After I left, I wasn't sure where to go.

I remembered I was supposed to go meet my adoptive father, but where? I had no idea so I decided to go back to my adoptive father's house.

Once I considered that place as my second home, but now...

My adoptive father was my father's friend and his subordinate. When my father died, he was just a lieutenant but a few years after he was already a major. Some of the soldiers my father trained were under his command. That must have been His Majesty's reward for taking me in and spying on me.

As for my best friend... He was the one who exposed the prime-minister bad deeds so he was heavily rewarded. This time, I wouldn't let that happen.

To be honest I still couldn't believe that the man behind the scenes was the emperor, knowing that he ordered my family to be killed when he knew that my father was innocent and that he controlled my surroundings since then... I hated him so much, I would never forgive him.

When my adoptive father arrived, he asked me why I didn't meet him. I told him I rescued a little boy and I was stabbed and I wasn't feeling well and that's why I didn't go to meet him. I didn't tell him that I had met someone besides the little boy.

My adoptive father was worried about my wound. I looked at him, not knowing if he was feeling really worried about me or if it was just for show.

That night, nightmares hunted me, my family faces begging for justice while the guilty parts laughed at them. I woke up covered in sweat. I took a bath and went to practice martial arts until my body was all sore.

At lunchtime, I went to meet the emperor for our lunch.

Mille Peach was an old but good restaurant in the capital. It used to be famous but many years later a new restaurant opened and Mille Peach started to have fewer and fewer customers.

I forgot that the new restaurant still didn't open. The waiter mocked me with his eyes when I asked for a table without having a reservation. I was wondering what to do when I heard someone calling me.

-Zang Chang.

I turned around and saw the emperor smiling at me.

-Why aren't you waiting inside? The weather is cold today.

Indeed, we were in November and the weather was cold.

-I forgot to reserve a table, my apologies, I will have to treat you another day.

-It's okay, I have a private room.

It wasn't surprising that the emperor had a private room but I had to fake surprise because I wasn't supposed to know his background.

The emperor chuckled.

-Come on, let's go.

The waiter who mocked me earlier was now bowing deeply and showing us the way. Soon we arrived at a private room on the third floor.

After we entered the room, the emperor pushed a chair to me. Then I remembered that in my previous life he used to do that. By then, I found it funny and when I found out he was the emperor I couldn't understand why would the emperor push chairs for others. Now I understand that he was courting me.

It was hard for me, to sit and eat and smile at the man who killed my family. All I wanted was to grab a knife and stab him.

I was eating mechanically without even noticing what I was putting on my mouth.

-Does your wound hurt? - asked the emperor with concern.

-No.

-Then why don't you look well today?

-I didn't sleep well last night.

-Oh, I see.

-The doctor said the little boy's wounds were not serious but he is badly nourished.

-Will he be able to grow normally?

-Yes, as long as he is well-fed, which he will be. You don't need to worry.

-Many thanks.

-No need to thank me.

I don't remember what else we chatted about; I was too focused on not killing him. He kept serving me food and from time to time his hand would brush mine. I felt goosebumps.

We left after eating, I was going to pay but he said he had already paid.

-We came here so I could treat you as thanks – I said to him.

-It's okay, you can treat me next time. Do you want to go for a walk?

-No thank you, I have things to do.

-Why don't you come tomorrow afternoon to see the little boy?

-Okay, I will.

-See you tomorrow then – said the emperor smiling.

Actually, I didn't have anything else to do today, I just couldn't stand looking at his face anymore.