Chapter 60

Harvey’s eyes very slowly, became enlightened and enlarged like a single-celled animal.

“……Lies.”

But he shook his head vigorously as if he still couldn’t accept the reality.

“There’s a limit to stupidity.”

I clicked my tongue.

“A five-year-old child can recite the high-ranking aristocrats of the Empire. Even more so if she’s the only woman among them.”

Harvey’s body began to limp all at once, perhaps because of huge shock.

“Haven’t you thought of checking the news because you were addicted to alcohol throughout your study abroad?”

“Don’t tell me… the Duke of Baloa……?”

It was not until this situation that Harvey’s face turned blue as if something had come to mind. I raised my glasses with a grin.

“Why, do you have anything in mind now?”

“Someone like a vicious viper……. An absolute power who acts as the de facto master of the empire, covering and wielding His Majesty’s eyes and ears with her three tongues…….”

It is unpleasant listening to it, but I couldn’t argue with it.

“You devil! You tricked me……!”

Harvey fluttered and rushed in, but he could only flounder because he was blocked by the bars.

“I made it clear from the beginning that I am a duke. You’re the one who didn’t listen properly.”

When I put the torch close to the bars, he stepped back in amazement.

“No matter how much you lack intelligence, you don’t even know who the actual owner of the empire is?”

I sighed.

“Phew. I thought I’d be nice to your father. I can’t do this because I’m cursed at.”

I pretended to scratch the back of my neck with my thumb.

“He, heok!”

Harbi’s body collapsed immediately at my gesture.

“D, Duke! Duke! I must have been crazy! P, please have mercy!”

“Well, I’ll see you at the trial, Harvey Linoa.”

Leaving the desperate cry behind, I left leisurely, waving my hand.

As soon as I left the prison door and arrived at the stairs leading to the ground, a huge body blocked me.

“Did you have a good conversation, the de facto master of the empire?”

Cardan grinned.

“Y, Your Majesty!”

I stumbled at the sensation of all the blood escaping from my head.

“There must have been no difficulties. The de facto master of the empire?”

“…of course, I was on my way to tell the lowly criminal that you were the great Emperor Cardan Zion! He is such a stupid kid that he doesn’t even seem to know basic common sense.”

Cardan leaned his head and let out a low exclamation.

“I hear you said he’s lost track of who the real owner of the empire is.….”

“I mean, look at me, I’m stuck right next to the actual owner of the empire! Well, that’s what I meant. Because Your Majesty cares about me so much. Ha ha.”

“Me, you.”

He raised a finger, pointed at himself, and turned to my forehead.

“Cares about you?”

And pressed my forehead.

Cardan, who pulled out just before I fell on my back, rubbed off his fingers that touched my skin.

It was certainly too much to say that he cared.

“So as a loyal servant…….”

A cold sweat began to accumulate under the collar of my shirt. What, am I going to be beaten up after I was used to wipe out the slave market?

Eleanor’s candle came to mind automatically. Maybe……?

All kinds of scenarios were churning in my head tightly, then Cardan spoke.

“Let’s have dinner together.”

It was hard to see because of the darkness, but at first glance, the corners of Cardan’s mouth seemed to draw a favorable line.

“The Empress must feel quite low about the slave market being wiped out. It would be difficult if a loyal servant gets poisoned while eating.”

I followed Cardan up the stairs in a dazed mood.

I’m not in trouble, right?

☆*: .｡.  .｡.:*☆

Cardan, naturally took my food, mumbled a few times and handed the fork back.

“It’s edible today.”

“Haha, thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty’s extreme filial piety will go down in history.”

“Filial?”

Cardan narrowed his eyebrows slightly and then nodded his head slightly.

“……Yes, it’s filial piety.”

He blurred out the end of his speech with a strange expression.

But it didn’t look bad, so I tried to bait him.

Although I was angry because of Harvey, I couldn’t give up the secret route either.

“Well, Your Majesty, I’ve been thinking, why don’t you reconsider executing the nobles who participated in the slave market altogether?”

“Reconsider?”

Cardan’s eyes shot up at once.

“Is it because of Young Count Linoa?”

It’s true so I can’t deny it, but I’m too snobbish to admit it.

“Hmm. I think execution is not enough punishment.”

“Not enough?”

“Yes. Countless people are driven into days of constant suffering, but doesn’t their pain end at once if you cut off their breath?”

Although I expressed my opinion enthusiastically, Cardan still seemed to be in a bad mood.

“It sounds like an excuse for you to save him.”

“What do you mean I want to save him?”

I shook my hand as if it were unfair.

It’s true, but……. Why should I admit it?

“My suggestion is for them to feel the same pain!”

“…….”

“They’ll be considered felons, be handed over to trial, and be forced to work for life!”

“…….”

“It’s goof timing since I was just short of hands because I sent all the prisoners who were working in my mine to the Marquis Treve.”

“In the end, it means that you will save Young Count Linoa’s life and provide him with a place to live.”

Eh?

How did he come up with that conclusion?

“Ha ha. I thought of my mine, which was notorious for being a place where people are unable to come out with their limbs attached, was the right fit…….”

Cardan’s eyes narrowed.

I lowered my tail right away.

“My thoughts were lacking. I’ll send him somewhere else.”

“Yes, the farther from the capital, the better.”

(t/n: sus ????)

With a satisfied smile, Cardan took my tableware again and started cutting my steak.

I thought it was because he wanted more steak, but after he finished cutting it, he dropped the fork back on the plate.

“I heard that the prince of the Eastern Continental Empire will visit next month. You can sell him to the East, where slave ownership is legal.”

My ears perked up.

“Is the Prince of the East visiting?”

It was a golden opportunity.

As long as I have a good relationship with the prince, a successful asylum was basically successful, even setting up a new home in the East.

“You look overjoyed.”

However, Cardan looked blank as I was pleased with the prince’s visit.

“Haha, I’m so excited to hand over the slaves.”

I clenched my fist under the table.

“As a favor for the slaves, I will carefully entertain the prince so that there will be no inconvenience during his stay.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the fork in Cardan’s hand bent slightly.

“Did I make any mistake……?”

“Eat your steak.”

Cardan took a piece of meat and stuffed it into my mouth.

“If you want to entertain the prince sincerely, you need to recover your energy.”

“Oh, thank you, Your Majesty.”

But even my thanks were blocked by a new piece of meat.

He felt good then bad in a flash, I couldn’t figure him out. I missed the days when he was consistently brutal.

I chewed the meat diligently, thinking seriously. I have to eat a lot while I still can.

☆*: .｡.  .｡.:*☆

“I’ve tried every possible means to persuade His Majesty…….”

I sighed, drooping the corners of my mouth.

“His Majesty is so stubborn.”

“Huhuhueuk”

Count Linoa sobbed as if he had already been sentenced to death.

He squeezed his wet handkerchief and rubbed his eyes hard, but the handkerchief had already reached its limit.

“But I was able to avoid his execution somehow.”

Soon Count Linoa’s eyes widened.

“Is that true?!”

“Yes… My neck almost fell while trying to persuade His Majesty, but I pushed it to the end considering the affection I had with Count Linoa.”

I held my breath for a moment for a dramatic effect.

“Your Majesty may change his mind tomorrow and my neck may fall off.”

“Huhuhueuk!”

Count Linoa sobbed and flapped his handkerchief.

“Don’t worry. I have made sure that he promise to spare the life of your son.”

“D, duke…….”

“Living abroad must be very difficult, but how fortunate it is that Harvey studied abroad for a long time.”

“L, living in a different country……?”

“Have you ever visited the East?”

“I’ve been in the East two years ago…….”

“Perfect. Obviously, a talent like Harvey would adapt well in the East as a slave.”

The count trembled at my words.

“S, Slave?!”

“I feel very sad too. But there was nothing else I could do to save his life.”

I shook my head with excitement as I touched Count Linoa’s shoulder.

“Don’t you know it well? His Majesty’s temper.”

“Kuhuhuhuek!”

Count Linoa barely nodded, covering his mouth with a handkerchief as if he could not say anything because he was choked up.

“So, now I’m going to talk about the route.”

I tilted his upper body toward me, as I barely held back my insidious smile. At the same time, a crow cried loudly outside.

“I will keep the information you will provide purely for personal use, and you can talk comfortably as I have no intention of interfering with the count’s trade business.”

Count Linoa wept and managed to squeeze his voice.

“Yes, yes… Of course.”

And he  took a map out of his arms.

“………this is the voyage.”

Count Linoa continued his explanation faithfully, while crying with a sound.

It was a very productive interview.

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