Chapter 274: Carrots, Sticks, and Swords (2)
Charlotte always maintained the same poker face. Looking again, she had many similarities with Charlia.
The same went for her platinum hair, as well as for her white skin tone. I thought that, if I were looking from a distance, it would probably be hard to tell them apart.
Of course, upon closer inspection, there was a difference between her and the First Princess, who had a vicious expression, but I basically realized that she inherited the same imperial blood.
‘If her hair color had been different, it would have been a little more convenient…’
Going along with the rumors about the poor blood would have been easier.
I didn’t know if she knew what I was thinking, but after Charlotte tucked her flowing hair in her ear, she spoke once more.
“A person doesn’t change so easily.”
“Yes. I also agree with you. I actually have that kind of thought… I wonder why you are saying that to me.”
“You don’t have to pretend you don’t know, Honorary Bishop Lee Kiyoung. I know roughly what kind of person you are, and don’t you know what kind of person I am?”
“Really, I don’t know what your Majesty Charlotte is talking about, and in a place like this?”
“I’m asking now about you taking the same path as my sister.”
I thought she was pretty direct. As I thought it was time to save her words, I quietly shut my mouth, and she continued talking.
“I thought you were a chatty type, but you spoke lesser than I thought.”
“It looked like you had the wrong idea about me.”
“Yes. You are right. I indeed had the wrong idea. I thought you were a little more rational, but… you’re just acting out of common sense.”
‘You’re right.’
Anyone could see that it was not a rational act to stick to Charlia’s side.
Normally, I would have chosen to side up to Charlotte right away. My fear of how much Kim Hyunsung’s request and his whip would hurt was to blame for this irrationality.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“…”
“Especially from Victor Hart. I already knew you didn’t really like making concessions, but you’ve acted more extreme than I thought. I admit I was making some misjudgments about you. And I apologize for the rudeness I have shown before.”
“Saying that was rude. I’m worried someone might hear you, Your Majesty.”
“I was telling you about what I was doing to get rid of your hands and feet, Honorary Bishop. As you can understand, I didn’t feel very happy about your existence. Had the Honorary Bishop been in my position, you too would have thought about how to restrain yourself. The fact that one person has too much power is a threat to someone like me.”
“I don’t think I have much power, Your Majesty Charlotte. How can I talk about my power in front of a member of the imperial family?”
“You don’t have to feel uncomfortable having this kind of conversation. But I don’t think you will respond if I say this. Then, let’s change the subject.”
Charlotte stopped talking for a moment and looked forward.
It was because the First Princess had climbed onto the platform after she finished her tour with the Imperial Knights.
After she was seated in the right seat, she looked at me blankly, and it seemed that she wanted to continue to talk after I sat next to her.
After I pleaded with a glance to the First Princess for her understanding, I sat down, and she pulled out the speech, which was in her pocket, and put it on the podium.
Since this was the speech I wrote down, she would go at least halfway.
Charlia began to read the speech in a confident and silvery voice.
Those sitting in their chairs looking at the platform applauded, and voices of even more confidence were heard.
I wanted to see how she was doing, but I couldn’t focus on the First Princess, perhaps because Charlotte had started talking to me again.
“I’ll tell you a little more directly, Honorary Bishop.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to be on the same boat as me.”
“What are you saying…?”
“It is exactly what I’m saying. I want you to get rid of my sister and get on my boat.”
“…”
“I have a lot of doubts. I also have a lot of worries. I think I may be the kind of person similar to you. Even if you tell me that you will, I will probably not stop the work I’ve planned in advance. I’m going to diminish your power and try to get your concessions.”
“Ahh…”
“But I can promise that the results will be good for you. You may not like it right now, but… I bet all results will be good for both you and the Empire. Of course, I can’t say that it will be better than the outcome that Honorary Bishop Lee Kiyoung is planning, but at least it will not be riskier than the investment you are currently making.”
I had thought that she would be saying this. It was indeed an appealing offer.
‘Does she mean that I’m a talent she desires?’
Of course, she also recognized that I was too big to swallow. There was no change in the idea of reducing my authority.
In fact, I didn’t mean that I didn’t want to change my posture at all.
If it wasn’t for Kim Hyunsung’s request, it was worth thinking about seriously changing boats.
‘But…’
As I told Victor Hart during the Ito Souta case, I never yielded in this aspect.
Others should yield, not me.
“Excuse me, but I did some preliminary research about the Honorary Bishop. I was interested in another thing than the title that everyone knows, such as the one chosen by a dragon and the Holy Empire’s Honorary Bishop. It was most impressive that the media was rooted in Lindel and brought about several transformations.”
“It is an honor.”
“The free city is basically separated from the Empire, but it is indirectly affected as it is separated in reality. That’s just the fact that a similar institution was created within the Empire soon after the media took root and started at Lindel. You are basically a selfish human, but we also know that you have a minimum conscience. Whatever the reason, what you’ve been doing has had good results for many.”
“I see.”
“Perhaps… I think the reason you can produce such results is that you’re watching out for others. No. I’m sure. You must be watching out for the public. Even if you don’t yield what you have to the strong, you are the one who does it to the public.”
“Thank you for thinking so. I have to think a little bit about whether I should accept this as a compliment.”
“It is a compliment, so you don’t have to worry. Honorary Bishop, the Empire needs talent like you. We need people who can do politics that watch out for the majority and talents that watch out for the public.”
I had to hold my breath for a moment.
‘This is a real deal…’
She was a really good dealer. I knew she was clever, but she was smarter than I thought.
Her way of thinking itself feels different from many of the nobles here, and it is impossible to compare her with Charlia, who reads the note I wrote in front of the podium like a parrot.
It felt like I could see why people gathered around her.
If she was a person of this degree, being authentic or whatever didn’t matter. Instead, they would want to follow her.
It was said that there was a separate seed for the heirloom, but the person in front of me seemed to have been born to become an Empress.
It felt like I was looking directly at the growth period of a great person that I had only seen in fairy tale books when I was a child that I almost jumped right onto the offer.
“Oh. For your reference, I also know that strange rumors have been circulating recently.”
“…”
“A lowly bloodline, a prodigal game, or the seductive voice every night. These are ridiculous rumors that don’t even feel worth responding to.”
I expected it, but it seemed that she already knew about this.
“I haven’t caught the tail yet… and it may take some time to find the source of the rumor, even if I catch it, but I’m suspicious about where it’s all coming from.”
“I am not sure what rumors you are talking about, Your Majesty.”
“I am not saying that I want the Honorary Bishop to know. You just need to listen. If the previous apology and the offer were the carrots, then I’m talking about the stick from now on.”
“…”
“I don’t hesitate to throw swords at my enemies, Honorary Bishop. I know you are an important person to the Empire, but if you really turn your back on me, I have no choice but to pull the sword out. You will have to make wise choices.”
‘Damn…’
“If you think about why there aren’t any people who are advising father, no, His Majesty’s side, the answer will come.”
‘Fuck…’
“It will be a good experience to yield this time.”
‘If I could, I would yield with full force.’
It was natural to think that a lot of annoying things would happen if I faced her head-on.
However, I had my own problems, too.
As much as I received Hyunsung’s special order not to make the Second Princess Empress, I couldn’t get onto her boat.
At that point, Charlia had already finished her speech.
“If you have the desire to yield, get down on your knees, and kiss my hand. I’m not a person who says this twice. The carrots and sticks for you were the last ones here. The next thing I draw will be the sword.”
At a glance, it seemed like this was the case, but the answer was fixed.
“I’m sorry.”
I had already decided on a route here, and there were no other options. I didn’t come too far, but it would be funny to come back now.
The desire for posture change was still alive and breathing in my heart…
‘If I yield once.’
I must keep yielding.
I couldn’t help but make this choice because I could see what kind of human Charlotte was, just as Charlia began to run over here with an anxious expression.
She wanted the well-being of the imperialists, and for that, she would continue to demand concessions from me.
The result was obvious without having to open the lid.
As I looked next to me, I saw Charlotte’s faintly smiling face. I didn’t know what that smile meant, but I could guess that it was a look that her own expectations were correct.
“Remember the first words I said, Honorary Bishop. People don’t change easily.”
She immediately turned her back and left without saying goodbye.
I understand what Charlotte meant, but I myself thought Charlia wasn’t that much.
“Thank you for your hard work, Princess.”
“Did I do well?”
“Yes. It was a very good speech.”
She was good at doing what I told her, and she was aware that she was just spreading her wings.
‘She won’t be that stupid.’
However, absurdly enough, it didn’t take much time for my firm beliefs to collapse.
Charlia was indeed that stupid bitch.