“He’s the most popular man in that street where poor actors gather to live, right? He’s meeting with owners of major theaters, and I heard he’ll soon take the lead role in a big play.”

“…… Yes. That’s right.”

For a moment, Bruno felt something stab his heart. Antonio. Antonio……

He had everything Bruno couldn’t have. Tall height, broad shoulders, a handsome and trustworthy face.

He had the looks to take on the male lead in any romance play.

Although his acting was poor, he could at least recite the calm lines of the male lead role, so he was implicitly confirmed to rise ‘above’ even among the poor actors. All because of his damn good looks.

Everyone envied Antonio, and everyone liked Antonio. Even though he couldn’t act well, didn’t practice properly, and stumbled over forgotten lines.

It was the complete opposite of Bruno, who studied scripts late into the night every day after finishing dirty work, only to be called ‘a gloomy person,’ ‘how can he try to be an actor looking like that,’ ‘why don’t you switch to masked plays?’ ‘what can you even do in masked plays with that short stature.’

“Bruno. Don’t you find it unfair?”

“…… I don’t know what you’re asking.”

“Antonio, who easily earns money by being a date for noble ladies and keeps rising higher without any acting practice. And you, who live diligently doing dirty work while putting in crazy effort, but are judged as unable to take a leading role.”

“Are you trying to criticize me?”

Bruno suddenly asked her without realizing it. It was because his suppressed pride and anger had burst out uncontrollably.

At that, Mercedes completely erased the faint smile she had been wearing. It was a cold face that surprised even Bruno.

“It’s terrible, isn’t it? People judge you and me as they please. Am I really the incompetent crown princess consort of a kingdom who became a murderer and then a seductress saved by the emperor?”

Bruno couldn’t answer her sharp question.

“Let’s say I am like that. Then are you really a dull loser who can’t play a lead role and has no talent, as others say?”

Bruno closed his mouth.

Her eyes as she spoke were shining more and more, filled with a clear will.

“Isn’t it all just what others say?”

Even though his weakness was exposed, he didn’t find it unpleasant. Perhaps it was because Mercedes had revealed her own weakness first.

As he faced Mercedes, who looked at him with ‘trust’ in her eyes while sharing their weaknesses, Bruno’s heart began to beat loudly.

“The you I saw is not a loser.”

“You only…… saw me for a moment.”

“And yet it showed, so how brightly talented must you be? Bruno. The task I will entrust you with is something those who only parrot lines written by others like parrots can never do. I want your observational skills, courage, and talent. Only you can do it.”

“……!”

Bruno was taken aback.

His heart felt like it would burst.

Every word flowing out of her mouth was what Bruno had wanted to hear for a very long time.

But he never heard it even once.

Even when he became an entertaining storyteller in the mercenary corps, he was jokingly told, “If only your face was decent, you could have been an actor.”

He dreamed of becoming an actor, but whenever he got the chance to stand on stage, he always only got minor roles.

Mercedes, who had finished investigating Bruno’s background, knew right away.

Bruno was the same as her.

The powerlessness of being unable to do anything under the gaze and judgment of others.

The fear that you might be incompetent. The feeling of being on a sinking ship, about to go under forever.

Mercedes knew very well what that emotion was like.

At the same time, she also knew how strong the pleasure of having someone recognize that was. That pleasure could even make a person be reborn.

“Work with me, Bruno. I need your talent. And when the job is done, I’ll create a stage for you to stand on.”

Why was this woman so certain?

Bruno thought that this person who believed in him like this, even more than he believed in himself, must have lost her mind somewhere.

But in the end, Bruno couldn’t take his eyes off hers. And he felt like he could trust this person.

Even if his choice turned out to be wrong, he had a premonition that it would be a fate he wouldn’t regret.

Because she was the first person to recognize him in his long life.

It was almost like salvation.

* * *

There were several reasons why Mercedes chose Bruno, with his acting skills being the biggest, but there were many others as well.

The first was because he had lived quietly, as if he had been preparing to be deployed for this very job. Quietly enough that no one would look for him even if he suddenly disappeared.

The second was his experience. He had the experience of staying in a mercenary corps and knowledge of swordsmanship. Experience was the most important thing in lying, so his experience was perfect.

The third was that she felt she could persuade him. And beyond persuasion, she felt they could form a partnership.

Yes.

In fact, to some extent she had followed her instincts emotionally.

It could also be called a gamble.

Antonio, whom she had initially chosen, was the complete opposite of Bruno. With only his shiny face, he not only lacked acting skills but was also too flamboyant a playboy to secretly send to Seim in the first place.

While she was making that decision, Carlos had silently supported her.

Bruno’s answer came quickly, and the two decided to proceed with the plan.

Since he was someone to be sent far away, she met with him again to make a proper promise. She promised that when he returned after completing the job, she would create a script for him and make him the lead in a big theater.

And then…… she had to reveal the proper circumstances.

Bruno was not someone whose purpose and nature had to be deceived like the nobles in the room, but someone who had to be clearly utilized by revealing what was necessary.

After hearing a rough outline of Mercedes’ circumstances, Bruno smiled bitterly.

‘Ms. Mercedes, you are essentially the same as me.’

After that, Bruno’s residence was moved to a secluded house arranged by Carlos. Mercedes visited there every day without drawing others’ attention.

Bruno practiced how to deal with situations in Seim and crammed what he needed to learn. It included etiquette for dealing with high society and royalty. It was an excessive amount.

However, Bruno managed it within a short period of time. He was very smart.

After half a month of special training had passed, Mercedes asked him one last thing before sending him off.

‘I will make sure there is no danger to you, but you never know with human affairs. Your life could be at risk. Will you still do it?’

Bruno smiled and replied.

‘You gave me a dream, Miss. That you would revive my rotting dream. That you would help me not let my life flow by like this. Let’s try believing it for once. If it doesn’t work out, it’ll be fate.’

He, who had started calling her ‘Miss’ during the special training, saying ‘Ms. Mercedes’ didn’t roll off his tongue well, grinned refreshingly.

During the training period, he had heard the story of the Cromwell family in detail, and he could guess the abuse Mercedes had suffered.

Was that why? Unlike Mercedes, who spoke calmly while conveying information, Bruno had come to pity her and care for her a little emotionally.

Well, it was something Mercedes didn’t know.

In any case, even without the addition of affection, the deal between the two was strong and clear.

The opportunity Bruno wanted was something only Mercedes could provide, and Bruno was the only perfect spy Mercedes wanted.

That alone firmly established trust.

After the special training ended, Bruno boarded the ship heading to Seim without hesitation.

Wearing armor adorned with carefully crafted fake imperial crests and medals, with a confident smile on his face.

The correspondence was planned to go back and forth as often as possible.

Mercedes would send him short scripts containing ‘purpose and method’, and Bruno would expand on her scripts to unfold his own acting.

* * *

Mercedes’ slender, white fingers unfolded the letter. Her clear green eyes quickly read through the text.

“He’s arrived, Bruno. No, Argos.”

She said with a smile. Carlos and Mercedes were having tea time in the garden.

“How is it?”

“It’s as I believed. It seems he acted well. The count was suspicious at first, but soon welcomed him greatly.”

“Not only did you choose the right person, but you also persuaded someone with no ties and sent them to Seim as a loyal spy. It seems you would make a much more perfect emperor than I would.”

“That’s disrespectful, Your Majesty. Such words……”

Mercedes blushed. Carlos lately found it quite fun to see her face like that. He wanted to tease her more and more and smile mischievously.

This is……

not a good feeling.

Carlos smiled bitterly to himself and took the letter she handed him to read. Bruno had quite terrible handwriting.

“…… How did you decipher it so quickly? I think it would take me a while to even decipher it.”

“I kept observing his handwriting while training with Bruno. There’s a certain regularity to it.”

“You are……”

No, this is really smart, isn’t it? Carlos laughed hollowly and tried to decode Bruno’s letter.

Meanwhile, she wrote a reply letter to Bruno. Carlos’ informants would receive it and deliver it to him, so security was thorough.

[Please proceed as I told you in advance. As time passes, the count will take you to high society or, if more excited, to have an audience with the king. Make sure to follow him then. Make the count feel confident and like he has the emperor on his back.]

Mercedes told Bruno to pretend to be ‘actually there to support training’ at first, as the count would be watching.

She also added that he shouldn’t actually establish a military system, and that they would believe it even if he only did physical training. That’s how messed up those troops were.

Perhaps, Bruno was doing well.

She believed in him.

The problem now…… had come back to her.

“I didn’t know there would be so many banquets piled up.”

She had to go through the banquet invitations she had put off while focusing on the special training.