The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

“You want to keep me alive for Dorothea…”

“Keeping your life is secondary because I don’t want Prince Fried to get in the way of Her Highness.”

Ethan answered Theon by cutting off his words.

Preventing Theon from meeting Dorothea was the most important part of this civil war.

If Ethan leaves Theon alone, he will indeed block Dorothea’s path.

When that happens, everything goes in vain.

“If you had been left alone, you would have persuaded her not to kill Raymond, begged her, and become angry, right?”

Ethan grinned at the seemingly obvious future.

“Love is wonderful.”

It was only in front of Theon that Dorothea, who was cold and unshakable as snow, became a flower that broke without strength.

If Theon said no, Dorothea, who was pushing and advancing like buffalo, would stop. 

‘Very, very disgusting.’

“If even Prince Fried denied Princess Dorothea, wouldn’t it be too cruel?”

Everything Raymond had and everything Dorothea didn’t have.

She was now trying to get back what had been taken away.

“You are the only one trying to stand on top of Raymond now.”

It would be cruel to Dorothea to have her first and last dreams blocked by the man she loves.

So Ethan caught Theon and kept him alive for Dorothea.

Ethan averted his gaze from Theon and directed it towards the palace where Dorothea was located.

As if expecting a new era to come, the roof of the palace was shining red and splendidly in the sunset.

A smile appeared on Ethan’s lips as the sun set beautifully.

“Stop it. Dorothea shouldn’t become the Emperor.”

“Why not?”

Ethan’s golden eyes narrowed and turned towards Theon.

“That…”

Theon’s lips parted and then closed again, unable to make a sound.

Ethan laughed softly at the sound of the wind.

“You have so many secrets, Prince Theon Fried.”

Ethan’s cold fingers brushed Theon’s hair, which ran down the saddle.

“If it’s hard to say, you can say anything for any reason.”

People have listed countless reasons why Dorothea shouldn’t be the Emperor.

Because Dorothea was jealous and greedy, unable to summon the Spirit of Light.

Or, they could call out old legends to justify the legitimacy of Raymond dealing with the Spirit of Light.

But Theon said nothing.

Ethan knew why.

“Is it because His Majesty Raymond is so essential to Prince Fried?”

Ethan lifted Theon’s chin with the tip of his white finger. His crescent-folded eyes were mocking Theon.

“How do you know that…!”

Theon’s red eyes trembled.

Ethan looked at the waves in his red eyes like jewels and looked at them with compassion.

“I’m not very good with swords, but this one works.”

Ethan patted his head with his index finger and smiled.

When he knew this secret, Ethan was overjoyed, as if he had discovered the principle upon which the world came.

The red eyes of Fried were born after a few generations and the Spirit of Darkness.

“You are losing your vitality by hiding the Dark Spirits. So… you need to be by the side of one who deals with the spirit of light.”

The weak Theon couldn’t hide his puzzled expression.

“Isn’t that why you got engaged to Princess Dorothea?”

Ethan asked coldly. 

‘Cowardly, without even loving Dorothea.’

He accepted his engagement to Dorothea to stay in the Imperial Court and remain by Raymond’s side for as long as possible.

No matter how chaotic the world is, Ethan cannot forgive Theon for using Dorothea as the only means to stay by Raymond’s side.

“You don’t deserve to be with the Princess.”

Ethan glared at Theon. Part of him wanted to cut Theon Fried off at the knees.

But he had to be patient.

“You knew you were going to die from this…”

Because time will kill him without getting his hands dirty anyway.

If Raymond dies, Theon Fried will also lose control of the Dark Spirit and will rot from the inside out.

There’s no point in provoking Dorothea by killing someone who will die anyway.

“It is very regrettable for Prince Fried.”

Regrettably, he was delighted.

Instead, he intended to prove his pure respect for Dorothea by saving Theon.

“If Princess Dorothea finds out about this…”

“If she finds out?”

Theon’s warning didn’t stop Ethan from smiling.

“Are you thinking of holding onto the Princess and screaming? You got engaged to her because of Raymond, and now you ruin everything! What, like that?”

Ethan looked at Theon and spoke in an exaggerated tone.

Like the tragic protagonist on stage, Ethan’s words took on a fearful glint.

“You want mercy on deceiving the Princess from the beginning. so why didn’t you just be honest with her in the first place?”

Theon’s head dropped helplessly.

From the moment he decided to be engaged, he felt guilty for Dorothea.

‘Theon, people will be afraid to know that Fried’s power is out of control.’

Even his predecessor, Grand Duke Fried, and Carnan were concerned about him.

From the beginning, the power of darkness was the object of fear.

It was for this reason that the first Fried, who created the world, handed over the emperorship to Milanaire and became the Grand Duke.

Death and darkness are as close as life and light, but they have always been avoided.

However, if it became known that there was a Spirit contractor who could not properly control its power, people would be terrified and would try to harm Theon.

So he has hidden the power of the Dark Spirit from everyone.

But shouldn’t he tell Dorothea the truth?

He hesitated several times.

However, when he met Dorothea, who loved him so much, he couldn’t open his mouth easily.

Moreover, it was even more difficult to bring out the story of the spirit to her, who has a complex about the spirit of light.

So that day, they continued to be silent with each other. 

Destiny is so twisted little by little. Who wrote the first lines of this tragedy?

Dorothea? Raymond? Or Theon, Ethan, or Carnan? Maybe the first Milanaire and Fried?

In the end, the present was the ruin that everyone made together.

Theon nodded and wept.

Ethan looked at Theon like that and thought.

‘Why do people attach so much importance to spirits that cannot be saved even by their owners, who are tied to marble pillars?’

Now, the time has come when we must take power not with superstitious spirits but with human beings’ power.

The New Emperor, Dorothea Milanaire, and her right arm, Ethan Bronte, will prove the new era.

“So, enjoy your last sunset and leave.”

Ethan whispered softly with his back to the sunset, confident of his victory.

* * *

However, her dream was shattered little by little but too easily.

“We cannot recognize Dorothea Milanaire as Emperor!”

“Dorothea Milanaire is a sinner who usurped the throne!”

A bunch of buggers grabbed the ankles of Dorothea, who became the Emperor.

Ethan and Dorothea thought their resentment would be resolved through selection.

Reorganize the inefficient tax system, clear public records, and  encourage scientific 

development, or provide relief to the needy.

However…

“That is a waste of treasury!”

“It’s too early!”

“You must first look at the people near you!”

‘Damn nobles.’

There was nothing easily passed by the opposing voices who shouted at any moment.

If she let them sit and cut off everyone’s neck, they wouldn’t be able to talk like that.

The two of them failed to try something new, and behind the scenes, they accused her of doing everything wrong based on her justification.

In the end, a purge was necessary. It was a process like the fate of the new ruler.

However, in the process, Dorothea, which had always been strong, began to crumble.

She was obsessed with proving her authority, her imperial power.

“Is it suitable for the Emperor?”

Or.

“Is this behavior like the Emperor?”

Dorothea asked questions every day.

When she eats, dresses, or goes somewhere.

With all her nerves on her mind, checking each one, she locked herself within the confines of the Emperor.

‘Even if you don’t, you’re good enough as the Emperor.”

‘I didn’t make myself emperor to see myself trapped by their words.’

At the same time, even Theon dragged her into the swamp.

“I have to send Theon a present.”

Unable to win Theon’s heart, all Dorothea can offer him are tangible, material things.

She obsessively indulged in luxury to be the Emperor and to win Theon’s heart.

Dorothea, who had been shining even alone, was losing its light.

At night, she suffered from insomnia, and undermined her healthy body.

Day by day, she lost weight, became weary, and became more sensitive.

Ethan couldn’t stand watching her dim light.

‘This is all because of the Spirit of Light.’

Because there is no Spirit of Light, Dorothea is not recognized as a proper Emperor.

Ethan pondered and found an answer.

“Investigate the Spirit of Light Stone thoroughly.”

The Spirit of Light Stone is the origin of spirit power.

The stone that the first Milainare received when he signed a contract with the Light Spirit King. The national treasure of the Empire.

According to the records, the spirit of Light Stone plays a central role in connecting the spirit world and the human world.

Historically, when Milanaire possessed a Spirit Stone, the spirit’s Power was amplified several times.

So, the Imperial Family maintained the power of a strong spirit by inserting a spirit stone into the emperor’s scepter.

However, about 100 years ago, due to an accident, the spirit stone was torn to pieces and fell out of the scepter, and its whereabouts were unknown.

It was after that that Milanaire went down the path of marked decline.

‘With that stone, her Majesty may be able to deal with spirits.’

Even if she can’t control the spirits, at least she’ll have some pretense.

Then the people would recognize Dorothea.

Ethan sends his servants to find out about the Spirit of Light Stone.

* * *