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Chapter 18
The assassins realized it in an instant. One of them had just died.
“I deal in darkness, precisely. I’m glad I can correct the facts before all of you die,”
Rubellus said with a smile, finishing his words before snapping his fingers again. Another scream pierced the air.
Even without looking, it was clear. There had been eight pairs of legs on the ground, two humans swallowed, leaving six remaining.
“The reason I’ve gone out of my way to cast light and handle you with shadows until now was that I wanted to confirm your deaths with one of my senses. It’s a kind of obsession with wanting you to still behave like humans. Of course, snapping my fingers like this now is similar. Number three,”
Rubellus snapped his fingers again. With another short, agonized scream, someone disappeared into the darkness. No—rather, in this case, it was more accurate to say the darkness devoured him.
One of the assassins whispered urgently, “Run!” And again, the space shimmered, and the one who had warned them vanished into the darkness.
“No, I should have brought a shadowless lamp to erase the shadows… Though even then, I would have failed. Because the coronation is over, and my ‘power’ is complete,”
Rubellus said, steadily swallowing them one by one. Normally, those who hid inside his shadow barely moved, yet he could feel their joy. It was a strange sensation.
“Three years ago, during the ambush, one of you escaped because of my mistake. That was supposed to be your first and last preparation for death, yet you wasted it like this. Pathetic,”
Rubellus muttered with a sigh.
Even now, just thinking of that time gave him goosebumps.
When he was about to deal with the last one, Aira stomped and ran into her room’s veranda. He had never been so startled.
He shoved the bloodied, scattered corpses into the shadows in an instant, hiding his face in the darkness. If any blood had stained him, he didn’t want Aira to see it.
And Aira spoke. Asking why he hadn’t come to the debutante ball.
How could he explain? That the moment he was about to leave, nearly a whole squad of assassins had arrived.
It had been a calculated move by his uncle, who controlled military power… and so he could not go.
At that time, he didn’t know it would be his last chance. That in order to become emperor, to fully acquire his ‘power,’ pushing her aside until now had been far more difficult for her than he had expected.
It was his miscalculation.
Recalling that moment, a glint of killing intent appeared in Rubellus’ eyes. He knew he was wrong, but still needed to vent his anger.
Now, only one remained.
“Hi, hiek.”
The assassin drew a small, trembling breath, but Rubellus snapped his fingers one last time without blinking.
And that was the end.
“…….”
With all dealt with, soft light seeped through the blackout curtains. Dawn had already come.
The darkness had devoured the corpses without leaving a single trace of blood. The space at the edge of his vision shimmered greatly. He looked satisfied, and Rubellus let out a sigh.
“This is why I cannot have attendants in the room.”
There had never been attendants in his bedroom—a habit dating back to his time as prince.
Given that he was the only legitimate heir of Zajherd, it would have been natural to assign bodyguards or watchmen to guard against assassination attempts, even if not attendants.
But Rubellus had instructed that no one be allowed in his bedroom and had never changed that command. For this reason.
Assassins could be handled easily, but the human mouth could not.
Rubellus approached the bedside table and, as if by habit, opened his lens case.
The bedroom was dark, but that posed no problem for inserting the lenses. From a very young age, he had worn lenses for years while in the dark.
It took only a few seconds for his red eyes to turn violet.
Once he had the lenses on, Rubellus strode to the window at the front of the bedroom and drew the blackout curtains wide open.
The dark room instantly filled with white morning sunlight. Rubellus looked up at the sky with an extremely satisfied expression. Today, the sky was unusually blue—just like Aira’s eyes.
“…….”
Rubellus briefly recalled Aira from yesterday.
He had raided the venue of her arranged meeting with the knights, leading all the knights himself.
He had no choice. Even though they were in training, the moment he heard that Aira would attend the meeting, his mind flipped.
Still… Aira’s flustered appearance at the meeting was extremely cute. It was their first encounter since the coronation, all the more so.
How startled must she have been to faint while looking at him? If he hadn’t grabbed her in time, she might have hit her head right there.
She couldn’t be left alone at a meeting. Not allowed.
Absolutely not.
His violet eyes, recalling yesterday, curved into the happiest expression. It was a refreshing morning, and his mood was at its peak.
He then rose, slipped on his slippers, and walked slowly to the inner chamber.
“Have you coughed?”
As he entered, the attendants waiting immediately knelt to pay respects.
Because he had instructed that no one enter his bedroom, even those responsible for washing his face waited in the inner chamber.
He moved three steps, stood still, and closed his eyes.
The attendants gently rubbed his face, hands, and feet with warm towels, then wiped him once more with towels dipped in purified water.
The grooming attendant tidied his hair and overnight stubble and applied a subtly fragrant lotion to his face.
Rubellus, eyes closed, suddenly opened them and looked toward one corner.
Someone stood there who normally would have had no reason to enter.
Marquis Vice Roden.
The royal spokesperson and head of the press.
He held a newsletter in his hands, glaring at Rubellus with a twitching face full of anger.
Glancing at the newsletter, the front page reported a trivial matter—women fighting over department store sales.
Oh… well blocked.
A playful smirk lifted the corner of Rubellus’ mouth as he put on his shirt.
After putting on the shirt, he snapped his fingers for the attendant bringing his vest and coat.
“Today, the vest should be a bit flashy. The coat, too, but in a dark grayish-green, with gold embellishments.”
“Understood.”
The attendant in charge of his clothing bowed and signaled hurriedly to another attendant, who immediately dashed to the wardrobe on another floor rather than the temporary closet in the inner chamber.
The clothing attendant checked the emperor’s wardrobe daily and selected his attire for the day.
The emperor preferred simple, dark clothes. Today, the attendants had selected such a style, but he ordered something flashy and beautiful for once.
While an attendant pondered how to slowly help him into pants until the clothes arrived, the emperor snapped his fingers again.
“Until the clothes arrive, I’ll talk with the spokesperson.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
All grooming attendants, except the few in charge of clothing, left the inner chamber immediately.
Rubellus did not even glance at them as they left, instead sitting slowly on the sofa and crossing his legs elegantly.
Of course, Vice remained standing with arms crossed in the corner. Rubellus smiled playfully at him and flicked his fingers.
Vice’s face twitched again.
Pretending not to notice, Rubellus smiled innocently, as if knowing nothing.
“Since morning, what brings you here?”
“What else? To see Your Majesty’s beautiful jade eyes first thing in the morning. Seeing them in person makes me so overwhelmed, I feel I might faint right here.”
Looking at his long-time friend with a teasing smile, Rubellus grinned even more. Vice was his age and had been a close companion since long ago alongside Elphine.
If Elphine were a bear, Vice was a fox—always quick-witted, talented at coordinating those around him.
“Judging by that look, you stayed up all night wanting to see my face. I’ll give you plenty of time to enjoy it.”
“Your Majesty!”
Unable to restrain himself, Vice shouted and threw the newspaper down. Seeing the department store article, Rubellus bared his teeth and laughed at him.
“By the way, you handled that quite neatly. Excellent. Your skill is always impressive.”
Even with Rubellus’ praise, Vice’s expression didn’t relax. If anything, he ground his teeth, looking as if he could not control his face.
“I almost couldn’t handle it. Luckily, the Wildenbiston and Shoden families stepped in! The Pacific Times even secured witnesses! So why on earth did you take the Emperor’s personal knights there?! Are you saying you operated the knights without even informing Elphine, the captain?!”
“I told the captain of the guards.”
“That’s nonsense! You excluded him because she’s Elphine’s sister, right?!”
“Then why ask if you already know?”
“Your Majesty, do you really have to make excuses like this?!”
“Even if I act recklessly, you all are competent.”
“Ugh! Your Majesty!”
Vice could not contain himself and collapsed flat to the ground.
It was a habit Vice developed since Rubellus became crown prince. Unable to be rude to royalty, he would instead bow deeply, bury his nose in the floor, and silently curse.
Rubellus was sure that even now, Vice’s face was contorted, silently cursing wildly.
As Rubellus swallowed his laughter, Vice, still prostrated, peeked his head up slightly.
“Your Majesty, may I ask just one thing?”
Vice’s face was flushed, blood rushing to it.
Rubellus nodded slightly, legs crossed.
“Ask.”
“……Why the Wildenbiston princess?”
