episode_0061

After the opera ended.

Theodora speaks in a heartfelt tone.

“Don’t you think the main soprano is really pretty?”

I nod my head at those words.

I don’t know anything about art, but in the culture here, it is said that nobles should have a deep understanding of art to be cultured.

“Plus, the story was unique and really good. In particular, the way he rejects the main tenor’s sad love is so beautiful.”

A red-haired soprano.

Looking at it objectively, I’m sure I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s beautiful…

Theodora next to me is said to be the most beautiful in the empire.

I grab the arm of the woman who was chattering next to me and pull her towards me.

“Uh…?”

And then a carriage passes by where she was.

“It’s good to feel good, but take care.”

She nods slightly at my words and says as she holds my arm.

“Couples link arms, it’s natural, right?”

As she says, all the couples around us are linking their arms.

As if it was all salty.

“Maybe so?”

So we linked arms and enjoyed Roman’s night a little more.

I ask this question as I watch the family playing around.

“How about actually seeing the night market?”

“It’s so colorful and fun.”

I think about Theodora, who is smiling brightly and looking happy at my words.

It’s a good thing we came out together today.

***

So the two of us returned to the imperial palace.

When I come back…

I climbed over the wall first so as not to be noticed by the guards, and brought Theodora with me, having secretly prepared a ladder from Gardner’s warehouse.

When I and Agrippa go together, they both have the ability to climb over the walls of the imperial palace, but Theodora does not.

Of course, the servants were scared when they saw me and Theodora wearing shabby clothes in the imperial palace, but there was nothing they could do.

Sometimes you have to rest like this. With that in mind, I say to Theodora:

“Would you like to have a drink today?”

Theodora blushes slightly at my words and nods slightly.

Why are your cheeks blushing? I just want to get drunk.

I just want to get drunk from the pressure and stress I’ve been feeling lately.

When he asked the servant in the imperial palace to bring him some suitable wine and brandy, the servant immediately came back with two bottles of alcohol.

Theodora ordered a local wine, and I…

“Brandy… isn’t it too strong?”

He frowns when he looks at the brandy I ordered.

“Leave it alone. I want to drink some today.”

I don’t usually drink to excess, but I want to get a little drunk today.

“Now, this is a wine from the La Muët region.”

Show the label on the bottle to Theodora.

-Bong!

The servant opens the wine in a familiar manner and pours it for Theodora.

He then takes out a gorgeous crystal bottle filled with golden liquid and shows me the label.

I don’t usually like brandy, so I don’t know much about it, but I thought it would be just about right, so I nodded and skillfully opened the bottle and filled my glass.

“Ta-da!”

I stack my glass on top of the wine glass that Theodora holds out.

-Ting~

Clear glass collides with each other and the sound resonates in the glass.

And as I pour the brandy into my mouth, I enjoy the hot sensation that comes from my esophagus.

Jinhang oak tree scent and alcohol scent.

And enjoy the faint taste of fruit.

As I was about to pour another drink, Theodora sat across from me and gently grabbed the bottle and spoke.

“Drink it slowly… It’s very strong.”

“I want to drink a little today.”

If not today, when will I relieve my frustration?

Did you know my sincerity? Theodora asks worriedly.

“What’s going on with you these days?”

I shake my head and say that.

“No… I just want to get drunk.”

I think the guilt will go away a little when I get drunk.

At least now I want to be free from this heavy guilt.

“Then I will follow you.”

Saying that, I pour alcohol into my glass.

I think as I watch Theodora filling her glass.

“Haha… It’s quite luxurious.”

I had no idea that such a beautiful emperor would have the luxury of personally pouring me a drink.

-Small…

I never thought that I, who was ordinary in my previous life, would have this great luxury.

I think so, but my mouth feels bitter, so I pour the alcohol into my mouth.

“Are you really okay? This… I heard it’s over 40 degrees…”

As she says that, Theodora looks at the label on the bottle, opens her eyes wide, and shouts.

“7… 70 degrees? Are you really okay?”

I wave my hand and say that.

“It’s okay, but it tastes better than I thought.”

It’s really delicious.

Maybe it’s because I feel hazy… or maybe I’m drunk.

When she naturally tried to hold the bottle, Theodora shook her head, hugging the bottle tightly in her arms as if she couldn’t do it.

“Drink slowly! And then you die!”

I shake my head and say that.

“There’s no way you could die from something like this, right? It’s okay, so give me more.”

Theodora sighs at my words.

“Ugh… So, are you just having one more drink?”

When I nodded lightly and slowly poured it out, I quickly poured it into my mouth.

Brandy’s unique, strong alcoholic scent.

At first I felt repulsed because it was too thick, but now what can I say?

Should I say it feels a little sweet?

Gradually, my head feels heavy.

“You… are you really okay?”

Theodora looks at me with worried eyes.

I feel a strange experience, as if time around me has stopped.

Is it because I’m drunk? My mind goes blank.

and…

In a deep, unknown sadness…

“Huh? Are you crying?”

I feel embarrassed by the tears flowing without my knowledge.

I hastily wipe my eyes at Theodora’s words.

“No, I’m not crying.”

At my words, Theodora grabs my face and makes eye contact with me.

“What’s really going on with you? Is that so?”

At those words, I escape from Theodora’s hand and speak hurriedly.

“No… nothing.”

Saying that, he pours the liquor from the bottle on the table into a glass.

So the number of drinks I poured became two, and before I knew it, it had become three.

Suddenly. When three glasses soon became four, she grabbed my arm with a trembling hand.

and…

hug me

“Why is it so difficult?”

I speak in a weak voice.

“It’s just… everything is difficult.”

Is it because I’m drunk?

It was obvious that she was looking for my weaknesses, but without realizing it, I showed myself to be weak.

It should stop now.

I try to somehow suppress my broken heart and calm my tears, but once the tears start flowing, they don’t easily stop, so I close my eyes.

Ah… really… it’s the main strategy.

I calm down to stop crying.

How much time has passed?

When I feel my body calming down, I open my eyes.

Theodora looks at me with a vague expression.

The red eyes that were usually arrogant and cold feel different at this moment.

Are you a little drunk?

“Are you okay?”

I nod my head at those words.

-Pisik.

War.

Obviously, I was the one who started the war.

A theme that drove innocent people who live hard every day into the whirlpool of war.

I can’t believe you’re dragging your feet.

I can’t believe that the anti-emperor nobles who swore allegiance started a war under the pretext of violating the contract they had sworn to our family for generations.

But… how many people died because of it?

Those who have been taken out as the pillar of the family.

I uprooted their beloved father and the reliable pillar that protected them.

And what’s even more terrible is… there will be more and more people selected in the future.

-Pat… Pat…

Her hand patting my back.

But now, at this moment, the touch isn’t that bad.

“The people who died in the war… their families… they all… will blame me, right?”

I can feel Theodora shaking at my self-deprecating tone.

“No. That’s not true.”

I say, interrupting Theodora.

“No, the people who died because of me and my family will all wish for my death? He is a crazy archduke who killed his father and his family by sending them to war…”

He continues calmly in a self-mocking voice.

“Maybe everyone wants me dead. Ioanes, the people of the empire… and you too.”

I die, and Theodora completely reigns as emperor.

I am sure that there are more than half of this empire who wish for that.

“No, absolutely not.”

He firmly interrupts Theodora, who is shaking her head in disapproval, and answers with certainty.

“No. I know.”

This woman who pretends to care for me now may eventually want to kill me.

But why?

I think that if I’m going to die, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to die in her arms.

Because she is so damn beautiful.

Her beauty is so dangerous that sometimes I forget that she wants to take my life.

It would be a noble thing to die in her arms.

And somehow, at this moment, I am not afraid of death.

No, I feel comfortable.

It might be better to die and rest in peace rather than struggling to live each day.

Theodora comforts me, whether she knows my heart or not.

“They ask how much you have done for the Empire…”

He says, cutting her off.

“No. are you okay. It’s okay if everyone thinks that way.”

She flinches at my words.

“I didn’t start this to be recognized by others anyway, right?”

In the original, Valorant dies and Devian dies as well.

The easiest way to change the ending is to flee to the United Kingdom.

If I had run away to the United Kingdom without worrying about Octavia, Mary, or Agrippa, I probably wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.

After all, Valorant is only interested in my death.

If I run away to the United Kingdom on my own, he will think there is nothing he can do.

Valorant, who succeeded in his treason, will also be busy trying to sort things out, so the only way I can do it would be to send an assassin.

Even if I had moved to the New World and lived in peace with the personal property that my mother left me, it would have been less difficult than it is now.

And if I give up my right to inheritance, Valorant won’t bother to assassinate me in the New World.

Whether it’s the demon lord or the warrior, whether they fight among themselves or not…

If I had just left it alone, I wouldn’t have had a hard time.

“Debian…”

But I couldn’t do that.

My lovely family and friends.

And because more people were going to die, we did not choose the easy path.

-Become a grand duke someday and rule mercifully.

-Take warm care for the vulnerable people.

mother.

Why did you make me carry such a big burden?

It seems like the pressure that had been building up throughout my life exploded.

Valorant’s abuse since childhood.

The first time I was imprisoned in a watchtower.

To survive, I studied and trained all night long at the military academy.

The sadness I’ve been receiving so far is bound to explode.

As I slowly came back to my senses, I realized how despicable my actions were.

Theodora hugging me.

Her arms… are so warm.

It feels so warm that it melts away my sadness.

-Pat… Pat…

Theodora pulls me away from her arms and looks down at me with sad eyes.

“It was very difficult. I pretend to be strong in front of others… but my heart is so soft.”

I felt deep shame at those words and escaped from her embrace.

“Keuhum… I behaved in a disgraceful manner. I need to stop drinking today.”

I can’t believe I behave like this.

And that too in front of a woman who is taking advantage of my shortcomings.

“I’ll wash first.”

I head to the bathroom, avoiding Theodora who is looking at me and trying to say something.