IWBNAM Chapter 4 (Part 3)

“Where is His Majesty Sirius II? Take me to him.”

“This way.”

Grime, his expression darkened, took the lead. The two walked in silence. Not far away was a neonatal ward prepared solely for the one child.

After completing sterilization procedures and changing into sanitary clothing under the watch of dozens of carefully selected medical specialists, Nael entered the special room. The next Emperor was inside. Nael steadied his breath and then approached the incubator slowly.

Inside the transparent case lay a baby. The baby was so small and fragile. Was that truly the size of a seven-month premature infant? The kitten hiding under the hydrangea had been about that big. His head looked so large. Why were his limbs so short? His skin was wrinkled… not cute at all. Not even a little. Honestly, he was almost unsettling to look at. An ugly premature baby.

“Marshal Azani…”

“He’s shedding tears.”

The medical staff standing at a distance flinched and turned toward him. The murmurs spread, even outside. Those watching through the surveillance cameras widened their eyes and whispered in shock. Azani was crying. That Azani.

Nael ignored everyone else and focused only on the baby inside the incubator. The longer he looked, the more he blamed himself. How had things come to this? Why did the child who should have been born into blessings now lie here alone, having lost both parents?

‘Are you asking because you don’t know? You know the answer.’

Yes, he knew. It was all because he ran away.

‘Don’t look away. Face it. Look straight at the consequences of what you’ve done!’

He was crying without realizing it. He only wanted to make excuses.

He hadn’t wanted to face Azani’s fate. He didn’t believe he could walk that path. He didn’t want to spend his life as the Emperor’s shadow, receiving every curse in his stead.

Lee Juwon had believed he was simply an eighteen-year-old college student who had been dropped into this world by accident. Someone who had lived an easy life under his parents’ care. Following Azani’s destiny had felt impossible, so he had run away. Because he couldn’t understand why he should devote himself, why he should sacrifice so much.

‘It’s my fault. My responsibility. Because I did wrong. Because I turned away from my duty. No. No! I didn’t know. I never expected this to happen. Why should I feel guilty?’

Another part of him screamed. Tragic as this was, what did it have to do with Azani? Did Azani orchestrate the terror attack? Did he want this to happen? No. Absolutely not.

‘Azani should have stayed by the Emperor’s side longer. He should have watched and guarded with every ounce of his ability. He should have held the line so firmly that the enemy would never dare attempt something so vile!’

His rational mind condemned his complacency with fierce fury. It told him this was his fault, that he had acted irresponsibly, that he had summoned this disaster.

The man who once insisted he was Lee Juwon could no longer deny the truth. He faced reality. Possessed? And then what? He had to live as Azani now. He had realized the true meaning of that far too late.

“This Azani is here.”

Nael spoke in a soft but firm tone.

“I will protect him with everything I have. Without fail.”

He knelt before the tiny Emperor and bowed his head. He swore that until the end of his life, he would support the Empire and protect the Emperor. It was the only atonement he had left, having abandoned his duty once before.

* * *

When Nael stepped out of the special room, no one dared speak to him. His face was set with unwavering resolve.

“We’ve prepared your uniform.”

As Nael silently removed the sanitary clothing, Gilbert approached and held out the uniform. Nael stared at it in silence. When he retired, he thought he would only wear ceremonial dress on designated days. Yet that expectation had shattered completely. His peaceful two-month retirement as a retired marshal had come to an end.

“Very well.”

The uniform of an Imperial Marshal, made from the finest materials, once again wrapped around him. He turned his head slightly to check the epaulettes on his shoulders. Heavy. Crushingly heavy.

“Is the uniform uncomfortable?”

“A bit tight. I must have gained weight from living too comfortably.”

With a humorless face, Nael made the joke, or perhaps it wasn’t one, then headed out of the changing room. Grime, who had been issuing orders to a subordinate, approached him.

“What do you plan to handle first, Your Excellency Richelieu?”

Nael froze briefly, then shook his head.

“Call me Chancellor Azani. That title is far too much for me. And speak comfortably. We are both Imperial Marshals.”

Just as Caesar had come to mean Emperor, in the current Imperial era the Chancellor who held full authority over state affairs was also addressed as ‘Your Excellency Richelieu.’ Nael disliked it. He liked being addressed as ‘sir’, something even a president in a twenty-first-century republic would never hear. But ‘Your Excellency’… he did not want that at all.

“I’ll take it as a sign of humility. If the Chancellor prefers, I won’t use the honorific, but others certainly will. So keep that in mind.”

Grime said. Nael gave a small nod and answered the earlier question.

“I plan to check on Valois first. Paying respects to the wounded and dead will come a bit later. There is so much to do that I’m not sure what order to tackle things in.”

“That sounds reasonable. Fortunately, Zerodel’s injuries aren’t severe, so he should be able to return soon…”

There was no time for Nael to meet everyone brought to the Imperial Hospital and check their conditions one by one. He decided to leave that task to Grime and instead headed to another hospital where Valois had been admitted.

“Marshal Valois was enjoying a quiet outing with his family at the time.”

Seated across from Nael in the official car, Gilbert summarized the information he had gathered while reading from a tablet.

It had been a bright holiday, and Valois had taken his wife and their four-year-old son to an outdoor restaurant. He could have accompanied His Majesty to the botanical garden event, but he had wanted to spend time alone with just the three of them. True to his modest nature, he brought no guards and drove himself to the reserved location.

He had even mentioned several times that he’d made the reservation two weeks in advance because the restaurant was popular. A man of his rank wouldn’t have needed to do that, he could have secured a table at any time, but Valois disliked relying on privilege. He was proud of being an Imperial Marshal, but he had no desire to wield that prestige in everyday life.

But his modest intentions were utterly betrayed. In the middle of their pleasant meal, an explosion occurred in the restaurant.

“Marshal Valois was immediately taken to the nearest hospital and treated. He sustained a penetrating injury to the abdomen, but thanks to the swift response, his life is not in danger. However, his wife and young son…”

The official car sped swiftly down the fully blocked-off highway and arrived at the destination. Valois’s subordinates, who had gathered in worry for their commander, moved aside when they saw Azani’s vehicle.

When Nael appeared, they saluted respectfully, but they struggled to hide the tension in the air as they kept glancing at him. Because of how suddenly everything had erupted, all sorts of dark rumors were circulating, among them the claim that the sinister Marshal Azani had orchestrated the entire plot.

If that were true, they would never forgive him. A few hot-headed ones grit their teeth and glared fiercely. Meanwhile, someone who had heard an odd new rumor whispered it aloud: that Azani had cried in front of the incubator. Confusion spread. No one knew what to believe.

“Welcome, Chancellor.”

Valois’s aide approached Nael.

“Has Marshal Valois awakened?”

Nael asked in front of the ward.

“Yes. He woke about twenty minutes ago. Please go in.”

The door opened. Nael entered alone. The man occupying the bed in the spacious, luxurious VIP room slowly turned his head toward him.

“Leave us for a moment.”

At Valois’s words, the attendants stepped outside. Nael felt a bitter heaviness. Valois’s expression was deeply dark. He must have been told the condition of his wife and child.

“…You lectured me several times, didn’t you? That living modestly was fine, but I should at least pay attention to security. I always brushed you off. I wasn’t afraid of petty tricks from small-minded fools. Yes… I believed receiving excessive protection out of fear of terrorism was unbecoming of a bold man. And yet, look how it turned out. Isn’t it laughable? Go ahead and laugh, Azani.”

Valois’s face twisted. Nael sat silently across from him.

“My wife… she had to have both legs amputated. And my four-year-old son suffered severe burns on half his face. They survived. All three of us survived. But… but look at what happened. My arrogance left my family with wounds that can never be healed. Me! Because of me! If I had taken your sincere advice to heart, none of this would have happened!”

Valois buried his face in his hands, groaning in pain. The Empire’s greatest commander, always the most composed, had lost his calm and was shouting emotionally.

“It is not your fault. You were simply unlucky, attacked by those who planned this with malice. Steady yourself. Do not blame yourself, Valois.”

“No. It is my fault. I carelessly exposed my personal schedule and went out with no guards. A man of my rank should have cared about safety. I should have ensured in advance that the place was secure and taken at least minimal protection. But because I thought that was merely an issue of pride, I… I…”

“Admiral Valois.”

“How am I supposed to look my wife and son in the eye now? I can’t even face them. What am I supposed to say? I told them confidently to trust me… and this is the result. Pathetic bastard. Can’t even protect his own family, what kind of Imperial Marshal is that…”

“You are not at fault. The one who bears blame is me. So direct your anger at me. I…”

Valois’s bloodshot eyes locked onto Nael. A heavy silence followed.

“Perhaps… perhaps this disaster happened because you irresponsibly left.”

“……”

“No, no. How could that be your fault? Everyone welcomed your retirement at the time.”

Valois let out a low laugh. Nael instantly realized something was wrong. Valois’s mind was in a fragile, unstable state.

“Valois.”

“I’m sorry, but please leave, Azani. As you can see, I won’t be of any help to you. Please go. I want to be alone.”

Consumed by self-loathing, the man raised his right hand, palm outward, a clear gesture of rejection.

“…Please focus on recovery.”

Nael said nothing more and stood up. Saying anything harsh would be pointless. The man would have to remain bedridden for some time anyway. Letting him rest seemed the wiser choice.

“Chancellor.”

Valois’s close aides waiting outside looked as if they wanted to say something but soon lowered their heads. They had clearly heard the conversation inside.

“Where are his wife and son?”

Nael asked calmly. One of the aides guided him to their room. Both the wife and child were asleep after treatment and sedatives, so there was no conversation. Nael gazed quietly at them before turning away.

“A tragedy.”

In the car heading toward the palace, Gilbert spoke carefully.

“Yes. A tragedy. But the three of them survived, did they not? They’ll be all right. They are all strong people.”

Nael leaned against his hand and stared out the window. The streets full of armored vehicles and soldiers looked bleak. The black mourning flags newly hung everywhere only deepened the gloom. May, the month that should have been the most beautiful and joyful, had fallen into sorrow.

“Had things gone as scheduled, he would have entered the palace in a few days…”

Entering the palace, now without its master, Nael thought of the Emperor.

He remembered what the Emperor had told the Empress at his retirement. Azani, everyone knows he’s a man who doesn’t grow attached to people, but seeing him leave so cleanly feels strangely lonely. It seems His Excellency considers personal affection worthless. That was what she had said.

Would the original Azani have reacted differently?

Back then, Lee Juwon had felt nothing toward the Emperor. Sirius von Giskard was simply the protagonist of the original novel, a genius, an overwhelmingly handsome man. That was all Lee Juwon thought of him. Too perfect, too exceptional, an ultra-rare hero no free-to-play player could ever dream of obtaining. Someone impossible to feel close to. Nothing more, nothing less.

Even though he had inherited all of Azani’s memories, including his personal experiences with the Emperor, that was how he had felt at the time.

“If I had returned after a normal vacation and gone to an audience…”

Rumors would have spread everywhere that he had returned proudly holding a kitten. The Emperor would have found it amusing. That Azani had become more human after retirement.

They would have shared refreshments and talked lightly, avoiding real politics. The Emperor would ask what had been so enjoyable during his time away and whether he had rested enough, then push some elementary school visit onto his schedule. Watching to see whether Azani made a sour face or quietly sighed. And then…

A faint ache pulsed in his chest.

Nael lowered his hand and placed it gently over his heart. A sudden wave of nausea welled up inside.

“Your Excellency? Are you unwell?”

Gilbert asked. Nael shook his head.

“It is merely some tightness. Probably from stress.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be wise to get examined at a hospital? You are no longer responsible only for yourself.”

“I’m fine. It’s not a health issue.”

Nael said firmly and lowered his hand. Gilbert was right, he was no longer free to act as he wished. No matter what he did or where he went, he was always in the center of people’s attention. He could not afford unnecessary movements or remarks that sparked rumors.

‘This is my life now.’

Sitting upright, he waited for the vehicle to come to a complete stop. At last the car halted at the center of the palace, and a secretary opened the door with a respectful gesture.

Everyone who had been waiting after hearing the news now turned toward him. Nael scanned their anxious faces, then spoke in a voice as calm as still water.

“Do not worry. I will protect the Empire. Azani will shoulder every burden.”

He would never run again. He would not flee in fear. This was the fate assigned to him, and he would accept it fully.