1.

One day, I woke up to find that I had become someone else.

I got up and absentmindedly realized that this was an unfamiliar place. So what should I do next? I had to look in the mirror. So I got up and approached the mirror. 

In the mirror was a young man with a paradoxical impression, with black hair down to his back and green eyes. That’s when I realized.

‘Ah, I’ve possessed someone!’

I had become one of the many people who have possessed others. But who is this person? First of all, judging by the clothes he’s wearing, he’s a nobleman. But the memory after that is hazy.

‘What should I do.’

As I tapped the mirror with my thin, white fingers, a sudden, urgent knocking sound was heard.

“Come in.”

As soon as the words were out, the door opened and a middle-aged man, pale as a sheet, came in and exclaimed,

“Lord Licht! Her Majesty the Empress has passed away!”

Licht slowly blinked his eyes. Her Majesty the Empress. Did I know someone like that? After a moment of confusion, I remembered who this Licht was.

Licht, the villain of the century who appeared in a fantasy novel. 

As soon as his sister, the Empress, died, he took his only nephew hostage and tried to become the ruler. He abused the Crown Prince and eventually met his end at the hands of the Grand Duke, the Emperor’s brother. Of course, the Emperor died before the Empress.

Perhaps he’s just a common villain. But  if that becomes my body, the story changes. Licht scratched his head.

According to the story, Licht, who is delighted by his sister’s death, should lead his own knights and raid the Imperial Palace. Go take your nephew hostage and show off your ambition a bit.

Although he would never have done so  if it were his usual personality, it seemed like he had to move now. Because if the story goes on like this, he might die without being able to do anything. Even now, there are already many things he has done.

Licht immediately ordered the middle-aged man, his butler Ein.

“Tell the knights to arm themselves and gather.”

There are knights in the Imperial Palace as well, but Licht had already created a situation where they had no choice but to scatter here and there. He’s quite cunning. It was a problem that the aftermath wasn’t neat though.

Anyway, thanks to that, there was only one group of knights left in the Imperial Palace. Even that was not a complete number. With that much, even the knights Licht currently has can handle them. You don’t have to win. It’s enough to just hold them off for a while.  If you can’t even do that, you can use the poison you prepared in advance.

The pride of the Debain Duchy, the Revierden Knights. When they stepped out of the mansion, they were waiting for their master in full armor.

“Lord Licht.”

The knight commander at the forefront opened his mouth. His name was Van. He was a man who had risen from the status of a slave to the position of knight commander in the eyes of the former Duke.

Because of that, he was always despised by Licht. Nevertheless, Van pledged his loyalty to Licht. Because he was the son of the former Duke.

“Today, you will face the Imperial Palace Knights.”

Some of them were shaken by the sudden words. But when Van’s gaze fell on them, they soon became docile.  If the knight commander is of slave origin, it’s understandable that they might be a bit lax, but how much did he torment them to make them like that?

“I won’t forgive you  if you lose.”

Licht, who threw out a single word, shrugged his shoulders and got on the carriage. Unlike the former Duke, who was a heavenly knight, Licht was weak. So it wasn’t easy even to ride a horse and run. That’s why he hated Van, who was favored by his father.

The more I think about it, the more memories come back fresh. It must be a speciality of possession.

The carriage and the knights ran along the well-maintained road. 

It wasn’t difficult to enter the Imperial Palace. No matter how bad the relationship between Licht and his sister, the Empress, was, they were still siblings. How could they turn away the younger brother who came to visit after hearing the news of his sister’s death, and the head of the Debain Duchy, who was recognized throughout the empire?

The path that was heading to the Imperial Palace smoothly was blocked almost at the Crown Prince’s quarters.

“You can’t go any further.”

The Imperial Palace’s 1st Knights. The Emperor’s knights blocked the way. Looking at them, Licht smiled leisurely.

“I came to take care of my nephew after hearing about my sister’s death, and you’re blocking me?”

“Are you really here to take care of him?”

His words were not at all credible, with the knights behind him.

“That’s right. I don’t know why you’re doubting my sincerity.”

At Licht’s words, the Imperial Palace’s knight commander’s expression hardened. The brazen bastard. He’s so honest that you can read his thoughts on his face.

He’s definitely brazen. He had a terrible relationship with his sister. Even a passing dog knew that he didn’t come here purely to pay his respects.

“It’s sad to be doubted.”

Licht gestured to Van. At the same time, they rushed at the Imperial Palace Knights. They had no intention of killing them. It was enough to just incapacitate them. And the Revierden Knights had the ability to do that. The current knights, steeped in peace, are too soft.

As expected, it didn’t take long for the Imperial Palace Knights to be pushed back. It’s the difference between those who stake their lives and those who don’t. The knight commander, Alex, shouted in anger, but to no avail.

“Th-this is treason!”

As  if he didn’t know that when he rushed in. Licht spat out the proper words.

“No. This is because you’re blocking an uncle who’s going to see his nephew. Treason, what a scary thing to say.”

He then calmly opened the door to the Crown Prince’s quarters. When the lavish door opened, a rather cute and cozy room came into view.

‘This is Maia’s taste.’

Somehow, it feels unpleasant. It seems like he’s rapidly assimilating with the body. Licht went inside as he was. As he headed towards what was presumed to be the living room, he saw a child sitting on a large chair.

The sparkling red-gold hair resembled the former Emperor, and the blue eyes resembled his sister. His appearance was a nice mix of the two, but perhaps because he was still young, there was baby fat on his cheeks.

Licht approached the child a little closer.

‘Glutinous rice cake.’

Looking at the child, he somehow thought of glutinous rice cakes. White and soft glutinous rice cakes. But to completely call him a glutinous rice cake, he was a bit thin.

“Duke Licht. What is this impudent act!”

Although young, it seems that the blood of the Emperor doesn’t go anywhere. The way he shouts is quite fierce. Like a baby lion.

Licht trembled slightly. Then he rummaged through his pocket and grasped what was inside. After that, he knelt in front of the child, the only Crown Prince of this country, Theodore.

“Your Highness Theodore.”

He was so cute he could die. He wanted to pinch those glutinous rice cake-like cheeks. His heart was pounding with a pleasant flutter.

“Do you like sweets?”

At the sudden question, Theodore’s eyes grew round.

“If,  if you’re trying to insult me.”

Licht spread Theodore’s palm and placed a beautifully wrapped candy on it. His palm is also small and lovely!

“I think Your Highness needs to gain some more weight.”

“Wh-what do you mean by that!”

He tried to muster up dignity, but it was already too late. The large blue eyes rolled around to look at the candy placed on his palm.

“It’s a strawberry jam cookie.”

It was procured from a famous confectionery in the capital, so the taste was sure to be good.

“…Is it poisoned?”

Theodore raised a natural question.

“Is it suspicious?”

The blue eyes rolled around again.

The Empress panicked to the point of having a fit when Licht approached her son. So there was no memory of properly looking at him, but seeing him like this, he was cute.

“Then how about this?”

Licht split the round strawberry jam cookie in half. Then he placed one half on Theodore’s hand and said,

“Half is for Your Highness.”

Then he lightly touched the other half to his own lips.

“Half is for me. Isn’t this okay?”

Theodore, who ended up holding half of the strawberry jam cookie in his hand, rolled his eyes. It was only half a cookie. But it seemed to be appealing to him. However, Licht pretended not to know and asked,

“Do you dislike sweets?”

“…Not particularly.”

“Then?”

“Mother said that to become a great emperor, I should stay away from sweets.”

Is that so?  If it was Licht’s sister, she was a woman who would do more than that. Theodore, who grew up with everything restricted like that, does become a great emperor later on.

A cool-headed, strong, and righteous king. But isn’t that a bit boring? What’s the fun in becoming an emperor by sacrificing your entire childhood?

Licht put his share of the strawberry jam cookie in his mouth and bit it with his teeth. Then the cookie crumbled and harmonized with the strawberry jam made from freshly picked strawberries, boasting a fantastic sweetness.

As expected of a famous confectionery’s sweets. Throwing out a light praise, he finished eating even the remaining crumbs.

“It’s delicious.”

Theodore, who had been watching Licht eat, swallowed his saliva.

“There’s no poison.”

“Really?”

Theodore was already half drawn in.

“If there was, I would have collapsed first.”

At those words, Theodore tightly closed his eyes and bit into the strawberry jam cookie.  If there had been anyone from the imperial family around, they might have stopped him in alarm.