Episode 5 The Tyrant’s Face
The Tyrant’s Face, Chapter 5
Fortunately, the empress did not send me to the scene right away.
…… If you look at it, is it natural?
Companies also push the practice of a probationary period for new recruits and make them learn the job.
“Direct me to the secretary’s office.”
The Empress, who gave instructions to the butler standing next to her, turned her body around and took her stride. She was as if a lowly aristocrat like me never even existed as her second son.
Soon the empress left the small conference room, and I followed the butler.
Once again, the imperial palace was a very large and splendid place. Luxurious marble was laid in the hallway, and various works such as sculptures and portraits were displayed on both sides.
The clothes of the maids who cleaned here and there also looked much better than those worn by the maids who worked in our mansion. The design was also more old-fashioned.
‘Well, it’s the imperial family that symbolizes the empire, so this is probably the basics… ….’
The butler who was walking ahead stopped in front of a certain door. There was a sign on the door that read “Direct Secretary’s Office.”
I wanted to change my position right now.
Be it the Public Security Department or the Treasury Department, anywhere is fine…….
I don’t know about anything else, but I don’t want to do as much as my direct secretary!
I wanted to scream and make a fuss, but I couldn’t bear it because I was afraid of the future.
The butler knocked on the door without knowing what I was thinking, and immediately a voice came from inside.
The butler introduced herself and announced that she had brought her replacement.
“Come in.”
The butler and I nodded as soon as we entered the secretary’s office. When I looked up again, the secretary sitting at the desk looked me up and down. It’s like an appraiser who evaluates the value of things.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Luke Nedville, the second son of Baron Nedville.”
“I am the Earl of Conorshare Milord. I am currently serving as Her Majesty’s direct secretary.”
After a brief self-introduction, the man got up from his chair and came towards me.
I thought he was going to shake hands, but he didn’t.
“Do you know how to write?”
As I grew older, men, no, the secretary openly ignored me. Why did this guy become the boss from the start?
“Yes.”
So I answered in a slightly crooked tone. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
The man twisted one of his eyebrows, but I straightened my shoulders rather proudly. The man let out a heavy sigh as if trying to suppress his anger.
“Documents?”
“I wrote a lot. On behalf of my father, Lord Nedville.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t have work experience at all.”
“Yes.”
The man’s forehead narrowed gradually. Well, first of all, since he’s my supervisor, I’ll have to do it to this extent.
“Tsk. The one without burrs.”
The man glared at me and clicked his tongue.
“Originally, I would have given you a warning for disrespecting my superior, but since I’m about to quit, I’ll be especially generous.”
“Are you quitting?”
“It’s one month from now. In the meantime, I will remodel you to be as close as possible to being His Majesty’s direct secretary, so be prepared.”
Didn’t you think you should have hunched over in moderation?
I thought that for a moment, but I quickly brushed it off. I was ignored, but if I put up with it, I’m not a man.
I decided to go out even more confidently.
“Yes. I will work hard and do my best.”
“You are good at answering.”
Only then, for the first time, a smile appeared on the boss’s face.
It was a heart that came from coming rather than moderately ingratiating.
Being selected as your direct secretary is irreversible.
“Then, from now on, I have to check if I’m doing as well as I was determined.”
The Count instructed me to sit down at an empty desk. As he sat down in his chair, he slammed a thick book down on the desk.
“This is a book that contains explanations of the imperial family rules and duties that you must be familiar with as a direct secretary. Memorize it all within three days. I’m going to take a test.”
“Sah, huh?”
“You said you would do your best? I need to get this sorted out.”
You bastard.
I’m going to feed you the candy first, right?
Seeing the Count grinning, I had the urge to slap him in the back of the head. But he suppressed his impulses with the best of his reason.
It’s a situation that I can’t avoid no matter what I do.
So for now, I have no choice but to do my best.
I sighed and ignorantly opened the thick book.
* * *
After dinner, Cecilia headed to her private bathroom to recover from the day’s fatigue. Her bathtub was already full of warm water, and scented bath salts had been poured into it.
With the help of her maids, Cecilia took off her dress and all her undergarments and slowly immersed herself in her bathtub.
Today was also a tiring day.
From the time of the morning meeting, she had a fight with the aristocratic elders, and her head seemed to be spinning from dealing with her endless paperwork.
To relieve the accumulated fatigue, taking a warm bath was the best.
After enjoying her bath to the full, Cecilia turned herself over to her maids. Her maids thoroughly cleaned her jade body and put her in a silk bathrobe.
While she was drying her hair, someone came to her room.
“Your Majesty. My direct secretary, corner share Milrod.”
Only then did Cecilia remember that it was the day Milord had promised to report on her successor as secretary.
“Come in.”
Milrod entered the room and greeted with courtesy. Cecilia motioned her maids back and she turned towards him.
“What does that Luke look like?”
“Clearer than it looks. Not only did I read through the Imperial Household Rules book in three days, but I also passed my exam with a high score.”
“Whoops.”
There was interest in Cecilia’s eyes that resembled red rubies.
“Anything else?”
“We also did a quick review of paperwork and Treasury accounts. Even though it was shorthand, the handwriting was not messed up at all.”
“You seem to be the best person for office work.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Whoops.
Cecilia laughed softly. Milord felt suspicious about the appearance of the empress, which is hard to see normally.
No, actually, from the moment her successor came in, there were a few questions.
Why was the baron’s second son selected for the high position of direct secretary?
Things like why do you secretly care about him?
But she chose to spare her words, because if she spoke the wrong way, she might offend her.
“Earl Milord. Do you think Luke can do a good job as your direct secretary?”
“I think I can do it well enough.”
“That’s right… ….”
Cecilia asked Milord about her schedule for tomorrow, with her arms crossed. As his direct secretary, he immediately recited the schedule as soon as a question came in.
“Make sure to bring him to the meeting tomorrow at 10am.”
“Your Majesty. With all due respect, he is only a week old…….”
However, Milord’s rebuttal was drowned out by Cecilia’s clicking sound.
“The sooner you put it into practice, the better. Don’t you think so too?”
“No, that’s right… ….”
“If you know that, tell him.”
After finishing her words, Cecilia gave a congratulatory order to Milord with her hand gesture.
* * *
‘To put into action in just 8 days!’
Last night, right before I went to bed, Count Milord came to my room and informed me that I was going to attend a meeting of nobles tomorrow with the Empress.
And now I was following the Empress in front with Count Milord.
Those who attended the meeting of the nobility were at least the ranks of counts or higher, and were said to be among the best in the empire.
‘There must be quite a bit of check on me.’
However, you won’t be able to do it openly. Because there is a tyrannical empress in front of me.
Soon we entered the conference room. The place was made up of a circle, and nobles were tightly packed to the left and right. As soon as Cecilia entered, she stood up all at once.
The throne was located in the center where you could see them all.
Cecilia was seated on her throne, attended by her maids. Only then did the nobles greet Cecilia.
“Meet Her Majesty Empress Cecilia, the mother of the Eckhart Empire.”
“Everyone take your seats.”
It was a nice voice, but there was a sense of intimidation that I didn’t know why.
“Now, what is the agenda for today?”
At the Empress’s question, Count Milord handed over the documents.
“Hmm. It’s a matter of trade with the Principality of Rome.”
“Your Majesty. May I ask God one thing?”
Not only the Empress, but Count Milord and I all cast our gazes at the man who raised his hand.
“Yunheohaji. The Marquis of Marlborough.”
“Your Majesty. By any chance, is the person next to Count Milord the new direct secretary?”
“Yes.”
“I have heard that he is a country boy who has lived in the outskirts, but I am afraid that he will cause trouble to His Majesty.”
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I never thought I’d openly sneer at a tyrant and show no sign of fear.
I expected it to attack, at least stealthily.
The attack itself didn’t hurt me that much. Because I know my identity and situation better than anyone else.
However, I am not the only target of that remark.
The language used in the imperial family should never be interpreted only with superficial meaning. You should be able to read the meaning contained in it.
I would like to say that the reason why I know this is because I read the original work.
Anyway, that Marquis of Marquis wants to say this.
Seeing that only barons are selected, His Majesty’s eyes are not very good.
“Whoa. Are you trying to give advice?”
And Cecilia, who had eaten the imperial rice for a long time, naturally noticed this quickly and lowered her voice.
“The direct secretary is the most important position. Therefore, I think it will be more beneficial to His Majesty to recruit new personnel.”
“How good can a baron or something be?”
“You must select someone with at least the rank of Count, Your Majesty!”
Once the Marquis of Marlborough opened the door, others joined him. As a result, the meeting room quickly became noisy.
I had doubts in this situation.
Cecilia must be set up as a tyrant, right?
But this look is like…… It was closer to the appearance of an emperor whose imperial authority was not so strong.
‘Maybe it’s because it’s from the time before the Eckart Empire episode appeared in the original work?’
Come to think of it, it has only been six months since she ascended the throne. Perhaps this will also be the reason.
As I was thinking this and that in my head, Cecilia shouted.
“Quiet!”
The conference room became quiet as if cold water had been poured on it in an instant at the command of the empress.
“I really don’t like your attitude.”
“… ….”
“The Marquis of Marlborough. The Marquis thought of me and gave me advice, but it doesn’t sound like much advice to me.”
At the voice of cold anger, the Marquis of Marlborough shrugged.
“The Marquis of Marlborough. Don’t you have a late daughter? I must have said her name was Mary.”
“Yes. But why did Mary suddenly…….”
“Don’t forget. The fact that it is possible for Jim to get married through Hwangmyeong.”
“!”
I was surprised by that remark.
In the Eckhart Empire, giving an imperial decree meant that it had to be executed.
In other words, it was a threat that a young lady named Mary might force an unwanted marriage into the imperial family!
“Cow, I apologize, Your Majesty.”
I have to change the evaluation I gave a while ago.
Cecilia Campbell Eckhart.
She is an empress with a tyrannical side.
-Continued