《You, My Devil》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Waaaaaa!¡± The shouts of the citizens who filled the circular dome were getting louder and louder as if piercing the ears. Heina barely maintained the expression on her face, holding her trembling chin, her hands in cold sweat clasped to her chest. ¡°Arzen! Arzen!!¡± Arzen¡¯s horse quickly turned, and the sandstorm rose up violently. The crowd was even more excited and shouted his name over and over again. The Emperor and Empress sitting to Heina¡¯s right, and Arzen¡¯s father, Baris, watched with their breath as Arzen drew his sword and thrust it into the opponent¡¯s horse¡¯s waist. The startled horse raised its waist and ran wildly, and the Prince of the enemy country riding on it plummeted to the ground. ¡°Waaaaaa!¡± Heina, who was watching the scene from the seat closest to the stadium, a huge body in armor fell with a thumping sound, in the middle of the crowd. The shouts of the crowd, convinced of Arzen¡¯s victory, seemed to pierce the sky. Heina swallowed her tears of relief as she watched Arzen tugging at the reins from afar with skillful hand movements. From the moment she heard the news that Arzen had been chosen to participate in this unusual slaughter game in her country that reveres manners and literature, Heina hadn¡¯t slept soundly at night. She stared with tearful eyes at the enemy before her eyes, wallowing in the sandy wind. He fell from the rambling horse like crazy, so he must have at least broken his neck. ¡°I hope this will help those savage races realize their position.¡± A low whisper was heard from her mother, the Empress, to the Emperor. Heina looked at Arzen shining in the center of the arena with his sparkling armor. She wanted to kiss Arzen¡¯s golden hair that was hidden under the helmet. She wanted to promise she would never put him in a situation like this again. It was then. The fact that the Prince of the enemy country, who had fallen at Heina¡¯s feet, ran toward Arzen and jumped on his horse. ¡°Oh my God!!¡± At the same time as a startled scream erupted from the Empress¡¯s mouth, Arzen, who had been pushed by the Prince of her enemy, fell from his own horse. ¡°Arzen!¡± Arzen¡¯s horse, who lost its master, ran wildly as if expressing with its whole body that the person pulling the reins was not its master. However, the Prince of the enemy country riding on Arzen¡¯s horse did not fall as if he had formed one body with the horse. On the other hand, Arzen, who fell to the ground, could not get up easily, perhaps because his leg was broken. ¡°Stop the game now!¡± Heina jumped up from her seat and shouted. Watching her pleading, the Emperor of Constance clenched his fists. It was a fight for the pride of the nation, but if left alone, even more brutality might happen. He eventually admitted defeat by raising a white flag to the Emperor of the enemy country who was sitting opposite the arena. ¡°The game is finished!¡± Nike. It was only 20 years ago that Nike, a country founded by nomadic peoples who had wandered without a state while raising horses on the grasslands, began to invade and expand its power in each country. Emperor Nike, who named the country after himself, plundered his neighbours, and established a more powerful imperial government based on his strong military base. The countries where he had waged war were devastated, and the smoke of burning corpses was everywhere. Heina was told from a young age that Nike¡¯s people were also savage and heinous, similar to his cruel personality, and it was beyond words. The Prince of the enemy country was now riding a horse towards her fiance, Arzen, who had fallen to the ground. A huge sandstorm blew all over the arena. ¡°Your Majesty! Please stop the game immediately!!¡± Heina pleaded with her father with her face bursting in tears. The Emperor¡¯s hand holding the white flag was trembling sadly. The enemy Emperor Nike, who was watching the match from the other side, looked at it and smiled. He raised his glass high and shouted at his knight riding on the horse. ¡°Yuri! Prince of Nike Empire! Let me lift a toast!!¡± At that moment, the Prince of the enemy country called Yuri grabbed the reins of the excited horse and turned wildly. At that wind, Arzen¡¯s horse trotted on its master¡¯s body. Arzen¡¯s body clad in armor trembled in great pain. The crowd bit their mouth in surprise, and a wind of sand blew across the silence of the arena. ¡°Arzen!¡± Heina screamed at her unmoving fiance who was trampled by the horse. At the same time, the scene where the Prince of Nike, who jumped off the horse, mercilessly cut off the leg of the Arzen horse, unfolded before her eyes. Tears didn¡¯t come from her surprised eyes. Arzen¡¯s horse, with its leg broken, sprawled across the floor. A fountain of blood gushed from the cut, staining Yuri¡¯s armor crimson. As he walked beside the dying horse, unable to close its eyes, the Prince of the enemy country took off his helmet and threw it to the floor. The fiery red hair was shining even more red in the sun. A smile crept onto his lips. It was creepy. It was a look that seemed to make the burning hot energy disappear at once. Seeing his back as he walked towards Arzen with his sword still dripping with blood, hey, she got goosebumps all over her body. A verse from a forbidden book that she had secretly read in the imperial library pierced her head. [ A red-haired devil is born, and the sun swallows the moon. East will become West, the sea will become a meadow, the world will be engulfed in flames, and all will be a handful of ashes. ] ¡°¡­ Devil¡­.¡± These were the words that automatically came out of Heina¡¯s mouth. The moment she watched the scene where the red-haired devil stabbed Arzen¡¯s chest with a large, heavy sword, and grabbed his head then slashed his helmet, Heina lost her consciousness on the spot. ¡°Aaaacck!¡± Heina screamed and opened her eyes. The bed was damp. It was a repeating dream for a year. When she realized that she could no longer see Arzen¡¯s bright smile, her tears, which she thought had dried up, ran down her cheeks again. ¡®Arzen.¡¯ Arzen wasn¡¯t the only thing she lost. On that day, at the last sound of the soldiers¡¯ trumpets in her ears as she collapses, Heina¡¯s home country, Constance, disappeared from history. The national event masqueraded as a friendly game was only a way to hide Nike¡¯s soldiers on their way to Constance. In the war with Nike, which started with Arzen¡¯s death, she lost her precious country Constance and her fiance, Arzen at the same time. ¡°Are you okay? Did you have another bad dream?¡± Nike¡¯s handmaid, draped in white cloth, entered her bedroom and asked anxiously. Heina lay back down on her bed and closed her eyes. Every time she saw the brown skin of Nike¡¯s handmaids and the dark hair, she felt her own cruel plight as real as it could be. She had been imprisoned in the palace of Nike, in the middle of an enemy country, for a year. The handmaid opened her mouth as she closed the curtain that had been rolled back at the large window. The moon was hidden by a thick veil. ¡°Tomorrow is the day Lord Yuri returns from his expedition. You¡¯ll be busy early to prepare for the meeting, so it¡¯s better to go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Heina rolled her body into bed and then clenched her molars and spit out. The handmaid, who was heading towards the door to get out, asked her again. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep well, even hot tea¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say to leave my room right now!!¡± She got up and threw the vase next to her towards the door. The moment the vase hit the door and shattered with a bang, the thick wooden door opened wide. For a moment, Heina felt the dry, hot wind peculiar to Nike from outside, whirling and rushing into the room. ¡°Why the hell is this your room?¡± A man in traditional Nike attire, barely wrapped in a white cloth, came into the room without hesitation and let out a cold voice. ¡°No, Lord Yuri¡­this time is¡­.¡± Surprised by Yuri¡¯s unexpected appearance, the handmaid bowed her head and shortened her words. Heina jumped up from the bed. Seeing the man with a pale white face contrasted with the fiery red hair, she began to tremble in terror. The 4th Prince of Nike, Yuri. The one who killed Arzen and set her country on fire. The red-haired devil strode towards her bed. Hyena¡¯s mouth was dry and she swallowed a gulp. He bent his torso and raised his lips crookedly towards her. His slow, cruel voice rang in her ears. ¡°Have you forgotten that this is the capital of Nike? This palace in the middle of the city, this room, everything you wear and eat here, even the air you breathe, is mine. How can a slave of a defeated country be able to argue about mine or yours?¡± The smell of his body, resembling the smell of blood, was felt up close. Heina¡¯s chin began to tremble. Seeing Yuri again after 3 months, he had grown even more mature. His red hair that grew to cover his eyes and sharp lines on his face from countless battles made him look like a manly man. Heina couldn¡¯t believe Yuri was the same age as her. ¡°Do¡­ Don¡¯t come closer.¡± Chapter 2 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 2 Yuri lightly ignored Heina¡¯s trembling words and flopped down on her bed. His expression, which raised the corners of his mouth and smiled at her, was as cruel as when he beheaded Arzen in her country. ¡°Oh. Sadly, you¡¯re trembling. But what about it? I came here to sleep today.¡± As his cool voice cut through the air, the maid, who had her head bowed behind, without hesitation left the place. ¡°Huh¡­ Where are you going? Come back!¡± Heina yelled at the closed door, but the maid had already disappeared. A thick cold sweat ran on her hands. She didn¡¯t like the maid, who watches over her 24 hours a day, but she hated the fact that she was left alone with the devil in this space even more than death. She didn¡¯t want him to touch her body by any chance, so she moved her body to the edge of the bed as far as she could and opened her eyes towards him, looking as defensive as possible. ¡°You seem a little thin.¡± Yuri, who was lying at an angle on the bed, supporting his head with his arms, narrowed his eyes and looked at her. Heina frowned and tried to hide her trembling voice. ¡°¡­ What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°The rain festival will start soon. A sacrifice with a poor appearance is likely to offend the gods. If it doesn¡¯t rain, the people of Nike will be more angry, and the arrow will of course go back to you.¡± Yuri chuckled, revealing his pointed fangs. The wind swayed his shoulders, and the white cloth that was barely draped across his body slid down. His naked torso, covered in scars all over his body, was revealed in the air. Heina frowned and hurriedly turned her head away. Seeing her like that, Yuri suddenly raised his body, grabbed Heina by the shoulder, and knocked her down. ¡°Aack!!¡± Heina was pushed by his hand and collapsed on the soft bed. Her bountiful blonde hair flew across the gorgeous bed. Heina¡¯s shoulder that Yuri touched was hot as if it was on fire. She wanted to avoid him, but his cruel gray eyes were in front of her. She had nothing she could do but close her eyes tightly in front of him. ¡°But you have long hair, so I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± Yuri put her face into her neck, or to be exact, her rich golden hair, and took a deep breath in. Yuri had almost strangled Heina when she cut her hair with a piece of glass a year ago without the maid¡¯s knowledge. ©¤ ¡°I¡¯d rather just kill you.¡± Yuri told herself in a cruel tone, clutching the nape of her neck. ©¤ ¡°I will kill your parents first in front of you, and then I will kill you. No, maybe the opposite would be better. The choice is yours. Either live as my slave or die with your parents. So, choose. Princess of Constance, Heina.¡± The maid carrying the tea has not been seen by her since that day. Afraid to ask if he killed her, Heina didn¡¯t know her own life or death yet. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re going to kill me in the end, aren¡¯t you?¡± Heina looked at Yuri sitting on top of her body and bit her lip. The pale light of the moon floating outside the window shone through the curtains. It was the most important ceremony in Nike, where rain was rare, and the rain festival was after a week when the moon was full. She knew all too well her own destiny to be offered as a living sacrifice in the rain festival. ©¤ ¡°When the rain festival begins, I will offer you as a sacrifice. The day will be even more beautiful if the god sees the beautiful sacrifice and sends rain to the desert.¡± He has told her that in her captivity countless times. Heina can¡¯t even slash her wrist with a broken teacup anymore at his threat that he will behead the Emperor and Empress of Constance if she commits suicide. Rain festival. It was also the cause that Yuri had kept her alive and not killed her all this time. Yuri slowly raised his head from Heina¡¯s nape and looked at her piercingly. His face shone paler in the faint moonlight. ¡°Why? Did you suddenly have the thought of wanting to live here?¡± Heina¡¯s golden eyelashes that had been lowered over her eyes fluttered slightly, and the emerald-colored eyes hidden in them looked straight at Yuri. ¡°No, you¡¯re going to kill me anyway, so what does hair have to do with it?¡± There was silence between the two for a moment. A smirk flowed from Yuri¡¯s mouth. Heina shivered and shook her body as his large hands gently wrapped around the nape of her neck. His body temperature was terribly cool. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just beg for me to save your life?¡± A little force entered his hand. Her fragile neck twitched in his hand. ¡°¡­ I never beg the devil for my life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of pride.¡± Yuri twisted his lips. His fingers climbed up Heina¡¯s delicate face and stroked her bright red lips once. ¡°Think carefully before the rain festival. If the former princess of Constance, with a noble character, prostrates herself like a slave at my feet, I am willing to give you generosity that does not exist and save you.¡± Yuri narrowed his eyes with a look that didn¡¯t expect much. Heina looked at him and smiled lowly. ¡°Rather than seeing that, the Emperor would prefer me to kill myself.¡± It was true. It was Constance who valued honor more than life. Being a slave to an enemy is not enough; to lie down at his feet and beg. If she died, then she dies but she couldn¡¯t throw away her last pride. Yuri¡¯s gray eyes seemed to become cruel, and his large hand covered Heina¡¯s mouth. Her breath was choked with the murderous energy emanating from him. ¡°You¡¯re spewing words that shouldn¡¯t be in your mouth.¡± ¡°Heup¡­ !¡± He lowered his face and whispered in her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t upset me. The moment you do anything nonsense to your body, the citizens of Constance who are living in Nike now, children and adults, I will find and kill every single one of them. It might be good to have companions to go with you to the underworld.¡± She knew better than anyone that Yuri¡¯s words were not lies. He was a man with a cruel personality who put a knife in Arzen¡¯s heart and cut his neck for not having enough. ¡°In the underworld, it will be the former Emperor and Empress of Constance who will be following you right away.¡± ¡°Uhpp¡­.¡± Heina¡¯s green eyes fluttered and tears welled up, eventually running down her cheeks and reaching Yuri¡¯s hand covering her mouth. Then he smiled contentedly and laid his fiery red hair down on the bed. He hugged Heina in his arms tightly and fell asleep quickly, letting out wheezes. Heina couldn¡¯t even sleep, as she always does on the day he came after the expedition. The night of fear and disgrace was always long. *** ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yuri raised his eyebrows in the Emperor¡¯s parlor, where the desert sunlight was scorching hot. ¡°I said that this rain festival will be hosted by the Second Prince, Pesis.¡± Second Prince Pesis, who had been bowing his head towards Nike by Yuri¡¯s side, knelt on one knee to the floor as a sign of respect. ¡°I will humbly follow the will of Nike.¡± ¡°Did you forget that the administration of the rain festival is supposed to be decided through a meeting of the ministers after judging how much work has been done for the country each year? I think you don¡¯t seem to remember since these days, Nike is not in good health.¡± Yuri made a sharp voice before Pesis could even finish speaking. He ruffled his fiery red hair wildly. The gray eyes embedded in the almond-shaped torn eyes blazed terribly. ¡°You are disrespectful to His Majesty the Emperor. No matter how young you are, what kind of brazenness is that to your father!¡± Yuri put a scorn on his lips as Pesis scolded him. ¡°For the past five years, I have not had time to properly learn etiquette, as I have been at the forefront of all battlefields and beheading thousands or even tens of thousands of people, Pesis.¡± What he said was true. First Prince Nadine, the prime minister of the country, the Second Prince Pesis, who was flamboyant but weak in body, and the Third Prince Camille, a priest who worships the gods, were unable to leave the country due to their own responsibilities. For that reason, it was all for Yuri, the Fourth Prince, to go to war and subdue enemy countries. He was only fifteen when he first went to battle with Nike. Nike¡¯s four sons all had different mothers, the current Empress was the biological mother of the Second Prince Pesis, and the Third Prince Camille was the child of a concubine after the death of the First Prince Nadine¡¯s mother. However, no one could know the birth mother of the Fourth Prince Yuri. There were rumors that the Emperor had a child with a witch, or that Nike had picked up a child born in the sandy desert during the war, but no one knew the exact story of his birth. When the Emperor brought the red-haired Yuri from somewhere, the ministers cited the prophecy and advised the Emperor Nike to kill his son, saying that he would one day stick a sword in his father¡¯s back and swallow the country whole. Instead of killing the baby, Nike burned all the prophetic books of the country, and the ministers who tried to kill Yuri were later assassinated one by one by an assassin. The fact that it must have been the young Yuri who manipulated the death of the ministers was a fact known to many in the palace. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 ¡°As you said, you seem to be ignoring the important facts because you¡¯re covered in blood on the battlefield, younger brother.¡± Pesis, with his jet-black hair hanging long over his shoulder, looked at Yuri and spoke in a soft voice. Sitting obliquely in a chair decorated in gold, Nike watched the fight pretending that it was a conversation between the two brothers without saying a word. ¡°Then the wise Brother Pesis should teach me a few tricks. What I don¡¯t know about. I know you are busy honing your poison-making skills by staying in the basement every day.¡± Without knowing that Pesis¡¯ deep black eyes seemed to shine brightly towards Yuri for a moment. He smiled softly again and spoke quietly. ¡°Younger brother, as you said, it is customary for the Emperor and ministers to hold a meeting every year to decide the organizer of the rain festival.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean, Brother Pesis. So, aren¡¯t you saying that you should put your hands off it now?¡± Yuri did not hide his emotions and smiled softly. Yuri himself knew best how much the ministers feared him. Hosting the rain festival meant demonstrating one-on-one communication with God in front of the people. For the past 5 years, the organizer of the event was the second prince Pesis, and Yuri was excluded from the choices due to the fact that he was young. This year was finally the year of Yuri¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony, so he thought there was nothing in his way. Pesis opened his mouth again with a deep voice. ¡°The ministers want the main descendants, my dear brother.¡± As soon as the word ¡®main descendant¡¯ came out of Pesis¡¯s mouth, Yuri¡¯s eyebrows soared upward, and his face turned to ice. Main descendant. Everyone in the palace knew that Yuri was not a descendant of the royal family, but no one spoke out about it. Instead of answering, Yuri turned his gaze on the Emperor Nike, who was sitting at the top, with an angry look. There was no way that the Emperor could not have noticed in advance of such an absurd trick. ¡°It seems that the number of enemies you have defeated during the war is not enough to satisfy the ministers, son. If you look at the fact that there are still ministers who insist on lineage. Heh heh.¡± Although the years have passed, Emperor Nike, who retains the cruel eyes of a war maniac, bursts into laughter at Yuri. His mouth was smiling, but his sharp eyes were not. This was the competition between the princes of Nike, which had been held since birth, above their relationship with their Emperor and father, Nike. His attitude of constantly testing the children was to the point where Yuri clenched his teeth. He made a cracked voice as if spitting out bitter medicine. ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty the Emperor. Before going to war, I think it would have been better to cut off the heads of those who carry the main bloodlines first.¡± ¡°Yuri!! what is that¡­ !¡± When Pesis stopped Yuri, Yuri twisted the corners of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m joking, Brother Pesis.¡± ¡°Haha¡­.¡± Emperor Nike laughed out loud with a disinterested expression. Pesis was still staring at Yuri with a cold gaze. ¡°You¡¯re too rude, younger brother. This place is different from a battlefield. Never forget that eyes and ears are a palace all over the place.¡± The murderous energy that had been hidden from Pesis¡¯ eyes arose. Even now, he had hoped to cut Yuri¡¯s head, but his father, the Emperor, Nike, was, as always, tolerant of his youngest child. It was the same for Pesis towards the Emperor who put a dirty blood like Yuri on the same line as him and tested himself. Yuri snorted and looked at Pesis. ¡°Yes, I will be especially careful in front of Brother Pesis from now on. You must be very busy preparing for the three days left for the rain festival, then I will leave.¡± After bowing politely to Emperor Nike, Yuri turned around and left the audience room. His breathing was harsh. Yuri was angry all the way to the end of his head. Who else but him made the greatest contribution to conquering Constance, the last gateway to Nike¡¯s territorial expansion? Yuri bit his teeth tightly. If he didn¡¯t release his accumulated anger, he thought he would go crazy at any moment. He grabbed his hunting gear and rode his horse to the desert. His black horse created a sandstorm and quickly moved away. At this moment, Yuri desperately wanted to see blood. And he looked forward to the day when he would one day have Pesis¡¯ blood on his hands. *** The desert at night was quiet. Granada, the capital of Nike. The Palace of Nike was located in the middle of the city formed around an oasis in the desert, and a large sand dune surrounded the city after passing through the surrounding towns and residential areas. Sand dunes in the desert that disappear and reappear with the wind several times a day. Nomadic peoples have been wandering there for hundreds of years. They fought the sandstorm and put their children to sleep in the severe cold, and hunted in the scorching desert during the day. According to a legend passed down from mouth to mouth, beyond the sand dunes lies a fertile land flowing with milk and honey. The Emperor of Nike made the legend a reality and showed it before their eyes. He expanded the territory by war, and allowed people to plant crops on lands that were not barren. The nomadic peoples who were divided into hundreds of tribes and lived a nomadic life followed and revered him as a manifestation of a god. It was only natural that a powerful imperial court was established under his power. Constance was formed along rivers and seas, and despite its small country, it was a country that developed culture and art from an early age. However, they were helpless in the face of Nike¡¯s military power, which they ridiculed as barbaric. The collapse of a nation that had never been invaded was swift. One year after Constance became a colony of Nike, a large number of Nike citizens migrated to Constance and absorbed their culture. The macroscopic goal of the Nike immigrants politically was to accept Constance¡¯s advanced technology and make it Nike¡¯s. Instead of killing the imperial nobles of Constance, Nike took them to the capital and took them hostage. When the Emperor, the Empress, and their only princess, Heina, were taken to Granada, the capital of Nike, many of Constance¡¯s people were willing to move to the barren land of Nike. It was also the sincerity of the people of Constance who did not give up hope of reclaiming the country as long as the old royal family were alive, although they had to maintain a slave life. Three days later, the news of the rain festival in the capital of Nike made Granada excited. Only the people of Constance, who were living there, exchanged worried glances with each other. ¡°Did you hear that Princess Heina will be sacrificed as a living sacrifice in this rain festival?¡± ¡°No, you mean that¡¯s true? This¡­ they¡¯re horribly cruel people¡­.¡± ¡°Shh. Watch what you say. Besides, it was said that the prince who will be in charge of this rain festival has almost been decided as Prince Yuri. In the name of making the greatest contribution in the war.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Yuri¡­.¡± ¡°The fourth prince, the most cruel of the Nike family, to say the least.¡± ¡°Oh my God, that red-haired devil that killed Arzen before his father¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Yes. But I heard from a merchant from Constance that there are secretly strange rumors circulating there.¡± ¡°Rumors, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­ Come closer.¡± ¡°Why are you looking around like that, please tell me.¡± ¡°There are rumors that Arzen is actually alive, not dead. Right before the match with Prince Yuri, the imperial family exchanged knights. That¡¯s why they¡¯re secretly recruiting Constance¡¯s Independence Army. But how can you believe it before you see it with your own eyes?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a glimmer of hope, I want to hold onto it. Sir Arzen is capable enough to resurrect our Constance¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh, the Nike soldiers of Nike are coming!! Quickly bow your head.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 Heina wasn¡¯t able to sleep until late at night. After the war, she was taken prisoner and locked in this room for over a year. It was a hidden room deep inside Nike¡¯s annex. During that time, she tried one suicide attempt and seven escape attempts, all unsuccessful. She never died, and she couldn¡¯t even get out of this room. She couldn¡¯t forget the look on his face as Yuri gave her a gruesome grin when he found an eating knife she had hidden under the bed. ©¤ ¡°What? Are you trying to stab me with this? Do you think you could cut off a single hair of my head with such a blunt knife? Haha. You are very funny.¡± When she broke the mirror and cut her wrist, she heard him threaten to strangle her to death and behead her parents. When she pushed the handmaiden, who was attending for her meal, with all her might and got out, she was interrupted by Nike¡¯s soldiers all over the palace. After Yuri, who had been away from his expedition, returned and heard the story, he increased the number of maids serving her meals to three at a time. ©¤ ¡°Aack!¡± The thought of changing her method came late in the morning after she nearly fell far down while trying to escape out of the window using the curtains. Nike¡¯s annex was surrounded by sand walls, and there was no place for her to step on and support her body. Heina barely climbed back to her room, her whole body was drenched in cold sweat. ©¤ ¡°I miss my mother¡­.¡± Every night, she wept in front of the handmaid, who came to watch her in the name of making her bed. It has been a month since she had been begging as if she only wanted to know her mother¡¯s well-being with a delicate voice. After seeing the sad expression flash across the face of the oldest and most blunt-looking maid, she begged more and more, and increased the number of times. She was going to appeal for sympathy, but that was it. ¡®Am I going to die like this in the end?¡¯ Heina bit her nails, which had been messed up. The candle, which had lit the room as the maid walked by, had long since lost its light, but the moonlight shining through the large window continued to disturb her. It was the last day when the moon with a slightly shriveled edge shone on her flesh. ¡®That moon is the same moon that I saw in Constance, how could it be so scary now¡­.¡¯ There were only three days left until the rain festival. On the third night after the moon had risen and set twice, she would be killed before the people of Nike. Death was not terrifying, but it was a shame that she had to die for the welfare of the people of Nike who trampled Constance. What made her even more troubled was the fact that many Constance citizens, who had followed the imperial family to Nike, must also watch her death. ¡®Will I be able to die honorably in front of my people?¡¯ Heina leaned against the window sill, wiping away the tears that filled her eyes with her hand, looking at the hazy moon. It has only been twenty years since she lived in this world. Among them, 19 years were the days when she saw, ate, wore and grew up with only good things in Constance. There was no reason not to be afraid of death. During the hellish past year, where she had to live after getting caught by Nike, Heina constantly vowed. She shouldn¡¯t be showing her shabby appearance. No matter how it was, she was of the imperial family, she should not beg for death from the enemy in front of the people of her motherland. She even imagined spitting in Yuri¡¯s face with a smirk, sneering at him, as she could quickly meet Arzen in heaven when she ends this hellish life that doesn¡¯t seem alive even though she¡¯s alive. It was when she put her hands together and prayed to the moon for courage to die resolutely until the end. Creak. When she heard the wooden door open behind her, Heina turned her head in surprise. At this moment, the face, which she didn¡¯t want to face the most, was in front of her. Heina¡¯s expression automatically hardened when she saw Yuri, drenched in blood here and there in knee-high strappy leather shoes. ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡± Instead of an answer, Yuri moved closer to the window, where she was standing. Her body trembled with fear as he placed his hand on the window sill. Yuri gave her a cruel smile as he smoothed her lips with his thumb. ¡°I went hunting. I put the sword on the backs of five musk deer and two wild boars.¡± Heina shuddered at the feeling of a fishy smell of blood all over his body. It was. The prince of a devil enemy country always smelled of death. Yuri stood right next to her and leaned his body at the window, looking at Heina. ¡°I feel a lot better.¡± Seeing the long bloodstains on Yuri¡¯s white nape, her head was dizzy. How many times had she imagined inserting a knife in his neck? ¡°Dirty. Step back.¡± Heina barely spit the voice out of her mouth. Yuri raised his lips and smiled, grabbed her by the shoulders and forced to hug her from behind. Heina, forced to look out of the window, bit the flesh in her mouth. Yuri¡¯s pointed chin touched her crown. ¡°It seems that when it comes the time to die, you will no longer be afraid.¡± His cool voice echoed above Heina¡¯s head. She struggled to get out of his arms, but to no avail. Yuri seemed unwilling to let her go, who had been trapped in his arms like a frail bird. ¡°Open your eyes and take a good look. This is Granada, the capital of Nike. It¡¯s where I was born.¡± Yuri stood still with his one hand wrapped around her waist and hugged her tightly, and with the other opened the large window in the room. The cool night air of the cold desert brushed her cheeks. Outside the palace, old buildings that had been darkened were densely packed, and a large oasis in the middle was reflecting the moonlight and the sky like a mirror. In the dense forest created by humans around the water, the strange chirping of birds was faintly heard. Nike¡¯s night was suffocatingly dark except for the moon in the sky. Yuri was speaking to her slowly. ¡°The country was built on a land like a mirage where sand winds pile up and disappear countless times along the moon. Your native Constance, who is now gone, can¡¯t even imagine what it¡¯s like to have a barren land.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But as you walk along that sand dune, you will see the breathtaking view of the countless stars rising and setting in the sky. We, the people of Nike, have been making our home on these sand dunes for hundreds of years.¡± Yuri took a deep breath and inhaled the dry wind deep into his lungs. The distant smell of sand and dust in the desert always made his heart beat faster. Heina¡¯s hair was blown away by the wind and touched his face. Yuri gave strength to the arm that was holding Heina. ¡°Something like this¡­.¡± Heina bit her lip and shouted to herself, ¡®Why do I have to know about this horrible city?¡¯. To her, Nike was nothing more than a cruel enemy who trampled her own homeland. Yuri spat coldly towards her as she twisted her body. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be killed, stay still.¡± Her lips trembled as she bit it tight. No matter how many times she faced the humiliating situation, she never got used to it. She was a spoil given to Yuri, who opened the gates to the conquest of Constance. When she first awoke in the unfamiliar room, she could not forget the terrifying gaze as he stared right in front of her nose. After staring at Heina for a long while with a chilling cold gaze, he hugged her and went to sleep. Since then, she has been locked up in this room, unable to step out. Her homeland, Constance. The flowers blooming profusely by the lake and boasting beautiful colors came to mind. The imperial palace where she played hide and seek with Arzen. She missed the endless green garden. She missed the sound of water gushing out of the large fountain. Yes, she can meet Arzen in heaven in three days. Then this hell would be over. Heina struggled, trying not to notice the cool body temperature that hugged her from behind. ¡°¡­ I have one request.¡± She barely opened her mouth, fixing her gaze out of the window. There was nothing she could do about the trembling of her voice. Yuri smiled slightly as he rested his chin on her head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­ If I die.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 Heina was momentarily choked up and she swallowed a gulp. She can¡¯t be weak. ¡°I want my body to be buried in the land of Constance, my homeland.¡± Yuri didn¡¯t answer for a moment. Heina continued. ¡°It is said that the wishes of the dead will be granted, you can do that. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m asking for too much luxury.¡± As he watched Heina locked in his arms, trembling and trying not to make a frightened voice, Yuri finally exposed his teeth and started to laugh out loud. The dry laugh continued for a long time, and her body in contact with him shook with him. Heina was so scared that she felt like she was about to cry, so she opened her eyes wide. A desert wind filled with sand and dust pierced her eyes sharply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that would be a bit difficult.¡± Yuri, who suddenly stopped his laughter, whispered in her ear with a cruel voice. Goosebumps sprouted all over Heina¡¯s body. The wind was cold, and his slightly cracked voice sounded like that of the devil. ¡°I changed my plans, Princess Heina.¡± ¡°¡­ what do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of putting off killing you until the next rain festival.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Yuri chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and looking back over the past year, the old Princess of Constance seems to be useful in many ways.¡± As his low, husky voice rang in her ears, something hot rumbled from the depths of her chest. Heina¡¯s body trembled thinly. ¡°Wh¡­. what?¡± ¡°I said that I will save you. Are you pretending to be deaf because you are so happy that I saved your life?¡± Heina bit the flesh in her mouth tightly. Yuri swallowed a sigh and continued his words. ¡°So, I will think about how to dispose of your corpse in a year or so, after the next rain festival.¡± A ridicule came out of Yuri¡¯s lips. As long as the Emperor made the decision to do so, this rain festival would be supervised by Pesis. Even if he had any plans, he had to put it off until next year. ¡°Huhuh¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would be so moved that you cried.¡± Yuri blew a whistle at Heina¡¯s tears that she had been holding back burst out of her eyes. ¡°After all, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be alive even in this life like hell?¡± Even with Yuri¡¯s sneering tone, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. She started crying out loud, and she couldn¡¯t figure out why she was crying so sadly. Heina¡¯s white face lit up. Yuri locked Heina who was crying in his arms. She was a mess around her eyes, blushed nose and trembling slender shoulders, Yuri chuckled like a devil. The moon was gradually rising. ¡°Prince Yuri has come.¡± The maid in charge of the temple posted a report to Camille in a low voice. Camille, who was preparing to serve the God by burning incense in the center of the temple, turned around. As Yuri entered the temple with the stone pillar, Camille welcomed Yuri. ¡°How can you go out hunting right after returning from the battlefield and before even getting rid of your fatigue? I can¡¯t even remember when I last saw you, Yuri.¡± Camille¡¯s beautiful blue eyes followed Yuri. It wasn¡¯t that there was no blue-eyed man in Nike, but Yuri had never yet seen a clear blue-eyed man like Camille. His two pupils were always pointed exactly at Yuri¡¯s face, so Yuri would sometimes forget that Camille couldn¡¯t see. ¡°I have to be able to bear the fever because of Pesis.¡± ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s nice to see that your personality is still there. I feel sorry for Brother Pesis, though.¡± Taking Yuri¡¯s hand, who revealed his emotions without hiding it, Camille let out a small laugh. The small left cheek was dented with a dimple. ¡°I heard the story of the rain festival. To not care is to win, my brother.¡± Following Camille¡¯s guidance, Yuri, who had entered the garden behind the temple, seemed to have calmed down at that time. In a small garden with an open ceiling, various flowers came out of the barren ground and raised their heads nobly toward the sun. It was a beautiful sight to see how much effort Camille worked in this water-scarce country. In the middle of the garden, on a round stone table, the tea the maid had prepared was emitting a fragrant smell. Camille lifted the teacup familiarly. Yuri glanced at Camille, his own half-brother, Nike¡¯s priest, who was in his usual relaxed appearance. Camille, 3rd Prince of Nike. He nearly died from a drug someone gave to him when he was young, and lost his sight in return for surviving. Naturally, his future was decided to worship god. He was the most docile of Nike¡¯s four sons, and Camille was the least like his father. His mother was the daughter of the Leshahin, who were the most minority tribe when unifying the nomadic peoples. While she was playing the lute, she caught the eye of Nike and had Camille. After giving birth to Camille, she came into the concubinage, suffered from an illness and died of it. Her disease was called madness, and she later refused to eat, nor even recognized her own son¡¯s face, before she eventually died. Those in the court agreed that it was clear that she, who had a free spirit, had not adapted to imperial life. In Camille, the cruel and tyrannical character of the Emperor, who all three sons had, could not be found. From his appearance to his docile personality, Camille was an outcast. He also had the most beautiful appearance of the four sons of Nike, and because of this, most of the people of Nike firmly believed that Camille was a heavenly being who was called by the God to come down to earth. ¡°Yes, did you feel any better after receiving the desert energy?¡± ¡°I think it would make me feel better if I cut off all the heads of the ministers who talk about the prophecies that don¡¯t even exist now.¡± As Yuri muttered in a voice that didn¡¯t hide his anger, Camille reached out and gently stroked his hair. Camille was the only person in the Imperial Palace who could touch Yuri¡¯s body first. Yuri¡¯s shiny red hair ruffled between his fingers and changed direction. Yuri tilted his head slightly so that Camille could reach him better. His eyelashes fell down, casting a shadow over his white face. Camille opened his mouth in a soft voice. ¡°Oh, I guess you¡¯re still thinking about the rain festival?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that even Nike would take the side of the ministers who were crying out for hostility.¡± When Yuri answered bluntly, Camille continued with a cautious tone. ¡°Yuri, the more you act like that, the more others will see that you still care about the prophecy.¡± Yuri raised his head and looked at his half-brother, Camille, who was genuinely worried about him. When Yuri started to understand, no one in the Imperial Palace spoke to him. Even the nanny who nursed him and raised him was changed once a year. There were also maids who, when he was still a child, would gossip about him as a devil when he passed by. His father, Nike, was away every day for the war, and the people who were at least in the palace by the title of his older brothers were anxious to harm him. The 3rd Prince, Camille, was the first to open his heart to such a person. ©¤ ¡°Who is there?¡± Thump, thump- ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t run away, come here. Won¡¯t you read a book to me? I can¡¯t see.¡± Camille, whom he met for the first time, had an angelic personality as well as a beautiful appearance. He didn¡¯t seem interested in rumors about Yuri. No, the young Yuri thought maybe he didn¡¯t know. Rumors spread in the Imperial Palace that a red-haired devil had cursed Camille and blinded him. When someone¡¯s plan to kill Camille failed, they tried to put it on Yuri instead. Rumors spread from mouth to mouth. In order not to be cursed by the devil, they must not go against Yuri¡¯s heart, and people murmured in their mouth, and that made him even more lonely. Whether Camille knows the rumors about Yuri or not, Camille has never let him go. Next to him, who could not see through his eyes, Yuri read a book. He didn¡¯t say he didn¡¯t know the letters. At his side, who concocted the story of the desert god coming to Nike with the sandstorm to save the people, Camille listened quietly with a smile. ©¤ ¡°Next time, read a book to Older Brother again, Yuri.¡± ©¤ ¡°Camille¡­ Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± Camille put a gentle smile on his face and looked directly into Yuri¡¯s eyes and asked. ©¤ ¡°Is there any reason for me to be scared of you?¡± It was only when Yuri began to grow older that he knew that Camille was sincere. ©¤ ¡°Please don¡¯t say that in front of me, who worships God. Everything is just the will of Nike and the God who protects him. That is how you were born.¡± From the day he watched Camille¡¯s blue eyes quietly rage and turn at those who cursed Yuri, Camille became the only person in the palace he could trust. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 ¡°I need something certain right now. Something certain that can completely change the consciousness of the people.¡± Yuri looked straight into Camille¡¯s beautiful eyes and opened his mouth. Camille took a sip of the fragrant tea and smiled softly at him. ¡°It will be your coming-of-age ceremony soon, Yuri.¡± Yuri genuinely thought that Camille had eyes that seemed to pierce through his thoughts. Ever since Camille became an adult and began to worship God in earnest, he couldn¡¯t tell a lie in front of him. That was the reason Yuri came to him after struggling. He had to move the people of Nike if there were many enemies in the imperial palace. At the coming-of-age ceremony, it was necessary to make a strong impression that the next Nike would be Yuri himself. ¡°What do you want me to do, Brother?¡± Camille asked Yuri with a smile like a painting on his face, as if it had been made by God with the best efforts. ¡°Please set a date, Camille. A date that will surely happen.¡± Yuri looked at Camille eagerly. The first thing he would do if he became Emperor was to find out who had blind Camille, and then dig out their two eyes. Camille, who was a priest, was unable to kill, so revenge was Yuri¡¯s responsibility. Some people were questionable, but a clear confession was needed. With a knife halfway through their throat, he was sure they would confess their evil deeds. In order to do that, Yuri had to rise to the throne of the Emperor. If Pesis or Nadine became Emperor, it was obvious that Yuri would die. No, even if Yuri ascended the throne, the situation would not be much different. The only difference between the one who dies and the one who lives. There was only one logic of the Imperial Palace, which he had learned through his body since he was young. Only the strong survive. If he doesn¡¯t kill, he will be killed. ¡°Your star is getting stronger, Yuri.¡± Camille¡¯s low voice echoed through the room. ¡°That would be a good sign, brother.¡± Yuri¡¯s eyes lit up. Camille put down the teacup, rose from his seat, and lifted his head toward the sky. His lips twitched unheard. Yuri held his breath behind him and looked at him. After some time passed, Camille finally spoke quietly. ¡°¡­ Your coming-of-age ceremony is the night after the rain festival, when the moon gets smaller and smaller and takes the shape of a goat¡¯s horn.¡± ¡°I will obey the word of God.¡± As soon as Camille could finish his words, Yuri knelt down on the floor and put his head on it. Yuri never doubted that God had chosen him. Camille was always right. It will be this time as well. No, it had to. After Yuri left the temple, Camille sighed softly. ¡°God, that child has lived a life of fighting against fate. But do you have to do it like this¡­.¡± That year, Nike¡¯s dry season was particularly long. The expansive territory centered on the capital, Granada, was noticeably drying up as the days passed. For the Nike people, who had suffered from drought for hundreds of years, ruling over water meant a powerful imperial power. Each year, ministers and priests, including Camille, set the date of the rain festival based on historical records and the movement of the stars. This served as a signal to mark the beginning of the rainy season in most deserts. However, even though ten days had passed since the grand rain festival was over, it was not raining in Nike. ¡°The news is that the rain is coming later than expected, so there is constant noise from the public. If this continues, there will be chaos in the country.¡± ¡°The resentment of the people, exhausted from the prolonged drought, is gradually increasing.¡± At the policy meeting convened inside the imperial palace, Pesis¡¯s expression wrinkled slightly as he listened to the ministers¡¯ worried reports. Pesis put a smile on his face that pretended to be relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s only been ten days. It doesn¡¯t seem like a very wise decision to discuss the rise and fall of a nation with only ten days for us Nike people, who have survived on dry land for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°What do you mean ten days, Brother Pesis.¡± An unwelcome voice was heard from the other side. Pesis glanced at Yuri, who was sitting crookedly. Yuri snorted. ¡°For the last five years, it has always rained less than five days after the rain festival ended. Doesn¡¯t Brother Pesis, who has been in charge of the rain festival, know it better than anyone else?¡± ¡°Statistics are just statistics. God will answer soon, so there is no need to worry.¡± Pesis barely quelled the rage boiling in his chest. Yuri continued to speak with a sigh as if he had no intention of hiding his feelings. ¡°Is Brother¡¯s Pesis¡¯ effect gone now already? Hahaha.¡± ¡°Prince Yuri! What kind of statement!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke, ministers.¡± Yuri shrugged his shoulders and raised the corners of his lips to a smile. He reached out over the long rectangular table. Pesis, who had been gazing at Yuri taking a bite out of a decorative red apple offered as a tribute, slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­ no. Maybe Yuri is right.¡± The eyes of the ministers were all at once on Pesis. At the very end, Emperor Nike, who was silent at the top, also set a sharp gaze on Pesis. ¡°It seems that changing the sacrifice in the end also made God angry. So, it¡¯s not wrong to say that the effect is gone.¡± Yuri, who had been chewing the apple without hesitation, suddenly stopped moving. His red eyebrows, the same color as his hair, curled upwards. Pesis spoke in a polite, calm voice. ¡°After receiving God¡¯s blessing and subjugating Constance, we did not sacrifice the vassal state, so it is natural for God to be angry.¡± The ministers began to murmur. Yuri stared at Pesis, who had a solemn expression on his face, with blazing eyes. ¡®Is that all you were thinking, Pesis?¡¯ In the end, the cunning Pesis was determined to blame the failure of the sacrifice in the rain festival on him. In fact, it was Pesis who directly suggested that the tradition of a country where living humans were sacrificed might provoke the antipathy of many colonies living in Nike. Yuri chewed on his lower lip as he watched Pesis skillfully shifting the blame for it not raining to the sacrifice. ¡°Then things will be simple.¡± Yuri opened his mouth with a cruel smile. Nike, who had been silent, looked at him and asked. ¡°Do you have any tricks, Yuri?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to kill the Princess of the imperial family of Constance as the original plan?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yuri snorted and threw the half-eaten apple he left behind on the table. It was the moment when the red fruit was about to roll over the rectangular table and fall on Pesis¡¯ side. Swish- A small dagger flew and pierced the moving apple and the table at the same time. It happened in an instant. Juice dripped from the fruit with Yuri¡¯s knife and wet the table. The ministers stopped breathing at the same time, and Pesis couldn¡¯t contain his anger and jumped up from his seat. His well-groomed lips twisted in anger. ¡°What are you doing, Yuri!!¡± ¡°Are you surprised? I stopped unconsciously, wondering if the fruits I picked up from Constance might stain Brother Pesis¡¯ clothes.¡± An eerie smirk flowed from Yuri¡¯s lips, who accurately aimed at the apple with the knife. Pesis saw Yuri throwing the dagger towards him, and his hands were trembling. The ministers swallowed a gulp and wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads. It was Yuri that had Nike¡¯s character of a war-maniac. The ministers reminded themselves of Yuri¡¯s cruel nature. Despite the fact that he drew his knife in front of the Emperor, none of the ministers criticized him. Most of them thought that if they came into Yuri¡¯s eyes, the knife might be pierced in their neck one day. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you pulled out a knife in front of Nike. Are you out of your mind? Pesis¡¯ face contorted. He turned his head to look at Nike, who sat on the tabletop. ¡°Nike, give me a chance to punish my immature brother by cutting off Yuri¡¯s wrist.¡± Fear was vivid again in the eyes of the ministers. Everyone knew that Nike was not the type of person who would be unable to issue such an order to his son. If that happened, they were worried that this place would become a bloody slaughter scene. As usual, Nike, touching his long beard, had an expression that they didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. ¡°Yuri, when was your coming-of-age ceremony?¡± Nike broke the silence with an expressionless face and asked Yuri. ¡°It¡¯s five days away.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 His fiery red hair turned downwards. With his head bowed, the Emperor¡¯s command was issued to him. ¡°Kill it. That night. Before the people of Nike.¡± The cold, low voice of Nike broke the space. Those were the words that came out of the Emperor¡¯s mouth. He didn¡¯t say the target to kill, but everyone knew the target. Yuri got down on his knees on the spot. ¡°¡­ I will not disappoint Nike.¡± ¡°I will not hold you responsible for today when you took out your sword in front of the Emperor.¡± Yuri put his head on the floor and greeted him politely. As soon as Nike gave the dismissal order, Pesis was the first to leave, followed by the ministers. Yuri was on the floor for a long time, and only got up after the last minister left. ¡°Everything is according to the will of Nike and the God who protects him.¡± A low but powerful voice flowed from the Emperor¡¯s lips as he looked at Yuri. Yuri bowed his head to him. ¡°¡­ Everything is according to the will of Nike and the God who protects him.¡± After greeting politely last, Yuri left the Emperor¡¯s audience room. He walked slowly and pondered. The look on Nike¡¯s face that Yuri had just glanced at was a face that Yuri had never seen from him before. What was it, that expression? He followed his father to numerous battlefields from an early age, but he never remembered it, but it looked so familiar to Yuri. ¡®No.¡¯ Yuri quickly erased the sudden thoughts from his mind and speeded up his steps. Nike. The Emperor was a cruel father who left Yuri, who was less than ten years old, naked in the desert for ten days. Fear appeared on that Nike¡¯s face. It was nonsense. The coming-of-age ceremony that Nike ordered to kill Heina was right before him. There was a lot to prepare. This time, he will show his power clearly in the eyes of the Emperor. Yuri grinded his teeth while walking. ¡°What does it have to do with me that Prince Yuri¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony is tomorrow?¡± Heina, who was staring blankly out of the window, asked with a look of disbelief at the handmaid¡¯s request that she should be groomed. ¡°There is no reason for the Prince¡¯s orders. Even if there is a reason, I cannot ask for it.¡± ¡°So, after all, you don¡¯t know. Why do I have to bathe in a country where water is scarce in order to participate in that guy¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony?¡± As Heina let out a chill, the handmaid scolded her with a stern expression on her face. ¡°Be careful with your words and actions. It will make him angry.¡± Heina raised her head and sneered faintly. ¡°It will be more than death?¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to leave this room?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The handmaid seemed to have stabbed her in the corner. A crease crept into Heina¡¯s beautiful forehead. The handmaiden made up her mind to arouse her by going a little further. ¡°Tomorrow night, to celebrate Prince Yuri¡¯s coming-of-age, all citizens of Granada as well as the former Emperor and Empress of Constance will be in attendance.¡± Heina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She swallowed a gulp and blinked her eyes. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡®Can I see Mother and Father? My family¡­ Can we meet?¡¯ It has been a year since they lost the war and she was taken prisoner and brought to Granada. Meanwhile, Heina never had a chance to meet her parents. The devil Yuri threatened to kill her parents in the most brutal way in the world on the day she even committed suicide. Although she was skeptical that her parents were still alive, she couldn¡¯t give up hope, so she kept her undead life. But¡­. ¡°My¡­ mother, father¡­ Are they attending?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes, Heina asked in a trembling voice. The handmaiden Elise nodded her head softly towards her. Watching Heina over the past year, it was also true that at first she was uncomfortable with her planting because of Heina¡¯s lofty and fussy personality. But she became more and more sympathetic to Heina who was as old as her daughter. Soon after she made a fuss of cutting her hair with the broken teacup, Yuri¡¯s anger was enormous. If Heina had done harm to herself, the young maid who served the tea would probably have died at Yuri¡¯s hands. From the day she read Heina¡¯s worried expression in her eyes as she hinted about the well-being of the maid, who had been kicked out of the palace, Elise began to sympathize with Heina little by little. ¡°I am sure they will attend.¡± According to the rumors that the maids of the Imperial Palace gossip, tomorrow night is Heina¡¯s sacrifice day. She didn¡¯t expect her own future even an inch ahead, and seemed to be more at a loss for what to do with the excitement to meet her parents. Heina, who had never shed a tear in front of Elise, was shaking her shoulders and sobbing. ¡°Ugh¡­. uhhh¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go before the bath water cools down.¡± When the handmaid tried to support Heina, she lifted her face wet with tears. Heina clenched her fists and stood up on her own. ¡°I can walk alone.¡± Heina followed the handmaid by moving her wobbly legs. Since she was brought to Nike, it was her first time to leave the room. She wasn¡¯t even leaving the palace, and her heart was pounding strangely. Heina stepped on her foot slowly to make sure she did not break her knee and fell. When she first came, the imperial palace of Granada, which she had not been able to see properly, was so dark that she wondered if she could not see even an inch ahead no matter how dark it was. Heina¡¯s body trembled in the atmosphere that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if an assassin popped out while hiding in the dark, or even if a ghost appeared. The handmaid was moving without the sound of footsteps. With every step she took, only the sound of the lapels rubbing was clearly audible. She passed through the many rooms laid out in the long hallway, and finally she came to the wooden door of a dark room that seemed to have little light. ¡°Go in and wait. I will help you with the bathing soon.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to. I will do it alone.¡± The handmaid opened the door to the dimly lit room, let Heina in, and then closed the door without a word. In the room, where no light hits at all, only a few incense candles emitting a dim light were lit to illuminate the dimly lit room. In the middle of the small room, hot steam rose from the bath made of roundly piled up worn stones. It could not be compared with the baths of Constance, where bath culture was developed from early on, but compared to the past, when she was confined in a room and had to wash herself with little water, tears came to her eyes from joy. She felt a little dizzy at the smell of burning herbs from somewhere. Heina moved her hand slowly. As she untied the string that was wrapped around her waist, the white robe that was wrapped around her slowly fell to the floor. As the Nike¡¯s garb fell from her body, Heina carefully put her body into the bath, from her toes. The space was deeper and wider than expected. Splash. As the warm water wrapped around her, it felt as if her muscles were relaxing. The smell of incense candles was still strong enough for her, but it was tolerable because she drank tea every day. It was the moment she closed her eyes and gently leaned her head against her stone wall. Click. The door opened and a ray of light from outside shone faintly into the dimly lit bathroom. Even though she said she didn¡¯t need it, this handmaid seemed to be carrying bath towels. Heina frowned and leaned her back against and lifted her head slightly. ¡°¡­.¡± The first thing that caught her eye before she could even say that she didn¡¯t need the handmaid was the red hair that she was all too familiar with. Heina¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t seen so many Nike people before. But, as far as she knew, only one of the Nike people had red hair. Heina took a deep breath for a moment and hid her body by putting down her head up to the tip of her hair in the bath water. The world went silent, but her heart raced like it would burst out of fear. ¨C ¡°One, two, three, four, five, six. Seven, and eight¡­.¡± How long did she hold her breath? The first song ended and the second song started. With her eyes closed, Heina felt as if she could hear Arzen¡¯s voice in her ear. ¨C ¡°Heina, haha, I can see everything behind the tree.¡± ¨C ¡°This is unfair! Arzen can find me wherever I hide. If Arzen hides, I will never find you!¡± As he draped a flower crown on her, Arzen smiled. ©¤ ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m always the tagger, Princess Heina. Even if you decide to hide from me, I can find you.¡± She first met Arzen when she was twelve and he was eighteen, Heina was in love with him. She had never met anyone in the castle of Constance who smiled as sweetly as Arzen did. ¨C ¡°Wow! So, even if I get lost in this castle, will Arzen come to me in the end?¡± She believed that they would be together forever. Her future with him was certain, she believed, that they would live happily in Constance with the blessings of all. ¨C ¡°Of course not, Heina. I¡¯ll always be by your side, so you won¡¯t get lost.¡± Arzen¡¯s voice was faintly disappearing. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤