I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake. Chapter 112

I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.

Chapter 112

Miles thought Caesar would understand without reading his mind.

Shame.

Along with anger and humiliation.

Miles suppressed what he wanted to say and opened his mouth.

“…I understand your anger. So I will properly repay my mistake towards Sir Caesar.”

“A mistake? Let’s see what exactly was a mistake.”

Miles swallowed hard and then spoke.

“The Homi council members tried to seek revenge against Sir Caesar beyond my control. Especially, my uncle, Councilman Usher Parker, seems to have a lot of anger towards Sir Caesar. So…”

“Ah, So your fault is simply not controlling Parker?”

Miles stared directly into Caesar’s blazing eyes and said,

“That’s correct.”

“Hmph.”

I’m learning something today.

Bullshit needs to be told just right to be somewhat believable.

Essentially, he’s saying he’ll appease the legendary God Emperor Caesar Sylvatil’s anger by sacrificing Usher Parker.

“I can’t trust you anymore.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve realized you’re an incompetent guy who can’t even notice or properly control your own limbs plotting different thoughts. How can I work with you?”

Caesar pointed beyond the wall.

“I’d rather do business one-on-one with the trustworthy Redfield family or the imperial court. I’ve risen to that level now, haven’t I?”

“Sir Caesar still doesn’t know much about the Redfield family and the imperial court. They…”

“But not you?”

Miles was silenced by Caesar’s cruel smile.

“Sir Miles. You’re the one who threw hundreds of thousands of men into the demon realm for magic stone production and created an equal number of widows.”

“Did I not know what kind of person you were when I’ve been dealing with you so far? Both you and him look like monsters with sharp thorns on your tongue.”

Caesar poked his own chest.

“I’ve been meeting you knowing exactly how cold, calculating, and selfish you are. And now you’re trying to flatter me?”

Caesar slammed the table.

Bang!

The teacup overturned, and hot tea splashed on Miles’ clothes.

The tea stained his white shirt like blood.

“Are you really trying to get yourself killed?”

Miles slowly wiped the tea that had splashed on his face with a handkerchief and chose his words carefully.

“…If given a chance, I will correct it.”

“Speak.”

Miles looked directly into Caesar’s eyes.

“I instructed Councilman Parker to support the Royder Order.”

“Why?”

“Because the Redfield family wanted Caesar.”

-It’s because my control is starting to slip.

Hmph, the words are different from his true intentions.

Caesar thought about just overturning everything but held back for now.

Because he thought it was worth listening further.

“You said that before. Why are you repeating the same story?”

“While you might know the Parker family as bankers, their nature is slightly different. The bank is merely a tool, and in reality, they’re more like a general store that purchases what various noble families want or obtains things that can’t be bought with money.”

Miles put a cigar in his mouth.

“I definitely said the Redfield family wanted Caesar. But Caesar refused. However, I can’t not provide what the customer wants. I have to bring it even if it means causing some damage.”

“At this timing of being attacked by the Royder Order, you thought that by pressuring me, I would eventually seek help from Miles, is that right?”

“Yes.”

“I should just smash his head. Or not.

Such shameless words while chewing on a cigar are slowly making me angry.”

Miles took a deep drag of his cigar smoke and exhaled.

“However, our thoughts were too short-sighted.”

-Walterwood’s words were right.

-Caesar is someone who slips away the more you try to hold him.

“I’ll do anything Sir Caesar desires. If you ask me to expel Usher Parker, I’ll expel him. If you tell me to ignore the Redfield family’s demands, I’ll ignore them.”

“So what do you want me to do for you?”

“I hope you’ll calm your anger.”

Caesar looked at Miles with a cigar in his mouth.

Miles’ pride remained unbroken.

He seemed to think that showing any weakness to Caesar was absolutely forbidden.

“You said you’ll do anything I want?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then let me hit you once.”

“…Pardon?”

Caesar swiftly flicked a blow to the man’s head.

Thwack!

“Aaaaaagh!”

Miles grabbed his head and knelt down from the sharp pain he’d never experienced before.

“Tears are coming out, you punk?”

“W-what is this…”

“I bet you never imagined getting flicked on the head and crying at around 40 years old.”

Caesar climbed onto the table and raised his hand again.

Miles covered his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Look.”

Miles barely opened his eyes and looked at Caesar. Caesar had lowered his hand and was crouching on the table, looking down at Miles.

“You’re scared because you know you’ll get hit too.”

Caesar put the cigar back in his mouth.

“You touched me because you thought I was a pushover who can’t resist. In other words, you saw me as a piece of shit.”

Miles was speechless.

Because everything Caesar said was absolutely correct.

Miles might say he respects Caesar, but deep down he was treating him as inferior.

“You said it before. How you raised a whip to your brothers and subordinates with carrots to become the head of the Parker family.”

Caesar threw away his cigar and grabbed Miles’ collar, dragging him along.

Miles was dragged without any resistance.

“You tried to tame me like a colt, and when that didn’t work, you tried to put a carrot in my mouth this time. You think I wouldn’t know that?”

“…That’s not…”

“What’s not? Are you really trying to end things with me?”

Miles felt like he would burn in Caesar’s eyes filled with rage.

He couldn’t bear to look at Caesar.

Caesar let go of Miles’ collar.

Miles was thrown onto the sofa.

“I’ll give you exactly 1 minute. Explain how useful you are to me. If I’m satisfied, I’ll add 1 minute. If you can’t persuade me by the time the minute is up, I won’t directly talk to you anymore. And I’ll make a deal with Lady Rose in the next room.”

“Did you know about the Lady?”

Caesar took out his pocket watch to check the time.

“5 seconds have passed.”

Miles gritted his teeth.

Humiliation and shame washed over him, but Miles quickly started thinking.

“The one who wants Caesar is not the Redfield family, but Lord Mitchell. If you communicate directly with the Redfield family without going through me, you might get involved in the succession struggle.”

Is this guy’s head actually working?

He knew what Caesar wanted.

The reason Caesar didn’t want to communicate directly with the Redfield family was because the succession struggle within the family was extremely fierce.

Although Mitchell had almost gained the upper hand, getting involved would be truly troublesome.

“1 minute.”

“Lord Mitchell is indeed great and is closest to becoming the next head, but Lord Mitchell still has two brothers left. If you officially start supporting Mitchell, you’ll be adding unnecessary enemies.”

“Is it different if I go through you?”

“Mediation is possible. And no matter who becomes the head of the Redfield family, I can communicate with the Redfield family.”

“1 minute.”

Miles spoke without taking a breath.

“I have connections with the imperial family. In fact, I have deep ties with the Crown Prince. This means I can directly help if the royal family needs anything.”

Being able to directly submit a petition to the country’s most powerful person.

Not bad, but it can also be done through the prime minister.

As Caesar remained silent, Miles began to get anxious.

“I have deep connections with all the nobility throughout the Imperial state.”

“20 seconds left.”

“Banks are spread across the entire region, so if you need an urgent loan, I can arrange it immediately.”

“10 seconds.”

Cold sweat dripped down Miles’s back.

“Would you like Usher Parker?”

“5 seconds.”

“Dissolution of Homi…”

“2 seconds.”

“I’ll provide any information you want in the imperial kingdom.”

Caesar pressed his pocket watch.

“Any information?”

Miles nodded.

“I’ll organize the information you need carefully.”

“How accurate is that information?”

“Whether they’re a noble or a poor farmer, they’re bound to receive a loan. When reviewing loan applications, we look at more than you might think. We need to verify whether that person can repay the loan.”

Ah.

This is the real power that you and the Parker family possess.

Caesar sharply turned his head.

“Can I receive it anytime I want?”

“I’ll come directly or send my agents.”

“How can I trust your agents? What if they betray me like last time?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll send someone I trust.”

Caesar put a cigar in his mouth.

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

***

Rose burned a cigarette, lost in thought.

‘What are Miles and Caesar talking about?’

She thought Caesar would discard Miles.

Miles was the one who stabbed Caesar in the back, and given Caesar’s personality that she’d understood so far, he wouldn’t look kindly on Miles.

‘If Miles is forgiven without any cost… He might be a somewhat disappointing person.’

Knock knock.

When she heard the knocking on the reception room door, Rose quickly extinguished her cigarette butt and threw it out the window. Caesar’s voice came from beyond the door.

“Caesar here. May I come in?”

Rose sprayed some perfume, gave a small cough, and then spoke.

“Yes. Come in.”

Rose sat on the sofa as naturally as possible and put on a bright smile.

“Sorry for making you wait long.”

“No. By the way, where did Sir Miles go?”

“Miles said he wanted to rest for a moment, so I gave him a separate room.”

Caesar sat in front of Rose.

Rose showed a perfectly maintained smile.

“Really? What did you talk about?”

“Just work matters. More importantly, how long are you going to hide it?”

“…Pardon?”

“This isn’t your real name, is it? Iris.”

Rose’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Did Miles  say that?”

“No. I knew it from the moment you came in.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes. Lady Rose Redfield.”

Rose is the hidden flower and thorn of the Redfield family.

That’s why she let it go when Caesar didn’t recognize her at first.

But the fact that he knew and pretended not to know slightly upset her.

“So you’ve been deceiving me all this time?”

“Isn’t that the same for Lady Rose?”

“Still, I feel a bit upset.”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you.”

Rose looked at Caesar as if it were absurd.

He said he was sorry, but his expression said otherwise.

It felt like a mere courtesy.

Did he show this attitude to her brother Mitchell as well?

Or is he ignoring her because she’s a woman?

As various speculations ran through Rose’s mind, Caesar opened his mouth.

“But the story I’m about to tell is something that should be about ‘Rose,’ rather than ‘Iris’.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I’ll accept the investment in Caesar Pharmaceutical Company that the Lady mentioned. And I’ll build a pharmaceutical factory in the Redfield territory and sell malaria treatment through the Redfield family’s distribution company in the southern region.”

Rose’s eyes sparkled.

“…That’s not a bad idea.”

“However, I need the Redfield family and the imperial family to firmly support me so that the Royder Order doesn’t harass me.”

“What do you mean by ‘firmly support’?”

“Criticize the Royder Order.”

Rose couldn’t help but let out a bewildered laugh.

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

“Why do you think it’s impossible?”

“If we antagonize the Royder Order, it will disrupt potion supplies. Didn’t the potion supply to Homigraph actually decrease? Are you telling us to look at that situation?”

“The materials are already sufficiently prepared.”

Caesar pulled out a photograph from his pocket and handed it to Rose.

As soon as Rose saw the photo, she doubted her eyes.

“…Cardinal Hyginus.”

“Correct. You must know that Cardinal Hyginus was grotesquely murdered with stakes driven into his limbs.”

“And the heretical text was drawn on his body. This is also information you know.”

Rose frowned.

“Did you think we knew nothing? We know but pretend not to.”

“Did you receive compensation for your silence?”

“I don’t know well.”

-Just the photo, the suspect’s description, and maybe the name.

-Dad is currently unwell and unable to deal with the Royder Order.

-Ironically, only my brother Mitchell could directly solve this issue… But the two brothers are severely monitoring each other.

-It probably won’t be easily resolved.

Caesar recalled Miles’s words.

-Lady Rose works in the shadows of the Redfield family.

-She rarely reveals her true self.

-You can assume she knows almost everything happening within the Redfield family.

Rose knowing this much meant that even within the Redfield family, almost no one knew about this incident deeply.

Then this conversation might be easier than expected.

“Are you saying you’ll use this sometime, or are you threatening me?”

“Are you planning to expose Caesar?”

“As you mentioned, with the potion supply to Homigraph reduced, many patients are unable to receive treatment. We also need to find alternatives.”

“Alternatives?”

“We need to increase the number of doctors, remove pharmaceutical restrictions on alchemists, and invest in new drug development.”

Rose immediately understood what Caesar was trying to say.

“Surely not…”

“Many alchemists have already jumped into new drug development. There are non-magical drugs that can be mass-produced, and they’re also actively developing magical drugs with effects similar to potions.”

“That’s impossible. Healing magic doesn’t exist. I’ve heard it’s fundamentally impossible.”

“Even if we can’t create it, we can develop drugs that can cure diseases that potions cannot treat.”

Caesar smiled.

“Like malaria, for instance.”

“…What are you thinking?”

“Homigraph and Sapientia will become cities without potions. Then a truly magical city will be born.”

Caesar extended his hand to Rose.

“So I’m asking the Redfield family: Are you willing to create a world without potions together with me?”

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