Simon von.
The undisputed number one beneath the Empress of the Empire.
He was also branded with infamous titles such as “The Empress’s Executioner,” “Regicide,” and “The Betrayed.”
Yet, compared to these titles, the most well-known rumor was that of “The Empress’s Loyal Hound.”
After all, the Empress’s ascent to the throne was entirely due to Simon’s unwavering support.
It was he who personally slew the former king atop the Throne, and before the eyes of all, placed the current Empress, Alexia, upon the seat of power.
This act made Simon a figure of intense controversy, and despite his overwhelming strength, there were still those who whispered behind his back.
On the other hand, Alexia, as Empress, not only refrained from quelling these rumors but allowed them to spread.
To this day, Simon’s reputation has fallen to the lowest depths.
The phrase “hated by people and dogs alike” is not an exaggeration to describe him.
And this was precisely the situation Alexia desired.
She needed a shield to stand before her, blocking everything for her sake.
Rulers always wished to win glory for themselves, but many of her policies were seen by most as tyrannical.
The reason Simon cared nothing for his own reputation and aided her without hesitation was, naturally, an unusual one—through special means, she held Simon in the palm of her hand.
Forcing him to fight for her, his hands stained with blood.
At least, this was how it appeared from Alexia’s perspective.
But in truth, Alexia’s magic had never taken effect from the beginning; Simon was merely cooperating with her control.
Because at that time, though Simon possessed the foresight and advantage of a transmigrator, he was unable to advance further due to suppression from above.
It was at that moment that an unexpected variable appeared—Alexia set her gaze upon him.
Naturally, Simon would not reject the Empress destined to leave a mark on the Empire’s history.
Only, her methods also exceeded his imagination.
Due to lack of time for prolonged contact with him, she simply used an ancient contract to bind him to her.
Forcing him to obey her will.
However, Simon felt no dissatisfaction.
This contract did not merely require him to obey Alexia’s orders; Alexia herself also had to pay a price.
In a certain sense, it could even be considered an equal contract.
And such acts of feigned obedience as today were not the first he had performed.
Because, if the Main Plot were to proceed normally, neither Alexia nor his own ending would end well.
He had to alter the entire Main Plot while still “obeying” Alexia.
At nine o’clock at night, Simon arrived on schedule and gently knocked on the door to Alexia’s bedroom.
“The door isn’t locked.”
Draped in a sheer veil, Alexia lounged by the crackling fireplace, lazily flipping through an ancient book in her hand.
Expressionless, in silence she appeared as a cold beauty, nothing like the violent, morbid figure who regarded human life as worthless in the palace earlier.
Not until Simon walked to her side did she close the book and shift slightly on the sofa.
Simon naturally sat in the space she left.
Alexia turned, reaching out to gently touch Simon’s cheek, a hint of helplessness on her face.
“Sometimes, I really want to hear you say what you want to say to me, not just the things I want to hear. But I don’t dare to release that contract, because you are no longer the little knight of the past, but the Empire’s strongest Knight Commander.”
She sighed softly, as if complaining about Simon, or perhaps herself.
“Besides, I think you’ll never like someone like me, who killed her father for the throne, ruled with tyranny and arrogance… I suppose I’ve done all the most despicable things a person can do, heh…”
“But after a while, you get used to it. It’s not so bad.”
This was not the first time Alexia had bared her heart to Simon.
To her, the man before her was the only one she could confide in.
She trusted no one else.
If these words remained buried in her heart, she felt she might truly go mad.
After a brief moment of self-pity, she stood and headed upstairs.
“An evil person can do countless bad things and still be seen as normal, but a good person only needs to commit a single wrong to become a ‘villain.'”
Simon, who had stood frozen like a statue the entire time, followed her.
“And you didn’t really scare Belinda, did you?”
Alexia asked uneasily.
Simon explained, “After all, witnessing one’s own mother’s death firsthand, emotional instability is normal.”
“Is that so? Then that’s not so bad. Major upheaval always leads to growth. Simon, let her hate you, and let her hate me as well.”
After speaking, Alexia felt that wasn’t enough and added,
“Make her forget her surname. I don’t care what method you use.”
Alexia Loin.
The controversial Empress of the Empire.
The Empire’s tyrant, a mad reformer, one who was stripped of her name.
In both the present and future, her deeds in the Empire were always shrouded in endless controversy.
Yet, precisely because she had Simon as an even more reviled shield, she was able to avoid becoming the target of all.
Likewise, Simon’s presence suppressed all rebellious actions against her within the Empire.
The hatred borne by Simon, if shifted to Alexia, would probably exceed seventy percent.
However, one thing was certain.
She had successfully reclaimed all the scattered power of the Empire and expanded its territory by more than half.
Though the process was filled with violence and bloodshed, in the end, she achieved victory—no one could shake her authority.
As for the scathing criticism from later generations, it all surfaced only after her death.
Simon, following behind Alexia, understood her intentions.
This was the only way for Belinda to survive.
Alexia needed a legitimate heir, and the successor she chose was Belinda.
In the entire world, aside from Alexia and the current Simon, no one knew Belinda’s true identity.
Belinda was not only the protagonist of the Game but also the main character controlled by the players, and the one destined to be crowned as the new Empress of the Empire in the future.
Back in the bedroom, Alexia stood by the bed, unconcernedly slipping off the last veil that covered her body, leaving only the most basic undergarments.
She turned to look at Simon, raised her hand slightly, and asked in a soft voice,
“Am I beautiful?”
Then, as if recalling something, she moved her right hand in front of her and made a pressing gesture.
“Forget it, don’t answer me. In any case, you’d only lie and say I’m beautiful. Lies remain lies, no matter how many times they’re told. I’ve heard enough and don’t want to hear any more from your lips.”
Simon remained silent, simply admiring the stunning sight before him.
To be honest, Alexia’s beauty and figure were among the top within the entire Game.
As a human form, she was undoubtedly perfect.
In this era where looks determined so much, it made her extremely popular.
Alexia approached Simon, unbuttoned his shirt, and gently stroked his firm abdomen.
Then she leaned down, pressed her ear to Simon’s chest, and listened to his powerful heartbeat.
That sound brought her the greatest peace.
“Sometimes, I really wonder if you count as a man at all. Why is your desire so low?”
Alexia took Simon’s hand and led him to the bed.
As the price for controlling Simon, Alexia needed to fulfill his desires.
Without Simon needing to say a word, her body would naturally act on its own.
If she interrupted it even once, there was a risk that Simon would regain clarity, something Alexia could not allow.
No matter when or where, Simon—her ‘loyal’ guard—had to remain by her side.
Only, most of the time, Simon’s desire was low, especially in recent months; usually, just sleeping together was enough.
And for Alexia, this was perfectly acceptable—in fact, she was glad for it.
Because only with Simon at her side could she sleep soundly and rest well.
Simon’s low desire, in her view, was probably due to mental rigidity after being controlled.
After all, the current Simon only needed to obey her commands; with so little free will, naturally, there was little desire as well.
After pulling Simon onto the bed, Alexia had him lie on the right side, then crawled into his arms, pulling his hand aside.
As she gradually drifted to sleep, Alexia curled up naturally, allowing Simon to hold her from behind.
Like a child utterly lacking a sense of security.
Simon waited until Alexia in his arms was completely asleep before closing his eyes.
It was not the first time he had held her like this.
Ever since Alexia was still a Princess, he had shared a bed with her, though nothing substantial had ever happened between them.
Perhaps no one would ever imagine that this strong, arrogant, tyrannical figure would show such vulnerability, like a little girl, after falling asleep.
And this was something only he could possess.