Chapter 83

The Emperor’s strange behavior began from that very evening when Yuwon and Arencar joined hands.

The Emperor suddenly dismissed everyone around him, abandoned all state affairs, and shut himself away alone inside his office.

The Imperial Palace stirred at the Emperor’s abnormal conduct.

“Good heavens… I have served His Majesty the Emperor all my life, but never once has he acted like this… What in the world has happened so suddenly….”

“Hm… if there was something to suspect, it would only be that….”

No one could know whether he ate, whether he slept, or whether he was even alive.

The Emperor remained completely alone, agonizing over something endlessly.

Not even Marquis Bradman, the Emperor’s long-time friend and personal guard, nor the shadow who served the Emperor secretly from within the darkness, dared stay by his side.

The Emperor’s abnormal behavior eventually spread outward.

‘His Majesty the Emperor will soon appoint the next owner of the Imperial Throne.’

The Imperial Palace—Aphahiel’s heart.

And from the innermost depths of the main palace, the rumor spread and froze the Aphahiel Empire in an untimely chill despite the late summer.

The nobles analyzed, more thoroughly than ever, the current positions of each Prince in order to decide beneath whose banner they would stand, and even as the common people carried out their daily livelihoods, they held their breaths and prayed that things would pass safely once again.

People had learned from history.

Whenever the owner of the Imperial Throne changed, regardless of the method, much blood always flowed.

The only difference was whether much blood would flow or even more.

“My son, from this moment on, remember your father’s words well. Though His Majesty the Emperor is currently in good health and no great disaster should arise, it is precisely in times like this that one must be cautious. Whether a thousand die or ten thousand die, only one thing matters. That I am not caught in that number and die. That is the greatest law to survive. Do you understand?”

With the news spreading, even the Princes could not move recklessly.

From the Princes to the ministers, from the lords and nobles of each region to the commoners.

The entire Aphahiel Empire held its breath, waiting for the Emperor’s mouth to open.

One day, two days, three, four.

They seemed like normal days, but in truth each day was suffocating. On the morning of the fifth day, after all the silence, the Emperor finally opened the door and spoke.

“Send word to every Prince’s Palace. We shall, for the first time in a while, have a meal together this evening.”

The ministers, desperately waiting for the Emperor to say anything once he emerged, responded with booming voices.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Not even thirty minutes after the Emperor voiced his intention, his message reached each of the Prince’s Palaces. Yuwon, too, heard the news.

‘So he has finally made his decision. Will everything be decided this evening…?’

Yuwon sincerely hoped the Emperor had made the correct choice. If things did not go as he wished, Yuwon planned, without the slightest hesitation, to kill every troublesome Prince standing in his way.

‘Still, I should spare Bernid. Hm, is this what they mean when they say affection, no matter how slight, is terrifying…?’

Yuwon waited for the evening to come, prepared to kill every Prince except Bernid.

He washed, applied perfume, and dressed in clothes he usually avoided for being bothersome. Yuwon prepared himself thoroughly, like a beast going out to hunt.

After fully dressing, Yuwon stood before the mirror and checked his appearance one last time.

The eyes reflected in the glass were cold.

‘Compared to that time… my gaze has changed a lot.’

He recalled the banquet that celebrated the opening of the Houkijisu Tournament. Yuwon remembered standing before the mirror and vowing to become Emperor.

At that time, he had barely shaken off Yurion’s burdens, and his eyes—once dull like a dead fish—had held focus and passion.

Now, his eyes radiated a sharp chill, like a finely honed blade.

Though he saw his reflection in mirrors regularly, it had been a long time since he examined his own gaze so seriously. Yuwon focused on the frost-like glint of his eyes.

‘They say a person’s face changes depending on their heart, and that one must take responsibility for their face once they grow old… I am not sure about the face, but at least the eyes—those words apply. Perhaps Elder Tang Gye-ung was right. Maybe I truly am the Heavenly Slaughter Star.’

The gaze felt strangely unfamiliar. Living as the wastrel Prince Yurion, Yuwon had taken many lives in a short span of time—sometimes to survive, sometimes to protect someone.

‘And I’ve done it for my own gain as well. I have no regrets about killing. Had I not done so, I would not be alive, nor standing where I stand now.’

A thought suddenly crossed Yuwon’s mind.

‘What exactly did the Sword Sage see in my eyes that made him so desperate to kill me…? In that world I was the Heavenly Slaughter Star, and in this world the Evil God… Is my fate so wretched?’

Yuwon briefly seemed to ponder it seriously, then burst into a laugh. His reflection in contemplation looked foolish to him.

“Kuk.”

Whether Heavenly Slaughter Star or Evil God—what did it matter?

‘Right. Whatever others say is meaningless. I am Tang Yuwon. And Yurion Aphahiel.’

Yuwon’s lips curved into a smile. Yurion’s reflection smiled back.

‘Whatever decision the Emperor makes today, the process may change, but the result will not. I will become Emperor.’

He had sought the throne to survive, and if he was to take it anyway, he wished to be a good Emperor.

And today, he found yet another reason reflected in his eyes.

‘Perhaps the thing he left behind for me was not only poison.’

Yuwon was now strong enough to survive without becoming Emperor.

Therefore, the reason “to survive” had lost its light, and even the reason “to be a good Emperor” dimmed. Yet Yuwon still desired the throne—more fiercely than ever.

‘Looking back, everything else might have been excuses. I simply want to become Emperor with the right of a Prince that I possess.’

Then a knock sounded from outside the room where Yuwon had been waiting.

Knock knock—

“Your Highness, the carriage from the main palace has arrived to escort you.”

“…It’s here.”

Yuwon tore his gaze from the mirror and looked toward the direction he needed to go.

“Very well, I shall head out now.”

With firm steps, Yuwon walked toward the door.

Click—

Just before leaving the room, his hand paused on the doorknob. He turned back to look at the full-length mirror one last time. The reflected image was now deeply familiar.

‘I am…….’

Turning forward again, Yuwon opened the door and stepped out. An unreadable smile lingered on his lips.

The carriage carrying Yuwon headed straight to the main palace, where tonight’s banquet would be held.

“Well then, thank you. You may go.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please go in. I pray for a good outcome this evening.”

“Haha, yes. Thank you.”

After exchanging a warm farewell with the coachman, Yuwon stepped down.

A palace attendant immediately approached and guided him to the banquet.

“Welcome, Your Highness. This way, please. His Majesty is waiting.”

“Lead the way.”

Following the attendant, Yuwon walked to the banquet hall. Before long, he arrived.

The Crown Prince, who had been the first to arrive and had already taken his seat, greeted him.

“Come in, youngest.”

“Have you been well, First Brother? The Fifth Prince’s Palace is so far out that even though I came as soon as the carriage arrived, I still arrived only just now.”

“Well, you’re on time, so it’s fine. Come, sit. The other brothers may be slightly late.”

“Yes.”

As Yuwon sat, the other Princes arrived one by one and filled the remaining seats. For the first time in a very long while, all five Princes gathered around a table under the pretext of a meal.

“You all look well.”

“There’s no helping it. Today is that day, after all.”

“Arencar, and why are you so pleased? Do you truly believe His Majesty will choose you as the one among us?”

“Hey, damn it. You’re ruining my appetite before we even begin. And can you fix that tone of yours?”

“My tone? And if Father were to overhear your tone, he would be delighted indeed. Mind your manners, Arencar. At least for today.”

Typical of sworn enemies, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince began sparring the moment they met.

Watching quietly, Yuwon and Bernid exchanged a glance and lifted their brows as if speaking silently—they had no intention of joining that fuss.

The Fourth Prince, who had been harshly disciplined after Yuwon seized him by the collar last time, remained silent like a monk in training.

Just then, the Fourth Prince’s eyes met Yuwon’s briefly. Yuwon smiled faintly; the Fourth Prince quickly looked away.

The moment Mariel turned away, Yuwon’s smile vanished, replaced by a cutting coldness.

‘Mariel. Whether the Emperor protects you or not, I will tear you apart with my own hands someday.’

The shameless one who wore the mask of the “Saint of the Imperial Family.”

Whenever Yuwon saw his face, he recalled the victims in the South who died at the hands of the monster—all due to some sinister trick Mariel had used.

Yuwon had to restrain himself mightily from killing him right then and there.

Step— step— step—

The conversations died down as footsteps echoed.

All the Princes focused on those steps.

‘He comes.’

It was the Emperor’s gait. And then—

“You are all gathered.”

The Emperor finally entered. Yulia, the Crown Prince, stood with exaggerated formality and bowed deeply.

“Your Majesty, we were greatly shocked to hear that you had abstained from food for days, lost in contemplation. We are relieved that you remain in good hea—”

“Enough.”

The Emperor cut him off.

“Forgive me, but the meal must be postponed.”

“…What?”

“Did you not hear me? All of you, return. I will prepare another gathering.”

The Princes scrambled to manage their expressions.

“Yes, I understand. If Your Majesty has decided so, there must be a reason. Then we shall await your next summons.”

The quick-witted Crown Prince was the first to bow and leave.

The others followed, offering brief farewells.

Although it wasn’t intentional, the order somehow left Yuwon as the final remaining Prince.

“Then, I shall see you again, Your Majesty.”

Yuwon bowed and turned to leave when—

“Yurion, you stay.”

The Emperor stopped him.

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