The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Chapter 60
Building a tower underwater (5)
That was something no one in Daejeon expected.
That would be the case. Who would have imagined that a cabinet meeting would be interrupted by knights barging in… … and that a nobleman would be dragged out in an instant?
Because of this, not only the King, but even the Second Prince’s faction, which Viscount Lukins belonged to, could only watch the situation in a state of bewilderment.
Of course, the same was true of the Count of Balmons.
“……Shit.”
Kwajik-!
It was uncomfortable to break the fan in my hand. I thought I had already destroyed all the evidence, but I never expected that they would dig up something that happened several months ago.
Moreover, the last words spoken by the lips of the first prince who was looking at him were…
-Please use your wealth for good purposes.
He was extremely arrogant and also very easygoing.
Was it insider information? Or was it an attack that had been planned long ago?
“… … .”
… … No, in that situation, it was meaningless to question who provided that information and how.
Count Balmons bit his lip.
‘The situation of the 2nd prince faction is not good.’
The nobles belonging to the Second Prince faction were in a state of confusion.
It was the same even if they tried to control it as much as possible. It was fortunate that there were few people who knew the truth of the incident, otherwise there would have been no room to say it was a false accusation.
The problem was that this wasn’t the first time the Second Prince faction had fallen into chaos.
1st Prince… … Ever since he distinguished himself in the barbarian raids, the 2nd Prince faction felt like they were stepping into the invisible leader.
From killing Asus to receiving useless land, etc., there were definitely some openings to attack, but strangely enough, things were going well.
‘If we don’t somehow turn the mood around… … .’
It was never a good thing for the voices of the Second Prince faction, which was losing ground in terms of legitimacy, to diminish. So, even now, it was necessary to make the First Prince hesitate.
But how… … .
But isn’t that guy’s status rising by the day?
……Shit!
My head started to hurt. It was at that time that the Count was struggling to come up with a clever plan.
“Count Balmons, you have too many worries in your head.”
“… … !”
The count turned his head at the deep voice he heard. Then he opened his eyes wide and stood up from his seat.
“dismissal?!”
… … Berletto William.
Duke William, the most powerful man among the current nobles and the leader of the Second Prince faction, came to see Count Balmons.
A man who never moves privately came looking for her.
* * *
The nobleman sitting across from me trembled like an aspen tree. When their eyes finally met, his trembling body froze as if he had met a hungry beast.
And I looked at that sight and bowed my head in satisfaction.
“Thanks to you, things have become easier, Viscount Herg.”
“Go, thank you!”
Count Herg bowed his head deeply, his movements quick enough to hit his head on the desk.
Of course, that appearance was not one of true gratitude.
“Then, will you forgive my sins as you promised?”
“Of course. But that doesn’t mean I’m turning a blind eye to everything.”
“Okay, that’s enough! Thank you so much.”
“I should be grateful.”
I nodded, holding back my laughter. Then I slowly crossed my legs and looked around at the guy.
‘It’s like selling out your colleagues as soon as your status is threatened.’
Viscount Herg.
Like Viscount Lukins, he was one of those who supported the Duke within the Second Prince’s faction.
It may have sounded contradictory to say that a member of the Second Prince faction would serve a duke, but ironically, it was true.
From the beginning, their goal was not to put Albedo on the throne, but to take the throne that he stole for themselves.
Considering those points, the current situation was ridiculous beyond compare.
‘Can’t you even keep such a trivial goal?’
He betrayed the Second Prince faction faster than anyone else.
The motivation was simple: I gave the guy a choice.
That’s right, he’s taking the corrupt officials hostage and asking them to hand over the evidence.
Whether you survive or keep your word.
The choice of the guy who decided his fate was, of course, betrayal.
In particular, the guy has committed so many corruptions that he may not be able to retain his title in the future.
Since I took advantage of that, it was clear that it was easier for me, at least, than turning public opinion around.
I said this while looking at the Count who was squirming as if he was sitting on a bed of thorns.
“Then please take care of me in the future. I believe you will bring me good information.”
“Yes, yes! I will definitely not disappoint you!”
“Go back and assess the situation.”
“All right.”
The Count bowed his head and left politely. I also saw him off with a blank expression.
But contrary to his appearance, inside my mind I was thinking thoughts that would terrify him if he heard them.
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‘It wouldn’t be so bad to just kill him like this.’
A raw murderous intent flashed from the image.
Kill him before he gets in your way. That was only natural, since he had a history of betrayal.
But I calmed down my murderous intent and thought to myself.
‘He is also a high-ranking official within the Second Prince faction.’
If we made that guy a spy, we would be able to move more easily.
Fortunately, I had a knack for dealing with such opportunists.
In the first place, the guy probably didn’t really follow the Duke.
‘I’ll keep you alive for the time being.’
Killing is something that can be done at any time, so we will keep them alive until they are useful.
… … After organizing my thoughts like that, I got up from my seat.
The place where his footsteps eventually led was the royal treasury where Marquis Walter was.
“Your Highness the First Prince?”
The Marquis, who had spotted me immediately, put down the documents he had been looking at and approached me.
His face looked tired, as if he had a lot of work to do.
“Why did you come here without calling me?”
“What’s the budget?”
“Ah… … Are you talking about the property of Count Lukins that was returned to the national treasury?”
The Marquis was taken aback by the main topic that came up right away. However, as befitting his title as the Minister of Finance, he quickly came to his senses and answered.
“For now, it is sufficient. I was taken aback when His Majesty said that he would finalize the budget at the State Council, but you have such a clever plan.”
Of course, it was an extremely ignorant method to call it a clever one. I wasn’t the Marquis to say such things.
“At this level, it is worth considering not only 3 times, but even 4 times as much as you mentioned.”
“I see.”
“Of course, it is limited to the budget of the time… … but for now, you can take it positively.”
“… … .”
I was lost in thought as I watched the Marquis answer.
That concludes the budget part. I ended up using one of the cards I had in mind, but I think it was worth it.
Now, what remains is how to lead this situation forward.
However, there was a task that had to be resolved before investing in the rooftop.
“When you say the budget for the current period, does that mean we don’t know what will happen in the future?”
“Oh, yes, that’s right. I guess it’s because the budget is managed so uncertainly… … .”
“What that means is that next year’s national treasury is a problem.”
“… … Yes.”
The Marquis answered with a sense of uneasiness. The flow of the conversation was somewhat similar to the previous one.
And I smiled in response and suggested a solution.
“Then, if there is something that will definitely fill the national treasury, there will be no problem at all.”
“yes…….”
“So, from today onwards, I will take charge of running the upper echelons of the kingdom.”
“Your Majesty! What do you mean?!”
It was a remark made as if nothing had happened, but the aftermath was enormous. The Marquis was visibly shocked.
The expression on his face was one of unmistakable shock.
On the contrary, my mischievous smile was gradually growing darker.
“Of course, I have already received permission from my father. Go and call the managers above.”
“This, this… … !”
The flow was already inescapable.
* * *
Top of the kingdom.
As the name suggests, it was a trading company officially operated by the royal family, but surprisingly, not many people knew about its existence.
It was natural.
Although it was officially operated, its main purpose was to procure things needed for internal affairs.
In a way, it is only natural that they move secretly.
And the intention to take charge of the operations at the top of such a kingdom was simple.
… … I will begin to seriously take charge of state affairs.
It is too presumptuous a topic for a prince who has not yet been crowned crown prince to touch on.
It was also an obvious abuse of authority for anyone to see.
But now was a time of great urgency.
My father knew that fact too. No, that was why he had no choice but to leave it to me.
Because the sense of alarm that Esteban was being targeted was rising to the surface.
“Should I send a gift to the 4th Prince?”
From giving them the weapon called the Information Department to the highest level of the kingdom.
It could truly be said to be a tree that gives generously.
I spent the time cracking such witty jokes. After a while, the much-anticipated guests knocked on the door of my office.
“His Highness the First Prince of Esteban.”
At first glance, they were clearly dressed as merchants. Of course, even without those clothes, it would have been easy to guess their identity.
At least for me.
“Nice to meet you.”
Familiar faces.
I looked up at the administrators at the top of the kingdom and said.
“You must know the story.”
“Yes. I heard that His Highness the First Prince will lead us from now on.”
“You know very well.”
There was a hint of anxiety on their faces.
When the leader of a group changes, the members of the organization also tend to change in the name of reorganization.
In particular, wasn’t the upper echelons of the kingdom an organization related to internal affairs?
Most people tend to prefer people who suit their tastes.
But I wasn’t.
“From now on, you will travel to various countries and buy and sell things that will be of help to Esteban in the future.”
“… … I’m sorry to interrupt, but are you talking about us?”
“okay.”
I hired them even before the regression.
When I ascended to the throne, the Federation Empire was in the midst of its provocations, so I didn’t have time to even worry about that.
But in the end, it was the right choice.
Because they were the ones who traveled far and wide to obtain goods in order to bypass the trade regulations of the Federal Empire.
Since his patriotism and ability had been proven, no further introduction was necessary.
“Also, the meaning of ‘thinking panda’ that I mentioned will be different from what you have known so far.”
Future knowledge.
I was thinking of moving them based on that.
It meant that we weren’t just moving for the money, but that we were really drawing a picture that looked into the future.
And that first start is sure to be a lot of fun.
“Let’s go to the Southern Continent.”
“If it’s the Southern Continent… … .”
… … Yes, paradise across the sea. Land of the sun.
For a moment, my eyes lit up.
“There’s probably something there that we need.”
