I only think about episode 21
I only think about episode 21
“!”
The moment I heard that, my eyes widened.
I never thought that Cecilia would bring up a story like this at this timing.
“You look quite surprised, don’t you?”
“Yes, it is…” ….”
I responded with a bow of my head. When he raised his head again, his eyes met naturally with Cecilia.
There was a serious expression in her blood-red eyes as she stared this way.
“I think you are also curious about it.”
Cecilia leaned against the back of her throne and crossed her legs.
There was not much difference between her sitting height and me, but she seemed to be looking down at me, perhaps because of Cecilia’s unique dignity.
Of course, because of the difference in status, it should be right to look down.
“…… That’s right. I was very curious as to why His Majesty had selected me, a humble peasant, to an important position.”
“Terrible…… I see.”
Did I exaggerate?
But I soon withdrew the idea. It was true that I was curious enough to have to use the adjective ‘terribly’.
“Before I tell you, there is something you need to know.”
“Which one?”
I asked back in a polite tone, and Cecilia pointed her index finger at my forehead.
“I am telling this story because I decided to trust you completely. Keep that in mind in the future.”
“… ….”
It has been about two months since I entered the palace.
Have you earned the Empress’s trust in just this amount of time?
Yesterday, thanks to me, I should have been able to give that old Montersen a shot.
…… Oh, so you’ve decided to trust me?
“Answer?”
Oops, I was lost in thought without realizing it.
“It is only an honor for you to trust me, Your Majesty.”
This time, I bent my waist at 90 degrees to express my gratitude.
Whatever the trust of the empress, she had no reason not to take it as an honor.
“Actually, the moment I saw your name, Nedville, on the application form, I made up my mind. I’m going to appoint you as my direct secretary.”
Certainly, from the moment I saw your name, you wouldn’t say something strange like fate.
Since it’s Cecilia, of course I won’t say nonsense.
“There are two reasons for this.”
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Cecilia spread her two fingers out.
“One is because you had a past relationship with your father, Baron Harold Nedville. To be more precise, she was indebted to the baron.”
“Eunhye?”
“Yes.”
Cecilia nodded her head once.
Cecilia reiterated that she had remained a mystery since the last social gathering.
She said at that time she was called Yeon in the past, but this time it was Eunhye… ….
But she still couldn’t fathom what had happened.
“Your Majesty. Can I ask God just one thing?”
“Not allowed.”
“… ….”
If you’ve done this, can you just teach me?
I wanted to beg you like that, but how can I do that?
That also applies to your direct superior.
“I want you to let go of your expression.”
“Oh. I apologize.”
I quickly changed to my usual expression.
I’ve built up a good image, but I can’t destroy it with my own hands.
“It’s not that I don’t know that you are curious. But unless your father told you, I don’t want to tell you either.”
My father also told me that way in a letter…….
But I didn’t do anything stupid to bring up this story and make a scratch.
“Simply put, you can regard it as repaying you for the kindness you owe the baron.”
“I hope you understand with broad generosity my negligence of failing to understand Your Majesty’s inner circumstances.”
“Luke. You often…….”
Cecilia pursed her lips as if trying to choose her words.
What are you talking about?
“There are times when words go too far. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but there are times when that in itself seems excessive.”
“It is nothing more than showing the courtesy that a secretary should show.”
“Hmm. Well, I don’t mean not to do it at all, but……. You can take it to mean that you don’t have to be too polite.”
“How could I do that to Your Majesty?”
Cecilia made her pensive face for a moment.
“…… I wasted my time on nonsense. Returning to the main topic, the second reason is to use it as a springboard to create a force to support me.”
The moment I heard her remarks, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.
Cecilia’s imperial authority is still not strong. So, I could fully understand the intention of creating a strong support layer and strengthening the imperial power through this.
Usually, the method chosen as a means to strengthen the imperial authority is to create undeniable achievements or to have strong support from various groups.
Of course, the icing on the cake when the two come together.
But Cecilia doesn’t have those two things.
The former emperor has already died for over a year, and as Empress Dowager, there is no former empress who should have supported her.
For reference, the current Empress Sun has been carrying out her state affairs as the emperor’s agent for the past several years, but because of that, she is under a lot of stress, so she is said to be recuperating in a secluded countryside.
Above all, she is 19, the same age as me.
Still, for a 19-year-old, I think it’s fortunate that he has a fair and calm judgment. Sometimes, though, it shows a ruthless side.
But even so, it is an undeniable fact that she lacks many things in many ways to lead the Eckhart Empire, which is the most powerful in the continent of Arsenia.
“Your Majesty. If you don’t mind, could you please elaborate a bit more? It is somewhat difficult to understand with my lack of brain.”
“I was going to do that anyway.”
She took a moment to catch her breath before continuing her explanation.
“As you know, the aristocrats never supported me. It was the same when my father ruled. Originally, we weren’t so antagonistic, but…… Crucially, it was caused by the rebellion of the Duke of Hundrey to usurp the imperial power.”
“Has the Hundrey duchy been wiped out?”
“Yes. However, in the process of subduing them, my father was also seriously injured. That is why my mother ruled the empire as an agent.”
After hearing this far, I suddenly had a question.
Planning rebellion against the imperial family is not an easy task with ordinary determination. Did the Duke of Hundrey carry out such a feat alone?
I think it’s very likely not…….
“Your Majesty. Besides the Duke of Hundrey, another family…….”
“I agreed. It wasn’t just one or two.”
There was a hint of bitterness in Cecilia’s voice.
Wait.
There were not just one or two, but why was only the Hundrey Duke’s family annihilated?
‘Am I asking too much about this… ….’
Looking at Cecilia’s expression, I thought I shouldn’t touch her.
“Anyway, for that reason, there is a deep rift between me and the aristocrats. And the imperial faction showed active support to my parents, but not to me. It must mean that I don’t fully trust you yet.”
“This is a troublesome situation in many ways… ….”
“… ….”
Cecilia said nothing. Instead, she let out a heavy sigh.
“That’s why I’m taking the time to prepare. To achieve her goal, I made you my secretary first.”
Only then did I understand the second reason the empress said.
In a word, he intends to form his own base of support through a third force that is neither aristocratic nor emperor faction.
It’s kind of a gamble, but considering the situation she’s in now, she’s far better off staying still.
Of course, as she mentioned, it will take quite some time…….
“Lee Sang-i, that’s why I selected you as my direct secretary. Any more questions?”
“Not now, Your Majesty.”
“For now, Ira… …. Okay.”
Cecilia cast her gaze at the grandfather clock. When I checked accordingly, it was more than 30 minutes past the time I finished my work.
“You held on too much. Let me go back.”
She ordered me to celebrate,
“Thank you for letting me know, Your Majesty. I hope you have a restful night.”
I bowed my head, said hello, and left the office.
* * *
Even when I returned to my room, my troubled mind was still unresolved.
“After… ….”
I lay flat on the bed with a sigh. In that state, he blankly gazed at the ceiling, recalling the conversation he had with Cecilia earlier.
The conclusion that could be drawn from this was this.
“Looking at what he’s doing now, it’s hard to see him as a tyrant…….”
However, this was just a story right now.
In the way he mercilessly condemned the criminals who embezzled donations the other day, I could see his tyranny as a tyrant.
Then, what kind of event triggered him to become a tyrant?
“No matter how I look at it, I don’t think the big flow of the original work will change…….”
I rolled my hair around with my eyes tightly closed, but I couldn’t come up with any noticeable results.
“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just think of one thing, one thing.”
Whether Cecilia creates a third support force through me, or repays the favor she owed to my father through me.
Let’s not worry about that.
I only see one thing.
To be fully prepared to leave the empire and toss in a letter of resignation!
As soon as I closed my thoughts, comfort came to me.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that time.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Because it is! If it wasn’t Mr. Luke, His Majesty would have been in a lot of trouble.”
Immediately after finishing her work, Flora followed Mulia straight to her room. She cites the reason that she has something to say.
And Flora told her excitedly about the incident in which Luke successfully broke the savagery of the Duke of Montersen.
“Duke Montersen is so gloomy.”
“Right. I think so too.”
“If we could have helped then… ….”
“But since we are ladies-in-waiting, we cannot participate in the noble meeting.”
“I’m sorry, but I see…” ….”
Mulia uttered a rare melancholy voice.
At the same time as the emperor, Cecilia was their old friend. It is only natural for her to have a desire to help her friend.
However, from her position as a maid, she could not fully assist Cecilia. Especially when it comes to meetings of nobles.
“Still, I’m relieved that Mr. Luke is here.”
“… ….”
Mullia kept her silence, neither affirming nor denying.
“If we were able to attend the council of nobles, would we be able to show the same wit as Mr. Luke? For now, I can’t.”
“Me too.”
“Isn’t it? So don’t try too hard with Luke. I don’t know about anything else, but he’s a genuine person when it comes to assisting His Majesty.”
“That…… I admit it.”
Mulia’s answer fell short of Flora’s expectations. But she said Flora and she decided to keep it this far.
Because originally, Mulia doesn’t open her heart easily to others.
‘Still, this isn’t a bad sign.’
Flora smiled lightly as she looked at her Mulia.
-Continued
Boringgg.