Chapter 2: Decision

The headline was bold and unmistakable.

The Emperor Has Died.

At first, I couldn’t comprehend it.

‘Dead? The Emperor?’

He was perfectly healthy just a short while ago.

I tried to make sense of it, but no matter how I turned it over in my head, it didn’t add up.

I jumped to my feet and grabbed my coat.

I needed to check another newspaper.

Click.

Before opening the door, I turned to look at Yulia, who was still fast asleep.

And in that moment, a realization struck me like lightning.

‘…Wait.’

My mind instantly cooled.

The treasonous words of the Commander of the Imperial Guard.

The Emperor suddenly asking me to take Yulia on a trip.

I connected the two dots.

I closed the door I’d just opened and locked it again.

Then, I grabbed the newspaper I’d tossed onto the couch and roughly unfolded it.

– On September 2nd, 1720, the Hessenia Palace officially announced the passing of Emperor Marcus IV (56).

The cause of death was cited as natural, following lingering complications from the war.

They claim he passed peacefully, without pain…

The Emperor’s will was also released.

The next Emperor would be his firstborn and crown prince, Joshua Hessenia Stella, with all authority transferring immediately.

The decree took effect the moment of Marcus’s death, and the new Emperor began governing the same day.

He was crowned the next day in Saint Marcea Grand Cathedral…

It didn’t read like a lie.

If this were a false report and the Emperor were still alive, the newspaper wouldn’t be standing.

I glanced out the window.

Everyone, young and old, had a newspaper in hand.

A newsboy was yelling out headlines, lips forming the words “The Emperor is dead!”

Papers were selling like wildfire.

“Natural causes following war injuries.”

It was the perfect phrase to describe the death of a man wounded in war.

If I hadn’t seen the Emperor with my own eyes, I might’ve believed it completely.

‘But I had seen him.’

‘Right?’

‘There’s no way that strong man died suddenly.’

‘The Emperor, who always took rare tonics and was surrounded by court physicians?’

‘I don’t buy it.’

‘It wasn’t natural causes.’

‘And it definitely wasn’t suicide.’

‘He loved his daughter. The kind of father who’d smile even if she poked him in the eye.’

‘No way he’d leave a daughter like that behind.’

‘It wasn’t natural.’

‘It wasn’t suicide.’

I had no choice but to admit it.

‘Murder.‘

‘The Emperor was killed.’

That was the only explanation.

‘He was gone.’

‘He no longer existed in this world.’

‘A strange emptiness filled my chest.’

‘It had only been six months, but my memories with the Emperor hadn’t vanished.’

I scratched my head and kept thinking.

‘I don’t want to believe it either, but the timing… it’s too perfect.’

I looked back down at the newspaper.

The Crown Prince had taken the throne the very same day the Emperor died, like he’d been waiting for it.

Everything lined up too neatly.

Then there was the Commander’s strange statement.

“Swear loyalty not to the Emperor, but to the Empire.”

Which basically meant he wasn’t loyal to Marcus anymore.

Looking back now, it sounded like a declaration of rebellion.

Especially coming from the Imperial Guard—those elite soldiers assigned to protect the Emperor.

If they decided to kill him, no one could stop them.

‘Why now, of all times, did he entrust his daughter to me?’

‘It must’ve meant—’

‘He knew.’

‘When I told him what the Guard Commander had said, he simply replied, “I see,” and granted me leave.’

‘That wasn’t the face of a man unaware.’

‘It was the expression of someone who had accepted his fate.’

‘He knew death was near.’

‘And he wanted to leave his daughter in safe hands before it came.’

That was as far as I got before—

“Damn it.”

I couldn’t hold back the curse.

I pulled out a cigarette, then put it away when I saw Yulia.

Everything was completely tangled.

***

Yulia Hessenia Stella.

The most noble girl in the entire Empire was now with me.

Her existence alone was a threat.

She was the only daughter among the three children of Emperor Marcus.

There was endless political value in her.

The Emperor must’ve known.

That as long as he lived, he could protect her.

But once he was gone, he couldn’t.

So he found someone he trusted.

That someone was me.

Just like that, I became the guardian of a ten-year-old girl.

Not just any girl—the last Emperor’s only daughter.

‘There’s no way Joshua will let this slide…’

I’d seen the Crown Prince a few times while on duty with the Imperial Guard.

Joshua was crude and greedy.

Even during national events, he always had prostitutes at his side.

He already had twenty confirmed illegitimate children.

And yet his ambition was insatiable.

‘If I had to guess what he’d do first as Emperor…’

‘The easiest way for someone in power to gain more power is through political marriage.’

‘He was already married to a noblewoman. So the next logical step was to marry off other royal family members.’

‘The second prince was a threat.’

‘Joshua, as the firstborn, had no sons. If he died, the second prince would inherit the throne.’

‘So eliminating the second prince would be wise.’

‘That left…’

‘Shit.’

Yulia.

‘If Joshua really was behind the Emperor’s death, then he’d be desperate for Yulia.’

‘She was a woman, which made her “safe.”‘

‘But she was also a golden fruit—an opportunity he couldn’t ignore.’

‘She was like a holy grail without poison.’

‘No risk, huge reward.’

‘To Joshua, she was an absolute must-have.’

‘He was probably mobilizing the Imperial Guard right now to find her.’

‘If I get caught, I’m dead.’

As someone in the Guard, I knew this well.

The Guard kills anything that goes against the Empire.

I’ve killed for them too.

‘In Joshua’s eyes, I’m a thief who kidnapped a princess.’

‘If the Guard catches me, I’m a dead man.’

‘…But what if I return her?’

‘What if I flipped it?’

‘Before the Guard finds me, I go to Emperor Joshua myself and explain.’

‘That Marcus tricked me.’

‘That I had no choice but to take the princess.’

‘That I’m sorry—and I swear my loyalty to him.’

‘That might be my only shot at survival.’

‘If I appear openly, too many eyes would see. He wouldn’t be able to kill me outright.’

‘Yes, that might work.’

‘I’ll pretend I had nothing to do with it.’

‘That I was forced into this.’

‘That I’m innocent…’

***

“Daddy…”

As I buried my face in my hands, I heard a murmur.

Yulia was still peacefully asleep.

‘Was she dreaming a happy dream?’

A faint smile lingered on her lips.

Sunlight streamed through the open curtain, lighting up her face.

She looked just like an angel.

That smile… it suited the word perfectly.

Something stirred in me.

Just moments ago, I’d been trembling in fear, sure the Guard would storm in at any moment.

But now, watching that peaceful smile, I felt calm—as if my heart had become a still lake.

She was an incredible girl.

How could just a smile change someone’s entire mood?

Then, suddenly, a strange feeling of resignation washed over me.

I was once abused, ran away, became a mercenary.

Then a nobleman taught me magic.

I joined the Guard to survive.

Now here I am.

Not great, not terrible—just… average.

But for a 25-year-old, my life has been pretty damn eventful.

And now, I had a new title to add:

“The loyal Guard entrusted with the youngest princess by the late Emperor.”

Thinking that far…

Suddenly, nothing else mattered.

Not the Commander.

Not Emperor Joshua.

Not the dangerous future.

I just didn’t care anymore.

‘Let it all come.’

The first thing I did once I snapped out of it was relocate.

I carried the still-sleeping Yulia on my back and slipped out unnoticed.

‘They were probably already tracking me.’

‘No—definitely tracking me by now.’

I planned to throw them off by scrambling my movements.

I stopped by a clothing shop and bought a fedora and a long coat.

That would at least help me stay under the radar.

I got Yulia a new outfit too.

Just a plain, modest dress.

Once we were changed, I found us a new place to stay.

It was on the outskirts of the city.

Not the safest neighborhood, but a good place to hide.

“Mm…”

I laid Yulia on the bed.

She was still hugging her stuffed animal tightly.

“…What is this?”

While idly running my fingers through my hair, my eyes landed on a doll.

Its back was oddly protruding.

Carefully, I took the doll and examined the leather on its back.

There was a zipper.

I unzipped it.

Inside was a letter—and a ring.

I checked the letter first.

It couldn’t have been written by Yulia.

The seal on the envelope belonged to the Emperor.

After tucking the teddy bear back into Yulia’s arms, I opened the letter.

[My apologies. By the time you read this, I will likely be in the arms of the Lord.]

It was the Emperor’s handwriting.

…Just as I thought.

There was no way that man would leave nothing behind.

As expected, the Emperor had known about his impending death.

The contents of the letter aligned with what I’d already guessed.

The Emperor, sensing his death, had entrusted Yulia to me.

[Using my authority, I erased your travel records and exit logs. To the world, you vanished without a trace. You cannot be tracked.]

I continued reading.

[I feel nothing but guilt toward you. Yet, this foolish old man had no one else to rely on. You may not see it this way, but I sincerely respected and depended on you.]

[However, the burden you now carry is the result of my selfish decision. You have no obligation to take responsibility for it. For this, I apologize to you—and to God.]

“Tch, this old man…”

As if an apology would make up for it.

But my resolve was already firm.

There was no wavering.

[You’re sharp, so you’ve likely already guessed—I will be killed by my son, Joshua. It must be hard to understand.]

The heir to the throne couldn’t wait a few more years. Pathetic.

[I get it. I tried to diminish the imperial family’s power. Not every ruler is wise and learned, after all. For every just king, there’s a tyrant. I wanted to share power with the people, but it seems Joshua took offense.]

Emperor Marcus had sought to distribute power.

Having spoken with him, I knew of his grand vision for the Empire.

Marcus had planned to divide national authority between the Emperor and a Senate elected by the people—a system resembling ancient democracy.

Naturally, his successor, Joshua, opposed it.

‘Who would willingly share what was rightfully theirs?’

And so, this was the result.

Joshua killed Marcus before he could realize his dream, securing absolute power for himself.

I read the Emperor’s final words.

[My beloved daughter, Yulia Hessenia Stella. As a member of the imperial family, her fate is sealed—a loveless marriage, bearing children for a man she despises, living a life in chains.]

[I know this is an unforgivable request. Even the most shameless peasant wouldn’t dare ask something so cruel. But for Yulia, I’ll cast aside all pride.]

[The ring belonged to Hessenia Stella, the Empire’s founder and progenitor of the Stella line. History claims it holds mystical power, though I can’t confirm that.]

[Its monetary value, however, is immense. Made of gold and what may be rubies, it should at least buy you a modest estate in Lenz.]

“Quite the gift.”

The ring of the first Emperor—no less.

A legendary figure who ended the age of demonic tyranny and ushered in humanity’s era.

And this was his personal ring.

I fiddled with it.

A gold band with a red gem at its center.

Compared to modern rings, it was plain—just red and gold, no imperial insignia.

Without explanation, no one would recognize its significance.

I slipped it onto my middle finger.

No mystical power revealed itself.

“Not like I could sell this anyway.”

I let out a dry laugh.

If it were just an expensive trinket, I’d have pawned it without a second thought.

But this was a millennium-old relic of the Empire’s founder—a hero who liberated humanity from darkness.

Its value was beyond measure.

It wasn’t burden; it was reverence.

Someone who understood its worth should keep it.

And that someone happened to be me.

Besides, it wasn’t as if I lacked the means to earn money without selling imperial treasures.

Speaking of money…

“My stocks… my savings…”

I wistfully recalled the nest egg I’d built since I was twelve.

By now, it was probably sitting untouched in the bank.

I ached to retrieve it.

“Damn, what a waste.”

***

A storm of blood raged through the heart of the Hessian Empire—Hessenia Palace.

The imperial flag fluttered under a grim sky.

Clank. Clank.

The Black Guard, clad in obsidian armor and coats, marched with heavy steps.

Crimson footprints clung thickly to the ground—human blood.

The amount staining their clothes suggested they’d slaughtered plenty.

But their faces, hidden behind helmets, betrayed no emotion.

Creak—

The Grand Hall doors swung open as the Guard Captain stepped forward.

A scarlet carpet stretched ahead, flanked by pillars wide enough for two grown men to embrace.

The walls bore the Empire’s emblem—a twin-headed eagle, now splattered with blood.

“Joshua Hessenia Stella! How dare you defy the will of His Majesty, Emperor Marcus?!”

In the center of the hall, senators pointed accusingly at the young Emperor lounging on the throne.

His posture was slouched.

Golden hair, blue eyes, a face of beauty—reminiscent of Marcus in his youth, but his nature was anything but.

The senators were thunderstruck.

Marcus had sought to share power by establishing the Senate.

But Joshua, after murdering his father, erased it all.

And now, he’d rounded up every would-be senator.

The Emperor smirked and commanded:

“I’m the Emperor now. Why the informal tone? You parasites coveted my power. Captain—punish this wretch for daring to raise his voice at his sovereign.”

The Captain’s blade flashed.

A senator’s arm flew off.

“AAAGH!”

Blood gushed from the severed limb.

The newly loyal Guard held nothing back.

The Emperor rested his chin on his hand, grinning arrogantly.

“My father was a fool. Sharing the Empire with the likes of you? Unthinkable. Right?”

He glanced at the Captain.

“Indeed. The true Empire must be ruled solely by the sacred bloodline of the Founder.”

“Exactly. A Senate? Absurd. Oh—what about her?”

“Who do you—”

“That old man’s daughter. Yulia, was it? Doesn’t matter.”

“Ah. My apologies. We haven’t retrieved her yet.”

“Why not? We need her. Duke Arnonian’s itching for her. The man’s obsessed with mixing his bloodline with royalty.”

This coup was backed by nobles who despised the Senate.

They wanted power divided only between the Emperor and aristocracy—not shared with commoners.

Duke Arnonian, a major supporter, had married his daughter to Joshua.

In return, he demanded Yulia—a true noble desperate to infuse his line with imperial blood.

Joshua couldn’t care less if his sister married a corpse.

“Well? Why the silence?”

“Before the coup, the late Emperor secretly sent the Princess abroad with a single guardsman…”

“And you didn’t stop them?!”

“The late Emperor concealed the paperwork. We had no way of knowing.”

“Useless. Where did they go?”

“…We don’t know. There are no records.”

“That old man just had to be a nuisance.”

Joshua pushed back his bangs.

“Find her. Turn the world upside down if you have to.”

“As you command.”

“Oh—clean up this mess first.”

He gestured idly at the gathered figures.

The Guard drew their swords in unison.

Screams filled the hall.