I Became the Tyrant's Servant

The most effective way to deceive others was to lie with a moderate amount of truth, much like getting drunk with alcohol.

Originally, there was no way to distinguish the handwriting from the forged handwriting.

If there are many patterns left in the original handwriting, it is possible to identify the person who forged it.

However, it is not possible to check all the handwriting of the people around the Empress Dowager within such a short amount of time.

It was tough realistically.

As a result, I was put in a situation where there was no evidence.

There is no testimony from the assassins, and there is no opinion from an expert who examined the handwriting.

All I have are Janet’s words.

After sending Janet, I picked up my fountain pen and began writing out invitations in fancy handwriting.

It was an invitation with gold ink, white lace and glitter on a dark blue background that burned my artistic soul.

“The Empress Dowager should be taken in by Janet.”

The invitation was sprayed with perfume as I murmured.

“Don’t worry. Rumor has it that the Duke and the new concubine have a special relationship. The reason why the Empress Dowager called in Janet must be to ask about you.”

I nodded to Cardan’s answer. Thanks to sticking with Janet at the Star Palace, we were regarded as close friends.

Lastly, I hummed my name, signing it beautifully.

“If things work out well, I’ll have to buy the concubine a meal sometime. Maybe I’ll give a ring to Janette with her favorite pearl at a nice restaurant.”

“Don’t do it.”

Cardan cut my words like a knife. I looked back at him in surprise. He frowned a lot about something he was so dissatisfied with.

“It was better when I was the one who had to seduce.”

I blinked my eyes.

I mumbled without realizing it.

“When did you learn that?”

As Cardan’s eyes narrowed, I smiled awkwardly and decided to appease him in moderation.

“Although the operation failed because Your Majesty only believed in the top, it did not completely fail because I was able to remain close to Janet.”

It never occurred to me that Cardan’s expression would not be eased despite my flamboyant speech.

I decided to play with my tongue a bit harder.

“Why do so many stories like that appear in novels? A case of having a crush on a handsome man, but falling in love with their childhood friend who cheered for them next to them. Doesn’t it sound like a story about Janet?”

Overshadowing my efforts, Cardan laughed openly as if he was dumbfounded.

“I’m just saying.”

I looked away pretending to be absorbed in the letter.

“It’s an invitation for the Empress Dowager, and I’ll seal it with wax with pretty marbling.”

I carefully poured the melted wax over the letter envelope and stamped it with the prettiest stamp.

Subsequently, I was carefully examining the seal to see how I was doing, and Cardan raised his eyebrows crookedly and attacked me.

“It seems that the Duke treats everyone well except me.”

What kind of new tune is this?

“I’ve been doing so well. It’s time to relax.”

As I recalled the past when I was transmigrated, when I bent around without being able to stretch my back, tears filled my eyes.

Cardan glanced at me as if he was incredulous.

“When you threatened me with Eleanor?”

Seeing him tilt his head slightly and smile softly, it was clear that it was a light joke.

But for some reason, my mood fell in an instant.

I didn’t even do it…….

It was unfair, but it was strange to be angry at a small joke, so I only fiddled with the invitation, Cardan added.

“Well, there’s some good thing before that.”

The story of Erina as a child.

The feeling that there was nowhere else to turn made me fall all the way to the bottom.

At that moment, my finger holding the letter became stiff.

It was a shame because it was thick paper, but if it was thin practice paper, it would have had unsightly creases.

“I don’t remember.”

A sharp voice popped out of my mouth.

Once uttered, my words did not cease.

“I don’t remember at all. If I did well, if I didn’t. I don’t know.”

I could feel Cardan’s eyes staring at me persistently, but before he could answer, I jumped to my feet.

“I’ll send you an invitation.”

As I ran away from Cardan’s office, I sighed.

I mumbled as I rubbed my restless heart.

“I’m so mean. It’s ugly.”

However, the more I tried to kill this ugly emotion, the more persistent it grew and bothered me.

“Let’s get a grip.”

As I chewed back, I hurried my steps.

***

“Welcome.”

The Empress Dowager greeted Janet warmly.

The dining table was set up for a grand dinner, and candles decorated the room, reaching the ceiling.

“Thank you for inviting me, Empress Dowager.”

Janet smiled and greeted her politely.

The Empress Dowager smiled happily and beckoned Janet to sit down at the sight of Janet greeting her gracefully according to imperial etiquette.

“You must have adapted perfectly to the empire.”

Janet, who had settled down, shook her head.

“Thanks to you, I’m doing fine.”

The ladies-in-waiting around also helped out a few words.

“I heard that His Majesty gave all kinds of precious gifts to the concubine while staying at the villa.”

“There is a rumor in the palace that His Majesty cares about the concubine a lot.”

“I heard that he invited the concubine to his office again today and drank tea. It is clear that he is caught up in the charm of the concubine, who takes care of him while working.”

Knowing that it was not the case, Janet wiggled her fingers with an ambiguous smile.

At one time, she believed that in order to save Peter, who was transferred to Lores, she had to do what the Empress Dowager told her to do.

All her expectations have been shattered since she received the fake letter.

Everything was still confusing, but one thing was for sure.

She couldn’t follow the Empress Dowager unconditionally as she used to.

The Empress Dowager, who misunderstood that Janet was being modest, stroked Janet’s hand.

“You’ve done a really great job. You can be more confident, Janet.”

Janet grunted her head reluctantly.

“Thank you.”

When the meal began with a light appetizer, the Empress Dowager naturally changed the subject.

“I heard you became close to the Duke of Baloa. I think I heard that she took care of you at the annex.”

When the story of the Duke of Baloa came out, Janet was delighted.

When the story about the Emperor came out, her uncomfortable mind became more comfortable when it moved on to the story of the Duke.

“Yes, we’re very close!”

Speaking proudly, Janet blushed.

In fact, apart from her deep closeness to the Duke of Baloa, there was no certainty about whether the Duke of Baloa also thought so.

Come to think of it, she has only been helped by the Duke of Baloa unilaterally.

When she was nervous ahead of her first meeting with His Majesty, when she was almost bitten by hounds, or when she was in despair because of Peter.

The Duke of Baloa saved her consistently.

Maybe she thinks of her as a burden. A mass of trouble that always causes accidents even though it has no ability.

So, when the Duke of Baloa first confided her concerns to her, she was happy as if she was jumping inside, although she did not show it on the outside.

She finally has a chance to help the Duke.

“The Duke is working really hard these days! I’ve never seen a person who works as hard as a Duke!”

The Empress Dowager moistened her lips with wine in response to excited Janet’s answer.

She was skeptical that she would have any information to take from Janet, but she couldn’t be sure.

As she was a stupid child, it was possible that the Duke of Baloa unconsciously loosened her guard in front of her.

“Yes, I’ve heard of it as well.”

The Empress Dowager took a moment and put down her glass.

“What’s making her so busy these days?”

Janet picked her words carefully.

She really wanted to help the Duke of Baloa. To do that, she shouldn’t be stupid and say weird things.

“I don’t know in detail, but it seems like she’s only thinking about the empire every day!”

“You don’t know the details.”

As the Empress Dowager’s brow narrowed, Janet’s heart sank.

Is she of no help at all?

Trying to suppress her overwhelming despair, Janet tried again.

“She took a moment to handle an urgent report right away while drinking tea with me. She’s working hard as if she doesn’t have personal time.”

Only then did the Empress Dowager’s expression ease a bit.

“What urgent report? What’s going on?… Did you hear that?”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes as she skimmed through her face were as persistent as those of a snake.

Janet gulped down her saliva.

She could tell by intuition.

This was her last chance to help the Duke of Baloa.

Janet recalled what she had heard as she worked her brain hard.

“They’ve finished investigating the assassins! I didn’t understand it well because I didn’t know what was going on, but it seemed like she caught the bad guys in a clever way. She said she got solid evidence from the handwriting, and they will be arrested the day after tomorrow. She’s really fast at work, isn’t she?”

However, contrary to my expectations, the more she continued to talk, the harder the Empress Dowager’s face became.

Her despair that she hardly managed to suppressed overflowed.

As expected, she doesn’t help with anything.

Unable to burst into tears in front of the Empress Dowager and the maids, Janet squeezed only her innocent hands.

How long did she sit with her head down like that?

Suddenly the Queen Mother’s voice fell over her.

“She’s definitely a fast worker.”

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager grabbed the hand she was squeezing under the table.

As she raised her head, her eyes met the Empress Dowager who was smiling at her.

It was such a warm smile that she thought her rigid expression a while ago was all in her head.

“I hope our Janet will continue to be close to the Duke.”

Janet nodded her head.

“Yes! I will!”

But it didn’t seem to be a failure.

Finally, she was helpful to someone, too.