Prologue: The Empire's Final Moments
The glorious history of the Empire had reached its bitter end. Hordes of monsters were massing beyond the ridges, poised to swallow the Empire whole before long, and there weren't enough troops left to mount any real defense. I wasn't pinning my hopes on miracles anymore. The Empire's survival up to this point had been nothing short of a patchwork of countless miracles.
"So don't throw away your precious lives in some pointless fight. Just get the hell out of here, wherever."
The soldiers stared at my face for a moment before one by one, they began to slip away. May fortune favor you.It was an honor to serve under you, Commander. The usual rote farewells were exchanged.
What the fuck do I do now?
I had no idea. My homeland in the North had fallen first. My family, my friends—everyone had died gripping their swords on the front lines. The only reason I'd survived was because I hadn't been there at the time.
After agonizing over it for a while, the place I ended up heading was the Imperial Palace. Not out of some bullshit loyalty to the Empire. Not because there was someone I had to meet. Just... because there was no one I wanted to see, nowhere I wanted to go.
"You're one tough son of a bitch to kill, aren't you."
The one who greeted me upon my return to the palace was Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, seated alone upon the jade throne.
"...You still haven't gotten the hell out?"
I couldn't hide my awkwardness as I asked.
"What good is an emperor who abandons her empire?"
"Still, you have to go. Without you, there's no chance for a comeback later."
"That's precisely why I have no desire to scheme for the future."
She smiled softly as she spoke.
"Even if I survived here and led the imperial citizens to some new settlement, it would only be cruel false hope. Better to meet an honorable death right here—doesn't that look far nobler?"
"Then hide out somewhere and stay alive. Why throw away a valuable life like yours? Aren't you afraid to die?"
"Of course I'm afraid of dying."
"Then..."
"But I have no face left to show my ancestors in the afterlife."
I shut my mouth at her words. I agreed wholeheartedly with her lack of shame.
"Frankly, it's fucking embarrassing."
"..."
"Once, I thought if the Empire fell, there'd have to be some grand reason for it. Some unstoppable evil horde descending upon us. Or the people's long-brewing distrust erupting into a coup."
I pressed my lips tight.
"Who the hell could've imagined the Empire would crumble over one woman?"
Shockingly, it was true. The Crown Prince, who was supposed to shoulder the Empire's future, had fallen head over heels for that woman and tossed everything aside. Chasing love when he should have been studying and preparing—talent or no, he was useless. In the end, His Late Majesty the Emperor, past his prime and overdue for retirement, had grudgingly passed the throne to the Third Imperial Princess, who was finally showing her mettle as an empress.
The problem? The generational handover was way too late. With a worthless Crown Prince in the way, the old Emperor clung to power until he was doddering with dementia. How could the Empire have functioned properly?
"I hear those two recently fled to some remote hideout together. A beautiful romance, isn't it? Abandoning the Empire to follow their hearts. Who knew my dear brother was such a romantic soul?"
"That..."
"And it's not just my brother. That motherfucker pegged as the next Archmage, the son of the Empire's top merchant house—they all fell the same way. Even when that Saint got conquered, I couldn't hide my shock. Even now, it's unbelievable. How the hell did that bitch pick off all the prime catches like that?"
When her gaze landed on me, I flinched. I had been one of those "prime catches."
I was the heir to the Northern Grand Duke, son of the continent's greatest Swordmaster.
Until I'd fallen for her hook, line, and sinker.
"I'm not blaming you. Everyone else bolted with their tails between their legs, but you alone stayed for the Empire. If anything, I'm grateful."
"I've got nothing to say."
"Heh. Indeed."
The monsters' footsteps were growing louder. If I could hear them this clearly, they'd already breached the capital's walls and were inside.
The Empire's end was nigh.
That's what I was thinking when—
"Isn't it strange, though?"
"...What is?"
"How did that woman seduce all of you?"
"Fuck if I know."
"Objectively, she wasn't even that pretty. No real charisma either. Her words were eloquent, sure, but were you lot ordinary men?"
I wondered too. In hindsight, I wasn't some lightweight who'd ditch everything for love. None of us who fell for her were. We weren't the types to obsess blindly, even in love. They didn't call us the Empire's future pillars for nothing.
"What does it matter now?"
"True enough."
A massive explosion rocked the air. I squeezed my eyes shut. Part of me wanted to mount a last stand, but I'd burned through my aura in the previous battle long ago. If I'd focused more on swordsmanship, maybe I could've fought longer—but in this state, even lifting my blade was a struggle.
In the heavy silence, Her Majesty finally spoke.
"Lord Leon."
"Your command."
"Beware that woman."
"...Pardon?"
I opened my eyes. Even now, she wore a faint smile.
"In my eyes, there's something about her. Something we can't comprehend."
"What do you..."
"Just a feeling."
BOOM!
Amid the blast and crumbling debris, she leaned back against the throne and closed her eyes languidly. Wyverns swooped from the sky. I felt their teeth tear into my flesh.
The pain didn't last long. Praying Her Majesty had gone the same way, I shut my eyes.
....
...
..
.
"You look out of it today, Leon."
A familiar voice. I cracked my eyes open to sunlight streaming through the window, illuminating a woman's face etched with concern.
The moment our eyes met, I shuddered.
"Is something wrong?"
A soft, gentle voice. Eyes mild as a lamb's, a cute nose and lips, voluminous pink hair like cotton candy swaying lightly in the breeze from the window.
"...Ellie?"
The infamous villainess who doomed the Empire stood before me.
*
Was this some deathbed flashback reel? If so, what a goddamn shitty one. It meant even as the Empire burned, I'd clung to thoughts of this woman I despised seeing.
I slowly lifted my gaze, finally realizing where I was.
A private chamber prepared by the palace at the Crown Prince's insistence. The place where four idiots had vied absurdly for one woman.
Why the fuck did I live like that?
The thought alone made my stomach churn. Dozens of cringeworthy memories flooded back, my body trembling with shame.
"Why don't you just leave her alone."
"Yeah, Ellie dear. Ignore that blockhead and hang with us."
Her rivals chimed in from behind. Their eyes held hostility and jealousy toward me, laced with a subtle fear they tried to hide.
Ah, right. I'd been the same. Obsessing over her every gesture, every enigmatic glance—endlessly scheming inside, overanalyzing her intentions, terrifying myself with my own bullshit theories. All while deluding myself that I understood her.
"Leon?"
"..."
"You look exhausted... Are you okay?"
She took my hand lightly. The men's eyes twitched.
Looking back now, this is pathetic as hell.
The Empire's future leaders, swayed by one woman's whim.
A hollow laugh escaped me. If this was a deathbed vision, I knew exactly why it stopped here.
"Let go. Unless you want to die."
"...Pardon?"
Her eyes widened at my words. The suckers lined up behind her did too.
"D-did I hear that wrong?"
"No, you heard right."
I rose slowly, looking down at her. Between her frightened eyes, I could see her calculating my move.
Yeah, it'd baffle her. The Leon Eisenberg in her head would never say something so crude.
"Fuck. Seriously."
I'd lived my whole life drowning in regret. My nightmares were mostly set in this very chamber. Hating myself for abandoning everything and calling it "true love."
"That's harsh language."
"Can't indulge you assholes anymore."
The rivals stood one by one. As if they'd been waiting. They feigned outrage, but I saw the eager glint in their eyes.
An opportunity. I'd slipped up, they play the righteous heroes, score points with her. A disgustingly familiar script.
"Wake the fuck up, all of you."
The room froze.
"How long are you gonna keep this shit up? You lot are supposed to carry the Empire's future—got that much time to waste? Oh, right. You're all dick-whipped simps. But how long do you think that'll last?"
I sneered at the scene.
"Heard you made an artificial winter with the magic tower's entire budget and manpower just to gift her some winter-only flower. Real romantic, huh?"
The next Archmage candidate. Ruen Cassidia.
"You, shut the fuck up. What can I even say to a guy who handed over his mom's dowry on a platter?"
The Empire's top merchant heir. Ethan Luciel.
"Leon! How dare you...!"
"You're no different. Fuck, you even lobbied the palace to build this chamber at the academy just to flirt? Are you insane? The academy isn't even an imperial institution. Your brain's in your dick?"
The Crown Prince. Alpendir de Croa.
I wanted to eviscerate them all point by point, but stopped there. Dragging their dirt out now wouldn't change that I'd been just as pathetic.
I turned toward the door, adding over my shoulder,
"Have your fun, you pathetic fuckwit losers."
Someone started to speak, but I didn't care. Without looking back, I strode out of the chamber.