I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 234

Clive blinked slowly, his double eyelids giving him a gentle, almost naive look, as if he’d never encountered a situation like this before. To others, it would appear as just a curious question, but to Johann, it wasn’t that simple.

‘See? See? This is what I mean. The hidden thoughts.’

He was quick to seize on Johann’s casual comment and press on. It seemed like he had more up his sleeve than Johann had expected. It wasn’t just one or two foxes in his head, but hundreds of them. Still, Johann wasn’t cornered.

Johann, with a bright, confident smile, seemed to expect this response, and answered calmly.

“Yes, after all, this is the Sortenic Empire.”

It was an arrogant statement, but it was also the truth. And it meant that Johann had accurately deciphered Clive’s hidden intentions. Johann couldn’t help but notice Clive’s eyebrows twitching, and he continued.

“The Sortenic Empire is truly safe. And within this safe empire, the safest place is by His Majesty’s side. There are only a handful of people in this world who could challenge the Emperor. A dragon? A god? Something like that, perhaps? So, someone like me is ultimately dispensable.”

“Well, the guard might be excused, but for an assistant to leave without saying anything, and to not even know where their superior is… Ah, is this all thanks to the peace here?”

“Peace, you’re not wrong, but if you think that way, then you haven’t truly experienced the culture and atmosphere of the Sortenic Empire. Please enjoy the atmosphere of the Sortenic Empire with a more open mind. Then you’ll realize that the Empress does not have a close maid, and the Emperor holds the shadow of his assistant in the highest regard.”

Despite his smooth, smiling face, Johann’s words were sharp and precise. Clive realized that Johann was not as careless as he appeared and quickly backed off.

It wasn’t that Clive was someone who would retreat without gaining anything, but he understood that Johann was someone to be cautious around. The phrase ‘quick-witted and perceptive’ might not fully describe him, but it definitely applied to him in this situation.

Clive smiled and spoke up.

“Is that so? Then I suppose I should enjoy the banquet a bit more. By the way, I’ve been invited to the dinner, but I had actually planned to take a little tour of the Sortenic Empire this afternoon. Since you’re so kindly suggesting it, I think it would be best to learn more about the Empire before attending the dinner with the Emperor and Empress. What do you think?”

Clive wasn’t concerned about whether he could learn the deeper secrets of the Sortenic Empire through Johann, but he did want to find a way to avoid attending the dinner, which had felt like a kind of subtle threat from Herix.

That was why Clive didn’t mind whether Johann was a pliable person or not.

However, Johann was much tougher and more formidable than Clive had expected. The fact that he had survived as a child soldier and was now the Emperor’s assistant wasn’t for nothing.

“Well, I think, since you’re not familiar with the Sortenic Empire, it would be more appropriate for you to attend the dinner. After all, no one knows the Sortenic Empire as well as the Empress.”

Johann paused for a moment, as if gathering his breath, then spoke with a louder voice.

“If I was the Foreign Minister… if I was the Foreign Minister from the Ortensia Republic and was genuinely curious about the Sortenic Empire… I would attend the dinner no matter what, and I would make sure to speak with the Empress.”

With a smile still on his face, Johann spoke with such a sharpness that it felt like he was brandishing a sword. His words pierced through Clive, leaving him no room to move.

“Haha, is that so…?”

Clive smiled, but it wasn’t a genuine smile. Thanks to Johann, Clive found himself caught in the very situation he was trying to avoid: attending the dinner that had felt like a veiled threat from the Emperor.

And now, in front of the Emperor, he would have to engage in another conversation with the Empress. He could ignore the assistant’s words, but the problem was that Johann’s loud voice had drawn the attention of those around them.

If Clive didn’t attend the dinner now, it would inevitably create rumors about the lack of decorum from the Ortensia Republic’s delegation.

‘Ha… this is a mess.’

Clive now had a vague understanding of why the ruler of the Ortensia Republic had been so cautious when dealing with the Sortenic Empire.