The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

78: Is this Remorse?

Ejila ran towards Alluka after spotting him from a distance. She immediately clung to his neck and cried out loud after seeing him looking well. Alluka, on the other hand, laughed and carried her in his arms. He then kissed her head.

“Are you alright? How about our son?” He asked.

“We are fine but you,” Ejila hit his chest.

“What happened in the Imperial Palace? What about Her Majesty?”

There, Alluka was silenced which made Ejila become more worried.

“Let’s get inside first.” Alluka gently put Ejila down and insisted on them talking inside their house.

There he saw Zale, sitting in the living room. So he sat opposite Zale as Ejila sat beside him. Alluka was silenced at first. When the atmosphere was getting deafening, he spoke.

“Her Majesty is safe and sound but… General Theobarlt… passed.”

Hearing this, Zale stood up and immediately ran to the door, thinking of coming back to the Imperial palace but Alluka grabbed his arm to stop him.

“I don’t think it would be good if you go there, Your Highness.”

Zale was silenced as he saw all the events that happened because Alluka grabbed his arm. He was taken aback and he could not move. Suddenly, his tears were coming out from his eyes as he mourned for the death of his friend, the third consort. 

He wanted to go to Darya and comfort her but just by the scenes he saw, it would really be good if he does not come. He sobbed and nodded, agreeing to Alluka that he will not go to the Imperial palace. He walked towards the guest room and wished for the Emperor to be alright.

In the dark room where the fire warms the cold body of her third consort, Darya remained standing behind the white coffin, not looking a bit into his face. She just could not look at his face yet. Just not now. Because she will burst once she sees his face. As if her ears were sealed, she lingered and lingered until she was deep in the abyss engulfed by darkness.

She could have gone right away. She could have arrived earlier. The perception still happened. If Zale had not accidentally touched her, she could have been gifted with a cold body in the Imperial Palace. It was too late. She had lost her only hope of staying in this world, the sole reason why she kept going.

It hasn’t been five years since they were married. Why is it too short? He could have become her main consort. He could have become the next Emperor. What happened to his promise that he will make her happy for the rest of her life? What happened to his claim that he will stay with her forever? 

They could have seen each other before she lost him. He could have said goodbye and not leave her hanging like this. He could have made the Empire a better place. Just how could he leave all the people behind including her?

‘So this is a human’s remorse.’

Azure was just on the side, watching Darya while keeping his apostle’s body warm. Watching Darya’s painful silence while standing there for hours, it is making him uncomfortable.

Azure looked at his apostle’s face. ‘She looks so sad, my apostle, like being suffocated in the depths of the blueness of the ocean.’

‘Should I have not let your soul go?’

‘You’re sad in the other world too, right?’ Azure slouched in the coffin, like a bored student waiting for break time.

‘You were looking for her in that world, you were so lost.’

‘Should I tell her the truth? But I cannot disclose more information about us. I need a messenger.’

‘Look, she wanted to cry but tears are not coming out.’ Azure looked depressed because of this scene.

‘Just where is Fergus? Why is he not coming to help her?’ Azure pouted.

‘Should I retrieve your body? But you won’t be happy with that right? You want her permission before you disappear.’

Again, Azure’s gaze fell on Darya who suddenly walked towards the firewood and touched it. Azure was surprised to realize what she was going to do but when he was about to go for rescue, Darya retrieved her hand from the fire while she was growling in pain. There she cried while blowing her burnt hand. She fell on the ground and cried in pain. 

Darya thought that burning her hand could somehow replace the pain but the burn is not as painful as the current pain in the chest. She burst out silent cries as she curved her body and imagined that Desmonde wrapped his hands around her, comforting her, and telling her that he is alright.

‘But you’re not here, Desmond.’ She spoke.

‘I am with you but you cannot see me.’ He replied.

‘Liar. I am cold.’

The image of Desmonde being there slowly faded as she hugged her knees, feeling cold when she was just beside the firewood.

Azure was speechless in the side and confused as to how such humans do something like that after losing one person. Would he feel this feeling if Fergus... no, Fergus is a god. They will not experience death. 

‘Is her feelings right now the same as my feelings when I miss Fergus?’

‘Ah, I miss Fergus so bad. It had been 1000 years since I had not heard his voice.’

‘I will stay here for a while. Maybe he will find me since his apostle is here.’

In the Corstan Kingdom, Crown Prince Reginald was not crowned as a King but his figure is higher than that of the King. After the people found out about his marriage to the Emperor of the Largoth Empire, they were extremely displeased. When he came back to the Corstan Kingdom and stayed within two years, he married three ladies from different noble families to prove his loyalty to the Kingdom. He also promised to conquer the Largoth Empire soon. If he succeeds in conquering the Largoth Empire, he will be the greatest of all as he will become an Emperor and at the same time a King. 

He arranged Corstan people to disturb the barbarian tribe in the faraway town Nirov to cause the Largoth Empire to lose knights. He arranged Corstan people to immigrate to the Capital City of the Largoth Empire with an intention to have spies and backups once he signals them to attack and cause panic. He made good deals with the anti-imperial faction, leading them to trust his intelligence. He used Count Marshall to make use of Captain Lorenzo by drugging him to kill General Theobarlt. 

Presuming that Emperor Darya noticed his moves, he had a speculation that the rebellion would not be successful, which is why after freeing Kathika, he immediately retreated to Corstan Kingdom to prepare for war. He is confident that he will win this war as he had caused too much damage in the knighthood now that the Empire’s General died, Duke Esteban was injured, and Captain Lorenzo was temporarily mentally unstable. What is there to be afraid of now that the Largoth Empire is at their greatest disadvantage?

“Your Highness, the Largoth Empire has advanced to the borderline!”

After hearing the announcement of his subject, one of his wives stopped feeding him tea, the other put on his golden robe, and the other one stopped massaging his feet.

“There are estimated one thousand imperial knights and five hundred Ciguilian knights.” 

“Who are the important figures present?”

“There are four captains which includes Captain Silla, Captain Key, Captain Quira, Captain Urgos, and the retired Captain Billion. And more importantly, Emperor Darya is the commander in chief of the Largoth Empire’s knights.”

Reginald’s lips curved as he took a sip of the tea and put it down. With a blush on his cheeks, he imagined how Emperor Darya looked so good in her uniform while she was sitting on a horse. He does not like people to look down on him but Emperor Darya is the only exception. He imagined her intimidating eyes looking down on him which made him lick his lips. Would he look at him like that when she is under him?

“Remember that you are the sole reason for me becoming crazy, my Sage.”