I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Tension hung in the VIP room.

Thanks to the Vestol ambassador’s intervention, it didn’t escalate to a fight, but the Emperor was still fuming at the sight of me.

Anything I said would sound like sarcasm, so I kept my mouth shut for now.

I decided to let Helmut, the Imperial Guard, calm him down before speaking.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“Does it look like I’m alright? Do you have to ask something so obvious? Isn’t it your incompetence that got me into this mess? Shouldn’t you apologize first?”

“…My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Despite the incoherent rant, Helmut’s face didn’t waver in the slightest.

Serving that temper must require that level of composure.

“Ambassador, why did you make me face these traitors? Are you planning to betray me too?”

“You can’t stay in the embassy forever, Your Majesty. We need to decide what to do next.”

“If Vestol just provides troops, I can return to the palace. What are you so afraid of that you’re holding back?”

“No such agreement was ever made.”

The ambassador quickly explained to me.

He’s got it rough too.

He must’ve thought a prize rolled in, only to realize it was a bomb.

Seeing the Emperor treated as an unwanted burden even by Vestol, I couldn’t help but admire his talent for being despised.

After another round of complaints and curses, the Emperor finally calmed down a bit.

“Fine, let’s hear why you’re here.”

“You must return to the palace.”

Helmut said firmly.

Having heard what he’d say before entering the embassy, I showed no reaction.

The Emperor’s face flushed red again as he looked between me and Helmut.

“Now even the Imperial Guard is conspiring to kill me? The palace is already in that bastard’s hands, isn’t it? Why should I go there?”

“The throne is still yours, Your Majesty. Even if they’ve taken the building and people, they can’t steal legitimacy.”

“You expect me to walk into a trap believing such flimsy assurances? I’d rather die.”

“The longer you stay outside, the more it looks like the rebellion has succeeded. You can only persuade the wavering military from the palace.”

In short, the Emperor’s only remaining card was legitimacy, so he needed to act like an Emperor in the palace to have any chance of swaying the Imperial Army.

Abandoning the palace and the capital to reach out to the military would find no one supporting a hollow former Emperor.

If there were such loyal units, they’d have rushed to his side already.

“Until the Council of Dukes is convened, you are the Empire’s only Emperor, so you must use that. If anything happens, the Imperial Guard in the palace will protect you with their lives.”

“The Imperial Guard went to the palace? To protect that bastard? You think I’m fool enough to fall for that and get a knife in my back?”

“Absolutely not. The Imperial Guard has sworn to protect Your Majesty to the end. The usurper, not wanting the stigma of killing a brother to become Emperor, won’t act recklessly.”

The Emperor shook his head, unconvinced.

His face showed not just distrust but outright disgust.

“Helmut, further talk is pointless.”

“But…”

“Let me speak too. If you’re still itching to rant, I’ll give you a chance later.”

“That would be best.”

The ambassador, visibly tired of the Emperor’s whining, nodded.

With the ambassador joining in, Helmut had no choice but to give up.

“You don’t seem to have any intention of returning to the palace, Your Majesty.”

“How dare you speak of His Majesty? A traitor who sold my father’s trust to a bastard…”

“Let me correct one thing. I’m not the one who betrayed trust—it’s you, isn’t it?”

“What?”

The Emperor shot up from his seat.

His clenched fists trembled like aspen leaves.

As the mood turned volatile, the ambassador panicked.

“Please restrain yourself, Your Majesty. This is the Vestol embassy, not the palace. Count, please refrain from provocative language too.”

His tone was polite, but the content was half a threat.

The Emperor, standing awkwardly, slowly sat back down.

“I could go on endlessly about why you betrayed my trust, but I’ll let it slide for the ambassador’s sake.”

I deliberately raised one corner of my mouth exaggeratedly.

The Emperor, about to leap up again, saw the ambassador’s stern face and swallowed his anger.

“If you don’t return to the palace, the military will eventually support us. Then you’re left with two choices: ask the other Dukes for help or go into exile.”

At the mention of exile, the ambassador wiped sweat from his chubby cheeks.

He’s definitely being treated as a burden.

“The Dukes are all jackals—how could I reach out to them?”

“Then exile is your only option. Where would you like to go? The windswept Vestol Assembly? The notoriously grim Grand Duchy of Leitche? The Northern Federation, a haven for criminals, might do.”

The Emperor’s eyes trembled. Now, worry outweighed anger in his gaze.

Unable to watch, Helmut leaned forward and raised his voice.

“You must return to the palace! If you assert your dignity and authority as Emperor, the Dukes and military will surely respond.”

“That’s not a bad choice. In fact, I think it’s the best option.”

The Emperor glared at Helmut as I chimed in. Before Helmut could say more, the ambassador cut in.

“Doesn’t His Majesty need time to think? Why not discuss it again later?”

“…You’re right. I want to rest for now. Everyone out.”

The Emperor quickly accepted the ambassador’s suggestion, waving his hand dismissively.

I patted Helmut’s disappointed shoulder and stood.

“He wants to rest, so let’s wait. See you later, Your Ma~jes~ty.”

I deliberately stretched out “Majesty” as I left the VIP room.

Before leaving, I glanced back and saw the Emperor grinding his teeth.

Already incapable of cool judgment, his anger would cloud it further.

The ambassador closed the door and let out a heavy sigh.

“At least nothing got broken. This morning when he arrived, he was throwing things in a rage, causing quite a hassle.”

“Sorry about that. Send a compensation claim to Bureaucrats’ Street later, and I’ll take care of it.”

The ambassador gave a vague response, eyeing me and Helmut alternately.

If he had something to say, he should just say it.

“Got something on your mind?”

“Oh, yes, so, you two are working together, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

Helmut said firmly.

I shook my head too.

Hearing our answers, the ambassador tilted his head.

“Hmm, how about some tea in my office?”

Returning to his salesman’s smile, the ambassador spoke warmly.

‘He’s got something up his sleeve.’

Helmut seemed to think the same.

“If you want something, say it now.”

“Oh, come on, talking in a hallway like this? Follow me! It’s modest, but I’ll treat you well.”

“…Fine.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Helmut nodded reluctantly.

What kind of proposal was he planning?

Amazed at the ambassador’s sudden shift, my gaze kept drifting to the VIP room.

‘I know where he is, and he’s alone. If I can just find a way to approach…’

Whatever it took, I had to kill the Emperor in the Vestol embassy before he made a decision.

* * *

“So, you and the Imperial Guard are actually at odds?”

“Exactly. I don’t know why you thought we were allies.”

“His Majesty said you two were conspiring to kill him.”

As expected, the Emperor was spouting nonsense.

Accusing the Imperial Guard that protected him the moment he entered the embassy—quite the mindset.

“I apologize for the rough treatment. We thought the Imperial Guard might storm in to take the Emperor, haha.”

He laughed warmly, but his earlier response showed he was clearly rattled.

“If the Emperor wants to seek asylum in Vestol, would you accept him?”

“Straight to the point, huh? It’s a big decision for a mere ambassador, so I’d need to contact the homeland… but it’d be a heavy burden to take him.”

Helmut’s expression softened slightly. He must’ve thought the chance of the Emperor fleeing abroad had decreased.

“We’re quite satisfied with our current relationship with the Empire. If the new Emperor is open to trade, we’ve no reason to object.”

“I’ll be sure to pass that to His Majesty.”

“Please tell him Vestol is open to negotiation. We want to do business legally.”

The ambassador emphasized “legally” with a broad smile.

Was he ready to give up illegal ventures?

He might even hand over a list of nobles they bribed.

Their greed for the Empire’s market was plain, which made them more trustworthy.

If Vestol, the most formidable hypothetical enemy, was this cooperative, Blaiher’s throne would be secure.

‘Now I just need to deal with the Emperor.’

Steeling my resolve, I stood.

The ambassador blinked, as if asking where I was going, and I gave a light smile.

“Just heading to the restroom.”

“It’s to the right. While the Count’s away, shall we have a chat?”

“I’ve nothing to say to Vestol…”

“Don’t be so stiff. I’m not proposing anything—just curious about the Empire’s situation.

When else would I talk to an Imperial Guard officer?”

Leaving the smooth-talking ambassador and the flustered Helmut, I exited the office.

There were hardly any guards on the office floor.

‘Vanished Shadow activated’

A scroll-like Status Window appeared, displaying a 10-minute timer.

Vanished Shadow, a reward from my -100 relationship with Hendrick, reduced the perception of anyone looking at me for 10 minutes.

It was a short window, but enough.

I headed straight to the first floor.

I passed a few guards on the way, but none gave me a glance.

Arriving at the VIP room, Vanished Shadow had 7 minutes left.

I had to kill the Emperor and return within that time.

A despondent Emperor’s suicide.

Since it happened in the Vestol embassy, the Imperial Guard couldn’t investigate, and Vestol would have a hard time questioning an outsider like me.

After several deep breaths to steel myself, I opened the door.

There was no turning back now. I had to finish quickly.

But despite my resolve, an unimaginable sight greeted me.

“What the…”

The Emperor lay on the VIP room bed, eyes vacant.

Bright red blood mingled with the blue sheets, creating an indescribable color.

A dagger was prominently lodged in his cold chest.