The Villain Who Fell In Love

Emelia opens her eyes slowly as she felt the sunlight hitting her face. She turns to the other side of her bed and sees Elliot soundly asleep. Her eyes grew wide, surprised to see Elliot on her bed, and as she recalls the other night her mouth flew open.

Rather feeling embarrassed, she couldn't believe she fell asleep. But then her body felt lighter than it was the other day. When Emelia pushed herself to sit up, she felt a hand pull her back on the bed. 

"What are you doing?" Emelia asked Elliot, whose eyes were closed even if he was awake. 

"Just keep sleeping," said Elliot while Emelia tries to remove his arms away from her waist. 

"I can't do that. You do know how busy I am now."

"Then take a break just for a day," Elliot mumbles while Emelia finally removes his arms and gets out of bed before he pulls her back. He finally opened his eyes and gave Emelia a smile. "Good morning. How was your sleep?" asked Elliot. 

"Fine. I feel much better than the other day," answered Emelia and looks at Elliot, telling him to get out of her room since she wanted to take a bath. 

"Yes, yes. I'll get out," sarcastically said Elliot as he got out of bed and walks towards the door. "That reminds me. There's a meeting you need to attend later."

"The meeting about the new final council members?" Emelia asked in a questioning tone, and Elliot nods his head. 

When Elliot left her room, Vanessa enters, holding a tray in her hands, and greets Emelia. She places the tray on the table and transfers the teacup and pot that were placed on the tray earlier. 

"I'll ready the water, and so please drink some tea first," said Vanessa, and Emelia thanked her as she sat down on the couch. 

This was the day Emelia was waiting for. The new council members for the new empire. This time the council members will consist of five people that included Elliot and Emelia. The other three new members are still a mystery to her since she let Elliot choose. He knows better nobles, and for sure he has already in mind. They should be arriving anytime sooner. 

After Emelia took her bath, she made her way to her office and had asked Vanessa to bring her meal there since there are things she needs to sort before the meeting starts. When Emelia had time, she uses it to appoint new generals who will lead the army. 

It sounds simples, but then considering the two empires are going to be merge, there needs to be equality. But then the problem with this is that the soldiers and knights of the Redodel Empire were not trained well.

If there is a prodigy amongst them, she wouldn't think twice to choose them if they fit her standards. 

"Greetings to the princess," said Air as he enters the room, holding files on his hand. "I've brought the papers you had asked for," Air gives the papers to Emelia and asked, "I've been wanting to ask, but why do you need the profiles of each soldiers and knights?"

"This makes my job easier on choose one of them. I also plan to visit the training ground soon. We can't forever rely on Alan or Argus's skills. We need one more who can lead a group of men and is wrong," answered Emelia. 

"I see…I heard this from Sir Alan and Sir Argus but then there is a skilled swordsman amongst the trainees."

"A trainee? If that's the case, why isn't be promoted to a captain then?" asked Emelia as Air gives her the paper to his profile. Emelia reads through his profile and hummed. 

"A murder forced to become a soldier due to the lack of soldiers the army had," Emelia read out from the paper, and Air nods his head. "But it doesn't mean we should exempt him from this selection. But is it the truth?"

"And that is what I believe so too," Air agreed with Emelia for a reason. He continues, "Further investigating his case, he was falsely accused by his former master who was the real killer of his wife and daughter."

"What a sick man," commented Emelia not realizing she was crumpling the paper. "Let's see. We won't know not until we talk to him," said Emelia and Air bows his head, excusing him out of her office. 

There many injustices that revolve around the Redodel Empire. The never-ending false accusations, where power and fame are everything to them. 

It's not wrong to love money, but too much of it can corrupt the minds of a person. It turns them into evil creatures whose minds become nothing but foolishness.

Emelia knows corruption can never be stopped. But they can be stopped for a moment where things grow for the better. They will come back stronger, but then there will always be someone to stop the darkness from spreading. It takes patience for things to end. 

After spending another hour in her office Zed knocks by her door to inform her the meeting is about to start. She lowers her pen down onto the table, stood up then walks out of her office. Waiting by the office door Zed bows his head when he sees her and escorts her to the meeting room where the new council members were. 

A new era will be made for the better. All Emelia could wish is for they will be people who are humble and will fight for their new empire. 

"Her Highness, Princess Emelia has arrived."

When Emelia enters the meeting room her eyes first laid at a man whose hair were platinum blonde just like hers. Is this man perhaps what she was thinking? Emelia asked herself, calmly taking her seat which was at the right side of Elliot's. 

"Greetings to the new council members. I am your Emperor, Elliot Renaud and I am glad to have everyone here. Thank you for accepting this position as someone who will lead the new empire into a better place. For as long as I remember I really wanted to have these people to be part of the council members," said Elliot lowering his head at each one of them who asked him to raise his head. "Please introduce yourselves," said Elliot starting from his left. 

"Greetings to each on of you my name is Yves Staline, the Archduke of Melody. It's a pleasure to work with you again."

"Everyone in this already knows, but I'm Rovil Laster, same as before I have been stuck with His Imperial Majesty since he was a small child."

"It's a pleasure to work with each one of you. Thank you, His Imperial Majesty, for inviting me to be part of the council. My name is Louis Whelan, Duke of Hestia."

Emelia for sure didn't hear it wrong. It was the name of her father who knew she existed. He was sitting beside her and she couldn't meet his eyes at all. She felt scared, not knowing what we'll think of her, which is unusual. 

But it was her father she is speaking about. Her real father she never met at all. When their eyes met the cold, stern on Duke Louis's face turned into the kindest expression he would ever make. 

Everyone in the meeting hall except for Emelia knew that Duke Louis never smiles and only shrugs them off with a cold shoulder. They didn't believe he could make such a gentle expression. 

Elliot clears his throat, breaking their eye contact and said, "From this moment, the new council members will be taking care of the people. We are the ones responsible for the lives of our people. And I have decided the new name of the empire. Princess may you do the honor?"

Emelia nods her head and said, "Stella Empire. The meaning of Stella is star. The Stella Empire will continue to shine bright like the star and overcome the difficulties set in our path."

"As of now the Vivan Empire and the Redodel Empire will be called as the Stella Empire. Does anyone have a problem with the name itself?" asked Elliot as he looks at them one by one and no one opposes. "Princess Emelia will continue to stay as the princess. Her title will not be stripped away. As for the former noblemen's in the Redodel Empire we executed most of them and will be entitling new nobles soon. With that we need the council members to help us choose."

"For the new soldiers recruitment, I will leave that to Duke Louis and Count Rovil. Also, for the safety of the people, we will now need to start deploying soldiers to guard the cities. We've been getting reports of bandits, stealing the food given by us."

"As for Archduke Yves for now please take over my work with the issues back in my palace. Thank you very much cousin," Elliot smiled at Yves who couldn't refuse it since it is part of his job to act as the 2nd in command. "Then if you have any questions. Issue it in my office."

When Elliot dismissed everyone the first thing Emelia did was to stop her father. "Can we have a talk?"