, so the employees paid special attention.

“Where? Eating?”

Estribal asked briefly, holding out his coat. The question was missing an object, but now there was no employee in this mansion who could not understand who this question was for.

“She had half a quiche and a coq au vin and is in your office.”

Estribal frowned.

“Only half? Didn’t she have an appetite?”

“Ah, that is, when I told her that today’s dessert was Tarte Tatin, she said she would have two more…”

The employee explained, but Estribal shook his head with an uncomfortable face.

“She should eat enough anyway. She’s so thin she could fly away…Anyway, I understand.”

Estribal clicked his tongue and entered his office. Ciello, who was yawning in front of a small table pretending to study, jumped up.

“Duke! How was it?”

Estribal strode in and slumped into the comfortable chair in his office.

“I got what I wanted. I will have another meeting with the others soon, so you should know.”

Estribal’s answer was clearly positive, but his expression still didn’t look very happy. Ciello looked at him and pointed to the bottle he was holding as if it would be crushed.

“Uh, what is that?”

“…Ah.”

He had even forgotten to throw it away because he didn’t want to think about it.

He didn’t need the medicine in the first place. He was impatient to unbuckle his pants even if the other person just touched him, and he wanted to crawl on the floor with his legs soft even if he acted high and mighty. Isn’t this pointing at himself?

Estribal twisted the corner of his mouth and curled his lips like a smile.

“Duke?”