“I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep…” Said Hadith.

“You’re still behaving like this? When are you going to grow up?” Said Rave.

Hadith gazed at his floating parental figure.

“It’s you who is too stiff, Rave! Jill’s cuteness this morning, did you miss it!?”

“I can’t help but avert my eyes! She is such an innocent, lovesick, girl! Not only could she not make eye contact, she dropped the plate as soon as she touched your fingers… Is this human beauty? There’s absolutely no rationality behind it!”

“That’s not it! Jill, Jill, she… she asked me for a kiss!”

Recalling the loveliness which was Jill’s slightly flushed cheeks, Hadith was about to ascend to Heaven. It seemed that the world was still peaceful that day. What was more, she made a vow full of determination to be a good wife for him!

Could it be… his bride was actually an assassin sent to finish him off? He didn’t know if love could substitute as fighting power—

—but damn, she’s good!

“By the time Jill grows up, I might have died, already…”

“You seem to be enjoying yourself…”

“Recently, I’ve been feeling that we should separate our bedroom… Except, that would be too obvious! At the same time, that’s the choice any adult would make… however, I still want to sleep together… In fact, I want to sleep together with her always! That’s alright, isn’t it!? What do you think!?”

“No idea.”

“Listen seriously! I’m consulting to you, here!”

“I don’t want to hear it! Besides, as if anyone would listen to me!”

After being yelled at by Rave, Hadith turned towards the knights of the Dragon Princess who were following him. Before him was Listeard. Only Hadith’s voice and footsteps echoed within the quiet corridor.

“That’s because no one else can hear your voice, Rave.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about!”

“Don’t concern yourself with us, Hadith, and continue conversing with Dragon God Rave. As the Dragon Emperor, that’s an important duty.”

Listeard said with an unusually gentle face. Camila and Zeke nodded. Hadith needed more manpower that day, as such, Jill tasked her subordinates to escort him.

“You don’t have to worry about us, Your Majesty. You can keep talking to Rave~”

“He’s the one who’ve raised you. It’s only responsible to do so.”

“Dammit! I preferred when everyone was still clueless about my existence! I’m going to sleep, sleep!”

“That’s alright, but if you sleep too much, you might become fat.”

“I’m replenishing my physical strength! I’m your sword! We don’t know when you might need me!”

Hadith gently touched the body of the Dragon God which was perched on top of his shoulder.

It was the same, familiar, sensation.

In the beginning, he thought that they weren’t compatible. But lately, Hadith started to think of Rave as reliable.

Rave was also the proof that he was the Dragon Emperor.

No, it’d be more precise to say that Rave was the one who made Hadith the Dragon Emperor.

“I’m depending on you.”

“Hadith, are you ready?”

Before nodding to Listeard’s question, Hadith turned towards Camila and Zeke. As of the moment, they stood before the double doors of the conference room.

“With this, the two of you can take your leave. After all, your titles are still being discussed, and you’re considered troublesome.”

“I understand~ Right now, it’s still no good. Good luck, Your Majesty~”

“I’ll be in the area. Just call whenever you need me, I’ll jump in.”

After accepting those reliable words with gratitude, Hadith turned towards the door. Nodding, Listeard touched the door.

Jill will become the Dragon Princess—I will make sure of it!

First, he had to confirm whether or not the people waiting inside were enemies or an allies.

“Hadith, I have come home.”

A young man with a gentle expression stood up from the back of the room. His hair was soft and reminiscent of ash. His pale, cloudy, moon-like eyes were composed.

Hadith always thought that whether it be in hair color or facial features, they didn’t resemble each other much. Recently, Hadith found out that he was his half-brother.

Vissel must had been aware of it, too.

In fact, it was only obvious. As Vissel was engaged to Georg’s daughter, there was no way he didn’t know.

“Welcome back, older brother Vissel.”

Rave silently slipped inside Hadith’s body. With his chest held up, Hadith stepped into the conference room. Inside, his brother, along with the soldiers and civilians brought by him, stood in line.

Seats had been provided for Listeard and Elynsia at the long desk on the left. Meanwhile, the seats on the right belonged to various other vassals, many of which were allied with Vissel. On the innermost desk which connected the two, there was only a single seat. It was the seat of the emperor.

Such was the current authority of that empire.

The door closed a little later. Listeard had followed Hadith from behind.

It was at that moment.

Fairert soldiers appeared from left and right sides of the conference room, pointing their weapons at Listeard. Listeard had been surrounded. Elynsia, whom had been inside the conference room since earlier, sent her chair back as she stood up.

“What’s the meaning of this!? Impossible, does the Duke of Fairert intend to start a rebellion!?”

“That’s not true, Lady Elynsia. We are reinstating the soldiers here as the new Imperial Army. The imperial soldiers remaining within the imperial castle shall be dismissed. All will be captured and disposed of if they resist. I have already issued the order.”

“Wha…!? Hadith, I haven’t heard anything about this before?!”

“I haven’t, either.”

Elynsia groaned with a terrified expression at Hadith’s answer.

“To reform the Imperial Army without the permission of the emperor, that’s just foolish…!”

“Your current army turned against Hadith, once. We can’t keep such men near the emperor. After all, we don’t know when they’ll decide to strike again.”

“Think of them as men who stayed loyal despite the current circumstances! They’re here to protect our empire—above all, there’s absolutely no reason to point your blades at Listeard!”

Vissel turned from the screaming Elynsia to Hadith.

“Hadith, first of all, I have to make a disheartening report. The territory of the Grand Duke Radea has been occupied by the fleeing rebels. They’re likely to plan an uprising.”

There was no sign of shock amongst the people sitting inside the conference room. They probably heard it in advance.

Only Hadith hadn’t been informed of anything.

“…Your Highness Listeard Theos Rave, you’re suspected of being part of the rebel forces.”

With a terrible gaze, the crown prince uttered that to the second prince as if declaring his sentence.

---

***T/N: NOOOO DONT KILL LISTEARD AGAINNNN!!!!

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