Episode 4
Dragging my heavy legs, I arrived at work. Even stepping into the office took a big dose of courage today.
So I stopped by a café on the opposite side of the palace and got myself a coffee.
It felt like I had recharged my energy for the day.
That coffee carried me through the entire morning.
Whenever I had a moment, I peeked at Mr. Smith, who sat nearby.
He was frowning deeply, working seriously on his trip report.
But his handwriting was kind of messy. Almost like a personal notebook.
‘Isn’t that way too sloppy for a report?’
He was reporting to His Majesty, not just jotting down private thoughts.
If Mr. Smith was the emperor, I guess it wouldn’t matter…
I chuckled to myself. What a silly thought.
Oops. Our eyes met.
His face softened lazily, and then he added a small smile. That alone made his good looks glow even brighter.
‘He’s just too handsome…’
Those few seconds felt like an eternity.
My heart floated up. Somehow, all my stress eased a little.
“Miss Foy.”
Mr. Smith waved me over.
A fresh, summery scent drifted from him.
“Can you step outside with me for a moment? I have something to talk about—just the two of us.”
He winked as he left the office first, leaving me a bit dazed.
Huh? What’s going on?
After checking that no one was watching, I quietly slipped out too. Excitement and wild imagination filled my chest—but I followed him out calmly and with dignity.
In the break area, surrounded by snacks and drinks, Mr Smith and I munched on cookies.
The only sound was the crinkling of the snack bag in the quiet room.
We sat shoulder to shoulder at a small table.
Normally, the smell of cologne while eating ruins your appetite, but his scent was soft like a breeze. It didn’t bother me at all.
“Wait—what did you just say?”
I almost choked on my cookie.
Mr. Smith handed me a cup of water.
Nothing kills your appetite like hearing the worst kind of news at work.
“So… you’re saying there’s a problem with the project we worked on?”
What he told me was totally unexpected—and sadly, not romantic at all.
“During my trip, I found out that the aid money for the farmers in the Woodrock region… has vanished.”
Despair, not romance, had come knocking. I probably lost a few hairs from the shock. I gasped.
“That’s impossible! We double-checked every document! We even worked overtime for two whole days!”
“I remember. You and I went through each one together.”
The dawn light we saw while sitting at our desks, struggling through all-nighters…
Yeah, I nearly cried then.
Well, maybe I did cry a little from staring at too much paper.
“So even after all our hard work… someone stole the aid money.”
Now that the emperor wasn’t keeping a close eye on things, people were doing whatever they wanted. How bold of them.
“And wasn’t the official in charge of Woodrock supposed to be super honest?”
He had such a good reputation that even the strike-happy emperor had heard of him and appointed him.
People were shocked that His Majesty actually made an appointment for once.
“He probably just pretended to be honest. With the emperor out of the picture, it was only a matter of time before he showed his true colors.”
“This is terrible. We have to tell His Majesty right away.”
Mr. Smith cut me off with a firm voice.
“His Majesty already knows. He’s very disappointed.”
Wow, news travels fast. As expected of the chief assistant.
“To think someone would dare take advantage of the emperor’s absence to steal from his people…”
Smith’s jaw tightened. He looked just as angry and disappointed as His Majesty.
“How many people have we seen like this already? They act kind and capable in front of the emperor, wearing a mask of good reputation… But behind the scenes, they steal and cheat.”
In just one year of the emperor’s absence, corruption had started to surface all over the empire.
“Finding someone who’s honest all the way through is harder than you think.”
Shockingly, some of the culprits were former loyalists—people who used to be the emperor’s eyes and voice.
“They think no one’s watching, so they show their true selves. Disgusting rats.”
Smith’s voice trembled faintly.
His aura had completely changed.
“They all need to be thrown out.”
It felt like cold wind had just swept in.
Was this really the same gentle Mr. Smith?
“Or maybe they deserve to end up just like the ministers they helped execute.”
He smiled lazily. But it was the smile of a beast.
Whoa… Mr. Smith has this side too…
“H-Haha…”
I awkwardly tried to lighten the mood.
“Still, thank goodness you’ve been traveling and checking in on these places yourself! If not, no one would’ve even found out about this corruption.”
The fierce aura around him slowly faded.
Phew. That was close.
“Yeah… If I hadn’t seen it myself, I never would’ve known what kind of people they really were.”
“Exactly! That’s why I admire you so much.”
I cheerfully encouraged him.
As I finished the last of the cookies and sat back, something strange popped into my mind.
“Wait a second. The documents we got said the farmers did receive the money…”
“That means someone in our own office helped cover it up.”
Chills ran down my spine.
A traitor in our own ranks?
“Well… it’s not me.”
“I know. I trust you.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Rose Foy, you’re the most honest, sincere person I’ve met in the past year.”
His gaze softened gently.
“You’re the one I trust the most.”
There’s nothing more heartwarming than being told that by someone you respect.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
“It’s because you’re amazing.”
As always, he didn’t hold back on the compliments.
“Oh please. If I’ve grown, it’s all thanks to you, Mr. Smith.”
He had helped me so much when I was still a clueless newbie.
“Anyway, I wanted to give you a heads-up. People pretending to be loyal are starting to do shady things everywhere.
Be careful.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
He winked lightly.
“And about that traitor in the office—just keep it between us, okay?”
“Just me?”
“It’s not the kind of thing we want spreading. But you’re the second-in-command here, so you needed to know.”
We walked side by side down the hallway.
“I’ll head back to the office now. If I don’t get started on those files, I’ll be working late again.”
“Weren’t you already on overtime duty today?”
“Oof. Way to hit where it hurts. Still, there’s a big difference between finishing at eight and finishing at nine.”
I laughed and waved tiredly.
“Well then, the ghost of the palace is off to work again.”
John Smith quietly watched Rose Foy walk back to the office.
He kept watching until she disappeared completely from view.
“Back from your trip, Mr. Smith?”
The emperor’s bodyguard walked up to him.
John Smith greeted him politely.
“Sir Merlin Stewart, you’ve worked hard.”
Merlin glanced around, then lowered his voice.
“No one’s watching.”
And just like that, the warm, citizen-like smile on John Smith’s face faded away.
He gave Merlin a quick glance, then looked away again.
“…It’s worse than I thought. Everyone I trusted has betrayed me.”
His voice had a different weight now—cold and commanding.
So unlike the way he spoke to Rose Foy.
“I thought the Woodrock official would be different. What a shame.”
Merlin clicked his tongue.
Smith answered coldly.
“He must be dealt with immediately.”
Another failure.
Smith clenched his teeth in quiet frustration.
He thought he’d finally found someone loyal… but they’d betrayed him too.
“Finding someone I can truly trust is harder than I thought.”
He clasped his hands behind his back and turned to look out the hallway window.
Merlin bowed deeply.
“I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty.”
John Smith.
Real name: Alastair John Leonard Greenmelde.
The 12th emperor of the Greenmelde Empire.
The emperor clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He clearly had much more to say.
Merlin waited in tense silence for what the emperor would say next.
