The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Wine is a good gift item to be used as a diplomatic tool.

There are a lot of overseas royals and famous people from all walks of life before the debut, so this is a good opportunity for Dorothea, who has been locked up in the palace, to expand her connections.

“Besides, the wine is named after the princess, so it’s even more meaningful!”

A golden opportunity to make her existence clear while giving a gift.

Dorothea thought Clara’s words were right.

The best use of wine is as a bribe or gift.

That makes me have a friendly relationship with the nobles. but what’s the use?’

Dorothea did not want to increase her influence. Being close to nobles would only make her more tired.

“There is no law that says only nobles have to drink wine.”

But what are you going to do with all this good wine? There’s no one to drink it but the nobles.”

The wine was an expensive drink, and the wine Karnan had given her was special.

As Clara stood there dumbfounded, and Dorothea stood up, opened the box of wine Carnan had sent earlier, and pulled out a bottle of wine.

She walked over to Clara with several bottles of wine in her arms.

“Come on, this is for Clara and Anton too.”

Dorothea put two bottles of wine in Clara’s arms and walked to Stephan, who was far away from behind.

“This is for Stefan.”

As Dorothea held out the bottle of wine, Stefan, who was standing upright, shook his head.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Stefan enjoying a drink.’

“Oh, do you hate alcohol?”

Dorothea asked, but he remained silent.

Dorothea, who had been with him for many years, knew immediately what he meant. He doesn’t hate it, but he feels a burden to receive it. It’d be better to say no, but he can’t lie.

“Take it. If you can’t drink it, go brag to the knights. The princess gave me a good drink.”

Dorothea took his hand and gave him a bottle of wine.

“And some for you, Joy.”

When she put two bottles in Joy’s arms, who was standing next to Stefan, Joy’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

“I’ve never had wine before!”

“Take this opportunity to drink it. I don’t think you ever drank anything but used to cook grapes.”

“But two bottles?”

“I can give you more, so tell me if you want.”

Dorothea laughed and turned to Clara.

“Clara. Hand out a bottle to everyone who works at the Converta Palace. And I will send the three boxes down to the detached Palace.”

“yes! I see, Princess. And thank you for thinking of us….”

“Thank you. Princess!”

“….”

Clara and Joy said thank you, and Stefan quietly bowed his head.

Dorothea sat down at her desk. She was to deal with the burden Carnan had left her as soon as possible.

‘First of all, I will send it to the knights who are loyal to the Empire and guard the borders day and night.’

It doesn’t matter to them who sent it.

‘It’s important that the imperial family gives you good wine.’

So it will have little effect on Dorothea’s political power.

“Aside from that, I will give it to those who serve the imperial family, and I will send a small amount to hospitals around the world for those who need to use wine as medicine.”

Wine has long been classified as a medicine used for disinfection or gastrointestinal treatment.

‘I will not have a hundred thousand bottles left over after this. It would be a neat way to get rid of the wine that Carnan gave me.’

* * *

Stephan took the bottle of wine Dorothea had given him and returned to the Knights of Brilliance.

He shook his head vigorously when Dorothea offered him to bring another box to the knights to share and drink.

‘Is it okay to take something like this that could be put to better use…?’

Stefan glanced at Dorothea’s name on the wine.

He knew it wasn’t often that Carnan gave Dorothea gifts.

But Carnan personally named a wine after her, it must be the best gift he could give her.

‘She didn’t seem too happy about it, but….’

Normal people would run around excitedly but Dorothea sighed.

‘She just hasn’t gotten used to His Majesty doing this out of the blue.’

even to Stefan, it seemed strange.

‘so how confused must she be?’

As a member of the Knights that served the imperial family, he shouldn’t do it, but Stefan even hates Carnan a little.

Stefan remembers it well.

Dorothea was recuperating and Carnan tried to bring him, who was the only remaining escort, to the imperial palace without a replacement.

Of course, Cerritian’s guards will protect the detached Palace, but when there is a princess who is only 12 years old in a faraway country, He knows what will happen.

Moreover, he forced Dorothea to come to the Imperial Palace, forced her to take the episteme test, and when she got 0 points, he slapped her in the face.

‘And now you’re suddenly paying attention to her.’

Perhaps even if Stefan was Dorothea, he would have doubted Carnan’s intentions.

‘I can’t do this…’

He thought as he ran his fingers over the white seashell pin pinned to his chest like a medal.

‘As a knight of the imperial family, I shouldn’t have hatred towards the emperor, but that wasn’t easy.’

When he arrived at the Knights of Brilliance, the knights who were talking among themselves glanced at him.

“Sir Stefan. Wine all of a sudden?”

They asked with puzzled eyes.

It was because it was an accessory that did not go well with him, who did not usually drink alcohol.

Stefan wanted to answer that it was given to him by the princess.

But the words did not come out of his heart, so he kept his mouth shut and remained silent.

The knights furrowed their eyebrows as if they didn’t like his attitude.

Obviously, Stefan wasn’t the type of person to fit into group life. Because of his outstanding skills, he is able to join the Knights of Brilliance.

Even though he had been down in the countryside for three years, his skills were counted as one of the best in the Knights of Brilliance.

Nevertheless, his low status was due to his unsociable personality.

“Where did the wine come from?”

“This is the first label I have ever seen. Dorothea Milanaire…? Is that the princess’s name?”

As Stefan nodded silently, the knights laughed.

“Which corner was the drink rolling in?”

They giggled when they said that.

It’s a joke that Dorothea is a neglected princess who rolls around from the countryside.

Pakk!

Stefan slammed the scabbard to the floor to stop their laughter.

The Knights, who had been chattering for a moment, became quiet with The floor caved in.

“Polite to Milanaire.”

No matter how silent he was, it didn’t mean he couldn’t understand rude jokes.

“You’re even going to be so serious about this. It’s a light joke.”

“….”

Stefan knew how people viewed Dorothea.

Even within the Knights of Brilliance, there was no one who supported Dorothea’s escort knights.

Dorothea doesn’t get the emperor’s attention and it’s most keenly noticed by those who work for him.

There’s Raymond, so there’s no need to line up anywhere else.

Although Carnan has been paying attention to her recently, that’s not enough to save Dorothea from being treated like a neglected princess.

It only makes it clearer that she should be happy to have received a birthday present at all.

“Sir Stefan, that’s why you can’t go up. Anyway…”

The knights turned to Stefan, who stared at them with unwavering eyes. The knights clicked their tongues at the thought of him, who had only been Dorothea’s escort for so many years.

Then.

“Sir Stefan! I brought Po wine!”

Joy, who returned to the Knights belatedly, called him.

Joy stopped when she saw Stefan’s hardened face while running.

‘I’ve seen Stefan’s expressionless face a lot, but it’s the first time I’ve seen him look so angry.’

“Oh, what happened?”

“Joy, did you get that Princess Dorothea wine too?”

The knights asked Joy, who looked at Stefan.

“Oh, yes! This is the wine that the Princess has been given by His Majesty the Emperor! Chef Renière tasted it and said it was a very good wine! I don’t know the taste of wine.”

Joy raised the bottle of wine she had received from Dorothea and shouted.

“Your Majesty to the Princess?”

The tone of the knights’ voices has changed a little. It was unexpected that it would be alcohol given by the emperor.

“He gave the Princess 100,000 bottles of wine, Right, Sir Stefan?”

“100,000 bottles?”

When the knights gave him a curious glance, Stefan winked at Joy.

Then, instead of answering the knights who wanted to ask about the wine, Joy followed Stefan, who quietly left the place.

* * *

The debutante came quickly.

Dorothea sighed as she stood in front of the mirror.

“It’s a good day, but why are you sighing so much, Princess?”

Clara asked, arranging the hem of her dress.

“I think I’m going to be tired today.”

“Yes. My princess is so beautiful, people will not let you go.”

Clara smiled as she looked at Dorothea in the mirror.

‘I don’t mean that.’

Dorothea looked into the eyes of the expressionless woman standing in the mirror. She looks tired already.

“My princess. You’re really beautiful, but there is only one thing that bothers me.”

“What?”

“Your dress! It’s just so plain and ordinary.”

Clara drooped her shoulders as she looked at Dorothea in the mirror.

‘I wish she had worn a more fancy and expensive dress because it was a once-in-a-lifetime debut.’

The dress Dorothea wore was a white sheath dress without a single jewel. The only thing that could be called decoration was white lace.

“That’s enough. wearing something expensive won’t make a difference.”

“It’s your first time at a ball, so you don’t know. At a ball, the dress is a sword.”

Dresses and accessories are weapons at a ball such as a debutante.

‘It is a battlefield where we kill and save each other with prettier and more expensive clothes and accessories!’

Clara felt like she was going to explode because it was a pity that Dorothea, who should have been the greatest warrior on the bloody battlefield, wore such plain clothes.

* * *