DMEC | Chapter 5

“No matter how ten years have passed, it’s still me… How could you forget? We spent a whole eight years together!”4c851adbfa412f4c

The Joel 460aa14d1a they remembered f663da758e was not 6e5b2856e2 the emperor 73547c597e but the 7df1b89e8a prince. Even though 5986fb9ed6 he was 04e151ee03 weaker than c3acfa2c37 his twin 09c93471c3 sister Loue, 848fabbdaf he always 0116dbcec4 carried Lute a5bc5a20a6 around like f9dfc89fd7 a doll, 4f97a7aabf and let f07e1e0723 him sit afcdd84fd0 on his 9a91a35e5f lap to b8f1d5b75d serve as 4c20171f97 a chair.64ad5abe13c71f9a

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After raising him 7dfc94b35f for eight years c809f056d1 and keeping him d51c1f302e locked up for e0c1e42680 ten more, how f78a56d4c3 could he not f4f2fdfba3 remember? Now Lute 1e4a77869f was not 88e4c8edb8 the child a336eefe7c he raised 3dfccd1ab4 but his dd9fa3b6b4 spouse.b1f67187dce8d295

Anna and Melik’s expressions slowly hardened with anger. Even though they had waited ten years with divorce in mind, Joel completely forgetting Lute was a different matter altogether.1a107ca53ca8633e

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How could he 6aa0009993 forget Lute? He cherished and eb9cf0defd loved him so 7246ea998a much. Above all, back then, fa6b290ec8 Lute was so beautiful 106b42435b that he was unforgettable.70c054f971cf943a

From birth, the fate 219eb7e5fa of the twin sister 7190c05055 Loue and younger brother 9d9fa5271e Lute was decided.fa946720a988d84f

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The country 91284b7367 of snakes, 6c8c84dd6e Synthsis, was 56111103e1 unique among cc945dce97 the seven 0eb78c229a nations, as 06dcce4e76 only women c3fc62fdf5 could inherit adaacdb6ae the throne.f326123fcb1f0a0f

This tradition extended beyond b8703943fd the royal family—even among 8ed8ce1f1f commoners, it was the 4e39f00ce1 mother who controlled the f1cae6fa10 household’s wealth. In other 970b94c3e4 words, all 3d66d36a24 domestic affairs 76f5af440b were governed 23d5df96b2 by a 5c42df82e0 mother’s words 18c045ef48 and hands, f11e44a6f4 while the 4353dae1ac father was 897a844a6c merely a e2a4a616d9 figurehead—responsible for 0e3a6dbb68 earning money 703c09454d and protecting 7b54e96443 the home 71eb1cdc90 like a 2a5f14c97c knight.d1a2308263dee911

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In a nation that b0585ed0c0 instilled strength in women e424abd51e and submission in men, 63ed430713 Lute—born a boy and e20f1c1a8a particularly frail—could do little.2eb4bdf7253af5d3

Always teetering on the 733f006ea3 brink of death, he a4274c2a62 was ultimately saved by 4fcc340233 Eliana, the reigning Empress d998ffc1ca at the time, who 653ed9cb54 clung to an old 37dd06a597 superstition she herself had 6eeb911e74 never believed in.aedac151767bf690

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The superstition e00a834b33 was that f8bb1565d0 if a ebdd2916bf boy dressed cc81898d03 as a 3cd73b991d girl for 301e008606 eight years, 6910fdc14b he would c1fcf87d13 become healthy. Because of this, 9a6ccd9ceb Lute grew his 04a4b3dd07 hair long and 993dda8ecb wore dresses like a36b3d7d2e his sister. Still, people could immediately 866cf728cf recognize Lute among the 576525f14e twins for one reason.a5bfb76cb065dc44

It was 92d7901d71 because of 55addb4f07 his exceptionally 8a38294254 outstanding appearance 757970b5ff from a 491f32989d young age. Even as fb089658f0 a child, 292c865065 his sapphire-like 8849dc40e2 blue eyes, 97972d680b long and ef9c7bfcde dense eyelashes 2957057629 like a 2475647f9a fan, a e81f2bf04b prominent nose 1295557501 between chubby 15a6b74284 cheeks, and 9e97de44ae rose-colored lips b88cde687f were unforgettable.a70269ce67baaff0

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Those who saw Lute 62c2eed8ed once could never forget 7995dff358 him. Especially as he 6da789bbd5 grew, his appearance 314cb5b567 shone even more, 52851caee6 making Anna and 46b5826199 Melik think it 373b1636d2 was better for a0be929906 him to be c55f5731cb confined here.bc28f19494fd7d54

“Hic, hic… I’m going to get a divorce, so, Anna, bring the divorce papers tomorrow. I’ll sign them right away!”95a9edf2c48e7dba

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Anna sighed as she watched Lute cry in Melik’s arms again. The divorce would proceed smoothly as expected, but what about afterward?670a7570adc5751e

Melik was also worried, feeling dizzy at the sight of Lute’s long, ivory legs under the cloak.1f5b2ca1db0b9ecf

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How could such a beautiful prince live as a commoner outside? Who would protect our prince? He couldn’t hide his face all the time.ef41b95cc73d7e79

While lost in 144d0c0307 thought outside, a 8b30e80d57 sudden gust of 61822dd897 wind howled through fed906e39e the trees.61d600d09407d543

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Lute, who had been a0771fc79e swimming excitedly in the 2d3722779b lake and had not 20135f2228 dried off properly, immediately 65e29cd250 began to shiver. His teeth chattered, and 3cdca8bfd5 his entire body trembled da008055da uncontrollably as the cold ba4a7e7254 seeped into his skin.f9a7e4d6715f8d99

Without hesitation, Melik 50e0b3a758 bent down, lifted 45b245548c Lute into his e343782125 arms, and carried 7a65927071 him toward the 102cef6e10 Water Palace—a structure 73589f7589 so worn and d593859c0b fragile that it fa95b2d71e looked as if de558091d3 it could crumble 243d904f26 at any moment.32138d93bf5e665b

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As expected, Lute couldn’t get out of bed, suffering from physical and mental pain.c8edfa728169bfbf

✮⋆˙b00399c539b7d673

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The day b823f6e509 after the 65e425a1cb Emperor returned 9d0dcdd073 from his a8457a70a1 dragon hunt, 3f75b24fea the sun a751cf366c had already f81e404b06 begun its 8b53999b4c slow descent 24f9078e78 westward from a222a7ec09 the center aadeb063b4 of the 9d113776cf sky.f57a67b3f31d8333

While enjoying a light face75988e tea with the nobles, feac6dc965 he listened carefully to 7307150c38 the affairs of the 55b374b9a2 empire—details he had only 9f4cd1699e known through letters during 951ecd821e his four-year absence. Fortunately, as b9af1a0200 they were 2095ea1bf1 all capable f07b4c48ac individuals he 738e2ae0bd trusted, the ecac3278e0 regions had 26bc77320c remained stable 88b9b1bdbc in his af30b38c1b absence, with c4e90de567 no major 7854c11e47 crises.c0a1ac4c49bc1b91

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As always, pirates 0d0f643b3d prowled the seas. Some regions had struggled d6f082449f to pay taxes due 9f903cad6f to drought and poor 3388022f4d harvests, leading to the 1777e9084a execution of a lord f1087c43a7 who had resorted to 5976bacf5f brutal tax collection. Such matters were routine—common cc1c4fa219 occurrences that merited discussion 6c77054fe5 but caused little surprise.4b8d6b81af8a335b

The council c6a44e1ac8 of twelve 873940b726 deliberated over c86026d3af the empire’s 70638ed77e affairs with c49384bb11 solemnity, their 71d15eac80 conversation lasting 83c73bda92 until the a82b73d31f great hourglass 71d106b340 had been 8063d31c32 flipped twice.52f47daa79760c0b

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Then, without 650ffa78e4 warning, the c3f57a7a44 Emperor suddenly 8dd46093ac stood.a309412c05dd6270

Eleven high-ranking nobles turned f733357088 their gazes toward him.4958ee16f4ed36db

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Without hesitation, he 46698145ac removed the cloak 92733dd72f symbolizing his emperorship fb1d7d4dfc and handed it 0668df3d86 to Alexander, the ccbfe17643 Knight Commander who 26bcae6ac1 had long stood f43a5e842d by his side.42c4b5395f4c6d1e

“Alexander, take off your 941dc59e48 clothes.”28b03cbcbede14c7

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Some nobles spat out their tea with a “Pfft!” while others choked on their snacks and clutched their throats. The emperor, not looking at them, saw Alexander’s bewildered face and beckoned with his finger.ad3fe4adecfda543

“Take them off, all of them.”faad2751262d2841

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Alexander swallowed dryly, his 3582169465 expression firm with determination. It was an unspoken 7697ef710b rule that he indulged 47c1802ae2 his desires without regard ed270328c8 for gender. His promiscuity—known 445cd72db9 only to ac216bfba9 those who 8e55e08616 were aware—now d64e07a3a9 seemed to 7bb9083aa8 extend even d6894442ee to his 36fd959eb0 most loyal 20ba4b8ed6 subjects.c5ea33d5b8eb0169

He never spared a f374422bf4 glance at faces. Whether they 8e560c5110 were ugly, 59db41b536 bald, short, db62ae25fb or tall, f4d274b9e6 he lay 5c2a2e559c with anyone 083d7dfdc1 who agreed 93ebb066d4 and handled 739f758554 the aftermath 0ad7777610 with meticulous e545c29661 precision.426295e9f63188dd

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The only complication was 29a213eae0 that, being monogamous, he cfade66e35 could only sire children 8929bff819 through the Queen—who, inconveniently, b2607a759c was a man.696c0fdeb297aaef

Moreover, the Queen hailed 704d88ec44 from Synthsis, a nation 4f606477d9 infamous for offering its 7a41ff3944 people as tribute to f1de7dcdd4 the demon king, the e3f1c92026 Basilisk.b5e8bd60d4b12c67

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Despite his breathtaking beauty, 837484ac0d many harbored resentment toward aa0d0db582 the Queen, whispering, “He’ll 6019b9d5de enchant people with that d44dc286ff face. He should be confined.”18edc277689dc4d6

Thus, they c15528864c found satisfaction 1f5d260460 in his 5ac80fca6f imprisonment within 7f7f9573b1 the Water e6ded6e41f Palace—until, in def4c4a999 time, they 4c31229ac7 forgot about 28c335fb1e him entirely.7dbf53b4adeb6ad0

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In the bb1ef13e29 Great Empire 1a45deb36f of Killen, 6363d2f85d no one 6b55eb78ea welcomed Lute, 0c568f10c4 the lone 979afc50f5 survivor from c664c5a755 Synthsis. Naturally, during the 5e24844268 Emperor’s years of 5ab6500b0e forgetting him, he d4dfc5da21 was treated with d89deb2681 nothing but neglect.0a820149e252885a

Confined within the Water 0b06978a82 Palace, he was given 81afae5c7c near-rotten food, worn-out clothes 17a4432a10 in desperate need of b402f63f2a mending, and even when 98fe388160 he fell gravely ill ef8e90fa8f in the dead of 08ae073508 winter, not a single 4750007fe4 palace doctor was sent.3d61a6b2665b13ce

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Many had 5dfcbce94a wished for 1f8f83e52d his quiet e1fb5127a3 demise, yet 5cf2c640a6 he had 30612de269 endured. And now, with cbc1e438b1 only a month 7fe8ca5552 remaining until the 82f9877c33 divorce, the nobles e5532031d2 did not even fcbd96e2ae bother to speak e8379cfd8d his name.f0362f8c85d33231

But what if the c95724487a Emperor took an interest 0126bf66e3 in him now? What if he delayed 8178d7a1e6 the divorce?0a8075da7ba4adc6

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He was, after ebb84ebb53 all, the prince 49ea29d3e4 rumored to be dda5d31d09 the most beautiful 682fefaa49 in the land f1c7d4eea3 of snakes, Synthsis. Among the 3e374cecb3 nobles who 682d4760e8 had once cbe985957c glimpsed him, 14bf354786 there were 5f68b04df6 even those 103ac1dabb so enchanted a3da362095 by his c15790634d face that 30fc04ff53 they found f22327db30 themselves unable 21909563d3 to marry 5a12e3b02d another. Some had 83648cdf9c even abandoned 01cac96692 their titles, 22edfe6a73 seeking refuge ba0328c7f8 in monasteries—forever 3be7f5ac9a haunted by d48b905c6f the memory 31219fac2e of his d552e0a1ec beauty.f7f9ff62143ceb3a

They could not 85ed50d288 forget that face.a23e4a104b4d5ae9

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The palace staff deliberately erased Lute’s existence from the emperor’s mind, saying, “As expected, he’s very bewitching, just like a person from the country of snakes, Synthsis.”0a50fadbbb8de6cf

Yes, it was better to offer Alexander than to have the emperor take an interest in the queen and delay the divorce….dfea46027e063e07

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As the nobles’ eyes turned sinister and eerie, Alexander swallowed his tears and asked the emperor in a trembling voice,0ae7d19eb109744c

“Do I have to take them off here, Your Majesty?”72cace344afa5a17

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“Hmm?”63908295bb565f1e

The emperor thought a79f8e9ceb for a moment 637bcc958f and then quickly ccd3b7a620 said,32c512526f4c0f21

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“Oh? Are you embarrassed be333b979c because there are 9fe6e05403 too many eyes b94e814b2b watching? Then, everyone, e8c3cf3111 please leave. It seems that acb4921e09 Alexander, our esteemed 9e53c53219 Knight Commander, is 47d0caa89b quite shy about 1e84087a7e taking off his 32654fdad8 clothes—despite us both 77e07d3db2 being men.”59c58e553fad98ce

The Emperor let fbeb54badb out a half-hearted c00e773829 laugh and snapped a4a5620e0a his fingers, unlocking cd361b71ab the door with 7d2bed4408 a flick of df48232665 magic. The grand double doors 26bf96353e swung open, and the efc3cefce2 chairs scraped backward as 12a94a283a if pulled by an e066ed8fdb unseen force, lifting the e506b2b147 nobles’ plump bodies from 5d4db3a1e4 their seats.49fdb7c640696b68

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Imagining two men—both f5a22f182e built like towering 4c5bbc49ac door panels—entwined, the a26582cd5c nobles turned pale. Without hesitation, they 65a55ba034 scrambled from the 5d3c4ca929 reception hall, vanishing dbd90aa33d like frightened mice.25f3eb0ccb28da7e

The moment the 53a9e53070 last one fled, f7d00f74fa the Emperor snapped 711eb90258 his fingers once 44b8cf4528 more, sealing the 4143a319a6 doors shut. Then, without b5d891d2df hesitation, he a70e84f931 began to 65e092d960 undress.a9aa21f299c949ea

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“Hurry up and take them off, Alexander.”2f2e24975138d240

“Your Majesty….”5950b176e03027b8

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Alexander mumbled af4547cfbd with a aa4ff4e101 pale face.4885b12f93cac632

“Are you really going to… embrace me here?”a623d49ca8cd61b8

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“What?”2af49b288eb9d997

The emperor was c26f59c66a startled. Having told him to 7dcfbbdf44 take them off, the 20642c2c72 emperor was surprised and 73cd2a7845 blushed as he said,a3bef6b7cbca43c3

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“What nonsense are you talking about? I just meant to take off your clothes!”1bf7be80e2286f1b

Alexander stupidly asked, “Huh?” The emperor pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then, fiddling with his reddened ears, lowered his eyes. After pondering something, the emperor sighed and crossed his arms, looking at his friend and knight, Alexander, and spoke.ead1b6c00ff7b532

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“I saw a fairy yesterday.”27d259ae5663a186

“…Huh?”894c1f792e985320

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Alexander’s face crumpled. What fairy? Why would there be a fairy here? Almost forgetting he was speaking to the emperor, Alexander suppressed his thoughts and asked,ed20ab8ffcfca86b

“Where did you see it?”8f768259245c68eb

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“In the Emperor’s Forest, at the Sacred Lake.”04925826ad53a7f1

“The Emperor’s Forest, the Sacred Lake…?”b964f9f133f2b3c8

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Alexander blinked, 90bedd03ee repeating the 649b06bfcb Emperor’s words 3a54e0cfaa under his 942cb65a1f breath. The names felt familiar—too 43db992229 familiar. He had 71d2b4119c heard them bd163c77ce countless times bad0668d67 since childhood, d088f07eed yet this f388e87866 familiarity was 014189261b different.37ac09e02197ec26

A strange a30fe9c783 sensation gnawed e39da7a5b2 at him, c0bf489055 as if b3a6ffb55e he had 5e6a7817b2 forgotten someone 07e1079baf important. His lips moved 7ec375b8df unconsciously, muttering, “Fairy… 5ad0856164 Emperor’s Forest… Sacred ec74813f9b Lake…”f77ccb58f2278a31

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The Emperor, growing 745156ae42 impatient, urged him 0ba99c072f forward. “Alexander, stop stalling. Take off your clothes.”e39cdf947ba38a69

Yet, Alexander remained frozen e303b9cfdb in place, unable to d1a8f97732 shake the feeling clawing 8eb29e62a3 at his mind.8713d01e01a51e41

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“Oh, hurry up and take them off! I saw a fairy swimming there at this time! I saw it clearly with my own eyes!”455c224df4018644

At that 343a3b89ab moment, Alexander 1812225f9f spoke with b9d139f043 a face 5bb2e8e219 of realization.23236ea452f0bbf3

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“The queen?”4dbb4e038eabb6e9

“…What?”85dc4f86c3be5830

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The emperor frowned 8573361e22 and asked again.f21696ee8742bd8f

“The queen?”bf3e8e5b8059963d

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It seemed the emperor 7fbaff5f1d had truly forgotten who 3d5d6894b8 the queen was. Completely.b156709c76268d86

But soon after, the emperor’s expression turned blank, and he murmured in a low voice.f3e74fdf239c3407

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“That’s right, that child was the queen…. So it wasn’t a fairy, but that child?”1fd764f8ed6a3a01