Sharing the Bed (3)
Whoosh. Asella heard Ras blow out the lamp near her ear. The final flicker of light, which had cast a large, faint shadow, vanished, and darkness settled in. Only the moonlight filtering through the window outlined Ras's silhouette, giving a rough guess of his position.
Rustle. Asella pulled the blanket up to her chest. With her vision gone, her other senses felt heightened. Sounds seemed louder, and the fabric's texture against her fingertips felt... more sensitive somehow. Was it always this soft? For some reason, she didn't want Ras to hear her breathing, so she covered her mouth with the blanket.
"Then, Your Highness, good night."
His voice came, followed by the sound of Ras rustling on the floor. What is he doing? Asella lifted her head, puzzled.
"Young Master, why are you down there?"
"Pardon? I'm going to sleep."
"Sleep... on the floor?"
"Yes. Oh, I have a sleeping bag."
Asella unconsciously furrowed her brow. This man was clearly teasing her. How far back did he plan this? From when he rushed in for the late-night checkup? Otherwise, there was no way he'd pull something this infuriating.
"Hoo..."
Asella took a deep breath to suppress her anger. Raising her voice would only make her look ugly.
...No, wait. Why am I even mad in the first place? She'd assumed they'd share the bed, but he lay on the floor as if it were the most natural thing? That alone wouldn't piss her off this much. Ah, maybe it's because if I complain, he'll give me that calm look and say it's standard procedure for work, making me seem weird. Or... was she the only one who thought they'd share the bed?
Wait, did I really think that alone? No, they'd already shared a bed twice. She'd even used him as a substitute for her attachment doll. Wasn't it natural to assume the same here? He's the weird one, right?
Asella bombarded her mind with questions that yielded no answers. Her irritation only grew. Finally, exhausted, she slammed her fists into the blanket—thwack—and closed her eyes.
Just sleep.
Ras made no sound, as if dead or alive. She'd noticed before: this man vanished completely when he slept, like he didn't exist in the world.
What is he thinking right now?
Lately, her growing anger toward Ras stemmed from not knowing his thoughts. One moment he'd focus on her like she was his whole world; the next, he'd be busy elsewhere, not sparing her a glance. When she'd first taken a casual interest in him, she'd never imagined it'd come to this. If he had any value, she'd wield him with her power, like any other subordinate.
But now it feels like our roles are reversed.
If it weren't for me, he'd still be a mess.
Infuriating. Utterly infuriating.
Asella felt a chill seep into her empty embrace and slowly closed her eyes.
"His Imperial Majesty, the great Emperor of the Empire, reveals his majestic splendor! Show your respects!"
Asella flinched at the intense light flooding her vision. But soon her body moved on its own, stepping forward.
—Ooooh!
—His Majesty the Emperor!
—A new era for the Empire!
The place she strode into was the high platform in the capital square connected to the Imperial Palace. Countless imperial citizens cheered her arrival. Her name—Asella—echoed from all sides.
I've become Emperor?
The reign name had changed. This was right after her ascension.
A subtle happiness welled up.
No.
Asella nearly surrendered to the wave of accomplishment but quickly snapped out of it. Five magic circles floated in the capital sky—Foresight incantations.
A dream? Unconscious casting?
Either way, this wasn't real. Asella wouldn't settle for illusions. Only reality mattered.
Her mind cooled instantly. This was just a possibility, not a future connected to reality. She understood that perfectly, shoving aside the dopamine as she hunted for clues. There might be something usable in the real world—secrets, behaviors, changes. Economy, populace, everything was a hint.
Even one possibility among many: repeat and combine to guess reality. That was Asella's vision for Foresight.
"Bring forth the traitors!"
Suddenly, she was thrust into the midst of an execution in the square's center. One executioner, surrounded by knights. Like the previous emperor, she sat watching, displaying her dignity to the masses.
Treason.
An intriguing keyword, Asella thought. A chance to identify enemies early.
The traitors, bound in ropes, were dragged forward. Seeing their faces, Asella frowned in shock. Familiar people.
The Emperor's physicians.
Three chief physicians, including Ambrosia, and more.
Gotberg Marquis...?
Balduer Gotberg. Ras's father.
Why?
Asella couldn't grasp the urgent situation. No time to recite crimes—the execution began.
Wait. What treason did they commit?
She tried to stop it, but she couldn't intervene in Foresight. She could only observe and feel what her future self did.
Then, conflict erupted in the square's corner.
"Stop! It's all a frame-up! This is the current Emperor's scheme!"
A group of knights charged the center to halt the execution. Leading them was none other than Tanya.
"Marquis Gotberg didn't assassinate the previous Emperor! The evidence is here! It's all a frame-up!!"
The clash intensified. The Imperial Knights swung mercilessly at Tanya and her group. Tanya resisted fiercely but was overwhelmed by numbers, taking a sword to her left eye. Blood spurted as her documents flew and were trampled to shreds.
The commotion from some knights failed to ignite a signal fire; most citizens didn't even notice.
—Shing!
Then Marquis Gotberg's head fell. The citizens cheered, praising Emperor Asella for punishing the regicide traitor, ascending the vacant throne, and ushering a new era.
Ugh.
Asella's heart trembled. If she could move, she'd have turned away from the horror. But this future self lingered, eyes and ears fixed on the square.
She glanced sideways. Her eyes caught the full-length mirror on the wall.
I've grown into an adult. Asella saw her fully matured form.
Why.
The most horrific scene wasn't the severed head or fallen Tanya—it was in that mirror.
Why are you smiling?
The Emperor Asella in the mirror smirked, devilishly lifting her lip.
What's so funny? Ruining Ras's family... crushing Tanya's achievements.
Even in the Foresight illusion, Asella ground her teeth. Blood burst from her gums, trickling down her chin.
Me, like this?
No. This won't happen. It's not even Foresight—a nightmare. One of those unpleasant dreams that occasionally creep in.
"No!!"
Asella screamed. Her breath came ragged. The soft, pleasant blanket was soaked with sweat, clammy and unpleasant.
No, no. Mumbling unconsciously in the dark.
A voice reached her ear.
"Your Highness, it's okay."
"Ugh, sob, Ras."
Asella grabbed his collar without thinking. Ras didn't resist, coming closer. She slowly embraced him—like hugging her attachment doll, or Max when it wasn't there.
"Haa, haa... hngh."
Her breathing steadied bit by bit. The dream faded like an illusion.
"Raaas..."
"Yes, Your Highness. I'm here."
His voice reassured her. Her physician, who'd heal her pains anywhere, anytime, was by her side. Asella realized: she'd thought seeking his room first after the assassin was due to clouded judgment. Hugging him the second time was the drug's haze.
But now she was certain. It had been the right choice all along.
Embracing Ras let her sleep without worry. Logic might reject it, but instinct knew. It was instinct guiding her.
"Ras."
"Yes."
"If you commit treason, you die."
"Aw, no way."
"For real."
"I'll keep it in mind."
Asella inhaled Ras's scent and drifted back to sleep.
It was easier sleeping with Asella than alone. She wasn't a great sleeper—tossing, irregular breaths. But hugging her made her doll-like and still. A bit of a hassle, but useful for quiet nights. Her low body temperature felt like holding a quality jade pillow.
Good sleep left me refreshed. Waking to Asella staring was a mild surprise, but tolerable.
After sending her back to her room, I prepared, finished morning rounds, and headed to the Imperial Medical Office. First stop: Palkenhain, naturally.
First floor, Georg faction's office. It was sparsely populated—late arrivals or group vacation?
I knocked on Palkenhain's inner office and entered.
"Oh, Doctor Gotberg!"
His face lit up. I'd thought he'd hate me and Asella for toppling Georg, but surprisingly not.
"Long time no see, Sir Palkenhain."
"Indeed. Look at this!"
Excited, he yanked off his zucchetto. On his formerly bald crown, faint white hairs sprouted.
"My hair—my hair is growing back!!"
Seeing his childlike joy, I sensed negotiations would go smoothly.