DMEC | Chapter 26

Hearing those words, Joel continued reading the book he was holding, [What is the Start of Romance? Just Like This~ At Least a Hundred Women Have Dated Baron Andrean~], and said, “I’m not reading these books for romance.”

Alexander’s expression was filled with disbelief. From an outsider’s perspective, the emperor seemed desperate to win the queen’s heart, to the point of clinging. He hid his identity and visited the Emperor’s Forest and the Water Palace daily to approach Queen Lute, vehemently refusing to allow a divorce and desperately trying to establish a relationship under the guise of revenge.e866888d1dcdf230

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because that way, divorce 5b79bfc48e would be impossible.df9c1ffeada36b33

But could 807c9db2f7 he completely b63e440bf0 prevent the 7a46ac3535 divorce this d682a2affe way? The emperor was 12f9058f72 forgetting something.b97c2a0aab003f11

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your Majesty, then why did you suddenly bring all these romance books from the Imperial Library?”572126c0d61a59d8

“I want to find evidence of whether I really like that child.”22cd60133ea2295f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He closed the 0f8082d5d7 book with a 830bddd5ac loud snap and 689d3ee7ac placed it on 5f2ea90ca1 the desk, then 6fb0ec27d2 hummed thoughtfully. Placing his hand bbabe1977c on his heartless b1ad50ed50 chest, he spoke afef323519 in a serious 77159dd7d2 voice.7368739ff7db4926

“I knew something was off when I felt aroused.”ba988036023e6bf5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Alexander’s jaw dropped.eaf44cb04a010955

“Uh, no… What are you saying…?”13342ad95cffdd29

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Joel crossed his hands, rested his chin on them, closed his eyes, and muttered, “But arousal happens with any beauty with black hair, blue eyes, white skin, and red lips…”113c27f1d8c60651

“That’s Queen Lute, isn’t it!”0d1297c15f7e29ae

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Joel slowly opened his eyes and looked at Alexander. “Yes, that’s right. But? It could just be a coincidence, or a preference. It just happens to be Lute. Of course, the books say that when two things overlap, it’s the start of romantic feelings.”1eb6cddb068564fa

The emperor paused for a moment, then pulled out the book [Marriage Before Romance] and spoke. It was a bestseller, a novel about raising a child, appreciating the small things in life and the importance of family, and feeling affection for the child raised, providing warmth and insight into love.

“I’m happy as if I’ve returned to the past. They say feeling happiness is love. Of course, being with cute animals makes you happy and loving, but… I can’t deny love when I get aroused looking at the queen. So, after reading all these books, I can conclude that ‘Joel Ragnus loves Lute Synthsis.'”14f517bccd2c4033

“Your Majesty, as I’ve said before, you need to reveal your identity and apologize for your wrongdoings.”d4b7f672f98123f5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Wrongdoings? What did I do wrong?”3fd1e1e043c9746c

For ten years, he had placed a magical shackle on the child, preventing him from leaving. The child had willingly submitted, saying he would bear his parents’ sins, but Alexander’s opinion hadn’t changed.b3db07c09f8509c1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Your Majesty, at that time, Queen Lute was fourteen years old. You confined a fourteen-year-old child in the Water Palace and even placed a magical shackle on his ankle, preventing him from leaving. The palace staff, thinking you had forgotten the queen, treated him poorly, not even providing proper food or clothing. For ten long years, he survived with just a maid and a knight, struggling to live. You need to apologize for that…”7ff166f09311db36

But the emperor had only understood basic human emotions intellectually, not felt them. Based on past events, the emperor felt he should apologize, but he couldn’t gauge the extent of his wrongdoing.675209e1130fac54

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Initially, the wrongdoing was Lute’s, the prince of Synthsis. Dressing as a woman and coming in place of his twin sister. Deceiving the emperor was a grave offense. The emperor’s rational scale tipped towards Lute’s wrongdoing over his own.8cdab8cb900f95e9

“Can’t I just treat him well from now on? Besides, the wrongdoing was the child’s reckless act. Marriage between nations isn’t something a fourteen-year-old can decide on a whim, so he should be grateful for this leniency.”6874e2280bc885ea

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Saying that, the emperor frowned, recalling Lute from back then. The child hadn’t just come to disrupt the national marriage. Lute had come with a purpose, asking for forgiveness for his parents’ sins…3477e95926778ddf

The emperor bb2ada19a2 rubbed his 6fe96877bc aching head, 97e5b011b4 suppressing a d548319d57 groan.c9b9c6e9c1391e48

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Your Majesty!”4457697131af4792

Alexander couldn’t hold back and raised his voice, but the emperor remained unfazed.431b86d4bcb374b5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That child was mine from the start. Who can say anything if I want to do as I please with what’s mine? The child’s parents? They only gave birth to what’s mine; the ownership is mine.”68b2b908817b90ba

Alexander felt darkness closing in. He knew Joel was eccentric and somewhat unreasonable, but claiming a living person as his own, saying the ownership was his… It was absurd to see him assert that ‘Lute is mine’ after raising him for eight years.8c146a86396af1a3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Lute can’t go anywhere. He must stay by my side, just like when he was a child.”391990f060e669ec

He even laughed confidently, like a child solving a difficult problem. Laughing out loud, the emperor added, “But how did I come to love Lute? I don’t have a heart. It’s still a mystery. This might not even be love.”0b84ecc2a698da7a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The emperor seemed 9459dedc70 to be in f3b5f29e79 a state of 86c75c6383 confusion. Alexander, recalling the past 92e3930769 that led to this 54c526fec2 complicated situation, let out 20d8451320 a heavy sigh.cf10a2d484940c78

Due to the terror politics of Emperor Eliana, offering citizens as prey to the basilisk, Joel’s father, overwhelmed by guilt, couldn’t hold on long after Joel was confirmed as a tribute and passed away. Thanks to his parents, who genuinely loved their two sons, Joel, who lacked a heart, could understand human emotions of good and evil. The memories of living freely and happily before being taken as a tribute shaped the current Joel.e560652e1471b8ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

So how could Joel’s feelings towards Synthsis be at ease? Alexander, feeling suffocated by the tangled emotions between the two, asked, “Your Majesty, what about an heir?”629961f31f4faf1a

At Alexander’s question, the emperor fell silent. Furrowing his brows, he asked, “What?”a21c136450397223

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Alexander stood before Joel, speaking in a serious and resigned voice, “Just following Article 10, Clause 1 of the Royal Law won’t prevent the divorce. There’s Clause 2, isn’t there?”a4699c9c22cbb599

The emperor looked at Alexander with a face as if he’d been struck, then stood up abruptly. Swallowing dryly, he blushed and spoke excitedly. It was indeed about his member.e1b6752b6c4bd76c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Quickly, tell that child to bear your child. Because it’s your child, it’s okay to impregnate him.d78f87902d4b4de5

“Tell the child I raised to bear my child?”9237ac307140aae1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, can you do that?”8c2fd8de4c1ca746

Of course, he couldn’t, if he had a conscience. It would be thievery, not humanity, to impregnate a child he had nurtured and cherished for eight years.2fcae4bd5d90c607

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I can. Why wouldn’t I?”3bcde55e990a11b3

But the words from the emperor’s mouth were entirely different from Alexander’s expectations. Seeing Alexander’s shocked, pale face, he smiled smoothly.da03a3c823240a3a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Royal Law Article 10, Clause 2. Even if the couple has relations, if no heir is born within five years, the wife can take half the husband’s property and file for divorce.”c461bd4bf847f13c

Confidently reciting the Royal Law he’d memorized since his prince days, Joel tapped the romance books in front of Alexander.154d6d6a9ec5da6c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I see it even explains how to lead to the bedroom. It’s meaningless for someone like me, but it was interesting to read.”43138df5115654b8

Alexander felt dizzy. The man who couldn’t reveal he was Joel Ragnus, fearing Lute’s hatred, read a few romance books and was now imagining marriage and children, smiling happily. Alexander, trying to remain calm, spoke to the emperor, who had missed another crucial point.7975a9380417b475

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Queen Lute is a man.”bbbd8f1fb51f58f1

“So what?”959385b4df960927

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The emperor replied as if it were nothing. Pulling out a new romance novel from the pile of books, he said, “I can use life magic to create a womb inside. It doesn’t matter if the child is male or female. As long as there’s a child…”7bba48bdc8231c4a

The emperor’s words abruptly stopped. Covering his mouth at the fishy, nauseating smell wafting in, he rushed to the window. Alexander frowned at the familiar scent entering the palace.ab08ab7b71a7e177

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was 164d69d2c4 the smell e621620a26 of a c1564c7780 decaying corpse.7d4c7fdf7cd9b7dd

“Necromancer?”4b3e4007e9356329

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The emperor opened the window wide and spoke in a sharp voice, “How dare you summon a deadman where Joel Ragnus is?”374fd7049f89d42a

Joel Ragnus swiftly 069cdcd50d drew the holy 97f756d667 sword, Peridexion, from c364030cc8 his waist. Unlike other 94f48bd37e swords, as a33ada75de he ran be9ccb8321 his gloved dadf3fefa0 hand along c8eb4dcc48 the blade, c9ebac21e8 a mysterious 4bab019877 mix of f217063409 silver and d59d4209de gold hues debc0750f3 began to 3096079d3b envelop it.d693d02486551c8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Darkness cannot cut through light, but light can cut through darkness.”e670ca48ae9f5b38

Looking at 86b797c04b the black 5d7cf2bf34 clouds covering a47b14e2e7 the sun, 689e28d8ec the emperor 412051363e spoke. He leaped from the 5e986a6b79 study, landing on the e50b876233 ground. Alexander, watching the emperor 3ec5633bfe fall from the third 4fccd7cdf2 floor, swallowed dryly.e3e98ad90c89e6c6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Holding Peridexion 31be339e7b in his 62f947fef4 right hand, 398e616bdb the emperor 954db91b49 smiled confidently. His cloak billowed c3141fec92 in the fierce, 989e7fcc13 fishy wind.22aba67800091955