Chapter 1. The Emperor’s Command
“Pathetic.”
That was the first word out of the man’s mouth. Leaning against the doorframe, he didn’t even bother hiding the contempt in his eyes. Armed and radiating an overwhelming presence like a honed blade, his murderous gaze was suffocating. Anya, who had just woken up, trembled with fear and stammered.
“W-who are you?”
At this, the man let out a derisive laugh before striding into the room.
‘Did Father send an assassin to kill me—his useless son who only wastes food?’
Anya’s eyes darted around instinctively, searching for help. But there wasn’t a single servant in the abandoned annex that had been neglected for years.
“Lazy, too. I despise that.”
The man frowned and dropped into a chair. As his tall frame settled, the old chair groaned and shrieked. The sound seemed to Anya like the scream he himself might let out in a few minutes, and he clutched the bedsheet wrapped around him even tighter, as if it were armor that could protect him.
“…”
The man’s impassive eyes swept over the interior of the annex—solidly built with marble but grown grimy and decrepit from neglect. Eventually, as if losing interest, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
Anya sat frozen on the bed, bewildered, still cocooned in his blanket. Barely eating all day, he spent most of his time lying motionless to conserve energy. Aside from the occasional maid who brought food or necessities, this was the first time anyone had visited the annex in his life.
The man wore dark armor over a deep black tunic and carried an exceptionally long sword. He looked relaxed, like a predator napping after crushing its prey—yet simultaneously poised to strike, as if he’d sever Anya’s head the moment he opened his eyes.
Without realizing it, Anya trembled and burrowed deeper into the blanket. He didn’t dare think of running. After years abandoned in the annex, Anya was lethargic, and besides…
Just then, somewhat hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. Who else could it be? Anya, still shaking with fear, covered his ears.
Bang!
The firmly shut bedroom doors flew open.
“Anya Claicer, Twelfth Imperial Prince! By the Emperor’s command…?”
The head chamberlain, who had entered the annex of the twelfth prince somewhat hastily, fell silent for a moment at the heavy atmosphere in the bedroom.
“Seems I got here first. As always, you palace folk are unnecessarily slow.”
The seated man stood. The chamberlain retreated a step, cowed by the enormous shadow looming over him. It was the man’s sheer size that intimidated him. Moreover, his expressionless face and caustic remarks were cynical enough to make one’s blood run cold.
But soon, like a knight loyal to his lord, the man dropped to one knee. The transition was so fluid that the chamberlain nearly forgot the duty the Emperor had bestowed upon him.
“Hurry up and speak. The rest will arrive soon.”
At the man’s rebuke, the chamberlain cleared his throat with an embarrassed look, then unfurled the scroll he’d brought and proclaimed. It was an imperial edict backed with expensive silk over parchment.
“I, Luksus, sole sun of the Delphium Empire, hereby command the marriage of Evernight, who has distinguished himself in recent territorial battles, to Prince Anya Claicer, a member of the great imperial family.”
Anya, perched on the bed with only his eyes peeking out, widened them until they looked ready to pop when his name was called. He looked back and forth between the chamberlain and the knight kneeling before him. Marriage…? Wedding…? Even living a neglected life as the half-wit prince, he wasn’t ignorant of the weight those words carried.
“…Do you accept?”
The chamberlain couldn’t help but cast Evernight a sympathetic glance. Of all people, to be paired with such a half-wit prince… He quickly straightened when he met that sharp gaze. Evernight clenched his fist and tapped his chest twice. It was a gesture of acceptance and loyalty.
“His Majesty added that the wedding may be held in Your Grace’s territory.”
In other words: hold the wedding with your own money. Evernight sneered inwardly. He was already well aware of the Emperor’s capricious nature.
“However… the Emperor said he would clearly verify the consummation later…”
The chamberlain broke into a cold sweat under Evernight’s glaring eyes. He soon pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his damp forehead and beat a neat retreat. As the chamberlain fled, a cold silence descended over the annex once more.
Evernight swept back his long bangs and turned around.
“We’ll consummate in my territory.”
It seems impossible to be aroused here.
After casting a contemptuous look at the youthful form—thin even beneath the wrapped bedsheet—he left the bedroom without another word.
And the moment he left, Anya fainted from sheer relief at being alive. His frail body, which had survived on brick-hard bread and a few cups of water for days, lacked the strength to withstand the mental shock.
***
Anya Claicer opened his heavy eyes to the noise ringing in his ears. It had already grown dark. The sound of fireworks exploded all around, echoing through the large windows. Though he was familiar with such displays from the many annual events at the imperial palace, the fireworks decorating the sky tonight were particularly brilliant. He curled into a ball and buried his face between his knees. Days like these made him feel especially lonely.
Though he’d never been taught about the emotion of loneliness, books said this empty sense of loss was precisely that—loneliness.
The half-wit prince learned everything through books.
“Mm… mm… ah…”
He quietly tried making sounds. Since no one lived in the annex, there were many days when he didn’t open his mouth at all. That’s why Anya’s speech was strangely halting.
“Oh, I had, had a strange dream.”
He repeated his soliloquy, recalling what had happened that afternoon. He feared that without such practice, he might someday become unable to speak to people at all. Anya continued speaking in his slow, awkward manner.
A strange and frightening man appeared in my dream.
He was as terrifying as a messenger of death coming to kill me.
Really…
Anya curled up even tighter.
And then someone with the high position of head chamberlain came and said I was going to be married.
“Am I… about to die?”
Anya was the Emperor’s twelfth child. He had seen many of his siblings die without reason. Sometimes they died vomiting blood while drinking tea, sometimes they were struck by arrows, sometimes they wasted away in bed. Based on past experience, he could conclude that imperial family members had short lifespans. The thought that he too would someday die so desolately saddened him.
Life wasn’t enjoyable. Still… he loved the late sunset visible even from the annex where sunlight rarely reached. He found peace in the warmth provided by small animals that occasionally hopped into the garden.
Growl.
His empty stomach protested. He clutched his burning stomach and closed his eyes. It was time to stop both talking and thinking. If he wasted more energy, he might actually die. A harsh time had come when he’d have to survive on tree bark again for a while.
***
“Truly pathetic.”
Anya opened his eyes at the sound of footsteps. Upon discovering the man leaning against the doorway, he gasped with a sharp “hiiik” and scrambled up. The man sighed softly, brushing up his raven-black hair.
“Hey. Time to get up.”
Anya’s eyes darted around frantically. It was a pitiful struggle, instinctively seeking help from someone. Frustrated by this foolish display, the man stepped forward, grabbed Anya’s arm, and yanked him down forcefully.
The dry, thin body offered weak resistance before collapsing to the floor. The blanket was torn away, revealing a body more emaciated than expected, souring Evernight’s mood further. Emperor Luksus was certainly a cunning fox. In exchange for the unprecedented bestowal of a duke’s title on a knight of common birth, he had bound him to the imperial family forever—as the husband of this half-witted, simple-minded prince.
Phew.
Just then, a whistle sounded from behind. It was a man wearing a robe the same color as Evernight’s tunic. The man laughed somewhat frivolously.
“Commander. Will you be able to live with that child?”
“Shut up.”
Evernight ground his teeth and spat out the curse. At this rough behavior, Anya trembled. He’d thought it was a dream, but it wasn’t. Father has finally decided to kill me! Anya wriggled in Evernight’s grip, trying desperately to survive. This feeble movement drew Evernight’s sharp gaze back to the top of his head.
“Riario. Is the luggage loaded?”
“Yep. Everything’s ready. Everyone was sweating at the banquet because you disappeared right after yesterday’s title conferment ceremony. No matter how much you hate it…”
As he spoke, the man in the robe impassively examined the small body hidden behind Evernight’s large frame. A small sigh escaped his lips.
More than I expected…
“…He’s too young.”
Riario smiled bitterly before leaving the room. “Let’s head back quickly. We’ve got work piled up.”
Anya remained with his head bowed, his face pale. He seemed to be in shock. Evernight clicked his tongue before sliding his hands under Anya’s armpits and hoisting him onto his shoulder like a sack of grain. “Ungh.” Anya made a pitiful sound like a small animal.
“I detest whining.”
Evernight spoke with some irritation.
