They stepped outside the school gates.
The afternoon air felt lighter.
Diana stretched again. "Freedom."
Liam kept an arm loosely around Emma's shoulders as they walked.
Casual.
Possessive in a quiet way.
Then he spoke.
"I insisted on entering your school."
Emma looked up at him.
Liam continued, completely serious.
"Your guard had no choice but to accept. Or either I beat his ass."
Silence.
Emma blinked.
Once.
"…You threatened school security."
"Yes."
Diana stopped walking.
She slowly turned toward Liam.
"You threatened a grown man. At a school. Over visitation rules."
"Yes."
Diana burst out laughing.
"THIS IS CRAZY. You're insane."
Liam shrugged. "I needed to see her."
Emma stared at him for a moment.
Then:
"…Did you actually hit him?"
"No," Liam said. "He chose the smarter option."
Diana wiped imaginary tears. "I can't believe you exist."
Emma sighed.
"…You didn't need to do that."
Liam looked at her.
Soft.
"I wanted to."
She didn't respond.
But she didn't step away either.
Her hand quietly gripped the fabric of his hoodie.
Diana noticed.
Smirked.
"Aww. Look at her pretending she's not touched."
Emma glanced away. "Shut up."
They kept walking.
Normal.
Peaceful.
For now.
---
Diana suddenly stopped walking.
"Oh shit."
Emma looked at her. "What."
"I have to go home quickly or else—"
She didn't finish.
She just TURNED.
And sprinted.
"BYEEE—"
Her voice faded as she disappeared down the street.
Emma stood there.
"…She didn't even explain."
Liam watched Diana vanish.
"…Your friend is something else."
Emma nodded. "Yes."
Silence settled between them.
Not awkward.
Just… quiet.
Liam glanced at Emma.
"I'll walk you home."
Emma gave a small nod.
They walked side by side.
Footsteps syncing with the pavement.
Occasional glances.
Neither saying much.
But neither needing to.
Soon…
They reached Emma's house.
They stopped in front of the door.
A small pause.
Liam shifted slightly closer.
Emma didn't move back.
They looked at each other.
Then Liam leaned down.
Emma tilted up.
Their lips met.
Soft.
Simple.
Not rushed.
Not desperate.
Just warm.
After a few seconds, they pulled apart.
Emma turned.
Opened the door.
Stepped inside.
"Hello—"
"Aww cute kiss."
Emma froze.
Her Mother..
Emma Slowly turned her head.
Her mother was standing there.
Arms crossed.
Smiling.
Wide.
Very wide.
Emma's face went blank.
"…Mother."
Liam stood outside.
Eyes wide.
Absolutely dead.
Asuka leaned on the wall.
"So this is the boy."
Emma wished the floor would open.
Liam bowed instantly.
"HELLO MA'AM."
Asuka giggled.
"This is adorable."
Emma stared at the ceiling.
"…I'm going to my room."
Asuka waved. "Don't forget to invite him for dinner sometime~"
Emma walked away.
Very fast.
Liam remained outside.
Standing there.
Realizing he just kissed Emma.
In front of her mother.
Ethan was standing behind Asuka.
Arms crossed.
Silent.
Eyes locked onto Liam.
Not angry shouting.
Not yelling.
Just…
A sharp glance.
The kind that says you exist, and I am judging your entire bloodline.
Liam felt his soul leave his body.
He bowed instantly.
"S-Sorry sir."
Then turned around.
And walked away.
Fast.
Emma watched him go.
Asuka smirked.
Ethan exhaled.
"Emma."
She looked at him.
"We're going out."
Emma blinked. "Where?"
"Father and daughter trip."
A small pause.
Emma nodded.
"Okay."
---
Inside the car.
Ethan drove.
Road quiet.
Radio off.
Only engine sound.
Emma sat in the passenger seat.
Looking out the window.
Ethan spoke.
"You know, Vex."
Emma didn't answer.
That made Emma turn.
"He wasn't always like that."
Silence.
Ethan continued.
"He was building robots."
"For his family."
"For his daughter."
Emma's fingers slowly tightened.
"Every time he sees you," Ethan said, "he remembers her."
Emma looked down.
"That's why he fixates on you."
Car kept moving.
"His wife encouraged him," Ethan continued.
"She told him… you can use your talent to help the world."
"He already believed that."
"He was a normal man."
Pause.
"A happy father."
Ethan's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
"One day… neighbors complained."
"They said the noises were annoying."
Emma frowned.
"They called the police."
Ethan's jaw clenched.
"Police knocked."
"No one answered."
"So they forced entry."
Emma's breathing slowed.
"They saw unfinished robots everywhere."
"They panicked."
"They pulled their guns."
"They started shooting."
Emma whispered.
"…The robots?"
"Yes."
A long silence.
Then Ethan said quietly:
"They missed."
"One bullet went through the workshop."
"…And hit his wife."
Emma's eyes widened.
Another second passed.
"Another bullet…"
Ethan swallowed.
"…Hit his daughter."
The car felt heavier.
Emma's hands trembled slightly.
"They died instantly."
Silence.
No music.
No traffic sound.
Just engine.
Ethan spoke again.
"When Vex came home…"
"He saw them."
"On the floor."
"Blood."
"Broken machines."
Emma's lips parted but no words came out.
"That day," Ethan said, "his mind broke."
"He stopped seeing people."
"He only saw failures."
Emma stared at her knees.
"So when he looks at you," Ethan said, "he sees the daughter he lost."
Emma whispered.
"…But that doesn't excuse what he did."
Ethan nodded.
"No."
"It explains."
"But it doesn't excuse."
Emma was quiet.
Then softly:
"…If that happened to you."
Ethan glanced at her.
"…I would burn the world."
Emma felt a strange tightness in her chest.
Ethan reached over.
Placed a hand on her head.
Not rough.
Not heavy.
Gentle.
"You're my daughter."
Emma closed her eyes.
For the first time in a while…
She leaned slightly into his hand.
---
The car stopped near the shore.
Waves rolled slowly.
Wind soft.
No crowds.
Just open sea.
Ethan stepped out first.
Hands in his jacket pockets.
He stood at the edge of the sand.
Staring at the horizon.
Emma stepped beside him.
Quiet.
They stood like that for a while.
Only waves speaking.
Emma finally said,
"…I think I can help Vex."
Ethan didn't turn.
Wind brushed through his hair.
"You shouldn't involve yourself with him."
Emma looked at the sea.
"He's broken."
"So am I."
Ethan slowly turned his head.
Eyes serious.
"You don't fix broken people by jumping into their wreckage."
Emma answered calmly.
"You taught me that monsters aren't born."
Ethan went silent.
Emma continued.
"He lost everything."
"He didn't choose how it happened."
"And I won't forgive him."
"But I don't want him to become worse."
Ethan closed his eyes briefly.
Long breath.
"…You're too much like me."
Emma tilted her head slightly.
Ethan looked at her.
"If he tries anything…"
"I'll kill him."
Emma nodded.
"That's fair."
Another pause.
Ethan sighed.
"Alright."
"You can go."
"But you don't fight him."
"You don't provoke him."
"You talk."
Emma nodded again.
"I will."
---
Night.
Abandoned industrial zone.
Broken buildings.
Flickering lights.
Emma walked alone.
Just her.
Footsteps echoed.
A shadow moved.
Metal scraping sound.
Vex stepped out.
Messy hair.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Thin.
Human.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…You came. What the fuck do you want."
Emma stopped a few meters away.
"I'm not here to fight."
Vex tilted his head.
"You should hate me."
Emma replied flatly.
"I do."
Silence.
Wind pushed dust across the ground.
Vex laughed weakly.
"Then why are you here?"
Emma looked at him.
"Because you're not evil."
Vex's smile twitched.
"I have done horrible things."
Emma didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Vex's voice cracked.
"So don't pretend I'm something better."
Emma stepped one step closer.
"You loved your daughter."
Vex froze.
Emma continued.
"You built things for her."
"You didn't build weapons at first."
"You built toys."
"You built helpers."
His breathing became uneven.
"…How do you know that."
"My dad, Ethan. told me."
Vex looked down.
"…She liked birds."
Emma blinked.
"…I like birds too."
Silence.
Vex's fingers trembled.
"She used to sit on my shoulders."
"And pull my hair."
A small broken laugh.
"I used to pretend it hurt."
Emma crouched down slightly so they were closer in height.
"You don't want revenge."
"You want your family back."
Vex whispered.
"Yes."
"You can't get them back."
Vex squeezed his eyes shut.
Emma continued softly.
"But you can stop adding bodies to their memory."
Vex opened his eyes.
Red.
Watery.
"…I see her face every time I sleep."
"I don't know how."
Emma reached into her pocket.
Pulled out something small.
A folded piece of paper.
She opened it.
A simple drawing.
A badly drawn bird.
"I drew this when I was younger."
"I don't draw anymore."
Vex stared at it.
"She liked birds…"
Emma placed the paper on the ground between them
"You need to become human again."
Vex looked at his hands.
Flesh.
Scarred.
"…If I stop."
"…Everything I did becomes meaningless."
Emma replied,
"No."
"It becomes your reason to never do it again."
Long silence.
Vex's knees slowly touched the ground.
He didn't collapse.
He knelt.
Head lowered.
"I don't deserve forgiveness."
Emma answered.
"I'm not giving you forgiveness."
"I'm giving you a choice."
Vex looked up.
"Live."
"And spend the rest of your life helping instead of destroying."
Tears finally fell from his eyes.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Quiet.
"I don't want to be alone anymore."
Emma said,
"Then don't be."
Another long silence.
Vex slowly reached forward.
Carefully picked up the paper bird.
Held it like it might break.
"…Can I keep this."
Emma nodded.
"Yes."
Vex whispered,
"…I'll stop."
Emma stood.
"You break your promise."
"My father kills you."
Vex gave a weak nod.
"Fair."
Emma turned around.
Began walking away.
Vex called softly.
"…hey."
She stopped but didn't turn.
"Thank you… for treating me like a person."
Emma replied without looking back.
"Don't waste it."
She walked into the dark.
And for the first time in years…
Vex stayed human.
Morning.
Cold air.
School uniform.
Emma walking alone.
Calm.
Quiet.
Then—
"EMMAAAAA."
Emma closed her eyes.
Diana appeared out of nowhere.
Breathing dramatically.
"I saw a cartoon yesterday about an emperor."
Emma glanced at her.
"So you didn't study."
Diana froze.
"…Oh."
Emma sighed.
Diana immediately recovered.
"But listen listen listen."
"That emperor was AMAZING."
"Everyone bowed."
"Everyone feared him."
"Maybe in another dimension…"
She pointed at Emma.
"You're emperor Emma."
Emma looked ahead.
"Me? Emperor?"
"…Whatever."
Diana smiled proudly.
-----------
The world shifts. That's. The main story. My fellow reader.
Not school.
Not streets.
A massive black throne hall.
Endless.
Dark marble floor.
Red banners hanging.
Fancy lights
Thousands.
No.
Tens of thousands.
Gang leaders.
Assassins.
Warlords.
Crime lords.
All kneeling.
Heads pressed to the ground.
Complete silence.
At the very top.
On a tall platform.
Emma Elarat.
Black long coat.
No crown.
No jewels.
Just presence.
Sharp Cold eyes.
Hands resting calmly at her sides.
She didn't speak.
Didn't move.
They stayed kneeling anyway.
A deep voice echoed through the hall.
"ALL HAIL EMPEROR ELARAT."
The sound thundered.
Every gangster repeated.
"ALL HAIL EMPEROR ELARAT."
The hall shook.
Emma looked down at them.
No pride.
No excitement.
Only acceptance.
Outside the palace.
Military vehicles.
Police barricades.
Elite soldiers everywhere.
Snipers on rooftops.
Yet none aiming at her.
They were protecting.
A female police officer stood behind a barrier.
Her small daughter held her hand.
The girl stared in awe.
"Mom…"
"What makes that woman so special?"
The officer swallowed.
Kneeled slightly.
"Shush. Not now."
"She saved Earth."
Huge holographic screens across the city.
Breaking News.
REPORTER:
"Emma Elarat."
"Our world's living legend."
"Confirmed records show she eliminated the global threat known as Vencor. Nobody ever imagined him dying. Her legendary story begins when she started gathering people, her members were obedient to her they had one goal. Eliminating vencor. And ending endless black Nightmare, some of her members died, and some are alive, but they did their work and they're not forgiven."
An old record of Emma talking to the camera shows up. To the holographic screens
"this. Is new world, everyone is free. Nobody is harmed by gangsters, assassins, crimes, this shithole is ended forever and I ended it."
"any gangster here that doesn't wanna obey me. You're not save, i can track you easily and end your life once and for all"
"in conclusion.. don't forget. I am. Vencor's legacy."
Celeste was watching the screen.
"ah. My Glorious Emma is now famous. Good job."
Back inside the throne hall.
Emma finally spoke.
Her voice calm.
Flat.
"I am what remains that Bastard is gone."
She slowly turned her gaze.
"If you kneel."
"You obey."
"If you betray."
"You die."
No emotion.
No anger.
Just fact.
Every gangster slammed their forehead harder to the ground.
"We obey Emperor Elarat."
Emma closed her eyes briefly.
"so that was your plan. Dad."
Not proud.
Not happy.
Just tired
The weight of an entire world pressing on her shoulders.
She opened her eyes again.
And the vision shattered—
---
Back to sidewalk.
Cars passing.
Birds chirping.
Diana still walking beside Emma.
"…So yeah."
"Emperor Emma would be cool."
Emma stared ahead.
"…You're weird."
Diana grinned.
"Hehehe."
Emma adjusted her bag strap.
"…I'd hate being emperor."
Diana blinked.
"Why?"
Emma answered quietly.
"Too many people would depend on me."
Diana smiled wider.
"Yeah."
"That's exactly why you'd be perfect."
Emma didn't reply.
They kept walking toward school.
Exams.
Normal life.
CHAPTER
.
END