The Tyrant's Demeanor
It was the one lucky thing about it, that the Empress didn't send me straight to the front lines.
……Thinking about it, it was only natural.
In companies, new hires get a probationary period where they learn the ropes while being pushed to work.
“Guide me to the Chief Personal Secretary's office.”
The Empress turned sharply on her heel and strode away like I was an insignificant second son of some baron who didn't even deserve to exist.
Soon after, she had left the council chamber. I followed the butler.
Looking at it now, the Imperial Palace was enormous and breathtakingly grand. The corridors were paved with premium marble, and on either side stood sculptures and portraits of every kind.
The maids cleaning around here wore far finer fabrics than anything from our estate, and their designs were even more elegant.
‘Of course, it's the imperial residence symbolizing the empire. This is only the bare minimum…….’
The butler ahead of me stopped in front of a door. A sign read
I would have changed positions right then if I could.
The police department, the finance ministry, anywhere would do……
As long as it wasn't being the Chief Personal Secretary!
If I could, I'd throw a tantrum and scream at the top of my lungs, but fear of the consequences kept me silent.
The butler, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil, knocked on the door. A voice answered from inside almost immediately.
He introduced himself and announced he had brought his replacement.
“Come in.”
The butler and I bowed deeply the moment we entered the secretary's office. When we raised our heads, the man behind the desk was already scanning me from head to toe like an appraiser judging the value of goods.
“What's your name?”
“I am Luke Nedville, second son of the Nedville Barony.”
“I am Count Conershare Millord. I currently serve as the Empress's Chief Personal Secretary.”
The man finished his brief self-introduction, rose from his chair, and approached me.
I thought he might shake my hand, but he didn't.
“Can you read and write?”
At nearly my father's age, the man—or rather, the secretary—was openly dismissing me.
Why had I been chosen for this position from the very start?
“Y-yes.”
I answered with a hint of defiance in my voice. Eyes for an eye, teeth for a tooth.
The man twisted one eyebrow, but I instead squared my shoulders with proud defiance. The secretary let out a heavy sigh as if trying to suppress his anger.
“Documents?”
“I've written plenty. In place of my father, the lord of Nedville lands.”
“You do have some work experience.”
“Yes.”
The man's brows drew closer together. Well, since he was my superior, I should probably keep it to this much.
“Tsk. No manners.”
The man glared at me and clicked his tongue.
“I would have reprimanded you for insubordination, but since I'm about to retire, I'll be generous.”
“You're retiring?”
“In a month's time. Until then, I'll reshape you into a Chief Personal Secretary worthy of Her Majesty. Be ready.”
I should have pretended to bow my head at the right moment.
Suddenly the thought crossed my mind, but I shook it off immediately. Being ignored by my superior wasn't something a man should endure.
Instead, I decided to double down on my composure.
“Yes, I'll work hard and do my best.”
“You can answer well.”
Only now did a faint smile appear on my superior's face.
It wasn't flattery. It was born from his own irritation.
Being chosen as Chief Personal Secretary was already irreversible, so
“Then let me confirm right now that you can handle this as well as you claim.”
The count told me to sit at the empty desk. I took the chair, and he slammed a thick book onto the surface.
“This is the book containing the imperial regulations and duties that a Chief Personal Secretary must master. Memorize it within three days. There will be a test.”
“T-three days?!”
“You said you'd work hard and do your best, right? This should be easy for you.”
This bastard.
He was going to get a proper comeuppance from me.
Seeing the count smirk, the urge to smack the back of his head surged. But I held back, using every ounce of reason I had.
Anyway, no matter what I did, the situation couldn't be avoided.
So for now, I had no choice but to do my best.
I sighed and opened the impossibly thick book.
* * *
After finishing dinner, Cecilia headed to her private bath to unwind from the day's fatigue. The tub was already filled with warm water, and fragrant bath salts had been scattered in.
With the maids' help, Cecilia stripped off her dress and undergarments, then slowly lowered herself into the tub.
It had been a grueling day again.
From the morning meeting, she'd clashed with the aristocratic elders, and paperwork had kept piling up until her head spun.
The best way to release that accumulated fatigue was a warm bath.
After bathing enough, Cecilia let the maids take care of her body. They carefully scrubbed her porcelain skin and dressed her in a silk bathrobe.
While her hair was drying, someone knocked on her chamber door.
“Your Majesty. Chief Personal Secretary Count Conershare Millord.”
Cecilia suddenly remembered that today was the day Millord had promised to report about the new secretary.
“Come in.”
Millord entered and bowed with proper etiquette. Cecilia dismissed the maids with a gesture and turned to him.
“How does this Luke seem to you?”
“He's sharper than he looks. He read the imperial regulations book in three days and passed my test with high marks.”
“Oh?”
Interest flickered in Cecilia's ruby-red eyes.
“Anything else?”
“He reviewed documents and conducted a quick audit of the Ministry of Finance. His handwriting stayed neat even while taking dictation.”
“A talent optimized for administrative work.”
“Yes, that's right.”
*Hoo.*
Cecilia gave a soft laugh. For her, a rare sight that made Millord feel uneasy.
No, actually, doubts had been nagging at him ever since the replacement arrived.
Why had she chosen the second son of a baron for such a high position as Chief Personal Secretary?
Why was she so subtly paying attention to him?
But if he spoke out of turn, she might grow angry, so he kept quiet.
“Count Millord. Do you believe Luke can perform the role of Chief Personal Secretary well?”
“I believe he should be able to handle it.”
“I see…….”
Cecilia folded her arms and asked for tomorrow's schedule. The chief secretary answered instantly.
“Tomorrow morning at ten, bring him to the meeting.”
“Your Majesty, it is improper, but he has only been here for a week…….”
Millord's objection was silenced by the single click of the Empress's tongue.
“The earlier he gets to see real work, the better. Don't you agree?”
“Y-yes…….”
“Then pass on my words.”
Cecilia gestured for Millord to withdraw.
* * *
‘Only eight days in and they're sending me to the front lines!’
Last night, right before I fell asleep, Count Millord had come to my room and told me I would attend the noble meeting with the Empress tomorrow.
And now I was following the Empress along with Count Millord.
The attendees were nobles of at least count rank or higher—prominent figures even within the empire.
‘I bet there'll be plenty of scrutiny aimed at me.’
But they wouldn't dare show it outright. Why? Because the tyrant Empress stood before me.
We entered the grand hall. It was circular, packed with nobles on all sides. The moment Cecilia appeared, they all rose.
The throne sat at the center, where all could see her.
Cecilia sat upon it with her maids' assistance. Only then did the nobles greet her.
“We greet Her Majesty, Empress Cecilia Campbell Eckhart, Mother of the Eckhart Empire.”
“Everyone, please be seated.”
Her voice was pleasant, yet it carried an inexplicable weight.
“Now, what is today's agenda?”
Count Millord handed the Empress a stack of documents.
“Hm. The issue of trade with the Romasia Duchy.”
“Your Majesty, may I ask one thing?”
The Empress, along with me and Count Millord, turned our gazes toward the one who had raised his hand.
“Granted. Marquis Marlboro.”
“Your Majesty, is the man beside Count Millord the newly selected Chief Personal Secretary?”
“That is correct.”
“I've heard he's a country bumpkin fresh from the backwoods. I'm worried he might burden Your Majesty.”
He dared to mock me openly right in front of the tyrant Empress.
I had expected subtle attacks, not this.
The attack didn't hurt me personally. I knew my own rank and status better than anyone.
But the remark wasn't aimed only at me.
The language used in the imperial court could never be taken at face value. One had to read between the lines.
I knew that because I'd read the original novel.
Anyhow, the Marquis Marlboro wanted to say this:
Seeing that they had picked a mere baron, the Empress's judgment wasn't that good either.
“Oh? Are you trying to give me advice?”
Cecilia, who had been at court long enough, understood instantly and lowered her voice.
“The Chief Personal Secretary is the most important position. Therefore, I believe it would be better for Your Majesty to choose a new candidate.”
“How well can a mere baron perform?”
“At the very least, Your Majesty should select someone of count level!”
Marquis Marlboro had opened the floodgates, and the others followed his lead. The grand hall erupted in noise in an instant.
I felt uneasy in this situation.
Surely Cecilia was supposed to be the tyrant?
Yet this scene looked more like the powerless Emperor than a tyrant.
‘Could it be that this is still before the novel's Eckhart Empire arc?’
Thinking back, she had only been on the throne for six months. That must have been the reason too.
As I pondered various thoughts, Cecilia shouted.
“Quiet!”
The hall fell silent the instant the Empress's command struck.
“Your attitudes displease me greatly.”
“……”
“Marquis Marlboro. You gave advice thinking of me, but it doesn't sound like advice to me.”
Cold fury laced her voice, and the Marquis shrank back.
“Marquis Marlboro. Don't you have a late daughter? Her name was Mary, wasn't it?”
“Yes, but why suddenly…….”
“Don't forget. I can use the Imperial Order to force a marriage.”
“！”
My eyes widened.
Issuing the Imperial Order in the Eckhart Empire meant it had to be obeyed without exception.
That was blackmail: forcing an unwanted marriage onto the noble maiden Mary!
“I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty.”
I would have to revise my previous assessment.
Empress Cecilia Campbell Eckhart.
She definitely possessed the demeanor of a tyrant.
——End——