Theodor stepped down from the carriage. The palace’s atmosphere was somewhat different from usual. The guards stood with expressions more rigid than usual, and the passing attendants tried not to even make footstep sounds. Everyone appeared to have shrunk back.
However, Theodor moved his steps leisurely without minding that tense atmosphere. When he entered the central hall, Kael greeted him with an anxious face. As if he’d stayed up for several nights, the area under Kael’s eyes was dark.
“Thank you for coming, Priest.”
“I had to come since I was summoned. How is His Majesty’s condition?”
“…Not good. It’s been two weeks today that he hasn’t slept a wink.”
“Oh my. That must be difficult.”
Theodor clicked his tongue. Though worry was evident on his face, no emotion stirred within. For the emperor who had suffered from insomnia since childhood, this wasn’t uncommon. He merely thought Kael was making a fuss.
“Let’s hurry.”
Kael guided Theodor to the emperor’s office as if every second was precious. Before knocking on the door after arriving in front of the office, Kael turned to look at Theodor.
“I’m telling you in advance, but His Majesty is in a very displeased state of mind. Please… be careful with your words and actions.”
After earnestly entreating him again, Kael knocked, opened the door, and stepped aside. Theodor nodded halfheartedly and stepped into the emperor’s office.
Despite it being broad daylight, the office was dim with thick curtains drawn. Documents were piled like mountains on the desk, and instead of the luxurious parchment and tea scent that always subtly permeated the office, a musty smell mixed with dust and stale air stung his nose.
Adrian was buried in his chair. Though he must have sensed a presence, he didn’t move at all. His silhouette was submerged in shadow, making it difficult to read his expression. But Theodor could detect the emperor’s terrible fatigue and pain from the silhouette alone.
The faintly visible blond hair was disheveled, and his once-firm shoulder line was noticeably contracted. His head was tilted back weakly, and one hand lay on his forehead. That appearance was closer to a defeated soldier who had lost everything and been cast onto the streets than the empire’s ruler.
How strange.
The Adrian that Theodor remembered was a person accustomed to sleeplessness. Having spent more years on battlefields than at the imperial palace, he treated staying up for several nights with open eyes as nothing. That was why Theodor had been indifferent even to Kael’s report.
And yet that same man was in this state just from not sleeping.
Ah, perhaps.
Since the fox that had been absorbing the curse had disappeared, the insomnia must have started again. Perhaps the insomnia that had temporarily stopped had become lethal poison to him. Because the sense of loss from losing the sweet rest he’d tasted for the first time in his life couldn’t possibly weigh the same as the previous suffering.
How pathetic.
Seeing the figure who had been utterly unapproachable collapse helplessly, a secret satisfaction welled up. However, that emotion had to be thoroughly hidden. Theodor feigned a noble and calm expression and took one more step toward the emperor.
When Theodor had gotten a few steps closer, Adrian moved. But he didn’t open his eyes. Without even giving him a glance, he muttered quietly.
“Kael. I should have told you I don’t want to be disturbed.”
Adrian’s voice cracked dryly. Whether it was because he hadn’t spoken for a long time or because of lack of sleep was indistinguishable. Theodor didn’t answer and approached even closer. When Theodor finally stood in front of the desk, Adrian lowered the hand that had been on his forehead and slowly raised his head.
“Don’t my words sound like…”
Adrian’s voice, spitting out words mixed with irritation, cut off when he saw the face before him. He wore an expression as if gauging whether the priest standing before his eyes was a real person or an afterimage from a delusion.
“…Priest Theodor?”
Up close, the emperor’s state was even more pitiful. His complexion was pale as wax, and his jawline was sharp as if he’d starved for days. The dignity that had once commanded the empire was nowhere to be found—only the precariousness of a man standing at the edge of a cliff remained.
“I greet Your Majesty.”
Theodor bowed his head respectfully. His voice was peaceful and calm as always. That composure rather grated on Adrian’s nerves.
“Who called you? I don’t recall summoning a priest.”
“I heard from Lord Kael that Your Majesty was unwell and rushed here immediately.”
“Useless action.”
Adrian spat out briefly and leaned back in his chair again. It meant to leave. However, Theodor didn’t step back.
“Your Majesty. Would you give me your hand for a moment? I can relieve your fatigue at least a little with divine power.”
Instead of answering, Adrian let out a thin sigh. It was still a meaning of refusal, but at the same time, it also meant he didn’t even have the energy to resist. Theodor took it as permission on his own.
He gently grasped Adrian’s wrist. The hand hanging limply on the armrest was cold as ice. A soft, warm light began to flow from Theodor’s fingertips. As the light seeped into Adrian’s body, his stiff shoulders could be seen relaxing minutely. While injecting divine power, Theodor examined the curse lodged within Adrian.
Despite the fox having absorbed it, black and murky energy still remained. It squirmed like a living thing and gnawed at Adrian’s life force. It even seemed to have transformed into something more cunning and vicious than before. The curse resisted fiercely as soon as it detected divine power.
Theodor increased the intensity of his divine power. Light like the sun grew more intense and pressed down on the black energy. But that too was only momentary. The black energy that had seemed to hesitate for a moment began to expand its mass fiercely again.
In the end, after an intense battle of wills, the first to retreat was Theodor. The cold sweat beading on his forehead clearly proved how fierce the fight with the curse had been.
Adrian still had his eyes closed.
“Do you… feel better?”
The emperor’s tightly closed eyelids opened. Gold eyes submerged in fatigue turned toward Theodor. Though those eyes seemed to hold even faintly some vitality, it was like forcibly blowing wind onto a dying ember to make it briefly flare up. The fundamental problem hadn’t been resolved.
What went wrong? Even if I couldn’t completely eliminate the curse, the divine power should have infused vitality into the exhausted body.
It didn’t seem to be just because of simple insomnia. Something else was tormenting the emperor terribly.
What could it be?
The fox that always stared out the window suddenly popped into Theodor’s mind. More precisely, the image of the fox looking at the imperial palace spire visible faintly in the distance.
Thinking about it again, that didn’t seem like a abandoned creature’s foolishness but rather longing.
‘Could it be.’
What if the fox hadn’t been driven out? What if the emperor was longing for the fox?
It was merely speculation. Because it was hard to believe that an emperor of a nation would be this broken down due to a mere creature’s absence.
But if his speculation was correct…
Theodor looked down at the emperor and opened his mouth, then closed it again. He wanted to ask about the black fox, but for some reason didn’t want to bring up that topic. Because he couldn’t be certain whether revealing that he had the black fox the emperor had cherished would actually be beneficial.
Theodor ultimately swallowed the question about the fox and spat out different words.
“Your Majesty. You have reached your physical limit. Even if sleep is difficult, you must try to rest for at least an hour.”
Adrian waved his hand dismissively, half-listening to those words. It was a silent command to withdraw now.
“Then, I shall take my leave for today.”
Since there was nothing more he could do by staying here longer, Theodor also left the office without regret. Outside the door, Kael was waiting with an anxious expression.
“How is His Majesty’s condition?”
“I’ve completed emergency treatment for now. With His Majesty’s stamina, he should be able to endure for several days.”
Upon hearing Theodor’s words, Kael’s face relaxed as if finally relieved.
“Priest, thank you so much.”
“Not at all. I merely did my duty. However, it’s a temporary measure, so if his condition worsens again, summon me without delay.”
Kael repeatedly expressed his gratitude as he led Theodor to the entrance. Theodor followed behind, then asked the question he hadn’t been able to ask the emperor earlier.
“Come to think of it, that black fox His Majesty was said to favor is nowhere to be seen. Is it somewhere else?”
Bewilderment briefly crossed Kael’s face. He moved his lips as if choosing his words, then soon let out a short sigh as if resigned.
“…It disappeared. A few days ago.”
“Disappeared? Did he perhaps lose it?”
“…You could say that.”
Lost. The fox hadn’t been driven out. It had disappeared. And the emperor was depressed not because the brief sleep he’d enjoyed had been taken away, but because of the fox’s absence.
Theodor inwardly sneered. To think that the great Adrian Albrecht would collapse so unsightly just because one beast had disappeared. He felt contempt for the emperor’s weakness while simultaneously being seized by a strange satisfaction.
The weaker the emperor became, the more his own value rose. The more the emperor depended on him, the greater his influence grew. Could there be a better situation than this?
Recalling the small black fox that was the culprit behind all this trouble, a faint smile crossed Theodor’s lips. That stupid beast might be far more useful than he’d thought.
