I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 142

In an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere, I smiled, but my expression that was reflected in Mother’s emerald eyes seemed off. Eventually, I gave up on the attempt at humor and hugged Mother.

“I’ll do as I please this time too.”

I knew well that these people were the ones who would embrace me warmly even if I acted as I pleased. Therefore, I didn’t want to destroy the place where these people lived.

“I’ll be back. Mom, Dad.”

I smiled broadly at my younger sister who looked at me in a daze.

“See you later, Gael.”

I turned to the Chancellor.

“If you’re going to the palace, can I go with you?”

“Of course.”

* * *

“Apologies for the sudden visit and request.”

“If you feel even the slightest sense of guilt, please help me when I get in trouble with my father later.”

The six-year-old me would have demonstrated the virtue of humility, but things are different now.

“Do the Lady know the story yourself? The prophecy, I mean.”

I smiled quietly without answering in the affirmative or negative.

Tap, tap.

The sound of rain hitting the carriage roof was pitiful. The Chancellor was the one who broke the silence and started the conversation.

“My daughter died around the Lady’s age.”

He stared outside the window where the rain was pattering down.

“I don’t know how much you know about our family, but before I became the Chancellor, the Jesters were a humble household. Occasionally, we would have high-ranking officials or famous scholars, but we were considered a lower level of nobility.”

I simply listened to his heavy voice.

“I’m not blaming the lady, but compared to the prestige of a Duchy, where the Emperor couldn’t be too careless, I suppose it was like a rabbit in front of a lion. It wouldn’t even be considered.”

“….”

“The former Duke Lantia took my daughter away. He wanted to make her his concubine.”

I couldn’t help my face from contorting. My lips trembled at the shocking fact hidden behind the peace I knew.

“Did the former Emperor not take any action, he didn’t mediate with Lantia?”

He wouldn’t have done anything. He didn’t, that’s why there was anger etched on the Chancellor’s face.

“The former Emperor loved the Empress, and the Empress was close with Lantia. I apologize for mentioning the deceased, but the former Emperor was a very emotional person.”

“….”

“Does the Lady know more?”

His meaningful tone made me wonder if the Chancellor knew at least a part of the truth about Tess. However, I didn’t voice it.

“My daughter committed suicide. She said she couldn’t tarnish the family name.”

“…”

“Ah, the former Emperor did mediate. He made sure Lantia paid our family a substantial compensation to avoid making a fuss.”

The underlying side of the always kind Emperor was not as pleasant as it seemed.

“I suppose you don’t want to forgive Lantia, how… they’re always right in the face.”

“Of course, I wasn’t happy with the child of that person, but if we use corruption as a standard, Liesl should also be buried.”

“…”

“If we pull down both Duchy at once, the country will falter. We can’t give an excuse to the Southern Empire, which is eyeing us greedily to target us, so we have to endure it, right?”

In other words, is the point not to pull them down at the same time?

Much of Liesl’s territory has already become the Emperor’s, and their honor has been in the dumps for a long time. Even if they were pulled down soon, it wouldn’t be a surprise.

Then, is it Lantia next?

Unaware of my thoughts, the Chancellor continued speaking.

“Because of this, Duke Hardland evokes admiration. People as upright as him are very rare. Even when he stayed in Varen, the opinions about the Duke were very good.”

Did he investigate even during the time we were in Varen?

Seemingly catching my thoughts, the Chancellor chuckled and added a remark.

“The same goes for Duke Bonardt.”

“But, Your Excellency, isn’t the emotionally driven matter also applicable to the current Emperor?”

“Oh, Lady.”

The Chancellor burst into a chuckle.

“While the Emperor does have emotional aspects, he knows how to properly differentiate matters. Ah, of course, excluding matters related to you. And even if he’s emotional, if he can handle things cleanly like he is now, I can tolerate it.”

Unseen by me, Tess was displaying a very emperor-like demeanor. He suppressed with force, but he seemed to be doing his job properly.

“What about taking someone’s head off?”

“He has never taken the head of an innocent. Ah, this is something I can’t guarantee.”

The Chancellor stroked his beard.

“The Emperor is a mysterious figure. Even I can’t always figure out who he’s going to kill and when.”

The Chancellor was fascinated.

While it might not have been intentional, Tess had firmly enchanted him, and the Chancellor was firmly obsessed with the Emperor.

“However, he never claims to be righteous. He doesn’t pretend to be pure, and he bears all his sins.”

“Your Excellency, you deeply…”

Liked him? Respected him?

Unable to find the right word, I hesitated for a moment, and the Chancellor answered instead.

“I admired him. I am ready to do anything for him.”

“…But isn’t he the son of the previous Emperor who didn’t help you?”

“In that regard, our current Emperor retaliated. He killed the former Duke Lantia himself.”

The cause of death of the former Duke Lantia, who was said to have died mysteriously, was revealed.

“Did the Emperor kill him personally?”

“As far as I know, yes. Of course, the Emperor didn’t kill him for me. He did it for his own purposes.”

“…”

“But the fact that he killed the man whom no one could touch is enough for me. He brought the man’s head, threw it at me and said, ‘When I become Emperor, you will be the Chancellor.’”

“Perhaps…”

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