It was the moment when Ilei, with half-open eyes, wiped the blood that splashed on my face with his palm.

“Your Majesty.”

It was unclear when Lux emerged from the dark shadows.

“The medicine that the new doctor got doesn’t seem to have any effect.”

“…I apologize.”

Ilei, as if annoyed, dropped the knife he had been holding and approached the table. Then, he poured whiskey into a glass.

With the clinking sound, whiskey began to fill the transparent ice.

“How many now?”

“…Five.”

“All right, already the fifth one.”

The emperor, who had entered the room unnoticed, looked thoughtfully at the attendants who were clearing away the body of the woman.

For about twenty years, he had been taking medicine to pretend to have Croatian blood.

As predicted by Jernib, the deceased apothecary, side effects began to appear.

“What do you think will happen if you keep taking the medicine?”

“Oh, you probably won’t be able to produce an heir.”

‘Unable to produce an heir.’

Ilei self-derided.

He had noticed for quite some time that something was wrong with his body, but he couldn’t stop taking the medicine.

As long as Akkia was openly living, no one in his lineage should have any doubts.

‘Because there must be only one sun in the empire.’

He inquired with doctors and apothecaries from all over the country, taking the medicine they prescribed as they came. However, there was no sign of improvement in the side effects.

No.

‘Rather, it’s getting worse.’

However, instead of seeing the effects of the medicine, his condition was deteriorating.

Just now, he couldn’t do anything with the woman in the bedroom.

‘Damn it.’

Ilei bit down on the curses.

At this rate, he might really not be able to produce an heir. And that fact made him ashamed.

As a sense of shame overwhelmed him, Ilei commanded, “Bring someone else, someone with better skills.”

“Yes.”

Lix, who had been silent for a moment in response to Ilei’s command, nodded as if understanding.

Then, as if about to leave Ilei’s bedroom, he turned back. As if he had remembered something he had forgotten.

“Your Majesty, what if Lady Heidern knows a way to cure it?”

The sound of Ilei tilting the whiskey-filled glass was heard in response to the voice.

‘Lady Heidern?’

“Are you talking about Lady Belarus?”

“Yes? Oh, yes.”

Even though it had been a long time since Lea became Lady Heidern, the emperor still used the title Lady Belarus.

As if he couldn’t acknowledge her marriage. Reading the subtle tension emanating from the emperor, Lix quickly corrected the title.

“Doesn’t Lady Belarus have a history of curing Duke Heidern’s illness? Not only that, she has developed various new medicines and has seen their effects. If it’s her, she might be able to cure Your Majesty’s illness, but…”

Agreeing with Lix’s words, Ilei, who had been running his fingers through his hair, nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. In fact, Lady Belarus is the most suitable person for me.”

In fact, he had already considered Lea. Maybe she could cure his illness.

That’s why he made various efforts to have her, such as sending a marriage proposal.

‘Of course, those efforts were in vain because of Akkia.’

A vivid image of Akkia, who swaggered arrogantly into the funeral parlor, appeared in Ilei’s mind.

As if he were the emperor of this Croatia.

‘At that time, I just let it go because I wanted to get rid of the empress.’

That day, Akkia was extremely arrogant.

‘Even though I am the emperor of this empire.’

Whether it’s authenticity or whatever, what does it matter? The owner of Croatia has already been decided.

However, the daring Akkia, who was running wild as if he didn’t know how terrifying he was, was bothering him.

‘I have to kill him quickly.’
With rumors circulating in the empire about the questioning of his legitimacy, that guy had to disappear from this world before the truth was revealed.

‘But how?’

Akkia had persistently survived numerous assassination attempts so far.

However, who could be the one to kill him.

‘Who might have the skills to kill Akkia.’

Ilei briefly glanced at Lix with thin, sharp eyes, but soon shook his head.

‘Lix is not enough.’

He had a track record of failing to assassinate Lea, already proving that.

‘Not even minor mistakes should be tolerated.’

While Ilei was contemplating whether there was anyone capable of succeeding, the thought of a man crossed his mind.

“Where is Jackal now?”

‘Jackal.’

The cunning and treacherous former empress’s favorite assassin. He was as skilled as he was discreet, making him perfect for this task.

“…Are you talking about Jackal?”

However, in response to the emperor’s question, Lix replied as if hesitating.

“Yes. I haven’t been able to contact him lately.”

After the empress left this world, the moment the leaderless assassins scattered, Lix, who quickly moved first, prevented their disbandment.

Jackal’s whereabouts had become mysterious since the empress’s death.

‘He was always a reclusive person.’

Suddenly looking for Jackal. Lix examined him as if trying to understand the emperor’s intentions.