My Yandere Empress

In the midst of my negotiation with the Sea Mage’s husband, I had received a message from mother through the Underworld.

"The Puppeteer has left in confusion. He says one of his puppets—the very one he had posted in the Hermann clan, is no longer under his control. Valerie...investigate this."

And so having received an approximate location, I had headed off as soon as I completed the negotiation.

On my way, I had decided to kill off the runaway "puppet" if he proved to be too much of a hassle.

To my shock though, he was walking over a field covered with demonic miasma. Looking at the ancient tree, I knew it was a quest.

But even then...

How was he maintaining his sanity?

Demonic miasma is one of the strangest and dangerous substances in the entire Exodus. Found mainly in the inner regions of the Underworld, this black, gooish toxin feeds on your will and crumbles your body into dust the moment you break down.

He didn’t.

When I realised he was awakening an Unique Mana Core, I had instinctively agreed that it was truly fair to reward with something that remarkable.

Though mother would certainly go crazy if she were to hear a dormant had surpassed the corruption of the Demonic Miasma.

The global quest had generated moments later. But it didn’t take me long enough to realise that...

Enzo Riccardo was a valuable asset. A shining potential held back by inexperience and lack of resources.

And so I had patiently waited and had intervened inside the gate at exactly the right moment. Even if he were to later feel disgusted at me for enslaving him, he would atleast feel obliged that he owe me his life. For saving him.

All of this was just to add him to our Empire.

But just when I had been about to put the slave collar on him, his vulnerable figure gave me a pause.

And after a moment of deliberation, I exchanged the slave collar with another collar...that I had made personally.

"My lady, are you sure we should be going there? Even if you are disguised as a Shadow Squad member, do remember that our organisation is highly feared as well. It might cause a ruckus if we were to stand out in the open."

Mathilda raised a question, effectively breaking me from my thoughts.

I really am daydeaming a lot these days...

I considered her question and looked over at the distant crowd as we approached the field.

"We stay close to the carriage parking area. Anyone who dares to come to us...just intimidate them and make them back off, Mathilda."

"Understood my lady."

"Candidate nine hundred ninety nine wins!"

My head snapped towards the field, eyes scanning the field like an eagle and finally, zooming on a black haired boy stepping back with a tired and haggard expression.

Yet, he carried a proud smile on his face.

Ahh...I didn’t get to see his match though. I had been really looking forward to it since I saw his training the last night.

As if our first encounter hadn’t been shocking, he surprised me even more the night before.

He started as an amateur at the beginning and ended up, slashing and puncturing like he had been doing this for months. It was truly impressive.

People noticed us as we sat atop our horses at the backline. But none dared approach, not even the nobles, when Mathilda released an invisible wave of aura as an unspoken warning.

But a minute later, one of the Bewitchers came running towards us.

I recognised her immediately.

"Elena." I spoke in a not-so-impressed tone as I addressed her.

"Your Highness!" Elena was about to bow when Mathilda have her a light, playful smack on her head.

"What are you doing, child? Do you want to expose her identity in front of everyone?"

"Ah my bad!" Even though her face was covered beneath the hood, I could still feel the embarrassment in her tone.

She then started giving quite a lengthy speech, explaining why she had failed and profusely apologizing at every turn.

I barely heard her, my focus on the field as Enzo walked off to a group of two boys.

’Heh, even if he were to lose out on a match, it wouldn’t matter. He would still be selected; I have made sure of it.’

Enzo would definitely be proud of me when he hears I have already arranged everything for him...right?

"M-my lady..." Mathilda leaned forward as she whispered to me in urgency.

I looked at her quizzically, waiting for her to continue.

"That collar placed on that boy’s neck isn’t a slave collar of the Empire! But at the same time, that has the Mark of Slavery on it — which means he is right now not a slave of the Empire but rather someone else’s!"

My breath hitched for a brief moment as her last two words registered in my mind. Mathilda, misunderstanding my reaction, insisted. "My lady, we must investigate into this. This is quite urgent!"

I shook my head, bringing back my composure and looked at Mathilda.

"No need to worry. That’s my collar, not anyone else’s. And yes, he shall serve me. Not my parents."

"Princess Valerie!" Mathilda almost shouted as she tried to scold me.

"You know right your mother, Her Imperial Highness, shall be furious at this."

"And you shall say this to her?"

"Obviously. I serve her."

I turned around and faced the field, where Enzo’s ninth match was beginning.

One look at him and whatever anger had been building inside me melted away.

The Shadow Squad, the horse I rode, the clothes I wore, the resources I used for ascending in ranks, even the lands I traverse on — none of this are mine.

None of them...belongs to me.

’But...but...’ My eyes fell on yhe collar fitting snugly around his neck. ’He belongs to me. Completely mine. My own slave.’

Seeing his opponent introducing himself to Enzo, I quickly started texting him. To warn him to not say his name.

On instinct, I even announced my presence. And a spilt second later, he looked at my side...with shock?

That felt like a bit too extreme of a reaction...

"You are planning to make him your champion right?" Mathilda’s voice had gone soft and low as she muttered under her breath.

I nodded, not turning towards her.

I heard her sigh in response, as if I was giving her some headache. How obnoxious!

"My dear lady, I hope you know what you are doing. For your sake, I shall leave out this point from your mother. The collar part shall be enough for her to wonder when did her daughter turn so unruly."

Ignoring her, I focused on the test rings where Enzo was absolutely dominating over his opponent.

"He is strong, I give him that. But nothing impressive for his age." Mathilda commented from my side, no wonder trying to discourage me about my decision.

"He awakened a week ago."

Silence followed, much to my sheer amusement.

I concealed my face properly, feeling a smile on my lips as Enzo won yet another match.

But the smile vanished as I finally saw the girl by his side. What was her name again...Alyssa?

’What if someone tries to snatch him from me...?’ The thought made me shudder.

’No, no...that cannot be the case. He is wearing my collar...he is mine!’

But still to be sure of that, I released an invisible string as it travelled the air with a woosh and entered Enzo as if his skin was no obstacle.

[Cosmic Execution: 1/100]