~TMPM 19~

Chapter 19

“…Cowardly, really!”

“I don’t agree with that either.”

Honestly, that was a perfectly reasonable approach.

People like that always resorted to such words when they had nothing else to say.

“Being cowardly is at least better than causing harm to your own country, isn’t it?”

He made a deal with the Queen to become her consort, didn’t he?

So I spoke to him even more professionally, making sure no gap could be found in me.

“I’ll return your words to you. Be grateful. I’m merely informing you in advance before I report this to His Highness Alexis.”

Count Gash Young-sik pressed his lips tightly together.

Then his face turned pale—blue-white, almost unnatural—and he quickly admitted defeat.

“…No, no! At least to His Highness, please don’t let him know!”

“So, it wasn’t an empty threat.”

Once the negotiation with Count Gash Young-sik ended, His Highness Alexis stealthily revealed herself from wherever she had been hiding, startling me.

“Hmph, even this reaction is perfectly clean.”

“…You’ve heard the whole story, haven’t you?”

At her teasing, I slightly shrugged my shoulders and turned naturally, trying to appear as casual as possible.

“Yes, your ability to deceive someone without batting an eye proves you truly are the only aide of the Second Prince.”

What? That was supposed to be praise, but why does it feel like I got scolded?

If it had been in front of Cassian, I would have expressed my complaint with my eyes, but this time the situation was different, so I quietly lowered my gaze.

I couldn’t cause a diplomatic incident.

The matter with Count Gash Young-sik had been resolved smoothly in one go with Alexis Highness.

It was unfortunate for him, but from the moment I noticed, I never intended to exclude Alexis Highness from this.

Using our country’s nobles would be one thing, but exploiting foreign nobles’ weaknesses and getting caught would only complicate matters further.

“So, next is the turn of the one who will become my new mother, is it?”

Alexis leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, looking at me leisurely.

Her wine-colored eyes had a subtle depth.

There was a faint sense of déjà vu in her gaze, as if urging me to satisfy her curiosity.

‘It’s strangely similar…’

…to when Cassian had found new prey, or rather, a corrupt noble.

Thanks to that, my slightly tense nerves settled.

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s always more interesting when the protagonist’s hair is partially exposed.”

The bait was none other than Count Gash Young-sik.

Alexis lifted the corners of her mouth in satisfaction.

“The weaknesses of the one who will become my new mother, and the weaknesses of Count Gash, who didn’t know his place.”

She spoke with the face of a predator eyeing her prey.

“I will prepare a reward that won’t leave you disappointed as well.”

The night air was cool.

Count Gash Young-sik appeared at a temple on the outskirts of the capital, looking terrified.

Even the priests rarely came unless they were to face punishment for a crime, making the scene eerily grim.

Tick-tock—the sound of the watch, given by the woman with a devilish whisper, rang unusually loudly.

The Count took a deep breath.

‘I have to handle today’s task well. Only then can I escape that devilish woman.’

She had been so picky that he had to memorize three contingency plans and repeat them by heart, ensuring no mistakes.

Even an hour before coming here, he had to sit properly and answer test questions from Roselita.

Every time he got one wrong, her green eyes—supposed to feel warm—turned icy cold.

‘Prince Cassian must be insane. To make such a woman his fiancée!’

As he repeatedly took deep breaths in frustration, the sound of footsteps elegantly stepping through the grass reached him.

“To call me out to a place like this… very cultured of you.”

She draped a long veil to hide her face, but her gait, tone, and posture betrayed her noble status.

Recalling the countless rehearsed lines with Roselita, Count Gash carefully spoke.

“Apologies, but it was an urgent matter, so I had no choice.”

“Couldn’t you have sent a servant to deliver the message?”

“…I had no one I could trust, Your Majesty the Queen.”

He deliberately emphasized “the Queen” in his words.

At that moment, the Queen’s gaze shifted toward the faintly moving grass.

Seeing that, Count Gash hastily continued.

“Your Highness and I…”

Despite his raised voice, the Queen’s displeasure was palpable even through the veil.

Facing her scolding, he continued with a sense of injustice.

“…met. And Your Highness would have discovered the task you assigned me to Alexis Highness.”

“So? Do you have proof I ordered it?”

The Queen remained composed.

Being the Third Prince’s mother, most would believe her if she denied it.

It was common knowledge among nobles that she had been distressed after her son’s engagement.

Count Gash, despite anticipating her attitude from Roselita, could not hide his inner panic.

‘I’ve truly lost my mind!’

With the power of the Gash family and his charm, he could have aimed for Alexis Highness’s consort position.

Hence, he needed to secure evidence that the Queen had wronged a noble daughter from his country and hold it as leverage, just as Roselita had instructed.

That way, they could both remain silent and negotiate with that vicious aide.

He discreetly activated the magical recording device Roselita had provided and began speaking.

“You said there was no one to trust, but one of my servants witnessed everything and intends to report it to Alexis Highness. He…”

Count Gash’s trembling heart made him take a deep breath.

“…knows that the Queen ordered the abduction of Aide Saliche, and also that I met with the Queen. Even more—”

He slowly brought the hand holding the recording device together, sweating profusely, feeling unpleasant.

“…our entire conversation was recorded. Under these circumstances, Your Highness will not be able to escape either.”

After he spoke, silence fell.

The Queen ground her teeth, then let out a chilling sigh.

“So, what do you want from me?”

“I will not fail a second time, Your Majesty. I will handle Aide Saliche cleanly, just as you ordered.”

“Hmph, and then?”

“Please dispose of the servant.”

“Hah!”

The Queen let out a short, bitter laugh.

“You couldn’t handle one servant, and now you want me to lend a hand?”

“I failed once. Even if I take responsibility and handle it, can you trust me?”

Count Gash carefully modulated his tone.

At this moment, he could not appear foolish—Roselita had stressed that repeatedly.

“…Fine. I’ll admit that you didn’t ruin everything by trying to handle it alone.”

Her hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

“Good. Erasing one servant without leaving a trace is hardly difficult for me.”

She approached Count Gash slightly.

“Remember, you owe me for this.”

Taking a firm stance, Count Gash met her gaze and replied forcefully.

“No, Your Majesty, you owe me. I could have disrupted everything without informing you. I merely gave you the chance.”

“…….”

The Queen glared at him in disbelief.

Even through the veil, her golden eyes felt sharp enough to pierce him.

‘Damn it! Making me say such words!’

Indeed, she was utterly mad.

Count Gash muttered curses at Roselita in his heart while trying to steady his trembling body.

If he could just endure this moment… just this moment!

“So do not forget, Your Majesty the Queen… that I am the one disposing of the trash! And… that you promised to give me Alexis Highness’s consort position!!”

Thinking this was the final line, his voice rose.

Now, all of Roselita’s instructions were essentially complete; he only needed the Queen’s approval.

Passing the recording device would leave Roselita to handle the aftermath.

Seconds felt like a millennium.

Finally, the Queen broke the silence and slowly spoke.

“Yes, I will keep my promise.”

It was over.

Count Gash repeated to himself that he would not collapse until the Queen left.

But at that moment…

“…What is this… What are you saying, Your Majesty!!”

From the previously trembling grass, it wasn’t the dark-haired wicked aide…

“To me, who is supposed to enjoy a sweet honeymoon!! You let me witness a consort being brought in?!”