The Making Of 'Emperor'

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With A-Yeon

He was walking straight on the path, but his steps stopped when he heard something or someone being stabbed, and a strong smell of blood reached his nose. He looked around and found many dead animal bodies laying on the floor, covered with blood.

He retreated with his steps, but his back bumped into something.

"Where are you going, your highness?" His eyes widen at the sound. '!!!'

"Oh dear, you're trembling like a rabbit. Does the idea of killing a mere animal frighten you?" The owner of the voice patted his shoulder. "Your highness, I wonder if you think becoming an emperor is easy.

You'll only be able to seize power and grain strength after you've stepped into the blood of countless people and creatures. Being able to protect something is a luxury that the weak cannot afford. In other words, you don't even have it in you to defend a single rabbit right now." A-Yeon clenched his fist close to his chest.

But do not be sad. We here at your sage hall will do our best to make you stronger. Here, drink this." The voice forwards a bowl that has some weird green liquid in it. "This is hard to come by, so you must drink every last drop--"

"I DON'T WANT TO!!" he throws the bowl on the ground. "You won't persuade me with such logic. I don't want the power that's acquired by harming others!"

'That's right, Brother told me to trust myself like I trust him. So, I won't use your methods. I'll do what I think is right. I doubt I'll be able to ascent the throne, but I can become strong enough to stick to my principles without trampling on others.'

"Oh, I see." A-Yeon was brought back from his thoughts by the voice he could recognize even in his dreams. He shot his head up to look at the person. "...!!"

"That's quite disappointing, A-Yeon." Said Choran.

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With Choran

He looked back and found a big wooden door there.

"Your hig--"

"Your highne--"

"... Your highness"

"Your highness!!"

He turned toward the voice. The door was now replaced by a room that seemed to be a study room, where three men from his sage hall and a little boy were standing, whom he recognized as himself.

"You are the pride and joy of our sage hall."

"Nobody surpassed you in the entrance exam!"

"Historically, the first prince has almost always ascended to the throne, so you'll no doubt become the emperor."

"Nam-gi hasn't been able to produce a single prince."

"Haha! How humiliating, after acting most arrogantly because he has the emperor's support!"

The scenery before him vanished, and again, a voice came from behind him. He turned around.

"Your highness." Said a man standing in front of the young boy. The boy looked at him.

"I heard you've recently taken up gardening. Plant leaves can become medicines to save lives, but they can also be turned into very effective poisons. I enjoy concocting drugs. May I teach you all that I know?"

The scenery again shatter, and he looked behind him again, from where he heard some voice.

It was again a room where two of his sage hall men were talking to each other, and a boy around 14 years old or so was standing on the door listening to their conversation.