The night soon turned to morning, and the empire fell into a quiet lull as the festivities ended. After the dance, Seong-Hoon and I didn't exchange another word for the rest of the night. The air between us felt heavy with unspoken emotions, so I chose to spend the remaining hours chatting with the citizens instead. It was heartwarming—wholeso, even.
People shared their stories of how they had ended up in this world, each tale more surreal than the last. So, emboldened by the drinks, pledged their loyalty to with slurred yet heartfelt words. I smiled and accepted their kindness, feeling a deep sense of connection with each of them. No matter who they were or where they ca from, I believed everyone deserved a chance.
But the peace was short-lived.
As the first rays of sunlight painted the sky, a heavy atmosphere settled over the city. A commotion arose near the gates, and I instinctively knew sothing was wrong. My relaxed deanor shifted into alertness as word reached of strangers at the city's entrance.
Several imposing figures stood before the gates. Their armor glead nacingly under the morning light, and their domineering auras seed to suck the air from the surroundings. Yet, it wasn't just their appearance that set on edge—it was their presence. They reeked of hostility.
Then, one of them stepped forward, a smirk plastered across his cruel face. His voice bood through the silence, dripping with arrogance.
"Hey, you pathetic worms! I heard your precious empress has returned. Why don't you send her out here to ? Or maybe you'd rather watch burn this little empire of yours to the ground!" He threw his head back and laughed, a disgusting sound that echoed through the streets, jolting the city awake.
"Isn't that the voice of that idiot?" soone in the crowd muttered.
"Yeah, that self-proclaid 'Handso Emperor.' Did he seriously bring himself here just to die?"
"Pfft," another person chuckled, and soon laughter rippled through the gathering. "That fool has no idea which lion's den he's walked into. Let him in—I want to see how he plans to take our empress away."
The entire city burst into laughter, their confidence in filling the air with an almost tangible energy. Despite the humor, I could feel the underlying tension. No matter who it was, I couldn't let such arrogance go unchecked.
I stepped out of my room, finding my friends gathered outside, their faces a mix of anticipation and readiness. Their eyes t mine, silently awaiting my decision.
"Heh…" I smirked, crossing my arms. "What do you think? Should I show them who the boss around here really is?"
Their grins mirrored my own, and I felt a spark of excitent light within .
Jieun stepped forward, her confidence unshaken. "Big sis Gaon, I can handle it! Who does that person think he is?" She showed no fear, her hands balled into fists, but I couldn't help but laugh.
"No, no, it's fine. I'll take care of it myself. Besides, I don't want to kill them—yet. I'll just rough them up a bit and get any useful information out of them… even if it ans using so creative thods." My words caused everyone's gazes to shift slightly, their expressions uneasy.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Haha!" I laughed it off, but deep down, I wasn't joking. The thought of making those who dared to threaten suffer was oddly satisfying. When had I developed such a habit? I didn't know, but it seed I enjoyed tornting those who pissed off.
"Big sis, he's strong," Seong-Hoon interjected, his tone laced with concern. "Even if he can't compare to you, you should still be careful. We don't know if he brought an army with him." His expression turned serious. "If you want, I'll fight him. I can't let so random trash face you."
His determination made pause, but then his next words surprised . "I've reached level 50 already. I'm not that weak."
I tilted my head, studying him. "Level 50? I didn't expect you to grow so fast… All of you are pretty high level. Just what exactly happened while I was away?"
I glanced at the others, scanning them with my senses. Though Seong-Hoon was the only one at level 50, the others weren't far behind. Their growth was impressive.
"Right, we forgot to tell you, Empress," Choi Min-Jeong began, bowing respectfully.
I sighed. "I told you already, unless absolutely necessary, just call Gaon."
"Right… Big Sister Empress Gaon…" she said sheepishly.
I groaned. "Can you really not drop the 'empress'?"
"No! I want to call you Empress all the ti!" she declared with an oddly determined look.
"Fine, fine, have it your way. Just tell already what happened," I said, giving in.
Choi Min-Jeong took a deep breath, her expression growing serious. "After you left, a few days later, a massive beast wave crashed into the city. Many people had to take up arms to defend it. We're not sure what causes these waves, but they've been repeating every two to three days."
Her voice carried a weight of urgency, and I noticed her chest heaving slightly, likely from the tension of recounting the events. The room fell quiet as her words sank in.
"Even I'm not sure what causes the other beasts to act like that," Malrang spoke, her voice steady but laced with unease. Her fur stood on end, making her look slightly funny, but I knew the situation was serious. "All I can say is their eyes are filled with pure terror, and I can feel a powerful aura looming sowhere far from this city. It's approaching… day by day, closer and closer."
"But," Eun-Woo interrupted, his tone calm yet firm, "because of that, we've managed to grow a lot—though so have the other kingdoms. It's said that the fool behind the gate is already at level 65. He's higher than you, Gaon, but I believe in your strength. He most likely can't even take one hit from you." He chuckled, but his erald-green eyes shone with pure respect. It caught off guard. I'd always wondered why Eun-Woo took his role so seriously, but now I started to understand.
"I see..." I murmured, my gaze fixed on the gates. They creaked open slowly, and a tall man stepped forward, at least ten others following behind him. His armor was so shiny it reflected the morning light, making him appear like so grand warrior. But the size of it? Too big. I couldn't help but smirk. What are you compensating for? I laughed inwardly.
"Which one of you is Lee Gaon?!" roared one of the n flanking him, his voice booming.
No one answered. Instead, the crowd erupted into laughter, their amusent echoing through the square. The group looked confused—and furious.
"What's so funny, you garbage?!" the leader bellowed, his face red with rage. He resembled a kettle on the verge of boiling over.
"Not much," a teenage boy from the crowd snickered, his voice cutting through the tension. "Just watching dead n walking."
The leader snapped, his aura flaring as he lunged forward, aiming to kill the boy.
I moved at lightning speed. Catching his fist mid-air, I felt the impact but brushed it off. It was weak. I shoved him back with ease, sending him crashing into his group like bowling pins. They fell in a heap, their arrogance shattered.
"Who do you think you are to threaten my people?" I said coldly, my voice like ice. "If you wish to die, die alone. You won't lay a single finger on them."
The group scrambled to their feet, their faces pale as if they'd seen a ghost.
"What the fuck are you?!" the leader growled, his voice shaky but defiant.
"?" I taunted, stepping closer. "I'm your owner. Can't you tell? Are you blind? I could fix that—co here, let take a closer look at your disgusting face."
My words ignited his fury. His aura flared even brighter, the pressure rippling through the square. For a mont, I worried it might damage the city.
"Everyone," I called out, my voice steady but commanding. "Look closely. This is the strength I've achieved. Let these fools who dared to stand before be the testimony to what your empress is capable of."
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The crowd fell silent, all eyes locked on . Every breath I took was t with quiet anticipation, the tension thick in the air.
"Sovereign's Domain," I whispered. Darkness erupted from , swallowing the entire enemy group in an instant. The crowd was spared the sight of what ca next.
Inside the domain, the eleven n stood frozen, their eyes wide with fear. In a single motion, I knocked out all ten subordinates, leaving only the leader standing. He moved sluggishly, weighed down by the oppressive energy. For soone at level 65, he was nothing but a joke compared to Jeong Suhan. I reached him easily, grabbing him by the throat. With a simple swing, I shattered his overly elaborate armor, revealing his scrawny fra beneath.
This is their leader? I thought, unimpressed. Who in their right mind would follow such a weakling?
Outside the domain, it had all happened in the blink of an eye. As the darkness dissipated, the crowd gasped at the sight before them. Ten n lay unconscious on the ground, while the leader dangled high in the air, my hand gripping his throat.
"So," I said, my voice cold and cutting, loud enough for everyone to hear, "tell why you've co here. And decide quickly—should I hold your public execution now or later?"
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