IYAMD: Episode 24

Marsilia unconsciously reached out to pat his head but stopped midway. He fully understood Jaha’s rejection, conveyed not only through his body but also through his frown and silent words.

But just because he was told not to, did it really matter?

Marsilia thought that Jaha should get used to him. And the same went for him too.

So, he reached out his hand toward the man who was avoiding him. Marsilia, holding the long strands of hair, bent his head down toward it as it tried to slip out of his hand.

Thanks to the servants’ meticulous work, Jaha’s hair was smooth and shiny. As he continued to take care of his meals, his hair would only become finer.

Marsilia kissed the soft hair, as smooth as silk, and lifted his gaze to look up at Jaha.

A light disdain and irritation flashed through his eyes. But just for a moment, Jaha turned his body and averted his gaze from Marsilia.

An intense feeling of wanting to grip his hair suddenly surged up. But, as always, Marsilia quietly suppressed his emotions.

He was used to holding back his anger. Even when he felt bad, he was accustomed to smiling as though he felt nothing.

Marsilia let go of his hair and stepped back.

“See you at dinner, Jaha.”

After bidding him farewell, a piercing gaze briefly lingered as he turned away. It was a gaze so intense that it almost made him regret leaving.

Once the door closed behind him, Marsilia let out a long, heavy sigh.

He felt a mix of longing and strange emotions.

This kind of feeling was unfamiliar to Marsilia too. So, he spent the rest of his time in the palace deeply contemplating what exactly he was feeling for Jaha.

It was a different kind of sting than being rejected by his divine partner. When he had gripped his hair, a smile had involuntarily appeared on his face, but when he met Jaha’s furrowed brow, it felt as though something was boiling up inside him.

What was this feeling? Affection? Obsession? Disappointment? Desire for possession? It seemed like none of those, yet all of them at once.

Marsilia couldn’t define his emotions until he arrived at his office. There was no time to dwell on it further, so he pushed it aside, but the unsettling feeling lingered.

“Your Majesty, I’ve finally found it!”

Serez, who had been holed up in the imperial library for three days, opened the door and rushed in, looking disheveled. Emileo looked no different.

Marsilia made a disgusted face instinctively, but both of them wore bright, cheerful expressions. Seeing their prideful faces, Marsilia couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Report.”

Serez spread a history book he had brought from the library on Marsilia’s desk.

The part he pointed to had the name of Alexander II written on it.

He had ruled the empire about 500 years after its founding, approximately 1500 years ago.

According to the history book, there had been such an event in the southwestern part of the empire.

However, it wasn’t Minotaurs, and it seemed that many monsters of various kinds had poured out at that time.”

The content wasn’t long, so it was easy to understand at a glance.

“Is that all?”

Marsilia asked, and Emileo placed the book he was holding on top of the history book.

“This is an autobiography of Alexander II written by an author named Delorte from that time. It’s a bit longer in detail,” Emileo said as Serez continued.

“Following the extermination of the monsters, a dungeon was discovered. It was said that portals had appeared inside the dungeon, and that monsters had been pouring out from there.

The emperor referred to it as a rift in dimensions. Although it’s unclear whether it was the result of a goddess’s oracle.”

Even though there were no oracles from the goddess now, oracles had been quite frequent in the early years of the empire. Records showed that when major issues arose, the emperor or the archbishop would receive an oracle to deal with them.

So, any unfamiliar terms could be assumed to be linked to a goddess’s oracle.

A rift in dimensions. Marsilia rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought over the unfamiliar term.

He stared at the autobiography but couldn’t quite read the words. Maybe it was due to fatigue, so Marsilia rubbed his eyes with his fingers and asked Serez for a summary.

“Summarize it briefly. What does it say?”

The autobiography, written in a formal style, contained long sentences filled with praise for the great, benevolent, and wise Emperor, making it no wonder that the words didn’t register.

“It says that unless the rift in dimensions is sealed, monsters will keep pouring out. There is a method to seal it, but we’re unsure how reliable it is,” Serez continued as he smacked his lips.

Marsilia looked at him, then called for Malek, who had been waiting.

“Bring some tea.”

They moved to another area, and the conversation continued.

Alexander II had led 1500 knights on a campaign, but the records showed that fewer than 300 returned. It seemed that it hadn’t been an easy task,” Serez continued, gulping down the tea Malek had brought and wiping his chest as if he were hot.

“The method to seal the rift in dimensions is to defeat the leader inside it. Whether that will work, we’re not sure… But, as you know, the autobiography focuses more on celebrating achievements than the accuracy of its contents…”

“1500 knights. Maybe if it was just lower-level monsters like Kobolds or Gnolls, it would be manageable, but going up against Minotaurs with regular soldiers is impossible. Also, we can’t send out all the palace knights. We can’t leave the castle empty and let some fool take over,” Marsilia said, pondering further.

After all, the aftermath of a battle had to be considered. Knights weren’t easily made. Their personal effort was important, but an environment that could support that effort over time was necessary to produce even one knight.

Moreover, once they reached a certain level, their scarcity increased. There were fewer than 300 sword experts at the palace now.

How many could survive a fight against Minotaurs? With only a few sword masters, it wasn’t easy to decide how many to send.

After much deliberation, Marsilia decided to leave the decision for the meeting tomorrow.

Let’s discuss it at the cabinet meeting tomorrow morning. You may go now and get some rest. If anyone saw you, they might think a beggar sneaked in to beg for alms.”

Their faces, which hadn’t been properly washed or rested for days, were dirty, but more importantly, they looked like they would collapse with the slightest touch.

Serez gave an exaggerated bow, his face full of embarrassment, before stepping back. Compared to him, Emileo seemed rather composed.

“Oh, right.”

Marcilia called Serez, who was about to leave, back.

“Do you have any more instructions?”

“When we march out, I plan to bring Jaha along. I’ve thought of a way… appointing his as your adjutant seems the best option.”

Serez paused with a troubled expression for a moment before nodding.

“Understood. But I think it might be best to hide the fact that he is from the Eastern Continent. You should assign him a new name and give him a certificate of appointment. After all, it’s not just us who know about Your Majesty’s soulmate origins.”

Though everyone whispers, the High Priest who handled the coronation knows as well. Honestly, Marcilia didn’t think it was a secret that would be maintained properly.

“True. I’ll issue the certificate first thing tomorrow.”

“And the name?”

Without much thought, Marcilia answered.

“We’ll call him Sable (animal). It’s fur is soft and smooth.”

“And the last name?”

“Dandelion.”

Serez sighed deeply.

“Isn’t that a bit too casual?”

“It suits him well. A black sable with dandelion-colored eyes.”

Despite having delicate features, the wildness also matched. Once he had named him, Marcilia thought it was a surprisingly fitting name.

Jaha’s name contains the word “purple,” and a black sable also has a purple tint to its black fur. I think it fits perfectly.

Marcilia shrugged, and Serez nodded, clicking his tongue.

“Since it’s Your Majesty’s decision, I have no objections.”

“Serez, from tomorrow on, you’ll handle the paperwork. I’ll be busy preparing for the subjugation.”

“Ah…”

“Though it may seem like a lot, I’ve been cutting back as much as possible. I’ve even been sacrificing sleep to get things done.”

“Yes…”

After Serez, looking deflated, left, Marcilia decided to stop working too. It wasn’t just them who were tired. So, he decided to finish up the work and return to his chambers early.

It would take time to tell Jaha his new name and persuade him to cooperate. What should he do to loosen his tightly shut heart a little? Maybe a walk together?

As soon as he slouched into his chair, his eyes grew heavy, and they involuntarily closed. How long had it been since he’d slept?

He hadn’t slept at all the night before because he had given Jaha a sword to calm him down. He was worried Zaha might break the chains and run away.

Even though he knew Zaha’s presence lingered in the bedroom, he still couldn’t sleep. Staying awake the entire night and then finding him curled up in bed in the morning had been a great relief.

It would be nice if he could just understand this feeling.

Marcilia smiled softly at the impossible wish and let out a long sigh as his tired eyes slowly closed.