Chapter 150
Sun.
The light illuminating the world, a name reigning over noble things.
People looked up to such an existence and called him emperor.
'Valkaros Lantana von Staufen.'
The man was the same.
Born bearing the Staufen name, he had to shoulder the duty of a thousand days.
The weight of a crown covered in gold and a cloak red as blood was heavy.
An existence unable to be together due to reigning.
Yet they say humans love humans.
The emperor too had one place allowed to lean on.
None other than family.
-Valkaros.
-I heard you had a big fight with your vassals again today?
-How many times do I have to tell you to fix that hot-tempered personality...
-Anyway.
The noblest flower.
Empress.
-Still... you worked hard.
-I know you're always trying.
The lonely seat of the empire.
Perhaps it was because of that loneliness?
The emperor particularly cherished the empress.
Though he maintained a fiercely sharp atmosphere, he was invariably kind when dealing with his wife.
Because she was a person who became his strength without hesitation in the dirty political world.
Thanks to that, Valkaros was constantly called a renowned devoted husband.
-Remember, Valkaros.
-The fact that I'm always by your side.
Words whispered when days were hard.
The scent of flesh settling on the bridge of his nose.
The body heat when quietly embracing each other.
Even the green eyes smiling every time gazes crossed.
Not even a trace of light faded in his memories.
They were that vivid.
But.
Even such thin peace was broken.
The first misfortune found the man.
'God.'
The empress was originally weak.
To the extent of living with medicine and doctors.
Nevertheless, she dared pregnancy and childbirth for an heir, so her delicate body couldn't endure.
In the end, right after giving birth to her second child. The empress fell ill unable to overcome the aftereffects.
Along with flower petals gradually withering, Valkaros's world collapsed too.
But.
-Valkaros.
-Even if I'm gone... please take care of the children.
The empress's last words.
That faint resonance held Valkaros.
It embraced him so he couldn't give up.
-I was happy loving you.
In the end.
The empress passed away.
Valkaros swore while holding her limp hand.
That he would protect his children somehow.
'From now on... you will become my life.'
Afterwards were days of constant effort.
Valkaros at least did his best.
He hoped the children wouldn't feel their mother's absence.
So while staying up nights with piling work, he stayed by his daughters' sides in spare moments and showed his face.
Even his somewhat sharp personality softened.
It was surprising.
-I told you to fix your personality.
-Everyone finds it hard to approach because you're always on edge.
-Well... I like feeling like I have you to myself, but.
-Still, you'll be lonely if you stay alone.
Words he had heard until his ears were calloused.
Though he hadn't changed despite the empress's nagging, he was changing for the sake of his children.
Even while enduring hard work, he smiled automatically when thinking of the children.
At that time, those small existences were his only reason for living.
'Please.'
Elise.
Though he lost the empress, he didn't resent the child.
Because her red hair resembling her exactly was beautiful.
Because her green eyes that seemed to have stolen his were precious.
The emperor's only pleasure was chasing glimpses of the empress appearing from his daughters.
Memories fading in light resembled the aftertaste of bittersweet tea.
That was life.
Lamenting.
Yet hoping.
'May this life be eternal.'
However.
Even in the dawn of living so desperately, the pack of ill-fated wolves didn't pass by.
Rather, as if mocking such an emperor, they only bared their teeth.
-Your Majesty.
-It seems you need to prepare your heart.
The second misfortune came.
The personal physician conveyed news with a miserable expression.
-At most 1 year.
Elise.
A terminal sentence falling on his daughter's future.
According to the explanation, it was an incurable disease.
'Mana stone disease.'
A disease infamous for its cruelty.
Lightning struck the imperial family.
God's curse. If the fact that such a thing appeared from a nation's imperial princess became known, it would clearly harm the authority as the sun.
Innocent people would be shaken saying ill omens had come to the empire.
Cunning ones would show unsettling movements aiming for this gap.
Political problems were enough to make his head throb.
But.
Valkaros had no room to look at such parts.
He was just blankly dazed.
-Why.
His daughter was facing death.
How many parents could maintain sanity in such a situation?
Especially in Valkaros's case, his attachment to his children was strong.
Because they were the only traces left by the empress.
-Find it.
-Search the whole continent and find a way...!
Though knowing it was meaningless struggle.
Valkaros gathered answers about stone disease in all directions.
He had his secretly kept close aides wander the continent.
Famous doctors versed in all diseases, sorcerers knowledgeable about curses, priests who reached the extreme of divinity, even herb dealers said to handle mysterious medicinal herbs...
If it seemed even slightly helpful, he rushed to it eagerly.
It was to grasp even a thin hope.
-Not this time.
He put aside duties as monarch.
Only his daughter was priority for him.
So he heard bitter words from his vassals too.
He didn't care.
-Please, give me time...
A storm sweeping in.
The emperor only struggled not to sink in despair.
Time flowed and flowed without particular results.
After half a year.
No answer was in sight.
Rather, the reality was that even proper records were hard to find.
That's because it was a disease that might appear once in 100 years even on the vast continent.
There's a reason it's called God's curse.
-The patient's condition is not good.
-As her body is originally weak... there's a high possibility she won't even fill the expected 1 year.
-Honestly speaking, it's a miracle she's endured this long.
Elise's condition worsened with each passing day.
Now it was really at the stage of discussing today or tomorrow.
Valkaros who had been hanging on the edge of a cliff was feeling his limit too.
Repeated failures were the main culprit making his mind destitute and life suffocate.
Is there no choice but to give up like this?
As he despaired like that.
-Your Majesty.
-Would you like to hear a story?
Someone came to see Valkaros.
-There is a way.
-A way to suppress the disease's progression temporarily...
-In the end, it's possible to prevent death too.
An old man speaking abruptly.
The exhausted emperor couldn't ignore such a voice.
Especially since the person before his eyes wasn't someone to enjoy nonsense.
The identity of the old man who threw advice was as follows:
-Marquis Galimar.
Galimar Academy.
One of the educational institutions evaluated as the continent's best even then.
It was Gaston Galimar who served as dean there.
-Go to the imperial archives.
Imperial archives.
A place even he as emperor couldn't properly grasp.
Because the legacy of previous generations was so full of secrets.
-This is as far as my fate allows me to speak.
-May the stars be with you.
The old man left after leaving just a few short words.
Valkaros had no choice.
He just frantically rummaged through the archives as if being fooled.
A space accompanying hundreds of years of history. It took several days to search through the thickly piled records.
After spending nearly two weeks trapped between bookshelves like that.
He finally found it.
-Is this it...
A clue about mana stone disease the old man had mentioned.
It was listed as part of the [forbidden books] list sealed by the first emperor.
The emperor rejoiced for a moment.
It meant he had finally obtained a clue to cure Elise.
But.
When he confirmed the contents, his brow furrowed again.
Such an impression suddenly brushed the emperor's mind.
That there was a reason this material was designated as a forbidden book.
'Curse sharing'
It was excessively inhumane magic.
To save one, offering their family as sacrifice.
Valkaros agonized with the old material before his eyes.
For a long time afterwards.
-How should I.
Curse sharing.
It was magic that lowered concentration over a long time, and eventually transferred the curse.
If it was the role of receiving his daughter's curse, he had to take it on himself.
There were no other choices.
He didn't even want to think of the case of setting Charlotte as the target.
If someone became a sacrifice, it was the father's role.
However.
-Your Majesty... you must look after state affairs.
-The lives of pitiful sheep hang on your shoulders.
-Please consider.
He was the emperor.
The reigning sun.
Moreover, one who shines light even on the darkest and lowest places.
At the same time, one shouldering such duty.
'If I take on the curse... it surely won't end as just a disaster.'
Unprecedented chaos would come.
Unlike the case of an imperial princess, for the emperor symbolizing the sun to receive 'God's curse' and die.
It was difficult to even dare imagine what ripples and chaos would follow.
Hyenas waiting for an opportunity would also bare their teeth towards the top in earnest.
Though it might be a bit extreme, it was possible the empire's system could collapse.
Valkaros agonized.