Chapter Text
Welcome to “Ellysia”, a grand empire ruled by honor, glory, and noble bloodlines. Its power extends across five unique territories.
🏛️ Florencia — The Center of Power
The imperial capital, home to the Emperor, royal family, and powerful aristocrats.🌲 Ardenvelt — The North
A mysterious ancient forest and the stronghold of mighty warriors.🌊 Marindale — The South
A beautiful coastal city rich in marine treasures and rare resources.🌾 Avalon — The East
A fertile land of golden fields and abundant harvests that nourish the continent.⛰️ Orellia — The West
A mountain city of mines, crystals, and master craftsmen serving the royal palace.Hidden within Florencia’s sealed royal garden lies “Florian Black Rose,” an ancient rose with velvet-black petals. It absorbs daylight and shines silver under the moon, blooming and releasing its enchanting scent only before its true blood-bound soulmate.
As the throne changes hands and four generals rise to power, unseen forces awaken in the shadows. The black rose’s fragrance will guide the empire toward a new chapter of history… one beyond imagination.
- 1 -
For a young man like Jimin, who was born and raised amid sunshine, warm breezes, the scent of sea salt, fine sand, and the tranquil stillness of the southern realm... the province of Marindel, the capital province of Florencia in the Kingdom of Ellysia seemed, in the afternoon, like a lavish dream beyond anything he could ever hope to reach in his lifetime. Both sides of the streets were lined with buildings constructed entirely from pristine white marble, their roofs made of special azure bricks that reflected the scorching heat and blazing sunlight with remarkable efficiency. The result was a dazzling shimmer that made the young man's eyes sting ever so slightly.
The sound of wheels from an exquisitely carved horse-drawn carriage rumbled along a road made of massive stones, each one polished until perfectly even before being laid to pave the street. Blending with the music drifting through the winding alleyways and the aroma of freshly baked bread, it only deepened Jimin's sense of wonder, making it almost impossible for him to look away. The young man had nearly forgotten why he had traveled to the capital of the kingdom in the first place.
Tilting his head back until his neck nearly rested against his shoulders, he gazed up at the buildings adorned with colorful flowering plants that filled the air with their sweet fragrance. His face radiated barely concealed excitement, completely unaware that by doing so, he was gradually drifting farther and farther away from the caravan carrying the rare goods his father had brought to trade with the nobles of the capital.
Jimin accepted a freshly made fruit ice pop from a young girl at the street corner, who offered it to him free of charge. He raised it to his lips, took a taste, and exclaimed in surprise. The icy chill and the sweet-tart flavor lifted his spirits even further. Because of that, Jimin wanted his father to try it as well, but he soon realized that he had become separated from his father's caravan. The young man looked left and right in growing panic.
After letting the ice cream melt away completely, he finally managed to compose himself. When they came ashore, his father had told him that the caravan would be setting up camp at the trade square favored by the upper class, who delighted in rare goods from distant lands. Jimin cautiously stepped toward the bread merchant who had just put freshly baked loaves on display and offered the man a nervous smile.
“Big brother... I've gotten separated from my father's merchant caravan. If I want to get to the trade square, which way should I go?”
Fortunately, the baker was a kind-hearted man. From Jimin's simple linen clothes—practical and well-suited for traveling—he could easily tell where the young man had come from and which merchants' square he was trying to find. So he patiently gave Jimin clear directions.
Thanks to his help, Jimin was able to find his way back to his father without any trouble.
"Jimin! You nearly scared me to death!" his father cried the moment he saw him. "Where have you been all this time?"
Jimin let his father turn him this way and that several times. Once Jihyuk was certain that his only son was safe and completely unharmed, he finally let out a long breath of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He gently ushered Jimin behind the merchant's stall, hoping his son's delicate, almost girlish good looks would attract more customers.
The goods Jihyuk had brought for this trip were all rare and valuable treasures. Among them were Moon Pearls, which shimmered with a deep sapphire-blue glow whenever sunlight touched their surface, and Blood Coral, believed to be a key ingredient in an elixir of longevity when ground into powder and mixed with other rare materials.
Jimin helped draw quite a few young and middle-aged nobles to their stall. With his sweet, charming face helping to catch people's attention, their goods sold even faster than expected.
Jihyuk smiled in satisfaction. The long journey had been well worth it.
That night, Jihyuk practically slept with a jar of gold coins in his arms. They had spent most of their lives handling nothing more than ordinary silver coins. Never had they possessed so many gold coins at once.
Jimin turned over and gazed out at the night sky. A cool breeze drifted through the camp, leaving everyone feeling peaceful and at ease—the perfect night for a good rest.
Yet sleep refused to come.
He glanced at his father, who had already fallen asleep, still clutching the jar of gold coins to his chest.
"Father..."
Jimin called out softly several times.
When he realized his father was fast asleep—probably dreaming about those precious gold coins—and there was no chance he would wake up anytime soon, Jimin quietly slipped out from under his blanket and hurried out of their lodging.
At night, the Kingdom of Florencia was remarkably quiet, peaceful, and safe. The rumble of carriage wheels, the cheerful songs of street performers, and the aroma of freshly baked bread had all faded away. Yet the gentle fragrance of countless flowers still lingered in the air.
People even said that there were no thieves in Florencia. Because of that, there was no need for guards to patrol the streets at night.
Jimin wandered through the winding alleys at an unhurried pace, tilting his head back to admire the white marble buildings glowing beneath the moonlight. He stopped by the bank of a narrow river that flowed gently around the city, sitting quietly for a while before continuing farther and farther away from the tent he shared with his father, following unfamiliar paths wherever they led.
There was only one reason for his late-night walk.
He wanted to find out whether the Florian Black Rose truly existed.
After all, who had never heard the legend of the Kingdom of Ellysia?
The tale spoke of the royal family's ancient flower—the Florian Black Rose. It was said to be an ancient variety of rose with thick, velvety petals as soft as the finest velvet. Its petals were a deep, flawless black, layered so densely that they seemed to swallow the light around them.
Yet when night fell, the edges of each petal would begin to glow with a silvery radiance, like moonlight itself.
The legends also claimed that the rose gave off a fragrance unlike any other—sweet, mysterious, and so refined that it inspired both admiration and awe.
No commoner had ever been granted the chance to behold its beauty. Yet the people of Ellysia firmly believed that this mysterious flower truly existed.
They also believed that this enigmatic flower must acknowledge the queen of the kingdom. Because of this tradition, throughout every generation, the king had been able to marry only one queen.
If anyone were to ask just how important the existence of the Florian Black Rose was to the royal family, the answer would undoubtedly be the same from everyone:
It was beyond measure.
He had wandered so far from the camp that Jimin could barely remember the way back. The small figure of the young boy moved through the darkness of the city district, venturing deeper into a place hidden away from the streets. In the distance, he caught sight of what looked like a grand mansion—or perhaps even a royal palace.
...Could the Florian Black rose be inside there?
The small figure slipped inside quietly, moving so swiftly that the guards failed to notice him.
Jimin, a mischievous young boy who had just arrived in the capital for the first time after leaving the southern kingdom, had never seen anything like the black rose blooming in the greenhouse garden before him. Its deep, jet-black petals released a tempting fragrance, making it nothing more than a strange and fascinating thing he wanted to lean closer and smell just once.
… So this was the legendary Florian Black Rose?
“So it really does exist...”
Jimin’s slender fingertips brushed against the glass of the greenhouse before he stepped inside without even realizing it. The faint, delicate fragrance was far too captivating, and the sight of those petals—so perfectly black—made it impossible for him to resist. He found himself drawn closer.
His slender hand reached out, but just as his fingertip was only a little distance away from the pitch-black petals, a deep, powerful voice suddenly came from behind him.
“Take your mischievous hand away.”
Jimin flinched violently. His fingertip accidentally brushed against the petal of the Florian Black rose. Without meaning to, he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with its alluring scent.
With a startled expression, the young boy quickly turned around, only to find a well-built man standing there. His eyes looked lazy and calm, yet there was a hidden danger beneath them.
Judging by the man’s clothing, he was most likely the owner of this place. Jimin had no idea who he was, but whoever he was, he had to be someone important—after all, he had entered the greenhouse with such ease, as if he belonged there.
Jimin stumbled backward until his back hit the greenhouse wall with a soft thud. The man glanced at the Florian Black rose, whose petals were now glowing like moonlight and continuously releasing their intoxicating fragrance.
The man’s eyes darkened. With only three steps, he closed the distance between them. He seized Jimin’s slender wrist and pushed it above his head.
“How bold of you.”
Jimin no longer cared about the mysterious rose. At that moment, his entire focus was on the man in front of him and the dangerous heat spreading through his body. His breathing grew quicker and heavier, and his delicate face flushed slightly.
The more he inhaled the strange rose’s alluring scent, the less his body seemed to belong to him. From his waist down, his strength slowly faded beyond his control. The overwhelming desire to be closer to the man before him made Jimin’s eyes widen in panic.
But the moment their eyes met, his body weakened even further.
“I... I’m sorry.”
By the time he managed to force the words out, Jimin was already close to losing his strength. His wrist was still held captive, and his waist had become so weak that he could barely keep himself standing.
Suddenly, the man’s gaze turned even darker. A low sound, almost like the growl of a beast, rumbled from his throat before he lowered his face and buried it against Jimin’s slender neck.
“You brought this upon yourself.”
The other man’s hoarse voice, filled with desire, made Jimin feel a strange excitement rather than fear. His small body instinctively pressed closer to him, as if this was his only refuge. His delicate face tilted upward, allowing the man to move closer, tracing along his neck until he was satisfied.
Suddenly, Jimin’s body was pushed down onto the soft grass beneath him...
*Could there really be grass this soft in this world...?* Jimin wondered dazedly before his body began to sway with the movements of the man above him.
The rustling of the grass mixed with heavy breathing, echoing together throughout the entire night.....
At dawn, Jimin slowly stirred awake, shifting onto his side before gradually becoming aware of his surroundings. His mind, which felt as though it had been clouded by something, slowly cleared.
Last night, he had broken into this greenhouse and witnessed the Florian Black rose—something an ordinary person should never have been allowed to see—before encountering a certain man...
And after that, they had...
When Jimin’s thoughts reached that point, he felt a deep discomfort in his lower body.
His heart sank.
He had slept with that man....
It was then that Jimin became aware of someone lying beside him on the grass inside the greenhouse. Slowly, he turned to look.
Last night, this man had stared at him with dark, unreadable eyes. His actions had not been particularly rough or violent, but they had not been gentle either. Jimin felt a slight ache around his waist, but more importantly, he could now hear the voices of the guards calling out nearby. They might be searching for this man, which meant Jimin needed to leave as quickly as possible.
What happened last night... he would just have to consider it over and done with.
Jimin quickly grabbed his clothes and put them on before slipping away without saying goodbye.
“Lord Yoongi! Why are you sleeping here? The Queen has been looking for you...”
The guard swallowed the rest of his words when he saw the condition his own “Lord Yoongi” was in.
The young man opened his eyes. The first thing he did was not to straighten his clothes or tidy himself up, but to search for the person who had been beside him—the person who had vanished without a trace.
“Taehyung, find that person for me! They shouldn’t have gone far. They’re not very tall, have brown hair that reaches their shoulders, and are wearing sleeping clothes.”
He turned to command his trusted soldier, his voice sharp and authoritative.
How frustrating...
To be continued...