“It’s better that way! Your Majesty, Duke Heidern is not just anyone; he is the imperial heir’s father. A state funeral is only natural.”
“Empress Mama seems to have cherished her nephew’s son-in-law truly.”
“Yes, since childhood, they played together because of Her Majesty.”
With overwhelming approval from the surroundings, the Empress lowered the handkerchief she was using to wipe her eyes. Since she had pushed for a state funeral under the pretext of honoring the Duke, she couldn’t refuse any longer.
The Empress seemed satisfied with how the situation was unfolding according to her plan, and for a brief moment, a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes.
“By the way, it’s truly pitiful for the lady. She was left alone right after getting married…”
She lifted her chin while clicking her tongue.
“After all, a woman’s life depends on whom she meets. It seems you made a wrong choice, Duchess Heidern.”
The Empress’s eyes, spitting out words mocking Lea for not choosing the Emperor, were intoxicated with a sense of victory.
But she didn’t know. That this sense of victory wouldn’t last much longer.
On a sunny afternoon when the Empress’s laughter didn’t stop.
Rumors, like a bubbling spring, began to spread gradually through the capital.
“Your Majesty, Jerniv has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
Jerniv had been the imperial pharmacist since before Ilay became the Emperor.
And as Ilay ascended to the throne, Jerniv had been by his side as the leader of the imperial pharmacists.
“Your Majesty, how are you feeling today?”
As soon as she entered the Emperor’s bedroom, Jerniv, asking about his well-being, began to examine Ilay.
“It’s no different from usual, but these days, the headaches seem to be getting a bit worse.”
“As I mentioned before, the medication Your Majesty is taking can cause side effects such as headaches with prolonged use. Therefore, I prepared the medicine with a lower concentration than usual, so you’ll be fine soon.”
With those words, Jerniv handed a small glass bottle to the Emperor.
However, the Emperor, without any intention of drinking the medicine offered by the pharmacist, simply stared at it.
“They say if the concentration is weak, the color of your hair also lightens.”
“Yes, but unless you deliberately pay attention, no one will notice.”
“No.”
Cutting off Jerniv’s words, Ilay pushed away the bottle.
“Bring me what I always drink.”
“But now, gradually reducing the concentration of the medicine might be…”
“Jerniv.”
As if not allowing any more words, Ilay’s words made Rodrigo reluctantly present the separately prepared medicine. Then, with a concerned gaze, he looked at the Emperor.
The medicine Ilay had been taking since childhood was a potion that turned the color of his hair into a golden hue.
Ilay’s body, which had been taking the medicine since the age of eight, had developed immunity to the potion.
Therefore, to see the effects, it was necessary to continually increase the concentration of the medicine.
‘I already mentioned that it’s dangerous to go further.’
He had advised not only the Emperor but also the Empress dozens of times. However, both of them ignored the pharmacist’s advice and continued to increase the concentration of the medicine.
To have the golden hair, the symbol of the Croatean Imperial Family.
Without any hesitation, Ilay took a sip of the medicine handed by the pharmacist. The familiar bitterness lingered in his mouth.
‘Just endure a little more.’
Akhia’s body would soon arrive in the capital. And he would soon conduct the state funeral as a member of the imperial family.
‘Everyone will know then.’
Now, the only one in the empire with brilliant golden hair was himself.
Ilay would lead the funeral with a truly imperial appearance, like never before.
Mocking those who bowed to him, thinking that he was the last descendant of the Croatean Imperial Family, even though he didn’t know that the last bloodline of Croatea had died.
It was when the Emperor’s funeral was expected soon, and he twisted his mouth as if anticipating it. Rodrigo, who had gone out and returned, approached him with a contemplative expression.
“Your Majesty!”
“What’s going on?”
“Right now, a certain song is spreading on the streets, and that song…”
“A song?”
Suddenly frowning as if asking what nonsense it was, Ilay took the paper Rodrigo offered, on which lyrics were written.
[Soaring from the west with the sun on its back, a hawk flies with a proud figure. However, the bird that showed off its magnificent appearance was not a hawk but a cuckoo. I wonder which bird the cuckoo stole its nest from.]“This is…”
It was a song referring to the sun symbolizing the Croatean Imperial Family and a hawk symbolizing the Theodore Viscount family in the west.
And.
“Not a hawk, but a cuckoo…”
The cuckoo was a bird that laid its eggs in another bird’s nest.
In summary, the song implied that someone from the Theodore Viscount family, who carried the Emperor on their back, made the Emperor from someone outside the Imperial Family.
Ilay’s fist holding the paper tightened.
Someone knows.
‘That I am not of the Croatean bloodline.’
“Who spread this?”
“…I have no idea. It seems this song started to become popular in the capital quite some time ago.”
The situation was grave.
It was just baseless rumors for now, but soon people would start to question.
Perhaps they would wonder if the current Emperor did not inherit the blood of Croatea.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
