The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Ethan lowered his gaze to the floor as if annoyed for a moment, then opened his mouth again with a soft voice.

“Ha, I mean, no matter how much the princess said there was no need to do it, if it were me, I would have done my best to find a job. I can’t do anything shameless.”

When Ethan stuck out his tongue with sad eyes, it was only then that the two seemed to understand what He was saying.

“Wow, we were really going to work too!”

“What’s the point of just trying to say it? In the end, you are only causing trouble.”

Joy was restless in Ethan’s eyes. Even if Ethan didn’t say that, Joy had received so much from Dorothea that her heart was in heavy debt.

“But what can I do for the princess…”

Ethan smiled softly again, as Joy spoke, feeling discouraged.

“The Princess doesn’t want anything big. Wouldn’t a small gift be enough for her?”

“A small gift?”

“I just have a good idea.”

Ethan’s eyes folded beautifully like a crescent moon. Joy and Po’s eyes lit up as if possessed by him.

“What?”

“Isn’t it time for the princess to snack soon?”

Ethan said kindly.

* * *

Who would have imagined?

The apple pie that had been on the table a few days ago was rotting in the corner of this gorgeous palace.

And the two little kids would be eating it while removing the mold!

‘It’s impossible. It shouldn’t be happening.’

I had the rotten apple pie thrown away in the trash and had the servants keep a close eye on Joy and Po.

‘It’s a shame. There’s still some left. I’ll throw it away…’

I never thought about it.

It was natural to leave food behind when you were full. It’s foolish to eat until your stomach explodes.

When aristocrats held a party, whole cakes were sometimes left behind, and there were a few leftovers. Eating rotten food was foolish and dirty.

Of course, I knew there were children dying of starvation. It was a story I heard a lot, and there were times when I made a donation or a charity event for them.

But Joy and Po’s words were shocking.

‘I think you are rich…’

I was such a rich person. It was so obvious that I looked like that to those kids.

Suddenly, I remembered what Count Duncan had said to me.

Humans cannot become gods, and therefore you cannot save everyone.

That was right.

“….”

As I was immersed in my thoughts, I felt black eyes.

Stefan was watching me from behind, as always. Like the moon that floats in the night sky and follows me wherever I go, his eyes followed me quietly and silently.

and.

“Oh right.”

Stefan’s eyes were asking, ‘Can we leave them alone for this long?’ 

I realized.

When I hurried back to the hallway where I had left Joy, Ethan was the only one there.

“Ah, Princess.”

“Ethan, where are the two kids who were here?”

“They were busy heading to the kitchen to do something earlier”

“kitchen?”

When I told them to tell me whenever they want apple pie, did they go get the apple pie?

“Clara, look for the kids.”

After asking Clara, I went up to my room with Ethan.

However, Joy and Po, who had gone to the kitchen, were waiting in front of my room with their hands folded. I narrowed my eyes, because they were more suspicious of standing in a calm manner than usual.

“What’s going on?”

‘Did they spill anything in the kitchen?’

At my question, Joy and Po shook their heads at the same time and politely pointed to the room with their hands.

What’s with that shaky hand gesture?

I slowly entered the room with an anxious mind. However, the room was the same as usual. When I was a little relieved, there was only one thing different from usual in my eyes.

A small fruit basket on the side table.

The basket was filled with strawberries and blueberries that looked like it had just been washed. On the other side there was a small note that said ‘I’m sorry’ written in crooked letters to show what they had learned.

“Princess, I will work really hard from now on!”

“I will work hard too!”

As Joy spoke with an alert posture, Po clenched his tiny fist.

I almost laughed at the cuteness.

“Who told you to work? I told you not to eat rotten food. If you get sick from eating that kind of thing, it’s a big problem.”

I warned them, holding back the corners of my mouth that were about to rise.

‘You’re even doing this because you got scolded for apple pie.’

I was about to pick up the basket and move it to the table to eat it, but in an instant, my eyes saw what was lying underneath the basket.

The white handkerchief embroidered with Fried’s crest was wet. The handkerchief was mottled with red and blue water from strawberries and blueberries.

For a moment, I couldn’t hide my hardened expression.

‘Theon’s first gift.’

The handkerchief, which had been kept more precious than any jewel, was dirty and lying on the side table.

For a moment, I bit my lip to hold back the heat rising from my chest.

“Joy, why did you put this handkerchief underneath?”

I asked, trying to calm my voice.

“The water is dripping from the fruit. I felt like I had to put something on the good furniture to avoid getting it wet.”

“Then you should have brought a tray or something to support it.”

”Why does it have to be this handkerchief?’

I clenched my fists, trying to calm my boiling feelings. Obviously, Joy and Po did it with a good heart. Knowing that, I can’t be the person who gets angry with just one handkerchief.

‘But this is not just a handkerchief.’

It was the only thing that I brought directly from the Imperial Palace. The handkerchief that Theon wiped away my tears for the first time. How much effort have I made so far to keep it as it is without leaving a single dust or dirt mark?

“I’m sorry, Princess. It’s snack time for you, so we’re going to do whatever we can….”

Joy and Po looked at me with frightened faces. It was because my face was full of shaky emotions that I tried to control.

‘Even fruit stains are not easily removed, so why…?’

I clutched the stained handkerchief.

“I definitely told you not to do anything.”

I swallowed the loud voice that was about to burst out.

I told you not to do it, so why did you do it?

Even though I knew that Joy and Po had no offense, sharp words kept coming out.

“I’m sorry, Princess…”

Joy realized that something was wrong and bowed her head.

Joy was just paying attention to what Ethan said. Nobles usually spread a clean, pretty cloth on the table, so she thought it would be better to put a handkerchief under the fruit basket.

‘I thought it would be okay to put a fruit basket on the handkerchief because it wipes the runny water and the dirt on it.’

“Is the handkerchief too expensive…?”

Joy’s voice drooped like withering spinach.

I couldn’t say ‘It’s okay’ even when I saw Joy and Po, who were both terrified and withdrawn. 

‘Because it’s not okay.’

If it was more expensive, I could laugh at it, but Theon’s handkerchief was a kindness given to me only once in my life and I had waited for my whole life.

The only memory that cannot be replaced by anything.

“Clara.”

At my call, Clara came in immediately.

“Here, remove the stain. right now.”

“Yes, Princess! Don’t worry. I will wash it as clean as new, so please enjoy a snack.”

Clara, noticing my mood, hurriedly ran to wash the handkerchief.

I bit my lip for a moment, then opened my mouth again.

“Joy, Po.”

“Yes, Princess.”

The two answered in a very tense voice.

“You must not touch other people’s things.”

“I didn’t mean to touch it…”

“You cannot enter someone else’s room without permission.”

That’s polite. Even if it’s for me, don’t touch it carelessly…

Po cried as I looked at the two of them. Joy then looked at Ethan, who was standing next to me.

“But the master said that if we brought a snack to the princess, you would like it….”

At Joy’s point, my gaze turned to Ethan. Then Ethan looked at me with an innocent face.

“They wanted to look good to the princess, so I just advised them that it would be good to bring snacks…”

“But you told me to put it next to the side table so that the princess can see it right away! It was the master who said that it would be better to put something under the water because it was dripping!”

“I said that because I was worried that you would wet the princess’s side table with a dripping basket. I don’t think you ever put your hand on the princess handkerchief…”

Ethan countered Joy’s words with a worried and sad voice.

Joy was angry with Ethan like that.  Joy, not familiar with the laws of the nobles, only followed his advice, hoping that it would be better if she followed his advice.

Snacks, fruits, baskets, letters of apology, and cloth to keep out the water. Ethan generously provided detailed advice that Joy and Po would never have thought of.

That’s why Joy was willing to follow it, but it’s going to end up like this.

“If you hadn’t said that, we would have…”

“Don’t blame me for your faults.”

Ethan looked at me like an innocent victim. With innocent and beautiful golden eyes. Either way, this was clearly Joy’s fault. Even though Ethan advised her, it was Joy who touched my handkerchief.

But I knew Ethan Bronte. how sneaky he is.

How easy for Ethan. Joy, and Po, knowing nothing, Ethan can play on the tip of his tongue.

“Joy, Po. Get out for a while.”

“Princess, really I…!”

“Stefan, take the two of them out.”

As I spoke coldly, Stefan nodded.

Joy pulled Po’s hand as if he was about to cry. They couldn’t upset the princess anymore.

Joy glared at Ethan as if she was about to kill him, and then took Po’s hand and moved with a step full of anger.

When Stefan, Joy, and Po left, Me and Ethan were left alone in the room.