Chapter 149: Side Story 5 

Having cried herself to sleep, Alexa had buried her face in his fur. Ysildus gently eased her off and sat up. In his human form, Ysildus’s skin shimmered softly under the moonlight. He bent down and effortlessly lifted Alexa into his arms.

She clung to him in her sleep, her face the very image of innocence. His lips curved into a long line, and his tongue swept over them. The scent that always whetted his appetite still clung to her.

Naked, not a single thread on his body, Ysildus began to walk slowly. The wolves, subdued by his sheer presence, tucked their tails and lowered their heads. Not a single one dared raise their gaze as he passed by with Alexa in his arms.

It was the kind of return Ysildus had always hoped for, just the two of them, alone.

The plaque still hung on the door to Alexa’s bedroom, bearing both her name and Ysildus’s. 

‘Nothing’s changed.’ 

And that, too, was exactly what Ysildus had wished for.

He pushed the door open. The room was filled with the scent of Alexa and Ysildus, something only a wolf’s keen nose could detect. If he didn’t mention it, Alexa would never know.

He carefully laid her down on the bed.

“Mmm…”

Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, revealing eyes that were breathtaking even in the haze of sleep.

Ysildus pressed his lips to her eyelids.

“Sleep a little more.”

Still dazed by his tender voice, Alexa gave a small nod.

‘This isn’t a dream…’

Ysildus had truly come back. Realizing that once more, Alexa slipped back into her dreams.

Ysildus reached for a robe and opened the bathroom door. Before lying down beside her, he needed to wash off the dust clinging to his body having come straight here without rest.

And tomorrow morning, he would greet Alexa with his usual expression. As if he had never left her side to begin with.

Ysildus smiled.

Soon, the filthy stench of humans would be cleared from the estate. Jeremiah and his entire entourage would be gone.

He didn’t exactly dislike Jeremiah. But he was far from being someone Ysildus could accept without hesitation.

The fact that Jeremiah, in some sense, was more fundamentally connected to Alexa only deepened that unease. A part of Ysildus always believed Jeremiah might steal her away at any moment. 

Not that that coward would actually dare.

Still, it never hurt to be prepared for any threat.

Ysildus slowly closed his eyes. With every breath in and out, Alexa’s scent filled his lungs. 

He was finally back by her side. That alone brought him a peace beyond words.

* * *

A dark underground chamber.

Around a massive table, figures dressed in fine clothing sat gathered, their eyes glinting with tension. Oil lamps scattered throughout the room pushed back the darkness.

“Are we really just going to stand by and watch the imperial family fall into Thersion’s hands?”

“I’ve heard Thersion has taken the Ninth Imperial Prince. Their intentions couldn’t be more obvious, could they?”

The nobles addressed the elderly man seated at the head of the table. With his eyes closed and no reply, the old man gave off an air of deliberate silence.

“Count Jertho! Are you really planning to give up everything like this?”

“…Calm yourselves.”

Count Jertho slowly opened his eyes, the whites glinting with a cold sheen.

The gathered nobles all wore the same expressions, anxious and pale, each one gripped by the fear of losing what they had. As he glanced around at their faces, Count Jertho let out a quiet, amused breath.

“What is it you’re all so afraid of?”

“What aren’t we afraid of, Count? It’s Thersion. The very Thersion that Temperchi feared so deeply! The rumors about their supernatural powers have circulated for years… No, they were never confirmed, but given how they’ve dominated the battlefield, it’s hard to call them baseless!”

“So what? What’s changed now?”

“What if Thersion makes a move to seize control of the Empire?”

“They’ve been buried in the provinces until now. What could they possibly do? Thersion is just one family. We have numbers on our side.”

“There are reports that most of the regional lords have already sided with Thersion.”

“And they, too, are fools. Country bumpkins with no sense of how the Empire truly runs. All they know is how to manage their own fiefs and guard the borders. They can’t begin to match the machinery of the capital.”

Count Jertho’s voice was like ice. His sharp gaze showed no signs of dulling with age. A slow smile tugged at his lips.

“There’s no need to worry so much. Heaven will surely open a path for us.”

“Do you… already have something in mind?”

“If Thersion aims to seize the throne through Prince Jeremiah, all we need to do is cut off the root. I’ve already made arrangements. Jeremiah will not return to the capital alive. And the throne cannot remain empty forever. It’s already been five days since the upheaval began.”

As he spoke, the others stayed silent.

Count Jertho was a seasoned noble. In the fifty years since inheriting his title, he had never once fallen out of favor or influence.

The Emperor trusted his word. The flow of politics always bent in his favor. Yet even then, Jertho never revealed his full hand, nor did he ever make a losing move. He was, for all intents and purposes, the cornerstone of the noble faction. To survive, the other nobles had no choice but to respect and follow his lead.

“The Temple will have to act too. That is, if they don’t want the throne to end up in Thersion’s hands!”

“What if Thersion does covet the throne?”

“They won’t. There’s a reason they’ve kept to the provinces all this time. That family has never been content with the capital.”

Jertho wore the look of someone who knew something others didn’t.

Spend enough years as a noble, and you learn all sorts of things. He knew, not exactly what, but enough to be sure that Thersion harbored a secret. And that secret was what kept them bound to their lands.

“There’s no need to fear them making a move. What we should be worrying about lies elsewhere.”

“…And that would be?”

“If I’ve come this far, isn’t it time you all did something as well?”

Jertho gave a thin, sharp smile.

“We ought to start looking for a suitable heir to the throne.”

In other words, it was time to select an Emperor to their liking. The nobles exchanged uneasy glances.

“…But the capital is under Thersion’s control. Their military might isn’t something we can overcome easily, Count.”

“Did I ever tell you to oppose them?”

Jertho clicked his tongue as if scolding a child. His wrinkled fingers toyed with the golden head of his cane, an eagle’s sharp beak glinting in the lamplight.

“We need to maintain good relations with Thersion. Have you all forgotten why the late Emperor Temperchi died? He defied them. Trusted the barrier of the god Dephensores and got cocky! But nothing lasts forever. Thersion has shown they can bare their fangs whenever they wish. The continent fears their name. Half the armies turn tail and flee when they enter the field.”

Jertho sighed.

“They are a necessary evil. We have to coax them, keep them close. Never cast them aside. Enter the capital, play to Thersion’s favor. And in the meantime, find our own Emperor.”

Do I have to spell out everything for you? Jertho clicked his tongue again.

“Move carefully. Thersion’s people are everywhere in the capital. Their knights are tougher and more capable than the rest thanks to brutal training. If we’re not careful, they’ll see right through us.”

“Yes, Count!”

“Thank the heavens you’re with us.”

Count Jertho smiled coldly. When everyone else had left, only he and his aide remained in the darkness.

“…Was it handled cleanly?”

“Yes, Count. As you ordered, there’s no chance of it being traced back.”

Jertho gave a slight nod.

“You found someone with no ties to us, I trust?”

“Yes, Count.”

Satisfied with the confirmation, Jertho leaned back in his chair. His silver-white hair gleamed in the dark. His eyes gleamed just as coldly. Slowly, his gaze shifted as if caught in some deep thought.

“Yes… this time too…”

He would not be cast aside. No matter what it took, never.

……

T/N: I thought side stories are meant for mushy mushy main lead couples flirting, but it seems like there’s another villain here