~TMPM 09~

Chapter 09

Around the same time, there was a small commotion in the Imperial Palace as well.

It was because the eldest son of the Baron Irenol family, who had been the First Prince’s aide, was dragged away under Cassian’s orders.

“Y-Your Highness! I-I am innocent!”

The one who had given the order was Cassian, but the baron’s eldest son begged First Prince Charlie as if asking him to save him.

However, Charlie ignored his voice and spoke to Cassian with bored eyes.

“Cassian, if you were going to take someone anyway, I would have preferred that one.”

He pointed at the duke’s eldest son, acting as if Cassian had chosen the wrong person.

“He’s my favorite playmate, you know. Unlike that future young duke who nags me to work every time.”

At Charlie’s words, the “future young duke” continued processing documents with a completely indifferent face.

It must have been a position the Empress had struggled to secure for him—especially with the condition that he would only work three mornings a week.

“If you want, Your Highness, you could switch them anytime.”

For a moment, the future young duke’s hand stopped, then started moving again.

Cassian thought that wasn’t anxiety, but anticipation.

“Haha, you know that would be difficult. You’re so cruel, Cassian. Do you want to see me get scolded by Mother?”

As Charlie tilted his head while speaking, his red hair—so similar to the Empress’s—fell loosely over his shoulders.

As if in response, the future young duke’s shoulders slumped slightly.

Cassian chuckled quietly at his brother’s completely carefree attitude.

“Of course not. Just imagining Your Highness being summoned by His Majesty the Emperor pains my heart.”

“Ahhh, exactly. You’re so cruel, Cassian. Because of you, Father will scold me again.”

Even though his words were slightly sarcastic, Charlie just smiled foolishly.

“But it’s fine. You were only doing your job, Cassian. I’m not such a narrow-minded older brother that I’d hate you over something like this.”

“……”

For a moment, Cassian thought this man might actually be more difficult to deal with than the Empress.

“So now, how about you stop using those stiff titles and call me like you did when we were young, Cassian? Say ‘Big Brother’.”

No, this man was just an idiot.

Most of all, Cassian had never once used such an embarrassing nickname.

Cassian let out a deep sigh, briefly summarized the situation, and then bowed to Charlie.

“Then I will take my leave, Your Highness.”

“You’re leaving already? I thought we might have lunch together for once. Oh well, you’re busy.”

It was long past lunchtime already. If Roselita had heard that, she would have scolded him for not valuing his time.

Cassian simply bowed without replying and left the room.

Charlie watched his younger brother’s back for a moment and then muttered lazily,

“I’m jealous… I want to work with a pretty aide too.”

The future young duke frowned as if he found that ridiculous.

January 7th

On January 7th, the name of the Baron Irenol family was erased from the Central Nobility Registry of the capital.

Common crimes were uncovered, along with crimes that nobles should never commit:

Embezzlement, tax evasion, exploitation of their territory’s people.

And on top of that, it was revealed that during last year’s spice trade with the kingdom, which they had been in charge of, they had committed contract fraud.

If this hadn’t been discovered now, the empire would have been caught properly by the kingdom later and suffered losses.

‘In the original story, this was actually revealed later, and Cassian and Roselita had to work hard to clean up the mess.’

But since it was discovered early and not much time had passed, it seemed likely they would reach a reasonable settlement with the kingdom through appropriate compensation.

Naturally, during this process, the Empress was also severely reprimanded by the Emperor.

‘You tried to overlook something like this! Empress, how could you do such a thing?’

‘I-I did not know, Your Majesty. It was something done on his own by the husband of the woman I took in as a maid.’

Of course, she cut off the tail to save herself.

The Baron Irenol family had most of their territory confiscated and barely managed to keep a minor title as a junior baron.

It wasn’t even a hereditary title.

Baron Irenol himself had his title completely stripped and was sentenced to a long term of hard labor.

‘How vicious! How could you do this to people who could have been your family!’

The baroness rambled delusionally, but fortunately the trial was held privately, so it probably wouldn’t become public gossip.

If she had just stayed quiet, she could have lived as a baroness for another six months or so.

Of course, she would have been punished eventually anyway.

The Second Prince was such a workaholic that he had already noticed signs by the end of last year.

I responded to the baroness with a polite smile.

‘I’m sorry, but I have no interest in people who aren’t even from a proper baronial family.’

After my polite words, the baroness caused a scene demanding to see the Empress, but after realizing she had been abandoned, she quieted down.

She also begged help from the family of her eldest son’s fiancée, but before I began the seizure and search of the baron’s house, I had already informed them in advance, so they responded smoothly by breaking off the engagement.

‘Thank you, Lady Saliche. If it weren’t for you, our daughter might have suffered greatly. We were actually supposed to sign the dowry exchange agreement on the very day you warned us.’

They were also a baron family, and the parents had planned to include valuable mines and such in the dowry because they wanted their daughter to marry into a better family.

Knowing I had saved someone made me feel even more satisfied.

Well, as expected, the Empress’s punishment would probably end with just a short period of self-reflection.

But a small disaster also happened to me.

[The Demon of the Winter Palace Saves the Empire from Crisis!
— Peace with the Kingdom Preserved.]

It was mid-January, after everything had been resolved.

As soon as I arrived at work, I looked at the newspaper headline and muttered in disbelief.

“This is so unfair.”

“What is?”

“Why am I the Demon of the Winter Palace and not Your Highness?”

I only used Cassian’s name for authority.

Even if Cassian mostly just signed things, he was the one who investigated everything about the kingdom after hearing my reports!

“True, that is disappointing.”

Surprisingly, Cassian agreed with me.

I stared at him, not expecting that response, and he smiled softly.

“It should be Demons of the Winter Palace. It’s a precious title shared only between you and me, Rose.”

“…Please don’t say such horrifying things, Your Highness!”

At my reaction, he laughed happily and added,

“Don’t worry, I’m always ready to take responsibility.”

That was genuinely terrifying.

Please take responsibility only through my salary, Your Highness.

Even so, since the Empress had been forced into self-reflection, I expected things to be quiet for a while.

In the original story too, when the Empress got caught plotting and went into self-reflection, there had been a period of peaceful calm.

So this time, I planned to finally enjoy a sweet weekend.

Right after the new year started, I had suffered quite a lot dealing with the Baron Irenol case and investigating all trade with the kingdom, so I deserved a reward!

So I planned to buy the books I couldn’t read last holiday, eat delicious meals cooked by my maid, and spend the weekend warm and full, lazing around happily.

But then—

“Hello, Rose.”

For some reason, the moment my holiday began, I ran into Cassian.

And not just that.

“I’d like to ask you on a date. Will you accept?”

He was disguised like some nouveau riche gentleman.

His hair, dyed light brown for the disguise, looked incredibly fresh.

If I get involved in this, it’s definitely going to be troublesome.

Thinking that, I tried to run away quickly, but the devil was cunning.

“Triple overtime pay. And everything provided to you during the date is yours.”

Cassian smiled with an excessively beautiful face and held out his hand to me.

“Your Highness, do you know you always fight dirty?”

“That’s harsh. I’m always sincere when I try to give Rose what she likes.”

Why was he talking about money earned through honest work in such a sweet tone?

“Saphir in the Central Shopping District. I’ll buy you anything you want there.”

“……”

I was truly afraid of Cassian Artez.

Saphir was filled with beautiful things—painters, craftsmen, and writers each created one unique item and sold it there.

I had once peeked inside and felt like my entire bank account would be emptied, so I never even entered again after that.

Had I ever said something stupid in front of Cassian?

Since I had often been half-dead from work in front of him, I couldn’t trust myself.

“…So what’s the real objective?”

“Raiding an illegal gambling den.”

That actually made me feel relieved.

I had been wanting to deal with that place for a long time anyway—it was also one of the Empress’s sources of funds.

As I sighed deeply, Cassian waved his hand again and politely asked,

“Lady Roselita, would you please go on a date with me?”

When the male lead uses his natural good looks to smile beautifully—

I kept telling myself I was only tempted by the money as I reluctantly took his hand.

The moment our hands touched, Cassian playfully pressed his lips to the back of my hand and met my eyes.

My holiday was shattering brilliantly into pieces.