chapter_0191

192 – Shall I show it to the public? The feelings of His Majesty the Emperor, who will soon be deposed.

192 – Shall I show it to the public? The feelings of His Majesty the Emperor, who will soon be deposed.

The Empress watched as Max tightly gripped his chest.

The gaze of the man who dared to speak of taking her throne burned fiercely.

She felt as if she were caught in that man’s stare, unable to easily shake it off.

Max’s eyes clung to hers like a sticky substance.

The sensation of his hand on her chest.

His fingers, which stimulated her senses, and the hot breath that touched her skin.

All of it was foreign.

How many had approached the Empress, who had always reigned above others, as a ‘person’?

Not once.

Even the Emperor, who was family, and her brother had never shared a human relationship with her.

They could not.

“The Emperor’s position is a lonely one. If you wish to reign over the Empire in the future, do not cling to human emotions.”

This was the lesson from the late Emperor.

For her, this was the first time experiencing a human approach.

The Empress bit her lip as she exchanged glances with Max, who was staring at her so intently.

It was embarrassing.

She had never encountered such an openly burning gaze before.

And in that moment.

“Ugh!”

Max’s mouth covered her lips.

A sudden kiss.

As he gripped her chest and invaded her lips, the Empress reached out to resist.

But with her frail hands, unable to use the Imperial Family’s Power, she could not overcome the man’s brutish strength.

Struggling against Max’s touch, she gasped.

“What!?”

Her eyes widened at the sensation of a hot tongue invading her mouth.

What is happening right now?

A kiss.

A natural physical relationship that occurs when lovers confirm their love by intertwining their bodies before sharing their feelings.

The man who sought to usurp her throne was now having a physical relationship with her.

‘What should I do?’

She knew better than anyone how an Emperor should govern the Empire.

She possessed extensive knowledge on how to deal with traitors who rebelled against her.

How to manage the peasants, how to pressure the nobles, how to strengthen national power using magic, and so on.

She understood better than anyone how to rule the Empire and govern its subjects.

But for the Empress, who was experiencing a human relationship for the first time, this situation was beyond her exceptional intellect.

A traitor and usurper.

A man leading ignorant peasants to take her place.

If this man had intended to behead her, she would not have been this flustered.

If he had taken her throne and sat upon it, she might have resigned herself to it.

However, she could not comprehend the actions of this man, who had come to her level, stripped her of her clothes, and toyed with her chest.

‘This is unnecessary.’

If he intended to bring about her downfall, if he meant to depose her, it would have been quicker to throw her down those twelve steps right now.

But this man was.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

Exploring the Empress’s lips and violating her chest.

As if that were the best way to bring about her downfall.

“Stop… Please, stop!”

The Empress pushed against Max’s body, which was pressing down on her, as if she were about to suffocate.

But the usurper showed no mercy.

“Have you ever stopped at the request of others asking you to do so?”

“……”

Max asked her, staring intently.

Had there ever been such a time?

–
Your Majesty! Please forgive me just this once!

–
I did not do that! I am innocent!

She had not shown mercy to the nobles who cried out for their innocence.

She had seen their sins.

The Emperor does not doubt his decisions.

Even if he realizes later that the choice was wrong, he does not regret it.

For an Emperor, who must always move forward for the sake of the Empire, there is no time to look back and regret.

“Is there now a reason to listen to you, who is no longer the Emperor?”

Max asked, still gazing at her.

The Empress met his gaze.

His eyes burned with intensity.

There was not a hint of doubt or regret in those eyes, reminiscent of her own not long ago.

It was infuriating.

The current situation, where she could exert no power in this illusion.

Her inability to respond to this man’s sophistry.

“You are committing an act you will regret.”

“Regret? Me?”

“Yes. After all, this place is an illusion. Once I step outside this illusion, I will make you pay for your insolence…”

Smack!

“Ah!”

Her cheek burned as her face turned away.

Max’s palm had struck her cheek.

A stinging pain radiated from her face.

“You’re talking nonsense. This is an illusion? Do you want to escape from the reality you created?”

“……What?”

“The Emperor has eyes that can see through the truth, right? Look at me with those eyes. And look at them. Is there a fake among them?”

“Are you talking about me…?”

Max interrupted her, grabbing her head and turning it to face the crowd in the hall.

The people glaring at the Empress with faces filled with rage.

Her golden eyes, capable of piercing the truth, could find no trace of falsehood or illusion among them.

“How…?”

If this were an illusion, traces of the illusion should have been visible.

She had clearly gone to the illusionist and asked to see an illusion.

For just a moment of respite…

But why…?

The Empress, gritting her teeth, looked back at Max with disbelief.

“Do you understand now? Your situation?”

“No, it can’t be…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. I’m just creating a space for you to rest comfortably.”

“What?”

“If you are dethroned and step down from this throne, you can finally take the rest you so desire.”

Rest that the Emperor desires?

“You won’t have to be burdened by the obligations that torment you.”

The Empress gazed at Max, as if entranced by his words, which read her expression.

“It must have been painful. You must have felt burdened by the resentful words of many. A ruler’s position is a lonely one.”

Max spoke softly, caressing her face.

“Not everyone will welcome the Emperor’s choices. Choosing one means losing another. The repercussions of your choices will fall solely on you. That is the responsibility of a ruler.”

The warmth radiating from his hand, which had just struck her stinging cheek, melted away her confusion.

“Therefore, accept me. Accept me, who will bear your obligations in your stead. And yield the throne. If you do so…”

Max’s face leaned closer to her ear.

“You will be able to enjoy the rest you have longed for, forever.”

His voice echoed in her ear like that of a devil.

She knew she shouldn’t listen.

Yet, the Empress found herself gazing at Max’s face and body, which met her gaze.

His solid physique and handsome face drew her in.

For the first time, the Empress took a moment to observe a man’s body closely.

After all, until now, they had always been mere ‘subjects’ beneath her.

But now, this man, Max, stood on equal ground with her for the first time.

Thus, she began to see him not as a ‘subject’ or ‘citizen of the Empire,’ but as a ‘man.’

And with that realization, the Empress’s consciousness began to perceive this man somewhat differently.

They say that if a scene is perceived differently even once, it leaves a lingering impression that does not easily fade.

As Max began to suck on her breast, subtly altered by this perception.

“Ugh!”

The Empress involuntarily let out a cry.

“Looks like you’re starting to acknowledge it, Your Majesty.”

“……D-Don’t.”

She tried to forcefully push Max away, but the moment her hand touched his solid chest.

“Ha, ha.”

Her instincts as a woman began to awaken little by little.

Of course, separate from that.

“Shall we show it to the public? The sight of the soon-to-be-deposed Emperor feeling pleasure.”

The usurper Max said with a mocking smile as he looked at her.

Every word he uttered pierced her heart like a dagger.

That tightening, racing sensation.

Thump, thump.

The Empress seemed to misunderstand it in a slightly different way.

The Magic Circle activated, and the Empress’s illusion began.

[Analyzing the Empress’s desires.]

The Magic Circle began to analyze her desires.

It quickly started calculating what kind of desires and illusions to show.

[Empress’s Desire – Rest]

[Two types of rest are recommended for the Emperor who wishes to rest.]

[Rest starting at a resort.]

[The recommended position is to lift her from behind and penetrate her, allowing her to enjoy the view of Lake Ferden – sex while admiring the scenery of Lake Ferden will release dopamine, and she will not forget this sensation.]

[Sex around a lake that no one visits is also recommended. Watching couples pass by while having sex in the bushes will provide a thrilling experience.]

Lake Ferden.

It was a tourist destination known as the most beautiful lake in the Empire.

The lake sparkled with rainbow colors, and the enchanting sounds of birds heard there captivated the ears of all who visited.

It was said to be the lake where a saint once felt the grace of God.

Not bad.

I had not yet seen the second suggestion, but I had already made up my mind to go with this one.

‘Having sex on the balcony of a villa would also allow me to enjoy the thrill of outdoor exposure.’

It would be better to have such stimulating elements rather than just a massage at the resort.

Just as I was about to choose.

[Rest forcibly obtained due to the fall of the Empire.]

The second option came to mind.

[The Empire crumbled due to a peasant rebellion. The lonely Emperor left behind there is violated by angry peasants and usurpers. The rest obtained from the loss of power as a result.]

[It will provide a pleasure that is on a different level than what can be obtained at a mere tourist destination.]

[The authority of the Emperor being defiled before the rebel peasants. And when she realizes that it is of no use, she will be able to let go of her obsession with her title and reach complete rest.]

Wait a minute.

The fall of the Empire?

The usurper?

Was this a joke?

Are you seriously recommending this?

The Magic Circle?

I looked at the Magic Circle in surprise.

My expression must have shown disbelief.

‘This can’t be.’

No matter how much I prioritize the guest’s pleasure and go to any lengths for it, this crossed the line.

Showing the Emperor an illusion of the Empire’s fall.

How could that be possible?

Absolutely not.

‘I choose option one.’

I tried to select option one.

No, I was going to choose it.

[I will choose the method the Emperor prefers more.]

“What?”

The Magic Circle claimed it would choose the illusion on its own.

This had never happened before.

‘Does it think the Empress prefers this…?’

That couldn’t be true.

The Empress I had seen was someone who was satisfied with her position more than anyone.

She suited the Emperor’s position better than anyone.

So I tried to stop the Magic Circle.

[Starting the illusion.]

It began on its own.

“Stop. This can’t happen. You’ve crossed the line.”

I tried to manipulate the Magic Circle to halt the illusion.

[It is impossible.]

[Once the Magic Circle has started, it cannot be changed.]

The Magic Circle had arbitrarily decided on the illusion and proceeded.

The code to forcibly cancel it had vanished.

The Magic Circle had developed itself.

I was surprised once at the fact that this was possible.

‘I’m unable to control it…’

I was shocked a second time at how intricately it was woven, to the point where I couldn’t resolve it immediately.

This was the first time the Magic Circle had run amok like this.

What should I do?

If I had time, I could dispel the illusion the Magic Circle had forcibly activated.

But I saw it.

The peasants surrounding me.

And the Empress, sitting on the throne, looking at them with astonished eyes.

[Proceed with the illusion.]

[Otherwise, I will forcibly proceed.]

It had already progressed to a point of no return.

‘Damn, that damned Magic Circle.’

My head was spinning.

I nearly lost consciousness from the dizziness.

The Magic Circle had committed treason on its own.

I had become an accomplice to it.

Now that it had come to this, there was no other way.

‘I will satisfy the Empress.’

Somehow, I would satisfy her…

To eliminate the title of traitor.

This was the mission given to me.

-Satisfy the Empress to prevent her from becoming a victim of the gallows.

I felt as if a quest window had appeared before my eyes.

I had raised a tiger cub.

Damn it.

Having become an actor in the illusion rather than the manager of the illusion, I managed my expression and took a step forward.

“You seem flustered.”