The Tyrant Couldn’t Fall Asleep

The letter contained a brief message telling the duke to arrive tomorrow, and to prepare to meet him.

'I said it clearly. His Majesty the Duke will return soon.'

As proof, the Empress gave her permission to enter.

But what if you're not ready for the duke? Besides, what if he finds out that the Empress has used a separate room at will?

Surely the duke would be furious.

Whoever it is, he terribly hates it when someone oversteps his authority.

‘If her father, who she wants to be loved so much, gets angry, she will feel embarrassed.’

In that case, the Empress would not be able to touch her as the Duke's person.

* * *

Meanwhile, Izaya was scanning the ledger Melanie gave her.

‘There is nothing about things in the warehouse here, it’s a fake ledger.’

After a brief laugh, she sighed as she recalled Melanie's confident eyes.

'You're still arrogant. Then… I don’t know how you will be removed by Duke Lauchen in the future.’

Before her return, Melanie was removed by the Duke of Lauchen.

‘The superficial charge was embezzlement, but the real reason was very trivial and boring.’

She no longer wanted anyone to die at the hands of Duke Lauchen.

Even though she was disloyal, Melanie was her subordinate.

Soon Izaya stared at the ledger with cool eyes.

'Yeah, I wouldn't mind giving Melanie a chance either. Holding her discipline firmly.’

Izaya stared at the Imperial Palace.

Soon a soft smile appeared on her lips.

‘You must have fallen asleep by now.’

It was the first time they didn’t share a room, so she didn't seem to be able to sleep well.

However, there was a lot of work to be done, so Izaya drew the curtain for tomorrow.

‘Let’s force yourself to sleep.’

* * *

On an ambitious night, Ern's sword drew a flowing line in the moonlight.

Nearby, Hans was watching the scene, sleepless.

“Your Majesty, it is late.”

However, Ern was ignoring his servant's desperate pleas and was glaring at the empress's palace.

Soon enough, strength came into Ern's grip that was holding his sword.

Ern's sword drew a silvery trail and cut through the training dummy.

It was a quick movement that would not have been possible to follow with the naked eye if it were not for a swordsman with a decent level of skill.

However, in Hans' eyes, it just seemed like he was getting angry with the empress.

‘Ha, it’s a big deal if you get hurt because you can’t sleep like that.’

At that time, Hans came up with an idea in the shape of a slightly worn sword.

“Your Majesty, the blade seems to have been damaged. It looks like I'll have to leave the repairs to you, so stop practicing your swordsmanship and go to sleep."

Then Ern looked at his sword.

“If you learn the sword, it will be useful.”

This was what Izaya said when she presented him a practice sword as a gift, who pretended to take the swordsmanship class while neglecting practice.

Ern clenched his teeth tightly.

“Throw it away.”

Having said that, he immediately threw the sword nervously.

Clang!

Hans picked up the sword and bowed his head.

"Yes, then I'll dispose of it."

It was when Hans was about to throw away the sword in the place where other broken swords were.

Someone touched Hans' shoulder.

"I'm going to keep using it, so fix it."

Hans hid the pain and laughter at Ern's reversal of words.

‘It's killing me.’

At this rate, he will be staying up all night following the emperor.

He has to put that young tyrant to sleep somehow.

How can he put the emperor to sleep?

When Hans was thinking.

"What? You fought with your wife because of the night shift?"

"Yeah, she got angry while waiting without sleeping... I don't know what to do with this.”

Hans frowned when the conversation of the tactless knights sounded over the wall.

‘How come such a conversation happened in the midst of the emperor's confusion over marital relationships.’

As Hans approached them, Ern stopped him.

“Do not interfere.”

Hans sighed and strengthened his mind.

‘Hans, you are the emperor’s closest aide, the chief of the staff. At any rate, if the emperor is angry, you must risk your life to stop him.’

The emperor and him quietly listened to the knights' conversations.

"Even if I asked to tell me the reason, he only got angry. I'm frustrated that I don't know the reason.”

“Didn't your wife say she's been waiting for a while? It’s because she couldn’t sleep without you.”

"Is it something like that?"

“In that case, you should go home with flowers on your way home from work. I think she'll feel better.”

"Really? Then, how much flowers do I need?"”

"Have you never given flowers?"

“It’s embarrassing, but I didn’t know it well because it was all done by servants. Tell me.”

"The more, the better. Of course, it feels good to receive one or two flowers, but the more flowers there are, the prettier they are."

"Is that true?"

To someone who suddenly intervened in the conversation, the knights were surprised and identified the person. Soon they became contemplative.

"Your Majesty the Emperor."

"What brings you here…?”

He said with a slight frown on his forehead.

"Answer first."

"Yes, yes! I'm sure my wife said that herself!"

The corners of Ern's mouth slightly went up in response to the article.

"Okay, thank you.”

Soon Ern turned to Hans and said.

"Give them an award."

‘Award? No way...’

Only then could Hans understand the emperor's heart.

‘So, you weren't angry because you fought with her, but because you didn't know how to make it up, so you wielded a sword out of frustration?’

Maybe Hans won't have to stay up all night today.

In anticipation, Hans quickly opened his mouth.

"I'm receiving your order. And I'll try to get flowers as soon as possible…”

"I'll get it myself.”

"What? What are you talking about…?”

However, the emperor had already disappeared from his sight.

‘You’ve never given flowers to someone before… What do you mean you're going to get it yourself?’

Hans was caught up in an ominous hunch.

‘It'll be okay, right?’

But he didn't know the whole time. That his worries will become a reality.

* * *

The hidden part of the royal palace garden,

Someone piled up a lot of roses and looked at them with a proud face.

‘At this rate, she’ll be able to relieve her anger, right?’

Ern stared at the empress' palace, to be exact, at the room that Izaya used today.

But soon he had no choice but to open his eyes wide in shock.

‘The lights went out?’

Less than a day has passed since they used separate rooms.

How can you sleep after turning off the light?

“Didn't your wife say she's been waiting for a while? It’s because she couldn’t sleep without you.”

Recalling what the knight said earlier, Ern clenched his fist tightly.

"I'll always be with your Majesty."

He took it for granted because he believed it. Izaya would always be with him.

However, the sight of the Empress Palace, where the lights were turned off, said otherwise.

That she really didn't mind using her own room.

A sense of betrayal came like a tsunami.

"Liar."

Ern, who was muttering quietly, soon turned his back and tried to head to the Imperial Palace.

However, he rarely stepped down.

* * *

A shabby building near the institution during the late hours.

As the black-haired man entered the building, those waiting all bowed their heads.

"Welcome, Sir."

"There must be something you have to report to me first.”

The man kneeling in front of him took the paper out of his arms and handed it over.

"Viscount Ailevier, who went on a search for Mount Garten in the north, telegraphed that he saw someone similar to him."

"Are you sure this time?"

The man shut up at the question. This is because the Duke has been in vain in the East due to similar reports.

"I can't believe you can't find it… Are there only incompetent people under me?”

It was a time when everyone was wary. Someone opened the door and came in.

"Duke, this..."

Soon after, a faint anger arose in the blue eyes of the man who was reading the letter.

"Is this all true?"

When he handed a letter to a man in a guard uniform, he looked through the letter and nodded.

"Yes, as the letter says, the emperor and the empress are separated."

He was half in doubt, but it's true!

"What's the reason?"

"I don't know the details either. However, Her Majesty suddenly moved to another place."

Upon hearing that, the man crumpled the letter with a brutal expression and recited someone's name.

“Izaya, you idiot-!”

Soon he turned his back.

"I'm going to the imperial palace as scheduled."

Originally, permission was needed to enter the royal family's private residence, but since he gave his daughter a word in advance, there will be no problem in entering.

* * *

Izaya slowly opened her eyes with the warm light tickling her face.

"It's morning."

In the unfamiliar scenery and the empty side, Izaya felt empty inside her heart.

‘You probably slept well, right?’

It will be. Even before returning, Ern did well pretending not to see her even if she was around.

Izaya looked in the mirror and smiled bitterly.

"The problem is me."

She saw Ern crying in her dream.

“Izaya, please…don’t die!"

Even though she knew he could never say that, the way he cried kept lingering.

Soon Izaya shook her head roughly.

"This is not the time."