How to Live as a Tyrant’s Spoiled Brat Chapter 162

How to live as a tyrant's spoiled brat Episode 162

(162)

On my way back to the capital riding the wyvern, I recalled my meeting with Grace.

* * *

“He was a respected grandfather.”

That was the first thing she said to me when she met me.

“Was it so?”

Of course, I thought you'd start by talking about inheritance.

These were not the words that the High Lord who had tormented me and Jaylilith for decades before our return would have said.

I looked at her, hiding my confusion beneath my expressionless face.

Long black hair that reached down to her waist, calm brown eyes and a slightly crooked smile, a calm expression that seemed a bit timid, and a strange heat in her pomegranate-red lips.

There are bluish bruises on the inside of his sleeves, and his gait doesn't look very comfortable.

It also seems like a sign of abuse.

Who would dare raise a hand against the grandson of the great lord?

If they are the same grandchildren, it might be possible.

This could also be used as one of the negotiation words.

… … or kill them all.

"majesty."

As I was thinking complicated thoughts, Grace called me.

“When people talk, you should look at their faces, not their wrists or their bodies.”

It was a confusing attitude, whether he was trying to take the initiative or was being sincere.

I smiled faintly and raised my voice.

His pupils were torn vertically and scales appeared on the back of his hands.

“Do you dare look into me?”

Grace held onto the table and braced herself against my thrusts.

“Not only did you kill my grandfather, but now you’re trying to kill all of my brothers and sisters. Of course, I’ll be next.”

It was a frightened voice, but it didn't seem to be intimidating.

“I didn’t know you’d think that way. How refreshing.”

I took a bite, she said, teasing her red lips.

“Did you know how to be more calm and sensitive to profit and loss?”

He admitted it coolly.

Being able to tell the truth and get away with it is one of the greatest privileges of the strong.

“Yes. That’s what it should be like if you’re the grandson of a great noble family.”

“I lost my grandfather today.”

“He is a great villain who chose erosion.”

“So you killed him?”

Calm brown eyes looked into mine.

I shrugged and answered.

“Think whatever you want.”

“If my grandfather had sworn allegiance, would you have killed him anyway?”

“Think whatever you want.”

“By the Emperor’s command… … .”

There I stopped talking.

"stop."

I even wondered if I had chosen the wrong person.

“If you dare to take His name, I will pull out all your teeth.”

What I wanted was a heir who would kiss the royal family and accumulate visible profits, not a foolish young man who was angry at losing his blood relatives.

As I looked at the handle of the blacksmith's shop, Grace's face turned pale.

The next moment, the words I had been waiting for flowed out of her mouth.

“I pledge allegiance to His Majesty Emperor Jaerilis. I will supply you with pure silver and black iron at minimal tariffs through the Free Trade City. I will close the old fortresses and old tunnels to prevent the gathering of impure groups, and I will indirectly train the paladins through donations to the church to keep the followers of the old in check. So please hide the fact that His Excellency Venezion was an encroacher.”

"you?"

“Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Although his expression was filled with resentment, his focused brown eyes were filled with determination.

I smiled and answered with satisfaction.

I also wondered why he was talking nonsense when he knew all that.

“Yes. That’s what I was hoping for. But why did you pretend not to know anything? You could have made a constructive proposal that both sides could accept.”

Grace's brown eyes shed tears as if she really didn't know.

“Your Majesty. Your Majesty killed my grandfather.”

It felt like my heart was being squeezed tightly by cold hands.

“… … was a sinner.”

“He was a good lord and a wonderful head of the household.”

“Your wrists seem to be saying something different. I don’t know who touched them, but the fact that you let someone touch them… … .”

“You must have arrived this morning, so you’re standing before me only a few hours after you killed him.”

The calm voice was slightly mixed with tears.

“I know. I am the eldest grandson of a great lord. Yes, Your Majesty. A great lord must value the family’s interests above his own. There is nothing more dangerous than resenting an opponent you cannot defeat. Of course, you must not show your sorrow in front of the royal family who decapitated your grandfather. You must present a gain in a humble manner and ask for negotiations.”

But, Grace continued, her voice cracking.

“It’s only been a few hours since my grandfather passed away, and I’m terrified that you’ve come to me out of the blue and asked me to negotiate with you in a threatening tone, without giving me time to grieve over his passing.”

“… … .”

“I will grant you all that you desire. Gremorius will swear allegiance to the imperial family according to Your Majesty’s will. In order for this to go smoothly, my grandfather must not be demonized. If my authority hits rock bottom, it will be difficult to establish a free trade city. I think it will be okay for him to die when Your Majesty is caught up in reporting the encroachers. Yes. I thought so. He is almost exactly as you thought from the rumors.”

I said to her with pity.

“You… are not a nobleman.”

“Your Majesty. If you feel sorrow, aren’t you noble? If you feel sorrow, aren’t you foolish? I just don’t understand. What is the oath of loyalty? … How can you kill a person in the morning and then come find that person’s granddaughter in the afternoon and say, ‘Let’s negotiate?’”

Only then did I realize.

From beginning to end, Grace's eyes were filled with nothing but pure sadness.

I don't know what kind of childhood I had.

Judging from his high level of moral and ethical awareness, he may have been educated at a monastery when he was young.

It would be a good idea to send Bishop Hong through Mateos to establish authority.

Forty years have brought these thoughts to mind semi-automatically.

I said, lifting my chin arrogantly and lowering my eyes.

“The oath of allegiance exists… … to make the world less bloody.”

Grace narrowed her eyes as if hearing nonsense.

I continued speaking calmly.

“If there was a country called Soletaras, wouldn’t there be no war between the northern and eastern parts of the Empire?”

This was due to the fact that the population density of the empire was much higher than that of other countries.

Even though there were land disputes, they were much smaller in scale and easier to arbitrate because they were all tied together as one country.

“As a great lord, you must value your family’s interests over your own. It is the most dangerous thing to hold grudges against an opponent you cannot defeat. Of course, you must not show any sorrow in front of the royal family who beheaded your grandfather, and you must politely propose benefits and ask for negotiations. From now on, do so.”

“… … .”

Grace burst into tears again.

Clear tears flowed down in long lines.

The convulsed cheek trembled.

I smiled with the corners of my lips raised and held out my right hand.

“I ask for your continued support, Marquis Gremorius.”

She held out her hand, trembling like an aspen tree.

I shook her hand and went down to the first floor with her.

… … In a world of nobles who are as indifferent as elves and as cruel as ogres, perhaps because they are of mixed race, I met someone who felt true sadness for the first time in a long time.

Despite the horrible memories from before the regression, I still thought it would be nice to live a long life.

I'm sure he'll become a good lord like his grandfather.

If I wanted to persuade, I had to be confident that I could persuade.

If he had revealed the truth about the old things that his grandfather had contracted with, or the things that the followers of those old things had done in this territory, and had made an eloquent statement like, 'Let's protect this territory together,' he would have come over.

I don't know if I made a mistake.

Of course, it's better to laugh than to cry.

It is to my advantage that Grace's resentment and hatred be directed at my grandfather rather than the royal family.

Why didn't you do that?

I already knew the answer.

It's been a long time since I've seen someone who can express their sadness properly.

Although it was a world of luxury, I thought that it was okay for a noble to indulge in such luxuries.

Those white tears sparkle so much.

I just left him to be sad.

* * *

“Well done!”

Jaylilith's voice rang out in the afternoon office.

The pouring backlight cast deep shadows on her face, making the border between her platinum blonde hair and the sunlight so hot that it was impossible to see.

Even in that dark, shadowy face, his eyes were clear.

Those eyes with long, golden eyelashes, and eyes that seem to rise and set with every blink.

As always, I was in awe of her beauty, ambition, and momentum, and I couldn't help but look up at her.

“Your Majesty. Marquis Grace may have changed her mind because of her beliefs. I should have made her indebted to the royal family, but I have only caused her to harbor resentment, so I am sorry. Please punish me.”

“Haven’t you set up a good safety device? If there’s any suspicious movement, you can check it through Bishop Heharson. If by any chance they try to raise an army, then I can step forward and set an example.”

“Yes.”

“Valencianus.”

Jaylilith smiled faintly.

She slowly extended her ring-clad hand.

As I stood frozen like a frog before a snake, Jaylilith motioned for me to place my hand on her desk.

“No matter how much of a loser you are in the capital, you are also a human being. How could you not feel guilt or pity?”

"your majesty."

Jaylilith placed her hand on the back of mine.

The joint rings on the gauntlet fingers were as cold as ice, and the palms were warm enough for even I, who was wearing the Yongchan, to feel it.

“That Black Wall guy… …was a great lord, except for the fact that he would never swear allegiance. That’s the most important thing.”

It was a languid and cool voice.

“That’s right.”

“It is natural for the new Marquis to resent you. However, I think differently.”

"yes?"

“If it were Jim, I would have first reduced the population of Cimellion by two-thirds before we started the conversation. Marquis Grace, you should be grateful that that didn’t happen.”

I swallowed absentmindedly.

Jaylilith's hand gripped mine as tightly as steel.

“Why would Jim continue to use you when he knows that you are sad, guilty, and regretful? You, just like Jim, are the one who must do what you have to do, with different results than I do. Aren’t we twins?”

It was almost the first time Jaylilith had mentioned that we were twins.

“So, you, the person who feels sad, remorseful, and sorry, are saying that you will reduce the population by two-thirds?!”

As I opened my eyes wide, she released my hand and smiled like the sun.

“Besides, didn’t Jim tell you? When you’re having a hard time, think of all the pain as Jim’s fault.”

“How dare I.”

“So, follow the order without any doubt.”

I bowed my head again.

Jaylilith gestured to raise her head.

“Raise your head. I grant the Archduke Valencian the privilege of not having to bow before me.”

It was a playful voice.

“I will also give you some wine, so drink it with your knights and get drunk, forget about it, and come back the day after tomorrow.”

“I am so grateful to you.”

“I told you. Good job. I got your oath of loyalty, and I can now buy high-quality ores from Gremorius at a low price through the Free Trade City. Haha. I wonder how much profit they’ll make in the process.”

The silver and black iron of Gremorius had high mana receptivity, so even if the same magical circuit was engraved, it would last longer and be more powerful.

That was the reason why it took a whole 8 years to conquer and rule before returning.

“I will buy and form a direct subsidiary of the Imperial Family. I will give you 10% of the shares, no. 20%, no. I feel like it. 25%.”

"your majesty!"

I got up, tears of joy streaming down my face, and hit my head on the floor.

The shares of the upper ranks directly under the imperial family were an inexhaustible source of gold.

“Your grace is infinite. I, Valencian, will serve you with my life.”

“It’s still too early to be so embarrassed.”

"yes?"

“I heard from the saint that you were badly injured. You may have been praised as a warrior, but aren’t you still controlling your strength? There will be a time when you will have to go to the battlefield. You will need armor.”

“What do you mean by armor?”

“Platinum, silver, black iron, brass. Which color is best? Not completely black. That is only the color of Jim.”