Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Do You Want Power?
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We're pitting three legless people against each other right now.
Three people without legs, scraping the floor as they propel their torsos forward.
The sight of them cursing each other, gouging eyes, striking crotches, and throttling necks was so perfectly in sync it looked beautiful.
-Die!!!!
"Ooh, the Marquis's wife's counterattack—who's going to win?"
"The Marquis will still take it, right?"
"Let's bet!"
"I'll put one vote on the Marquis then!"
"Me too, Marquis."
"Ah! Me too on the Marquis!"
"Your Highness... at this rate, we can't even bet properly..."
The Marquis is getting all the cheers. Ganbare~
As we watched the spectacle with bated breath, I noticed the nobles whose faces had gone pale and were covered in bodily fluids.
"You guys want in on the bet?"
"..."
"Can't hear me? Want in on the bet?"
At my question, they glanced nervously at each other, unsure what to do.
"Or should I toss you in there too?"
"I... I'll bet on Youngsik!"
"Me too! Me on Youngsik!"
And so we each picked our favorite bug and cheered vigorously.
"Win, Marquis! That's it!"
"Choke him there! Yes!"
I was laughing at the sight when I remembered the heretics still out there capturing and torturing people, souring my mood.
Veronica caught my expression and smiled softly.
"Apostle, shall we wrap this up?"
"...Yeah, play with those three until you're bored, then kill them."
"Yes!"
"What? Leaving already?"
"Things are gonna get busy for a bit. Gotta wipe out the remaining heretics ASAP."
"When's the next sortie?"
"...Start tonight. I'll assign three Shadows per person, so let's clean up every heretic rooted in the capital and surrounding territories."
""Yes!""
We rose and headed out, but the Marquis's family kept fighting, eyes bloodshot, swinging fists wildly.
What a satisfying scene, hatred returned in kind.
Outside, all the servants and knights were bound.
I addressed the Shadow bowing before me.
"Drag everyone left in the meeting room to the Imperial City and lock them up. Send the rest to the church for interrogation. Use the Marquis's assets in the imperial name for a poverty relief project—collaborate with the church."
"I'll submit the paperwork to the aide."
"Good. I'll turn a blind eye to moderate embezzlement, so fill the kids' pockets. Oh! Only take cash—no land deeds or you'll get caught and die."
"Yes!"
I waved goodbye to the Shadows—we'd grown close—and left the Marquis's mansion.
"Take it easy~"
They'll handle it fine.
I looked up at the sky and sighed.
"Whew, gonna be a rough ride ahead."
‘Pushed-back heretic purge, plus gotta show my face at the heretic church...’
"Apostle! Hang in there!"
"Dinner together tonight before we head out!"
"Fish today—let's have fish!"
"I'll tell the head chef!"
Amid the lively chatter of my comrades, we arrived at the imperial palace.
A few months later.
A man with white hair and golden eyes was buried in a pile of documents.
This was the life of an emperor—papers and procedures from countless territories and people across the empire, filtered and gathered here.
But this was the Prince's Palace.
So how could a non-emperor dare manage the realm?
Indeed, the one drowning in paperwork was the empire's First Prince, Liam Luminaria, who had synced schedules with the Emperor.
A year ago, the Emperor, fed up with the prince's debauchery, started dumping work on him.
The First Princess faction threw a fit, but when I barged into their meeting and asked, "You wanna do it?", they all shut up.
‘Should've just handed it over for real.’
I leaned back in my chair and said,
"Ah~ I hate work!"
"Your Highness... keep it down."
"Aah! Work! Hate it!"
"..."
The man staring at me like I was insane was Sebastian Edward, third son of the Edward Count family. He'd single-handedly smashed the heretics' funding line, so I immediately kidna—recruited him.
[Hey, aide? Nice to meet you!]
[...? Who are you? I'm not an aide...]
[Nice to meet you.]
The cold-eyed glasses guy with long green hair draped over his shoulder shot me a disrespectful look.
But princes don't care about that.
The only ones who can make me mind my manners are my parents, Serena, Grandma, Grandpa, Lily, Jenia, and Veronica.
Sebastian's contemptuous gaze bored into me, but I ignored it and spoke.
"Sebastian, what is love?"
He gave me a pitying look that said, ‘A dog will sit on the throne someday...’ and replied,
"Signing the documents before you and benefiting the imperial citizens—that is love, Your Highness."
I had nothing to say.
I reviewed paperwork while chatting.
"Your words taste bitter going down—truly, you're a loyal retainer."
"Are you giving me time off if I whisper sweet nothings?"
"Dream on, you filthy man. Don't even think of whispering in my ear."
A vein bulged on Sebastian's forehead, but only certain people can make me mind... no...
"Your Highness, I prefer women."
"Sigh, hearing a man babble like that annoys me. Where's Veronica?"
"...Miss Veronica went to the church."
Sebastian fidgeted with his resignation letter in his pocket as he spoke, so I decided to call it there.
For the record, no acceptance planned.
As we worked, Lily knocked and entered with tea and snacks.
"Your Highness~ Mr. Aide~ Have some while you work."
"Lily's the only one for me! Being stuck with that stuffy aide was suffocating!"
"Heehee, Your Highness, stop teasing the aide."
I feigned shock, and Lily set tea and dessert before me.
"The greater the person, the more they should value their retainers, right?"
"Lily really is an angel—learn from her, Sebastian."
-Crunch!
Sebastian gripped his resignation letter tightly.
Lily smiled and set snacks before Sebastian too.
"Lemon tea and cookies for you, Mr. Aide?"
"How did you..."
Lily beamed.
"You like them, don't you?"
Sebastian's face flushed slightly.
"Yes... I do."
‘This bastard?’
At Sebastian's pink aura, I barely kept my eyes from rolling back.
"Hehe, enjoy, both of you~"
As Lily left, Sebastian smiled and ate his snacks.
I shot up and yelled,
"Sebastian, you scum! Lily's off-limits! I'm making her head maid for life to live cushy in the palace!"
Sebastian flinched unusually and spoke.
"What do you mean, Your Highness?"
"This pervert eyeing my Lily!"
"I'm not a pervert!"
"Ah... no... Lily's on the level where even a foreign king begging on his knees might not get her..."
I clutched my forehead and slumped into my seat.
My dream was Lily lounging idly in the palace, but this gigolo-looking guy was after her.
At this rate, she'd quit head maid, build a picturesque house on prime capital land I bought, and live happily ever after with him.
I glared at Sebastian.
"Grrrrrr."
Sebastian, with a look saying, ‘My boss really is a dog,’ shyly said,
"...I can take responsibility."
"Ha!"
"I'll make her happy."
"Huh!"
"What do you want?"
To the impudent Sebastian, I said,
"So, Lily likes you back?"
"Ugh!"
"Gotta be mutual for happiness and responsibility, right? One-sided won't cut it."
"..."
Who could blame him? I was stuck with Jenia, no progress either.
"Sigh... Want an opportunity?"
Sebastian's eyes shook like a dark mage bargaining with a devil.
-Gulp!
He swallowed hard, then shook his head vigorously.
I grinned and stood.
"It's simple, really... How about just listening in?"
I went behind him and massaged his shoulders.
His trembling lips parted softly.
"Just... listening in..."
Sebastian nodded, compromising with himself.
"Yeah, yeah, just listening... Whew, your shoulders are knotted—desk work all day... Even Lily can't see..."
-Flinch!
"What I want is simple: keep doing your job. But when I'm gone, you sign and handle things—sneakily! Just a tiny bit, while watching your back."
Sebastian turned, shocked.
"H-How could you! That's impossible! Manipulating the prince means the gallows—"
"Then I'll have Lily on standby here."
"Huuuuh?!"
His eyes shook wildly again.
His sharp mind weighing his life against the chance.
Yes, love her enough to risk your neck—no sending her to some wastrel.
To Sebastian pondering, I said,
"I'll tell Lily not to stand outside hurting her legs—rest inside comfortably."
"...!"
"She'll reluctantly agree. Why? I didn't leave anyone who'd complain about that much rest."
Sebastian nodded, deeming it reasonable.
"As I leave, I'll say, ‘Phew... Sebastian, how's your health lately?’"
"What’s..."
"Our angel Lily will say, ‘Oh? Are you unwell, Mr. Aide?’ Get the vibe?"
"!!!"
"Then coolly reply, ‘I'm fine. Thanks to the palace medicine and treatment, I'm much better. Can't slack on work for the prince and empire.’"
"Cool..."
"Cool? Tsk tsk, Lily takes pride in her work—she's a workaholic. You just bonded over love for the imperial family!"
"Good heavens!"
Sebastian gazed at me reverently.
"Then I'll have other business and leave naturally? Lily follows, I smile wryly: ‘Hard to find a loyalist like him... Lily, take good care of Sebastian...’ She already pities you from my teasing. You wipe sweat, she brings snacks! Flowing chit-chat, prince talk, empire talk—boom, common ground! Eyes lock! Hands creep!"
"Too faaaar!"
Sebastian bolted up and bowed before me.
"I've thought Your Highness a wastrel, thug, madman!"
‘This bastard?’
A bit annoyed, but I listened.
"But today I tasted a glimpse of Your Highness's vast wisdom! I will serve you for life!"
This'll keep Sebastian quiet for a while.
"Rise, Sebastian. Don't I keep you close because I value you?"
"Yes! Your Highness!"
I patted his shoulder.
"But seizing the opportunity is on you—purely your hands. I'm just acting naturally. If Lily says no, I won't push. Now, what do you see?"
"Who are you? How dare you barge in while the prince works, disturbing him! The prince over there looks uncomfortable—out!"
The seat Sebastian pointed to was empty.
I grinned and called,
"Lily~ Come rest inside!"