Felix, the youngest marshal in the empire's history, rose through the ranks amid flowers and praise. He was never short of flatterers or marriage proposals, yet he rejected every single match request.
He publicly swore he would die on the battlefield for the empire, holding the front line even as his mental sea weakened year after year.
No one knew that, deep in his heart, he had buried a love he could never attain, one that had consumed his entire life.
On the eve of his mental sea's imminent collapse, Felix happened to discover an icon on his optical computer called the "Common Sense Modifier."
When he tapped it, a panel appeared. Its function was simple: once a day, he could alter one piece of common knowledge, specifying the target and the change. The effect would last ten days.
Felix tried changing one piece of common knowledge. At dinner that evening, he kept catching the insect emperor's eye from across the table.
Felix was secretly delighted. Day after day, he changed common knowledge without stopping, quietly savoring the little scraps of sweetness he'd stolen, until the day he was urgently summoned to the palace.
"Would you be willing to become my consort?"
Felix's pupils contracted. His breath nearly stopped.
A moment later, he bowed again, but his voice trembled uncontrollably. "Your Majesty... please don't toy with me."
But it wasn't a joke. Wearing a magnificent crown, he was led to the empress's seat before the gaze of the entire court.
The joy of having his dearest wish fulfilled swept over him like a tide, nearly breaking through the dam of his reason.
Yet doubt and dread quietly took root as well, like woodworms beginning to gnaw at the hard-won dream in his grasp.
If this stolen happiness were exposed, if the truth came out...
What would he do?
That day finally came.
2.
The insect emperor had been feeling rather troubled lately. The marshal he had personally promoted always looked at him with bold, ardent, undisguised eyes, and his behavior had grown increasingly improper. Worst of all were those brazenly flirtatious remarks...
If he said such things behind closed doors, just to the emperor, that would be one thing. But how could he say them in front of other people as well...?
The tips of the insect emperor's ears turned crimson. After tossing and turning all night, he finally decided to have a proper talk with his empress.
But when he actually spoke, before he could finish a single word of admonishment, Felix broke down first.
Tears rolled down without warning. The face usually so stern, regarded by the empire as unbreakable, was now filled with panic and despair.
Once he finally understood what was going on, the emperor sighed, bent down, and gently kissed away the tears clinging to the empress's lashes, then pressed a tender kiss to the corners of his reddened eyes. His voice was soft as he said:
"As long as it's you, anything is fine."
Theme: Study hard and make progress every day.
