TOPWL: 1

Prologue

It was a bleak night. With neither the moon nor the stars in sight, the area around the imperial palace was much darker than usual. A long shadow stretched before the chambers of the Fifth Prince.

‘No guards… huh.’

Khalid clicked his tongue inwardly. Even if he had been cast aside, he was still a prince of the empire. To be so poorly guarded—it was a miracle he had survived this long. Khalid took out a sleeping incense from his robes and lit it. Wisps of smoke curled and seeped through the cracks of the door. As he waited for the scent to take full effect, he recalled a conversation he had with Bashur some time ago.

“Does Your Grace believe that Prince Reginald will ascend the throne?”

It was an uncharacteristic question from Bashur, who always maintained a prudent demeanor. Khalid set down his teacup before responding.

“…Perhaps.”

The Second Prince, Reginald, was full of greed. And he had the foundation to support that greed.

A legitimate-born dominant Alpha.

The Fourth Princess, who had also been a dominant Alpha, died in a riding accident last year. With her gone, Reginald became the only dominant Alpha among the heirs. The remaining contenders were the Third Prince, who worshiped the Second Prince like a god, the Fifth Prince, an Omega, and the Sixth Prince, who was still too young for his secondary gender to manifest.

“Then… if Prince Reginald decides that Prince Yudit must be dealt with, would Your Grace take care of it?”

Bashur, after much hesitation, finally forced the words out. It was a request—a favor. It was strange to see Bashur indebting himself over a life that would crumble on its own.

‘Why?’

”…No particular reason. You are skilled in swordsmanship, so I thought you could grant him a swift death.”

“You seem to care for the Fifth Prince.”

“He is intelligent.”

But intelligence alone was not enough. No matter how clever he was, Yudit was the son of a mere maidservant, and now even his mother was gone. An Omega with no backing.

“Then why not ask me to save him instead?”

“…..”

Bashur only smiled bitterly in response. Khalid already knew why he couldn’t say those words. The Second Prince would slaughter every last bloodline in his path to the throne. Just as most emperors of the Adanauer Empire had done before him.

“I understand your request. I shall do as you ask.”

”…Thank you.”

As the recollection ended, Khalid pushed himself off the wall. The sleeping incense was strong enough to knock out even a grown man for three days. There would be no pain in death. With ease, he unlatched the door and stepped inside.

—Fwish!

An arrow shot straight for the center of Khalid’s forehead.

He twisted his neck just in time to narrowly dodge it. The arrow embedded itself deep into the far wall.

A bolt strong enough to pierce stone. Had it hit him, he would have died instantly. But there were no signs of movement inside. It seemed to be a mechanism that triggered upon opening the door.

A warm welcome.

A smirk tugged at Khalid’s lips as he unsheathed his sword and strode toward the bed.

Standing before it, his eyebrow twitched.

Raising his sword vertically, he thrust it into the plump center of the mattress.

Shluk.

His blade sank into something thick.

As he moved to pull it out, he realized something was resisting. Restraining his sword.

It wasn’t human flesh.

And at that very moment, the back of his necks prickled.

“…!”

A dagger shot toward him.

Just before it reached his throat, Khalid caught the attacker’s wrist.

A wrist so slender it could fit in his palm. But despite that, the movements were sharp and lethal.

As soon as one wrist was seized, the other hand snatched his sword, angling it toward him.

However, the attempt was sloppy. It was easy for Khalid to grab the other wrist as well.

With both hands restrained, the next attack came from below.

The prince thrashed desperately, but he was too weak.

Holding both wrists with just a few fingers, Khalid shoved him against the wall, pinning him in place.

Trapped between the cold stone and Khalid’s frame, the Fifth Prince glared up at him with calm eyes.

A gaze that spoke volumes.

If given even the slightest opening, he would not hesitate to strike.

“…..”

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

Khalid greeted him as if they had met under normal circumstances.

”…Khalid Baldwin Meyer.”

“It is an honor that you know my name.”

A faint smile played on Khalid’s lips as he reached for Yudit’s throat.

So delicate—thin enough to snap with a mere squeeze.

“You’ve done well to survive in the imperial palace with such a fragile neck.”

He tightened his grip just enough to make breathing difficult, but not enough to make him lose consciousness.

He wanted to enjoy this moment a little longer.

It had been a while since anyone had resisted him like this. How would he react when death was right before his eyes? Khalid observed Yudit with intrigue.

“I had hoped to meet and speak with you… but at least we’ve met like this. I’m relieved.”

Yudit voice was hoarse from the pressure on his throat, yet he spoke as if he felt nothing at all.

Khalid’s eyes gleamed with interest. The memory of an arrow nearly piercing his forehead had already faded. Because this—This was much more entertaining.

“What kind of conversation were you hoping to have that you’d welcome an intruder into your chambers in the dead of night?”

“Because… there’s something I want to tell you.”

“And that is?”

“Have you ever heard the tale of the hunter who devours his hunting dog once the hunt is over?”

Yudit asked without pleading for his throat to be released or his wrists to be freed.

Khalid quickly grasped the meaning behind his words and let out a laugh.

The hunting dog in the story was Khalid, and the hunter was Reginald.

Yudit was asking—did he really think he would be safe once Reginald became emperor?

“It seems His Highness considers me quite the dog.”

“Is there much difference between a person who’s to watch for a… and the dog itself?”

Though he spoke humbly, he did not deny it.

Khalid found himself enjoying this exchange.

He loosened his grip on his throat just slightly, allowing Yudit to speak more comfortably.

“I know that I am not very smart. I am not strong, I have no backing, and I have never studied politics. But even someone like me can sit on the throne. Reginald is greedy, but he is also a coward. The moment he takes the throne, he will get rid of you.”

Yudit placed his hand over Khalid’s, which was still gripping his throat. A faint shiver through him as his large hands covered his.

“So choose me. I will be your puppet emperor.”

Main Story

“It’s hot, it’s so hot… Mother…!”

The young Yudit was crying.The heat was beyond unbearable.

The fire had already consumed everything in the room, and its flickering tongues seemed ready to swallow the mother and child whole.

“It’s all right, Yudit. It’s all right. Mother is here with you.”

A frail woman wrapped her thin arms around the small child, as if that alone could shield him from the flames. The scorching air, thick with the fumes of vaporized poison, filled their lungs.

Yudit’s sobs, his repeated calls for his mother, gradually faded.

“Yudit… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… that I was too weak to protect you.”

Tears streamed endlessly down the woman’s cheeks, landing on Yudit’s face.

Even in his dazed state, he barely understood her words.

But sensing her sorrow, he reached out to wipe her tears away.

“Mother, it’s okay. I’m not scared at all.”

Because I’m in your arms.

At his mature words, the woman wept even harder. She held him close for a long time before her eyes gleamed with determination.

“That place… over there…”

Yudit coughed, unable to withstand the smoke. The woman wrapped her entire garment around him, shielding him completely.

Bundled up tightly, Yudit looked up at her in confusion.

“Yudit, you must survive.”

And with those final words, she lifted him and threw him forward.

Yudit flailed his small arms and legs in the air before grabbing onto something.

As he dangled there, he turned back—

Just in time to see a burning pillar collapse over his mother.

Unlike him, who was trembling in shock, she only smiled at him.

At that moment, Yudit’s irises burned a vivid red—And his consciousness was pulled back to the surface.

”…!”

He woke with a gasp, his entire body drenched in sweat.

Though he had just woken up, his heart was pounding—

As if he had swallowed a cup of strong black tea.