But I didn’t have the heart to translate that method into action because I thought of Lady Monique’s baby that I killed and I felt sorry for Jiun who already had a miscarriage. Although I didn’t like her that much, she was the woman I once loved, so I could not make her go through the hardship again. Then there was only one way left.

When I was looking for a cause to escape the capital to the two dukes, I heard that the kingdom of Lisa plundered several villages on the border. And at the urgent political meeting, I declared that I would punish the Lisa kingdom in person, pretending to blow my top just like I did before my poisoning was neutralized.

Duke Jena surprisingly accepted my idea without any resistance. I was suspicious about his motivation, but as I had no other way, I escaped the capital with the utmost care. As soon as I was safely out of the capital, I planned to join the two dukes, but…

“Cough! Cough! ”

“There he is! Catch him! ”

“Now it’s my last!”

My heavy body was thrown on the ground. I saw a blonde knight blocking me with a sword in my vision that became suddenly bright. His blood-stained silver armor was radiating bizarre light, reflected in the moonlight.

A smile came to my lips that became gradually hardened. Is this the very symptom of one’s very brief return to normal before one dies?

A streak of tears flowed down. What did I do wrong first? Why did I do wrong so many times? Although I’ve always been jealous and rebellious, I wanted to be the same great emperor as the late emperor. I wanted to be the emperor that everybody loved and respected.

“Hey, you must be the Captain of the Royal Knights Division. What an unexpected bonanza! You can’t escape anymore because there’s a cliff behind you. How about giving up and giving us the emperor’s body?”

“Shut up! I don’t negotiate with the enemy.”

“Well, I’ve no other choice but to kill you then. Kill him! We’ve got to recover his body by all means!”

Suddenly, in the dark sky, there was a silver moon half covered in dark clouds. The moon, which looked so noble, seemed so lonely today.

I smiled suddenly. Even though it was covered by clouds, the moon was shining brightly like that. Why didn’t I see the moon hidden in the clouds?

I remembered that little child I had seen for the first time a long, long ago. That little girl who reached out her cute, chubby hands and laughed merrily, that little girl who followed me, calling my name. I used to push her away because I was foolish then, but she looked very lovely then. Why did I forget her for such a long time?

The figure of Earl Penril became blurred in my vision. My body was getting colder, and it was more and more difficult for me to breathe. At last, just before my senses disappeared, I felt someone carrying me on his back in a hurry. In no time, I felt I floated in the air.

Something silvery shimmered on the black river in my darkened vision.

Oh, did you come to welcome me? No matter how much I ignored and shouted at you, you were always there when I turned. You always used to look at me from a distance. Just like you did all the time, are you waiting for me there today?

What kind of expression do you have now? Is it blank like before, or are you still burning with hatred because I killed you? Or are you happy there without pain or sorrow as I heard in my childhood? Are you comfortable there? Or did you not reach there yet because you were waiting for me? Come with me there now. It’s too late, but there I can…

With the feeling that I was immersed in something cold, my senses disappeared completely. I stretched my stiff arms and embraced the shimmering silvery light in my arms. Along with the consciousness of falling into the abyss, the last words I couldn’t say disappeared.

… I want to talk with you about something I didn’t share fully.

***

Ugh? Who is it? Don’t touch my hair. Leave me alone! Don’t disturb my sleep…Don’t! Why are you trying to wake me? Stop it!

What? You are sorry? If you know you are sorry, why are you waking up a sleeping cat?

You want me to sleep more?

Are you kidding me now? How come you want me to sleep again when you already woke me up?

You woke me up because you found my sleeping so cute?

Well, that’s true. I’m so cute. Thanks for your discerning eye.

Good. Let me be generous and forgive you this time. Remember you are very lucky this time.

I’m Luna, who is in firm control of this area.

What? You can’t believe it? I’ll slap you!

Did you say sorry?

Well, you should have done so early on. Anyway, there are people like you who don’t get it without punishment.

Ugh? There are people like that in this house, except for my butler.

By the way, where is the butler? Did he leave again in the morning? Anyway, he is so diligent all the time. Sleep is the best way to keep my beauty, but my butler doesn’t sleep much. That’s not good for your body. I don’t want an ugly butler.

What? Is my butler ugly?

Oh, no. Although she is far inferior to me, she seems to resemble me at first glance. Do you get it? What I mean is if the butler resembles me, she can be called pretty by people. Don’t ever think I’m using an ugly butler.

“Luna, where are you?”

Ah, damn it. Hey, hide quickly.

What? You’re invisible because you are the wind? Oh, yes, that’s right.

By the way, you’ve come here from far away, right? How did I know? That’s easy. If you live near here, it’s impossible you don’t know me and my butler because my butler is in a high position.

So, be kind to me, okay?

Ugh? Why?

Are you dumb? It’s because my butler is pretty high in her position, and I’m her master. In other words, there is nobody in this house that I have to fear. Of course, there is one person, who is in a special position.

“Here you are, Luna. I’ve been looking for you for a while. ”

Oh, shucks! I’m doomed. Damn it. It’s all because of you. Don’t you know how noisy she is?

Don’t stroke me! Don’t hug me! Only my butler can touch me! Go away! Damn it! If you are not a woman serving my butler, I can…

Wow, it’s my food… Oh, I’m an arrogant cat who sacrifices my pride before it… But it tastes good anyway.

Why are you laughing at me? I’m not in this woman’s arms because of my food. I’m just being served by this woman! She is only a servant of my butler. So, she has the obligation to serve me because I’m the master of my butler. So, don’t misunderstand. Got it?

Then, why am I avoiding her like that?

Well, I can accept the actions of my butler’s maid most of the time, but the problem is she is too noisy. Look at her now. All I want is for her to comb my hair quietly, but she is talking all the time. Well, she is good at combing my hair. Look at this. My hair is so shiny, right? Of course, you can’t deny I’m so cute.

“Lina, please help me get ready to go to the Imperial Palace.’

Wow, she is my butler! Did you see her? She is my butler. She isn’t as pretty as me, but she is very pretty, right?

What? She is so elegant?

Oh, yes, she is. As you know, I don’t have just any woman as my butler.

Her fragrance is good, her bosom is so cozy and her arms are so soft.

Hey, butler. Please stroke my hair a little longer. Yes, right there. I’ve put up with that noisy woman’s babbling. I feel sleepy.

Ugh? Oh yes, she loves me so much. Look, she can’t take me out of her arms even now… Ugh?

“I’m going out, Luna.”