It is the 9th year since Caesar’s imperial power. the war of conquest, which continued for 24 years following the generations, was finally over.
The capital was thrilled with people who came to the streets to greet the young emperor who unified the continent. Every one, regardless of age or sex, screamed at the emperor’s procession.
“Long live His Majesty Caesar!”
“Long live the Lemurian Empire!”
People’s eyes naturally turned to the man who stood at the head of the procession. The man on the big black horse looked as big as the horse because of his great body. he was a rare handsome man with clear features with black hair and black eyes.
At the time of the crowning ceremony nine years ago, he was only 15 years old. He was the youngest of the 14 children of the former emperor. No one thought he would succeed the throne a month before the crowning ceremony.
Caesar was in the power of his eldest brother, Augustus. On the day Augustus returned after removing all siblings and killing his last sister, Caesar stabbed a knife in his heart.
Senate members were frightened by terrors, but they did not take it as a problem as they turned their heard from the deaths of the weak princes and princesses. The process of the aging emperor dying in shock and Caesar’s succession to the throne was very smooth.
Caesar looked up at the people of the Empire who called his name. And with drowsy eyes, he turned to his imperial palace.
It was his house in 5 months. However, for Caesar, who has neither parents nor a wife, it is a place he will not miss. But…
He gazed at the hilly mountains behind the Imperial Palace. A faint smile spread to the stiff man’s mouth.
***
The mount Lyoni behind the Imperial Palace is a hunting ground for the royal family. Now that only Emperor Caesar is left as the last imperial family, there was no humans who could hunt there. The animals in the forest were enjoying extravagant luxury thanks to the prohibition of humans other than the royal family.
That doesn’t mean that every day the animals are always well. The fox snooping around the badger’s den was caught by it, and ran away.
“Look… … Kung! Kung! (I will kill it!)”
“Kyaang! (help me!)”
As if wearing long-necked shoes, four black feet flutter urgently. tears dripping from the fox’s amber eyes.
Today is the day when the precious person of the fox comes. The fox clearly heard the villagers talking about the emperor coming with an excited expression.
The fox misunderstood what someone said about a windfall a while ago by saying that the emperor was coming, and he went down the mountain to gather a lot of raspberries to give to his friend. As the two nights passed, the fox was hungry and ate some raspberries. After a few more days, the raspberries smelled badly. The friend did come in the end. The fox cried lonely and had to go back to the mountain.
In fact, it was common for foxes to listen to people wrong. But today it was real. Upon hearing the news, the fox went up to the top of the mountain. As it looked at a wide street in the middle of the village in the distance, it saw people crowding to see something. The fox quickly realized that the mood was different from usual.
And after a while, it could see many people walking in line towards the Imperial Palace. The fox’s precious person was said to be particularly large among humans, so the fox could easily find him at the front of the procession.
Something it felt like he was looking this way. Of course, he has a lot of humans who like him, and he is the head of humans, so as soon as he comes home after a long time, he may not even think of a little fox like himself…. stil… .
Just looking at it, its heart pounded. The fox kept watching him until his friend disappeared inside the palace. And quickly ran down the mountain. If it knew this would happen, it would catch the rabbit in advance. The fox got impatient.
The fox’s precious person did not like the mice. Since he is the head of humans, it seems that such a small animal does not come into view. A chicken caught from a human village noticed and scolded like a ghost.
However, he praised him for being good when she caught the rabbit. She wanted to see him smiling brightly. Her friend groomed the rabbit in front of the fox and gave him the fox’s favorite rabbit leg. the fox remembered the rabbit burrows he has seen before, and quickly ran there.
However, all rabbit dens were empty. tears came from the fox’s eyes. It’s been a long time today, so after giving a nice gift, she wanted to stroke her heard with those warm, shiny hands….
A good idea came to the mind of the urgent fox. Burrowing the dadger’s den!
Badger is strong and eats a lot, so why not store a lot of game in the oyster! It’s ridiculous considering the badger’s habits, but as a fox who always runs away from the badger, she don’t know anything like that.
Eventually, the fox was in danger of drying while snooping around the badger’s den.
“Kung! Kung! Rush… …. Kung!”
“Beep… …!”
The angry badger barks fiercely as he follows the fox. It seemed that her breath was reaching this far. She scared, so she think sh’ll close her eyes now.
If caught, she would die. And it was clear that she would be caught soon. Even without looking back, she felt that the distance between the two was narrowing.
Tears poured out of the fox’s eyes. Although the time was in an urgent situation; the view was blurred. She’s out of breath and her legs gradually lose strengh.
“Big …. … Kung!”
And when she thought it was over; her neck was caught. The fox closed its eyes as she felt her body being lifted up.
No way she would die like this. The precious person of the fox glanced in front of her eyes.
“Esther?”
Oh, even the voice! The fox’s mouth was wide open.
At that time, she heard a badger barking.
“Kung! Kung!”
“…. ….”
Caesar held Esther in his arms and stared at the badger. A large badger roared and barked as if threatening him.
The badger couldn’t easily rush to him. He’s just a frail human with a large body and no sharp claws. Why the hell? The growl of the badger gradually decreased.
A strange feeling of pressure is felt in the dark eyes. The badger turned away coldly as if when he was so angry.
Caesar slowly stroked Esther, trembling in his arms. As she take time to sweep her throat with his big hand, she slowly find her energy. She made a while sound, and then immediately touched his chest with both front feet and raised herself.
Caesar smiled as if he was trying to check her face. It was the second time he came to the capital and laughed. Of course, the first time he laughed was when he thought of his fox.
“Esther, how are you?”
“King! (Yes! Your Majesty!)”
The big, amber pupils put it all. Esther looked at him for a while, and then quickly rushed to him. Like dogs, she licked his face with a long tongue. She shakes her abundant tail vigorously, as if it was pleasant.
“It tickles, Esther…..”
“King! Go!”
Casar laughed out loud while avoiding Esther’s tongue. If the other dog had done this, he would have thrown it away, but he was holding Esther tightly.
Caesar doesn’t like animals. Not only the hound, but also the words that other cherished like comrades did not give heart. But this red fox was different.
“Esther, are you hungry?”
“King! (Yeah!)”
He carefully laid Esther down on the ground. Then he took the chicken leg out of his arm. As Esther looked at him, he smiled as he saw her eyes wide open.
The accumulated saliva drips from the mouth. His tense tail fluttered. Caesar did not make fun of Esther. He quickly handed the chicken leg to Esther.
As she was hungry, Esther quickly broke a big chicken leg. Caesar quickly pulled out the second chicken leg.
He stocked Esther’s back, eating a chicken leg. In the middle of the back, there was a sacr the size of a fingernail that was barely noticeable not if you touch it with your hand. Among the foxes of this species, Esther boasted a uniquely rich and strong fur, but no hair grew of the scar.
The laughter gradually disappeared from Caesar’s mouth, sweeping Esther’s back.
***
In the fall of 16 years ago, 8-year-old Caesar realized his stupidity.
“I would rather go to a place with many people.”
It was common for Caesar to secretly escape the Imperial palace and shoot the streets because Caesar was insidious. Someone who steps after Caesar is also.
Most of them were those who were by Caesar’s mother, the Vespasian swordsman Titus, for escort purposes. But today, it was different.
“I would care about things like me.”
Caesar is far short than his brothers and sisters.But it can’t be helped. Honestly, Caesar wasn’t angry.
With his sister right above, Caesar is a child over ten years old. It wasn’t until a while ago that it was for the first time in his life that he was a child who officially held an iron sword with the permission of his teacher. It is incomparable to the brothers and sisters who have already become adults and are revered as heroes of the empire by accumulating achievements in various fields.
Even if the disadvantage is due to the difference in age.
“Your Majesty is more extraordinary than anyone else.”
“Then I have to be more lazy.”
Although extraordinary, Caesar was a human, and time doesn’t wait for humans. It was a situation where the old Empeeor did not know when to cross the Styx River. As early as tomorrow, no maybe tonight.
The Emperor was greedy. He sat on the throne, hoping to close his eyes. He promised no future throne to any of his children. Even the most beloved child, the second prince Xenon, the second prince Ariadne, who confiscated the power of the temple, and even the first prince Augustus, who occupied the Renanisa peninsula, have never heard anything similar to a successor from the emperor. In other words, everyone can become the next emperor.