My Strange Savior - Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Morrison came to this world, destroyed a village, tamed a dragon, and the one who came with him helped them defeat the dragon.

 The part about bringing evidence of the dragon’s carcass, especially, caught the emperor’s attention.

“Even the undying, to the dragon’s heart.”

Dealing with Kalion, who brings two pieces of rare news, deepened the emperor’s worries.

“His grandson is said to be Myers’s disciple.”

He seemed to have hidden that fact well until now. Although aware that it might be an act of rebellion, Oscar, who boldly confessed, seemed to know something.

‘Could it be.’

Did Myers leave something before dying? The emperor’s expression became colder than midwinter in an instant.

“Huh…”

To be more precise, Oscar implied that to purify the dragon’s heart, the hand of his grandson, Gregory, is needed, and he seemed to know that the Emperor wanted that purified heart. The subtly spread rumors contained quite a lot.

To capture Morrison who came from another dimension, a weapon made from the dragon’s heart must be created, along with the need for an alchemist. The rumor, flowing like a river, was too detailed.

Does he know that he can’t capture Morrison without an alchemist? Or does he know something about his illness? Where did it leak, even though it was hidden? To find the source of the information, the emperor’s eyes scanned the surroundings. His thoughts, rolling like a patient with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, stopped somewhere.

‘Could it be Myers.’

It couldn’t be confirmed, but there was no harm in being cautious. Oscar, who committed a crime but boldly pleaded, strangely irritated Euphresia.

The emperor’s cool gaze was fixed on the room, which had rapidly cooled.

“For now… I need to meet that woman.”

The name Yu Gia was written on the letter. A woman who came from the same world as Morrison. Thanks to her, Oscar could prepare in advance with a woman with such strong power to capture a dragon without suffering more significant damage.

Is she an immortal like Morrison, or just an ordinary human? The emperor’s strange intuition flared up with curiosity about Gia.

He’ll find out within a few days when she arrives at the palace.

With those thoughts in mind, the emperor left his office. A dazzling golden robe adorned with intricate embroidery fluttered, and a multitude of attendants followed the emperor.

As the humble ones bowed their heads, Euphresia felt a sense of satisfaction.

Calming his anxious thoughts, Euphresia moved briskly without hesitation.

“Your, Your Majesty.”

The exceptionally beautiful court lady, who modestly lowered her head, looked at least twenty years younger than Euphresia.

Euphresia gave a compassionate smile and straightened his figure.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Adorning his third empress with a soft voice, Euphresia took a seat.

“N-no, not at all.”

Perhaps just reaching adulthood, the new empress barely managed to spit out her response in a small voice, clutching the hem of the table beneath.

“The weather is pleasant today.”

Seated in the elaborately adorned greenhouse, the emperor raised his hand and signaled to the attendants standing behind him.

“Yes, yes… It’s, it’s good, Your Majesty.”

The empress’s stuttering behavior seemed to displease the emperor, and his eyebrows twitched. Unable to even look up, the empress stared at the table, her cheeks turning blue as her trembling lips were forcibly lifted by the emperor’s strong grip.

“You have to speak after looking at me.”

“Yes, yes. I-I apologize, Y-Your Majesty.”

The empress’s lips, trembling with fear, turned pale. Euphresia, known as a compassionate emperor to the citizens, was aware that this child, the third empress from a powerless border kingdom, was a princess. He was more ruthless than he seemed.

To avoid trembling, the child forced strength into her body and squinted her eyes slightly.

Her visible face was soaked in greed, and under that gaze, the entire body of the child seemed to shiver.

“That’s right. You should look at me like that. Do you think you shouldn’t even look at your husband’s face?”

“N-no, Your Majesty, not at all.”

Fearing that her actions could sway the fate of the kingdom, and with the realization that her behavior might shape the future of the empire, Aira was consumed by trepidation. Her eyes, filled with trembling pupils, met the emperor’s gaze, revealing a mixture of shock and fear.

“Your, Your Majesty.”

“Why do you act this way?”

“Um, your face….”

Unable to muster the courage to finish her sentence, Aira bowed her head abruptly. Sensing something amiss, the emperor gracefully raised a bell and shook it.

“You called.”

“Yuden.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Upon the emperor’s permission, attendant Yuden lifted his head and quickly opened the bag he had been carrying. Inside were tools to conceal the emperor’s ailment. Yuden, a mere attendant, knew that the emperor was hiding something, yet he had no choice but to feign ignorance to survive.

He was only tasked with applying makeup to the emperor’s face, ensuring that the telltale signs of the ailment did not show. The carefully applied makeup, which covered the emperor’s deteriorating skin, revealed a sickly pallor underneath. White powder was added to the decaying skin, and Aira, trying not to look, could only keep her mouth shut.

“It’s done.”

Emperor, scrutinizing Yuden, raised his head impassively, and he looked at Aira, who was trembling.

“Hey.”

“Yes, yes.”

The tense voice echoed loudly.

“I told you to lift your head.”

“Yes.”

Unable to refuse the command, Aira immediately raised her head, looking at the emperor with a strange, wrinkled, and whitened face.

“Is there something strange about me?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Then…”

The emperor leaned in close.

“Kiss me.”

In the face of the emperor’s unexpected command, Aira’s long eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. 

However, it had to be done, even if it was for the sake of the kingdom and its people. If the emperor wished it, erasing the kingdom from the map was only a matter of time.

Without closing her eyes, Aira’s lively lips collided with the emperor’s with a purple glint in his eyes. 

“Huh, h-ah.” 

Despite Aira closing her eyes in pain, the emperor’s eyes remained wide open.

The sensation of the emperor’s lips brushing against hers was different from the usual kiss in the world. Far from ecstasy, it was disgustingly filthy to the point of giving her chills. As Aira’s body trembled or not, besides the emperor who was fulfilling his desires, Yuden and another aged courtier approached.

“Your Majesty.” 

Aira wanted to stop this disgusting act immediately, but without the emperor’s permission, she had no choice but to open her mouth.

“Did you enjoy the taste of my lips?” 

After intimidating her with threats, the emperor had Aira silenced by the courtier. It only mattered to Aira. Nonchalantly, the courtier standing next to her smirked at the emperor.

“I called the servant you mentioned before.”

“Let him in and announce that he should come in. Also, have him served with what I’ve prepared.”

At the emperor’s command, a large dining table, big enough to accommodate eight people even in the luxurious greenhouse, was brought in. As the courtiers busily served food, a sumptuous feast was set on the table. While watching the table being set with a cool gaze, the emperor grabbed Aira’s waist from behind.

“See how benevolent your husband is. Verify it with your own eyes. Order the servant to come in.”

Unable to close her eyes, Aira looked at the young servant who came in. A young male servant, similar in age to Aira, bowed deeply in front of the emperor. 

“Y-your Majesty. I greet you.”

“Good. You’re welcome. Hurry up and sit down.”

The emperor’s eyes, smiling with only his mouth as he watched the servant awkwardly performing manners, flickered with mischief.

“What is this…?”

The servant looked at the elaborately prepared table in astonishment. His stomach growled loudly at the sight of a variety of delicacies laid out on the table.

“Hehe, seems like you’re quite hungry. Hurry up and sit down to eat.”

“But…”

“Come on.”

At the emperor’s command, a courtier approached the servant who hesitated to take a seat. The courtier forcibly pulled the servant to a chair and patted his shoulder.

“Th-thank you.”

“Sure, you should be thankful. How starving must you be to lay a hand on the emperor’s snacks? Pitiful. Eat without any reservations.”

The servant was none other than the one who had secretly taken a few of the emperor’s snacks a few days ago. He had expected a severe punishment, but the emperor, as people said, was indeed generous. Instead of punishment, he was treated to a grand feast.

“Your, Your Majesty…”

With eyes moistened with emotion, the servant looked up at the emperor with reverence.

“For someone like me to receive such… precious food, it’s beyond words.”

“You too are a citizen of my empire. Eat up.”

When the emperor gestured for him to start eating, the servant hesitated for a moment. With a nod, as if saying he would eat well, he bowed his head and continued the meal, resembling someone who had been starving for days.

“I am so merciful. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes. I understand very well.”

The servant, hastily swallowing his food, looked at the emperor.

“Your, Your Majesty, I will repay the grace you’ve shown me.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’ve been boasting to those around me about it today.”

“About what?”

The emperor withdrew his hand from Aira’s nape and rested his chin on his hand.

“About… how you didn’t punish me for secretly eating the snacks… and how merciful you are…”

Aware of the embarrassing act he had committed, the servant’s voice became quieter.

“I came boasting that Your Majesty graciously prepared a grand feast. It’s a lifelong honor. Your, Your Majesty.” 

The servant stammered his words, and the emperor looked at him with a satisfied gaze, nodding his chin.

“Go ahead and finish eating.”

As the emperor’s smile deepened, Aira’s unease grew. The servant, who had been forcefully stuffing food to the point that it almost choked him, barely managed to pat his swollen belly without emptying half of it.

“Have you finished eating?”

“Yes. I-I’ve finished eating, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Then, go back.”

“Th-thank you.”

Bowing his head so low that his waist almost folded in half, the servant followed the courtier out.

The emperor that Aira knew wasn’t usually this compassionate. Fear and curiosity spread in Aira’s eyes. The emperor, noticing this, lifted the corners of his mouth reassuringly.

“Why? Are you curious about why I granted that servant food?”

“N-no, not at all.”

“I’ll tell you.”

Though Aira had never expressed curiosity, the emperor teased with an amused expression.

“That servant will probably make a fuss about the favor I granted him when he returns.”

Anticipating this to some extent, Aira nodded cautiously.

“But secretly coveting what belongs to the emperor is a serious offense, isn’t it?”

As if seeking Aira’s agreement, the emperor locked eyes with her. 

Under the compelling gaze, Aira nodded her head up and down, silently acquiescing.