It wasn't hard for Hyong Ryo to recognize the personality of the Assistant Minister of Finance. Yet, despite that, he hadn't fully analyzed him. He immediately sensed that the man was hiding something—but he hadn't yet confirmed what his true intentions were.
From Karbile Hogbor's memories, it was clear he never fully trusted the man he called his assistant. And even from my own perspective, the guy's shady. That fake smile glued to his smug face makes me want to punch something.
He reminds me of my old boss... I still remember him vividly. That damned CEO of the entertainment company—always smiling, always provoking his staff just to satisfy his twisted urges. But now? I'm the boss here!
"Sir, you seem tired—even though you said you slept well. Are you really being honest with me?" Flarrio Andreo asked with that same friendly smile.
Hyong Ryo stared at him with sharp eyes, yet kept Karbile Hogbor's usual calmness as he replied,
"Why would I lie to you? I'm fine—better than ever. You're just imagining things."
"Hmm... That's not exactly how it looks from my end, sir."
This guy is suspiciously persistent. Why is he so sure I look tired? Is there something on my face that makes me look off?
Come to think of it, I haven't looked in the mirror since I woke up in this body. I don't even know what kind of expression I have. All I know is that I have a slightly long beard, a medium build, and I'm short.
Speaking of height, this guy is definitely taller than me. His clothes are made of wide, silky fabric and adorned with jewels around the chest and neck.
It's hard to determine his physical fitness from just looking, but from the way his chest rises and falls with every breath, I'd say he's in much better shape than I am. At least... that's what I think.
Anyway, let's just play along for now...
"Flarrio Andreo, I doubt you came here just to offer morning greetings. What is it?" Hyong Ryo said in Karbile Hogbor's voice, eyes still fixed on his food.
"You're as sharp as ever, Lord Karbile. Yes, I do have a matter to discuss—concerning His Majesty, King Arbishin."
"The King?"
Well, that escalated quickly—just like in Chinese novels.
Something about the King, huh... Let's see where this goes.
Hyong Ryo smiled faintly behind Karbile's calm mask and asked, "And what exactly about the King?"
Flarrio replied,
"The King wants to hold a meeting between the ministers. In a few days, the ships will depart toward the Great Tree."
Hyong Ryo was surprised at first, but his excitement quickly overtook the shock. This could be his chance to advance in just a few days. He'd always wished for such rapid development in the stories he read—especially since most moved at a sluggish pace. And while he enjoyed complex, slow-paced plots, he hated them when they were just plain boring. And now? This was fast and exciting.
But a certain thought suddenly crossed his mind.
There's going to be a ministerial meeting about the expedition to the Great Tree. But if I look at it from another angle... that doesn't necessarily mean one of the ministers will actually go on the mission. It could just be a preparatory meeting.
Plus, there's no way they'd let me leave. As Karbile Hogbor, I'm the Minister of Finance. The kingdom's treasury is far too sensitive to leave unattended.
Damn it... I wanted to go. Maybe I could've gotten my hands on a seed or two for myself. Oh well... maybe I can reach it using my other body. That one isn't tied to any political position.
"Very well, Flarrio Andreo. I'll be ready for the meeting. Just tell me when it is. If you already did... well, I've forgotten," Hyong Ryo said with a smirk, still speaking as Karbile.
That should keep him from getting suspicious. But honestly...
I don't remember anything about a ministerial meeting. The last one was... oh. Now I get it.
"Sir, the meeting is tomorrow morning," Flarrio said in his usual tone, though his expression seemed a bit tense this time.
"Alright then. Now let me finish my meal. Afterward, I'll send for you to come to my chambers. There's something very important we need to discuss—privately," said Hyong Ryo, his voice calm as Karbile, but a smile lurked behind it.
Flarrio bowed politely and left the room without saying another word. Behind the closed door, he stood silently, still smiling. Then he chuckled softly and walked away.
About thirty minutes later, Flarrio arrived at Karbile Hogbor's chambers, summoned by a messenger, just as he had been told earlier. As he entered, the servants opened the door for him. There, sitting on the bed, was Karbile—legs apart, leaning slightly forward, fingers interlaced loosely.
To Flarrio, he seemed like a completely different person. And that was true—because the man before him was actually Hyong Ryo, still wearing the mask of Karbile Hogbor.
"Why are you still standing, Assistant Minister? Come. Sit. I've asked the servants to bring us premium purple tea so we can talk in peace and comfort," Karbile said in an oddly calm tone.
...This is strange.
Flarrio thought to himself,
Why does Lord Karbile feel so... different? His behavior... it's as if he's someone else entirely.
"What's wrong, Assistant Minister? Are you uncomfortable? Should I ask the servants to bring a different kind of tea?"
Though Karbile's tone seemed ordinary, something about it made Flarrio feel uneasy. Beneath the calm, there was a sharp, threatening edge—coming from the real Hyong Ryo, still hiding something.
Flarrio swallowed hard, then sat in the chair facing Karbile. Between them, the table held two steaming cups of the aromatic purple tea.
Karbile gestured for him to drink. Flarrio hesitated, then lifted the cup and sipped quietly. Karbile followed suit.
"So, my lord... what did you wish to speak with me about?" Flarrio asked hesitantly, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
I don't feel right... What's in this tea?
Ugh... My head... my body... it feels like I'm being torn apart from the inside...
"You've got guts, Flarrio Andreo. I like that. Your plan to send your daughter to 'serve' me at night and slip poison into my drink? Honestly, it's brilliant."
Karbile set down his cup and stood up, slowly walking around the table until he stood beside Flarrio—and gripped his shoulder.
"Wh—how—?"
"Me? I'm the Minister of Finance, Karbile Hogbor. Have you forgotten who I am?" he said, grinning wickedly—a grin that belonged not to Karbile, but to Hyong Ryo.
"You really thought I wouldn't notice? The scent of the Gray Forest Flower has been lingering in the room since morning. A poisonous flower—beautiful to look at, but it has a sharp, stinging aroma."
"And the meeting? Tsk... You think I'm senile? The last meeting was three months ago—and it was about building more training camps for the army."
Then, leaning in close to Flarrio's red, tomato-like face, Karbile said with a wicked, unsettling smile: "As for the Great Tree expedition? Yeah... about that. The King doesn't consult the Minister of Finance about that stuff~ He just sends a request for the travel expenses, genius~"