I Became the Emperor’s Sleeping Pill - Chapter 12

Schedule: Tuesday and Friday

I diligently carried out my duties as the Emperor’s Nyxna, waiting for the heroine’s arrival. But the original story, with its few mentions of me, never hinted at this maddening confinement, the kiss marks, or this obsessive behavior.

I replayed the book’s contents, convinced I’d missed something, but this scenario simply didn’t exist. The Emperor treated Lysei like a sleeping draught, nothing more. Lysei, pressured by the Baron to bear the Emperor’s child, tried everything to seduce him. But she was met with cold indifference, seen only as a cure for his insomnia.

“Just where did things go wrong…?”

This was utterly insane. Was I doomed to remain trapped here? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought.

I was a physical education student. Judo and Taekwondo were my passions; running and pull-ups, my hobbies. I was an athlete through and through. To be stuck in this room, even one as large as a playing field, for months on end… It was suffocating just to imagine. And people need sunlight! Being cooped up inside… doesn’t anyone here know about photosynthesis?

I clicked my tongue and leaned my head back against the sofa.
‘What am I going to do?’

He clearly enjoyed last night, but did he really need to lock me up? I’m his Nyxna. We’re bound to meet at night, even without the confinement. He hasn’t even shown his face since this morning. Why lock me in here?

“Argh! D*mn it!” I raked my hands through my hair in frustration. “I could really use a drink right now…”

My rambling ceased. My hands dropped from my head, and my dazed expression brightened.

“Alcohol!”

I shot up from the sofa.

‘Why didn’t I think of this before? Instead of sitting here in a daze, I can have a date with a bottle!’

‘I wonder what kind of alcohol they have here. Probably no soju. Definitely not. Given the medieval-ish setting, it’s probably wine. This is the imperial palace, so maybe they have some 500-year-old vintage?’

Humming a cheerful tune, I headed for the door to ask the guard for a drink. Just as I reached for the handle, the door swung open, startling me.

“….”

Standing there, resplendent in dazzling imperial robes, was a breathtakingly handsome blond man—the very image of an emperor.

‘Wow, I actually slept with this gorgeous creature last night.’

I managed an awkward smile and greeted Edin, who seemed to be in a foul mood. “Your work is done? Must be tiring.”

“Where are you going?”

‘Ah, is that what’s bothering him?’

“I wasn’t going anywhere.” Edin’s furrowed brow smoothed out at my words. ‘This childish man…’

“Then why…?”

“Ah, alcohol…”

“Alcohol?”

‘Should I even mention it?’

“I wanted a drink, so I was going to ask the guard…”

He seemed like he’d be fine with anything as long as I wasn’t trying to escape, so I told him the truth. Edin looked surprised for a moment before turning to the servant who had opened the door.

“Bring me the Pralentiora 520.” He ordered 520-year-old wine—or whatever it was—that sounded exorbitantly expensive, just by its name.

‘…It is wine, right?’

“Ugh!” I gagged, having just learned the true nature of the expensive-sounding

‘Pralentiora 520’, When I first tasted it, I’d been impressed by its exquisite aroma and asked Edin if it was wine. The enticing blood-red liquid certainly looked like red wine.

Edin, languidly swirling his glass with a condescending air, explained the Pralentiora, prompting me to nearly vomit what I’d already consumed.

“It’s made from the blood of a leech-like, bloodsucking magical creature that lives in the Forest of Monsters. They primarily feed on the blood of flower-like magical creatures, which gives the drink its unique fragrance. The longer it’s aged, the richer the flavor and aroma become, hence the high price for older vintages. This one is 520 years old…”

“Ugh!”

“….”

“A leech…?! Ugh!”

“It’s a rare drink, even for those with considerable wealth. Your reaction is… intriguing.”

‘Even if I were rolling in money, I wouldn’t drink leech blood, you lunatic! Leech blood as alcohol? Is the blood somehow alcoholic? Does drinking leech blood make you feel good and boost your metabolism or something?’

I grimaced, holding the clear crystal glass up to the light, examining the liquid within. “Don’t you have any normal drinks? Like, wine made from grapes and sugar?”

“You have a fondness for grape wine, I see.”

‘Yes, that! The wine I was talking about!’

“I love it.” I nodded. Edin snapped his fingers, and as if by magic, a distant door opened, and the guard entered. I stared back and forth between Edin’s hand and the approaching guard, bewildered.

“You summoned me, Your Majesty.”

“Bring some grape wine.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”