NOVEL WEB Chapter 1002 NATURAL
1002 NATURAL
[I'M LOSING strength…]
Dahlia was tasked by Emperor Nero to create a "fence" around the Abyss in order to protect the male Rosehearts/Soul Beasts who would be residing there from now on.
However, the Abyss was bigger than she expected.
She hadn't covered half of it yet, but she was already tired.
"You can rest if you want."
Oh.
Dahlia turned around and bowed politely to Emperor Nero. "Your Imperial Majesty…"
"Are you tired?"
"The air in the Spirit World is different, so it's a little hard for me to breathe here," Dahlia confessed because she figured it was something she couldn't hide from the emperor anyway. "I'm sorry. I'll adjust soon and perform my task better, sire."
"Is it hard to breathe?" Emperor Nero asked, tilting his head to one side as if he didn't understand. "The Spirit World is not different from nature. As someone who has an Elemental Guardian, you shouldn't be affected by the air here."
"The Spirit World is for the Spirits, sire. Since we brought our physical bodies here, the Spirit World is trying to crush our vessels."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, sire."
"I can't relate, though."
"Not everyone is a genius like Your Imperial Majesty."
"It's easy," Emperor Nero insisted. "Don't just 'think' that you're a part of nature— claim it. Once you act like you belong here and no one else can say otherwise, then it will be easy for you to breathe here. The reason the Spirit World is picking on you is probably because you stick out like a sore thumb by being awkward."
Hmm.
Now Dahlia understood why Princess Neoma sometimes felt inferior towards Emperor Nero.
[His Imperial Majesty doesn't understand that not everyone is on the same level as him. Worse, His Imperial Majesty makes us feel like it's our fault that we're weak. His Imperial Majesty acts as if being born a genius is not a big deal.]
Princess Neoma must have suffered a lot by being the twin sister of "the boy who has everything."
"Was my advice too complicated?"
"It didn't feel like you were giving me a piece of advice, sir," Dahlia confessed awkwardly. "It felt like you were scolding me for being incompetent."
Emperor Nero looked flustered, and he hid it by clearing his throat. "I was just trying to help you adjust."
"Then can you please do it gently?"
"What?"
She avoided the young emperor's gaze. "Your Imperial Majesty's tone was condescending— it discourages me from wanting to learn."
"Huh?"
"Please speak to me as gently as you can, sire," Dahlia said, and then she gathered the courage to look at the young emperor in his eyes. "I learn fast, but please don't be too harsh, Your Imperial Majesty."
"I wasn't being harsh— this is just how I normally talk."
"It's still a bit scary for me, sire…"
Emperor Nero raised an eyebrow at Dahlia. "You claim you're afraid of me, and yet you wouldn't stop talking back to me."
Dahlia bowed her head towards the young emperor to avoid his gaze. "I'll be in your care, sire."
***
"IS THAT young lady the future empress?"
Nero raised an eyebrow at the "boy" who came to talk to him.
The boy wasn't alone— he was actually accompanied by two teenagers. All boys had pink hair, of course.
"She's not the future empress," Nero said. He knew that Dahlia couldn't hear it at that distance, but he still wanted to make sure. "There won't be an empress in the future." He showed the "children" his left hand. "I am not engaged."
A loud collective gasp was heard.
Even those who were near them pretending not to listen actually gasped.
"An emperor without a wife…"
"Times may have changed…"
"Or perhaps it's a testimony as to how awful the young emperor is…"
Nero glared at the last Spirit who spoke. "It was my choice to stay unwed, okay?"
The boys who approached Nero laughed out loud, while the others tried their best to hold back.
But to no avail.
To be honest, it was kind of strange.
Of course, most of the Rosehearts there were still obviously mad. But they weren't being obvious about it anymore.
And, now, the easy-going ones were approaching Nero.
"Young emperor, is something fun happening in the empire right now?"
"Yeah," Nero said, nodding. "As soon as I'm done here, I'm going back to the palace to prepare for war."
"War?!"
Nero was a bit surprised by the enthusiastic response that he got. "Why?"
"A male Roseheart is going to fight in a war, but you're weak!"
Nero was offended. "Excuse me? I'm not weak— I dare you to say it again."
"You're weak!"
"No, it's more appropriate to say that you're lazy!"
"You didn't train your Roseheart Blood, did you? That's the problem with some genuises! You depend on your natural talent instead of polishing your gift!"
Wow.
Nero couldn't believe that these guys were talking casually to him now as if he was just some kid in the neighborhood. "I'm doing fine, thank you very much."
"You're going to die at this rate!"
"Hey, you should at least grow the midnight blue rose in your heart before you talk big!"
"You're a disgrace to all male Rosehearts!"
Haaah.
Nero couldn't stand being insulted any longer, and so he summoned his two Soul Beasts. "Let's see who's weak, you disrespectful punks."
***
"I'M getting a call from His Imperial Highness, so please stay quiet."
Neoma covered her mouth with her hands, and then she nodded.
[Okie-dokie.]
She sat on a boulder while watching Lewis take the call.
In this timeline, the fox was using a pocket watch as a communication device.
[It's really strange to see Lewis who talks properly.]
Neoma wondered how Nero "raised" Lu.
"Your Imperial Highness… hmm?"
Neoma's ears perked up when she detected the slight panic in Lewis' voice.
"Someone who looks like me appeared in the palace?"
Neoma covered her mouth with her hands again when she gasped.
[It's my "son"!]
"Your Imperial Highness is going to execute the impostor now?"
What?
Who was going to execute whom?!
Neoma couldn't help but stand while yelling. "This crazy bastard…!"
***
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