“It’s very difficult for us to make ends meet because the country is like this.”
The old man’s friend even spat out phlegm and cursed.
People around me began to speak as well because they got excited.
“Isn’t that regulation limiting people’s ability to do business?”
Even pickpockets jumped up and started pointing fingers.
“That’s what I’m saying! It’s not like I’m stealing because I want to.
Despite being irritated by the pickpockets’ excuses, I remained silent since the Duke of Baloa did not just make one or two laws to monopolize some markets.
Then the aunt shook her head.
“On a fictional day, they say they execute people for all sorts of reasons.
Well, technically, the Duke, not the emperor, executed her political opponents for all sorts of reasons.
“What an ardent desire to collect taxes.”
I scratched my head awkwardly.
I also had nothing to say because I was sensitive to taxes even after I transmigrated.
“I heard that he puts aside political affairs and indulges in drinking instead.
That’s because the Duke didn’t let the emperor oversee government affairs in person…….
“Tsk tsk, the more I see him, the more he doesn’t seem like an emperor to me.”
When the old man clicked his tongue, his friend began to heat up next to him.
“If you’re a bully, you’ll do nothing but be a bully.
Even the lady who looked warm shuddered.
“The devil’s child without blood or tears.”
The gossiping pickpocket clenched his fist.
“A man worse than a dog.”
“No, that’s too much!”
Without thinking, I got angry and spoke.
“Every person has a situation!”
As I spoke, even my face was hot with emotion.
“You shouldn’t judge people you don’t know like that!”
People around me blinked at me.
“No, young lady.
“Yes, did we say something wrong?”
They looked as if they had no idea what they had done wrong.
Even Knoxus seemed to care less about what they were saying by slightly stopping me with a wink.
But I couldn’t stay still at all.
I can’t do that if I’m a human.
“It’s because you’re talking recklessly despite not knowing it well!”
“What? Talking recklessly?”
“Recklessly?!”
Knoxus stopped them as the old man and his friend strode up to me.
Encouraged by my strong defense, I hid behind Knoxus and pointed wildly at them.
“Yeah! You guys cursed without even knowing! Covering a pickpocket like a bug!”
The old man and his friend tried to get past Knoxus.
“Let me go, let me go.”
“Get out of the way, get out of the way.
Then the pickpocket came forward.
“That’s enough.
“What, are you insane?! You punk!!”
This time, Knoxus held me back.
“Oh, let go! Let go of me! Let me talk to that!”
While struggling with Knoxus, the pickpocket spat.
“Or are you also full of dark feelings for the emperor? If you go to the back alley, you’ll see him quite often.
I lost my mind when I heard that, as the pickpocket said.
“You dog, you bastard, come on, I’ll break your palm as you like! Let go of me, let go of me, Knoxus—!”
The moment I shook off Knoxus arms who were holding me.
Puck!
The pickpocket rolled around with a dull sound.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
The pickpocket clasped his chin and rolled again on the floor.
Above him, Knoxus took a deep breath and clenched his fist.
At the sight of Knoxus’s fist rising again, I grabbed him by the arm in a hurry.
“Knoxus!”
“Don’t stop me.”
I clung to his arm when Knoxus tried to gently pull my hand off.
“Well, it’s not the chin, it’s the wrist! Wrist!”
Knoxus stepped on the pickpocket’s arm without hesitation.
At the throbbing sound, I smiled broadly and tapped the arm of Knoxus.
“Good job.
Leaving behind the pickpocket screaming loud enough to make the crow sitting on the roof of the surrounding building fly away, I headed to the place where the carriages were lined up.
“It’s boarding time soon, where are you going?”
I answered calmly as Knoxus followed me.
“The Imperial Palace.”
I muttered low, laughing as if I couldn’t help it.
“To be a bit of a human.”
***
Despite the fairly warm weather as spring is about to come, all the nobles who attended the Cabinet meeting were still wearing thick and long winter clothes.
Nothing was more perfect than a thick cotton coat to withstand the cold energy going down their spines whenever the emperor’s gaze passed, and long clothes were essential to cover their shaky knees.
“Oh, today, ah, the agenda.”
Marquis Treve quivered and stuttered.
“That’s what I meant.
Marquis Treve could not look at Cardan and did not take his eyes off the documents he had prepared.
“What’s the unfortunate thing that happened at the banquet?”
He only frowned because he couldn’t think of what he was referring to, but the nobles shook themselves like fallen leaves flying in a gust of wind.
Some even fainted altogether.
“Phew, Phew, in the lounge…….”
Marquis Treve used the documents as a kind of shield to cover his face.
“Ah.”
Only then did Cardan seem to remember the past, and his forehead narrowed further.
“The lounge.”
Some nobles fainted on the spot when he narrowed his brows even more.
The servants who were waiting around dragged the fainted people silently as if they were familiar with the situation.
“Nothing happened.
The remaining nobles exchanged glances with each other and screamed inside.
No one was shocked by the emperor’s brazen behavior during the banquet, even in the lounge where other ladies could come and go, because he was enamored by the innocent princess.
Only the Marquis of Treve firmly opened his mouth, relying on the document as his shield.
“Well, the affair with His Majesty became widely known, so to put it bluntly, the marriage path of the princess was blocked—”
When Cardan curled his eyebrows, the Marquis of Treve flinched.
“Nothing happened.”
At the sight of the emperor pretending to be innocent, the Marquis of Treve was belatedly relieved that his daughter managed to escape him, thinking that he was the most terrible man in the world.
But on the outside, he groveled and waited.
“Yes, yes… Then I’ll deliver it like that…….”
“Kkkaa!”
When he returned to his bedroom after the Cabinet meeting, a crow welcomed Cardan.
“Kkakka! Kkakka!”
However, despite the news that “The Duke of Baloa is waiting to board a ship heading to the East with Knoxus,” Cardan only slightly curled his eyebrows.
“Never mind.
Then the crow whimpered and hopped.
Not only was the Duke of Baloa in a shabby outfit, but she almost got pickpocketed as she tried to get on board with the commoners.
He’s sure Cardan will be happy and will give him more snacks if he announces this news, right?
However, before the crow could properly say a word, Cardan turned his back.
“I don’t want to hear about the Duke any more.”
“Kkkaaa!”
Ignoring the crow’s protest, Cardan pulled the rope and called the attendant.
“Bring the wine.”
The crow wanted to argue why continues to drink alcohol when he is not even able to get drunk, but he held it in because he thought he would be pulled out.
He decided to keep his mouth shut, but it became harder to keep his mouth shut because of Cardan’s increasingly bizarre behavior.
“Is this right?”
Cardan was mumbling and building a tower with glasses.
The bottom cup was already full of beer.
The hard-piled little glasses were filled with whiskey.
The moment he thought he couldn’t be more bizarre here, Cardan used the champagne foam to push the small glasses into the beer.
“Kaaa!”
Ignoring the frightened crow, Cardan picked up the first of five glasses.
“As expected, I don’t even have a taste bud.”
With a frown on his brow, he turned over the drink.
The other five cups disappeared at a similar rate.
In a blink of an eye, Cardan rebuilt the tower and poured whiskey.
So the crow had to watch Cardan build several towers.
He was scared he would keep drinking with his eyes wide open when he wasn’t even drunk.
At the time when he started to seriously think that it would be better to just stay out and stay homeless tonight, rather than keep watching this.
Knock knock.
***
It was a rather impulsive decision.
But throughout the journey to the palace, the idea that I had made the right decision became increasingly firm.
If I leave for the East continent like this, I will be the same human being as the Duke of Baloa, even if I try to defend myself.
That was unacceptable.
Although I wasn’t the one who turned Cardan into a tyrant or ruined the empire to this point.
As long as I decided to live in this body, I couldn’t cowardly throw it out to live alone.
With that thought, I was heading to Cardan’s bedroom before I knew it.
I didn’t know I’d be here on my feet, but there was no hesitation in my steps.
When I appeared in front of Cardan’s bedroom with a determined face, which had not been seen for a while, the attendant jumped.
“Duke! Aren’t you on vacation?”
“It’s a long time ago.”
I chinned at the tightly closed door.
“Announce it.”
“It’s very difficult for us to make ends meet because the country is like this.”
The old man’s friend even spat out phlegm and cursed.
People around me began to speak as well because they got excited.
“Isn’t that regulation limiting people’s ability to do business?”
Even pickpockets jumped up and started pointing fingers.
“That’s what I’m saying! It’s not like I’m stealing because I want to.
Despite being irritated by the pickpockets’ excuses, I remained silent since the Duke of Baloa did not just make one or two laws to monopolize some markets.
Then the aunt shook her head.
“On a fictional day, they say they execute people for all sorts of reasons.
Well, technically, the Duke, not the emperor, executed her political opponents for all sorts of reasons.
“What an ardent desire to collect taxes.”
I scratched my head awkwardly.
I also had nothing to say because I was sensitive to taxes even after I transmigrated.
“I heard that he puts aside political affairs and indulges in drinking instead.
That’s because the Duke didn’t let the emperor oversee government affairs in person…….
“Tsk tsk, the more I see him, the more he doesn’t seem like an emperor to me.”
When the old man clicked his tongue, his friend began to heat up next to him.
“If you’re a bully, you’ll do nothing but be a bully.
Even the lady who looked warm shuddered.
“The devil’s child without blood or tears.”
The gossiping pickpocket clenched his fist.
“A man worse than a dog.”
“No, that’s too much!”
Without thinking, I got angry and spoke.
“Every person has a situation!”
As I spoke, even my face was hot with emotion.
“You shouldn’t judge people you don’t know like that!”
People around me blinked at me.
“No, young lady.
“Yes, did we say something wrong?”
They looked as if they had no idea what they had done wrong.
Even Knoxus seemed to care less about what they were saying by slightly stopping me with a wink.
But I couldn’t stay still at all.
I can’t do that if I’m a human.
“It’s because you’re talking recklessly despite not knowing it well!”
“What? Talking recklessly?”
“Recklessly?!”
Knoxus stopped them as the old man and his friend strode up to me.
Encouraged by my strong defense, I hid behind Knoxus and pointed wildly at them.
“Yeah! You guys cursed without even knowing! Covering a pickpocket like a bug!”
The old man and his friend tried to get past Knoxus.
“Let me go, let me go.”
“Get out of the way, get out of the way.
Then the pickpocket came forward.
“That’s enough.
“What, are you insane?! You punk!!”
This time, Knoxus held me back.
“Oh, let go! Let go of me! Let me talk to that!”
While struggling with Knoxus, the pickpocket spat.
“Or are you also full of dark feelings for the emperor? If you go to the back alley, you’ll see him quite often.
I lost my mind when I heard that, as the pickpocket said.
“You dog, you bastard, come on, I’ll break your palm as you like! Let go of me, let go of me, Knoxus—!”
The moment I shook off Knoxus arms who were holding me.
Puck!
The pickpocket rolled around with a dull sound.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
The pickpocket clasped his chin and rolled again on the floor.
Above him, Knoxus took a deep breath and clenched his fist.
At the sight of Knoxus’s fist rising again, I grabbed him by the arm in a hurry.
“Knoxus!”
“Don’t stop me.”
I clung to his arm when Knoxus tried to gently pull my hand off.
“Well, it’s not the chin, it’s the wrist! Wrist!”
Knoxus stepped on the pickpocket’s arm without hesitation.
At the throbbing sound, I smiled broadly and tapped the arm of Knoxus.
“Good job.
Leaving behind the pickpocket screaming loud enough to make the crow sitting on the roof of the surrounding building fly away, I headed to the place where the carriages were lined up.
“It’s boarding time soon, where are you going?”
I answered calmly as Knoxus followed me.
“The Imperial Palace.”
I muttered low, laughing as if I couldn’t help it.
“To be a bit of a human.”
***
Despite the fairly warm weather as spring is about to come, all the nobles who attended the Cabinet meeting were still wearing thick and long winter clothes.
Nothing was more perfect than a thick cotton coat to withstand the cold energy going down their spines whenever the emperor’s gaze passed, and long clothes were essential to cover their shaky knees.
“Oh, today, ah, the agenda.”
Marquis Treve quivered and stuttered.
“That’s what I meant.
Marquis Treve could not look at Cardan and did not take his eyes off the documents he had prepared.
“What’s the unfortunate thing that happened at the banquet?”
He only frowned because he couldn’t think of what he was referring to, but the nobles shook themselves like fallen leaves flying in a gust of wind.
Some even fainted altogether.
“Phew, Phew, in the lounge…….”
Marquis Treve used the documents as a kind of shield to cover his face.
“Ah.”
Only then did Cardan seem to remember the past, and his forehead narrowed further.
“The lounge.”
Some nobles fainted on the spot when he narrowed his brows even more.
The servants who were waiting around dragged the fainted people silently as if they were familiar with the situation.
“Nothing happened.
The remaining nobles exchanged glances with each other and screamed inside.
No one was shocked by the emperor’s brazen behavior during the banquet, even in the lounge where other ladies could come and go, because he was enamored by the innocent princess.
Only the Marquis of Treve firmly opened his mouth, relying on the document as his shield.
“Well, the affair with His Majesty became widely known, so to put it bluntly, the marriage path of the princess was blocked—”
When Cardan curled his eyebrows, the Marquis of Treve flinched.
“Nothing happened.”
At the sight of the emperor pretending to be innocent, the Marquis of Treve was belatedly relieved that his daughter managed to escape him, thinking that he was the most terrible man in the world.
But on the outside, he groveled and waited.
“Yes, yes… Then I’ll deliver it like that…….”
“Kkkaa!”
When he returned to his bedroom after the Cabinet meeting, a crow welcomed Cardan.
“Kkakka! Kkakka!”
However, despite the news that “The Duke of Baloa is waiting to board a ship heading to the East with Knoxus,” Cardan only slightly curled his eyebrows.
“Never mind.
Then the crow whimpered and hopped.
Not only was the Duke of Baloa in a shabby outfit, but she almost got pickpocketed as she tried to get on board with the commoners.
He’s sure Cardan will be happy and will give him more snacks if he announces this news, right?
However, before the crow could properly say a word, Cardan turned his back.
“I don’t want to hear about the Duke any more.”
“Kkkaaa!”
Ignoring the crow’s protest, Cardan pulled the rope and called the attendant.
“Bring the wine.”
The crow wanted to argue why continues to drink alcohol when he is not even able to get drunk, but he held it in because he thought he would be pulled out.
He decided to keep his mouth shut, but it became harder to keep his mouth shut because of Cardan’s increasingly bizarre behavior.
“Is this right?”
Cardan was mumbling and building a tower with glasses.
The bottom cup was already full of beer.
The hard-piled little glasses were filled with whiskey.
The moment he thought he couldn’t be more bizarre here, Cardan used the champagne foam to push the small glasses into the beer.
“Kaaa!”
Ignoring the frightened crow, Cardan picked up the first of five glasses.
“As expected, I don’t even have a taste bud.”
With a frown on his brow, he turned over the drink.
The other five cups disappeared at a similar rate.
In a blink of an eye, Cardan rebuilt the tower and poured whiskey.
So the crow had to watch Cardan build several towers.
He was scared he would keep drinking with his eyes wide open when he wasn’t even drunk.
At the time when he started to seriously think that it would be better to just stay out and stay homeless tonight, rather than keep watching this.
Knock knock.
***
It was a rather impulsive decision.
But throughout the journey to the palace, the idea that I had made the right decision became increasingly firm.
If I leave for the East continent like this, I will be the same human being as the Duke of Baloa, even if I try to defend myself.
That was unacceptable.
Although I wasn’t the one who turned Cardan into a tyrant or ruined the empire to this point.
As long as I decided to live in this body, I couldn’t cowardly throw it out to live alone.
With that thought, I was heading to Cardan’s bedroom before I knew it.
I didn’t know I’d be here on my feet, but there was no hesitation in my steps.
When I appeared in front of Cardan’s bedroom with a determined face, which had not been seen for a while, the attendant jumped.
“Duke! Aren’t you on vacation?”
“It’s a long time ago.”
I chinned at the tightly closed door.
“Announce it.”
