Emperor's return 1

"Hold on," Rose called out from behind Adrian. He paused, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"What is it?" Adrian inquired, his voice low and calm.

Rose studied him for a moment, her gaze trailing over him from head to toe before meeting his eyes. "You've changed, Adrian... How did you survive the assassination?" she asked, her tone tinged with curiosity.

Adrian opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. A sudden frown appeared on his face as his eyes rose in surprise. He stood frozen, his mind overtaken by a series of flashing red notifications.

[Warning: Servant contract terminated. Your servant Anna is dead.]

[Warning: Servant contract terminated. Your servant William is dead.]

Deep within his soul, something snapped. 'Roooaaar!!!' The sound of an indignant and wrathful roar echoed in his mind, like a blazing inferno consuming all reason. The searing emotions surged within him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. His heart pounded with the force of an erupting volcano, and his mind became a tempest of vengeful thoughts.

Yet, outwardly, Adrian remained eerily composed. Only a deepening frown betrayed the storm brewing inside him.

Rose, noticing the shift in his demeanor, asked, "What's wrong?"

Her voice pulled him back to the present, but the moment their eyes met, it was as if the final straw had been placed on an already overloaded scale. The volcanic fury within Adrian erupted. His eyes narrowed into slits, transforming into the vertical pupils of a dragon. The raw, unfiltered rage and devastation that burned within them caused Rose's breath to hitch in her throat.

An overwhelming wave of dread crashed over her. Her eyes widened in horror, freezing her in place. It was only instinct that made her body react, unleashing a powerful pressure in the room that forced everything to the floor as if gravity had doubled. The brunt of this pressure was focused on Adrian.

Boom!!!

A golden hue flashed in Adrian's eyes, his pupils returning to normal. The entire exchange, from his transformation to Rose's response, had occurred in less than a second.

The sudden blast of pressure threw the room into chaos. Sebastian and Minnie, caught off guard, stumbled backward into the bookshelves, grasping them for support. The heavy pressure focused on Adrian, but he stood firm, immovable as if the force was nothing to him.

Furniture between Rose and Adrian shattered into pieces, wood splintering and flying across the room. A chunk of the table hurtled towards Adrian's head, but with a slight tilt, he dodged it effortlessly. The shard embedded itself into the door behind him with a loud thud.

Rose's face turned pale as she stumbled backward, her legs trembling. Sebastian quickly caught her, steadying her before she could fall.

Minnie instinctively moved in front of Rose and Sebastian, shielding them from Adrian. Her eyes were wary, knowing all too well that she stood no chance against him. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her voice edged with fear.

Sebastian quickly uncorked a green potion and pressed it to Rose's lips, helping her drink. As the liquid took effect, her breathing steadied, and some color returned to her face.

Adrian, meanwhile, adjusted the unconscious girl in his arms, ensuring she remained undisturbed despite the commotion. He freed one hand and summoned two scrolls into his palm. They were brown with blackened edges as if they had been burned. The sight of them caused Rose to shudder involuntarily, and even Sebastian and Minnie's expressions shifted.

Adrian's gaze lingered on Rose for a moment longer before he turned to leave. 'I'll have to deal with this problem sooner than later,' he thought, his mind already calculating his next moves.

As he stepped towards the door, Rose's voice, weak but determined, called out again. "Wait."

Adrian paused, his patience wearing thin. His voice, now cold and sharp, cut through the room. "What do you want?"

Rose met his gaze, her expression solemn. "What do you plan to do? If you act recklessly, you won't even know how you die. And if those who wanted you dead discover you're still alive, they will hunt you down. Believe me, they will find you."

'They'd better,' Adrian thought. 'It'll save me the trouble of searching for them.'

His eyes narrowed as he looked at Rose. "What do you want?" he repeated, his tone heavy with suspicion.

"Give me some time to recover, and we'll talk. How about it?" Rose suggested, her voice carrying an undertone of desperation.

Adrian remained silent, weighing her words. After a moment, he nodded slightly. "I'll be at the backyard gazebo if you need me," he said before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

Rose let out a sigh of relief, leaning heavily against Sebastian. "Attend to him until I recover, Minnie. Make sure he's well taken care of."

Minnie hesitated but then bowed, "Yes, my lady." She quickly followed Adrian out of the room, her steps measured and cautious.

Sebastian helped Rose through a side door leading to her private chambers. Once inside, he led her to the bed and handed her another bottle of the green potion. As she drank, her condition improved further.

"Go ahead and ask," Rose murmured, lying back against the pillows. "You want to know why I told him to stay, don't you?"

Sebastian shook his head. "It's not my place to question your decisions, my lady."

Rose smiled faintly. "You've taken care of me since I was a child, Sebastian. You're like a second father to me. And as for why I told him to stay… he might be my last hope."

Sebastian's expression softened into a warm, wrinkled smile. 'And also because the feeling he gave off reminded me of the time I met the Emperor,' Rose thought, though she kept that part to herself.

…

Adrian stepped out into the backyard, the grand facade of the manor giving way to a sprawling garden. He took the path that led toward a gazebo nestled among the trees, his mind still a tempest of thoughts.

The cool morning air was refreshing, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming roses. The tension from the study began to ease as he approached the gazebo. Its white-painted structure stood in sharp contrast to the vibrant greenery, the delicate gingerbread trim catching the sunlight.

He reached the gazebo, its wooden steps slick with morning dew. He ascended slowly, his steps measured and deliberate. Inside, the gazebo offered a quiet refuge, its open sides framing a serene view of the garden.

Adrian gently laid the unconscious girl on a bench, ensuring she was comfortable. The golden light of the rising sun bathed the garden in warmth, and for a brief moment, the turmoil within him subsided, replaced by a deep sense of calm.

He chose a spot on the floor, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. His body relaxed, and his breathing steadied as he allowed his mind to sink into his consciousness. It felt as though he had entered a vast starry sky.

Moving through the expanse, he heard distant roars, mingled with screams and the sound of heavy banging.

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Sorry for the late update, I had technical issues on my end. I'll make sure to update regularly so please continue to support my book.

Thanks again for reading my book.