The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Dorothea dragged the hem of her long dress and headed to the banquet hall.

 

But she ‘accidentally’ ran into Ethan on the way to the banquet hall.

 

As soon as she made eye contact with him, a smile spread across Dorothea’s lips, and Ethan approached her, trying to hide his delight.

 

“Oh my God, The princess is also entering now. I was in a hurry, worrying that I was late for the main character.”

 

That’s a lie. He had been running around the banquet hall for over an hour, waiting for Dorothea to pass by.

 

His cheeks and hands, slightly chilled by the air that hadn’t yet fully recovered from the cold, proved it.

 

The reason he left the warm banquet hall was to meet Dorothea before Theon Fried.

 

Today, Theon Fried would also be present, stripped of his aide’s clothes and representing the Grand Duke of Fried.

 

Ethan, who had learned of it a few days earlier, decided to be the first to greet Dorothea before entering the banquet hall.

 

Dorothea looked at Ethan and pressed the muscles at the corners of her mouth that were going up, and fixed them so that they would not go up.

 

“Master Ethan is really cool today!”

 

Clara, who was supporting Dorothea from behind, clasped her hands together in admiration.

 

Among the maid of Dorothea, there is a joke like this. The best part about serving the princess is that you can see Master Ethan often.

 

Ethan had a look that made people feel special just by looking at him.

 

Especially on days like today, when he was dressed up, just meeting him made the day worthwhile.

 

Today’s Ethan stood out with a blue vest and emerald brooch.

 

‘Did you have clothes like that?’

 

Red, blue, or rainbow, what color does not go well with that appearance and body?

 

However, it seems that the blue vest wasn’t the color Ethan wore often.

 

“Standing side by side like that, You two look like lovers!”

 

At Clara’s words, Dorothea looked at her clothes and realized that Ethan had matched her blue dress.

 

‘What an unexpected surprise.’

 

‘It felt like I had received a secret gift.’

 

To the extent that her complaints that it was uncomfortable to wear until morning disappeared completely.

 

“At a time like this, if Master Ethan escorted the princess again, it would be a better fit!”

 

Dorothea and Ethan rolled their eyes at Clara’s comment.

 

‘Is this a secret relationship? Anyone can see that they are a couple.’

 

Clara was openly intertwining the two.

 

‘At this point, I think I decided to call it a secret relationship because they wanted to have a secret relationship.’

 

Watching Dorothea’s round eyes move, Ethan burst out laughing.

 

‘How this woman is getting prettier every day.’

 

Dorothea’s allure grows endlessly enough to be thrown as the thesis of the century to the professors and scholars of Episteme.

 

“I understand that you are entering with His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

Ethan said, taking a step back at Clara’s suggestion.

 

“Yes….”

 

Today’s main character, Dorothea, is supposed to wait in the waiting room next to the banquet hall and enter with Carnan and Raymond.

 

However, She wanted to hold Ethan’s hand and run away to a place where we could spend time alone.

 

“I can’t enter at the same time as the main character of today’s banquet, so I’ll leave first. And…”

 

Ethan took Dorothea’s hand and kissed the back of her hand.

 

“Thank you for being born, Princess.”

 

Her birth, her existence, and her return. All of that he was grateful.

 

He smiled brightly and preempted the happy birthday greetings, before the Emperor, Prince, and Theon Fried.

 

When his lips touched the back of her hand, a tingling sensation flowed from the back of her hand, shivering Dorothea’s whole body.

 

“Thank you, Ethan.”

 

Dorothea bowed her head and said.

 

‘Thank you for being born too.’

 

‘Thanks to Ethan, I can live this life again, shouldn’t I be more grateful?’

 

‘Thank you for letting me be born. For giving me a chance. And for loving me so much.’

 

The tip of my nose suddenly wrinkled as he said happy birthday.

 

“I’ll see you later, Princess.”

 

Ethan slowly removed the thick gaze he had been sending her and headed for the banquet hall one step ahead of her.

 

* * *

 

“Dorothy, happy birthday!”

 

As soon as she arrived at the waiting room and opened the door, Dorothea was startled.

 

It was because Raymond, who was hiding behind the door, popped out and said happy birthday.

 

“Ray!”

 

In his hand was a small raspberry cake.

 

and.

 

“Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~! Happy birthday Dear Dorothy~ Happy birthday to you~!”

 

As Raymond held up the cake and sang a happy birthday song, his servants sprung paper pollen from the sides, playing harmonies.

 

The chords were a bit untrained, and pollen flew and fell on Raymond’s semi-curly hair.

 

It was so childish for the grown prince to do such a thing, but it was so funny that Dorothea couldn’t hold back the laughter that came out in the end.

 

Clara and Joy, who were standing behind Dorothea, could also hear a squeak of laughter.

 

‘It’s really stupid.’

 

Raymond, who magnificently finished the song, held out the cake to Dorothea.

 

Above it was a long candle and eight small candles.

 

Raymond gestured for her to blow them out.

 

“Come on, let’s finish it before His Majesty comes.”

 

At Raymond’s urging, Dorothea eventually blows out the candle.

 

The white smoke rising from the nine candles gives off a unique scent.

 

“This is a cake I made myself without even sleeping today.”

 

“What?”

 

Dorothea almost uttered the words “You’re crazy!” slip out of her mouth.

 

“Po taught me. I asked him to teach me how to make cookies, but I took this opportunity to learn how to make a cake.”

 

A few years ago, when Po first served cookies in front of Raymond, he asked Po to teach him how to make them.

 

But Dorothea thought Raymond was just saying it to encourage Po and Joy.

 

So she can’t believe Raymond doing that.

 

“Oh, I grew raspberries myself. So I might put a few more.”

 

“That’s great, Ray….”

 

Dorothea said, tearing the pollen off Raymond’s hair.

 

Dorothea’s remark of greatness had many meanings.

 

His curiosity, his ability to execute, his passion, and his unique charm that doesn’t look like a crown prince.

 

“You must be the first crown prince in the history of Ubera to bake his own cake.”

 

“It’s strange to eat bread every day and not know how to make it. Isn’t it strange that small grains of wheat can be mixed with other things to make bread?”

 

Raymond put the cake down on the table and said, “Shouldn’t we at least try making bread once in our life?”

 

As always, Raymond is a very different person from her.

 

Dorothea was also on the curious side, but she didn’t look at her daily bread in the same way that Raymond did.

 

When she ate the bread, all she thought about was taste and texture, food distribution issues, and increased wheat production.

 

“Then you stayed up all night to bake cakes, went to the cemetery at dawn, and then waited for me to come out here?”

 

Early this morning, there was a worship schedule to commemorate the death of Empress Alice.

 

Because of that, Raymond and Dorothea had to visit Alice’s grave before sunrise.

 

But in the meantime, he made a cake too, so it’s clear that he didn’t sleep today.

 

Still, Raymond looked very lively.

 

“I planted a spy outside and waited patiently for you to come. So, are you surprised, Dorothea?”

 

Raymond smiled broadly, revealing his white teeth.

 

“I was surprised…Ray, congratulations are enough. Don’t stay up all night for me.”

 

It wasn’t that she hated Raymond, it was her sincerity.

 

Then Raymond said, waving his hand.

 

“It doesn’t bother me at all. I do it because I like it. It’s better when you smile.”

 

He enjoyed the time preparing something for Dorothea. Choosing and making a gift for someone is exciting.

 

“So just say thank you, Dorothea.”

 

“You really… good.”

 

It was something she would never do in her life. Even if it was Ethan’s birthday, she wouldn’t be able to do this.

 

‘Am I not enough to think and care for others? So, I find it difficult and burdensome to plan and implement this kind of work?’

 

Ethan would love it if she did something like this.

 

“Sometimes Dorothea, you say weird things. What does this have to do with being good?”

 

Raymond patted Dorothea on the head as if she were funny.

 

Not all good people are like him, and people like him are not all good people.

 

Raymond’s right, but Dorothea thought that sparkle in his eye was part of his goodness.

 

A talent Dorothea didn’t have. 

 

‘I told myself not to be jealous of Raymond, but I was still a little envious of that talent.’

 

‘At the same time, I don’t know if it sounds a little strange, but I thought for a moment that it was a light not worthy of an emperor.’

 

Then Clara quietly called Dorothea. When she turned my head, Carnan was coming from the other side.

 

When Dorothea’s expression hardened, Raymond noticed Carnan was coming and handed the cake to the servant next to him.

 

The two went in front of Carnan and bowed their heads in greeting.

 

Carnan looked at Raymond and Dorothea with blue eyes.

 

And seeing the dress Dorothea was wearing, he smiled faintly.

 

“….You look beautiful, Dorothea.”

 

His words came half a beat too late, and Dorothea barely managed to keep her brows from furrowing.

 

It was the first time she’d heard that from Carnan, and she wondered if her ears were wrong.

 

‘Even if it’s my birthday, Why are you saying such weird things? Ah…’

 

Dorothea took one look at her outfit and was convinced.

 

“I’m glad it suits you.”

 

‘Are you trying to show off that it’s a dress you gave me?’

 

Dorothea replied to please the emperor anyway.

 

“I am grateful for the grace bestowed upon me by Your Majesty.”

 

An intonation that is not polite in a polite sentence. There was no emotion in her voice, as monotonous as reading a book.

 

Carnan looked at Dorothea and said,

 

“Today, this place is reserved for you. The ministers of the empire and my people have all gathered, so you have to do well.”

 

Then he turned to Raymond, who was beside her.

 

“Raymond, you must also put Dorothea first today.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Raymond, who had just been wishing Dorothea a happy birthday, replied with stiff politeness.

 

Carnan nodded his head once, then moved on as if to go.

 

Dorothea waited for Raymond to follow him first.

 

But Raymond patted her and told her to follow Carnan.

 

Raymond smiled and nodded as Dorothea pointed a finger at herself and asked, ‘Me?’

 

It was a long-standing tradition in the imperial family to know who was first and who was last.

 

Even before the return, Dorothea had never walked ahead of Raymond in a formal setting like this.

 

When Raymond came to visit her palace, she was just ahead of him as a guide, but in other situations, Raymond walked ahead in most cases.

 

But today is Dorothea’s birthday, and she’s the main character, so Raymond is giving up his place.

 

“But….”

 

As Dorothea was still hesitating, he grabbed Dorothea’s shoulder and pushed her back, telling her to go ahead.

 

“Let’s go, today’s main character.”

 

Dorothea, unable to overcome Ray’s power, ends up following Carnan one step ahead.

 

It felt very strange to walk ahead of Raymond.

 

* * *