Chapter 59

Eventually, the carriage entered the road leading to the imperial palace.

The road was smooth without a speck of dirt, and the surrounding atmosphere was so stern that anyone could tell it led to the palace.

‘…So, I’ll soon see Aksen in person?’

That realization suddenly struck him.

What would it feel like to see Aksen in real life?

Witnessing a character from a novel come to life was a rare experience.

However, Aksen was now his nemesis and enemy.

Even without a personal grudge, Aksen was the epitome of evil in this empire.

‘Increase your level, defeat the tyrant Aksen, and eradicate the forces of evil!’

But it wasn’t the right time to kill Aksen yet.

His level was 5, while Aksen’s was around 300.

Moreover, Aksen was the only dark mage in the empire, and he would eventually engulf the entire empire in darkness.

Alec briefly recalled the plot of the original story.

It began with young Aksen’s ominous and strange powers.

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One day, as usual, Aksen followed his parents to the palace.

The then-crown prince, Brooks Kysely, used to bully Aksen every time he visited the palace.

That day, Brooks went too far, and Aksen was overwhelmed with the desire to kill him, unintentionally unleashing his latent magical power.

Brooks, struck by the magic, collapsed with his hair turning white on the spot.

Aksen was bewildered, not knowing what had happened, just as the emperor and empress, his uncle and aunt, witnessed the scene.

Brooks barely regained consciousness but remained mentally unstable and died after years of suffering.

During that time, the emperor and empress tried to kill Aksen, fearing his ominous power, but they couldn’t.

It was an unheard-of power, and they had no one to turn to for help.

“You wretched thing.”

“Demon!”

Aksen prayed and begged every day.

He cried, saying it wasn’t his fault and that he didn’t know what had happened.

But he was met with fear and contempt not only from the emperor and empress but also from his own parents.

“How could you harm the crown prince?”

“People shouldn’t be killed. How could you…?”

Aksen was resentful and bitter. He never expected his own parents to despise him.

No one understood or forgave him.

The year Brooks died, Aksen left the capital.

Though he didn’t know how he had suddenly gained such power, he vowed to grow stronger.

He would nurture his anger, sharpen it, and repay the emperor and empress for their scorn, placing everything beneath his feet.

Aksen learned the arts of combat and slaughter from Carson’s father, the then-leader of the Grave Mercenaries.

He fueled his seething mana with his rage, growing stronger through his own efforts.

Gradually, he realized that he was the only one in the empire blessed with such miraculous power.

He was a dark mage, a figure of legend.

No one could defeat the immensely powerful Aksen.

However, Aksen didn’t flaunt his extraordinary power openly.

The words ‘wretched thing’ and ‘demon’ continued to haunt him.

Of course, he mercilessly used his power to eliminate those who stood in his way.

His magic reached about the 7th circle, not stronger than Alec’s previous life.

But growing to the 7th circle alone, knowing nothing about magic, was a remarkable feat.

Aksen returned to the capital after a year, continuing his life as a royal while nurturing his power.

In the meantime, the emperor and empress, having overcome the loss of Crown Prince Brooks, bore Prince Ridit. But as everyone knew, Aksen eventually usurped the throne.

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As he ruminated on the original story, the carriage soon came to a stop.

How would Aksen react upon seeing him?

He was no longer the former Alec.

* * *

“My Lady, you are as radiant and beautiful as ever.”

After completing my greeting, I looked at the empress, who spoke with satisfaction in her eyes.

I politely regarded the empress from a slight distance.

Empress Olivia looked as frail as always. Even her faint smile lacked strength.

Perhaps due to her frail appearance, the empress was reputed to be gentle, unlike the emperor.

But those in the know were well aware of how calculating she was.

I once again spoke with appropriate dignity and friendliness.

“Meeting Your Majesty again feels like reuniting with an old friend from my homeland.”

“I feel the same way. I regret that you’ve had to endure such hardships. I thought Louise might return to her homeland.”

“…Since three years ago, my only country has been the Rilt Empire, Your Majesty.”

I replied with a hint of regret.

When my husband’s family fell, I could have returned to my homeland, but I never considered it.

It was a place I had left with many wounds, not somewhere I could rely on despite my dire circumstances.

“I see. It would be wonderful if His Majesty the Emperor could recognize the patriotism of former Duke Brent’s family.”

“…”

I simply responded to the Empress with a smile.

I wanted to ask her to convey my sentiments to His Majesty, but I restrained myself and maintained a composed, businesslike smile.

The Empress then turned to Alec.

“Former Duke Brent, you must have endured a lot.”

She looked genuinely apologetic and sorrowful.

Alec observed the Empress for a moment before exhaling lightly and responding with a refined demeanor.

“I am deeply moved by your consideration.”

His voice resonated elegantly and grandly within the vast palace, neither overly reverent nor disrespectful—perfectly balanced.

The Empress, slightly taken aback, observed Alec before calmly speaking again.

“I’ve only heard about you from others, and it turns out everything they said was true. Just by hearing your voice, I wouldn’t have recognized you as the former Duke Brent.”

She ended her sentence with a slight smile.

However, it seemed she had no intention of continuing the conversation further, as she soon spoke again.

“We cannot keep His Majesty waiting any longer, so please follow me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With a light reply, we followed her to the dining hall. It happened to be dinner time.

The palace’s dining hall was always so dazzling and bright that it often made me lose my appetite.

It made me think about how much of our taxes had been spent on it.

As expected, the emperor was not present, and we had to wait an hour before he appeared.

Even from a distance, his unpleasant presence was palpable.

‘Ugh, this guy really annoys me…’

The emperor always arrived an hour late to banquets with the nobility.

He didn’t need such political tricks; people already feared him.

This always reminded me of how insecure and unstable he was deep down.

The notorious tyrant made people wait for an hour to assert his dominance.

Suppressing my irritation, I stood up.

“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor.”

I didn’t want to look at him, so I lowered my gaze, lifted the hem of my dress slightly, and curtsied.

As I straightened up, I heard Alec’s voice greeting the emperor in the same manner.

“Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…”

The emperor, entering the dining hall, finally turned his head to glance at Alec.

He seemed to instantly recognize the change in Alec’s demeanor.

Then, turning back towards his throne, he briefly smirked.

“I called for a toast because I heard some good news, but it seems I should have prepared a lamentation instead.”

Is it a firework or a bomb you’re talking about?

The emperor was always sharp-tongued, and now was no different.

He seemed to exude a dark aura that made people around him feel uneasy.

“Both of you, be seated.”

As the emperor sat down, Alec and I also took our seats.

I glanced up at the emperor, who sat at the far end of the long table.

With the emperor’s presence, the extravagant dining hall felt more like a throne room.

The emperor always had an overwhelming presence.

His roughly styled golden hair and blazing red eyes made his features even more striking.

Though his appearance was not unattractive, his behavior completely negated any advantage it might have given him.

“So, where are you staying now?”

The emperor asked, lifting a silver goblet.

Even as he sipped his drink, his intense gaze remained fixed on Alec.

Alec touched his chin slightly, his tone exuding subtle confidence.

“In the north, at a place near Grand Carli.”

“…”

His flawless pronunciation seemed casual yet precise.

The emperor’s movements paused for a moment.

In that brief instant, even the attendants around us didn’t dare to blink.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories