Prologue

Bang—!

“Open the door, Rev!”

Even after knocking on the door for a long time, the owner doesn't seem to have the intention of coming out.

Maybe it's because he's concentrating on reading a book again and can't hear anything?

“If a real nuclear bomb blows up, he will surely die reading a book.”

How silly.

After knocking on the door a few more times, I heard footsteps from beyond the door. Soon, the door swung open.

A man wearing thin-rimmed glasses was rubbing his half-closed eyes, and it appears to be a little red, maybe…

“Luce.”
“Rev, you didn't hear my knock because you're reading a book again?”

Without even hearing an answer, Luce barged in the open door.

A small candle was illuminating the room, and unorganized books were spread out on the table.

The man shyly scratched the back of his neck while looking at Luce, who came in confidently as if it was her own house.

“Hmm, that's…”

Seeing him smile shyly, I could already understand the situation.

“Have you been reading all night again? What do you want to know so much?”
“It's fun no matter how much I read.”
“I don't know if it's a novel or a collection of poems, but I don't know what's interesting about these hard books…”

Luce immediately put down the book that she's looking at.

“You should get some sunlight. If you rely on candles like this every day to read books, your eyes will get worse.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Then aren't you worried at all? Anyway, have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”

When Luce, with her hand on her waist approached him, Rev took a step back.

'We've known each other for years, but what's the reason why he still can't look at me in the eye? Is it because he thinks I'm going to scold him? Or does he think that when our eyes meet, I'll tell him that I want to go to the second floor?'

Even now, Rev's spacious body seemed to be blocking the stairs to the second floor, although he had already advised me not to go to there before.

“Well, maybe you have a collection of precious books there? I'm not interested in those books though.”

His ears were turned red and his breathing sounds a little stiff.

He's like a child who's ears easily turns red. It takes a lot of work but, I should comfort him right?

Because of her short stature, Luce had a hard time putting her hand on his shoulder.

'Huh.'

I was a little surprised that his shoulders were unexpectedly hard, but considering his body type, I think it was understandable.

Rather, it would be weirder if his body is soft considering his size and height.

Rev really needs to be grateful for his natural body.

If he had been thin and fragile, he would be bullied much more with that soft and shy personality of him.

Luce whispered.

“It's good to read, and study, but you still need to eat meals and sleep in between, understand?”
“……”
“I brought some leftover bread. You might as well eat this for dinner.”

His body felt warm with her hand on it.

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“Let's eat together.”
“No, I have plans today.”

Luce, who thought he just simply has a high body temperature, was already about to turn around, but he suddenly grabbed her arm.

“…with who?”

Has he ever held me so tightly?

As she looked down at his white, strong hand, Rev immediately released her hand. And Luce, who didn't think much of it, wrapped the shawl around his shoulder and stood by the door.

“You don't have to know. Anyway, eat your meal! I'm leaving!”

Luce closed the door and left as her light stomping gradually fade away.

On the other hand, several footsteps can be heard from behind Rev, who remained standing there. The men in black came down from the second floor and faced him.

Whereas the harmless and shy smile he had shown to Luce immediately turned into a hard expression.

The tallest of the men who hesitated asked carefully.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, you have to decide what to do with Count Ignis on the border…”
“What should we do next?”

Rev, who took off his glasses, cut them off as if tired of it.

“Kill them all and set them to fire. The count should be filial and be hang outside the castle.”
“…… ”
“They're planning something while I'm not in the Imperial Palace, so I should just cut the buds. Isn't that right?”

Count Ignis was a distant bloodline of the imperial family.

Although distant, harming a blood relative is like an unwritten rule that even the emperor cannot easily do. He, himself, is an emperor who survived because of the taboo, so he knows better than anyone.

Even so, the words about Ignis' death, in which he blows his neck in one swoop, sounds eerie, as if he did not even consider the noisy opinion of the public.

The bodyguards trembled in surprise, but they nodded their heads and obeyed his orders.

This young and cold-hearted emperor might hang them with the count if they hesitated even a little with his given demands.

“You there.”

As they were about to leave, a voice as cold as ice called the bodyguard.

Is there something wrong? Did they do something that was not pleasing to the emperor?

One of the bodyguards, suddenly fell to his knees.

“Your Majesty, if I have done anything wrong…”

The red eyes narrowed as he looked down on him.

“One of you, go to the next village.”
“Are you talking about the village next to this?”

Bewilderedly asked by the bodyguard, who made an eye contact, then the emperor nodded his head briefly.

After thinking for a moment, the guards seemed to know what the emperor was trying to say.

“Report immediately who she meets, what she does, and who she smiles at.”
“……”
“And if there's anyone rude to Lucette…”

The sharp possessiveness flowed out without being honed.

“Put his head along with the report together.”
“…I receive your command.”

***

“Will Rev like this strawberry jam? I think he liked it the last time I picked strawberries!”

On the other hand, Luce, who was smiling brightly at the market, has no awareness of it.