The Tyrant's Method
After spending the entire day visiting ten orphanages and conducting a full investigation, we uncovered that six of them had been embezzling the donations.
Most of the orphanage directors had squandered the funds on luxuries for their own families. In one case, even the staff working there had been skimming money with meticulous care.
Count Millord and I recorded every name of the employees involved in the embezzlement.
"Your embezzlement will be reported to Her Majesty. Keep that in mind."
"M-my lord! Please, anything but that…!"
Every time the count issued his warning, they dropped to the floor or fell to their knees, begging desperately. Yet neither the count nor I felt even a shred of sympathy for them.
If we hadn't conducted this full investigation, they would have kept embezzling the sponsorship money forever.
"This is Her Majesty's command. The final decision rests with Her Majesty."
The count responded in a cold voice.
Once the work was finished, we boarded the carriage and headed back to the Imperial Palace. The last orphanage we visited happened to be more than an hour's carriage ride from the capital, Deleson.
By the time we arrived at the palace, the sun was already setting.
"You've all worked hard. You may go now."
The count waved at the two Finance Ministry employees who had assisted us throughout the day. They bowed, thanked us for our efforts, and returned to their office.
All that remained was to report the findings to the Empress.
"Ah, right. Newcomer. You handle the report this time."
"Me?"
I asked in surprise, and the count chuckled.
"Why ask the obvious? You're the one who suggested the full investigation. It's only natural that you see it through to the end, isn't it?"
"Ah. You're right."
I nodded, convinced by his logic.
"Besides, I'm planning to resign soon. How long am I supposed to keep doing everything for you? At this point, you should be handling it yourself."
"Understood. I'll do it."
Satisfied with my answer, he didn't press further.
* * *
"How did it go?"
Empress Cecilia looked back and forth between Count Millord and me as we stood neatly before her desk.
"I will give the report, Your Majesty."
I reported everything we had discovered during our day-long investigation without omission.
Which six orphanages had embezzled the donations, how they had misused the money, and how they had been treating the children.
"That concludes our findings."
"Hmm…"
As she listened, Cecilia's expression grew increasingly grim.
Floria's face, seated at the desk as she heard the report, looked no better. Mulia remained as expressionless as ever, revealing nothing on her face, though she surely felt uneasy as well.
"We have also prepared a list of those involved in the embezzlement. Please review it."
I presented the paper I had received from Count Millord. Cecilia frowned as she examined the names written on it.
"Haa."
She set the paper down on the desk and lightly pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked like someone burdened with far too many things to consider.
"To think that this is the result of extending my trust. How utterly disappointing."
Cecilia muttered quietly and leaned back against the throne.
"Luke, Count Millord. What do you think? Do you believe they will repent?"
Why was she asking this?
Was she considering showing mercy?
Unable to read her intentions clearly, the count and I exchanged a brief glance.
"Speak freely."
"I don't believe we can be certain they won't embezzle again, even if Your Majesty shows them mercy."
I gave my honest opinion. The count offered a somewhat different view.
"Since we issued a warning this time, they likely won't dare entertain such disloyal thoughts again, Your Majesty."
After hearing our opposing opinions, Cecilia closed her eyes, appearing lost in thought.
"It seems necessary to make an example of them."
Cecilia pulled the bell cord and summoned the palace steward.
"Bring the Knight Commander."
A short while later, the Knight Commander entered the office and saluted Cecilia. She handed him the list.
"Arrest everyone whose name is on this list."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Cecilia's blood-red eyes gleamed with fierce resolve as she made her decision. Yet by the time the Knight Commander left the office, her gaze had softened somewhat.
"Luke. Thanks to you, we were able to uncover this corruption. I offer my gratitude."
"I am honored, Your Majesty."
I bowed deeply. When I straightened again, Cecilia wore a complicated expression.
'What does she intend to do with them after arresting them?'
Curiosity stirred within me, but the atmosphere didn't allow me to voice it.
Still, I could guess how she would handle them. Probably a few days in prison followed by a whipping or two.
But at the time, I didn't know.
That this was quite a naive assumption.
* * *
It was after everyone had left for the day.
Cecilia remained alone in her office.
She wasn't staying to work overtime. She simply wanted a quiet place to sort through her thoughts.
Donating half of the Privy Purse that arrived each month to orphanages and temples had been a custom since before her father, Holland Campbell Eckhart, ascended the throne.
The reason she had never once requested an accounting of how the donations were used was simple.
She had trusted in their conscience.
This system had functioned without issue for a long time.
Orphanage directors occasionally visited to express gratitude for the donations, and the children sometimes sent thank-you letters.
Through these gestures, she had believed the funds were being used appropriately.
Her mother, Olivia, had thought the same. So had the empresses before her.
When Luke first questioned this practice, Cecilia's initial reaction had been that such a concern was absurd.
'But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it might actually be possible.'
Cecilia pursed her lips and let out a sigh.
Half a year had already passed since she ascended the throne as Empress according to her father's will.
"Nothing is ever easy…"
Right after she voiced her lament, the Knight Commander entered the office.
"Your Majesty. We have arrested everyone on the list."
"Lock them in the underground prison."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Knight Commander left the office once more.
The tradition of providing the Privy Purse without conditions had stemmed from a belief and goodwill that the empire's future—the children—would be properly raised.
Yet if they repaid that trust with betrayal, they deserved a corresponding punishment.
She would wield both the carrot and the stick without hesitation.
Cecilia firmly recalled her personal motto. She could not afford to repeat her father's mistakes.
She rose from the throne and slowly walked somewhere. The hem of her red dress, reaching down to her ankles, swayed gently with her movements.
She stopped in front of the desk used by her Chief Personal Secretary.
"Luke Nedville…"
Cecilia murmured the name of the new secretary who had initiated this full investigation. Her hand rested lightly on the desk.
The moment she saw the name Nedville, she had made her decision.
She would keep this man at her side, closer than anyone else.
It was also her own way of repaying a past debt.
"I look forward to seeing just how far you can go."
A faint smile crossed Cecilia's lips.
* * *
A few days later, Empress Cecilia rode in a carriage with me, Count Millord, and her ladies-in-waiting toward the execution grounds located within the palace grounds.
The punishment for the six orphanage directors who had embezzled donations and neglected the orphans was summary execution.
More people than expected voiced opposition to her decision.
Not only the Aristocratic Faction, but even voices within the Imperial Faction suggested it was too severe.
Floria, too, spoke up.
"Your Majesty. This seems rather excessive…"
She rarely expressed dissent.
Truthfully, I also thought the punishment was somewhat harsh. Yet at the same time, I felt that making such an example was necessary to deter anyone from even considering such acts in the future.
If forced to choose, I would side with carrying out the punishment.
Mulia said nothing. She probably shared a similar view to mine.
The execution grounds weren't far from the main palace, so we arrived quickly.
Count Millord and I, as Chief Personal Secretaries, disembarked first and assisted the ladies-in-waiting and the Empress in stepping down from the carriage.
"Follow me."
The four of us, along with the escort knights, moved behind Cecilia.
The execution grounds resembled a coliseum, and far more people than expected filled the seats. In the center stood six menacing guillotines.
"There are quite a lot of people…"
"The execution grounds are opened to the public during executions."
Count Millord informed me after hearing my muttered remark.
"I didn't know that."
Empress Cecilia reached the throne. She sat first, with Floria and Mulia taking their seats on either side.
Count Millord and I were to remain below the platform.
Well, that was only natural. A secretary's position wasn't meant to draw public attention.
"We greet Her Majesty, Empress Cecilia, Mother of the Empire!"
The citizens and nobles gathered in the stands all bowed toward Cecilia in unison.
"Everyone, be seated."
At her single command, they all returned to their places.
Cecilia then explained to the crowd the reason for today's execution and listed every name of those to be executed without omission.
"Bring the criminals to the guillotines!"
At her order, the knights led the bound criminals toward the guillotines. The criminals struggled to resist, but they were no match for the knights' strength.
Soon, the criminals were secured atop the guillotines.
"Do you have any last words before you die?"
The moment Cecilia spoke, the criminals began begging one after another.
"P-please spare us, Your Majesty!"
"W-we'll never embezzle donations again, we swear! Please!"
"If I die like this, what will happen to my wife and children? Show mercy, Your Majesty!"
"……"
Watching them weep, I felt a twinge of sympathy stir within me as well.
But Cecilia didn't so much as blink.
"If I show mercy to those who repaid the imperial family's goodwill with betrayal, the imperial family will become a laughingstock. Therefore, there will be no mercy."
Cecilia spoke with ice-cold detachment.
She slowly rose from the throne. She would soon give the signal for the executions.
Yet even in that simple motion, a regal dignity befitting royalty emanated from her.
Cecilia raised her right hand.
"Carry out the execution."
The moment she lowered it, the guillotine blades fell toward the criminals.
As their heads rolled across the ground, Floria and Mulia squeezed their eyes shut and turned away.
But Cecilia did not.
She merely watched the entire scene with a cold gaze.
'As expected, she has the makings of a tyrant.'
Otherwise, how could anyone witness such a sight without even flinching?
But at the time, I didn't know.
That Cecilia had been clenching both fists with all her strength.