The Tyrant's Happy Ending - Chapter 2.1
“Yernen.”
“Yes.”
“Now, do you understand what the oath of divine blood means?”
“Yes.”
Yernen absentmindedly answered as he fiddled with the golden toy in his hands, not paying much attention to the voice calling him.
“Are you bored?”
“Yes.”
“You little rascal.”
A large hand gently ruffled Yernen’s small head, as if finding him endearing.
“But if you want to become emperor, you must learn to endure such tedious moments.”
Yernen pouted.
‘The emperor… I don’t even want to become one.’
His father always repeated the phrase, “To be emperor, you must…” as if it were his favorite saying.
“My brother will be the emperor, not me.”
“Haha!”
A hearty laugh rang out.
“You dismiss so lightly the position that everyone in the world desires.”
“It’s not exactly a nuisance, but aren’t there laws and traditions?”
Yernen, still playing with his toy, responded in an indifferent tone.
“Omegas can’t become emperor.”
“Hmm.”
Beynon stroked his neatly groomed beard thoughtfully.
“But Yernen, isn’t there Rosina, who inherited the marquisate even though she’s both a woman and an Omega? And don’t forget the late Duke Fortnum, who once ruled the seas, was also an Omega. There are so many Omegas and women who have risen to the head of their families that you could fill a whole book with their names, yet here you are, spouting rules that seem like they should have ended three hundred years ago.”
His large hand gently tugged at Yernen’s small lips in a playful manner. Yernen slapped his father’s hand away with a sharp smack.
“Stop it, Father.”
“Haha!”
Despite Yernen’s cheeky attitude, Beynon simply gazed down at his youngest son, who sat on his lap, kicking his legs with defiance, with eyes full of affection.
“Whatever position they may hold, it’s their free will. If a person is talented, it’s only right they find their place. But the royal family is different, isn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. You’re going to say that since we’re descendants of the gods, we must uphold laws and customs and serve as an example for others, right?”
“You already know, but you still like to tease me,” Yernen said.
“But Yernen, consider this.”
“Consider what?” Yernen asked, still sounding uninterested. Growing tired of playing with his toy, he boldly set it down with a loud clunk on top of the emperor’s documents and looked up to meet his father’s gaze.
“Isn’t it possible that someone, even if they are an Omega, might want to be emperor?”
“…….”
“And the future royals will need someone they can look up to as a role model.”
Yernen parted his lips, his voice steady.
“There’s a rule of primogeniture. I have two older brothers, both perfectly capable. Why should I have to take on this troublesome role?”
At this, Beynon gave his forehead a light tap.
“Alright, alright. You win.”
“I’m bored now, so I’ll be going. I have a tea appointment with my sister, and not even you, Father, can interrupt that.”
“Well then, may I make an appointment with you for this same time tomorrow?”
Yernen’s delicate brow furrowed slightly.
Beynon sighed. His intention had been to offer early guidance on what it means to be emperor, but he understood it must have been tiresome for a child.
“I’m not asking you to come back to the office to spend time with me. Tomorrow, someone who could be your future fiancé is visiting the palace. Don’t you think it would be fitting for you to meet and assess them?”
Yernen’s large eyes widened, and the boredom in his expression vanished, replaced by excitement.
“Am I finally getting a subordinate?”
“No… not a subordinate, a fiancé…”
But Yernen didn’t seem to hear his father’s words, already thrilled at the idea of having a subordinate.
He jumped up, standing on Beynon’s legs, and gave him a kiss on the cheek—something he only did when he was in an exceptionally good mood—before hopping back down.
“Wonderful! Thank you for giving me a subordinate, Father! I’ll be going now!”
With light, almost dancing steps, Yernen exited Beynon’s office like a fluttering butterfly.
“Not a subordinate… a fiancé…” Beynon muttered to himself with a chuckle. Still, he thought, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing. After all, anyone marrying the emperor’s precious youngest son would inevitably end up serving him, wouldn’t they?
‘With Yernen’s personality, it’s bound to end up that way no matter who it is.’
Beynon couldn’t help but think that, as well.
A shadow fell over his eyes. It truly was a pity. It wasn’t just because Yernen was his most beloved child; Yernen was, by far, the most exceptional of his offspring. Among his other children, Yernen stood out distinctly.
That’s why Beynon firmly believed that Yernen should be the one to succeed him.
It was the best path for everyone.
However, Yernen himself showed little interest—far too little, in fact. In a way, it was Yernen’s lack of ambition that helped maintain peace within the royal family, but still, Beynon couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed.
‘Harriet leans too much on his maternal family.’
Most people believed that Harriet, his Alpha son from his second wife, would inherit the throne. Yet Beynon wasn’t fond of Harriet. He was too dependent on his maternal family to carry on the legacy of the empire. That’s why it had to be Yernen.
Well… all of this was a matter for the distant future. Beynon was still young and vigorous. He’d likely live to see all four of his children married with children of their own. It was too early to be worrying about this.
Though Yernen seemed uninterested now, a child’s heart could change several times in just one night. Given time, Yernen’s feelings would surely evolve.
“Oh my, it’s been a while, Your Highness.”
“…What is this?”
Yernen, who had been enjoying a pleasant tea time with his sister Cecile, scrunched his face in displeasure at the sudden visitor.
It was Lizzie, the fiancée of his eldest brother, Harriet.
“I was on my way from seeing Her Majesty the Empress and heard you two were having tea, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Yernen’s expression soured, making it clear he wasn’t pleased. While he adored his eldest brother, he didn’t feel the same way about Harriet’s fiancée. Lizzie had a habit of touching him while calling him cute, and every time she did, it made him feel uncomfortably dirty.
Though he had promised his mother and sister not to show his distaste too openly—since they were soon to be family—Yernen responded by simply staying silent.
“You’re as adorable as ever, Your Highness.”
As Lizzie reached out to touch Yernen’s face again, he slapped her hand away.
“Yernen…!” Cecile whispered, her voice small. Lizzie’s pale hand turned red from the slap.
“I told you not to touch me.”
“Lizzie, I’m sorry. Yernen’s still young…”
Cecile forced a smile as she apologized to Lizzie.
“Oh… it’s alright,” Lizzie replied, not seeming particularly upset, just strangely unfazed. Seeing her expression only worsened Yernen’s mood.
‘That look… it makes me feel sick.’
Everything about Lizzie made his skin crawl—her expressions, her touch. Though Yernen was too young to fully understand the meaning behind her actions, his instincts told him something was off, and it made him deeply uncomfortable.
“Your Highness, it’s almost time for you to meet with His Majesty,” Dave, Yernen’s personal servant, quickly interjected, noticing the sharp decline in Yernen’s mood. He tried to shift Yernen’s focus, but Lizzie, oblivious to the tension, looked irritated by Dave’s intervention.
“Hm…? Why is there a barbarian here?” she asked, glancing at Dave.
“…?”
“What…?”
Yernen looked puzzled, while Cecile turned to Lizzie, shocked by what she’d said.
“He’s a Northerner, isn’t he?”
“…What?”
Lizzie was the eldest daughter of the Merrion family, rulers of the East.
Nobles from the Empire’s origins in the East and South prided themselves on being ‘civilized,’ and they often openly referred to Northerners, who were integrated into the Empire much later, as barbarians.
While commoners had long since abandoned regional discrimination, thanks to increased interaction, certain high-ranking nobles clung to their superiority complex and looked down on Northerners.
This disdain only grew as Northern nobles became wealthier and more influential due to their booming mining industry.
Yernen’s mother, Empress Roxie, hailed from the Marchioness Mariaju family, whose lands were located in the central region, though their territory bordered the North. Naturally, Roxie maintained close ties with Northern families. Many of her trusted palace attendants, including her head lady-in-waiting, were from the North.
Roxie had even appointed Dave, the son of her trusted head attendant, to serve Yernen, preparing him to assist Yernen in the future.
Yernen, influenced by his mother, held no bias against Northerners. In fact, he believed it was improper for noble families, who were meant to serve equally in the royal household, to create divisions among themselves. To him, Lizzie’s remark was incredibly rude.