The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

‘You needed Raymond’s spirit, so you married me, a member of the royal family, and wanted to stay in Lampas.’

‘You were trying to use me…’

‘because of that… You’ve always been closer to Raymond than me.’

Despite being engaged to Dorothea, Theon remained close to Raymond enough to be referred to as Raymond’s strongest supporter.

‘At that time, I only thought, “Is it because they are friends who have been close since Episteme?”’

Theon had dinner with Raymond more often than with Dorothea and talked more with Raymond than with Dorothea.

There was something between the two of them that Dorothea couldn’t get in.

Something difficult to even call friendship and difficult to call the relationship between the emperor and his subjects.

So Dorothea hated Raymond more. 

Even her beloved fiancé seemed to like Raymond more than her.

Dorothea’s sense of alienation, especially in the presence of Raymond, Theon, and Julia, would ignite her jealousy.

The feeling of being completely ostracized among them. 

”I’m Theon’s fiancee…’

Dorothea fiddled with the brooch on her chest again.

‘Then again…Will Theon ask me for an engagement?’

Now Dorothea also has the power of light. the power to save him.

‘It’s definitely a good thing, but why do I feel so strange…?’

She has the important power to save Theon, whom she loved so much, and with that power, she can even marry Theon. Isn’t that what Dorothea wanted her whole life to be?

‘However, the reason why I felt strange was Ethan, who suddenly came to mind when I thought of Theon.’

Dorothea doesn’t know why he’s on her mind.

‘Was it because he was the one who gave me the spirit of light?’

‘Was it because he gave it to me because he loved me, but I will use it for another man?’

While she was lost in her thoughts, Theon spoke up.

“It’s a little late, but congratulations on your debut and awakening the power of the Spirit.”

“Ah, thank you…”

“I should have congratulated you on that day, but I couldn’t because the princess is very popular and I had to go home early.”

Theon said that he went home that day for personal reasons.

Perhaps because of the power of the spirit, he was not feeling well.

‘The darkness in the debut circle was also due to Theon….’

Dorothea digs deeper and studies the power of the spirits after Ethan reveals Theon’s secret.

She deduced that Theon needed to spend at least an hour with the Light Spirit at least once a week.

This is called ‘purification’.

Until now, Raymond has probably been in charge of purification.

The reason Theon couldn’t hold up his strength during the debutante was probably because Raymond was busy.

After graduating from Episteme, the two didn’t have a chance to meet unless they made time for each other.

Raymond had been very busy dealing with nobles from the countryside from the graduation ceremony to the debutante.

He couldn’t take the time to see his friend in person.

“I wish I had stayed until the end to congratulate the princess.”

“No. I was so distracted that I don’t even remember who congratulated me that day. Perhaps even if you had congratulated me for the last time, I don’t remember.”

‘It’s a lie. No matter how much I had organized my mind, I would have remembered all of Theon’s congratulations.’

Dorothea said so, and Theon laughed.

“Ah, Princess. Do you have time this week?”

“This week?”

“ah… You said you were busy earlier.”

“No, I was just trying to say no to others.”

Theon laughed as Dorothea shook her head and added hastily.

In fact, it is true that there are a lot of things to organize and deal with after moving to the palace, but for Theon, she can take some time off.

“Then would you like to have lunch with me this week? I want to congratulate you on your debut and celebrate the awakening of the spirit’s power. And also I have something to tell you…”

“Only the two of us…?”

Dorothea’s eyes widened.

‘Eating with Theon?’

“If you’re uncomfortable, should I invite someone else?”

“No, you don’t have to…”

Dorothea barely calmed down.

He must be trying to arrange a meeting to tell her the secrets of the spirits. There will be no other special intentions.

“Then how about lunch at the restaurant Caro in downtown the day after tomorrow? If you don’t want to go out, you can tell me what you like.”

The first option is made by the inviter to relieve the other person of the burden of choosing the place and the option is given to Dorothea.

Dorothea sensed that Theon was being very considerate of her.

“No, I actually wanted to go to a restaurant.”

Eating out was not common for the imperial family.

Because there are top chefs in the imperial family,  and if necessary, they can invite famous chefs.

They are often invited to other aristocrats’ houses and treated to food, so they don’t feel the need to buy food from outside.

However, among the young nobles, it was natural to go to restaurants, teahouses, cafes, and bakeries.

In particular, around Episteme, there are famous restaurants favored by aristocrats who came from other regions to attend Episteme.

The restaurants in the area usually boasted a luxurious and glamorous style because they usually deal with wealthy aristocrats.

“Will you be free at that time?”

“yes.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for you in front of Caro.” Theon said.

* * *

The knighting ceremony began with the ritualization of the prospective knights.

The ceremony performance, held at the right angle with a ceremonial sword, is the flower of the ceremony.

Countless knights were aligned as if they were synchronized as one body, one step, and one hand movement, without any deviation.

They all swung their swords splendidly in the same motion.

It’s nice to look at and it’s an opportunity to see the angle and rigor of the Knights.

Dorothea was able to quickly find Joy among the knights who all looked the same because they were wearing the same clothes and performing the same movements.

As if Joy was a part of the body of the Knights, She performed the ceremony perfectly.

Joy, who doesn’t even blink an eye like an elaborate doll, moves with a stiff expression that won’t even smile if anyone plays a joke.

Dorothea was moved by the sight.

A bad potato became a decent knight.

When she first met Joy, she thought it would be a short-lived relationship.

“Thank you, Princess! It was all thanks to the princess that I was able to become a knight!”

Joy said so, but Dorothea didn’t think so.

At that time, it was Joy, not Dorothea, who held on to this relationship.

Joy was the only one who went the extra mile to repay the favor of saving Po’s life from the plague.

Every month since then, she’s been dropping off ridiculous ingredients in front of the detached palace.

Neither Dorothea nor Clara nor Chef Leniere could close their mouths at Joy’s grit, which was ridiculous.

It was her immense tenacity that made Joy who she is now.

Joy says she was lucky to become a knight, but her luck was of her own making.

But the lucky one was Dorothea. 

Joy pushed her face to find Dorothea.

“Princess, the corners of your lips don’t go down.”

Clara, who was looking at Joy, noticed Dorothea’s expression and said.

“Joy did a good job.”

“Why do you look happier than the day you debuted?”

Clara whispered.

“….”

Joy continued to do well after becoming a knight.

She started later than the other knights, but his grit chewed through everything.

Even though she was Stefan’s servant, she went out to train alone at dawn, and when she had free time, she spent the whole time studying about knighthood.

She studied the things he hated, such as the etiquette, history, chivalry, and tactical strategy required to become a knight.

It wasn’t that the other knights didn’t work hard, but the tenacious persistence of the one who was desperately living life in the Black Village could not be defeated.

As someone who has seen all of Joy’s process from the beginning to the present, Dorothea could not hide the corners of her lips that rose with delight.

“All-Attention!”

The loud shout brought the knights to a halt in perfect formation.

It’s time to start the appointment of Stephan.

The knight candidates standing at an angle on either side of the red carpet faced each other and lowered their swords 45 degrees to cross them into an X.

And soon the big drum rang with a ‘Dong’.

In response to the signal, the swords of the knight candidates were raised to the ceiling one by one from the entrance.

As the sword rose as if the door had been opened, Stefan in uniform stepped through it.

As he walked through the swords that paved the way like waves, He dominated the vast hall.

And it wasn’t just because he was handsome.

Dorothea realized that the blunt expression she had seen when Stefan was by her side was a soft one.

Stefan, who had his face hardened, was so intimidating that made everyone hold their breath and their shoulders hunch.

‘Even in the first life, I thought it was an impression that was difficult to get close to. I guess it was because of this.’

She seems to have gotten too used to Stefan’s soft impression.

He passed by the nobles and knelt before Carnan and Arthur, the leader of the Knights.

‘Should I have to say that his arms were bent inward, Stefan is more noble and handsome than Carnan.’

‘Setter Calyps sword looks good on him.’

Dorothea praised her eyes again as she looked at the sword he had on his waist.

“Stefan Greenwall, as the vice leader of the Knights, swear to be a model of chivalry in all things and to follow the imperial family only with loyalty and courage.”

* * *