Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Marquis Sirka asked a serious question, Isilis fell into thought. A feeling of intimidation emanated from her as she sat cross-legged.

“What would you like me to do, Marquis?”

“There must be a successor.”

“Right. That should be from my blood, right?”

“Are you going to get married?”

“A national marriage…”

In fact, she was troubled by marriage.

She couldn’t live her whole life with a man she didn’t like. Nonetheless, the succession was necessary, and the heir had to be her own, her bloodline.

The Mage Empire, the Larchen Empire, placed great importance on the bloodline of the imperial family.

First of all, all people born with the blood of the imperial family are basically born with magical powers. The person born with the most powerful magical powers becomes the Empress, and the rest were located throughout the empire to support the Emperor.

That was why the people of the imperial family who protected the empire with magical powers were loved by the people of the empire. Where authenticity was recognized, that place was the palace.

However, there was a problem this time around. The imperial bloodline, Isilis, was the only one left.

Unlike the promiscuous other Empress, her mother only loved her father. When her father died on the battlefield, her mother did not remarry, she waited for her to grow, and when she had grown to a certain extent, she was able to wield her magical powers at will, she ran away.

Growing up under such a mother, Isilis had some fantasies about love. What was it about love that makes a strong person like her mother limp…?

She wondered about that. So, she wanted to marry her beloved. As the Empress herself, it was not certain whether that would be possible, though the thought was always the same. The national marriage was only with the person she loves.

“A child… huh…”

A child was needed… as the successor.

She needed someone to lead the country in her footsteps. But, she did not need a national marriage. She hated having someone she didn’t love stand next to her. She couldn’t share the power she had.

Her worries just deepened.

“I’m going on vacation.”

“What?”

The Marquis seemed surprised at her words. As she looked at his face, Isilis opened her mouth again, “I’m going on vacation.”

“Suddenly… At this time of the year?”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t marry someone she didn’t love. If so, there was only one way… Have a child.

“Where are you going?”

“If I told you, that’s not a vacation.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she performed space-moving magic.

“Your Majesty! Not now! The Emperor of the Hillenton Empire—!”

Even though Isilis heard Marquis Sirka’s shouts, she ignored it.

And now here, she was facing the wind on the other side of Etort Port. She liked the scent of the sea that contained the freshness.

When would she be able to take this leisurely time? As soon as she arrived at the port, she drank a reagent that changed the color of her eyes, hoping that it wouldn’t be an uncomfortable journey if any were to recognize her.

She could not use magic to change the color of her eyes in this country. It had been an unwritten rule from the beginning of this empire.

There was a barrier that prevented the founding emperor from using magic to change their appearance. Only reagents made by the imperial family could avoid the barrier.

Changing their appearance was unthinkable for the people of the Larchen Empire. In particular, since the color of the eyes and the color of the hair were no different from proof of bloodline, the people of the Empire were proud of their color.

Moreover, since the ultramarine blue eyes were a color that symbolized the royal family, the color itself revealed the status of the royal family in an instant and was also an object of reverence.

As soon as she drank the reagent, Isilis’ ultramarine eyes turned pale sky blue. The reagent only changed the color of her eyes, so her red hair did not change. She moved her steps, tucking her hair invisibly with her hood.

“It’s nice.”

It was a lively place. The loud noise was pleasing to her.

The imperial palace, where she was born and raised, was so barren. The servants and maids were the ones who walked around without making a sound of footsteps.

What about those subjects…? In Isilis’s mind, who remembered them, the images of the nobles attacking with knives in their mouths flashed past. It was a contrast to the innocence that was seen there.

‘Still, the thing is that they are also my people.’

Summarizing the annoying nobles in one word, she chose to show pity to them. She could forgive anything unless it was not threatening her position. In a country where the magic of the royal family was the basis, there was no way for them to surpass Isillis’ position.

“That’s why I endured…”

The story of succession had gone too far. Were they discussing succession where the Predecessor Empress was still alive? She couldn’t stand it. She wondered whom she was going to put next to her. But there was only one answer.

‘I cannot forgive anyone who threatens my position. So, I’ll have a child… without a father.’

A beautiful city…

She was thinking of having a child in this port city. Find a suitable man and return with a child. That was her plan.

One month. The time given was only one month. Exactly one month later, the Larchen Empire was due to have important diplomatic negotiations. She had to meet the emperor of the neighboring country who was aiming for her country.

If she didn’t have to go out there, Isillis could have stepped back into the countryside as an excuse, yet she had to arrive at that meeting at that time.

‘I don’t have much time. Where should I go?’

Isilis stood up as she watched the sea spewing white splashes before her eyes. At that moment, her body was shaken by the strong sea breeze blowing.

“Pfft…”

“Watch out!”

Feeling the strength of hands that wrapped around her waist and pulled her back, Isilis undid the magic that was about to unfold and gazed back at the strong arms.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, thank you.”

The sun was so bright that the man’s face could not be seen properly.

She blinked her eyes, trying to find her sight. Because of that, tears welled up in her eyes, stimulated by the sunlight. The tears that fell down the white face were visible, and the tears that hung on the corners of the sky blue eyes were pitiful.

“Did you cry?”

The man wiped her eyes with his thumb as he straightened Isilis. Her body trembled as the callused hands brushed her face. It was the first time someone’s hand touched her face other than when the maids were dressing her up.

She stared blankly at the man, and then the man’s face was caught in her eyes.

A strong mouth with a sharp nose above the sharp jawline. The eyes with a greenish color inside the fierce eyes. Jet black hair that didn’t match the color of his eyes.

Isilis couldn’t say anything to the man’s gaze, who was looking at her with intense eyes.

“Why did you cry?”

‘Cry? Who? Ah… me?’

When he asked why she was crying, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Was she crying? The man’s words had almost brought laughter to her as she looked at the tears that fell, dazzled by the sunlight.

Unable to catch her smiling face because she had bowed down, the man held out his handkerchief in front of her.

“Here.”

Holding back her laughter, her white hand gracefully stretched out. However, as she was about to grab the handkerchief, the man’s hand strongly grabbed Isilis’s hand.

At that, Isilis was startled again.

‘How dare…’

No one could hold her hand.

It was the first time she had had this kind of contact, so she was quite flustered. However, the man smiled faintly at what he thought was her startled reaction. It was a short smile, but strangely, his smile remained in her eyes like an afterimage.

It was a strange feeling.

‘A sharp impression, but a warm smile… And this hand…’

The warmth of the touch on Isilis’s hand left a special sensation. It was the same feeling she had while her father was alive.

“Ah…”

The man’s hand gave her a longing.

“…Don’t be afraid.”

“No.”

It couldn’t be. Who could scare her, the Empress of the Larchen Empire…? Since childhood, she had traveled the battlefield with her mother, who had now become the predecessor Empress, she had no fear.

[ Look straight. Those are not people, they are things that threaten your Empire. So, don’t be afraid. ]

When she first committed murder on the battlefield, it was the words of the predecessor Emperor to her as she looked down at her blood-soaked hands. Fear? It was a luxury for the Empress. So, Isilis secretly suppressed her fear.

Whenever she had a scary thought, she remembered the comfort the predecessor Emperor gave her as he held her hand. It reminded her of that hand again. The warm, large hand gripped hers tightly again.

“That’s a relief.”

At the man’s low voice, Isilis raised her gaze and glanced at the man. The man’s smile caused a ripple in her heart.

Somehow, she wanted to keep seeing it.

‘Hold on… what am I thinking now…’

At that sudden thought, she shook her head.

“What’s the story?”

She tilted her head at the man’s question.

A story… There was no such thing. She was just annoyed by her subject’s words telling her to prepare for a national wedding for the sake of the succession.

‘Though I can’t tell him the truth…’

Isilis was thankful that he came to her and saved her, but the man who asked her about her story was only strange, from everyone’s perspective.

‘Is it normal to show kindness like this?’

For a moment, she wondered if the man was a trickster. However, she quickly erased that thought. She was sharp enough that her eyes were not unusual to determine tricksters. His mouth drew an arc, but his eyes were cold.

Isilis felt a sense of unity in the man’s appearance that had the same feeling of a ruler as herself. So, she became curious about the man.

‘Is it because it’s a vacation…’

She didn’t know it felt this good that she didn’t have to sharpen her blade at anyone. She had a strange feeling when she only dealt with servants who were always trying to push her down, though she was faced with someone who looked at her equally.

Who could meet her eyes with her, the Empress of the empire…?

Even Sirka, her own counselor, when he spoke his words to her, he always cast his gaze away. The position of the Empress of the empire was such a place. She couldn’t even make eye contact with anyone.

A place that deserves only awe. So, that was why. She wanted to say something to this man in front of her right now.

Isilis opened her mouth, gazing with great interest at the one who showed her kindness, who dared to look at herself equally.

“I ran away!”

“Ran away?”

The man grimaced immediately.

‘What does it matter that I ran away…’

“From where?”

Isilis immediately responded to the man’s words.

“From home?”

The Imperial Palace was her home. Then, what made it so funny? It was her home, yet she couldn’t rest comfortably. Was this the fate of the imperial family…?

It was she who could not hide the smirk coming out of her. The man who looked at her as she smiled coldly opened his mouth again.

“Why, did they tell you to get married at home?”

“How did you know?”

“So am I.”