The Emperor's Plan Targeting the New Noble Faction

"Haa."

Elise flushed red as she let out a hot breath. It had been quite some time since she'd left Morris Dmitry's mansion. Morris had ordered her to return to the Hongryeon assassins, monitor the emperor's movements, and report back.

For the first three weeks after her return, she hadn't had a moment to spare due to other missions. She'd been away from the Imperial Palace itself, assassinating key rebel figures.

When she heard that the emperor had visited Morris's mansion while she was out, she'd been shocked. Fortunately, nothing had happened. But it amounted to the same thing as failing to properly carry out Morris's order to keep tabs on the emperor's activities.

She'd been on pins and needles, terrified of being discarded for screwing up the job. Yet Morris hadn't sent any message—not even a word of encouragement or a threat of punishment.

Days passed like that. Elise grew anxious. Am I abandoned? But she wasn't foolish enough to rush back to the mansion. And she certainly wasn't dim enough to dream of betraying Morris to claim him for herself.

Upon returning to the palace, she'd been reassigned to a position even closer to the emperor. It was dangerous work, but for the rewards Morris bestowed, she could do anything.

Elise thought of it then—Morris's cock mercilessly ravaging her insides. The way he'd completely dominated her. Just imagining it set her body aflame, her pussy growing slick. Her nipples hardened stiffly. Her lower belly throbbed.

She wanted to fill this aching emptiness right now. If this had happened before meeting Morris...

"You've had a rough time."

Seeing Luis stroke her cheek with those words might have eased the void a little. Luis was the captain of the Hongryeon assassins, their queen. Her words were law and truth to the squad.

Look at the other members' faces.

"It's Captain Luis..."

"How'd she get even cooler?"

"Hasn't her hair grown longer than usual?"

"It only makes her more beautiful, so who cares."

They gazed at Luis with half-enchanted eyes. But Elise was different. She knew the bitch in heat hidden beneath Luis's cool, tough-girl facade. She'd seen Luis grovel like a mongrel bitch under Morris Dmitry. Seen a normal woman reduced to that by a mere gesture from him.

She could no longer treat Luis like their queen as the others did. To Elise now, Luis was just Slave No. 2, who'd submitted to Master Morris a little later than her.

"Captain, you've grown your hair out a lot."

"Oh, this?"

"It's because of him, isn't it?"

Luis's face reddened as she twirled the ends of her hair, glancing around warily before giving a small nod.

"You knew, didn't you...?"

Her face, which had maintained queenly dignity over the Hongryeon squad just moments ago, melted in an instant. Why did she look like a sow in heat?

"Yeah..."

"I knew it."

Seeing that, Elise's head cooled. A rival. Luis was a rival before she was captain—a competitor serving the same master. The anxiety of needing to earn Morris's recognition first welled up.

"This is a secret from everyone. Got it?"

"Of course, Captain."

Elise nodded with a smile at Luis's plea. Why would she tell? The women of Hongryeon were all like her—missing a few screws. They loved being dominated by Luis and enjoyed killing. If they knew a man had tamed her, plenty would crawl under him like bitches in heat.

She didn't want more rivals.

"So, why'd you assemble us all?"

"His Majesty's orders."

The Hongryeon assassins served directly under the emperor of the empire. His commands were absolute to them.

"But why call everyone?"

"He ordered us to assassinate the nobles who just declared for the noble faction."

"The noble faction?"

"All of them?"

"There are tons in the noble faction. All of them?"

At the squad's questions, Luis pulled out the list.

"Not all."

"Then who?"

Luis named them at Elise's question.

"Ronald Count, Yokonel Viscount, Haspol Viscount..."

Most were nobles who'd just shifted from the neutral faction to the noble faction. Key figures important enough to be called linchpins. The emperor was openly declaring war on them.

"Do we start right away?"

"Yeah. We move out today."

Hearing Luis, Elise felt her lower belly heat up.

If I do this right, he'll reward me later. Those had been Morris's parting words before she left the mansion. A promise of any reward she wanted.

With intel this valuable... Master Morris would be plenty satisfied. He might even praise her and bestow a reward. The thought of him crushing and dominating her with his arrogant demeanor thrilled her.

Her only worry: the bitch captain disguised as such might have already reported to Morris.

"For this mission, the assassins will..."

Elise barely heard Luis. She just wanted to report to Morris fast.

"...Elise! Elise!"

Luis's voice snapped her back.

"Yes?"

"You, Michelle, and Rachel will assassinate Yokonel Viscount."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"I just got back from a dispatch mission. Another one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already?"

"It's an emergency."

Then Elise saw it—Luis smirking triumphantly at her.

That bitch?

Normally, assassins got a month off after a kill. Yet here she was, assigned right away? It reeked of intent to throw her into a tough job.

Even last time...? She was playing it off, but this bitch was checking her too.

Elise gritted her teeth.

"Dismissed."

The squad scattered at Luis's word. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Elise didn't bother confronting her. She knew something more effective.

Rushing to the tower, Elise tied a note to the messenger bird's leg.

The messenger bird scattered feathers as it soared into the sky.

Back from Race Belkus, I'd been immersed in studying the grimoire I'd obtained from the succubus's room. A tome filled with the essence of illusion magic. Even glancing at it made my head spin.

Practicing the spells actually caused anomalies around me. Books in the drawing room suddenly floating in midair. My libido surging, cock stiffening rock-hard out of nowhere. The ground flipping, doors and windows swapping places.

Most were illusions I saw while practicing. As expected of transcendent magic—it showed the caster illusions indistinguishable from reality.

I need to be careful.

The illusion spells I'd learned were the absolute basics from Lilith's grimoire. Just the first twenty pages, and it was already this intense. If I learned stronger ones...

The repercussions were unimaginable.

The problem was...

This still isn't enough.

I needed illusion magic that could fool thousands at once.

"Hoo."

My head reeled from the repeated illusions. I squeezed my throbbing temples, eyes clenched shut.

10, 9, 8...

Counting down inwardly, I opened my eyes. The illusions disrupting my vision snapped back to normal.

"Tricky."

It wasn't understanding the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic that was hard. Enduring the nonstop illusions was.

"Haa."

As I sighed deeply, someone knocked.

Knock knock.

"Master, it's Seria."

"Come in."

Seria entered, bowing flawlessly. She'd grown not just accustomed but proficient at it.

"What is it?"

"It's time to check on Her Majesty the Empress's condition."

"Already?"

I'd been given a month to treat the empress. To evacuate her early, I'd need to cure her faster.

"Got it."

As I rose...

"M-Master..."

"Something else?"

"Are you sleeping alone again tonight?"

"Probably. No time with the magic research. Why?"

Seria fidgeted, twisting her body.

"You haven't held me these past few days. I-If it's not too presumptuous, may I attend you tonight...?"

"No need yet."

I eyed the progress of the yin seal on her lower belly.

It'd slowed lately. Meaning she was getting intense satisfaction from our sessions. No rush for bed.

More pressing matters abounded.

"I-Is that so? Right, you have work too... Can't spend every night like that, huh?"

Seria slumped, feigning disappointment. Peeking at me, she continued.

"So tonight's impossible."

"Understood..."

Her shoulders drooped like a rain-soaked puppy. It tugged at me.

"But in two days, it should be fine."

I left an opening without thinking.

"Two days?"

"Yes."

"I-I'll look forward to it!"

Leaving the beaming Seria, I headed to the recovery room to check the empress. She slept peacefully, snoring softly. Visible wounds had mostly healed. But her nerves would need more time to fully recover.

I recast the spell accelerating cellular regeneration on her body.

Idiot.

I had no idea why she'd confessed to being a possessor. It was one of the taboos possessors absolutely couldn't do. She must've loved the emperor that much to reveal the secret... But sympathy stopped there.

She'd lost the emperor's trust and crumbled. He'd lost his pillar and broken too. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠And now I was suffering for it.

But for this one thing, I was grateful.

Thanks to her, I've got solid justification.

When facing the emperor as the noble faction's head, a powerful claim to legitimacy.

Confirming the spell worked, I left the recovery room. Baekseol beamed the moment she saw me outside.

"Morris!"

"Weren't you resting?"

"I missed you. Talking to the maids has its limits."

She gestured at Seria.

"What is it?"

"I-If it's not rude, would you walk the capital with me today? I heard there's a new dessert shop. And while we're at it..."

But Baekseol trailed off. A messenger bird had swooped in, perching on my finger.

"Hm?"

I unrolled the paper on its leg.

Faster than expected.

Confirming the message, I stroked Baekseol's silver hair.

"Not today—next time. Something urgent came up."

"Ah... When would suit you?"

I thought briefly and shook my head.

"This'll take a bit. Might not work this week."

"Then I'll wait, my lord."

I left at once.

"What's keeping him so busy?"

Baekseol sighed. But she'd endure. Memories of time with Morris were still vivid.

"Looks like Master's swamped this week. Too busy to think of you, Lady Baekseol."

A voice full of laughter came from behind. Baekseol turned. Seria, the maid behind her, shrugged with a triumphant smile—like she'd won.