My consciousness escaped the dream.

The memories of unknown origin were fading away.

I found myself lying on the chair, drenched in sweat, when I opened my eyes.
Similarly, Ei was sitting down, soaked in sweat, while Aria looked at me worriedly.

“Are you okay, Brother?”

With a concerned expression, Aria wiped my sweat with a towel.
I slowly sat up and looked at Ei.

“Ei.”
“Lord Edward.”

We called out to each other and nodded slightly.
Then I turned to Aria.

“I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness.”

Finally, Aria wiped away the sweat on her forehead as well.

“Could you excuse us for a moment?”
“Excuse…?”
“I need to talk to this gentleman for a moment.”

With a puzzled expression, Aria nodded and walked up the stairs leading to the ground.

When the footsteps were no longer audible, I turned to Ei.
She was also looking at me.

She spoke first.

“What was that memory…?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Anya Brontë killed you.”
“You saw it too, didn’t you?”
“Of course. Reading memories is my specialty.”

Ei squinted her eyes.

“No one can have memories of their own death. Can you explain what happened?”
“…I don’t know.”
“What?”

Why would that be in my memories?

There were two possible explanations I could infer.

The first was that memories of reading the original work were within me.

Indirect memories are still memories.
For example, watching a good movie or reading an unforgettable quote.

But that explanation would be odd.
If my memories before coming to this world had remained, I would have seen more about Earth.
But no other memories remained.

So, there was only one answer.
Only the memories from the original work remained in Edward’s memories.

But how could that be possible?
Did Edward die and come back to life?

There wasn’t enough information.

“Could you reread the memories? That way, we might find out.”

Ei shook her head.

“It’s not possible right now.”
“Why?”
“Reading memories means delving deep into your subconscious. It’s not an easy task.”
“So, you’re saying it’s impossible for you? Should we find someone else?”
“No.”

She slowly shook her head.

“It’s not me, Edward. You’re the issue. To put it simply, it harms your mind.”
“My mind?”
“Yes. Having someone invade your consciousness consumes a lot of physical and mental energy.”

It was exactly as she said.
After Ei read my memories, lethargy enveloped my body.

“So, does that mean you can’t read the memories again?”
“No. It’s possible. But you’ll have to wait about a month… No, at least a month.”
“Damn.”

I thought I had found a clue, but now I was left with more questions.

Ei approached me and took my wrist.

“Promise me you won’t let anyone else read your memories. It’s really dangerous.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”

We promised to meet at the same place in a month and parted ways.

I got into the car immediately and started heading towards the Edward Company’s eastern factory.
Sinking into the car seat, I lost myself in thought.

If Edward’s memories were indeed actual events…

Why did Ania bury Edward alive?
And why would that memory remain in this body?

I’ll know everything in a month.

Whatever the truth may be, one thing is sure.
I will never leave Ania’s side.

***

The Imperial Capital, Khaledvar.

Sitting quietly in the study of the palace towering in the center of the vast city, a man looking out the window let out a soft sigh.

“Is something troubling you?”

At the aide’s question, Eldrigan Lionheart sighed again.

“Don’t you have any worries?”
“Well… With the Empire so peaceful, what worries could there be…”
“Peace?”

Eldrigan muttered under his breath, and the aide quickly closed his mouth and bowed his head.

“Can your two eyes only see peace?”
“…I apologize.”

Eldrigan, glaring at the aide as if to kill him, turned his gaze back out the window.

The sun was shining down, illuminating the capital.

At first glance, it might seem like a peaceful city, but Eldrigan knew endless battles were raging beyond the sun’s reach.

Since Eldrigan ascended to the throne, Imperial authority had been crumbling by the day,
And with the rise of new entrepreneurs, enormous businesses had grown beyond what the crown could control.

As a result, the nobles, once powerful, were becoming increasingly impoverished, and the arrows of resentment were aimed at the peasants of the estates.

The peasants were not the only ones affected.
Even the city’s freemen suffered significant losses due to the sharp competition between businessmen and nobles.

Furthermore, the balance between the Emperor’s and anti-Emperor faction nobles began to crumble.

It was thanks to the success of Edward Company’s internal combustion engine business.
It became the most prominent company, rising to the top of the Empire’s wealth.

Rumors spread in social circles that Edward, the company’s president, was in cahoots with Eldrigan.

The rumor that the wealthiest noble was in league with the Emperor was news to the anti-Emperor faction nobles.
The betrayal of some of the Emperor’s faction nobles felt made them turn against the Emperor.

So, the balance was broken.

The anti-Emperor faction nobles were always ready to split the Empire in half and start a war.

That was the current state of the Empire.

A massive struggle amid peace.
And from that struggle would arise a colossal butterfly effect.

The calm before the storm.
A great war would soon divide the Empire and engulf the continent.
And if that were to happen… Countless people would be injured and killed.

Eldrigan let out a soft sigh.

He didn’t want to see bloodshed.
The ideal form of the Empire he desired was not this.
A country where everyone could be equal and happy.
A place where no one was hungry or in pain and where anyone could live happily.

But it wasn’t easy.
Eldrigan realized soon after ascending to the throne that it was just an ideal.

Ruling the Empire as an Emperor was not simply relying on absolute power to solve everything.

It was a precarious task of steering a giant ship where countless people’s interests and desires clashed sharply, only to sink if tipped too far on one side.

He was confident he could do anything when he was the Crown Prince.

But only after his father passed away did Eldrigan realize how exceptional he was.

“I am truly incompetent,” Eldrigan sighed, causing his aide to prostrate on the floor.

“Your Majesty, I will repent for my comments earlier!”

He wanted to give up everything.
But Eldrigan couldn’t let go, knowing that if he did, countless citizens of the Empire would become lost wanderers.

“What would that man do at a time like this?”

Eldrigan thought of Edward.

A man who rose after his own fall.
He would have been a great advisor if he had kept him by his side.

But it was too late for regrets.

If only he hadn’t made the wrong choices and had been more careful in his decisions, could he have remained good friends with him?

“That will be all; you may leave.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After dismissing the aide, Eldrigan retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked the bottommost drawer.

Inside lay items he hadn’t touched until now.
But it was time.

To avoid losing more, he had to relinquish what he possessed.

Eldrigan slowly unfolded the sealed document from the drawer.

[Declaration of Abolishment of the Royal Family]

A way to restore the distorted Empire.
It wasn’t that difficult.
All he had to do was read what was written in this document.

To divide the rights held by the Empire, by the Royal family, among the nobles.
To grant them voting rights and renounce the royal family’s authority, which was linked by blood.

In doing so, the greed of the nobles, who sought to obtain anything they could, could be subdued.
And then, at least, armed conflicts between the nobles could be avoided.

But the outcome was predictable.

This, too, was not a solution.
He had to prevent the seeds of future turmoil from sprouting.

Eldrigan let out a small sigh under the heavy burden on his shoulders.
He couldn’t tell whether his choices were right or wrong.

But he had to reach out and act.

Like Edward.