* * *
My arms clung tightly around his back, our bodies slick and burning from sweat.
My legs hung limply, barely holding any strength, as Ateol gripped my hips with both hands and rocked me.
His thick length plunged deep from beneath, carving its way inside.
With each thrust, the cum already filling me spilled out in a mess, dripping down and pooling below, creating a lewd sound as it frothed with each movement.
The walls inside me, which had already tasted pleasure once, clenched and eagerly clung to the invading shaft.
Each time my body jerked, my disheveled hair swayed in the air.
“Haa, ah, ah…! Ugh…!”
Ateol suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace and, this time, started moving his hips directly.
It wasn’t as deep as when he pinned me down with his full weight, but I could still feel him reaching inside—into places I hadn’t even realized existed.
There were parts of me I had never known, and now, they were molding themselves around him, awakening at a cellular level to his presence.
Even after finishing once more in this position, Ateol released deep inside again.
I refused to look down, afraid I might actually see how full I had become.
Slowly, he withdrew from me, then turned me over onto my stomach.
“What… are you… doing again…?”
My voice came out cracked and strained.
Ateol answered.
“I’m helping you empty it out.”
His voice was just as low and hoarse as mine.
Fingers slid inside, gently scraping along my inner walls.
The thick cum that had been pooling inside spilled out in heavy drops, wet and obscene.
My face burned with mortification.
But it didn’t end there…
After ensuring every last drop was drained, Ateol firmly gripped my hips and mounted me once more.
Calling him a liar and struggling did nothing.
He took me again.
And again—this time dragging me into the bathroom under the excuse of cleaning me up.
I lost count of how many times he came inside me.
Then, in the midst of it all, a sharp crack rang out.
It was the sound of my system alert.
A sense of dread crept up my spine as I pulled up my status window.
My stamina bar had turned red.
[Stamina: 0]
You have completely depleted your stamina.
“……”
What the hell… I’m not gonna die just because I ran out of stamina, right?
No way… Before I could even think any further, I blacked out.
ꔚ
The next day, I woke up in perfect condition, as if nothing had happened.
Of course, the lingering pain and exhaustion in my body made it clear that last night wasn’t just a dream.
And there, sitting by my bedside as if it was the most natural thing in the world, was Ateol.
“You’re awake? The steward will bring your meal shortly.”
Ateol set down the book he had been reading, remarking that I had woken up earlier than expected. The Influence of Unconscious Memories on Emotions.
I couldn’t tell if it was some deep philosophical work or just a simple psychology essay.
If we were in Korea, books would be categorized based on their binding, but here, everything was either a pocket-sized edition or a leather-bound tome—there was no in-between.
“You stayed here… the whole… ahem, time?”
The moment I spoke, my voice came out incredibly hoarse.
Just how much had I been shouting yesterday?
Without a word, Ateol poured me some water and handed it over.
Even after drinking and clearing my throat a few times, my voice barely improved.
Eventually, I just shut my mouth altogether.
“This arrived for you.”
“…?”
I looked at him, silently asking, ‘What is it?’
In Ateol’s hand was a letter.
“They sent it here because I was staying with you. Do you know who it’s from?”
When I simply shook my head, Ateol leaned in, lowering his voice as if he were about to reveal a great secret.
“It’s from Caleus.”
…Yeah. That was something worth whispering about.
“The message is short. ‘There is much to discuss. If you return to the palace, send a messenger ahead. —Caleus.’ What do you think?”
“Hm.”
Caleus had declared that he would abdicate his position as Crown Prince.
And soon, the Emperor himself would be forced to step down in disgrace.
And who would take his place?
Ateol, of course.
Sure, there were still the second and third princes, but they weren’t even in consideration anymore.
After draining another cup of water, I finally spoke.
“How does it feel, going from a stray cat to His Majesty the Emperor?”
My voice sounded slightly better than before.
Ateol crossed his arms, tilted his head, and then smiled.
“Exhilarating.”
“…Right.”
“Are you feeling alright?”
I shot a glare at the person responsible for my current state before pretending to turn away.
Instead, I focused on my status screen.
My stamina was still at 4. I was barely capable of sitting up.
Tip: If your stamina reaches 0, you will pass out! Be careful!
Oh, now you tell me. So my max stamina is stuck at 12? That’s definitely not normal.
Tip + Tip: You can’t have everything…
I barely held back a scoff.
This damn system had a real knack for pissing people off—subtly, no, blatantly.
And since it was just a floating hologram, I couldn’t even punch it.
[Event Triggered!]
A sweet day has passed, and it’s still just the two of you. Ateol seems to be expecting something…?
Seeing that notification, I froze and turned to look at Ateol in horror.
What the hell was he expecting now after everything he did last night?
Did he even have a shred of conscience?
Or was he covered in fur like a damn beast?
Whatever he read in my eyes, Ateol slowly got up and leaned toward me.
No, hell no!
Our lips met.
A kiss… Kissing was fine.
It wasn’t too exhausting.
But then Ateol’s hand started slipping under my clothes.
I swatted it away, hard.
He chuckled against my lips but didn’t push any further.
Actually, scratch that.
Kissing wasn’t fine.
By the time Ateol finally let me go, my stamina had dropped by 1, and I collapsed onto the bed, utterly drained.
Cloden was supposed to bring food soon.
Thank god my stamina could be replenished with meals and sweets.
But still… Ateol was really going to become Emperor, huh?
It all felt almost too easy—enough to make me suspicious.
Then again, there was still Siwoo.
I had to run, fast, before anything else happened.
Lying flat on my back, I stared at the ceiling and spoke.
“Ateol.”
“Yes?”
“You’re going to be Emperor. Well, you’re not yet, but you will be… So you’ll keep your promise, right?”
“What promise do you mean?”
Oh, hell no.
He wasn’t seriously trying to play dumb, was he?
I snapped my eyes open and glared at him.
“You promised you’d help me escape. Before the real Yuri shows up.”
“Yes, I did. I haven’t forgotten.”
Ateol shrugged and added,
“The Empire needs the real Yuri Aieles.”
“….”
Right.
The Empire didn’t need me. It needed the mage, Yuri—the rightful master of the tallest tower.
Not me.
And yet…
Hearing those words from Ateol’s mouth, even though they were exactly what I wanted—what I had been striving toward all along—why did it still sting, just a little?
[Event Failed…]
Huh.
* * *
