IJRM 01

Chapter: 01

 Prologue

“Ted. I don’t believe in love.”

‘And yet… I ended up loving you. Is that allowed? Can I… love you?’

Silver hair brushed faintly against Sesenia’s fingertips. The man knelt before her, pressing his cheek into her hand. It wasn’t just the ticklish sensation at her fingertips—his moist eyes trembled. Despite his large build, he longed for her desperately.

“Then instead of love, please possess me. I can do anything for you. So, Master… please make me entirely yours.”

“No. I’ve used you enough.”

“No. Use me more. Break me. Make it so that my final destination—when I have nowhere else to go—can only be you.”

“No…”

“Are you going to abandon me? You saved me, and now you’re going to throw me away? Why… why?”

Sesenia slowly let go of his hand. But his long fingers slipped between hers, intertwining as if refusing to let go. His scar-covered hand wrapped around her pale one like vines, and her heart grew complicated.

“I’m not abandoning you. I’m just realizing our place. Ted. I only intended to raise you to the throne so I could use you.”

“Then… you don’t need me anymore?”

“No.”

“You said you would become Empress. You said you would stay by my side. That’s why I endured everything… so why… why are you thinking of leaving? I’ll become Emperor. I’ll place this entire nation beneath your feet. So… just don’t leave.”

She couldn’t pull away. Sesenia looked at him with a troubled expression.

He was of imperial blood, yet a discarded child. Sesenia had been the one to save him. It wasn’t for any noble cause. He was merely a tool—for herself, for the friend who stole her husband and betrayed her… and for the version of herself that had died because of them.

“I tried to use you. You already know that. So why…”

“Because I don’t think I can live without you.”

Sesenia let out a sigh and looked at him. Slowly rising to his feet, Ted wrapped her tightly in his arms.

“So… don’t go. I’ll do anything you want. Even if I have to bring you the Emperor’s head…”

“Alright, Ted.”

“Stay here… as my Master. I’ll come back. You won’t leave, right?”

“Mm.”

“Please praise me.”

Stepping slightly out of his embrace, Sesenia stood on her tiptoes and gently patted his head.

“You did well.”

“Please… please keep staying here…”

“I will. I’ll stay.”

She hadn’t expected him to become this obsessed. Was it because she had at least allowed him to live like a human? Or because she had always kept him by her side since she needed him too? Whatever the reason, Ted’s obsession only grew stronger with each passing day. Sesenia quietly watched him.

Only after hearing her answer did he finally relax and slowly step back.

“If I go where I’m supposed to be… you won’t be angry, right, Master?”

“Yes. Go. I’ll come find you.”

“…You have to come. Please. Don’t hate me.”

“I won’t.”

Only after reassuring himself again and again did Ted climb out through the window.

“Ha…”

As if they had been watching the whole time, two figures revealed themselves simultaneously.

“Why do you keep that pathetic guy around? Other than being of royal blood, he’s just pitiful.”

“You were the one who acknowledged Teddy before.”

“Now that I’ve returned as king, it’s frustrating. I’m right here, so why… why do you pay attention to someone like him? I like you, Nia.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Teddy is better than you, oppa.”

They were twins—so identical it was hard to believe they were human. If fairies existed, they would probably look like them. With pale sky-blue hair and flawless white skin, they seemed like beings from another world. Aside from one having short hair and the other long, there was no difference. Naturally, they clung to Sesenia’s sides.

The twin siblings, Silian and Pepe.

“Then choose me. To help your revenge, I went somewhere I never wanted to return to—even if it meant death—and killed everything that stood in your way. So stay by my side, Nia. If you want revenge, I’ll give it to you.”

“Unni, we’ll do it for you. So don’t ask anyone else—just look at us. No, look only at me. You don’t need any men. I’ll save you. So submit to me. I’ll become your everything.”

Watching the two smiling brightly, Sesenia shook her head.

They had been exiled from their homeland simply for being twins. This country was the only place they had managed to survive—and even that was about to be taken from them. Sesenia had saved them.

Because she thought they might be useful someday.

But now, she wondered if this too had been a mistake.

Following Ted, both of them had become obsessively attached to her.

“No. I’ll handle my revenge myself.”

“If that’s what you say, fine. Do it your way. But, Nia… using revenge as an excuse to grow close to others—I don’t think I can tolerate that anymore.”

“Ha…”

Sesenia let out a deep sigh as the twins clung to her.

She had only raised men for the sake of revenge…

**

9 months ago.

For Sesenia, that day was no different from any other.

‘Today, my husband is cheating again. I’m sick of it. Why did I marry this man? It was supposed to make me happy… but I’m not happy at all.’

Sesenia looked devoid of emotion, as if she had given up on everything. Even now, as she headed toward the Emperor’s chambers, it was only to chase away yet another woman her husband had brought in. She felt nothing.

If only that person hadn’t been inside, today would have been just another ordinary day.

“My little bird. You’re beautiful again today. Every moment I see you is thrilling.”

“Oh, stop… you too…”

“It feels like a dream. That you’re by my side. You should have been with me from the very beginning.”

As usual, the voices of a man and a woman dripped from inside the room. Sesenia stared at the door without emotion.

“I’m sick of it.”

She had lost count of how many it had been. The Emperor changed women every day. And every day, Sesenia opened that door—to protect her position. She couldn’t do anything to her husband, the Emperor, so she drove the women away instead.

So today, she opened the door as well…

“Why are you so sweet? You smell like peaches.”

The Emperor had his face buried in the woman’s chest. The woman laughed brightly at him. Normally, Sesenia would have stormed in and thrown her out—but her feet wouldn’t move.

Because the woman stroking his hair was someone she knew all too well.

“…Unni?”

Only then did the Emperor notice someone had entered and lifted his head.

“Em—Empress…! Why are you here? Even if you are the Empress, you can’t just enter the Emperor’s chamber like this!”

“H… how… how can you do this? You too… both of you… how could you…”

She knew he was trash. Infidelity wasn’t allowed here. But because her husband was the Emperor, there was nothing Sesenia could do.

“Ah. We got caught.”

All she could do was stare at her shameless older sister, Eljer.

The Emperor, instead of feeling guilty, pitied Eljer.

“Eljer. You must have been startled.”

“I’m fine. But what are you going to do now?”

“Hm?”

“That.”

Eljer pointed at Sesenia standing at the door.

As if they weren’t the ones cheating, but she was, they stood there confidently. Sesenia felt suffocated.

What was she even here for?

Was it just to witness this?

Her own sister… her own blood…

“‘That’? She’s the Empress—your sister. And you’re so shameless I almost thought I was the one in the wrong.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“What?”

“Sesenia. You might not understand, but men are just like this. It’s in their nature. They can’t resist women. And he’s a ruler, isn’t he? For someone in power, having one or two lovers… isn’t that normal?”

Her sister sneered at her, casually inspecting her nails as if Sesenia was beneath even the dirt under them.

That made her chest tighten even more.

“Unni!!”

“Be quiet. How dare you raise your voice! Helbert, do something. She’s too loud.”

Clinging tightly to the Emperor, Eljer twisted her body coyly. Sesenia barely suppressed the urge to vomit.

“Of course. My little bird shouldn’t suffer.”

The Emperor gently caressed Eljer’s cheek, frowning slightly.

“Sesenia. Leave.”

“Leave? Anyone who sees this would think I’m the one cheating. No matter that you’re the Emperor, this is unacceptable. This country is built on mutual fidelity. The more you do this, the more your reputation will fall—why don’t you understand that, Emperor Helbert?”

“That’s why you have no charm as a woman. You’re not affectionate at all.”

Clicking his tongue, the Emperor looked at her with annoyance.

At least Sesenia wasn’t a fool. She might not have been affectionate, but she had her mind intact.

“Whether I have charm or not, whether you want other women or not—so long as I am alive, so long as I exist, that will never be possible.”

All her suppressed anger exploded at once. If he had at least bowed his head and called it a mistake, she might have let it go. But her sister Eljer had made the worst possible choice.

For three years, Sesenia had never harmed any woman beside the Emperor. She always blamed her husband instead—the man who couldn’t control himself. She only warned the women:

There would not be a second time. Never approach the Emperor again.

Perhaps thinking this would be the same, Eljer remained arrogant.

As if saying, What can you do?

Or perhaps she had another plan in mind.

Either way, it didn’t matter to Sesenia now.

She just wanted to get rid of the trash in front of her.

“Eljer, unni.”