It was three days after Miko announced his new tax laws, and the country was still celebrating.

“The King is great and merciful!”

“Praise the king!”

“Wisdom truly knows no age!”

Everywhere praises for Miko could be heard.

Miko himself didn’t care for these praises.

He spent the three days in the throne room, playing games.

“My lord, Marquis Leighton is here to see you again.”

A servant appeared and said to him.

“Let him in.”

This time Miko put away the game and watched the fat man walking towards him with his face filled with glee.

“You seem to be in a good mood. Could it be that you're happy about my new tax law?”

Miko said with a smile.

Erik kneeled and spoke with a smile.

“It's exactly so my lord. Your law was so brilliant that it opened the eyes of a lot of nobles, including myself.”

Erik secretly sneered.

‘Just you wait, brat! Soon you'll know what the adult world is like!’

He thought to himself.

Miko acted like he didn’t noticed his thoughts, and spoke cheerfully.

“That's great! I was afraid that the law would've angered the nobles.”

Miko said with a sigh of relief.

“Not at all, your majesty. We would never be upset about a law you created.”

‘Looks like he still need us. That's right, even Dario need to courteous with me. You may have dethrone him, but you're no different!’

Arrogance filled Erik’s heart.

“I see. That law is really important after all.”

“Pardon me asking my lord. But do you really wish to create an empire?”

“Of course. I didn't lie.”

Miko answered immediately.

“If I may speak bluntly…”

“You can.”

Marquis took a breath and spoke.

“I believe you should give up on your dream to create an empire.”

“It's not a dream. It's just a necessary step to achieve a greater goal.”

Miko said calmly.

“But creating an empire is far from easy. One wrong move could lead to our kingdom’s destruction. I'm seriously against it.”

‘Brat, do you think creating an empire is something someone like you can do? In this world, only the greatest of the greatest have the right to create empires. A nobody like you is unworthy!’

Erik thought.

“I understand your concerns, but I assure you that it's not impossible for me. So rest easy knowing that I've already planned out everything, and already started making my move.”

‘Making your move? By playing games all day?!’

Erik thought, while anger started boiling in his heart.

But he was a professional, so he didn't let it show.

“Since my lord is so confident about this, I can rest easy.”

‘Well, it's not like you'll live any longer than the week.’

He thought him, while anticipating the day.

“Ah, yes. My lord, what business did you call me for?”

“What's the rush? Are you perhaps busy?”

“Unfortunately, I am your lord.”

He wanted to be as far away from Miko as possible, so that when the assassin comes he can immediately kill him, and he won't be anywhere near him when he dies.

Luckily, it seems like Tiamat was no where to be found.

“I see. That's too bad. I wanted to speak with you some more.”

“There will countless more oppurtunities for us to talk over a meal, in the future.”

Miko looked like he was pondering his words before speaking.

“I guess you're right.”

Miko signaled a servant, and they brought in a small chest.

They gave it to Miko.

“Earlier, I got a report that a malicious fly flew into our country this morning.”

“….A fly?”

“Yes, a real big one.”

Miko opened the chest and took something out.

“?!”

Erik was shocked silly when he saw what it was.

“Fortunately, the fly was immediately caught in my fly trap and was swiftly taken care of.”

What Miko took out was a still beating heart and a severed head.

Erik recognized the head as the assassin he hired. As for why the heart was still beating even after being taken out, Erik knew that it was being preserved through some magical means.

What was Miko going to do the heart?

Erik was too scared to imagine it.

“Marquis, please tell me. Do you know who this rude fly is?”

Miko asked with an innocent tone.

It was hard to imagine that such an innocent face was casually holding a severed head and heart, and staining himself in blood.

“….I'm sorry, my majesty. I do not recognize this person.”

“I see.”

Miko had a sad expression.

“I thought that a knowledgeable man as yourself you would be able to help me out.”

“My apologies. I was unable to live up to your expectations.”

“No. Not at all. If you don't know then it can't be helped.”

“Then if there isn't anything else, then I'll have to excuse myself my lord.”

Erik quickly turned around and practically ran out of the room.

“Hahahahahahaha!”

He could hear Miko maddening laugh coming from behind him.

The laugh sent chills down his spine.

He cursed his feet for not being fast enough.

Back in the throne room, Tiamat silently appeared beside Miko.

“Letting him go so that he'll shiver in fear thinking about his fate.”

She sat on the throne’s armrest.

“You're quite the sadist.”

“What? Do you think I should've killed him here?”

She shook her head.

“You're the king. If you want him to suffer before dying, then I'll gladly support you.”

She then moved and sat in his lap.

She then wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Besides I'm the type that's attracted to bad boys.”

She gaze into his eyes with longing.

“Well aren't you being aggressive.”

Said Miko.

“I'm an aggressive woman.”

She pushed her face closer.

“Do you hate aggressive women?”

“I actually find them very attractive.”

He moved his face closer to her’s, until she was staring him straight in the eye.

After a while, she slowly moved her head back and unwrapped her arms from around his neck.

“That's good to know. Both Boros’ daughter and that Hina girl are quite aggressive.”

She got off his lap and looked at him with a teasing expression.

“What are you waiting for? You have work to do.”

Miko could only smile helplessly and got off his throne.

He then started walking out of the room.

He then stopped.

“Tia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you still love Augustus?”

“I do. And I'll probably forever will.”

She said without hesitation.

“I see.”

Miko then suddenly disappeared and popped up in front of her.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her towards him.

He then sealed her lips with his own.

Tiamat didn't fight him and let him kiss her.

Miko could feel her emotions being transmitted to him.

Happiness, sadness, anxiety, lust, shame.

She was feeling several complex emotions all at once.

After nearly a minute, he finally freed her lips.

His smiling face reflected in her watery eyes.

“I'm a competitive person when it comes to the things I want.”

He let go of her waist, and turned his back to her.

“And I have no intention of losing to a dead person.”

He walked away and left her touching her lips with her fingers.

He ignored the sadness that was being transmitted to him, and made his way to the High Class District.

“What?! The assassin was killed?!”

The Viscount shouted.

They were all inside the secret room in the Leighton residence.

The first thing Erik did when he left the palace was to contact the other nobles.

“How was that possibile?!”

“I don't know, but the truth of the matter is that he was killed and Miko knows I did it.”

Erik words made everyone gloomy.

“D-Do you think he knows who else was involved?”

A noblewoman asked with a trembling voice.

“Do you intend to abandon me, sister? I thought we were all united here as family.”

“That was before we were looking death in the face!”

The noblewoman shouted out.

“That brat’s background is earthshaking! A single person behind him, could wipe us out without breaking a sweat!”

The anxiety and fear was evident in her voice.

This cause all of the nobles to shiver.

They took a gamble and lost. Now they're unwilling to face the consequences.

“Calm down, Sister.”

Someone stood behind her and console her by holding her shoulders.

“T-Thank you. I'm fi-!”

Her sentence was cut off midway when she saw who stood behind her.

“Miko?!”

The woman paled and fell off her chair.

All of the other nobles were shocked out their minds.

Miko silently appeared in front of them.

“H-How?! This place is protected by a magic sensor! The moment magic is used it should sound an alarm!”

“That's because I didn't use magic to make myself invincible.”

He ignored the woman and approached Erik.

“W-What are you going to do?!”

“I was just wondering if you wanted to know, how I got rid of your fly without you knowing.”

Miko showed a teasing smile.

“It was simple really. My aunt Sherry was finally returning to her country after five years. She didn't know when she’ll be able to meet me again so he asked me if I wanted a present.”

Miko's smile got wider.

“So I told her I wanted the head and heart of your assassin. And voila, I got it.”

Erik shivered when Miko took out the chest with the head and heart.

“I wanted the head to put on a spike on the city gate. As for his heart, he was pretty brave for a fly. He boldly entered enemy territory for revenge. He's far braver than you who cower in the face of death.”

He took out the heart.

“So then it hit me. I'll perform a heart transplant on you with his heart. I’m sure you'll obtain even a little of his courage.”

Then faster than Erik could respond, Miko ripped his heart out and forced in the man's heart.

The result was Erik dropping dead.

“Haaaaaa?!”

The noblewomen screamed out in horror, while the men paled.

“A failure huh? Well it was just my first try.”

He then turned and looked at the other nobles.

“Well, I have a lot of practice material.”

Miko bent down and pluck the assassin’s heart from Erik’s chest.

“I hope that you all can help me out with my simple experiment.”

Miko's eyes shone an insane light.

“W-Wait my majesty!”

The viscount suddenly prostrate in front of Miko.

“Please. We were threatened by the Marquis! It was all his idea to oppose you! Please don't stain your hands with the blood of the innocent! You're her holiness’ proxy, you are far better than this!”

The viscount quickly spoke.

“I'm better than this?”

Miko suddenly looked like he was pondering the viscount’s words. This made the nobles see a hint of hope.

“I guess you're right. I am better than this.”

The nobles sighed in relief when they heard that.

However, Miko suddenly took out a coin.

“Heads or Tails?”

“....My lord?”

“Heads or tails. Whoever picks the wrong side will suffer a horrible death.”

The nobles once again started to panic.

“What about those who wins?”

Miko smiled deviously when he heard that.

“Whoever picks the right side will be spared.”

The nobles face lit up again.

“But they'll have to eat the losers alive.”

“?!”

They were once again shocked and frightened.

“E-Eat the loser?”

Miko nodded.

“Earlier I heard the late Marquis emphasizing on you all being a family. Since I'm softhearted individual, the thought of separating you all made me sad. So I thought of a way for you to be alive and together.”

He spread his arms out.

“By living in each other's bellies!"

“?!”

His disturbing words rang in the nobles' ears like thunder.

“That way you'll able to live on inside each other, literally.”

The nobles all shook in fear as they heard Miko's words.

Insane! This kid was insane!

They all wanted to run, but they knew that it was impossible.

Before long they all fell into an abyss of despair.

Meanwhile Miko wore a bright devilish smile.

He held the coin out and said-

“Heads or Tails?”