Dylan movements were fast enough to be invisible. His skills were overwhelming.
Masters were very rare. Among the knights who came here, there was only one master.
The one who led the vanguard.
"Kill the traitor! His Majesty gave us his permission!"
However, not all masters were the same level.
For ordinary people, being a master was like a God, but within masters, skills were divided according to what martial arts they used.
Dylan took a rough breath.
"Ugh!"
The last knight fell while swallowing his saliva. The oil spattered on the floor. It soon began to combust together with a torch that had fallen.
Smoke rose cloudedly and covertly like a snake's coil.
"Lord!"
Hugo came running while riding a horse.
Dylan pulled his mask soaked in water. His skin was revealed under the bright moonlight.
In the blazing fire, he wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand.
"The Emperor is currently isolated."
"Where is he?"
"He's hiding in an underground cave under the sky garden of the west palace. Most of the knights who had guarded the Emperor have fallen. It's due to the Shadow's performance."
"I'll go to him."
Dylan did not hesitate, even though he was on his way to usurp the throne from his father.
The ugly secrets of the imperial family that he witnessed in the secret library. His father left the 7th concubine to die in pain. And the will of the 7th concubine who told him to live as he wanted.
Dylan hurried. On the way, he joined the majority of the Shadows.
"Group 2 reporting! As commanded, we succeeded in capturing all the imperial families except for the 5th Prince!"
"Group 3 reporting! We succeeded in securing the imperial seal!"
According to the reports, it went smoothly as planned. Dylan then ordered,
"Group 5, the group that followed me before is currently in the library under the secret passage of the northern palace. Group 3, join group 5 and protect the library together."
"Yes my Lord!"
All those who stood in the way and rebelled were defeated. That's right. According to Charlize's teachings, if there was anything he wanted, he could get it by force.
He planted fear and dominated. His violent method was easy and convenient.
Dylan, who soon reached a dead end, breathed slowly. The Emperor was there.
***
Charlize was finally back.
After dealing with all the shadow monsters. The strange wizard had disappeared at some point.
Without even revealing his name.
'For now, the rebellion comes first.'
If she were in a relaxed situation, she would have been able to follow him somehow. However, not now. People were dying in abundance.
By the time the full moon rose high in the sky, Charlize returned.
Though they were on the same side, shocked eyes followed her.
"Grandmaster…"
"Al, already."
Charlize replied by wiping off the blood of the monsters on her sword.
"It was easy because someone helped me. This is not the result of just my own effort."
Charlize spoke lightly, but not everyone seemed to believe it. Whether it was two or several of them, the fact that they dealt with so many monsters – it didn't make sense.
'If he were a master, he would have had sword-energy.'
However, there were no marks left on the monsters. The swordsmanship that left no traces – it was characteristic of Charlize.
'No way.'
Invisible suspicions sprouted from the people.
Most of the outside of Imperial Palace seemed to be cleared up.
Many of the soldiers who came to support the Emperor were now dead. Those who tried to flock further were now stepping down, noticing the situation.
Fwooo-
The third whistle rang.
"As commanded, none of the emperor's faction was allowed to be let off easy."
"…We've received the imperial seal, and we have already succeeded in besieging the Emperor. The library has been secured, and all the imperial family members have been captured. Grandmaster."
"Good. …Thank you all for your effort."
Charlize breathed out slowly. Now she was starting to feel it slowly. The end was coming.
How long had she been looking forward to this moment?
Charlize had always said to herself,
'Let's exclude emotions and do it for now.'
She shouldn't be shaken. Her reason shouldn't collapse. She shouldn't be distressed.
She should never be eaten by guilt or futility. It had to stop somehow and this had to be achieved. Countless times, she vowed these to herself.
Charlize's fingertips trembled weakly.
To her, Dylan had always been her student, a lord, and a tool. Charlize did not respect Dylan as a person. Dylan was like the last puzzle to complete Charlize's plan.
That was right. Charlize had to be completely cruel. As planned. She was selfish. Her title as the most wicked woman fit her perfectly.
Charlize turned away from herself. She never looked into herself.
'I've already jumped on this path with determination.'
She was Keira.
The sin that dared to turn a person into a sword, she deserved to get retribution from the empire. She had to go all the way. Soon afterward,
'Soon. I will see the Emperor on his knees.'
Revenge was just around the corner.
Charlize looked down at her hand.
On second thought, her fingertips were not shaking. She was thrilled with excitement.
The reason why she endured despite suffering insults and humiliation. Waiting for this day, to see the fall of Dietrich I who turned herself into Keira clearly with her both eyes.
Her heart was pounding to the extent of how much she looked forward to it. She returned to the age of 13, and has reached 20-years-old.
'It's been almost 9 years.'
Charlize lay her sword down. The surroundings became quiet. The blood-soaked Grand Duke and young masters, the lords, including the Duke of Kenin, and numerous knights and soldiers – they all focused their gaze on Charlize.
Charlize untied her hair tie and let it float in the air. The hair tie flew smoothly because of the wind.
At the same time, Charlize's hair shook in the long wind. A subtle scent soon drifted around the space.
Charlize stood at the highest peak. Then she looked down at the Imperial Palace.
A symbol of the millennium Empire, consumed by fire and blazing. The screams and cries of people were heard from afar.
And Dylan, who overwhelmed everything and reigned under the night sky, drawn vividly before one's eyes.
"Grandmaster, you."
Charlize closed her eyes for a moment. And opened it slowly.
"You raised him as a wise king, right?"
The tactician who served the Duke of Kenin came to Charlize and asked her. The trembling voice belonged to those who were already subdued.
Charlize did not answer.
Because she didn't want to lie. She just laughed.
Everyone held their breath.
At that moment, Charlize's laughter felt so complex.
"…"
Charlize, who saw the burning Imperial Palace, was clearly laughing, but she was not entirely happy.
The smile around her mouth was clear, but her eyes were so strange – as if it would be fascinated by someone somewhere.
The scene before her caught her eyes. It was beautiful.
'However…'
That beauty was not everything.
The strange appearance of the firelight was somewhat sorrowful. At the same time, it shone as if it had finally achieved what was to be achieved.
Instead of the boredom and skepticism that she had tried to suppress somehow, she was like a ruler filled with languid expectations and excitement. Just silent ahead of occupation.
But it was burning fiercely. A cold icy smile. Yet somehow, it felt as colorful and hot as lava.
'What on earth with Grandmaster… Who are you?'
'Why do you wear such a complicated gaze?'
Most of the people watching her had similar thoughts.
Even if they couldn't break Charlize's laughter by talking to her, they wanted to make her stop.
Strangely, they want to support her at the same time. They were overwhelmed by an indescribable, contradictory feeling.
Charlize laughed out loud even as she caught people's attention.
Charming like a flower, sharp like a sword, subtle like the moon, intense like the sun.
She shined alone while overpowering all the colors in the world. She reigned unrivaled. Charlize's laughter was so bright.
***
Meanwhile, Dylan was facing the Emperor.
"What the hell are you doing…! You ungrateful little…! I have raised a beast with my own hands."
The Emperor, who vomited blood, roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
The situation had now taken place.
Even though he may have predicted this future, he inevitably did not lay the wrong crown into his grasp.
The greedy gaze of his father. Nowhere did it once belong to a wise king.
According to the plan, he had to take due steps to punish and dethrone the Emperor after kneeling.
But for Dylan. He realized for a moment.
'Revenge.'
He was the subject of Charlize's hate.
The one she hated the most was this Emperor before his eyes.
From the beginning, this destruction was woven in revenge for the Emperor in front of him. True, there was his desperate revenge to destroy the imperial family, but the direct target was the Emperor.
[I also intend to kill the Emperor.]
Charlize who smiled like a flower. Came across his mind.
Dylan sometimes looked through her essence.
The reason for Charlize's hatred was unknown, but her hatred toward the imperial family was like a deep dark vacuum.
Like an abyss, he could not see the end. But he knew this one thing. What if Charlize ended her revenge by killing the Emperor with her own hands?
"Let me go! How dare you! Do you think you'll be safe after this!"
Charlize would let go of her lingering attachment. Her reason for life or the obsession for survival would completely disappear.
After this realization, Dylan couldn't make a move. Even if he were hated by Charlize and loathed like the Emperor.
He couldn't stand still and watch as Charlize lost herself.
The reason for this decision was something he would think about later. Dylan believed in his current intuition.
'Master.'
Dylan hasn't defined the way of love yet.
If you love someone so much, do you have to put up with everything for that person's happiness?
He didn't know the answer.
Dylan could just let Charlize ruin him, but he couldn't watch her ruin herself.
'What should I do?'
He just wanted to protect her. He wanted her to stay. He couldn't let her go. He wanted to hold onto her. He wanted to inspire her with any desire for life somehow.
It was alright if he were to be called obsessed. Was it his greed? Was he possessive just from vain obsession? He had no intention of owning Charlize. He wanted to respect her.
'However, this is…'
He knew of Charlize's perfectionist tendencies. As soon as the last puzzle piece of the revenge she had dreamed of fit together, she would suffer a feeling of lassitude and feel skeptical.
It would be painful if she tormented herself with the work that ended in such a vain way.
He couldn't let Charlize's revenge be completed. Because he loved her,
'I can get hurt, but I can't stand to seeMaster get hurt.'
In spite of giving her something more precious than his life, he loved her so deeply that he didn't think it was a waste.
'If Master wasn't there for me from the beginning. I would not have known this feeling. And it would have been all right.'
He understood. Didn't she tell him herself? Didn't she approach and change himself first when he wasn't greedy?
Didn't she inspire his desire?
Dylan, who had never wanted anything in his life, for the first time, had something he wanted. One single thing. It was her. His Master, whom he wanted to achieve by all means.
His woman.
'You don't have to forgive me. I will accept your hatred sweetly.'
So Dylan decided to dispose of the Emperor.
He only knew how to act as a tyrant. If there was anything she wanted to have, he would try to win it at all costs. That was what she taught him.
That was why. The Emperor with his own hands.
Dylan raised his sword.