âI also died that day. He really was strong, that man called Aventador.â
Julius spoke of his death as if it was only natural.
This was what had happened:
Two years ago, Saturnos sent one of the five Sword Masters of the Ancient Republic, the Crimson Flame Aventador, to get rid of Julius, and it was said that Julius came out as the victor.
But that wasnât what really happened.
Julius and Aventador were equally matched. Unlike the report that had gone to Saturnos, both of them had died during the fight.
âBut using one of these runes, or more precisely the Rune of Resurrection, I revived.â
â...!â
âAnd because of that, I also got stronger. Strong enough to defeat you.â
Saying that, Julius stared at Saturnos with an arrogant gaze. It was as if he was telling him that he was no longer his match.
Youâre just a ghost of your glorious past; an empty shell.
Look!
Look at how this man, who was once the tyrant that ruled over the Pangaea Continent, was now.
His face, which had been half-cut off, showed his bones.
Blood flowed out from his pierced chest.
A chopped off arm.
Currently, Saturnos wasnât the âDemon Godâ of the past, but rather a middle-aged man who was about to die.
âNow, look.â
Julius spoke, holding up the Rune of Three lives once more.
âThe immortality that you so long desired is in my hands now.â
â...!â
âHow do you feel? This thing, that you werenât able to get your hands on when you ruled the world, is in my hands.â
At this, Saturnosâ eyes started to shake.
For the first time, he was agitated.
Itâs hard to stay calm, isnât it? I bet that this is the worst humiliation that youâve ever faced.
Looking at the shaken Saturnos, Julius laughed inwardly.
From what he knew, this was the best kind of revenge.
Torture?
What use would that be against the already crazy Saturnos?
Even though he had fallen quite low now, Saturnos once possessed the strength and might of a Grand Sword Master.
It would be impossible to expect him to give in. There was a higher chance that he would die while laughing at Julius.
But the method he was using now was definitely effective.
By showing Saturnos what he had desired so much, he was able to make him feel at loss, as well as make him feel greed.
âYou bastard! Q-Quickly! Hand that rune⊠hand it to me! Y-You can take the throne insteadâŠâ
Saturnos spoke, almost as if he was begging.
Looks like heâs fallen faster than I expected. Did I really come so far... to defeat this guy? Did my mother really fall to trash like this?
Juliusâ gaze turned from arrogance to disgust.
âPlease⊠give⊠the RuneâŠâ
âSorry, butâŠâ
Julius cut off Saturnosâ words.
âI tried to give this to someone before in order to save one of my friends. But⊠funnily enough, itâs impossible to give or lend this Rune to anyone else.â
â...!â
âBasically, itâs impossible for you to live again.â
â...!â
âGive up.â
It was a death sentence.
There was nothing worse than these words to Saturnos, who longed for an eternal life.
And especially when he couldnât have something that he wanted for so long that was right in front of himâŠ
âLiesâŠâ
Saturnos said, denying Juliusâ words.
âLies⊠youâre lying right now! In order to keep that Rune to yourself⊠In order to trick me!â
âI wish.â
âShut up! I will kill you! I will rip you to shreds and drink your blood!â
â...â
âKuhâŠâ
Outrage.
This was a phenomenon that occurred when mana that was inside oneâs body reacted to oneâs anger, and went on a rampage. Basically, Saturnos had turned into a berserker that had no emotions, except for bloodlust.
âTut tut.â
Looking at Saturnos, Julius shook his head and clicked his tongue.
âWeakling.â
It wasnât easy for a human that was once a Grand Sword Master to fall to such depths.
âKhyaaa!â
At that moment, Saturnos ran towards Julius.
âHow disgusting.â
This was nothing more than childâs play in front of Juliusâ eyes, as he had already surpassed the stage of Grand Sword Master.
âDie.â
With those words,
Suk!
The sound of a blade cutting through something could be heard,
Puaaak!
And Saturnosâ body and head were separated, with blood spewing out from both ends.
TukâŠ
RollâŠ
Saturnosâ head rolled on the floor.
It was quite a sad and ordinary ending for a man that was once known as the most powerful and fearsome man on the continent.
âHmph, you should have been crazy and confident until the very end.â
Julius murmured, annoyed.
It seemed a little too easy and simple for something that he had prepared for for a whole lifetime.
***
âHuuuâŠâ
Julius sighed.
Anyway, his revenge was over.
And now that there were no other people of the royal family remaining besides him, it was only natural that he would ascend as the Emperor.
âJulius.â
At that moment, a womanâs voice pierced Juliusâ ears.
âYouâve come.â
Julius didnât turn around.
It was because he didnât want to show himself all bloodied up and looking like a demon in front of âherâ.
âWhen you were bored, you always talked about your dream of revenge as if it was nothing. But now, youâve achieved it.â
âOf course.â
âBut now, youâll have to look for a new aim. After all, youâre not going to go crazy like the previous Emperor, now that youâve taken revenge for your motherâŠâ
âOf course not.â
Julius said, interrupting.
âHow funny would it be if I became like the man who killed my mother?â
âAt least you know.â
âAnd now that Iâve become Emperor, Iâm planning on focusing on the job for a while. They say that itâs quite a busy job.â
â...Youâre saying that as if youâve just joined a mercenary band.â
âWell, thereâs not much of a difference.â
â...Huu.â
âIâm planning on working quite hard, though.â
âOf course, as you should.â
âBut if it doesnât fit meâŠâ
âNo, even if it doesnât fit you, you have to do it.â
âEven if I donât like it?â
âYouâre not a bachelor anymore, you know?â
â...I am, though.â
âOh, donât tell me that a man thatâs just gotten a family is going to ditch his job.â
â...?â
âPlease donât tell me that the man I love is a useless man that is going to starve his only child.â
âWhat are you evenâŠâ
Julius couldnât understand why âsheâ was saying this.
âWell, youâre going to become a father soon.â
âI⊠what?â
âIâm pregnant.â
â...!â
âI-I⊠Iâm going to be a father?â
He couldnât believe it.
âThey say that itâs a girl.â
It was even harder to believe now.
âWhat, are you sad that itâs not a boy?â
âAs if!â
âWell then, make sure you take responsibility for our child.â
âOf course! Of course I will!â
When he was young, he had lost his mother to his damned father. Even though he wasnât used to it, it was likely that his protection instincts for his child would be the greatest in all of Pangaea.
âWell then, turn around and look at me.â
âIâm covered in blood. I donât want to.â
âI donât care. Itâs not like this is the first time youâve been covered in blood.â
Julius shook his head.
âStill, no.â
âWhy not? I want to see yourâŠâ
âIâve heard that itâs not good for childbirth.â
â...â
âItâs not like youâre the only one looking at me. I donât want my daughter to see me all covered in blood.â
âSo, youâre saying that my father-in-lawâs chopped off head is fine for childbirth, while your bloodied body isnât?â
âT-ThatâŠ!â
âQuickly!â
Even though she spoke quite forcefully, Julius had to be the one on the receiving end right now.
âYour daughter and your wife want to see your face.â
âW-Wait a little bit.â
Julius quickly cleaned up the blood on his face.
It was going to be his first âmeetingâ with his daughter, and he wasnât going to show his face all bloodied up.
âI-Is it okay? Donât I look badâŠ?â
Julius said, turning around.
âNo?â
But she denied that, smiling.
âYou look cool and manly, just as my husband and our childâs father should be.â
***
Kang Chul-In couldnât see her face.
Because that flashback ended with Julius turning around.
***
The next memory was Julius during the crowning ceremony.
WowâŠ
Kang Chul-In was shocked, looking at Juliusâ ascension to Emperor.
It was grand.
That was the only word for this.
Juliusâ popularity couldnât be summed up with words only.
There were almost 10 million people near the royal castle, and there were more than 10 thousand subordinates around as well.
And,
Wahhh!
From elsewhere, the sound of a baby crying could be heard.
âYour Highness!â
One midwife came to Julius, and spoke.
âCongratulations! You have become a father! Your Highness, why not name the child immediately?â
The midwife asked.
âHer nameâŠ?â
âYes, your Highness. Itâs one of the unspoken rules of the Royal Family to name the child as soon as they are born.â
âI-Is that so? Fine, then. Her name will beâŠâ
After hesitating for a while, Julius spoke.
âArshelly, letâs go with Arshelly. Go tell the Empress. My daughterâs name is Arshelly Berlinetta Pon Aurangzeb.â
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