The Tyrant Couldn’t Fall Asleep

'It's not that difficult to share a room with Ern. Because we can create such a situation that Duke Lauchen has no choice but to hand it over. The problem is…'

At that moment, a low-pitched voice broke my thoughts.

"Empress."

Izaya turned her head unconsciously.

‘Ern?’

Why did he come? Now is the time to go to work.

For a moment while making a puzzled expression, Izaya remembered what Ern had said earlier.

'Yeah, you came here because I took care of things you hadn't decided yet.'

Soon, Izaya greeted Ern with a smile.

"Welcome. His Majesty the Emperor. The interior hasn't been cleaned up yet, but I'm moving to the drawing room...”

“Everyone go away.”

After cutting off Izaya, Ern gave a cold command.

The Empress was not afraid, but the people who were afraid of the Emperor quickly left the lobby.

When they were alone, Ern looked at Izaya and asked.

“I don’t think you have answered anything yet, so why did you change your residence?”

At Ern's hard point, Izaya asked back with an innocent face.

“Didn’t you agree to grant my request unconditionally? So I was moved...”

Ern looked at Izaya with an expressionless face.

“Really… Did you really want to move rooms?”

Izaya, who met the desperate eyes, flinched without realizing it.

“Don’t come closer to me.”

Recalling his coldly warning words, Izaya slowly nodded her head.

"Yes."

Ern didn't say anything for a long time at the gentle affirmation. Soon, a low-pitched voice came from him.

“Okay, if that’s what you want, then we’ll have a separate room for you.”

Izaya's lips parted for a moment as she looked at the back of his youthful figure that was getting farther away.

'I almost said no for a moment.'

If you are vigilant, your desire to be with Ern for the rest of your life will rise.

'But I'm not going to hold you anymore.'

In her last life, Ern had hardened his face in fear of making eye contact with her.

From now on, she must restore what her father destroyed. Until he becomes an adult.

‘This marriage was also not what he wanted, but my father’s will…'

Putting everything back in place, Izaya was thinking of leaving Ern.

‘Because that’s what I can do for you.’

* * *

After Ern had left, Hans was waiting for him with an anxious look.

‘Looking at you suddenly leaving, I think you must have heard my conversation with the attendant…'

Bang!

At that moment, there was the sound of the door opening and closing with a harsh sound.

'You're back.'

Hans approached him cautiously to inquire about the circumstances that led him to use each room, and then hardened his face.

‘Oh my gosh.’

The emperor's eyes were brutal now. Like before he met the empress.

'You should never provoke him. Let's be careful. Like dealing with a glass bead."

As soon as Hans, who was very nervous, tried to talk to Ern carefully, someone's presence came.

Ern stared at the door without realizing it. As if he wanted someone to follow him.

However, the person who entered the office was not who he expected.

"Your highness! Urgent news!"

Grehen, the captain who entered the emperor's room, freaked out.

Ern pulled out a sword with no expression.

"What is it? The urgent news."

It was a bleak question as if he wouldn't let it go if it was trivial.

Grehen stared at Ern, swallowing his dry saliva.

‘Until a few years ago, I was able to deal with His Majesty, but… It’s impossible now.’

Silver hair and a beautiful appearance, and a skinny body except for the shoulders.

It looks like a weak young master who does not match swordsmanship.

However, the emperor overtook Grehen at the age of 12, the second year after learning the sword.

And at the age of 13, he began to reach the extreme of the sword.

'This is the temperament of a hero.’

The first emperor was a hero who conquered the continent with strong power and drove out the forces of the music god along with Shinsu.

He said before he died.

"Although I'm falling asleep now, I'll come back someday."

As evidenced by the fact that the legend was true, there were often those who were born with the blood of heroes among the immediate emperors.

They said they were stronger than ordinary people and often showed transcendence beyond humans.

Like the emperor right in front of him.

Grehen replied in a trembling voice.

"The Duke of Lauchen is about to arrive… He already did."

Listening carefully to Grehen, Ern’s forehead crumpled.

No matter how formal the gaze was, Grehen was looking at each of his actions with great tension.

Soon after, the silent mouth of Ern opened.

"Let me know immediately when the Duke of Lauchen reaches."

"Yes, I see. But your Majesty, what you decided to discuss with me soon...”

"The plan is canceled."

"What? But..."

Grehen tried to protest, but when he saw Ern's stiff face, he shut up.

"Okay. Then I'll get going."

"Wait a minute.”

Soon, Ern stared at Hans and Grehen with a frown.

‘What's wrong with him?’

For a moment, Hans took the courage to ask.

"Your Majesty, do you have anything to say?"

Ern closed his lips, and soon replied.

"It's nothing.”

Both Hans and Grehen breathed a sigh of relief at the appearance of the emperor leaving the office.

‘I’m glad nothing happened.’

For a moment, the commander asked as if it was unfair.

“What happened? Why did he cancel the plan all of a sudden?”

Hans sighed.

“I want to know why too.”

* * *

After the empress's house was cleaned up, Izaya entered the room.

The unfamiliar room felt particularly empty.

‘Originally, once people get used to things that are comfortable and good, they can’t get out of it.’

Before her return, Ern had ignored and despised her. But in the end, they didn’t get their own room.

That's probably why she couldn't erase her lingering affection for him.

'It's okay. Because I'll leave as soon as he's an adult. I just have to stay until then.’

After brainwashing herself, Izaya stared at her calendar.

'I do not have time. Now we really have to prepare for the return of Duke Lauchen. Because the purpose of his visit was...'

Knock-

“Your Majesty, this is Melanie.”

"Come in."

Melanie entered the room and handed Izaya something.

“Your Majesty, this is the ledger you mentioned here.”

"Okay."

Izaya glanced over at Melanie as she went through the books.

‘You look relaxed.’

Soon Melanie's confident voice was heard.

“If there are any inconveniences, please tell me. We will correct it immediately.”

Anyway, if the Empress was to blame, Melanie was going to tell her about it too. But…

“Today, I had a hard time moving.”

Melanie trembled at the empress's unexpected reaction.

‘Why are you doing this all of a sudden?’

But the Empress's words that followed soon made her feel better.

“In the near future, I will pay a bonus to all the servants who have worked hard.”

Melanie politely bowed her head.

“Thank you for your Majesty’s generosity.”

“What is this?”

"Oh, and soon the duke said he would return to the system. I think he will probably arrive this week.”

Then Izaya blushed and smiled enchantingly.

"Really? Then I should get ready to greet my father. When will he come? Will he come in 4 days?"

Melanie's eyes, who was looking at her, had a strange light.

"His Excellency always came unexpectedly. Wouldn't it be better to get a permit in advance?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Access to private spaces used by the imperial family was possible only with the permission of the parties.

Soon, Izaya stamped her signature and seal on the paper and handed it to Melanie.

"It's a permit to enter my palace."

Upon receiving it, Melanie bowed to Izaya and left the empress' room.

‘How long did I walk?’

As she reached the hallway where there was no one, Melanie laughed.

'As expected, she didn't notice.’

Surprised to bring the ledger suddenly, Melanie calmly handed over the manipulated ledger.

She was worried that the empress might notice something strange, but it was in vain.

‘Unless you check each thing one by one, you won't notice it.’

However, the father was still watching the Empress.

‘But why are you setting up a day like that for me?’

The reason was unknown, but what was certain was that it was a bad sign for Melanie. As it is, it could have become difficult to control the empress.

'If that happens, I may be thrown out.’

Melanie closed her eyes and opened them. The green eyes were full of spite.

'It's okay. Now the empress won't be able to talk back to me.’

Soon she took the letter out of her arms and held it with a twisted smile.