I Became the Tyrant's Servant

“I’m sorry. We’ve tried everything we could, but the Duke of Baloa was too powerful an opponent to defeat.”

“Oh, no. Thank you for sharing the last news.”

The maid embraced the letter to her chest.

“Since that incident, all of my grandfather’s belongings have been confiscated, so there was nothing for me to remember him by.”

Her words made the head maid look dark and bowed her head.

“I have no choice but to send the deceased like that, so I am only devastated. I wanted to recover the remains of the deceased, but…….”

The maid burst into tears again.

“No matter how guilty he is……! How can they do that…?”

Then she bit her lips as if she couldn’t bear to speak.

The head maid gently wrapped her hands around her, pretending to console her.

“The efforts of the deceased for justice and to save those persecuted for justice will never be in vain.”

Reflecting on the soothing words, the maid clenched her fist tightly.

The head maid smiled contentedly inside, glancing at her shoulder, trembling with anger.

“But nothing has changed. He put his life on the line, yet nothing changed. Only poor people are punished, and the wicked are still smiling.”

“It’s terrible, but it doesn’t change reality.”

The maid was furious at the head maid’s words.

“This can’t be reality. This can’t be.”

At the sound of the maid’s breathing, the maid smiled quietly inside, but blinked helplessly on the outside.

“We’ve tried, but we’re powerless in front of money and power.”

The maid shook her head as if she wanted to deny the fact.

“No, it’s not. It can’t be like this. Like this, like this…….”

A little sob cut the maid off.

“How can I send my grandfather away when he suffered such unfair treatment?”

The head maid, who was staying still with her eyes closed, soon slipped out a bundle of money to the maid.

“It’s a small amount of money. It’s for the deceased. To honor what the deceased accomplished during his lifetime. I thought it would be right to deliver it to the only bereaved family…….”

Even in front of the money, the maid only stroked the letter and swallowed her tears.

At the sight, the head maid smiled, more satisfied inside.

Then she quietly handed over a business card. The small card had no other phrases and only a complex pattern was written as if the moon and the sun were intertwined.

“What is this?”

The maid, who was not interested in a bunch of money, took the card and looked carefully.

The head maid carefully opened her mouth.

“A chance to get revenge.”

Along with those words, the hand of the maid holding the business card strengthened.

The head maid opened her mouth, keeping an eye on the slight change.

“It’s a group of assassins known for their good skills.”

“…….”

“In fact, we thought a lot about it.”

The head maid pointed to a wad of money.

“You can put in a request for that amount. However, our priority is to honor the deceased.”

Stuttering, the maid unwittingly smoothed the bundle of money.

The head maid, who foresaw her success, stood up as if she had nothing more to see.

“I’ll leave the decision up to you. Then, goodbye.”

“Wait a minute!”

As expected, the maid caught her in a hurry.

“These people.”

The hand holding out the business card was full of strength.

“Where can I find them?”

A little smile formed around the head maid’s lips.

“You will have to go to the capital right away. Would you like to come with me?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll go.”

The maid answered without a second’s hesitation.

***

I was coughing up blood at the Cabinet meeting as usual.

“Your Majesty! We have succeeded in finding the leader of the assassins!”

Then Cardan also worked hard to respond.

“Oh, that’s interesting.”

“It’s only a matter of time before the identity of their client is revealed!”

While diligently gesturing and motioning on ways to find out who instigated the assassination, and then explaining how to torture them, the Marquis Sherington’s voice came from behind.

“The Duke of Baloa.”

Did you finally take the bait?

I looked back with the most amiable smile.

“What is it? What’s the matter, Marquess Sherrington?”

“You said you couldn’t disclose the captured assassin because of the investigation.”

I laughed deftly at the sharp point of the Marquis of Sherrington.

“Yes, of course, all the evidence will be gathered and on the day of the presiding judge, it will be released for the trial.”

The Marquis of Sherrington nodded unexpectedly gently.

“I fully understand.”

What are you up to?

I stared at him in doubt, and soon the Marquis expressed his intention.

“However, if you don’t mind, could you tell me exactly what the tattoo pattern of the assassins looks like? I would like to contribute to the investigation, even if it is feeble.”

He would be able to figure out the tattoo patterns of the assassins.

If I come up with another pattern here, the Empress Dowager will soon see through my bluff.

While contemplating for a while, the voices of the nobles burst out here and there.

“I want to help too!”

The Count of Linoa raised his hand, and even the Marquis of Treve responded.

“I’ll find out in every way. Is there anyone who has the same tattoo?”

The other nobles eagerly sympathized.

“How dare they touch the Duke of Baloa! We’ll never let this slide!”

“Let’s all work together!”

The aristocrats’ eyes were sparkling to see if they really wanted to help.

It was like watching dozens of puppies wagging their tails and trying to catch their owners’ eyes.

Looking through the scene, I almost tore my hair.

Stop it… it’s not that……. Don’t go crazy…….

There was also a smirking laugh from the throne.

Cardan giggled for a moment and held back his laughter and gestured to the servant who was waiting next to him.

“I’ll let you know the pattern. I’m very interested in this incident, so I remember it vividly.”

When the servant brought a paper and pen, Cardan completed the pattern with several strokes.

“It was a pattern that seemed to be intertwined with the moon and the sun.”

The Marquis of Sherrington, who was carefully examining the paper he had lifted, suddenly took a deep breath.

“……that pattern! I’ve seen it somewhere! Somewhere in the capital alley I think I saw a house with that pattern engraved on the corner.”

What are you up to?

I tried to look at the expression of the Marquis of Sherrington, but I couldn’t see it well because he was lowering his head.

In addition, other nobles were quickly swept away.

“Are you sure, Marquis Sherrington?”

“Let’s search there right now!”

The Marquis of Sherrington spoke again, bending deeply.

“Should I tell them to use people to investigate the place right away?”

I was lost in thought for a moment.

Don’t be swayed by the plans of the Marquis of Sherrington.

However, everyone will be surprised if I suddenly say that I will not search there when they have been enthusiastic about the investigation.

Then, is there no choice but to launch a surprise attack before the marquis is ready?

I raised my voice.

“No, there’s no good in delaying. I’ll head there right now.”

The Marquis of Sherrington was visibly embarrassed when I emphasized “right now.” A smile spread naturally around my mouth.

Until the other nobles roared.

“We’ll come, too, Duke!”

“Just give me the sword! I’ll sweep it away with my family’s knights!

“I’m willing to be a witness at the trial!”

There was no way to stop the commotion.

When I came to my senses again, I was walking through the alleys of the capital with Count Linoa and Marquis Treve on both sides.

There were five or six royal knights guarding us, so I wasn’t afraid, but it was very embarrassing.

“I am used to holding a sword despite my age. Don’t worry, Duke.”

Count Linoa tapped the sword he had worn around his waist. The short and thick sword matched the count perfectly.

“I am skilled at martial arts as well.”

Marquis Treve showed some shadow boxing moves by jabbing in the air. After a few times, he gasped for breath.

The Marquis of Sherrington, who reported it first, also looked a little surprised as if not expecting to see such a scene.

I had no choice but to talk to him, who seemed to be nervous somehow.

“Are we near, Marquis Sherrington?”

“Just a little bit more.”

I don’t know what he was up to, but his eyes seemed to tremble slightly as if he was anxious. He seemed to have not completed his preparation perfectly.

I laughed inwardly with pride.

I’m glad I came forward to visit in person. Even though I didn’t expect it to look like this…….

I’m sighing a little while watching the count pretending to wield a sword and the marquis doing shadow boxing next to me.

“Here we are.”

The Marquis of Sherrington stopped in front of the crumbling shack. The house with a bleak atmosphere seemed to have not been visited by anyone in a long time.

“There’s a pattern engraved here.”

The Marquis of Sherrington pointed under the eaves of the house.

As he said, there was a pattern of the moon and the sun tangled in black paint.

Paint was peeling off everywhere, and traces of time were evident.

I could sense it intuitively.

This isn’t the building that Marquis Sherrington made in a hurry, it’s really the place that the assassins used to use.

But the secretive group could not have told the Empress Dowager of their headquarters.

It must have been their place to meet their clients. So the Marquis of Sherrington knows where it is.

I looked at the marquis nervously checking his watch.

“How did you find such a remote place, it’s amazing.”

“It was a wonderful coincidence.”

I passed the awkwardly smiling Marquis of Sherrington and went into the shack. The royal knights followed closely to escort me.

Count Linoa and Marquis Treve were all on my side.

The Marquis of Sherrington closed behind us as the last to come in.

“B, be careful.”

The count stuttered, clinging to my left arm.

“You never know when something will pop out.”

The Marquis Treve muttered with his shoulders drawn. I kicked a ball of dust rolling on the floor.

“There’s nothing.”

As I expected, it was indeed a reception room, and the house was empty except for a few desks and chairs.

Of course, there were no documents or evidence to be found. So the Marquis of Sherrington was able to lead us here.

Still, just in case, I ordered the imperial knights and nobles to search the house.

Except, of course, for the Marquis of Sherrington.

“The Marquis of Sherrington played a big role just by letting us know this place, so let’s wait here and relax.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

The Marquis settled down at the desk with a faint smile.

I asked the question peacefully as he checked his watch, still showing signs of nervousness.

“Are you waiting for something?”

“What?”

When the Marquis of Sherrington asked me back, I jutted at the clock.

“It seems like you’ve been checking the time since earlier.”

“It’s a habit.”

It was not difficult to catch him.

As I tried to dig a little further, the people I sent to search returned.

“It’s very empty.”

The Marquis of Treve nodded as Count Linoa covered in dust reported.

“It seems like it’s been a long time since people came in and out.”

There was no significant result for the knights either. I glared at the Marquis of Sherrington for a moment.

Why did he bring us here where there’s nothing?

In the midst of such silence, someone suddenly knocked on the door.

“Assassins?”

Count Renoa made a fuss and screamed little, and Marquis Treve hid behind the desk.

Imperial knights were on alert with their swords drawn out.

Only the Marquis of Sherrington looked at the door with a determined expression as if he had been waiting.

The moment one of the knights quietly approached the door and stepped up to kick.

As if hesitating when no answer was given from the inside, a weak voice came from beyond the door.

“……the same request as before.”

It was also a familiar voice.

“Kill the Duke of Baloa.”