The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Dorothea and Ethan had predicted this day ever since Raymond’s accident.

 

Carnan had previously disliked Ethan, and as Dorothea took on more important tasks, Ethan was treated as a flawed person.

 

“The more His Majesty’s health deteriorates, the more he will try to separate me from you.”

 

‘Before he died, he thought he had to deal with the imperial blemishes…’

 

“I’ll stop them, Ethan. After the Emperor dies anyway, you’ll be—”

 

“War is coming.”

 

Ethan shook his head at Dorothea’s words and said.

 

Hark has already bought ships, and Nareus is building up his forces.

 

There is a history that cannot be changed no matter how hard they try. 

 

Perhaps their efforts were not enough to change history.

 

“So I need you.” Dorothea said.

 

Before returning, he fought a battle with her. He is an excellent bookkeeper who knows everything with just his eyes. He is her only companion on whom she can lean.

 

Ethan caressed her cheek as he was about to grab her.

 

“A lot has changed, Princess.”

 

Nareus seems ready to go to war, but no one knows when he will move.

 

Probably because the date he bought the ship from River South was also different from before.

 

The time and shape of the war will certainly be different from before.

 

“But we know what strategy he will use.”

 

“But the princess is not having any influence on the military power.”

 

Before returning, she showed off her swordsmanship and strategic talent and was recognized for her skills by knights and soldiers.

 

Despite her personality flaws, she was recognized early as her commander.

 

But in this life, she lived very quietly.

 

If she suddenly leads the army in the battle against Hark, it will be different from before the return.

 

“Besides, I’m not the heir to the duke, and I haven’t been able to buy any worthy sources of information.”

 

Before returning, he became the heir to the Duke of Bronte after Jonathan’s death and was able to be recognized by the people even though he was a young man.

 

But now, he had not graduated from Episteme, had no official position, and was only a half-faced and musically talented sergeant.

 

‘When the day comes that I leave, please don’t come to see me. Seeing the Princess weakens my heart, and my steps falter.’

 

Everyone in the world knows that his swordsmanship and hunting skills are a mess.

 

So, even if a war breaks out, he cannot be with Dorothea.

 

“The princess should hold the military power before the war begins.”

 

Dorothea couldn’t deny Ethan’s words.

 

Raymond and Theon cannot go to the war against Hark.

 

Only Dorothea knows that Hark will come over the mountain by ship.

 

“Then you?”

 

“I have to do what I can for the princess.”

 

“What can you do?”

 

“I’m sorry if you ask me that. There are things I can do.”

 

Ethan chuckled. He is making fun of her, knowing that she didn’t mean it that way.

 

But Dorothea’s laughter was more heartbreaking than offensive.

 

Because she knows how much trouble is hidden behind that smile.

 

Dorothea knows the pain of being ignored because of his birthplace.

 

“I have to stand up for the ball so that I can stand next to the princess a little more comfortably.”

 

As a shadow fell on Dorothea’s face, Ethan stroked her hair as if to soothe her.

 

“I will go one step ahead of the princess and wait for you.”

 

* * *

 

So Dorothea knew he was leaving.

 

What would follow if Dorothea appointed him to a critical position before the war was apparent.

 

She knows very well why Ethan made this request. But in the end, she ran to meet him and broke her promise.

 

“I just couldn’t let you go.”

 

“In fact, I was hoping that the princess would come.”

 

Ethan wrapped his arms around her. Even if they break up, he thinks they will have to look at each other in the end.

 

“You have to be careful, Ethan.”

 

“Sure. If I want to see the Princess again, I must do that.”

 

Ethan smiled and kissed her forehead.

 

“If you can’t sleep, please read the letters I gave you.”

 

She nodded.

 

Ethan looked into her without blinking an eye.

 

“And do your work in moderation, take care of yourself, and… Don’t make things that use spirits.”

 

His voice, which had been soft as if nothing had happened, gradually diminished in regret.

 

“So that the princess can sleep comfortably… I always wanted to be by your side.”

 

Ethan was thinking of breaking up without seeing her face. His heart was heavy when he left Dorothea alone.

 

‘A long time ago, we certainly got along well apart…’

 

“I will see you again soon. right?”

 

Ethan nodded at Dorothea’s question as she tried to shake off the weight.

 

“Yes, we will meet again. You should also practice staying apart for a while.”

 

“I’ll be doing well, so don’t worry.”

 

Dorothea’s blue eyes looking up at him.

 

In the end, Ethan couldn’t stand and kiss on her red lips.

 

He felt his blood boiling and his heart pounding with intensity.

 

He dug into Dorothea’s sweet lips, swearing densely promising to see her again.

 

Then Dorothea’s breath trembled.

 

She pretended to be okay with her words, but her lips couldn’t help but catch him. She bit his lip and took a deep breath.

 

How can she get away if he holds on to her like this?

 

Ethan hugged her tightly to the temptation stronger than the words to not go.

 

Before he left, he conveyed all the words, sincerity, and faith to her in his kiss.

 

The next time they met, they promised to see each other in a better way.

 

 * * *

 

Robert was waiting for a moment outside Carnan’s office.

 

But beyond that hallway, a familiar figure was rapidly approaching.

 

Stridely. Somewhere in an angry gait.

 

“Princess…?”

 

She had never come to Carnan’s palace on her own feet. But Robert had an intuition for why she had come.

 

‘She knew about Ethan Bronte…!’

 

While Robert panicked, Dorothea stopped in front of him.

 

“I need to see His Majesty.”

 

“I’m sorry, Princess. His Majesty has commanded that no one be brought in.”

 

“Tell him.”

 

Despite Robert’s reluctance, Dorothea only repeated her words coldly.

 

When he saw Dorothea for the first time, Robert sweated and eventually nodded.

 

“Your Majesty, Princess Dorothea here.”

 

Robert said outside, but permission was not granted from inside.

 

Eventually, Dorothea opened the door with her own hands and went inside.

 

“Princess!”

 

When Dorothea came in, Carnan was sitting on the couch, seeing the doctor.

 

Dorothea saw his hands trembling and also saw the doctor hurry to cover the basin.

 

His face was pale as if he had just vomited.

 

“Dorothea. What nonsense is this?”

 

Carnan wrinkled her brow as she tidied up her disheveled sleeves.

 

“You kicked out Ethan Bronte.”

 

Dorothea looked at Carnan, and he stood up.

 

“He also agreed. He took a million Blancs and left.”

 

“Agree?”

 

Dorothea asked absurdly.

 

‘How does he describe intimidation as consent?’

 

A million Blancs is just what Carnan paid to lighten his heart.

 

Carnan wrinkled his brow and told Dorothea.

 

“It’s all for you.”

 

At his words, Dorothea’s expression hardened coldly.

 

She clenched her fists as if suppressing her emotions.

 

“It’s a decision for me…?”

 

‘Didn’t Carnan only think about the Imperial Palace and his face?’

 

“Yeah. If it wasn’t for you, there would be no reason for me to call and talk to such a person.”

 

Dorothea had a lot to say. But Carnan’s blue lips and his slender wrists were intercepting him like his shield.

 

‘Do what you have to do, Dorothea.’

 

Dorothea parted her lips, calming her rising emotions.

 

“You said it’s for me.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then please allow me to attend the military exercise.”

 

Dorothea looked at Carnan with a bold look.

 

* * *

 

After returning from the Imperial Palace, Theon has been immersed in thought.

 

He quietly looked down at his empty palms.

 

He was more sensitive to the spirit of light than anyone else. 

 

Theon was feeble, but it was definitely a feeling of purification. It feels as if the spirit of light is by his side.

 

‘why? Can you make a spirit dwell on the brooch?’

 

Theon remembered Dorothea’s brooch.

 

On the outside, it was an unusual brooch. No, it’s a unusual. It looks like a piece of gold the size of a pebble.

 

The size is subtly larger than that of a general brooch, so it seemed more suitable to use it for display than to wear.

 

It was a strange thing when he remembered that Dorothea doesn’t usually wear fancy accessories.

 

As he began to feel strange, the existence of the brooch became more and more unfamiliar.

 

‘Even if it’s a gift from Ethan, how can you wear it so often?’

 

‘Come to think of it, on the side of the brooch…’

 

Theon looked back at his memory and remembered that there was a small hinge on the side of the brooch.

 

He jumped from his seat and pulled out a small jewelry box from under his chest of drawers.

 

As he wiped the shallow dust on the jewel box, the faint crest of the Fried family was revealed.

 

It had been passed down to him from his mother, Grand duchess Fried when he came from Friedia.

 

He took out the key from his pocket and opened the long-closed jewelry box.

 

Then, a stone blacker than obsidian appeared.

 

The stone did not reflect any light, so it was so black that even a shadow could not be seen, and it had a dark energy that seemed to absorb the surrounding light.

 

And Theon felt the spirits he had barely suppressed go wild.

 

Theon couldn’t even touch the stone out of fear and tried to estimate the size of the stone, whose shape was unclear.

 

‘Is it about the length of his thumb? I could be smaller than that?’

 

He took a guess, then hurriedly closed the box and locked it with the lock.

 

For a brief moment, he felt sick to his stomach, and his heart was beating fast.

 

Grand Duke Fried sent the Dark Spirit Stone to help him in any way.

 

However, the spirit stone only stimulated the spirit again, making it difficult to control.

 

He put the jewelry box back into the deepest part of the drawer.

 

Then, after leaning on the desk for a while to compose himself, he went to the bookshelf, found a book, and took it out.

 

It was a history book about the legitimacy of the imperial family that has been passed down from the myth of the founding of Ubera, which many people know.

 

He opened the book and quickly turned the pages. And the page he stopped at. History of Emperor Corresus Milanaire.

 

Although it is a history that he has heard and learned countless times since he was young, he thoroughly read the work of the Coresus as if he were seeing it for the first time.

 

And one illustration caught his eye.

 

It was the imperial scepter.

 

* * *