Chapter 1
He may not have loved her wholeheartedly.
But before they got married, he smiled shyly and said he would do his duty as a husband.
He even took an oath before the portrait of the late Emperor.
But then he–
“Do you know how much my hands trembled as I added the poison to the teapot?”
“What does that–”
“You’re a tough one, so I used poison. I’m glad it worked. Why do you look at me like that?”
At her husband’s words, Gloria forgot to breathe.
‘What is he talking about?’
Gloria’s gruesome face was reflected in Erun’s green eyes.
The one who got rid of the ducal family, a longtime contributor to the founding of the Empire, and even brought down the Emperor himself, turned out to be–
‘I can’t believe it was my husband!’
In such a shock that even the pain was forgotten, Gloria tried her best to focus on him.
Despite his wife’s blue hate-filled gaze, Erun smiled sweetly and spoke as if making a request.
“I executed all the vassals who followed only you and all the bugs that were an eyesore in charge of poisoning the Emperor. It’s all thanks to you.”
“What about Diana– Princess Ludenberg?”
Gloria clenched the quilt at the terrible truth that was belied by his soft smile. Her internal injuries made it painful to spit out every word, but when she heard that her followers were dead, she had to confirm whether the precious princess was dead or alive.
‘It can’t be.’
Her body trembled uncontrollably at the cruel reality. The words were stuck on her throat, almost choking her, and she couldn’t prevent it.
Her vision became hazy as tears flowed nonstop, but she stretched her trembling hands toward her “trusted husband.”
Would he pity such a wife’s hand?
Erun gently wrapped her pale hand with his own, lifting it to his cheek, and replied with his eyes closed.
“All the people of the Ludenberg family are dead, my dear wife.”
“…huukk… hyyuukk!”
“How dare I poison the Emperor? But I couldn’t let you live. How long were you protected by your luck?”
After all, a kindhearted woman would end up being a problem.
Erun’s reply left Gloria dumbfounded as if she were a child.
”Princess, even if everyone leaves you, I’ll be by your side.”
Her mother died a long time ago. She stayed by herself in the Palace because her father was busy with affairs of state. The precious Princess Diana Ludenberg was the only one who hugged her tightly whenever she cried from loneliness.
A devil killed such a lovely princess. Gloria bit her lip, unable to scream.
“Please hurry and die, Darling.”
He spat his words like venom.
Next to him, his lover, Countess Ifrana Adlen, was fanning herself nonchalantly and smiling mischievously.
“Please die quickly, Your Majesty. Only then can the Marquis become Emperor, and I can be his rightful vassal and the closest person next to him.”
Only monsters were reflected in Gloria’s eyes.
Why.
‘Why are you so genuinely happy?’
Gathering her last strength, Gloria made the effort to ask her husband why he had plotted her death.
“Wh, why—”
At least, before she died, she wanted to know why. Why did he do this?
Did he at least think his wife, who breathed out heavily and gasped, looked pitiful?
Erun answered, carefully brushing back Gloria’s hair from her forehead.
“Being the Emperor’s husband, I hated it so much that I wanted to die.”
“What?”
Gloria’s eyes widened at his words, and she began to shake violently.
”I’m proud to be your husband.”
That’s what he said as he kissed her tenderly on their first night.
He clicked his tongue at his wife’s incredulous expression.
“Not only am I trusted by the people of the Empire, but I also have a higher approval rating from the nobles, right? I should have become the Emperor before you who knows nothing.
“So you just have to die and disappear into history, Your Majesty.”
As her husband kissed her forehead tenderly, Gloria’s vision began to dim.
Her soul screamed desperately over the betrayal, but her body barely breathed.
This gentle and capable man was ultimately destined to become the Emperor. That was his goal from the beginning.
‘You destroyed the Duke of Ludenberg, and now even me—!’
Her vision slowly darkened. Covering her eyes with his hand, her husband said,
“Now, please die. That way, you’ll be able to see the late Emperor. It took me so long to send him away, too. Ah, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’ll put you in a good place next to your loved ones.”
Gloria clenched her fists tightly at her husband’s words, as if it were comforting to hear that father and daughter didn’t die easily.
‘You damn bastard! Wasn’t my life enough!? Why did you kill my father! You filthy devil disguised as a man!’
She wanted to kill her husband somehow. At least spit on his face or slap him.
‘If I had the slightest bit of energy, I’d cut this hand off!’
However, Gloria, who couldn’t move as if her whole body was bound, eventually just shed tears.
Misery. Betrayal and revenge. Tears of blood dotted with anger.
And like that, the 23rd Emperor of the Erant Empire, Gloria Blake Vierant, was erased from the world.
Without mercy, at the hands of Erun Lebossi, Grand Duke of Barund.
Her trusted husband.
It was unfair.
She burst out laughing, thinking about how she died at the hands of her trusted husband.
‘Is this how it ends?’
It was amazing.
She was speechless and shouted her betrayal at the same time.
But more than that…
A great hatred crushed her soul, and she couldn’t overcome it.
“If I go back to that time, I will take revenge on that man. For sure! I will destroy him by any means and methods!”
Gloria screamed into an empty space as if she was vomiting blood.
‘I’m sure I’ll crush him.’
By. Any. Means.
Flames of hatred burned inside her heart.
In the space where only Gloria’s mind remained, a voice began to stir with the wind like a storm.
—Even if you have to sacrifice your own…?
Vague gender. A voice that sounded like a hundred talking at the same time. No wonder it was terrifying. Gloria, whose soul was engulfed by her hatred for Erun, answered without a single thought.
“If I can get rid of that traitor, I’ll give it to you.”
“If you ask for wealth I can give it to you. If you ask for flesh I can give it, too. I can give you my soul if you want, but even so, I can’t give you–”
A great wind began to blow in the void surrounding Gloria.
The strong wind felt eerie, but Gloria, crushed by the feeling of betrayal, shouted with a bloody heart.
“If I— If I see you again, I will never leave you alone, Erun!!!
‘Just as much as you gave me… No. I’ll do much more than that! Even if you kneel and beg for your life by holding onto my feet, I will cut off your hand and trample on you!’
Against the wind, Gloria reached out and grabbed her husband to strangle him in her memory.
At that moment, she heard the sound of something cracking.
Her eyes widened at the sensation of something breaking in her hand.
“Ughh!”
Gloria inhaled sharply as her surroundings changed abruptly.
The unseeing void was replaced with a sense of the reality of sunlight streaming through a window and the subtle scent of paper.
The incredible situation amazed her. A wonderful situation. Without realizing it, something rolled off her hand, which was surprisingly weak.
It was a broken pen.
“Why is this…”
“Your Majesty?”
“…!”
Right then.
Before her, she heard a terrible voice calling out to her as she stared at the desk, dumbfounded.
‘Now that I know the truth.’
Hearing the man’s voice she never wanted to hear again, Gloria slowly raised her head. In front of her, there was no one but–
“Erun!”
Gloria jumped from her seat at the sight of her “husband.” She had awakened in a hurry.
Gloria gritted her teeth when she saw the man who, smiling, was holding her hand after having pushed her to death.
‘I will die of rage! Having to see your damn face after death, bastard!’
Her anger soared to the point of making her dizzy, but at the same time, she couldn’t believe the situation.
”Please die, Darling.”
Those words lingered in her ears.
As if concerned by her appearance, Erun asked in a worried voice,
“Have I done anything to offend you, Your Majesty?”
“Something to offend?”
At Erun’s words, Gloria pursed her lips.
She never wanted to see him again. She vowed to twist his neck the moment she saw him again, and now was the opportunity.
‘It doesn’t matter if it’s a dream or reality.’
With a twisted smile, she eyed him as if he were prey, as if she was about to jump and bite his neck.
As if surprised by the sudden hostility, Erun’s face was tinged with bewilderment.
“Your Majesty!”
Was it because she lost her mind due to hatred?
Gloria roughly grabbed Erun’s collar and pulled him closer. His face was distorted in confusion.
“Ha!”
She snorted. Realizing that Gloria had no intention of releasing him, Erun tried to appease her.
“Your Majesty, I don’t know what’s going on, but please calm down first–”
“Erun Lebossi.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He answered back immediately.
Gloria slowly raised her fist at the murderer caught in her hand.
“Your Majesty…?
‘Don’t tell me–’
As she clenched her fists so hard to the point her knuckles turned white, blood trickled down from Erun’s face.
Gloria smiled at her “ex-husband” who was busy rolling his eyes warily.
“Now. I’ll return those words to you.”
“Pardon?”
“Please die, Darling.”
TL/N: Gloria is called ‘Emperor’ simply because she’s the one who rose to the throne. If we consider the power is in the hands of male figures, calling her ‘Empress’ would be an understatement as the Emperor has more power since he is the rightful ruler of an Empire. On the other hand, her husband is called ‘Emperor’s husband’, or Grand Duke, since he earned that title by marrying Gloria, but he, originally, was a Marquis.