The ruling family of the Dragonia Empire, the Zainburg lineage, had been plagued by many threats over the years. Emperors struggled to produce many offspring for unknown reasons, and the few children they did have were often lost to power struggles, assassination attempts by nobles, or attacks from foreign countries.

As a result, the Zainburg family became a rare case of having only direct blood relatives, a peculiar structure that many found concerning, but no improvements were made.

Approximately five years ago, Emperor Frank Zainburg suddenly died from an illness before he could name a successor, causing a major crisis. His death was so sudden that he hadn’t designated an heir, and there were no other legitimate candidates with strong claims.

The Zainburg family lineage had effectively ended.

The Empire plunged into chaos.

Members of the Zainburg royal family were known for two major traits. They were born with red hair and red eyes, said to be proof of the Red Dragon’s blood running through their veins, and the "Sword of the Bloodline," which rested before the Imperial throne, could only be drawn by someone of the Zainburg family. If anyone outside the Zainburg bloodline tried to pull it, the sword would remain in place.

For centuries, even the Zainburg family couldn’t draw the sword, but the tradition of red hair and red eyes continued to pass down, making these traits the symbol of the Zainburg dynasty.

When word spread that the throne was vacant, people with red hair from all over the Empire flocked to the capital, claiming to be of Zainburg descent.

One man, whose red eyes were a result of albinism and who had dyed his hair red, caused a stir. Another ambitious noble lost his sight attempting to dye his eyes red.

With countless claimants to the throne, nobles picked sides based on their own interests, forming factions. With no way to prove who truly carried Zainburg blood, these conflicts turned into power struggles between noble factions.

Then, suddenly, a young woman appeared—Luise Zainburg.

At the age of 24, she was among the youngest of the throne claimants. She hailed from the remote southern village of Steilberg, where she had lived as a farmer. Despite her humble background, she boasted fiery red hair and eyes, confidently claiming to be a distant relative of the royal family.

The idea that a royal could live in such a rural village and work as a farmer was laughable to most. But Luise quickly silenced their doubts.

She entered the Imperial Palace and, without hesitation, drew the Sword of the Bloodline, which hadn’t been lifted for over 200 years. The sword slid effortlessly into her hand.

When the legend’s sword, said to respond only to the Dragon’s blood within the Zainburg line, was drawn, the entire Empire was left in shock.

Other claimants tried to wield the sword in desperation, only to drop it, screaming in pain. With no further objections, Luise ascended to the throne.

The nobles, believing they could manipulate Luise due to her youth and lack of experience, saw this as an opportunity. They supported her, thinking she would be a puppet. However, Luise quickly put an end to the initial chaos with her natural charisma and sharp insight.

Particularly skilled at recognizing talent, Luise appointed numerous young nobles and officials to key positions. Those aligned with her became known as the "Emperor’s Faction."

The existing nobles, sensing a threat from the growing strength of the Emperor’s faction, banded together to form the "Noble Faction." However, after the failure of the Northern War, which the Noble Faction had spearheaded, their power diminished. Many neutral nobles began to switch sides, further strengthening Luise’s position.

As a result, Luise became one of the most powerful emperors in recent centuries. While not all of her supporters were fully loyal, outwardly, she appeared to wield absolute control over the Empire.

The Dragonia Empire, which had long struggled under divided authority, now had high hopes for Luise’s reign. She became the embodiment of the Empire’s dreams of glory, and even foreign nations closely monitored her every move.

This woman, who with a single word or gesture could move the Empire, was currently sprawled out on her bed, giggling as she read through documents.

Her blanket had been kicked onto the floor, and her nightgown hung loosely, half-buttoned, looking like it could slip off at any moment. She was a far cry from the dignified figure typically seen sitting gracefully upon the throne in her elegant robes.

The documents in her hands contained profiles of various candidates for positions in the Empire, including graduates of the Imperial Officer Academy and recommendations from current officials. Similar documents were scattered across her bedside table and the desk where she conducted official business.

**"Not bad. Hmm... not bad at all,"** Luise muttered as she read with intense focus.

One of Luise’s favorite hobbies was observing humans. It was a pastime so notorious among her kind that simply calling her "that crazy woman" was enough to identify her.

It had all started when she was still a young dragon, when she stumbled upon stories of humans. Tales of the founding emperor of the Dragonia Empire and the human hero Sieg captivated her.

Just as humans might marvel at the complex structure of an anthill, Luise became fascinated with the grand stories humans, one of the physically weaker races on the continent, managed to weave.

For decades, she devoured every legend about humans she could find. But at some point, she realized something—the figures in these stories were all strikingly similar.

A remarkable beginning, fame, the onset of a crisis, triumph over adversity, and a happy ending. The details varied, but the general structure was always the same.

Eventually, Luise grew bored with these tales. She no longer found inspiration in polished stories of greatness.

Instead, she became curious about the raw, unfiltered side of humanity—their true, unrefined nature.

Determined to immerse herself in human society, Luise carefully prepared and convinced her kin, who were concerned about her decision, by placing numerous restrictions on herself. Then, she waited for the right moment.

When the death of Dragonia’s previous emperor sparked chaos, Luise seized the opportunity to infiltrate human society.

At first, Luise found joy in watching the different facets of human behavior. But that joy didn’t last long. Many humans were crude and greedy, and those who lingered around her were often even worse.

Most of the people who called themselves "nobles" were either rude to her or outwardly kind but inwardly deceitful.

The heroic humans she longed to meet never appeared. And those few who seemed promising quickly vanished or became corrupted, like the rest.

This left her constantly thirsting for new talent. Luise clung to the hope that one day a true human hero would appear before her, so she continued to gather information on promising individuals.

She read through the files of potential recruits daily, imagining their lives and careers in the Empire. Though the cycle of hope and disappointment repeated endlessly, Luise’s persistence only grew stronger.

**"Hmm."**

Luise set down the document she was reading and rolled over, lifting her pillow. Beneath it was a thick bundle of papers tied neatly with a green ribbon. This particular bundle was thicker than the others, and on the cover, the name "Viktor, Ruth Kingdom" was written.

**"Yes, this one is the most intriguing,"** Luise murmured as she picked up the bundle and settled back into bed.

Recently, her attention had been entirely focused on this man named Viktor.

Viktor, the renowned general of the Ruth Kingdom, who had nearly secured victory in the Northern War. The story of an orphaned commoner rising to the position of supreme commander reignited a thrill in her that she hadn’t felt in years.

An orphan scraping by on the streets, who then graduated at the top of the military academy. From there, he was demoted and faced the trials of war, only to prove himself and rise to the position of supreme commander—a tale with all the makings of a legendary hero.

Luise had already read through Viktor’s file multiple times, but she couldn’t resist flipping through it again.

Though it would be several more days before Viktor arrived, Luise knew she would continue rereading his file every night until then.

Reports from Paul and other generals described Viktor as an extraordinary person, further heightening her anticipation.

Only a few days ago, she had received word that the negotiations had concluded, and Viktor would soon arrive. The thought of finally meeting him made her cheeks flush with excitement. She briefly recalled the advice of elders who warned against letting expectations grow too high, especially when there was still time left. But she quickly dismissed the thought.

Her reasoning was simple—if Viktor met her expectations, it would be wonderful. If he didn’t, well, then he would pay the price for his failure.

**"I can’t wait,"** Luise whispered, imagining what Viktor would be like when he finally stood before her.

---

At the same time, back in the Ruth Kingdom, Anna was deep in thought, looking over a pile of letters.

**"Do we really need to rebel?"** she murmured.

Anna had stayed behind to guard Viktor’s old quarters, at the request of his loyal soldiers. She stared at Viktor’s now-empty chair, which was slowly gathering dust.

Though Anna’s thoughts were increasingly leaning toward rebellion, she wasn’t sure how long that resolve would last. But for now, over ten thousand soldiers had gathered around her, willing to support her cause. Meanwhile, the nobles, who should have acted long ago, were content to spend their days drinking and feasting.

**"You probably can’t hear me anymore,"** she muttered as she ran her

 hand over the dust-covered surface of Viktor’s desk. The memory of his back as he was taken away resurfaced, and Anna slumped back into her seat, a sorrowful expression on her face.

A mountain of letters had accumulated on her desk, most of them expressing dissatisfaction with the Ruth Kingdom’s treatment of Viktor. Many even openly called for rebellion.

These letters gave Anna confidence—the events leading to Viktor’s handover to the Empire were a disaster, and many others shared her feelings.

**"General Anna, we’re ready whenever you give the order,"** a soldier standing nearby urged.

But Anna shook her head.

**"We’re not ready yet."**

She knew that once the rebellion started, there would be no turning back. If they rose up prematurely, the result would be their execution.

For the rebellion to succeed, they needed to eliminate all the nobles involved in Viktor’s betrayal. But were her troops truly prepared to face their former comrades, or to turn their blades against the nobles?

Not everyone who sent letters calling for action truly supported rebellion. Anna believed they needed to wait for a perfect justification, something so undeniable that it would force everyone to rise up together.

To obey Viktor’s last command—to live a long life—Anna needed a justification so strong that no one could question it.

**"We’ll wait,"** she muttered.

In a way, she had faith in the incompetence of the Ruth Kingdom’s nobles. She trusted that they would soon make yet another grave mistake, and when that time came, her rebellion would have its chance.