The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Ray realized Dorothea’s smartness and said she was awesome, but Theon thought Dorothea was greater in other ways.

No matter how smart you are, how do you get a zero on the episteme exam?

Even if you can even imagine getting 0 points, you can actually put it into practice. It would be impossible without some kind of guts.

“Then, she made mistakes on purpose. Why did she do that?”

“Well…”

“Is it because she doesn’t want to go out with me?”

Ray was depressed as if he had lost his pick.

“It can’t be.”

“But Dorothea doesn’t like me very much.”

Ray lost his confidence when it came to Dorothea.

Ray, who always seemed bright, cheerful, and carefree, drooped in front of Dorothy, like a dog soaked in the rain.

“Maybe… It must be for another reason. And I heard the princess accept your bouquet. If she didn’t like you, she wouldn’t have received it”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“So Theon, would you like to go see Dorothea together after practice about the spirits?”

Ray suggested that they go to celebrate Dorothea, who scored zero.

But Theon remembered Dorothea’s red eyes, bloodshot eyes, and red cheeks.

“No, you better leave Princess Dorothy alone today, Ray.”

Dorothea didn’t want to be seen that way.

“And you said you had something to tell me about the spirits today.”

Theon returned the subject from Dorothea.

It was the reason he came all the way to see Ray today.

“Oh, right! So, how have you been lately? It seems the spirits aren’t as troublesome as they used to be.”

“I think I can do something about suppressing it,” Theon replied.

Thanks to a letter from Fried, the sudden appearance of the spirit was prevented. At least, the fear of harming others is gone. There was no sudden fall of a flying butterfly or no carcass of a mouse found.

“But if you keep suppressing the spirit of darkness, you will only hurt yourself.”

If he forcibly suppresses the spirit’s appearance, the spirit’s power would only accumulate inside Theon. The problem is that the power of the dark spirit is related to death. In other words, it eats away at itself.

“I read an old book that might be helpful. Come on.”

Rey took Theon and opened the book he had found in the corner of the Imperial Library.

As he opened the book, which smelled of old dust, a cloud of dust spread through the sunlight.

“I study harder these days than during the episteme exam.”

Ray said proudly and fumbled through the front of the book.

And quickly found the part he was looking for and offered it to Theon.

“It’s about the first Milanaires and Fried. The part where the two of them made a blood covenant with the spirit king.”

Theon read the part Ray was pointing to. 

The story of Milanaire making a blood pact with the king of the light spirits and making a wish to create the sun, and Fried making a blood pact with the king of the dark spirits and making a wish to cast a veil of the night to escape from the overly hot sun.

Theon looked at Ray as if this was a big find, and he pointed to the lower line.

“Here, light and darkness were one in the beginning, and it is said that Milanaire and Fried balanced by suppressing each other’s strength. So, I think I can help you.”

“You?”

“Maybe the Spirit of Light can offset that power. We are balancing power.”

Rey looked at Theon and his eyes lit up.

* * *

Clara, Joy, and Po arrived the next day. It was because it took a long time for Joy and Po to go through the reconciliation process to enter the Imperial Palace and to deal with this and that.

Dorothea greeted them with her cheeks still swollen.

“No, Princess! What’s wrong with your face?”

As soon as Clara saw Dorothea after a long time, she was surprised and ran to her.

“There were some minor accidents.”

Clara, noticing that Dorothea did not want to speak, looked at Stefan. Clara wanted Stefan to tell her everything that happened in the meantime, but…

‘Huft, what can I expect from that knight? Someone with a tightly sewn mouth.’

Clara gave up.

Joy and Po were surprised to see cheeks of Dorothea and were surprised to see the palace bigger than the detached palace.

“Even the princess can get hit too…?”

Po asked Joy with a shocked expression.

Dorothea, who seemed to be the highest in the world, was slapped in the face.

‘Who the hell slaps the princess on the cheek?’

“I accidentally injured myself while playing, Po.”

Dorothea explained to Po with a smile.

‘Ah, it can be. Even the perfect-looking princess also makes mistakes.’

Po nodded.

“Anyway, the two of you will be staying in my palace. Only the space has changed, but you can stay as you would in a detached palace. However, this place is spacious, so don’t go out into other palaces recklessly.”

“Yes!”

“Royal etiquette…you need to learn more.”

“More?”

Joy’s eyes widened.

‘I thought I had learned enough.’

“It is much stricter here. If you make a mistake, your neck can run off.”

Unlike the detached palace that Dorothea looked up to, this is the palace where the emperor resides.

“Especially outside the Palace of Converta, don’t make a mistake.”

What happens inside Dorothea’s palace can be taken care of by Dorothea, but it’s difficult for Dorothea to protect them if something goes wrong elsewhere.

At Dorothea’s warning, the two nodded nervously.

Dorothea looked at Joy and Po.

‘Now I felt like I had my people here.’

“You will be tired for now, so go wash up and rest. Clara too.”

Dorothea’s palace didn’t have to be busy.

* * *

Since then, Dorothea has tried several times to go down to the detached palace, but each time she has failed.

Instead, the budget paid to the Palace of Converta has increased compared to the previous one.

‘Does it mean to stay here without thinking about running away?’

‘I have no intention of changing the budget.’

Carnan’s heart was unknown.

Dorothea often met Carnan while she was at the Imperial Palace.

Unlike before, Carnan began to show more interest in Dorothea.

Of course, there was no needless chatter or invitation to tea time. However, he would take Dorothea with him on important occasions or send gifts on her birthday.

‘I thought you’d stay away from me, but why…?’

‘Why do you care when I tell you not to care?’

Carnan’s behavior, like a green frog, made Dorothea wonder if he was doing this to torment her.

So, when Dorothea encountered him, she quickly ran out of sight.

The change in his eyes from before was not uncomfortable at all.

Dorothea spent most of her time like a stranger. She was locked to her own territory and did not go out unless something serious happened.

But it was okay. There was Stefan and Clara and there was Joy and Po.

Dorothea was content to build her own wall high and stay inside with the door locked.

Occasionally, Ray would visit Dorothea.

After a few accidents, Ray gradually became more aware. There were fewer people talking about Episteme in front of Dorothea, asking why she wasn’t showing off her talent, or urging her to go somewhere.

Ray would occasionally come to play with Theon when Dorothea was in a good mood.

The two were very close, and they were famous for sticking together even in the episteme.

Ray was the starting point for Theon, who was able to accept a political marriage even if it wasn’t love, before returning to turn his back on Dorothea.

Because Dorothea killed his best friend, Ray.

After Dorotea killed Ray and became emperor, Theon treated her like an enemy. Hatred, contempt, ignorance, and anger. Theon gave her another reason to keep Ray alive.

“How are you today?”

When he met Dorothea, Theon was always cautious and asking questions.

Probably because he remembers her being slapped by Carnan.

Theon’s calm gaze as she looked at her well-being made Dorothea’s heartbeat.

His skeleton was almost that of an adult, and his height was on the large side among adults.

His red eyes, since he was a child, were like a well-aged red wine, with a brilliance that would fascinate many ladies.

“You look good these days.”

He was so friendly that it made it difficult to keep him at a distance. Rejecting Theon Fried was the hardest thing for Dorothea. 

But fortunately, Dorothea’s world was not shaken by his words like before.

‘I was still excited to see him, but at the same time, I got used to giving up.’

The days when she feels like crying are decreasing. The days of remembering Theon’s death are becoming rarer.

‘Instead, I was filled with gratitude that he was alive.’

‘Well… It’s nice to be able to see his face like this.’

Dorothea was slowly getting more and more relaxed, and she was slowly moving away from the past.

“Still, it’s great to have Dorothea. I was a little bored because I was alone in the Imperial Palace.”

Ray, who had become accustomed to coming to the Converta Palace where Dorothea resides, said again.

“You’re bored. You should be busy.”

“There’s a difference between being busy and being bored.”

Ray said that just seeing Dorothea made him feel better. Because of that, Dorothea did not kick Ray out when Ray came.

If there’s one more reason to let Ray come, it’s because Joy and Po really liked Ray.

“You were close to Dorothea at the detached palace?”

“Wow, the Crown Prince!”

“Your Majesty, po…!”

“You’re wrong, too. Your Highness, not Your Majesty.”

Joy and Po sometimes got confused about the complicated imperial etiquette, and Dorothea had to correct it.

Joy and Po saw Ray as if he were a legend. Ray, a kind person, didn’t hesitate to put the two of them together at tea time.

“Come on. Tell me the story of a detached palace.”

Ray has always been like that. A person with no dignity, no walls, no charisma, unsuitable for the position of the Crown Prince.

So a person who breaks down social barriers and makes people loose.

Dorothea was very dissatisfied with that. Even now, he thought that his character was not suitable for the role of the Crown Prince and future emperor.

‘But still, I thought it was okay.’

Dorothea thinks maybe she was jealous of Ray’s brilliance that everyone could love.

* * *