The Billionaire CEO Becomes the Youngest Emperor-Chapter 29 - 28: Ria?!

Ah...

Lucian felt a sharp pain in his head as he slowly opened his eyes. He groaned before mumbling:

"What the hell was that dream...?"

Staring blankly at the ceiling, he immediately recognized his room. Yet, something felt off.

Why... why am I here?

"Did I fall asleep right after arriving...?"

His dream felt strangely real. Yet, aside from the fact that he was heading toward the Empire, he could barely remember any of it.

Only that nightmare still lingers in my mind...

Lucian lowered his gaze to his left arm for a moment.

"Was I so tired that I fell asleep in the carriage...? Did the knights carry me here without waking me...? Whatever. Now, the real work can begin."

Pressing his hands against the mattress, he carefully got out of his spacious bed, stepping down cautiously, fearing he might stumble due to his small feet.

But just as he finally touched the floor, a yawn echoed behind him.

Then, a sleepy voice suddenly spoke:

"Ahhh... My little Lucian, where are you going?"

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

He wanted to ask who had just spoken, but deep down, he didn't want to know the answer. Yet, he had to check.

Turning his head slightly, his gaze fell on...

A girl. In his bed.

Lucian froze.

"I know my beauty is breathtaking, but don't stare at me like that~"

She pouted before placing her hands on her body, pretending to cover herself.

She had long sky-blue hair and a gentle gaze.

Lucian shivered.

This girl...

She looked eerily similar to someone from his dream. No... there was a clear difference between them. A fundamental difference.

It's just a coincidence... right?

"You... Who are you? And what are you doing in my room... No, in the Emperor's chamber?" Lucian asked, eyes wide open.

The young girl flashed an amused smile.

"You're so heartless... Was the night we spent together not memorable enough for you to remember me?"

She pretended to be hurt, puffing her cheeks slightly.

Lucian blinked, stunned.

"W-What the hell are you talking about? Me, spending the night with a kid like you?"

He raised an eyebrow, looking completely baffled.

He clearly remembered the mature sky-blue-haired woman he had seen in his dream.

But this girl...

Although she resembled her, there was no way he could call her mature.

No. Quite the opposite.

She was a kid—small enough to look like a character from a novel he had recently been reading.

She'd make a perfect Lucian... Hahaha...

Shaking his head, he snapped coldly:

"Don't mess with me!"

Without hesitation, he shouted:

"GUARD!"

Immediately, the bedroom door swung open.

But it wasn't a knight who entered.

It was Chris.

Lucian narrowed his eyes.

"...Chris?"

The man bowed before him. Once. Then twice.

Lucian frowned.

"You're standing guard yourself? Don't you have work to do already?"

Chris lifted his head slightly and replied in a respectful tone:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lucian was utterly confused.

Then, he pulled himself together.

"If you were guarding the door... then how did this little thing get into my room?"

His gaze shifted back to the girl in question.

Chris, meanwhile, glanced at the child before letting out a deep sigh.

"Sir... This girl is Malveria Tenebros."

"Hey, little dragon, it's Ria from now on!" the girl retorted, pouting.

Lucian, dumbfounded, glanced back and forth between Chris and Ria.

Then, like a tidal wave, the memories of the previous day came rushing back.

That... That wasn't a dream?!

Is this really that woman?!

Ria's voice pulled him out of his thoughts:

"Chuu~ Kael is already one step ahead, isn't he? Are you sure you can afford to be this relaxed?"

Lucian flinched.

The bet...

He remembered those words.

"CHOOSE THE THIRTEENTH EMPIRE."

A sudden doubt struck him.

With a slightly trembling voice, he cautiously asked:

"But... why did you shrink?"

At this point, it would be a lie to say she still looked like a goddess capable of erasing the world with a snap of her fingers.

No.

She looked more like a preschooler than anything else.

Ria shrugged casually.

"Oh, that? I thought you'd like it~ So? Satisfied?"

Lucian, clearly annoyed, replied dryly:

"Not in the slightest."

Ria puffed out her cheeks.

"You're so mean... fhum."

Lucian stared at her, incredulous.

Even if she really is that wicked woman, Malveria...

She's just a spoiled kid.

A sigh escaped his lips before he spoke again, slightly irritated:

"Anyway... Why are you in my room?"

Ria fluttered her eyelashes, feigning a hurt expression.

"Does it bother you...?"

Her eyes grew slightly misty.

A chill ran down Lucian's spine.

Yes. Yes, please, get out immediately.

That's what he wanted to say.

But...

The memories of the previous day stopped him.

So, instead, he swallowed his words and muttered:

"No, but—"

"Doesn't matter."

She cut him off abruptly.

And suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

A mischievous smile curved her lips.

"After all... Our fates are now intertwined."

Ah...

Lucian felt an unpleasant shiver crawl down his back.

His own words echoed in his mind once again.

"Thirteenth empire... Choose the Thirteenth Empire..."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Awkward, both for Lucian and Chris.

Finally, Lucian clenched his fists slightly and declared in a confident voice:

"That's right... And I'll prove to you that you made the right choice."

Zzzzzz...

Lucian glanced at the little girl, dumbfounded.

She had fallen asleep again.

Like a damn kitten.

A faint, amused smile crossed his lips—the situation was just too absurd.

But he didn't have time for this.

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Turning to Chris, he spoke firmly:

"Wait for me in my office, Chris. We have a lot to discuss."

Chris gave a slight bow.

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Lucian cast one last glance at the sleeping girl.

He was caught between two beings who transcended human logic.

But after everything he had experienced the previous day...

He had made his decision.

He would never bow down to them.

In fact, he had never intended to.

Without wasting any time, he slipped into more appropriate attire and left his room, heading straight for his office.

As he walked, a thought crossed his mind:

The stakes have risen...

But my goal remains the same.

His gaze hardened, along with his determination.

---

Somewhere south of the Empire...

In a small, misty, and unremarkable town, a woman named Sarah sat at the counter of a bar.

She stared at her empty glass.

Without lifting her eyes, she ordered:

"Another glass."

The bartender, a middle-aged man, raised an eyebrow before replying:

"That's your eleventh glass already. For someone I thought was stingy, you're spending a lot today, Sarah..."

Sarah let out a bitter smile.

"Ah... shut up and just pour the drink."

She brought the glass to her lips and took a long sip.

After all... this might be my last.

I'm so sick of this shitty life.

She slammed the glass down noisily and muttered in a trembling voice:

"So... Diplomas mean nothing for commoners, huh?"

A bitter laugh escaped her.

"My only crime... is being born without a noble title. That's it, right?"

Suddenly—

"Everyone will have the same chance from now on."

The voice came from beside her.

Both Sarah and the bartender turned their heads in unison.

A girl sitting not far away had just spoken.

Sarah frowned.

"What the hell are you—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

The girl facing her...

Her features. Her gaze.

Her hair...

The girl ignored their stares and calmly said:

"A glass of water, please."

The bartender gave her a puzzled look before remarking with a sarcastic smile:

"That's a new one—ordering water in a bar."

The girl slid a coin onto the counter.

"I can pay."

The bartender sighed.

"That's not the point..."

He shrugged, poured her a glass of water, and watched as she downed it in one gulp.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing here at this hour?"

But she wasn't even listening.

She placed the empty glass down, stood up, and immediately headed for the exit.

As she left, she dropped a coin on the table.

"That should cover it."

A 5-Velt coin glinted briefly under the bar's dim light.

Sarah stared at it, lost in thought.

Then, as the girl vanished into the night, she murmured:

"Her silver hair... It looks familiar..."