How to Live as a Tyrant’s Spoiled Brat Chapter 14

How to live as a tyrant’s spoiled brat Episode 14

(14)

At this point in his previous life, Rudy was already dead.

The ‘First Rebellion of the Grand Dukes’ that occurred some time ago.

In my previous life, I couldn’t choose between this and that, and I hesitated with my feet on both sides.

And Rudy died because of the sin of letting me dither like that, of not serving me properly.

‘Neutrality doesn’t mean they’re not our enemies; it means they’re not on our side.’

‘There is no such thing as neutrality in this world. If you are not on my side, you are my enemy.’

The teacher of experience paid a high price in the form of precious human lives.

So I’ve definitely chosen a side in this life.

I decided to abandon my half-siblings, the Archduke’s, and side with my sister, Emperor Jaerilis of the Soletaras Empire.

Thanks to that, I saved someone precious, and because of that, the history I knew was subtly distorted.

“Rudy?”

I looked at the face of my maid, who was three years older than me, with a bewildered expression.

Rudy’s pale face gradually turned from yellow to brown to gray and then to pale.

“Rudy! Breathe! Breathe.”

I got up from her lap and patted her back.

“Your Majesty. What should I do? It’s my fault that even Your Majesty has suffered.”

Tears welled up in Rudy’s green eyes.

First, I raised my head to check whether the coachman heard our conversation or not.

Judging from the fact that his complexion hadn’t changed at all, it seemed like he hadn’t heard anything yet.

While I was lost in thought, Rudy took a deep breath and then opened his mouth with a sorrowful expression.

“Your Majesty, go and report me. Your Majesty must live.”

“What does that mean?”

“If things continue like this, Your Majesty may be accused of trying to steal the relic. Your reputation will be bad.”

“… … .”

“I was immoral and reckless, so I could not serve Your Majesty properly. I am very sorry.”

“… … !”

I had heard that saying in a past life.

‘Do you have anything left to say?’

‘I was immoral and reckless, so I could not serve Your Majesty properly. I am very sorry.’

He gritted his teeth and shook his head.

I have never heard of the real culprit who commissioned this in a previous life being caught.

The fact that the Western Palace attendant had stolen the nib was also discovered only after a long time.

But this time, we can’t expect it to be buried in time.

Someone must have seen Rudy leaving the palace with the package.

Now, it is not enough to clear Sir Tentia’s name.

After finishing my thoughts, I slowly raised my head.

Outside the carriage window, I could see groups of four or five soldiers marching around the palace.

If you think about it, there must have been at least a thousand soldiers released throughout the palace.

The ‘Giant’s Crying Pen’ was a magical tool of that importance.

If you surround a fortress and use it, you can find out all the enemy’s secret passages and such.

“Rudy. I guess your friend wasn’t a very good friend.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. How can I call someone who is a nuisance to Your Majesty my friend? That bastard Banton… …!”

Rudy’s green eyes were bloodshot.

I looked up at the darkening sky.

Since they must have been collecting signatures since the afternoon, Lord Tentia’s pension should have been released by now.

“Rudy. We have to catch him before the soldiers come after you or he gets caught and sells your name.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’ll go to the West Palace first, so go to the Knights’ Quarters and pick up Sir Tentia.”

“Tentia Sir? I understand.”

“You said half a ton? What’s your impression?”

“Black hair, droopy eyes, and a slim build. Eye color is dark brown. He doesn’t look like he would do something like this.”

* * *

The Platinum Knights’ quarters were next to the training grounds.

The coachman looked dumbfounded when I told him to go back to where he had just come from, but he closed his mouth when he saw my distorted face.

“I’m getting off here.”

I got off at the fork in the road leading to the West Palace.

“Loyalty. Greetings to His Majesty the Archduke Valencian.”

“Yeah. It’s late at night, so thank you for your hard work.”

“There has been an incident of lost magic tools in the West Palace, so this area has been sealed off. I’m sorry, but no one can enter.”

The nib has already left the palace, so what are you talking about now?

“This is my home, but is there a place I can’t go?”

I raised my chin and shouted in a commanding tone.

The soldiers muttered, “Lord Bonnell,” and “Casino.”

“Then, I’m sorry, but can I search your body?”

I answered heartily, spreading my arms.

“It’s nice to see you happy to do your job.”

The soldier checked my uniform pockets here and there and saluted again.

“Yes, you can go.”

“Yeah. Do you have an idea of who the culprit is?”

“Yesterday, we planted new seedlings in the garden of the West Palace. At that time, there were reports that some of the West Palace’s maids and servants were acting suspiciously, so we are currently searching in that area.”

“A seedling?”

The soldier, who had been hesitating for a moment, opened his mouth.

“We have planted five hundred new seedlings. There is a possibility that magical tools may be hidden in the holes and later stolen, so we are digging up all the seedlings again.”

“… … .”

I was just completely digging.

“Isn’t it possible that the magic tools have already left the palace?”

“All maids and servants of the West Palace are only allowed to go out on weekends. The maids and servants are not allowed to enter the area where magical tools are stored. It is reported that magical tools have not been leaked out of the palace.”

“Okay, thanks for your hard work.”

‘You can just give it to me in front of the West Palace. Why are you calling me so far away?’

Rudy’s words flashed through my mind.

I quickened my pace.

* * *

The palace of the Thousand Year Empire, Soletaras, was vast.

The perimeter of the wall, which was higher than most castle walls, was a whopping 13 kilometers, making it comparable in size to a small city in itself.

The main palace where the emperor resided was located on a mountainside overlooking the capital city, and behind it on the plains were villas such as the Red Moon Palace, wide lawns, and artificial forests and lakes.

The road, paved with sandstone and cobblestone, was wide enough for three carriages to pass side by side.

Beside it, the beautiful street trees spread their long arms and danced in the night breeze.

It wasn’t dark at night thanks to the rows of streetlights that collected sunlight during the day and released it at night.

Considering that even the wealthiest neighborhoods in the capital used oil lamps, it was an enormous luxury.

Valencian walked towards the Western Palace, visible in the distance under the streetlights.

The West Palace was originally a place where the family of the deceased Emperor stayed, as well as the concubines of the Emperor who became widows after his death.

However, the Emperor and Empress had handed over everything, including their lives, to Jaylilith a year ago.

The emperor also inherited the throne after the death of his father, Valencianus’ grandfather.

The West Palace had not served its master for a long time, and had become a warehouse for storing magical tools that were needed but not used at the time.

A palace without an owner. A tomb of success where daughters of lowly families with no support or connections and princes come to serve as maids and servants.

Because of the symbolism that the Sanghwang family resided in such a place, a large amount of money was given to manage the palace.

To the extent of planting hundreds of seedlings that no one will see or enjoy.

“I don’t know, but I bet he ate a lot.”

Valencian muttered, recalling old memories and Madame Lavesia.

It was obvious that he would confuse the money I managed with his own money, and the things I managed with his own things, and eventually end up touching the imperial magic tools.

“His Highness the Grand Duke of Valencian?”

“You’ve had a hard time. Make it harder for you.”

Soldiers were gathered in front of the lawn of the West Palace.

I was digging up the seedlings, sweating profusely on this hot night.

There were also a few platinum knights wearing full plate armor.

“Dig quickly! Dig quickly! If you don’t find it, you’ll end up in that hole.”

“Where did you put the giant’s pen tip? Hit him hard until he tells the truth!”

“Bring all the management fee ledgers! These guys didn’t just eat up one magic tool.”

However, because she was of noble birth, the maids and servants were confined to the quarters next to the palace.

But the maids and servants had already been dragged out and were being beaten here and there by angry soldiers and knights who had been digging in the moonlight.

“I guess I’ll have to send a request for assistance to the Chief of Police. I need to find out what’s going on.”

“I agree. Huh? Your Majesty. You must not go in.”

The two knights who had been groaning while looking at the management ledger shouted urgently.

Valencian, who was heading to his lodgings, smiled faintly and raised one hand.

“I’ll be back in a bit. I have someone to meet.”

“Don’t be stubborn. The West Palace is sealed off until we find the tip of the Ulgrim’s pen.”

Valencianus snatched the Western Palace maintenance ledger from the knight’s hand.

“Let me tell you how to read this.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Don’t look at it carelessly-”

“This is the money that came in. This is the money that went out. This is the money that goes out regularly. This is the money that changes every month.”

He too was once a punk and a great thug in the capital city.

In my previous life, I conspired with the manager of the Red Moon Palace and emptied the entire budget.

The maids and servants of the Western Palace who have lived in their own world for decades without receiving a single thank you.

Their shallow heads and lazy hands could not escape the eyes of that scoundrel Valencianus who was tightroping with that Jaerilis.

“They say they bought new chairs, but the pick-up location is the brewery. There’s no quantity listed here.”

“ah.”

“They say they donated a certain amount of money to the orphanage, but the dinner expenses for next month have increased strangely. But there was no cost for renting a carriage to go to the dinner. They split the donation with the orphanage.”

“okay.”

“I reported the furniture as damaged, but there’s no record of it being disposed of. There’s probably no record of new purchases either. The furniture was stolen.”

“!”

“This can’t be happening.”

The reporter blamed himself for not knowing even though he was looking at the same ledger.

To such a knight, Valencianus smiled like a saint of the church.

“Isn’t your forte swordsmanship, not accounting? You don’t have to blame yourself for not knowing this.”

“When, when did you learn this?”

Although one knight belatedly expressed his doubts, his fellow knights were already rushing to question Valencianus.

“Does it matter?”

Valencian looked at the knight as he answered those questions with a smile.

“Isn’t the important thing that the report to His Majesty the Emperor will be thicker? Even if we can’t find the magic tool, we can still turn the conversation and focus on other directions.”

“yes?”

“Didn’t Sir Barbatos arrest Sir Tentia yesterday? You too must increase your performance. Shouldn’t you prevent the Black Iron Knights from guarding the West Palace again?”

Gulp. The sound of swallowing could be heard here and there.

The Platinum Knights could not stand by and watch the Black Iron Knights enter the palace again.

Valencianus spoke, his white hair shining brilliantly under the streetlight, casting a savior-like halo behind him.

“Don’t just chase after a single missing magical tool, but deal with the corruption in the West Palace as a whole. I hope you can use this opportunity to prove that you are not just swordsmen, but noble knights with reason and judgment.”

Valencian, who had turned his tongue three inches, smiled and turned around.

“Your Majesty! Thank you.”

“Is that really the punk who kicked Lord Bonnell in the leg?”

“I am moved by your words!”

As she headed to the maids’ quarters, Valencian gritted her teeth so no one would see her.

Maybe I should have used a bit more harsh language.

It was supposed to give the impression that the knights had figured it out on their own, rather than through his advice.

“I don’t have time.”

That’s always been the problem.

“They won’t say my name because they are in a hurry.”

Valencian walked down the silent corridors, hoping that the mistake would not end up being just a mistake.

The rivalry, competition, and even extreme confrontation between the four knights of Cheong-Eun, Platinum, Black Iron, and Brass was not something that started a day or two ago.

The Platinum Knights would surely claim that they had resolved the corruption in the West Palace on their own, without the help of Archduke Valen.

Believing only in that fact, Valencian stood before a door.

“What should we do?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! Who the hell are you?”

“No matter what, what are you going to do if you touch the magic tool?”

“Because of that one guy, we’re all screwed.”

“But who is it? The maids and servants can’t even come near it. It’s one of us.”

“Come out quickly! Confess!”

“Wouldn’t that be someone who goes to the casino? Who here goes to the casino?”

“Are you trying to get me to listen to that?”

Valencian turned the doorknob, listening to the conversation mixed with annoyance and fear.

The tightly locked ring did not turn.

With a snap, his grip tightened and the pieces of wood and metal parts crumbled.

“Huh, huh?”

“Your Highness?”

Valencian glanced absently at the maids and attendants sitting around the room.

Even if they weren’t magic tool thieves, they were all just embezzlers.

“Who is Banton?”

“I, I am Banton.”

A servant raised his hand.

Black hair, droopy eyes, brown pupils.

As Rudy said, he was a gentle-looking boy.

“Can I see you alone for a moment?”

“I’m sorry. I was ordered to gather in this room-”

“I guess you heard me as a request. Follow me. That’s an order.”

“… … !”

Half a ton happened.

The gathered maids and servants looked at her with a mixture of worry, suspicion, and questions.

Valencian entered a nearby room and closed the door.

“Who bought it?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Valencian did not hesitate after hearing that answer.

“A sharp, stabbing flame.”

A long harpoon-like flame flickered over his shoulder.

The once gentle, half-toned eyes became sharp like those of a poisonous snake.

Valencian clearly saw his hand go into his waistband.

It was a skillful movement that would not be seen in an ordinary servant.

‘Did you come here on purpose?’

However, he was a swordsman who had reached the highest level of Sword Expert.

Puck, he had already kicked Banton below the knee before Banton could even draw his dagger.

“Heh, heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.”

Ban-Ton laughed as he dropped his dagger and fell hard on the wooden floor.

“What’s so funny?”

“It seems that Your Majesty has no intention of abandoning His Majesty’s maidservant. Rumor has it that she sold all her half-siblings to survive, but she is surprisingly affectionate.”

That was the point.

“Rudy, right? Yes. Rudy. If you were going to catch me, you could have just told the knights outside. But you came in alone?”

“… … .”

“I have no intention of dying alone. The moment I am caught, I will tell everyone. Your Majesty’s maid will be dragged out with you. Do you understand? We are in the same boat now.”

“… … .”

“It has been worthwhile to become friendly with Your Majesty’s maid. Please come out with me tomorrow. I think I will have to leave this palace as soon as possible.”

“What if you don’t like it?”

“Do as you wish. Sooner or later, rumors will spread that a maid has taken a parcel out of the palace. Of course, I will be caught next.”

Valencian kept his mouth shut.

Banton, who thought that was surrender, continued talking.

“There is no one in this palace who would place all the blame on me as Your Majesty wishes. What kind of knight would follow a scoundrel like Your Majesty?”

I heard the sound of boots being kicked from down there.

It was a familiar footstep.

Valencian closed his eyes once, opened them again, and shook his head.

“What if there is?”

“!”

Short, slightly messy hair with a ash-red hue.

A knight with the impression of a great wolf, both dignified and sorrowful, entered the room fully armed.

“His Royal Highness the Duke of Valen.”

“Lord Tentia.”

After lightly bowing, Tentia approached the fallen Banton.

“Are you framing me?”

“Okay, wait a minute!”

And then he kicked him in the face with his steel boot.