Thump, thump, thump.

  ?

  Emperor Katsuki had spent most of the morning pacing back and forth in front of a wooden door. The wooden door exhibited an ordinary aura, but what lay behind it was enough to make one’s skin crawl as if bugs had slithered beneath it. Emperor Katsuki wasn’t wearing his usual orange and dark-gray armor, instead opting for loose white garments that allowed for ease of movement, exuding a more casual appearance for the usually scruffy and dominant emperor.

  ?

  His hands remained slumped in his pockets, habitually clenching and unclenching. His mind raced, considering countless possibilities. Since the corruption incident last night, Izuku had slowly become increasingly feral, his actions, demeanor, and attitude toward normal matters gradually growing colder, feigning either straight indifference or a lack of empathy.

  ?

  Last night, Emperor Katsuki had offered his friend something to drink, but Izuku had slapped the glass away, growling and snarling like a wild, untamed beast. Immediately after this, the green-haired emperor also displayed regret and empathy. Taking note of this, Emperor Katsuki couldn’t help but believe that some semblance of humanity and control still lingered within his friend.

  ?

  At this moment, the wooden door to Emperor Katsuki’s side opened, and a young woman clad in medical attire, a pair of goggles, and wearing thick gloves walked out. She stepped back from the emperor before speaking in a collected tone.

  ?

  “Your friend's sense of stability is… questionable to put it in simple terms. If you want to help him, I’d recommend diving into these subjects.”

  ?

  She dove into her pockets, taking out a small handbook with a leather casing. Its cover contained no text, but the contents inside were suitable for anyone pursuing medical knowledge. Emperor Katsuki took the small book, arching an eyebrow as he opened it. The first few pages contained miscellaneous knowledge regarding certain small treatments, everyday causes of disease, as well as bugs and arthropod organisms known for carrying and contracting diseases.

  He nodded subtly as he scanned the information, but he found the foreground of his thoughts drifting to his friend in the other room—he was much more important than the knowledge in his hand. After a brief moment of silence and recollection, Emperor Katsuki looked up at the nurse, giving her a rare yet genuine smile.

  “Thank you.”

  Before he turned to enter the room, she suddenly cleared her throat, wordlessly dragging the emperor’s attention back to her. The nurse pointed out the nearest window, where the duo could see the increasing snowfall outside.

  “Are you so sure we can live in this for much longer?” Her voice carried a certain weight that was adjacent to the current situation, yet was mainly gravitated to the snow outside.

  Emperor Katsuki pursed his lips as he nodded. “I don’t think you’ve heard what has happened this morning. I sent a group of new advisors and calculators to Seraphis Kingdom. With their skills, they’ll solve the current hunger crisis."

  The woman, her hair in a neat bun, looked back at him with a flicker of worry. “Will it take a long time? It’s been quite a long time since our last import.”

  The blonde-haired emperor fell silent, running a hand along the stubble peppering his chin. “I plan on personally addressing the private council regarding this matter. Following that, I’ll make a public address to our people regarding the stakes at hand.”

  In a somewhat uncharacteristic gesture, Emperor Katsuki set a hand on the nurse's shoulder, his crimson eyes flickering with emotion. “My people are just as important as my friends’ health is. It may seem like we’re doing nothing, but everyone within this palace has a defined purpose.”

  He leaned in closer, his smile remaining. “My head advisor even has a charity organization working in a small town near Seraphis Kingdom.”

  Upon digesting all of this information, the nurse felt her shoulders instinctively slack, the previous curtain of dread shrouding her emotions lifting. Her clear eyes widened, and she smiled.

  “I-I… thank you, your majesty.”

  Before she moved to turn around, Emperor Katsuki stopped her in her tracks, reaching into the pockets of his trousers. He took out a small stack of silver katshinese coins, dropping them into her palm. He tucked her hands back, clenching them for a moment.

  “Use this where you can; it’s not everyday you receive such opportunities.”

  As he watched the nurse leave in a hurry, Emperor Katsuki’s smile slowly faded. He turned to the now open door, peering inside. The first thing he saw was Emperor Izuku lying in a bed, his form nude and obscured by thick blankets, a warm towel had been placed on his forehead to dissipate any sweat or prevent any overheating problems.

  Before entering, Emperor Katsuki slowly sighed, leaning against the outside of the door and considering countless ways to do so. If his friend was in a rational and approachable state, it would be a mostly easy task. But if he had grown irritable with the nurses' ministrations, he’d probably throw the towel at him and try to crawl out of bed.

  “You don’t have to fret; I’m not planning to hurt you.” A gentle voice cut the palpable tenseness in the air, severing any tension within Emperor Katsuki's thoughts. He felt himself relax a tad bit, finally moving into the room.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Emperor Izuku looked at him with a small smile, head pressed against the soft pillows behind him. His hand extended from below the blankets, resting atop Emperor Katsuki’s knee, giving it a weak yet firm squeeze.

  “You don’t have to fear my condition.” Emperor Izuku’s voice carried a faint tremble, either from being cold or suppressed emotions.

  Emperor Katsuki looked at him with his deep red eyes before sighing. “I’ve watched you sleep the last few nights, you mumble a name… her name.”

  Emperor Izuku sighed softly, looking out the window. Outside, the pale clouds sent down more and more fluffy snow. It coated the rooftops of the kingdom, making everything appear a winter wonderland.

  “I see her in my dreams. She laughs, she plays in the fields with me and my daughter. She… calls my name.”

  “She calls your name?” Emperor Katsuki contemplated his words for a moment.

  “Does she say anything else?”

  The green-haired man in the bed rolled over, grunting with effort to even move a little. “No… she just asks me to help her. She wants me to reunite with her.”

  Emperor Katsuki hesitantly placed a hand on his friends’ shoulder, squeezing it firmly. “These are just dreams, Izuku. She isn’t calling to you.”

  “But… my heart aches when I wake up, I feel a longing unlike any other. The longing is peace, of relinquishing all I know… cannot compare.” Emperor Izuku spat, sinking his hands into his fluffy green locks.

  “These voices aren’t normal—they’re temptations. There is no salvation where you claim it lies, it’s all an illusion, it’s something that wants you to surrender to it; it wants to claim you whole and corrupt your entire being.”

  Izuku abruptly clenched his fists, the skin of his hands darkening. From the dark spots on his palms, illusory dark cracks seeped up his arms, surging into his shoulders.

  “Are you so sure it isn’t jealousy that prompts your words? You’ve lived for hundreds of years and haven’t found yourself a mistress to call your own. Perhaps all the conflict within your being had eroded any other emotion besides wanting to plunge your sword into another set of meaty, writhing guts.” Izuku’s voice was dual-tone, one half regular, the other half guttural and imposing.

  “Izuku, calm down for me.” Emperor Katsuki’s voice remained low. One hand dove behind his back, fists clenching as he prepared the sleep-inducing incantation.

  “Why? Why should I abide by your wishes once again?” Suddenly, Izuku’s large green pupils shrank back, two spots of malevolent crimson energy taking their place. His scleras noticeably darkened, turning iron-black.

  Around him, the entire room seemed to shake uncontrollably. Books toppled from the shelves, items on the bedside table rolling to the floor. Every kerosene lamp lit in the room burnt out, before rejuvenating in the form of a brilliant emerald-green flame.

  “I will bring her back… and you can’t do anything to stop me!”

  Emperor Katsuki leapt back, extending his palm forward. Tendrils of blazing orange light extended like bullets, seeping into Izuku’s ears. They immediately began to pulse in the corresponding effects. Izuku threw his head back, falling to the pillows as he clenched his ears like a child, snarling and growling like a feral animal.

  “Go… to… sleep…” Katsuki felt a surge of crimson blood drip from his nose, the sheer effort of his current act enough to exact a heavy toll on his body.

  The green-haired man suddenly lifted his hands, snagging the cords of mystical energy from his ears. They turned ink-black, diffusing into nothingness before the other emperor. Emperor Izuku, his form now terrifying, leapt from the bed, his form entirely nude. He spoke no words, only growls and snarls from under his breath.

  “Stay back!” Emperor Katsuki materialized a sword of mystical energy in his hands, the hilt and blade glowing with a brilliant orange energy that resembled flames.

  “I’m your friend, not a foe. I’m your ally, not your enemy. I care about you, Izuku; you’re not acting rationally.”

  Emperor Katsuki lifted his sword, the energy of the weapon intensifying. The blazing power of the sword emitted a calming and captivating light. Emperor Izuku suddenly froze, eyes dilating as looked up at the sword, cocking his head like a curious animal. The blonde emperor let out a low, soft sigh as he knelt down before his friend.

  “Back to bed… you need rest.”

  Emperor Izuku remained silent, slowly moving backwards to the bed. He collapsed backwards, coiling up in the sheets as if they were a makeshift cocoon. His eyes slowly regressed to normal, alongside the tendrils seeping up his arms. His voice, previously dual-tone and guttural, also gained a semblance of normalcy.

  “Are you feeling better?” Emperor Katsuki stepped forward, hesitantly reaching to touch Izuku’s forehead. Upon contact, he winced and quickly retracted his hand—the man's palm was fiery hot.

  “I…I…” Izuku could barely sputter out words, looking around the room in a daze. His previously eccentric eyes were glazed over, as if desensitized to reality itself.

  ‘Is this a dream?’ Emperor Katsuki’s thoughts raced as he observed Izuku’s current condition.

  “I… need to rest.” Izuku finally rolled onto his back, eyes slowly closing as he attempted to drift off. Before he left, he wearily pointed to Emperor Katsuki.

  “Go to my personal study… you will find my serum inside there.”

  “Your serum…” Katsuki recalled the emerald green serum Izuku had consumed countless times. Of course, this period was before the first corruption incident. If he tried to give Izuku the same serum, would it possess the same magnitude of effects?

  “I feel… bewilderment within you.” Izuku suddenly spoke up, voice hoarse.

  Emperor Katsuki clenched his fists, looking to his companion. “You’re obviously getting worse; I want to help you as much as I can!”

  A sudden finger to his lips shut his mouth up, making him fall quiet. Izuku forced a twitching smile and replied with a soft tone. “You’re doing the best you can… now go.”

  The emperor forced himself up, making his way out the door and moving down the hallway. After finding his way to Izuku’s study, shuffling through the drawers and cabinets, and finding the serum, he made his way back to the medical quarter and gave the other emperor the viscous green liquid.

  Izuku gulped it down heartily, setting the liquid down on the bedside table—the bottle was now completely empty.

  Upon seeing this, Katsuki’s eyes widened, fists gently clasping the vacant vial before him. “You drank it all…”

  Izuku coughed. “A heavier dose is usually what does the trick… luckily, I know the formula to make some more.”