-Wait.

“We must go now. The energy is stronger than ever.”

The wolf urged.

Nikolai bit the inside of his lip hard.

The metallic taste turned into a familiar bitterness on the tip of his tongue.

-I said wait.

“You’re completely enthralled by that fragrant woman.”

-Shut up.

“Don’t try to deceive me who always watches you. I know your desires better than you do.”

-Don’t ever come out on your own again. I won’t tolerate it.

It was an empty and bitter warning.

What could he do if he didn’t tolerate it?

The empire needed the wolf.

The emperor had to coexist with the wolf.

No, he had to watch the wolf’s mood and throw it prey when it wanted.

The wolf knew this fact all too well, and tried to take advantage of it at every opportunity.

“Are you talking about what happened in the library?”

-You shameless bastard.

“I couldn’t help it either. You know, right? This woman’s scent drives me crazy too.”

-Is that supposed to be an excuse?

“Even now, I’m going mad thinking of Elizabeth’s sweet scent. Just like you.”

The wolf with the same face as Nikolai licked its lips.

An unfamiliar impulse boiled up.

He wanted to kill the wolf coiled inside him right now, regardless of what happened to the empire and its people.

Even that was noticed by the wolf.

“Are you sure you want to kill me? The underworld flowers will bloom again in the empire.”

-…

“Hey, Nicky. Do you know what’s happening while you’re wasting time like this?”

The wolf mocked.

He pretended to be stern, but the result was always the same.

As the wolf wanted, as the wolf led.

The beast chained was not the wolf, but Nikolai.

But today, he couldn’t leave Elizabeth behind.

He wanted to take her to where she wanted to go.

As if reading his mind, Elizabeth looked up.

“It’s not far from here.”

“Where is it?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

“…”

“I also have something urgent to tell you. If Your Majesty would like to hear.”

Elizabeth’s black eyes, filled with starlight, shone clearly.

Perhaps she was about to open a tightly closed part of her heart.

‘I want to listen to you all night long. Even silly jokes are fine. I’m already intoxicated by your scent. I’ll pray to the goddess to make this night endless, using the intoxication as an excuse. While the goddess laughs at me, I’ll dream. A sweet and vain dream where you offer the same prayer as me.’

But the wolf didn’t allow anything.

“Nicky. Have you forgotten the late emperor’s last words?”

The chain around his neck tightened.

Nikolai was dragged back into his fate.

“I must return now.”

“But you said you’d come with me…”

“I forgot I have urgent business to attend to.”

“It’ll really just take a moment…”

Elizabeth timidly grabbed Nikolai’s sleeve.

Her gaze looking up at him trembled slightly.

Words that could only be spoken tonight were prepared on her cheeks and lips.

After a bitter internal struggle, Nikolai uttered words he would surely regret.

He also shook off her small hand.

“Didn’t I say I’m busy? You’re already being a nuisance!”

He barely managed to avert his gaze, but he could feel the sparkle surrounding Elizabeth fading one by one.

One possible budding trust.

One momentarily softened gaze.

One courage that might never rise again.

Thus, Nikolai had to distance himself from his last salvation.

“Well done, Nicky. You endured again this time. As expected, you’re an excellent emperor.”

The wolf’s sarcasm lingered long in the silence.

For the first time in a while, Nikolai wanted to die.

Just like on the coronation day when he inherited the wolf.

“Elizabeth, what have you been thinking about all day?”

Franz tapped on the desk.

She turned her head abruptly, having been staring blankly out the window.

“Sorry. Where were we?”

“We weren’t talking about anything?”

“Haha. Is that so?”

“You’re laughing at an empty schedule? What did you do last night?”

I almost spilled everything to your father, falling head over heels for him.

Thanks to your fickle and busy father, I avoided a fatal mistake.

Oh, thank goodness!

“Can you please stop being interested in your teacher’s private life?”

“Can the teacher please take an interest in her student’s studies?”

“You cheeky little brat.”

“Says the lazy education officer.”

He was naturally gifted with a sharp tongue.

Thanks to Franz, I was able to forget about Nikolai who had coldly turned his back on me for a moment.

Actually, that’s a lie.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t forget.

‘When did he seduce me to go for a drive? Suddenly he has something to do? How did such a busy person go to the library and skewer shops? Busy? Annoying? I really can’t believe this!’

How nice it would be if there was an eraser in my head.

I tried to push him away forcefully, but new Nikolais kept popping up.

Not just one or two.

Little Nikolais with different faces appeared in droves, each making a comment.

“You’re really interesting after all.”

“You know nothing about me.”

“I don’t want you to misunderstand me.”

“It’s because you’re that kind of woman that you’re valuable.”

“This is begging.”

To think all this was said in just one night!

It was an unbelievable situation.

When did he act hurt at being treated like a playboy?

Pretending to be kind and pure, spewing out a bunch of sweet talk, and then what? Don’t bother him?

Just you wait, I won’t fall for it again.

‘Get out of my head, all of you! If you come back, I won’t let you off easy!’

Gritting my teeth, I took out an imaginary hammer.

I hit the little Nikolais disrupting my mind.

Bang! Bang! No matter how hard I hit, they wouldn’t disappear easily.

They were as vicious as the real Nikolai.

“Don’t lie, Elizabeth.”

“You like me too.”

“You’ve already fallen for me, haven’t you?”

“Acting aloof won’t change the fact that you’re just like other women.”

“You’re much easier. Trying to pour out your heart just because I was a little nice to you.”

I swung the hammer more violently.

I wanted to drive out every strand of Nikolai’s black hair, every piece of his shadow.

But nothing was easy.

I didn’t even know if I was actually waving my arms.

“Elizabeth, what are you doing? Are you sick?”

Franz asked, half bewildered and half worried.

Only then did I lower my arms and give an awkward smile.

“There was a bug…”

“You should have said you were doing calisthenics instead.”

“Yeah. For exercise.”

“…What a sight.”

How did other teachers endure the gaze of a 10-year-old looking at them like they were pathetic?

Is this included in the job duties and salary too?

Thanks to Nikolai, I was able to return to being a racehorse running towards victory.

So I couldn’t get excited easily.

“Well then, shall we make a real schedule?”

“You’re finally going to work? I’m impressed, Elizabeth.”

“As I warned before, I’m going to drastically reduce the sword training time.”

“What about theology classes?”

“On hold until I find suitable teaching materials.”

“Now you’re talking sense!”

“Why do you dislike theology? I asked other professors, and they all said your attitude in class was good.”

“It’s not theology I dislike, it’s Morasyncia, the goddess of healing.”

“Why?”

“She only saves the people she wants to save. What kind of god is that?”

A painful memory seemed to surface as a bitter shadow passed over Franz’s cute face.

‘His mother died of illness, right? He’s such a smart kid, he must remember everything.’

My heart ached imagining Franz earnestly praying to the goddess of healing in front of his sick mother.

I had to revise my plan to use the crown prince to find the second divine object, but my desire to help Franz was sincere.

I flipped through Franz’s thick stack of educational materials.

“Your grades in imperial studies, economics, foreign languages, and musical instruments are excellent. The relatively poor ones are literature and mathematics.”

“The professors’ skills were terrible.”

“Don’t blame others, Franz. That’s the most ignorant thing to do.”

“Don’t nag, Elizabeth. It’s normal for children to be ignorant.”

Oh my, I’m just wasting my breath.

Clutching my throbbing head, I changed the question.

“How are the new literature and math professors?”

“The math professor is just so-so.”

“What about the literature professor?”

“The worst.”

Franz said flatly.

“I don’t like his appearance from the start. If he’s a man, he should have charisma like His Majesty. Instead, he just giggles like a girl.”

“Douglas is just a bit smiley. But he’s handsome, isn’t he?”

“Elizabeth, I didn’t know you liked such a weak bookworm. I’m completely disappointed.”

My real preference was for someone tall and slender, with an indifferent expression and cool eyes.

Someone with long, straight hair tied in a single ponytail and eyes as blue as the South Pacific ocean.

Claudia, the genius swordswoman who could single-handedly defeat an entire elite knight order.

Usually, I would be lamenting the fate of having to meet my favorite person on the guillotine, but today was different.

It was because of the little Nikolais that appeared again after erasing Claudia.

‘It all leads back to Nikolai. Round and round to Nikolai. Is the conclusion always Nikolai? Sigh…’

My mind was in turmoil.

Especially since Franz was starting to give me that pathetic look again.

Now I really had to focus on work.

“Ahem. How are we going to proceed with the art classes?”

Franz asked, pretending to be uninterested.

“I’m thinking of inviting an art professor. What do you think?”

“How long have you known?”

“Known what?”

“That I… like… drawing.”

Franz stammered with difficulty, as if it was some great secret.

“You stole the servant’s clothes to draw, didn’t you?”

“You may be negligent, but you’re quite perceptive, teacher.”

“Thank you for the compliment, student.”

“So what else have you figured out?”

Franz asked with subtle expectation.

“The wounds on your hands were also a hint.”

“Hands?”

“When you do sword training, wounds usually appear on your palms. But the wounds on the inside of your middle finger joints were severe. They’re wounds from holding a pen with damaged hands, right? You must have forcibly used something that didn’t fit your hand.”

“That’s right.”

“You must have drawn in the dark in secret too. I can tell just by the ink splattered on your sleeves.”

Instead of answering, Franz shrugged his shoulders.

This time, I asked.

“What are you hiding? If you like drawing, just draw.”

“Elizabeth, you only know one thing and not the other. What good does it do the empire for the crown prince to be good at drawing?”

“What’s wrong with having artistic talent?”

“I’m already a crown prince who’s criticized for being weak. Imagine if rumors spread that I just draw in my room. Reducing sword training and increasing art classes is the worst choice.”

“But you have to do it.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about anything. I’ll let you draw proudly. Under the best teacher.”

I thumped my chest in a gesture telling him to trust me.

Franz clapped with an indifferent expression.

“I really want to learn that groundless confidence, Elizabeth.”

“Have I ever failed before? Just trust me, Your Highness.”

“It sounds like you’re saying you’ll put the precarious crown prince on solid ground with this opportunity. Am I mistaken?”

“Our Franz, your personality may be bad, but you’re quite perceptive?”

“Elizabeth! What are you plotting again?”

As I was about to answer in a lowered voice, there was a knock.

Knock knock.

“Your Highness, this is Douglas Nettleton. May I come in?”

“There’s no literature class today though?”

Franz was puzzled, but soon granted permission for the audience.

I seemed to know why Douglas had come to the crown prince’s palace without notice.

‘He must have noticed that I’ve been avoiding him. What should I do?’