The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

“I hope a good person comes along! Actually, I have wanted to start a happy family and have children of my own for a long time.”

 

Stefan thought for a moment, then nodded.

 

He had always thought that Clara was attractive because she had a pretty face and was cheerful.

 

Therefore, he also hoped that Clara would meet a good man.

 

A wise and thoughtful person suitable for Clara.

 

“Oh, look at me! It’s not the time to be talking like this! Then I’ll leave now!”

 

Clara may have belatedly realized that she was busy preparing breakfast, and ran back towards the palace where Dorothea would be.

 

Because of that, Stefan could not speak. He also has a day off tomorrow.

 

But it’s not that important, so it might be better not to say it.

 

‘Clara… she’s going to meet the man tomorrow.’

 

* * * 

 

the next day. Stefan finished his morning training and went into town. Since it was his day off, he planned to go to Po’s store.

 

The nobles laughed at the fact that the Count of Greenwall was running a bakery, but Stefan was filled with pride when he saw Po running the store.

 

Po’s dessert shop became famous enough to be called a ‘craze’ and was supplying desserts to all kinds of aristocratic events.

 

He’d already hired a few more pastry chefs and expanded the shop to a prime location in the center of town.

 

The signature product was the signature apple pie, which gained a reputation as a pie to give as a gift to loved ones.

 

People were lining up in front of Po’s Dessert Shop to buy pies.

 

“…..”

 

Even when Stefan came to visit, Po was so busy that he couldn’t even greet him properly.

 

Stefan didn’t have the personality to talk to busy people, so he walked around the store a few times, quietly stood in line, bought two apple pies, and returned.

 

Although he and Joey often eat pie, it is a delicacy dessert for the knights under him.

 

He headed back to the palace with the intention of bringing the pie for the knight.

 

At that time, his steps stopped in front of a cafe.

 

The person who caught his attention was Clara sitting inside the cafe.

 

The woman who said she was going to see the man today was wearing a bright pink dress, unlike the maid uniform she usually wore.

 

Her hair was untied and long, falling down her shoulders.

 

If he hadn’t had a keen eyesight, he wouldn’t have even recognized it as Clara.

 

She was sitting by the window, close to a strange man.

 

Stefan stopped without realizing it and looked at that figure.

 

Clara’s expression looked quite uncomfortable.

 

He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but he was used to reading that kind of expression.

 

When he looked closely, he saw a man sitting so close that their shoulders were touching, fiddling with Clara’s hand.

 

Clara pulled her hand away as if she was uncomfortable, smiled awkwardly, and said something to the man. 

 

‘Maybe she wanted to move.’

 

The two people got up from their seats and came out of the cafe.

 

Stefan unknowingly stuck to the wall, hiding his large size.

 

Thanks to her agility, Clara didn’t see him and started walking down the street with the man.

 

Stefan hesitated for a moment, holding the apple pie.

 

‘Clara’s expression doesn’t look good.…’

 

He was concerned about Clara’s uncomfortable expression.

 

It may not be possible, but it looked like she was asking for help to get out of that place.

 

While he hesitated, his feet followed the two people.

 

Clara and the man soon entered a bar with a nice atmosphere.

 

A bar on the first day they met…?’ 

 

Clara likes to drink, So Clara is the kind of person who would enjoy having a drink or two while eating.

 

But it’s a full-fledged bar.

 

Moreover, the ominous dark red sign irritated Stefan’s nerves even more.

 

In the end, Stefan lowered his tall stature and secretly followed them to the bar.

 

In the early evening, when it was slowly getting dark, there were more customers in the bar than expected.

 

The bar sold a variety of alcohol, including beer, wine, and whiskey, as well as snacks and cigarettes.

 

According to Stefan’s common sense, it was not a place he should come with a woman he had met for the first time.

 

Red lanterns, the scent of old wine barrels, and the scent of cigarettes.

 

Stefan sat in a corner seat and ordered a beer.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the table where Clara and the man were sitting.

 

‘What was I thinking coming all the way here…?’

 

Stefan covered his face and rubbed his face dry.

 

It was Clara’s business, it was none of his business, and it was certainly not his job to follow her around like this.

 

Stefan sighed deeply.

 

‘I ordered a beer, so I’ll just drink it and leave.’

 

Meanwhile, Stefan glanced at Clara’s table.

 

There was already quite high alcohol brandy on the table there.

 

‘Do you even drink expensive brandy when you first meet?’ 

 

‘It would be nice to have a decent meal and talk in a cafe, and then part ways. But a bar with heavy alcohol and gloomy lighting…’

 

He could see the man’s hand pouring the brandy. He didn’t like it.

 

Because of the distance between the tables and the noise of others, Clara’s voice was barely audible.

 

“I don’t like alcohol very much…”

 

Clara smiled awkwardly as the man poured her a drink.

 

“If you drink brandy, you get drunk quickly and the hangover is severe.”

 

Clara rolled her eyes here and there, showing her refusal.

 

“You drink wine, but you don’t drink brandy? I guess you’ve only tried cheap, fake alcohol.”

 

The man said, “This brandy is different,” and offered it to Clara.

 

Clara is a maid who serves the emperor.

 

Since she works for the imperial family, she will have more access to good alcohol than any other commoner. Nevertheless, the man spoke as if he knew everything about the world.

 

‘Are you disrespecting her…?’

 

Stefan glanced at the man he was confronting with narrow eyes.

 

Not a nobleman. Looking at his flashy clothes, he seemed to be a merchant who had made a lot of money through business.

 

He appeared to be much older than Clara, with a form of arrogance embedded in him.

 

Stefan doesn’t like him in many ways.

 

Stefan quietly watched the scene while holding a glass of beer that had just been poured.

 

Meanwhile, Clara had no choice but to take a sip of the brandy that didn’t suit her and put down the glass.

 

The man offers it one more time.

 

Clara declined a few times but then put the glass of brandy to her lips again.

 

Stefan’s expression hardened.

 

She was always an impeccable worker, but if she had one flaw, it was that she cared too much about people and could not say no.

 

If she doesn’t like it, she can just leave her seat, but she is doing it to show courtesy.

 

‘It was Baron Gregory who arranged this event.’ 

 

Even if Clara was a high-ranking maid, she wouldn’t be able to introduce herself to a nobleman without permission.

 

You have to part ways with the minimum of courtesy so that you can see each other later.

 

This is because if you behave incorrectly, you may be misunderstood as ignoring the sincerity of the baron who introduced you.

 

Clara was worried that her actions might put pressure on Dorothea, the emperor.

 

Considering Clara’s status and situation, it was not impossible to understand why Clara couldn’t move in front of that man, but Stefan was very displeased.

 

He took a few sips of beer and stared at the table where Clara was at.

 

Although he was following her, he hoped she’d spot him, so he could use that as an excuse to bother them.

 

After a while, Clara’s face turned bright red.

 

The brandy wasn’t very good, but she got drunk quicker than Stefan expected.

 

Stefan looked at Clara, whose ears and even the nape of her neck were bright red, clutching a soggy glass of beer.

 

She was trying not to lose her mind.

 

“Oh my, you’re drunk.”

 

The man who was sitting across from Clara went and sat down next to her, saying he would take care of her when she was drunk.

 

Again, like before, he touches Clara and wraps his arms around her shoulders.

 

Stefan gritted his teeth.

 

He wanted to draw a knife between them.

 

‘Not again….’

 

The man lifted his butt from his seat to get Clara out of the place.

 

At that moment, Clara also jumped up from her seat at the same time.

 

“I think I should just go now.”

 

Clara slapped away the man’s hand that was wrapping around her shoulder. And then she left the table to avoid the man.

 

But her body stumbled after only a few steps.

 

Then the man grabbed her and supported her.

 

Clara felt dizzy, so she closed her eyes tightly.

 

‘I guess I’m already drunk…!’ 

 

She shook her head trying to straighten her spinning head.

 

‘Brandy didn’t go well with me, but not like this. It was weird today.’

 

‘Was it because I was nervous earlier? Or tired?’

 

‘Whatever it was, the priority was to quickly come to my senses and return home.’

 

At that time, the man who was supporting her wrapped his arms around her waist.

 

“You’re very drunk. I think it would be better for you to rest for a bit…” 

 

The strong scent of alcohol coming from him was unpleasant.

 

Clara shook her head and said she could go alone.

 

Actually, she thought it would be impossible to go home alone, but at least she didn’t want to be with that man.

 

Even though she was drunk, her judgment was clear. 

 

“There’s an inn up here. Let’s take a rest and then go.”

 

The man whispered to Clara.

 

At that moment, her eyes opened as if she had completely sobered up.

 

* * *