When I opened my eyes again, I was in a luxurious bedroom.
The ability-suppressing restraints were still locked on my wrists.
I quickly walked toward the terrace door.
Clack. Clack.
As expected, the terrace door was locked.
I looked outside, trying to figure out where I was.
There were so many palaces inside the imperial castle that it was hard to know the exact location.
But one thing was certain.
This was not the Silverstel Palace where I had been staying.
Just then—
Bang!
The bedroom door suddenly opened.
Startled, I turned around.
As expected, the Emperor walked in.
He was wearing only a thin robe, his chest completely exposed.
I frowned openly and glared at him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Even though my voice sounded like a warning, the Emperor looked completely relaxed.
"You kept making me wait, so I had no choice but to take action myself."
Cornered, I noticed a candlestick on the table.
I grabbed it and held it up like a weapon.
But the Emperor only smirked, placing a hand on his waist.
"If you point that at me, it could count as attempting to assassinate the Emperor. You should put it down."
"Honestly… that might be better."
The Emperor's relaxed smile disappeared instantly.
His expression turned cold.
Suddenly, golden light shot out from his hand and wrapped around my wrists and ankles.
I immediately realized it was the Emperor's ability — the power called Holy Spirit energy.
But because the restraints were suppressing my powers, I could do nothing.
With a simple wave of his hand, the Emperor sent me flying across the room.
I crashed onto the bed.
While falling, my head hit the wooden bed frame hard, making my mind spin.
Before I could react, the Emperor climbed on top of me.
He pinned my wrists down.
Instinctively, I tried to summon fire spirit energy throughout my body.
But the restraints only glowed red, and my power would not activate.
Watching this, the Emperor murmured in fascination.
"A woman with abilities… the first of her kind."
"Isn't this proof that you are the incarnation of the goddess who once bore the first ability user?"
His face looked almost mad with excitement.
I spat directly at him.
"You're insane."
It was the most insulting thing I could say to an Emperor.
His face instantly turned cold.
Then—
SLAP!
His hand struck my face with terrifying force.
The impact was so strong that my head rang again.
My lip split open, and the taste of blood filled my mouth.
My vision blurred.
I couldn't even properly resist.
Then the Emperor's hand slid between my thighs like a snake.
Feeling the danger instinctively, I struggled desperately.
For some reason…
He suddenly came to my mind.
Tears slid down from the corners of my eyes.
I bit my lip so hard that the already torn skin bled even more.
Ah…
I would rather just die…
At that moment—
CRASH!
With a loud, sharp noise, the locked terrace window shattered.
For a moment, I thought of Kallian.
My heart pounded wildly.
Holding my chest, I quickly pulled down my messy clothes and turned to look toward the terrace.
But the person who burst through the terrace door was not Kallian.
It was Lloyd.
I felt relief that Lloyd had come to save me.
But strangely…
There was also a small feeling of disappointment.
That reaction shocked even me.
Did I… expect Kallian to come?
"Grrgh…!"
The Emperor was rolling on the floor, holding his face.
The shattered glass from the window had apparently cut him.
Ignoring him, Lloyd rushed to me.
He removed his coat and placed it around my shoulders.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe what you said."
Lloyd's face looked twisted with pain.
His eyes were filled with many emotions, like someone who had already given up everything to come here.
Without saying anything more, he helped me stand.
We began walking slowly toward the terrace.
Then—
"LLOYD, YOU BASTARD!"
The Emperor shouted furiously.
Lloyd stopped.
He tightened his arm around me and turned his head.
The Emperor screamed.
"You dare injure the Emperor and think you will live?! I'll throw you in prison for attempting to assassinate the Emperor!"
Soon, imperial knights rushed into the room after hearing the commotion.
Outside the terrace, it sounded like Silverstel knights were fighting the imperial guards.
Weapons clashed loudly.
But only a limited number of family knights were allowed inside the palace.
Soon they would be overwhelmed by the imperial forces.
What Lloyd had just done could clearly be considered treason.
I looked at him anxiously.
"Lloyd…"
He didn't look at me.
His eyes were fixed only on the Emperor.
"Yuliana… I'm sorry. My choice was wrong."
In Lloyd's hand, a sword made of ice ability had formed.
As he held it firmly—
The imperial knights charged at him.
Lloyd protected me behind his back while fighting them.
The Silverstel knights couldn't even enter the palace.
Lloyd alone was fighting more than ten elite imperial knights.
Escaping with me while I still wore ability restraints was impossible.
Then—
While Lloyd was busy fighting, the Emperor suddenly grabbed my hair and pulled me back.
He pressed a sword against my neck.
"YULIANA!"
Lloyd froze instantly.
The Emperor smirked with his blood-covered face.
"You idiot. Blinded by a woman, you rushed in without thinking. Drop your sword, or I'll cut off this woman's head first."
I shook my head desperately.
"The Emperor won't kill me! Lloyd, you should escape!"
If the Emperor wanted a child with abilities, he would not kill me.
But the Emperor pressed the blade harder against my neck.
Blood slowly ran down my skin and dripped from the sword.
Seeing that—
Lloyd finally dropped his weapon.
"LLOYD!"
But Lloyd just smiled bitterly and slowly fell to his knees.
"How could I leave you behind, Yuliana…?"
His empty smile made my heart freeze.
"What are you waiting for?! Arrest the traitor!"
The imperial knights rushed forward and forced Lloyd onto the ground.
They immediately placed ability-suppressing restraints on him.
His ice sword shattered and disappeared.
The Emperor slowly walked over to him.
Then he kicked Lloyd's forehead lightly with his foot.
"If you chose to be a dog, you should obey your master. How dare you bite your master?"
He clicked his tongue.
"I spent a lot of effort on you… what a waste. But a dog that bites its master belongs in the slaughterhouse."
Lloyd stayed silent like a lifeless doll.
Then he quietly said:
"Please let Yuliana go."
The Emperor laughed in disbelief.
"Why do you think I invited both you and Yuliana to the imperial banquet?"
Lloyd's face went stiff.
The Emperor smirked.
"The banquet was just an excuse. You were only a tool to bring that woman into the palace."
Realizing that everything had happened because of him, Lloyd's face turned pale with despair.
His heart sank.
The Emperor waved his hand.
"Take him away."
The knights dragged Lloyd out of the room.
He looked completely empty, as if his mind had shut down.
Watching him being dragged away, I slowly turned to the Emperor.
"What are you going to do to Lloyd?"
"Didn't I say? Send him to the slaughterhouse."
I bit my lip.
Provoking the Emperor further would only make things worse.
The Emperor looked annoyed at the floor covered with shattered glass.
"Well… today doesn't seem like a good day."
Then he added coldly:
"You'd better think carefully about how you behave… unless you want your son to end up like Lloyd."
My heart dropped instantly.
I lowered my head, trembling.
The Emperor ordered the guards to watch me carefully and left the room.
And there I was…
Sitting on the floor beside the broken terrace door,
crying endlessly.