1.
Reina.
The second daughter of the former Emperor of the Babylonia Empire, and a woman born with an endlessly kind nature.
Because of that, from a young age, she dreamed not of becoming the next Empress, but of becoming a Hero.
There was no issue.
Unlike Reina, who was only kind-hearted, her older sister Lactea seemed to have been born to become the Empress of the Empire.
Since everyone unofficially treated Lactea as the next in line to the throne, Reina was able to live a much freer and happier life.
But after the Great War against the demons, Reina’s life became completely twisted.
The former Emperor died right after the war.
The Empress followed in death.
And just before her coronation, Lactea disappeared.
Reina, who had only ever swung a sword for the dream of becoming a Hero, thus became the Empress.
“…That was ten years ago.”
“I get it, so stop crying.”
“……Hic, you’re speaking informally again…”
“…I get it, so please stop crying now.”
“…Very well.”
Only after even reverting to formal speech to comfort her did Reina‘s tears stop.
“Do you perhaps have a handkerchief?”
“Here.”
“Sniff… Thank you.”
Sniffle.
Instead of using her dampened pajama sleeve, she took the handkerchief and spoke again.
“To be honest, I wanted to run away. Unlike my sister, who excelled in everything, I had no talent except for physical skills.”
“Then why didn’t you run?”
“…Black Wolf. I’m thankful that you’re trying to console me, but don’t speak as if it were that simple.”
Reina, looking at Nahan with teary eyes, hardened her expression and continued.
“At the time, I was the only heir left. Had I not ascended the throne, chaos would’ve erupted under the corrupt nobles. I had no choice but to take the throne—for the sake of the citizens.”
Had it not been for her, the demonic hand of <Eclipse> would’ve consumed the Empire far sooner.
The only reason it had lasted this long was because Reina had become the Empress.
“But I know. My decision back then was only a temporary fix. I am still an ignorant, incompetent Empress… If things continue as they are, I’ll eventually lose to <Eclipse>.”
Reina sagged as she spoke with self-mockery.
And her words were the truth.
Becoming Empress may have extinguished the immediate flames, but because of her incompetence, she was being consumed by <Eclipse>.
She lost her power in the political arena, which caused her to lose control. The nobles ran rampant, and the disgrace of that fell squarely upon her shoulders.
The disgrace became misunderstanding, and the misunderstanding turned everyone against her.
Had Nahan not possessed her as the main character, she would’ve died at the hands of the Hero Party, just like in the original story.
The current Empress of the Babylonia Empire, Reina Babylonia, was—without exaggeration—incompetent.
“Every moment has been filled with fear and anxiety. I’m always afraid there’s poison in my food, afraid the one I trusted will stab me in the back. Every time I close my eyes to sleep, I fear I might never open them again… Every moment is just so painful and terrifying.”
Sitting on the bed, pulling her knees in close and hugging them tightly, Reina said—
“And to be honest…”
She slightly raised her bowed head and offered Nahan a faint smile.
“Black Wolf, even you… frighten me.”
Her lips trembled slightly.
“And yet… the fact that someone like you is the only one I can trust and rely on makes me feel all the more wretched and miserable…”
The tears that had barely been stopped flowed helplessly again.
“How long… must I remain this incompetent Empress?”
She mumbled self-deprecatingly, then rested her head between her knees.
Who would have known?
That the one hailed as an unprecedented tyrant thanks to her immense power was actually a tearful woman who once dreamed of being a Hero?
Reina sobbed for quite a while.
And she could only do so—expose her true self and cry her heart out—because the top-class fugitive, Black Wolf, was there by her side.
After crying for some time, Reina rubbed her reddened eyes and looked up.
“…I’ve made quite the disgrace of myself.”
“I’ll forget it.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
A heart that felt just a little lighter.
‘Even while I sit here like this, more citizens must be suffering from my incompetence.’
Reina once again tried to get up, moving her legs off the bed.
Slip.
Her pale legs slipped out.
She tried to stand with effort, but her trembling legs wouldn’t support her.
“…Sorry, but for a moment──”
Just as she was about to say she’d rest a little longer, Nahan, who had been silently watching, asked.
“Even though you’re so afraid… what is it that makes you try to get up again?”
His dark eyes gleamed with solemnity.
“You’ve already achieved enough. You could run away and disappear if you wanted. So why… what is it that still binds you to this place?”
In response to Black Wolf’s calm question, Reina answered without a shred of hesitation.
“Taking care of the citizens. What could be more important to an Empress than that?”
“You mean the same citizens who know nothing and, in their ignorance, do nothing but curse you?”
Reina already knew.
Stupid Empress.
Incompetent Empress.
An unprecedented tyrant, and so on—
That most citizens hurled such unspeakable insults at her.
And yet, for the first time, Reina responded to Nahan with an angry tone.
“Do not speak so carelessly. That too stems from my own incompetence. My citizens, whom I rule, bear no blame.”
Golden eyes shining without the slightest retreat.
For the first time since facing Black Wolf, Reina expressed her opinion without trembling.
Nahan, watching her, crawled across the bed and murmured softly.
“You’re foolish.”
“What did you say?”
“You’re miserably incompetent, yet altruistic and kind. Your heart for your citizens is sincere, but the means to realize it, and the power as well… woefully lacking. It’s all just words.”
“That much, I──!!”
Just as Reina, struck in her most vulnerable point, lifted her head sharply—
Thump.
Nahan embraced Reina, bringing his lips close to her ear and whispering.
“And yet, you are a saintly ruler.”
She had ascended the throne for her citizens, even without proper imperial training.
She had tried to fill her shortcomings, never giving up despite unfavorable circumstances.
Even as <Eclipse> loomed over her, and even as the sudden appearance of Black Wolf left her in daily fear of death, she never crumbled.
And all of that—for citizens who did nothing but scorn her.
“…What did you just say…?”
As Reina lifted her tear-filled eyes, Nahan gave her a warm smile and repeated himself.
“You’ve done well. Thanks to Your Majesty holding off <Eclipse> all this time, I now have a chance to do something.”
“…I.”
Reina tried to say something, but her lips curled inward and stayed shut.
“I understand what you’re feeling. You don’t have to say it.”
In his arms, Reina nodded her head.
“From now on, I will assist Your Majesty. So please, don’t suffer in silence—speak your mind.”
Reina nodded again, then wiped her tears and looked up.
“My… hic… what plan did I, the Empress, set in motion againnnhhhh…”
Plop.
“Fortunately, I have some time today.”
“Huuhhh?”
Nahan gently covered Reina’s face with his large hand and softly wiped away her tears, then added—
“Rest easy for now.”
Reina, still in his embrace.
It had been well over a decade since she last felt the warmth of another person—since the hazy days of childhood.
“Tha-hank… huuhhng, thank youuu…”
“Sure.”
And Reina cried again for quite a while.
2.
How much time had passed like that?
By the time the faint blue of evening was fully swallowed by darkness, and even the stars had risen—
Reina, who had finally stopped crying, rubbed her puffy eyes and asked.
“So… what is it that I must do now?”
At her sincere question, Nahan—
“Pfft!”
Let out a laugh before he could stop himself.
“What!? Why are you laughing!!”
“Kkgh…!!”
“Stop stifling it and answer!! That’s an order!!”
“It’s just…!!”
If Lactea was a graceful beauty with soft eyes and an air of leisure, then Reina was a striking beauty with sharp eyes and a strong presence.
But having cried for hours on end, all her usual dignity and charisma were long gone—
“You looked like a Doberman stung by a bee, that’s all.”
“What!? What sort of rude remark is that!!”
“Shh. Aren’t you trusting that barrier of yours a bit too much?”
“Isn’t it your barrier!?”
“Anyway.”
Nahan subdued the flailing Reina with a single finger, then continued calmly.
“You asked what you should do, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
Reina nodded obediently.
There was something in her eyes that strangely reminded Nahan of the younger orphans he once knew, prompting him to unconsciously soften his tone and speak more casually.
“First of all, you have to survive.”
“Ha! That’s nothing to worry about!”
Her expression instantly turned confident.
“Just recently, I surpassed S-rank and reached SS-rank!”
“Isn’t it SS-grade?”
“You really do know your stuff!”
Nahan let out a sigh and asked.
“Do you remember that guy from earlier?”
“That guy?”
“The one who ran off, tearing off his own arm while I was holding him down.”
Reina’s face stiffened again.
“…I remember. I’ve never felt such a terrifying aura—or was it mana? Anyway, it was the first time I’d ever sensed something so horrifying──”
“He’s going to come kill Your Majesty.”
“Ack.”
An awkward silence settled in.
“Wasn’t he one of your subordinates?”
“He was—temporarily. But he turned on me and left, saying he would kill Your Majesty.”
“…Pfft.”
Reina burst out laughing and straightened her back proudly.
“What are we going to do, then?”
Tears had gathered again before anyone noticed.
“Th-that th-thing, that mo-monster, just from a glance he looked like the Hero—or worse, even beyond the Hero.”
“Please calm down.”
Nahan immediately laid out his plan.
“Until I can persuade that man, I will remain by Your Majesty’s side at all times. Whether it be official or unofficial appearances.”
“But you…!!”
“I know. Right now, I’m a top-class wanted man. If Your Majesty were to be seen with me, it could spark a massive rebellion.”
A notorious Empress
+
Leader of the Empire’s most dangerous and powerful criminal organization
=
Rebellion.
“You say that even knowing the consequences..!?”
As the furious Reina widened her eyes and hissed the words in a hushed voice—
“Of course, I’ll use a disguised identity.”
“A disguised identity?”
Nahan nodded.
“I’ve got a decent one lying around from before. I’ll use that identity to stay by Your Majesty’s side as a royal guard.”
“…Indeed, that might actually work.”
“Besides, Your Majesty is already buried in all kinds of infamy. We might as well toss one more on the pile.”
Reina tilted her head at Nahan’s matter-of-fact tone and asked:
“Infamy?”
“Well, we’ll be sharing chambers now, won’t we? If we want to move around more freely together, how about spreading a rumor that Your Majesty has become addicted to pleasure and drink──”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“I said no.”
“…No?”
Confused by her sudden refusal, Nahan looked at Reina—only to see tears welling up again in her eyes.
“I want to get married too!!”
3.
A few days later…
“Hey, did you hear the news? They say the Empress? Apparently, she’s fallen into wine and debauchery…”
“Huhhh, now even that? She’s gone that far?”
“How disgraceful…”
A rumor began to spread through the Imperial Capital.
