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Episode 148: Playtime (I)
A pretentious sweetness filled the corners of Johann’s eyes.
“What did Deborah say?”
At that obvious question, a faint smile touched Berylia’s lips.
“I ruined her because she watched the scene where the Archduke and I had our ‘secret affair’.”
“Oh my.”
Deborah really did exactly what he said!
When Johann thought of the shame and surprise she must have felt, a subtle pleasure came over him, but he deliberately covered his mouth as if he was caught off guard.
“It must have happened without my knowledge.”
How pleasant it was to shiver sweet hypocrisy.
Berylia’s eyes seemed to pierce strangely.
“Are you not aware of this at all?”
“Not at all.”
“

.”
Wouldn’t it be easier to establish a connection with Deborah if he said he knew it too?
So Johann pretended he didn’t know anything about this.
“That’s too much
 Your Majesty, I didn’t know.”
Those words elicited a very unexpected reaction.
Berylia’s expression hardened coldly and stabbed him with sharp words.
“I didn’t say something to the Archduke, how can that be the case?”
“

”
She said as she leisurely picked up the car that Melfis had brought.
“Maybe we were lovers without trust.”
“!”
Johann’s heart pounded.
How much effort did he put in to win her faith so far.
He couldn’t let it fly away like this.
“No, but Your Majesty could have done such a ‘small’ thing on your own without having to tell me.”
“Hmm.”
Beryllia snorted lightly and nodded once.
It had always been difficult to fully grasp her innermost thoughts, but at this moment he had no idea what she was thinking, like a dark and deep river.
That fact made Johann very nervous.
Just then, Berylia opened her mouth, and what came out was like an angelic deliverance from heaven.
“It could be. Anyway, I’ve come to believe that we were lovers.”
‘It’s cute too.’
The corners of John’s lips rose slowly.
“However.”

However?
Beryllia laid down her glass slowly and looked at him.
“There’s something strange. Why did I choose an ‘Archduke’?”
“

What do you mean?”
“I’ve always felt a strong attraction to men’s ‘power’.”
“
Was that so?”
Johann’s eyebrows rose slightly.
If he had known such a strategy was viable, it would have appealed so earlier.
“Rixus currently has half the crown, but if I wait, he will become ‘Emperor’ in the future.”
“
.
”
“But why did I choose the Archduke? In your lifetime, you would not be able to escape the position of number two.”
“!”
“I was pretty foolish before I lost my memory. To have fun playing with fire while taking the risk of losing the great ‘emperor’ of the future.”
“
Berylia.”
Johann was perplexed to the point that he could not even respond to the words that trampled on his pride.
He had no idea she would think so.
Berylia took a bite of the sweet chocolate presented as dessert, she said with a refreshing smile.
“So, let’s break up.”
“!?”
He was dumped coolly. Just five minutes after he thought he had won her heart.
It felt like she was going to be in his grasp, but this soon?
“I came here today because I wanted to say this

“Wait!”
No matter how important it was for Johann to keep his composure, the corners of his mouth trembled.
Standing in front of her who was about to get up and leave, Johann said urgently.
“If that’s the case, of course you should choose me over that idiot! Berylia.”
“Why?”
Berylia asked without blinking an eye.
Buzz—
At that moment, a black aura rose like a flower of fire on Johann’s body. Berylia’s expression slowly hardened.
Despite his appearance, Johann was conflicted for a moment. How far could he tell her?
He couldn’t let her go like this.
He wanted a woman that he couldn’t have even in the seven previous lives that he couldn’t remember. And he’s been desperately wanting again.
‘
This time, I will make you a companion who will enjoy eternal life together with me.’
Johann was ready to do anything if he could steal Berylia’s heart.
At first, he placed blue roses on her body, thinking it was okay for her to be eroded by the power of Toulouse and become his puppet companion.
But as he faced Berylia over and over again, he realized that it wasn’t what he wanted.
What he wanted was the present-day Berylia.
So he wanted to make her choose him at will. This piled-up desire was more like ‘madness’.
Soon, Johann licked Berylia’s ear and seduced her with a low-pitched voice, revealing his strength.
“With the power of the ‘corrupted demon’ Toulouse
 if you wish, I can turn the world upside down in a week.”
Her eyes shook.
“Even at this moment, I’m getting stronger, my queen.”
“
.
”
“If you want power, I’ll give you Johann Toulouse, the emperor of the five continents.”
Berylia’s blood grew cold.
‘
More than expected, he was a much more dangerous person.’
The operation worked. By trampling, stimulating and inducing him, he revealed his true nature.
However, the reality of Johann revealed in that way was that he was a wicked man with a dizzyingly intense desire.
To be honest, it was more than she expected.
“No, in fact, even if you don’t want it, it will happen soon.”
“
What do you mean?”
“I’m saying that there’s no such thing as Rixus becoming emperor.”
Johann had a face that expressed he wanted to confide in his plans, but

His unique caution was being demonstrated even at this moment.
Berylia felt her heart pounding and the tips of her fingers cooling, but she maintained a sober expression on her face.
Now, she should only look like a woman who coldly evaluated the value of the man she would choose.
She looked at Johann, smiled softly, and provoked.
“How can I understand if you convince me with such vague words?”
“

That.”
She thought he was a little surprised, but when she came out like this, Johann had a rather bewildered look on his face.
In front of a woman who he wanted to have, but who kept getting colder, of course, Johann could only get nervous.
“A man who bluffs is the worst, Archduke.”
“No, wait.”
As he blocked Berylia again, who was about to get past him, Johann wiped his mouth in embarrassment.
Then he sighed lightly.
‘You put me on the palm of your hand and play with me.’
Despite knowing everything, he had no choice but to dance happily on it, and there was nothing he could do about it.
She was so intensely seductive.
“Then let me give you a hint, my queen.”
“
.
”
“At the ‘gate’ of the Illuminati Mountains, a frequency called ‘receive the new emperor’ is being shot towards the demons. The emperor is me.”
“!”
That was the message the frequency sent. That was why a monster came to the Imperial Palace.
Where the new emperor was!
‘What dimension is the ‘door’ through which that frequency comes out?’
‘What happens when that door opens?’
Berylia had not just one or two questions, but it seemed that Johann had reached the limit already today.
If that statement was true, he had already told her a lot of dangerous information.
‘Johann is not stupid.’
He would already know that she was taunting him.
He said all these knowing so and without choice, because he was the one who had regrets in this relationship.
If she pried too much, he could completely doubt her intentions today.
So, the question she could raise was just this.
“The proof?”
“
You’re really thorough.”
Berylia responded as naturally as running water.
“Rixus shared a report with me. A ‘frequency’ is projected from the Illuminati Mountains toward demonic ones.”
“
Then doesn’t that mean I’m speaking the truth?”
“No. Doesn’t that mean that anyone who wields the magic of a demon can make a bluff based on that information?”
The constant accusation of bluff was severely trampling on his pride.
Johann gnawed at his molars and stared at her.
“
If you decide that I’m better than Rixus, will you choose me?”
“Johann.”
Berylia let out a small laugh.
As though he was cute.
Unable to read the intention at all, Johann looked at her expression.
It was a really important question for him.
Before she lost her memory, she always chose Rixus.
“I’ve already lost my memory. I forgot how much I liked you.”
“

”
“And I have two men.”
Her pretty lips whispered.
“So, of course, wouldn’t it be right to weigh each value and choose the one that will give me greater power? 
I don’t want to leave my future to garbage.”
Johann looked at her and thought.
If she was weighing him and Rixus on her hands, he himself must be more valuable and heavier.
“That frequency comes from the deepest foothills of the Illuminati, a valley called Molanto.”
This was information no one knew.
“Send a search party of Spinel there to find it, my queen.”
He whispered in her ear.
“There can be no more convincing ‘evidence’ than that.”
‘So choose me, please.’
At his whispers of earnestness and destructive obsession, Berylia kept a cold expression like that of a frozen lake.
“I’ll take a look. Get out of the way.”
“!”
Berylia patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the door.
‘Why? Are you leaving again?’
Johann hastily followed.
‘Are you going to Rixus again? To that damn bastard!’
“Your Majesty the Queen!”
That was then.
Berylia’s hand landed softly on his cheek.
It was the first time she had touched him on her own accord, so Johann’s pupils shook greatly.
“The next time we meet, Archduke
”
Her hand gently ran down his cheek and lifted his chin.
“Try to be coy to my liking.”
“!”
“Wouldn’t that make you look cute?”
Giving him whimsical orders, the queen left him and exited the parlor. As when she came to his side, covering herself with a cloak.
Johann’s heart pounded as if it was about to burn at the sight of platinum blonde hair flowing into the dark cloth.
If he held out his hand just a little bit, he thought she would be caught.
His regret and sorrow were filled with desperation, and it was driving him crazy.
Melfis watched his master like that and said,
“Aren’t you revealing something too sensitive?”
“

I know.”
It felt like a field on fire all day long, and it felt as if she had blown like a strong wind and burned him down like crazy.
Johann wiped his throat and gently touched his lips as if something was lingering.
“But it’s worth it. If Berylia chooses me
”
This time, he could hold her in his hand. It was right in front of him.
“My plan is going to be perfect.”
So, he had to take the risk to be chosen.
Of course, preparations for the ‘perfect plan’ could not stop here.
Now that Toulouse left for Marsephone, Johann had something to look into.
“Call Madam Deborah right now. Tell her she has something to do.”
* * *
Swish—
Wearing the invisibility cloak, I was walking down the corridors of the Imperial Palace.
Eventually, I stood near Rixus’ room and looked at the door for a moment.
‘How do I get in?’
I came here with my identity hidden, so I couldn’t confidently ask the doorkeeper to open the door.
But then, the door opened and a servant came out. I took the opportunity and narrowly entered Rixus’ room.
Then I quickly took off the cloak, revealing my identity, and shoved his chest fiercely, pushing him against the wall.
Tuk—
Having seen me, Rixus did not resist and leaned his back against the wall.
“
Berylia?”
He was surprised to see his wife suddenly appearing from thin air, but in the meantime, he was supporting her with his big hands in case she fell.
I exclaimed urgently.
“Molanto, it was Molanto!”
“What?”
“The ‘source’ where the frequencies are coming from in the Illuminati Mountains. He said there’s a ‘gate’ there, Rixus.”
Ame: *smirks* it’s the beginning of your end, Johann.
Dea: Let the sky Johann fall!