The Tyrant Couldn’t Fall Asleep

The vassal, Hans, stood at the door of the emperor's office.

Knock-

“Your Majesty, this is Hans. I will come in with the report.”

Ern, as always, did not answer. However, Hans, who had served the emperor as a servant for a long time, knew that it was positive.

As soon as he entered the office, Hans had no choice but to stiffen.

'How did your eyes get so bloody? It's like... Isn’t it the same as before?’

When he was younger than now, Ern in the days of the prince was dry and without humanity.

Moreover, as if his emotions were dry, he never shed a single tear even when people or animals around him died.

"Go away. If you don't want to die."

He rejected those around him, even ignoring warnings, and swung his sword when approached.

And he sometimes felt eerie from the emperor.

‘If you think about it now, it seems that the reason you rejected us was that you cared about the curse… Because there were many people who believed the rumors back then.’

At that moment, Ern held out his hand.

"Report."

It was a blunt voice.

“Here it is.”

As Hans carefully handed over the papers, Ern spoke up.

“Isn’t there anything strange about the Empress these days?”

"Well? It doesn’t seem like there was.”

"Right."

Seeing Ern's serious expression on his face, Hans held back his laughter.

'I thought it was a big deal again, so I guess something happened with Her Majesty the Empress.'

Ern, who was like a tyrant, started to change after he got on well with the Empress.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No, it’s nice to see you working hard.”

It was a brief conversation, but since then, Ern has not missed a single moment and worked diligently.

‘It would be a big deal if you go back to that time… I hope you two are doing well without any quarrels.’

Hans thought.

* * *

Izaya looked at the clock. Time was already approaching noon.

‘I should get ready to move out.’

Ern got angry, but Izaya was planning to move within today.

‘Since my father is coming back soon.’

Izaya called in the maid and said,

"I'm going to move my place to the empress' palace right away. Get ready."

The maid showed signs of embarrassment for a moment, but soon lowered her head.

"Yes, I'll report it to the chief maid."

Upon hearing that, Izaya lifted one corner of her mouth.

‘Report to the chief maid...’

How long has it been? The door opened roughly, and the chief maid Melanie appeared.

"Your Majesty, what are you talking about? How can you move without consulting me?"

Izaya stared silently at her, raising her voice.

"Your Majesty, hurry up and answer..."

It was before Melanie finished talking.

Slap!

Izaya, who slapped Melanie on the cheek, said coldly.

"It's a mess."

There was no sense of reality. However, it reminded her that the pain in her bitter cheek was a reality.

Melanie protested, clenching her fist tightly.

"Why are you hitting me all of a sudden? What is this...!”

Slap!

There was no time to stop the hand flying so fast without notice.

Melanie stared at the woman who slapped her with trembling eyes.

Red lips, eyes, and blackish straight hair like blood standing out over clear white skin.

A woman who can be praised for her beauty, all in harmony.

It's definitely the empress, Izaya.

'I don't know what's wrong with her all of a sudden, but I shouldn't be pushed back by the empress here.’

Melanie usually controlled Izaya as an agent for the Duke of Lauchen.

"Take good care so that Izaya doesn’t have any other thoughts.”

Because it was an order given to her by Duke Lauchen.

“Shouldn’t I tell your father everything about today?”

Melanie, who finished speaking, expected the empress to be scared as usual. Because she mentioned the awe-inspiring father, Duke Lauchen.

"Tell him. I don't know when my father, who went on an inspection, will come back."

Izaya was usually a good and obedient girl.

To be honest, she was afraid that people would suddenly change like this.

However, Melanie also had a reason to not back down.

‘The Duke did me and my brother a favor. So I must control the empress.’

"You'll find out when the Duke comes. Can you handle it?"

Then Izaya said with her eyes bent.

"Do you think my dad will be angry that I hit only one maid?"

Melanie flinched and pretended to be calm at Izaya's question, which seemed to be penetrating.

"It's not that. Each room..."

Slap!

"Don't answer back. I'm not done talking."

Melanie felt her stomach burning.

"I took care of Her Majesty on behalf of her father! In this way...!”

At that time, Izaya raised her hand.

"Ah!"

Melanie turned her head without realizing it and covered her face with her arm.

Instead of hitting Melanie on the cheek, Izaya grabbed her chin and said.

"You're my father's substitute?"

Even madness was felt in those ferocious red eyes.

Out of fear, Melanie was frozen without a word.

"Lastly, I’ll warn you. Beware of your position. Otherwise, you might die.”

After finishing her speech, Izaya backed away as if she were shaking off dirt.

In shame, Melanie trembled and soon bit her lips.

She was angry in her head. One, even if she showed her anger now, she would only get slapped again.

'Yeah, until the duke comes back.’

After completing the calculation, Melanie slowly bowed at Izaya.

"Yes, I understand."

"Then go ahead and conduct it. If I see any inconvenience, I'll reprimand you."

"Okay, then I'll get going now..."

"And bring the books to me."

"The books... Of course, I'll bring them to you."

"When I move, I want to check because I can't leave anything behind."

‘What are you up to? I'm sure you have another ulterior motive.’

When Melanie was guessing what Izaya was thinking.

"You will be busy moving places today, don't you think you should get going?"

"Yes."

Melanie tried to leave the room with an angry look. At that moment...

"Wait, I'll join you.”

"What? What do you mean...!”

"Why?"

For a while, Melanie was surprised to see the smiling empress' face.

Soon, the laughter disappeared from Izaya's face.

'I have to make sure I understand my reality. Even to find out why I failed.’

* * *

"Your Majesty, I have something to discuss with you..."

Grehen Curtis, the commander of the Imperial Knights and the commander of the emperor's bodyguard, looked at the emperor and whispered with a small sigh.

"I don't think he’s even listening to us now."

Then Hans nodded slowly.

"I think so too."

They didn't know what he was distracted by, but the emperor had been in this state since morning.

‘Because you don't tell us what you’re thinking…’

It was when he looked at his master with worried eyes.

"Sir, I have something to tell you."

At the call of a servant, Hans went out to the hallway outside the door.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I think I should let you know that Her Majesty is moving."

"What?"

Bang!

By the time Hans was hearing the shocking news, the door opened violently.

Hans opened his eyes wide when he saw the person who came out of the door.

"Your Majesty?”

"This is all for today's State Council."

Hans tried to dissuade him at the emperor's thunderous words.

"Well, wait a minute. Your Majesty!"

"Where are you going?"

Hans and Grehen, two close acquaintances, called in a desperate voice, but the emperor disappeared quickly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Izaya was sighing while sitting in a chair in the lobby of the Empress Palace.

'I knew it, but it's really serious.’

"Senior maid, where should I move this?"

"You can move it to the warehouse."

"Senior maid, what should I do?"

"Laura, you are good at organizing neatly and beautifully, so organize your clothes and bedding."

"What about me?"

"You'd better arrange furniture."

"Senior maid, where should I put this frame?"

"Hang it in the hallway."

At first glance, it is a sight with no problem.

Melanie deployed manpower in the right place, and she was good at judging the situation, so there was no disruption in her work.

‘But... If Melanie wasn't here, there would be trouble.’

With Melanie's perfect control, both the empress and the maids would become indispensable without her.

‘Yes, this is the price I have paid to live as a good daughter to my father.’

In the first place, the master themselves were wrong.

Izaya intended to correct the evils and establish discipline from now on.

However, if she recklessly tries to expel the forces, Duke Lauchen will resent and impose sanctions on Izaya.

'I'll have to wait for the Duke of Lauchen to come.’

It was darkest near the light, so Izaya planned to move when Duke Lauchen was in the system.

For him to realize his influence will fade in the imperial palace.