I Became the Tyrant’s Servant - Chapter 26

It took a whole hour just to pick the duke’s office lock.

Cardan, who was quite proud of his ability to open locks due to his sensitive senses, had to grind his molars several times.

“Damn bastard.”

It was only after a good cursing at the Duke that the lock snapped open.

“Gugugugu.”

As soon as I entered the office, pigeons in the cage in the corner began to flutter.

As if they were wary of intruders, the pigeons cried constantly, but when they shed light flesh, they quickly became dead and quiet.

Cardan began to search the duke’s desk.

There was a pile of neatly organized documents, various reports and letters, and personal journals.

Before long, Cardan burst into a giggle.

The data alone was so neat that it was impossible to imagine that the Duke had lost his memory.

There was no distinction between the Duke’s work before he lost his memory and the work after she lost it.

Cardan handed over the pages with an angry gesture.

“Even if you lose your memory, you are still the duke. Is this it?”

Cardan threw out documents with perfect policy proposals.

She was a gruesomely thorough person.

“That’s why none of the people around her noticed it.”

The fact that there were few people around the Duke of Baloa would have also worked positively.

She had no family, and unlike other nobles, she had no particular trusted number or friend to keep on her side.

The duke gave minimal information to the people, and it was easily replaced like a card that was used and discarded.

Literally, she doesn’t trust anyone, she doesn’t have anyone around her.

The hand that was turning over the diary paused for a moment.

He’s the only one who noticed the duke’s condition.

“That’s how close I am to the Duke.”

Cardan shuddered slightly as he crumpled his straight brows badly.

The mere thought of it was an abominable assumption.

Shortly afterwards, Cardan threw it away.

No matter where I looked, there was no clue about Eleanor.

“Is the desk empty?”

Cardan clapped his tongue and pulled the last drawer.

The drawer, unlike other drawers that were easily opened, remained motionless.

Cardan’s eyes narrowed.

There must be a clue here.

Cardan breathed heavily and inserted a fake key into a small keyhole.

Then a crow began to cry outside.

And soon there were light footsteps in the hallway.

“Damn it.”

Cardan stuffed the fake key into his pocket.

Crows. I asked you to tell me in advance, but you can’t tell me right before the duke arrives.

At that moment, the lock of the office door opened with a click.

The brisk steps stopped sharply.

“What?”

It was the duke.

“Did I close the curtains?”

She strode toward the window.

Cardan managed to balance himself on one foot on a narrow railing and swallowed his breath.

Just before the Duke snapped open the window curtain.

“Gugu gu gu gu gu gu gu!”

Pigeons fluttered around as if they were coming back from somewhere.

“Why are you guys so crazy again?”

The duke’s steps receded.

“Does that mean a crow came and stole my food?”

Cardan’s eyes turned to the crow that flew over the window railing, but the crow pretended not to know and arranged the wings with its beak.

No, he was looking at me asking for more rice if I picked it.

“I must have kept the window closed, but how did you get in?”

Cardan jumped off the railing with a throbbing head.

At best, I sent the Duke to the ceremony, but there was no harvest.

Cardan rolled up his fist.

The clanking of the locked drawer on the palm of my hand was still clear.

Hours were not enough.

He had to find a way to send the duke out of the palace for a few days.

“It’s free.”

That was what the tyrant, who appeared smelling of alcohol in the conference hall, suddenly said as soon as he sat on the throne.

I gritted my teeth inside.

He says he’s bored whenever he has time.

It’s obvious that he has been playing around.

However, I bowed politely because it was obvious that my neck would fall if I spit out this kind of thought.

“Your Majesty’s happiness is my happiness. Your Majesty says you are bored, and my faithfulness cannot disregard your misery. If there’s anything to soothe your boredom, even if I go to the end of the world I’ll do my best.”

“As expected, the Duke is the only one who understands my heart.”

Cardan let out a sigh and put out his chin.

“No matter what I drink these days, it doesn’t suit my taste.”

Anyone can tell that the person who has just swam in the liquor jar is talking well because it is an open mouth.

But I couldn’t tell you to shut up and I bent down even lower.

“May I get you some snake wine from the thick forests of the South? I’ve heard that there’s nothing like this snake chariot to recover your energy.”

Cardan wrinkled his eyebrows at once.

“That’s terrible.”

You look like you’re going to eat everything that’s good for your energy, but you’re so neat.

“Why don’t we bring a mead made of wild honey from a steep cliff?”

“Hmm. I don’t crave honey very much.”

For a moment, Cardan tapped the throne armrest one after another with his fingers, and soon opened his red lips slowly.

“If it’s a wine that no one has ever tasted, it’ll be tempting.”

What the hell is that?

My palms were sweaty with tension.

On the other hand, Cardan’s lips were subtly twisted about what was so enjoyable.

“A hundred years of wine. Bring it to the next meeting.”

100 years?

Even though I knew how to talk about dogs and was preparing myself, I almost stumbled at the unexpected order.

It sounds like crap at least. This was the sound of an apse.

I seriously thought about throwing everything away and jumping overseas tonight.

But I changed my mind.

I have to pull myself together. He’s a madman.

I didn’t know if he’d kill me right away, contract or whatever. Just like it was in the original.

I don’t think he will kill me now because of Eleanor, but considering that I worked hard with the original heroine later, I didn’t think it was a desperate love.

The decision was quick.

I instinctively bowed down, raising my voice two more notes than the announcer.

“Of course, for the pleasure of His Majesty, I’ll find it, whether it’s 100 or 1000 years old or not, even if I’m searching all over the continent.”

After a while, the hall was cluttered with whispers.

“What a 100 year old wine.”

“I can’t believe I can find it even if I search all over the continent………….”

“If I had a good wine, I would have picked it before I stayed for 100 years.”

“No matter how much you’re the Duke of Baloa, this time will be difficult.”

But no one spoke out against the emperor.

Then, as if satisfied, Cardan stood up from his seat with a smirk. Each movement was slow and beautiful like a leopard aiming for a prey.

“I’ll call it a day for today’s meeting.”

Cardan, who scratched my insides like that, left the conference hall leisurely.

As soon as the meeting was over, I called Count Linoa into the office.

I’ve never heard of such absurd demands as 100-year-old wine, but using the information in the original book, there was no way to do it.

“What’s the matter, Duke of Baloa?”

When Count Linoa entered the office, I put down the history book I was reading.

A stuffed man with an impressive mustache stood at my desk and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

He started to chatter about things I didn’t ask, as if he was very anxious about my silence after calling him.

“Well, did you call last month’s tax payment a little late?”

Tax?

He crumpled my eyebrows without realizing it.

Count Linoa gulped, wriggling a wooden pole.

“Well, that! There was one thing or another because a ship was caught up in a storm and was late to enter the port.”

The count eagerly twitched his mustache and excused himself.

I shook my head to say it was alright.

Count Linoa was one of the few aristocrats who had long paid regular taxes.

But the count finally began to grovel over how he interpreted my expression.

“Please don’t withdraw our overseas trade permit…………….”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t call you for tax payment.”

“Oh, thank you, Duke. Thank you very much.”

The pale count’s face began to turn pale.

“I’m sending a few men to the County of Linoa, and I’m asking for your cooperation.”

“P-people?”

The count contemplated again.

You must be nervous about me picking on your territory.

The Marquis of Sherington was executed after her recent trip to his territory, so there was no guarantee that he would not suffer the same thing as the Marquis.

“There’s nothing for the count, I just want to explore the sea around the Linoa estate. I’d like you to clear a pier according to the date.”

The count moistened his dry lips, as if my words didn’t sound very credible.

“I’m willing to invest in the Count’s trade business.”

At this the count seemed greatly relieved.

The Duke of Baloa was famous for never losing money.

My investment in his business meant that I would not harm him and lose my investment for the time being.

“Then I understand, you can send someone.”

The count groveled and rubbed his hands.

“As long as you promise me the right amount of investment……….”

“To 10,000 ryu.”

“You can come anytime.”

The answer was immediate. The count’s eyes glistened with greed.

I put out the contract without hesitation.

There was absolutely nothing to lose to me.

I will have to cross the sea when I defect later, but if I invest in the Count’s business with a lot of bones in foreign trade, there will definitely be something to gain.

In addition, to carry out the ridiculous mission of Cardan, she had to go to the sea near the county of Linoa.

Count Linoa, who signed the contract, glanced at the book I was reading.

“I didn’t know you were interested in sailing.”

Rolling his eyes around, he seemed afraid that I might touch his monopoly of the sea.