If one intended to enjoy life, then how could it be without entertainment?
Inside her luxurious carriage, Selene sang merrily as she ate hot pot, her mood growing more cheerful with every passing mile. Now this—she thought—is what life should be.
As for worries about bandits or raiders? Selene had none. After all, surrounding her carriage on all sides were tens of thousands of soldiers—an army vast enough to crush any fool who dared attack.
"Hm hm hm... hm-hmm-hmm..."
Though she no longer had any earthly desires in that sense, the pursuit of power—the thrill of achieving what had once been beyond imagination—was satisfaction enough.
Before the war, such a leisurely, slow-paced march might have provoked objections. But after Selene's overwhelming victory in the southwest, no one dared question her anymore. To them, every action she took was right by default.
Look—Her Excellency the General could have returned to the Capital alone to receive her honors, but instead, out of concern that the army escorting the prisoners might be attacked by rebels, she chose to remain among them—sharing their hardships, sleeping under the stars, and enduring the "hardships" of the road.
Naturally, this made the soldiers adore her all the more. Selene, however, was mildly puzzled as to why her troops were suddenly so diligent in their patrols.
Of course, one exception stood beside her—Esdeath.
Watching Selene leisurely swishing slices of meat through the bubbling pot, Esdeath sat stiffly at her side, visibly uneasy. Though she obeyed Selene's will without hesitation, moments of doubt still occasionally surfaced in her mind.
"General, why are we marching so slowly? Is it to guard against rebel ambushes, or—oh, thank you, General."
Before Esdeath could finish, Selene had already ladled a portion of the hot broth into her bowl. The twin-flavored pot before them steamed vigorously, the bubbling soup releasing a symphony of rich aromas as countless spices mingled together, making the air thick with mouthwatering fragrance.
The finest ingredients, after all, required only the simplest cooking methods.
Selene picked up a slice of Danger Beast meat and dipped it carefully into the spicy broth. I wonder how it'll taste mixed with these hot pot sauces... "Eat while it's hot. Take whatever you like," she said casually, fully engrossed in her culinary pursuit.
Before good food, there was no need for idle talk. A full belly came first.
Esdeath, wearing an uncharacteristically cute expression, accepted the slice of meat that Selene offered her. As she gazed at the Danger Beast meat now covered in glistening red oil and fragrant herbs, her suspicions only grew stronger.
As the daughter of the Partas tribe's chieftain—a clan that hunted Danger Beasts for generations—Esdeath was no stranger to their meat. But in the north, the preparation was always the same: roast, boil, and sprinkle with salt. That was all.
Exotic spices like these were luxuries beyond reach—worth more than even the finest Class 1 Danger Beast cuts. In the frozen north, she might go an entire year without tasting them once.
But since joining Selene, she had experienced one astonishing delicacy after another—extravagant dishes beyond anything she had ever imagined. Ten or more spices for a single bite of meat? Such decadence could only come from a noble of the highest standing.
Indeed, before being a mighty warrior, Selene was also unmistakably a grand aristocrat. This lifestyle was simply... luxurious beyond belief.
"Hmm?" Selene, happily dipping another paper-thin slice of meat, noticed Esdeath staring blankly at her bowl. "What's this? Does it not suit your taste?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"N-no, it's not that, General, it's just—"
Before she could continue, Selene interrupted her. "Why think so much? Eat first, talk later."
Seeing her superior already devouring the next serving with relish, Esdeath swallowed her words. She had wanted to say, General, you don't need to worry about the prisoners. I can handle everything while you return to the Capital first. But such thoughts were futile.
The strong ruled over the weak. And since Selene was the stronger, Esdeath would obey—without question.
With a resigned sigh, she stood and saluted. "Understood, General."
Sitting back down, she looked again at Selene's satisfied smile and the steaming, fragrant pot before her. Such a rich aroma... I wonder what it tastes like... Well, only one way to find out.
"Sizzle... hiss... mmm..." The moment she took her first bite, Esdeath's wide blue eyes went round in astonishment. Her expression melted into pure bliss.
Whether it was Danger Beast meat or ordinary vegetables, once simmered in Selene's miraculous "hot pot broth," they all transformed into an entirely new flavor—rich, savory, and utterly unforgettable.
Though Esdeath had never been one to care much for the pleasures of the palate, the complexity of the taste—the distinct layers of texture and spice—was enough to make even her, a northern huntress accustomed to nothing but salt-roasted meat, savor every bite.
An intense wave of pleasure bloomed across her tongue, sending shockwaves through her nerves. For the first time in her life, she felt as though she had stepped into an entirely new world of cuisine.
"S-so... good!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled by the food.
...
Roughly half a month later, as Selene's army steadily advanced toward the Capital, the aging Emperor of the Empire finally succumbed to time.
At the end of Imperial Year 1014, on a bright and cloudless day, the Emperor breathed his last beneath the watchful gazes of his gathered ministers—each one harboring secret ambitions. His eyes closed forever, and with them, the final spark of the Empire's supreme authority was extinguished.
The last reigning Emperor with true power was dead.
The attending servants wailed in anguish, their cries echoing through the grand hall. The younger princes and princesses, too young to understand what had happened, burst into tears as panic spread. Soon, the sound of weeping filled not only the palace but the entire royal city.
Before long, the whole Imperial Capital was shrouded in grief, mourning the loss of its sovereign. That day, the Empire lost its Emperor.
Within the chamber, only Minister Honest and Great General Budo knew whether His Majesty had left behind any final decree—or what private agreement the two of them might have reached in his final moments.
That very night, while the Emperor's body was still warm, chaos erupted within the palace.
Screams, pleas, shouts, and the sounds of steel clashing against flesh filled the night. One by one, princes and princesses fell in pools of blood. Even concubines and attendants were not spared.
The scent of blood hung thick in the air, staining the golden halls of the Imperial Palace.
Strangely, Great General Budo—the highest military authority in the Capital—did nothing. He neither intervened nor spoke. He stood silent as nearly every royal heir, save for the youngest prince, was slaughtered.
By the time the moonlight faded and dawn broke over the city, the slaughter was over. The palace gleamed once more in the morning sun, resplendent and serene—as if the massacre had never happened.
Only the empty halls and the unfamiliar faces of new servants and maids bore silent witness to the truth. The old ones... would never be seen again.