I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

“It is an honor to serve you, Joseph. Blaiher is waiting. Please follow me.”

The butler, who bowed politely, led the way, and Joseph followed brusquely.

Even the staircase railings gleamed with splendor, but Joseph didn’t spare them a

glance.

If he had come purely for social reasons, Joseph might have scrutinized his

surroundings and made mental notes.

But the purpose of his visit today was far from leisurely.

He climbed the stairs, passed through a long corridor, and stopped in front of a plain door.

Plain, perhaps, but made entirely of red wood imported expensively from the White Continent, so its value was considerable.

“This is it. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yes.”

Joseph replied curtly and flung the door open before the butler even left.

Sunlight streaming through spotless glass vividly illuminated the figures in the room.

“I thought you’d be late. The Chartra family, late? Unheard of.”

Valheit shook his head exaggeratedly and held out his hand to Til, who sat beside him.

“Tch.”

Til clicked her tongue once and placed a few coins in Valheit’s hand.

It seemed they’d made a bet on whether Joseph would be late.

“Now that the main players are here, let’s start the meeting.”

“Just four of us, though.”

Perhaps because she lost the bet, Til’s words carried an edge.

“What does it matter? Too many main players just complicate things. Four is just right.”

But when one of those four was Count Valheit, it felt different.

Even the absurd notion of replacing the Emperor sounded plausible when he said it.

“What’s the plan?”

“Straight to the plan at the first meeting? Aren’t you rushing things?”

Valheit chuckled, waving his black staff back and forth, then planted it firmly on the ground.

A heavy thud echoed through the room.

“Of course, I’ve sketched out a rough outline. So, loosen up that face. Don’t they say frowning makes you age faster?”

Joseph glared at Valheit without a word.

Valheit merely twisted the corner of his mouth slightly.

Unable to bear the awkward tension, Blaiher spoke up.

“As you said last time, Teacher, we don’t have much time, do we? Shouldn’t we move quickly…?”

“Of course, speed is important. The reception banquet is in four days, after all. But what’s even more important is doing it precisely.”

Valheit slowly drew his finger across his throat.

Everyone’s eyes followed his finger.

“A coup is like slitting a pig’s throat. Cut the airway precisely, and it’s clean. Fail to kill in

one stroke, and blood sprays everywhere, making a mess.”

“Ugh…”

Blaiher grimaced, perhaps imagining the scene.

Joseph agreed with Valheit’s point about finishing it in one go.

If they didn’t end it cleanly, the next step was civil war. No one wanted that outcome.

“So you might ask, what’s the plan? Plans can change depending on the situation. What’s more important is not losing sight of the destination.”

Finishing his speech, Valheit jabbed two spots on a map of the Imperial Capital laid out on the table.

“The Imperial Palace and the Bureaucrats’ Street must be seized first, no matter what. The administrative officials are the core of running the Empire. We need them for stabilization after the coup.”

Valheit traced a winding path leading to the Imperial banquet hall.

“The Council of Dukes agreed to help, so we could act now, but there’s one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Good question, Your Highness. The problem we face is that Your Highness has no foundation whatsoever.”

Blaiher blinked, apparently not expecting to be mentioned.

“Replacing the Emperor doesn’t automatically win the people’s hearts. They might submit to the sword for now, but problems will eventually erupt.”

“So we need to win over the people of the Imperial Capital, at least.”

“Half right, half wrong.”

Pointing at Til, Valheit shook his head as if disappointed.

Til, already used to this, sighed and shut her mouth.

“Showing off Your Highness’s good qualities is as important as tearing down the opponent. Ruthlessly.”

“I get the gist. But you still haven’t said how we’ll do it.”

“So impatient. I’m about to tell you. Ahem.”

Clearing his throat, Valheit looked around the room.

At least, it seemed that way.

He moved his head side to side.

Inevitably, all eyes focused on him, and after briefly basking in the attention, Valheit raised his index and middle fingers.

“First, praise His Highness Blaiher. Our dear patron, Chancellor Hendrick, will handle that. Second, denounce the current Emperor.”

Pausing briefly, Valheit turned his head toward Joseph.

A sudden unease gripped Joseph.

He almost blurted out a refusal.

“Lord Werner Chartra is quite popular in the Imperial Capital.”

“…!”

“No way.”

Joseph glared fiercely, but Valheit continued unfazed.

“Take care of Lord Werner, then pin it on the Emperor. Simple, isn’t it?”

* * *

As expected, the reaction was intense.

Joseph shot up from his seat, and even Blaiher, who had served under Werner, and Til, Werner’s daughter despite everything, stared at me with mouths agape.

“Is there an easier way? If there is, please tell me anytime.”

“You’re telling a son to stab his father?”

“Didn’t you ask for an easier way? Oh, I asked first.”

Joseph’s face contorted.

He looked like he was debating whether to draw his sword.

“If we find another viable method, I’ll change it. Until then, this is the fastest and most plausible plan.”

“Does it make sense to tell me to stab my father?”

“Then bring me a better plan.”

I had no intention of backing down.

In this world, I was the expert on this.

In the original story, when word spread that the Chartra family was arrested for treason, the citizens of the Imperial Capital were deeply saddened.

Of course, that mood was quickly overshadowed by the ensuing civil war, but it showed how popular the Chartra family was in the capital.

“You don’t even have to kill him. Just think of it as sending him to recuperate for a few days.”

Clang!

Joseph’s sword was suddenly at my side.

Judging by the blade aimed at my neck, there was clear intent to kill.

“…Have you forgotten your roots just because you ran away?”

“Cool your head before talking about roots.”

Til said calmly.

‘Phew, thought I was done for.’

After a tense standoff lasting over ten seconds, Joseph was the first to sheathe his weapon.

“…My apologies, Count.”

“Haha, no need to apologize.”

I understood his feelings. But no matter how I thought about it, attacking Werner Chartra was the most cost-effective option.

If I revealed the hidden truths I knew, it would be enough to send the Emperor’s public support plummeting.

“Think of it positively—it’s not bad for Lord Werner either.”

“What does that mean?”

“A friend who does business with the palace told me that despite the banquet being touted as the grandest, the order volume is no different from usual.”

“…Unless there’s an exceptionally skilled embezzler, that means there’s something wrong with the banquet itself.”

Joseph, quickly grasping the implication, let out a long sigh.

“I met my father yesterday.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he was ordered to attend the banquet alone. He added that even if it’s a trap, he can’t defy an Imperial command.”

Going into a trap knowingly.

That was the stubbornness of a true warrior. Or, in other words, sheer obstinacy.

Either way, it was a favorable development.

“Even for Lord Werner, once he steps into the banquet hall, getting out won’t be easy. Fighting the entire Imperial Guard is a bit much, don’t you think?”

“So you’re saying we secure him before he enters the banquet hall?”

“That’s the plan. Whether it goes that way, no one knows. The key is the image of Lord Werner being attacked, with the Emperor as the culprit. The details we’ll handle on the fly.”

There wasn’t time to devise a flawless plan, and there were too many variables. We had to set the core goals and adapt the details to the situation.

“Let’s go over it again. Our goals are fourfold: First, seize the Imperial Capital. Second, occupy Bureaucrats’ Street. Third, announce His Highness Blaiher’s existence. Finally, attack Lord Werner to sway public opinion.”

“All that in four days.”

Blaiher sighed, lowering his head.

It was tight. It wasn’t something we could pull off just by preparing hard.

“For today, think of it as preliminary reconnaissance. Til, take charge of the Imperial Capital and Bureaucrats’ Street. Your Highness, prepare for the third goal. Joseph-san, handle the fourth.”

“What about you?”

Til, frowning, openly expressed her dissatisfaction.

“I’m going to see the Emperor.”

* * *

Escorted by two soldiers, I entered the Imperial Palace.

Escort might not be the right word—jailers seemed more fitting.

Unlike before, gray-clad Imperial Army soldiers, distinct from the white-based Imperial Guard, were noticeable here and there.

It wasn’t quite heavy security, but it felt far from normal.

“Count Valheit requests an audience.”

At the report from the gray-uniformed Imperial Army soldier, the Imperial Guard on duty saluted.

“You may enter immediately, Count. And there, no need to report every time an Imperial advisor seeks an audience.”

“Oh, yes. Understood.”

The Imperial Army soldier, looking embarrassed, turned away, his back seeming a bit forlorn.

The hierarchy between the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Army was clear.

Considering Werner’s goal was to protect the Imperial Family and eliminate corrupt vassals, it made sense.

I walked down a long corridor and stopped in front of the reception room door.

The palace butler announced my arrival in a low but clear voice.

“The Imperial advisor has arrived, Your Majesty.”

“Oh? Tell him to come in quick!”

A chuckle escaped me at the stark contrast between the dignified palace butler and the

Emperor’s boisterous shout.

“Come in! What’s the occasion, showing up unannounced? Not that it matters—come in! I’ve got something to discuss anyway.”

The Emperor, coming to the door to greet me, pulled me inside. His unexpectedly enthusiastic reaction caught me off guard.

“What’s the matter?”

“You know the Chartra guy barged in, right?”

So that’s how he described it. Well, when you’re anxious, everything looks bad.

I let it slide with understanding.

“He’s probably after power. Even a guy who claimed to be loyal turned out like this, so no wonder the country’s in this state.”

“Yes, well…”

“We need to make an example of Chartra. So, I’ve prepared something. Give me your opinion.”

Without waiting for my full response, the Emperor rattled on.

I noticed cold sweat beading on his forehead—it wasn’t just bluster.

“I’m thinking of using external forces.”

“External, as in the other Dukes?”

“How can I trust those jackals? They’re probably all jealous of Chartra right now.”

If not them, what else could be considered external?

I racked my brain for powerful organizations in the

Empire’s setting, but none came to mind that could rival the Dukes.

“I’ve asked the Assembly for help.”

“…Pardon? Is there such a thing in the Eslick Empire?”

“The Vestol Assembly, of course! We’ve made good progress. They send troops, and we give them resource development rights. Not a bad deal, right?”

Wait, hold on… so, he’s bringing in a foreign army because he’s scared of his own vassal?