The shrill sound of a rooster crowing signaled a new day. The servants stirred from their sleep and woke up, stretching their limbs taut as they prepared for another day of work.

The Palace was still in the midst of a quiet morning. I was still too deep in my slumber that I could see my dreams quite clearly.

I was in a dark room, a small space where reds could be seen everywhere you looked, entirely different from the emperor's chambers.

My heart was thrumming a little too wildly. Confused and bewildered, I stared at the emperor who had his back facing me with a long sword clenched in one hand, noting that he wasn't holding onto Lotuboru.

The sword's handle looked like the current ones used by the royal guards. I heard the emperor speak in a low and husky voice. "Yes, I broke it with my own hands. There's no need for it anymore."

Who was he talking to?

And then I realized I was lying flat on my back, looking up at the emperor with my hands clasped tightly to my chest. A dull, reverberating pain stirred in my chest before it crawled to my neck, making it so difficult to breathe.

I tried to grasp for air but something thick and hot blocked my airways, suffocating me and I saw red liquid drowning the floor beneath me. My throat was still searing hot, but my chest gradually simmered down.

Suddenly, I heard a woman's voice coming from the opposite side of the emperor. "Why did you do this...?!" There was a slight pitch in her voice.

It sounded unfamiliar, but I somehow knew who that voice belonged to. It was the female lead! I had never met her before but my instinct told me that it's hers. I am sure of it.

I am at the part where the two main characters had made quite a strong first impression.

At the banquet held for the talks regarding the Lucretian Conquest War, the female lead picked up the pocket watch the emperor had dropped. She had several fateful encounters with the emperor, and they instantly felt some kind of attraction towards each other.

Female lead was worried about the watch, so she followed her father to the Palace to return it to its rightful owner. When she got there, however, she was shocked to see Ridrian standing upright with a sword in his hand, and a doll lying on the floor.

The righteous and ever so elegant female lead was appalled at the sight of Ridrian. She took a step back, her face pale as she slowly distanced herself away from the emperor.

As I watched the two of them, blood started to fill my throat and choked me once again. My chest felt so full and stuffy it seemed like blood would come seeping out of my skin soon.

My eyesight then started to get blurry, mist filled my vision, and I couldn't see the female lead's face clearly as she stood in front of the door. All I could see was the vague silhouette of her clasping her mouth tightly.

Wait, this is where their relationship began! I need to see how it unfolds! I was so enthralled that I didn't mind that I was still coughing blood. It's funny how my attention was still rapt on the two despite being on the verge of death. I needed to see them even if it's just for a short time.

I tried to keep my eyes open but to no avail. My eyes felt heavy and it's true when they say that no one, not even the strongest man alive, are exempted to the pull of death.

Right after my eyelids fluttered close, I heard the emperor's voice. "Just be my doll."

***

"Time to wake up!" A loud, thunderous voice invaded my ears and my eyes flew open. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and slowly took in my surroundings. It seems like I had that dream again.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Before I could dwell on the dream further, the emperor's raspy voice distracted me from my thoughts. "What?" He grumbled, responding to the voice I just heard.

The emperor had his arm draped over me, eyebrows furrowed, and he was still half asleep. Seeing his devilishly handsome features up close took my breath away, absolutely breathtaking as I scanned his face. Without warning, his arm shot out as he threw a pillow in the direction where the sound had come from. "Argh!"

I flinched at the unexpected movement. Did he just throw a duck down pillow?

"Who dares enter my room?" The emperor ruffled his hair in irritation.

The person who was unfortunately at the receiving end of the emperor's anger was Ivan, the chancellor, who comes to his bedroom quite frequently. The pillow was thrown with such force that Ivan's face instantly turned red.

When I read the book, I initially perceived the chancellor as someone who is wise and full of wisdom. But in reality, he was anything but. Chancellor Ivan Rem Deluke acted more like a drama queen.

Ivan tied his dark brown hair back, expressing his irritation at the harsh treatment the emperor had given him. "Today is the day you should be moving to the central temple. But I feel like you'd rather sleep in until the sun rises the next day, leaving me alone just like last year!"

The emperor heard so many military tales from the chancellor, who always made it appear like he was the one and only victim of the tyranny when he clearly deserved everything he was dealt with. He had no one to blame but himself.

"Isn't it clear that I never wanted to go there?" The emperor snapped angrily.

I wonder what the emperor of a great empire would do now, with the chancellor cornering him in his own room. I subtly shook my head and when I turned to look at him, I saw that he was already looking at me.