The Emperor of the Arhen Empire, Marsilia.

He was a flawless and ideal ruler—except for one thing.

For ten years, he had been unable to find his fated bond, the one destined to share his soul.

Then, a shocking report arrived from Aricto Prison, a facility that held the empire’s most dangerous criminals. Among them, a brutal mu*derer who had mercilessly slaughtered an entire noble family… was discovered to be the Emperor’s soulmate.

Marsilia abandoned all other affairs and rushed to see this person.

But the one he had finally found seemed utterly broken—his mind fractured beyond repair.

Worse yet, he rejected their bond and wished only for death.

Why does this fated connection, a blessing to others, feel like a curse to me alone?

Meanwhile, Yu Jaha, the Emperor’s newfound partner, wants nothing more than to die.

For reasons unknown, he had committed mu*der, and with no will left to live, he had resigned himself to death.

But because the Emperor’s soul mark was found within him was, he was forcibly kept alive—something he resented with every breath.

Yet, somewhere along the way, he realized something.

He could no longer tell if he wanted to live or die.

And the person clouding that decision the most… was none other than Marsilia.

—

“Are you crying?”

His large, warm hand cupped Jaha’s cheek. Instinctively, Jaha leaned into that comforting heat.

Strangely, he didn’t hate it. In fact, it almost felt like… solace.

The man, who likely understood nothing, slowly stroked his cheek.

His long, calloused thumb moved gently, tracing soft circles against Jaha’s skin.

A quiet laugh escaped Jaha’s lips. He frowned, yet he smiled.

It felt ridiculous—how familiar this man’s touch seemed, how oddly funny it was to see him hesitantly examine his face, as if puzzled by Jaha’s reaction.

Jaha admitted it then.

This man, for all his dignity, was kind in his own way.

Maybe it was only because they were bound by fate.

Maybe this warmth was nothing more than obligation.

But right now, to Jaha, it felt like a comfort he desperately needed.

“I want to die.”

Jaha lowered his head and mouthed the words, knowing they would never reach the other man.

Then, he slowly lifted his gaze and stared at him.

Even if he found a moment of solace, the emptiness inside him was still too vast.

The wounds festering in his heart had not healed—they only continued to rot, slowly consuming him.

“But for just a fleeting moment… I think I might want to live.”

Jaha couldn’t understand himself.

One moment, he was drowning in despair, desperate to end it all.

Yet, in rare instances, when something—someone—eased that ache, he hesitated.

He kept that turmoil locked deep inside him, suffocating under the weight of uncertainty.

“What should I do?”

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