[PREVIOUSLY]

He abruptly heard a sneer. A scoff of amusement and disappointment.

“... Your world, you say?” A whisper, yet it reverberates around the dimly lit room, originating from the figure of a person sitting on the couch.

The figure sneered once again. Loudly laughed, creating an echo across the room. It sounds like he's making fun of the emperor.

The laughter abruptly halted, followed by a moment of silence. After a strange stillness, he slyly muttered, “Tell me, Titus, what do you desire most?”

…

Although unclear, the question carried a lot of weight. It was a question that went above and beyond the typical objectives of monarchs and rulers. It delved into the human soul to look for any hidden longings or frailties that might be there beneath the veneer of authority.

“Wh-Who are you to question me?!”

How disrespectful of him to question the supreme ruler. Who does he think he is to barge into my room and hide? Hang on, what is his goal. Is he planning to kill me right here, this very moment?

Tension filled the space. The emperor, the head of the known world, is terrified but prepared to battle, and the unidentified man in the room is laughing and making fun of the emperor nearly directly in front of him.

From his silhouette, it appears that the man had an imposing man's build as he slowly got up from the couch. He then proceeded to walk right up against the emperor.

Once more, the guy urged, “Come on, tell me, what is it that you truly desire, Titus?" as he placed his face close to the emperor's ears.”

I felt uneasy after hearing the whisper; it seemed as though my life would be in danger if I didn't respond to his question. He incites a terror that no man could, or at the very least, no one would do to the emperor, so it was as if I were in the presence of someone otherworldly. Maybe what makes me terrified is that I worry for my life. Should I respond to his question? It would be comparable to bending down to a superior. Never before has my pride been so damaged. Just wait; I will make sure that you are punished for putting me in such a degrading position.

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The emperor carefully thought through the question he was asked. He was a man who had ascended to the highest echelons of power and influence, having attained remarkable heights. However, he experienced a disconcerting sense of introspection while in the presence of this mysterious individual. The emperor's body was shivering quite a bit due to the unnerving silence in the room. The emperor's life would be in danger in this circumstance, but the stability of the empire would also be in jeopardy as internal strife always breaks out when a ruler dies.

“I want my people to be well,” he retorted, “and I want my empire to be thriving and secure.” his voice was composed but tinged with a frightened and concerned undertone.

The individual whose face was obscured by darkness and whose face couldn't be seen clearly gradually came into the light, revealing his face. His face is stunning, flawless, yet depraved and nasty since it does not resemble the face of a typical guy, but rather the face of a man who appears to take pleasure in the suffering of other people. Despite having an appearance of such quality, people of this sort typically bring turmoil and disaster, inflict the misery of others, and cause suffering to themselves. Because of their fortunate facial features, it prevented people from reading their personality from their actions, thus they would never notice them.

The man's slip twisted gradually into a knowing, mocking smirk as his enigmatic face emerged. Their foreheads made contact with one another as his face moved towards Titus' face. He fixed a staring glance at Titus with eyes as dilated as ever.

He scoffs, keeping his gaze fixed on Titus, “Noble desires indeed. But do you not also want for something grandiose, perhaps something beyond the limitations of your emperorship?”

Something imposing? I could actually desire something similar. They claim that young men are the most ambitious, yet older men tend to be more so since they have reached an appropriate age but still haven't reached their objectives. I've only been in power for two years, so perhaps I don't want to go out like the other emperors, who perished from diseases, assassinations, and other causes. Indeed. I want to be in power for as long as possible. Longer even than the great Augustus. to be regarded as a hero and a god.

Yes. Considering that I have only been in power for a short two years, I made an effort to alter and transform in order to become a smart and compassionate ruler who doesn't actively seek out conflict or famine. In order to appear intelligent and refrain from using tyranny in my early years of rule, I had prepared for this. To lure people into my plans, I had been merely putting on the appearance of a clever and benevolent man. Even at my worst hours, I want people to stick with me. Even want people to fall with me.

He proclaimed, “I want to be a God, a saviour,” with an expression of ambition that resounded with unflinching resolve. “I desire to be regarded and known as the man who brought the empire to unimaginable greatness, who provided prosperity and salvation to all. I want the admiration and devotion of my people.”

It's true that I don't intentionally start wars or start famines. However, doing so will either result in the growth and reach of my empire or its demise. It is an essential sacrifice for such ambitious goals could only be attained through enormous sacrifices. A risk that any monarch had encountered.

The countenance of the unidentified man then abruptly assumed a serious expression, one that appeared to be either in shock or disappointment.

“To be God and a Savior—such lofty ambitions, Titus.”

Titus trembled more in fear as a result of the unknown man's frighteningly loud voice.

“Worry not... I have no plan of harming you.” the man said as he turned his face away from Titus, “Tell me, are you prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve such goals?” he said as he stepped back and away from Titus, his eyes not flinching.

Indeed, I do. I have a lot of sacrifices to make considering that I'm the emperor, the most powerful man in the world, and can order any man to do what I like. This emperor title is simply a steppingstone on the path to divinity; I shall surpass it.

“I'm willing to go to any lengths to achieve my goals…”

The mysterious man first maintained a stern face, but his demeanour gradually softened as he grinned.

“Worry not, you'll have the Devil by your side.”