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~Chapter 4~
“I want to join the delegation going to the Ruu Sephon Empire for the founding festival,” Dahlia said.
Kain looked at her, surprised.
“Do you know what it means for you to go to the Ruu Sephon Empire?”
“Our kingdom, Forevern, is surrounded by three empires. Since our kingdom is small compared to them, our rule is never to become too close to any one empire.”
“That’s correct. But you’re a princess, and you want to visit the Ruu Sephon Empire where the emperor is still single. Do you know what that could mean?”
“If two single people meet, the other empires might think we’re planning a political marriage. But it’s just a misunderstanding. I don’t plan to marry him.”
“You’re very smart,” Kain said with a proud smile, and Dahlia smiled too.
“Brother, shouldn’t you be asking me, ‘If you know all this, then why do you want to go to the Ruu Sephon Empire?’”
Kain laughed. “You’re right! My little sister is so clever, beautiful, and lovely.”
Rayen, the foreign minister, shook his head, as if he couldn’t handle their conversation. Kain was showing his soft side for his sister, even in front of his friend.
“Ahem, Your Majesty…” Rayen cleared his throat, getting Kain’s attention.
“Did you hear how clever my Dahlia is?” Kain said, but Rayen looked past him and spoke to Dahlia.
“Princess Dahlia, I don’t know why you want to go to the Ruu Sephon Empire’s festival, but I think it’s not a good idea. If the other empires find out, they might pressure our kingdom. Please reconsider this time.”
Rayen tried to gently persuade her.
Dahlia nodded, understanding Rayen’s concern.
“I understand what you’re worried about, Foreign Minister. That’s why I plan to hide my identity as a princess. Since I’ve lived in the separate palace since I was little, even most of our own nobles don’t know my face. If I don’t say I’m the princess, nobody in the Ruu Sephon Empire will know.”
“Princess, even so—” Rayen started.
“Dahlia, is there a reason you have to go that far?” Kain interrupted him.
Dahlia paused for a moment, then moved close to Kain and whispered so only he could hear:
“Brother, I had a dream. I have to go.”
“Brother, I had a dream. The head servant said Mother died. I saw it… in my dream…”
Kain’s face turned to stone.
Before, he only thought Dahlia lived in the separate palace because of her illness. But that night, when his little sister came to his room, he learned the real reason.
Their parents had wanted to protect her special power from being discovered by others.
And now, Dahlia was saying she had another dream.
That meant she saw the future.
Kain looked at Dahlia with sad eyes. She had avoided him for weeks—was it all because of a dream?
“Is it something that really can’t happen if you don’t go?”
“Yes.”
Rayen was right; if Dahlia went, it could create problems with the other empires. But Kain was even more worried about her.
“What if something happens to you in that faraway empire?”
Dahlia smiled to calm him.
The world would end if the emperor didn’t get married. But she was the only one who knew.
She had to do whatever it took—even push the emperor if needed—to make sure he got married.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of myself. And I’ll make sure he gets married, no matter what.”
“Who?” Kain looked confused, but Dahlia just clasped her hands and said confidently,
“Just trust me, brother!”
Grey’s black eyes looked out the window as he stepped out of the bath.
It was early morning. The sky outside was a soft mix of blue and purple.
Whenever he stared at those beautiful colors, he felt like he had forgotten something important.
Even though he knew that was impossible.
Turning back inside, Grey took off his robe and reached for his shirt. As usual, he checked his bare back in the big mirror.
On both his shoulder blades, dark marks were spreading.
It was proof that the curse of the royal family had appeared on him this time.
When he was young, he thought it was just a small spot, but as he got older, the black mark kept growing.
Checking how big it was became an important part of his daily routine.
He became emperor at a young age, and the moment he read the Emperor’s Book, he found out he was living on borrowed time.
The Emperor’s Book held the secret of the Ruu Sephon royal family:
If someone with the royal blood shows a black mark, they will die before the age of 25.
The black mark sometimes appeared after three generations, or sometimes it skipped many generations. It was random.
Those with the mark died from illness, accidents, or even disappeared. But none lived to their 25th birthday.
Since the deaths were all different, nobody outside the royal family knew about the curse. Only the emperor, who could read the Emperor’s Book, knew.
So the ancestors always tried to get married early and have children quickly.
There were never many children born to the royal family. There was only one boy born each generation, so there were never fights for the throne.
Grey carefully checked his back.
He didn’t know when or how he would die.
But he was certain that the day the mark covered his whole back, he would die.
His 25th birthday was less than a year away now. There was no time left. Before the mark covered his whole back, he had to finish everything.
Grey flipped over the hourglass on the table. The golden sand started to fall.
Normally, the meeting room would be full of loud voices, but today it was cold and silent.
The ministers kept glancing at the emperor, who sat at the head of the table.
His black hair was combed back, his eyes were sharply black and white, his nose was high, his lips were red, and his jawline was sharp for a man. The beauty mark under his eye was charming, especially when he smiled.
“Why is everyone so quiet?” The emperor smiled brightly, dimples showing on his cheeks.
Who needs sunshine when his smile lights up the room like that?
But the ministers just swallowed nervously.
They all knew what it meant when the emperor smiled like that.
“Minister of War. The east is still full of pirates. What’s your plan?”
“Well…”
Sweat poured from the bald head of the Minister of War.
“You don’t have one, do you? There was no plan two years ago, so there can’t suddenly be one now, right?”
The emperor’s smile was dazzling.
“We recently received a report about the Pirate King’s base. Just give me a bit more time and I’ll bring you the Pirate King’s head myself, Your Majesty.”
The Ruu Sephon royal family had a blessing along with their curse:
Once a day, the emperor could tell if someone was telling the truth or lying.
Grey looked straight into the Minister of War’s eyes and smiled.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
‘Lie.’
He had hoped, just maybe, it was true. But as expected, it was not.
