episode_0131

A chill filled the locker room.

There was a boiler room right next to it, and the bathtub was filled with hot water, but the air flowing between the two was as cold as ice.

“…Why are you doing this, Siriel? Staring at me so scary.”

Victor looked away and muttered.

Although Siriel did not use any mana and did not radiate breathtaking death, Viktor felt a heavy intimidation from Siriel.

It has to be that way,

Viktor’s soft body would be reduced to mush with just a light swing of Siriel’s hand.

So, Victor’s behavior was natural. Stuttering and shrunken shoulders due to genuine fear. The trivial act of avoiding eye contact made Viktor look like a cowardly boy.

But it doesn’t work on Siriel.

“I tried my best to pretend not to see it, but I just can’t get over the shameless act of deceiving my brother.”

“…”

“So, stop acting like this right now. Because I feel like I’m going to get angry and turn away.”

“…If it’s acting, you mean pretending to faint?”

Victor checked carefully.

“Sorry for pretending to faint. I wasn’t trying to deceive you on purpose, but being treated like a piece of luggage and being treated roughly is not something that hurts my pride…”

“It’s so shameless that I’m losing steam.”

Siriel stood awkwardly and crossed her arms. I don’t know if he really doesn’t know, or if he’s holding on to it until the end, but the answer Siriel wanted didn’t come out of Viktor’s mouth.

Or do you really think you can fake it all the way? Feeling really annoyed, Siriel decided to pick it up outright.

“Why are you pretending to be a man?”

Siriel bent down and looked Viktor in the eyes. Then he reached out and stroked her crotch. Soft yet firm texture.

‘I was so proud that I put it in a bigger size.’

Sigh!

Siriel tightened her grip. But it was just as she expected. There was no sign of pain on Victor’s face.

“…..How on earth did you find out?”

Victor asked in a calm voice. She looked quite resolute for someone whose long-held secret was discovered. It seemed like they were trying to figure out why the secret was revealed.

Siriel didn’t like that and snorted.

“Are you treating me like a fool now? Even if you look at me, you look like a woman.”

“…What?”

Victor, startled, stood up. Then I looked around for a mirror, and fortunately, she was in the dressing room.

She quickly found a mirror and was able to find a handsome young man in it who could not be considered a woman.

‘The magic is working properly…’

Victor checked each and every piece of equipment on his body.

Earrings, tie pins, necklaces, brooches, rings, etc. I checked every single piece of magic equipment that had hidden her gender, but there was nothing wrong with it.

“It looks like they are checking for magic.”

Siriel stared at that figure with narrowed eyes. Perhaps because he had pinpointed a secret that he thought would not be discovered, Victor’s touch began to become more urgent.

“But how do I do this? It looks like the magic you used doesn’t work on me.”

“I’ve known since when.”

“Well? Was it an entrance ceremony? I saw you after a long time. It just looked like a woman. Of course, before then, I always looked like a man. I guess my eyes opened as I grew up.”

“…Have you ever told anyone else?”

Viktor glared at Siriel and asked harshly. However, Siriel was not a great person who would pretend to be intimidated by gazes that were not scary. She shrugged her shoulders and responded with a pitiful look.

“Why is it a secret that shouldn’t be revealed? Well, I guess they’re hiding it because it’s a secret that shouldn’t be discovered.”

“Answer quickly.”

“What benefit would I have by revealing that you are a woman?”

“Then… why did you pretend not to know until now? Why now in the first place…”

“I told you, right? Did you really forget it?”

Siriel snorted, showing cold anger. Then he stretched out his finger and pointed it at Viktor’s chest.

“You are deceiving your brother. If your brother was covered in blood because of you because of your petty desires, at least you shouldn’t lie, right?”

Siriel recalled Siron, whom she had just met.

Although he was covered in blood, he spoke calmly as if it was not his blood. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried. The look of deep fatigue on her brother’s face was still burning Siriel’s sorrow.

“If you try to deceive my brother or something like that next time… I won’t stay quiet.”

Siriel, who spoke as if pouring out words, let out an excited breath. Now that I’ve said this, even a fool can understand.

Just like that, I was about to turn around to leave.

Victor began to squirm.

“What is it? Was that really the reason?”

“What…?”

A vein popped up in Siriel’s neck.

‘What did I hear?’

“Why is that really the only reason?”

“No, Siron is trying to use me too. So it’s okay.”

Viktor stared blankly at Siriel, who was completely angry. Normally, he would have handled it with caution, but since he knew why Siriel was angry, Viktor’s actions were extremely light.

“Don’t be so upset, Siriel.”

Viktor patted Siriel’s shoulder as if telling her not to worry.

“If you look at it, it’s being used by both parties, so there’s no need to judge whether the two are right or wrong. I’m happy to be the emperor, and Shiron is happy to have a strong supporter like the emperor. It wouldn’t be easy to find a more perfectly complementary relationship than this, right?”

“…”

Siriel glared at Viktor with wide eyes. There was a hint of mischief in his gentle eyes. It was as if they were treating Siriel as a child several levels below her… Siriel felt as if the blood in her head was rushing.

“And isn’t it to your benefit if I don’t reveal that I am a woman?”

“…?”

However, Siriel’s anger was lost in the words that followed.

“What do you mean?”

“Think carefully. Siron treats me like a man. From what I’ve been watching, it seems like the magic is still working, so to you, I’m a competitor you don’t need to worry about. Isn’t it better for you?”

“…Huh?”

Siriel was dumbfounded.

‘…is it?’

Although she thought it was a shameless statement in her head, Siriel’s heart accepted Viktor’s logic. Because he eliminated his competitors so easily… No, Victor wasn’t even a competitor in the first place.

“Siriel is acting like he’s grown up, but he’s still young.”

Viktor, looking at Siriel’s quivering lips, shook his head with a wide smile.

“But it’s okay. This girl understands everything. When another female falls for the man you love, your judgment may be a little clouded.”

“Uh… huh?”

“There’s nothing more to talk about, right? Since it doesn’t seem to be there, I’ll go out.”

Viktor patted Siriel’s shoulder and left the locker room. And she hurried to find Lucia.

Fortunately, it didn’t take any effort to find it. Near the front door. Lucia was tying her shoelaces, wondering if she was going out.

Did he sense Viktor’s presence? Lucia turned her head.

“What, weren’t you with Siriel?”

“Lucia. Can I ask you one favor?”

Victor leaned over and spoke softly. Lucia pulled back a little when her face suddenly appeared.

“What is it?”

“From now on, can you honestly answer the questions I ask?”

“…What is it?”

Lucia narrowed her eyes and stared at Victor. After seeing her simple reaction, Victor smiled brightly.

“Do you think I’m gay?”

“…Did you hurt your head? what’s the matter? Did Shiron keep saying he was gay and then beat him up?”

“Thank goodness. You don’t look gay.”

Victor smiled brightly and rubbed his chest. It was surprising that Siriel could see through magic, but as expected, Lucia thought of herself as a man.

“It’s bland.”

Lucia adjusted her sword sheath and stood up to chase Siron.

*

“Cardinal.”

Austin said softly.

“I didn’t particularly have a grudge against you. So please forgive me.”

“…”

There is no answer.

“Did it work?”

Boom – Austin threw Devialet aside. The limp, muscular giant rolled several times on the throne room floor.

It was heartbreaking to see someone he had no grudge against rolling on the floor in such a pitiful manner, but Austin didn’t have time to worry about such trivial feelings right now.

Hot joy filled my head, leaving no room for other emotions.

However, if it is a passionate joy, there must be a corresponding reason.

It was not because he had gained superpowers that seemed to transcend the limits of living things.

‘I feel like I was reborn.’

Tap-tap-tap-

Austin walked without a limp.

Austin felt like he had finally overcome the inescapable addiction that had plagued him for over 30 years, and wanted to run around the castle screaming vulgarly.

“But you shouldn’t do that. Because the emperor needs dignity befitting his throne.”

Austin muttered and sat down on the throne.

I really liked the view looking down. The white marble floor was soaked with red blood, but whatever.

“That’s right, father.”

“…”

“You can stay still. No, it would have been better for you to run away. Didn’t Arak and Zad die because of their father?”

“…”

Again, there was no answer. But this also doesn’t matter. He became an emperor who reigns over all people. Although he had neither Zad nor Arak, he had Borland, a loyal and capable servant.

All we have to do is prepare to engrave a great mark on history by bestowing good fortune on the continent in the future…

“Um…”

Austin rested his chin on his throne. I felt like I kept missing something and forgetting something. Even though I became the emperor I so desperately wanted and overcame my damned obstacles, I felt uneasy because the tingling sensation in the back of my head never went away.

“Ah…”

Austin’s gaze rested on his father leaning against the wall in the distance.

“I almost forgot this.”

Austin mumbled and stretched out his hand towards his limp father. Then the platinum crown that was placed on his head – whoosh! I was sucked in.

-chin!

Austin felt the feather-light weight of the imperial crown. It’s the same thing I used to playfully put on my head when I was young, but it’s so light…

“Tsk.”

Austin pushed his complicated emotions away. I was taught that an ideal emperor would not have a human mind. What you need to do now is to apply authority directly to your own head.

“Your Majesty, I will put it on you.”

“…Lord Boland.”

“Now, bow your head like this.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Austin bowed his head. His hand, holding the platinum crown, swept over his head.

“Thanks to you, I was able to come this far.”

“No. As fate would have it, His Majesty stood above all people.”

“I see… I guess so.”

Austin muttered, holding his head.

“But I can’t feel safe yet.”

“What is that?”

“Isn’t there a younger brother you haven’t killed yet? Historically, it has been proven that the root of a problem should be erased in advance.”

“…There are a lot of things to pay attention to.”

A muttering voice echoed through the throne room.

“And, someone is coming here.”

“…Who is this? Are you talking about Sir Hugo?”

“He probably isn’t. The sound of footsteps is light.”

“…Can you hear footsteps? I can’t hear.”

“Looks like we’ve already arrived.”

Austin stared straight ahead.

When did it come? There was a man at the end of the throne room. I stood crookedly with my arms crossed and made eye contact with the man who was glaring at me.

“It’s late.”

Siron glared at Austin, who was sitting on the throne.

“I should have just killed him instead of thinking about it.”