Ian Kamel Aksen Febenhaim.
He was the child of the least favored fourth Empress. In the power dynamics among the princes, his position was always at the bottom.
Despite possessing exceptional swordsmanship and an extraordinary intellect, he pretended to be ignorant and weak. He lived quietly, trying not to stand out.
When the crown prince’s illness worsened, the princes jumped into a power struggle to seize the throne.
Naturally, Ian was the first to be trampled.
Weeds that get in the way should be pulled out before they grow too big. At the age of thirteen, Ian was sold off, almost like being handed over to a slave trader.
That was the biggest oversight by those blinded by power.
Eight years later.
The boy, who lacked strength, backing, and audacity, returned, carving a path with his blood.
No longer the naive boy of eight years ago, his eyes had seen through the muck in a distant land.
Ian knew his strength well and how to skillfully use it. He created opportunities and moved forward, knowing when to retreat and when to push.
“I really missed you, brothers.”
The severed necks of his fallen brothers, the throne established over a sea of blood, and the stained crown he finally donned – his return culminated in a perfect predation.
It was a long-prepared slaughter. But he didn’t just rule with force; his ability to win people over was exceptional too.
‘One couldn’t help but be swayed by His Majesty’s sincerity.’
During his long journey back to the imperial palace, many pledged their lives to him. Dion Cedric, his current aide, was one of those who joined him on that journey.
If Ian were to turn his sword on him, Dion would tremble yet accept it, thinking there must be a good reason for it.
Even after five years on the throne, this hadn’t changed.
Knowing this well, Dion tried to ask calmly.
“Are you speaking of a trip? If you desire rest, I can prepare the villa in Zerden City.”
“No. Somewhere farther.”
“Then to the Doha region, adjacent to the coast…”
“Let’s go to the Instanatia Empire. Right now.”
Instanatia, an eastern empire, was geographically and diplomatically quite distant.
After the expansionist former emperor stepped down, they signed a peace treaty under the guise of diplomatic negotiations, but that was it.
Small kingdoms sandwiched between the two continents were grateful for the rough strait that divided them. It had always been an unspoken agreement not to delve too deeply into matters crossing the continent, whether in trade or diplomacy.
And now, he wants to go there.
‘Two bombs in a row is too much!’
Dion’s list of ‘(Annoying) Imperial Whims’ turned into scraps of paper with the second bomb. It couldn’t be taken as a joke. His Majesty, who lacked any flexibility, never spoke idly.
Dion sighed inwardly and reluctantly accepted the order.
“I will hurry the preparations, but preparing tributes and a delegation will take considerable time.”
“Then we’ll go quietly, unnoticed. With Eden, we can cross the strait without drawing water.”
“……Excuse me?”
“Aide to the ruler of a nation, and so slow to understand. I’m talking about traveling incognito.”
Even though Dion’s complexion was a bit pale, it was still bearable. However, now it turned worryingly blue.
After demanding the entire map of Instanatia’s northern region, was he planning to dig up some buried treasure there?
Just as the tumultuous times were settling and stability was returning, such rash actions were inadvisable.
“Your Majesty, please reconsider. If you are discovered, it could tarnish not only Your Majesty’s dignity but also have repercussions for Rihalt.”
“You’re too conventional. Can’t I even take a vacation? Besides, if only you keep your mouth shut, it’s harder to get caught.”
Dion tried to retort, but Ian stood up, disallowing further argument.
“I’ll depart tonight, then. Don’t worry, Heidi will take care of things in my absence.”
As he strode towards the door, draping his coat over one shoulder, Heidi, who had quietly entered the room, smoothly joined in.
“Yeah, Dion. Don’t worry and just pack. When brother was on the battlefield, I often took over as regent, didn’t I? It’s not the first time. Even though I seem this way, I was quite a decent ruler.”
“But that was due to unavoidable circumstances. What if unexpected variables delay your return?”
“This is an unavoidable situation, too. Anyway, there are plenty of ways to pass the time, so don’t worry. You worry too much.”
“And you’re too carefree! How can I not be concerned!”
Despite Dion’s protest, his outcry was lightly dismissed. Ian passed Heidi, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“I’ll try to be back within three months.”
“Why? Thirty years would be no problem either.”
Heidi smirked and casually sat at the office desk, already treating it as her own, with a teasing touch.
“Is this my spot now? Ugh, so drab. Brother’s aesthetic sense is totally not my thing. I’m going to be sitting here for at least thirty years; I need to change the desk first.”
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
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