Chapter 2: 2

How long has it been?

 

Relatives surrounding a large bed with a gloomy face, a father shedding tears, and a mother with a clear illness were seen in front of her eyes.

 

"I swear. I will be a great duke after my father."

 

"Listen carefully to your father until you reach adulthood. Okay?"

 

The mother was a harsh person, and Izaya was a good daughter who faithfully followed her mother's words.

 

As she nodded while holding back her tears, her mother held Izaya's hand and said.

 

"I trust you."

 

Those were her mother's last words.

 

Soon, the scene changed as if the stage of the play had changed.

 

"My daughter, I brought a new family for you."

 

Beautiful stepmother, angel-looking stepbrothers.

 

Honestly, she didn’t want to, but Izaya welcomed them.

 

‘Now I only have my father, but I have to listen carefully to him. I made a promise with my mom.’

 

And the result was the neglect and harassment of the stepmother and step brothers.

 

However, Izaya could not express her difficulty.

 

This was why she was afraid that her father, her only family member, would be disappointed or sad.

 

'Yes, I only need my father.’

 

Her father made all the teachers quit, saying she didn't have to study hard now, but Izaya taught herself alone.

 

'I swore to my mother. I will surely be a great duke.’

 

And then, one day.

 

"Congratulations, you were finally chosen as His Majesty's wife."

 

Izaya was pale at the notice of her father.

 

‘Marry the emperor…’

 

Becoming a successor was a future that she took for granted since she was young.

 

Like this, she didn't want to marry an emperor who had a lot of bad rumors.

 

"Father, I want to be with you rather than the emperor."

 

When she spoke with courage, her father gently stroked Izaya's head.

 

"This father prefers his daughter as the empress."

 

Izaya realized.

 

The fact that there is only one option, that is not to be abandoned by her father.

 

"Yes, I got it."

 

"That's great, my daughter is the empress, and this father must have nothing to be afraid of! Hahaha!"

 

Izaya smiled.

 

'Yes, my father gave me the best position because he loves me.’

 

Like that, Izaya decided to become an empress and a proud daughter as her father wanted.

 

At the age of 14, she was at a young age who had not even made her debut yet.

 

* * *

 

On the day of the wedding, people praised and sympathized with the beautiful bride's appearance.

 

"Oh my, it's so beautiful, but it's pitiful.”

 

"Don't you know the curse?"

 

The emperor was cursed by a reaper.

 

His mother, his beloved pet, and the death of all members of the royal family except the emperor were proof of that.

 

Izaya also cared about the rumor, but she didn't show it.

 

‘Because I'm more afraid of being abandoned by my father than of marrying the emperor.’

 

It was when Izaya was suppressing her fear so much.

 

"Izaya Cerneze Lauchen, His Majesty the Emperor is here."

 

Finally, the groom appeared. Izaya slightly raised her head and stared at him, and opened her eyes wide.

 

‘That kid is the emperor?’

 

A silver-haired boy stared at her with purple eyes.

 

The 10-year-old emperor was a surprisingly beautiful-looking person even for her who was not interested in appearance.

 

But she soon met his eyes. Not only lonely but also desolate.

 

‘I heard he sheds no blood or tears...’

 

She saw him with shaky eyes for a while.

 

"You have to enter now."

 

At the urging of the servant, Izaya tried to stand up from the chair.

 

However, she could hardly get up because her legs were weak.

 

‘Please pull yourself together. This is the time...’

 

At the time when she was nervously chewing her lips, someone reached out.

 

"It's an order. Grab it and stand up."

 

At that moment, rumors about him came to mind and she didn't want to hold his hand.

 

However, if she violates the emperor's order, there will be death.

 

In fear, Izaya held the little hand.

 

Soon she was surprised by the unexpected sensation.

 

‘It's warm and comfortable.’

 

The unfamiliar sensation she felt for the first time was itchy in her chest.

 

Izaya grabbed the small hand tightly without realizing it.

 

* * *

 

The wedding was over.

 

The door to the new room was closed, and when they were alone, the emperor said to Izaya.

 

“It doesn’t matter whether you are the empress or not. But don't stand out in front of me. If it bothers me, I will remove it from my eyes.”

 

A reality she had been ignoring for a while came to mind.

 

Arranged marriage out of duty and necessity rather than affection.

 

It was a natural reaction for him, who had been pushed aside.

 

Izaya chuckled.

 

‘But I can’t give up.’

 

Her father said that he needed a daughter who was the empress.

 

The power comes from the emperor's favor.

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So Izaya was thinking of trying to get closer to the emperor.

 

* * *

 

Izaya didn't know how to get along with her peers because she couldn't make her debut because of her early marriage and only studied since childhood.

 

The way she tried to get close to the emperor was to blindly chase him and talk to him.

 

"Your Majesty, are you going for a walk? I'll join you...”

 

"Get out of my way."

 

After a year of marriage, the emperor had consistently ignored her.

 

Everyone feared that the young emperor was a tyrant, but Izaya thought differently.

 

‘But I don't get hit and insulted like what my stepmother or step brother did.’

 

In addition, although she followed the emperor tenaciously, she did not leave him, contrary to his initial warning.

 

‘He’s much kinder. Besides…'

 

Before marriage, she was always lonely and empty. Someone seemed to strangle her if she let her guard down.

 

However, after marrying him, the anxiety and loneliness have been surprisingly stable little by little.

 

‘Honestly, it's comfortable.’

 

Izaya, who followed the emperor with such a smile, soon opened her eyes wide.

 

The pot placed on the railing on the second floor of the building next to the path through which the emperor passed was shaking in the wind.

 

Her heart skipped a beat.

 

Just before the emperor was hit by the fallen pot, Izaya hurriedly ran to him.

 

Crash!

 

Thanks to that, they were safe, but the two fell side by side.

 

"Your Majesty! Are you hurt?"

 

The emperor, who was staring blankly at Izaya looking at him, soon distorted his face.

 

"What are you doing? You could've died!"

 

The first intense voice from him.

 

Only then could Izaya know why the emperor rejected her.

 

‘It was because of false rumors. The reason why he has rejected people so far.'

 

She always thought it was a political marriage.

 

At the same time, she couldn't leave my husband, the emperor, alone. His dry and desolate eyes are always on her mind.

 

'Yes, actually I don't want you to be lonely.’

 

He was always empty and lonely with unfulfilled affection.

 

However, the emperor gradually regained stability, and his existence alone made her no longer lonely.

 

This is because she spent a lot of time with the emperor as if he were her companion.

 

It was not until Izaya met him that she knew what a "family" was.

 

'Because you're my family, the first to teach me warmth.’

 

He always spoke sharply, but his hands and eyes were warm.

 

When Izaya held his hand, the emperor asked in a distant way.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

"I will prove that your Majesty is not cursed. If I continue to be with His Majesty, people will forget the false rumor.”

 

Soon Izaya smiled bitterly.

 

This is because the emperor's expression was still expressionless.

 

"You can be sad, but you don't shed a single tear."

 

But it's not because it's strong.

 

Because there was no one to accept it, she knew there was no use of him crying.

 

Soon Izaya opened her mouth, making eye contact with the emperor.

 

"It's okay to cry in front of me."

 

"Why would I cry…?”

 

The emperor was speechless. This is because Izaya suddenly hugged him.

 

"I'll always be with your Majesty."

 

Still, the emperor did not cry.

 

But Izaya slowly patted his back as if comforting him.

 

How much time has passed like that?

 

“Do it.”

 

"What?"

 

"…You said you'd be with me. Do it.”

 

Izaya smiled at the blunt voice that came out like a provocation.

 

“Yes, I will always be by His Majesty’s side.”

 

Then, the emperor opened his mouth.

 

“Ernfried.”

 

"What?"

 

He said bluntly to Izaya, who questioned him.

 

“When we are together, call me that.”

 

Izaya gave a blank expression.

 

‘I can call his name.’

 

She was very moved to be close to someone for the first time. Izaya kept calling his name inwardly.

 

‘Ernfried, Ern…'

 

Then, a thumping sound was heard.

 

Unfamiliar with Ern waiting for her, Izaya hesitated.

 

In an instant, his hand reached out in front of her eyes.

 

"Don’t be annoying and follow me.”

 

Izaya grabbed his hand and smiled.

 

'He gave me permission to be by his side. After all, he is kind.’

 

After that, Ern gradually allowed Izaya to be by his side.

 

They had nicknames, and she was always with him except for the time he had to see the government.

 

Because that daily life was so happy and precious, Izaya prayed earnestly.

 

‘May the two of us be happy for the rest of our lives.’

 

Then one day, Ern changed.

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