(Orlax Pov)
As I saw the sun begin to set, I threw the documents in my hand aside, feeling exhausted, and lay down for a moment.
"That's enough for today, Grand Duke. Let's continue tomorrow."
"Are you sure? There's still plenty of work to be done."
Armanthor lifted his head, exhaustion visible on his face, as we had been working for hours without rest.
I glanced at the pile of documents that hadn't diminished at all despite all the work we'd been doing.
"Yes, that's enough. I'll finish everything tomorrow."
"How will you finish everything tomorrow?"
"You'll see."
We left the office and walked toward the main hall, where Armanthor excused himself and departed.
I arrived at my room and asked Lyra to come to me. Sitting on the bed, I watched Sera playing on the floor.
I focused my gaze on her and suddenly felt the mana surrounding her. A strange sensation swept over me, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
'Hmm, what is this? I sensed magic around her, but it disappeared as if it were never there. This is strange.'
"Your Majesty, what do you need?"
I pushed the thought aside and turned toward the girl with brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her honey-colored eyes staring at me with curiosity.
"Lyra, tomorrow, Catherine—the Grand Duke's wife—will arrive to begin caring for Sera. I need you to show her around the palace and find out what she needs."
"Understood, Your Majesty. Do you require anything else?"
"Yes. Start spreading a rumor about me—that I was cursed in the past. This curse would drive me mad and make me kill anyone who appeared before me. Say that you overheard me mumbling these words in my office and that the curse has now been lifted."
"Understood. Shall I leave now?"
"Yes."
After relaying everything to Lyra, she gave a slight bow and left the room.
I lay down on the bed, picked up my phone, and began downloading all the files related to the nobles and their lands, then started reading through them.
'Now that I think about it, I have this skill—why not use it now?'
[Hyper Focus Activated]
[Hyper Focus: For one hour, your mind will function at its best, allowing you to perform any task at maximum efficiency.]
Suddenly, my mind became perfectly clear. I focused entirely on reading, and everything around me seemed to disappear.
An hour later, the skill's effect ended, and I felt a painful headache pounding in my brain. I immediately set my phone aside and lay back on the bed.
"It's a good skill, but its side effects are incredibly annoying. I feel like my brain is burning from all the information I just read."
I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the pain, until Sera's voice pulled me from my daze.
"Daddy, Daddy, carry me."
Sera stood beside the bed, holding up her arms, asking to be carried.
"Of course, my little princess."
I lifted her from under her arms and placed her on the bed beside me.
She gazed at my black hair and my blue eye, now visible after I removed my eyepatch.
"Daddy, Alice's eye."
Her words surprised me, and I looked at her curiously.
"You know this is Alice's eye? When did you learn its name?"
"Hehehe."
I felt a warmth in my chest as I watched her smile and giggle, pushing my concerns aside.
'This is dangerous. I become a fool whenever I see her.'
I wiped the sweat from my forehead, realizing how much I was losing myself when it came to Sera.
I tucked Sera into bed, and we went to sleep. Early the next morning, I woke up, immediately noticing Sera wasn't on the bed. My heart raced with worry because she usually waited for me to wake up before leaving the bed.
I relaxed as soon as I saw her sitting on the couch next to a blonde-haired woman.
"Good morning, Lady Catherine. You arrived early today."
"Oh, good morning, Your Majesty. I came early to get acquainted with Sera, and when I entered your room, I found her already awake, so I carried her and played with her for a while."
I got up from the bed and sat across from the couch where Catherine and Sera were playing.
[Loyalty: 71]
'What? Her loyalty was only at 3 yesterday. How did it increase so much overnight?'
Her gaze toward me was different than it was yesterday. Though she was kinder, I could still sense traces of resentment toward me.
After all, I was the one who killed her sister. Even if it was due to the curse, it didn't change the fact. However, I'm certain that one day, she will forgive me. Time heals all wounds.
I gathered some simple clothes and headed to the bathroom to shower.
Half an hour later, I emerged, drying and carefully combing my hair.
"I'll go prepare breakfast."
"Your Majesty, you're the one making breakfast?"
Catherine spoke while styling Sera's hair into a ponytail, looking slightly surprised.
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"Oh, no problem at all. I just didn't expect you to do such things yourself. I thought you'd leave these tasks to the servants."
I took a deep breath and fixed my gaze on Catherine.
"Lady Catherine, I have a question for you. Do you think you're the only one who has discriminated against and hated me for my physical traits?"
I didn't give Catherine a chance to respond before continuing.
"As I told you before, my mother despised me. She left me in the care of the servants, and as soon as I became capable of looking after myself, the servants began ignoring me entirely. So I learned to take care of myself to survive."
Catherine remained silent, but guilt and pity flickered across her face.
"When we were expelled from the palace because the Empress wanted to turn it into her private garden, we lived in the streets. I taught myself how to make delicious meals in an attempt to win my mother's affection. But now, when I look back, I realize how foolish I was to think that woman would ever appreciate it."
I chuckled sarcastically at the ridiculousness of that time.
"You were not wrong."
"Pardon me, Lady Catherine? I didn't hear you clearly."
"I'm telling you, you were not wrong. This world was wrong to you. I was wrong to you. It's foolish to discriminate against someone just because of how they were born."
Catherine spoke with a strong and determined voice, conviction burning in her eyes.
"Thank you, Lady Catherine. Your words truly mean a lot."
Yes, this is what I had always longed to hear. This is what young Orlax had wished for. To have someone tell him he wasn't wrong to exist, that he had the right to live just as others did.
He had screamed at the world, "I am not a demon; I am just a human like you. Please, love me and accept me."
But no one heard his cries. The world ignored him completely.
Yet, despite all of it, Orlax never hated people. He never sought revenge.
Because he knew it wasn't entirely their fault—it was this cursed world that made him live this way.
A world that caused people to hate him and discriminate against him.
That is why Orlax wanted to become Emperor. Only then could he change the world.
He would make people accept him gradually. He would dismantle the discrimination against those with black hair and red eyes.
Even if it meant standing against the entire world.
He will do it. Without a doubt, he will do it.