“...Why are you laughing?”
His golden eyes took on a mysterious color and soon found their place.
That was the end of the conversation.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming awkward, the two arrived at a street where lights were visible.
It was the main street of the imperial palace, so they would be able to find their way anywhere from there.
“I came out further than I thought. The maids must be worried.”
It took longer than expected to guide the man.
It was now time to return to the Empress.
The two stood under the streetlight and faced each other.
“Thank you for your help.”
The man expressed his gratitude.
Sepia, who remembered his slyness earlier, avoided the man’s eyes.
“Then I’ll leave now.”
She was about to turn around. If only the man hadn’t asked her.
“You’re not asking who I am.”
Those words stopped Sepia’s steps in an instant.
In fact, she wanted to ask who he was.
She wanted to find out the source of the strange sense of familiarity she had been feeling since earlier.
‘But if I bring it up, I’ll have to reveal my identity.’
Even though he would soon find out, she didn’t want to reveal the fact that she was the Empress right now.
As she was about to walk away, she realized that the man’s coat was still hanging on her shoulder.
“Thank you for the coat.”
“Please return it when we meet next time.”
The man’s hand stopped Sepia from taking off the coat.
For a moment, their hands overlapped. The straight, neat hands were covered in calluses.
Such an unfamiliar feeling.
Sepia tried to shake off the strange feeling and turned her thoughts in a different direction.
Suddenly, an ominous feeling flashed through her mind. Sepia barely managed to pull herself together.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're trying to evade."
Red eyes taunted her.
Sepia's mouth fell open at the look of questioning the guilty person.
'Do you think I pushed Titi right now?'
He was talking about the time they rode together in the carriage yesterday.
Could it be that she fell down on purpose when she got off...
'Ha.'
It was simply unbelievable.
Sepia asked back with a bewildered look.
"That young lady said that?"
"That young lady?"
"I'm talking about Lady Titi. The one with Your Majesty's name."
He was laughing so loudly that he bent his back a little. He looked more cheerful than frivolous.
After a while, the man, who had finally caught his breath, wiped his tears and answered.
“I probably won’t feel the cold or anything like that, not as much as Young Lady.”
She couldn’t refute that statement. No matter how you looked at it, it was true.
She was certain of one thing from the conversation just now.
‘This man doesn’t know who I am.’
Just like Sepia, the man didn’t know who she was either.
That must be why this conversation was happening.
Sepia fiddled with the necklace between her collarbones.
‘It must be because of this.’
The jewel hanging from the silver thread was a magic stone that was used to mask the scent of the target.
The beastkin were quick-witted and could usually guess what kind of person they were by their scent.
The magic stone was excellent at masking expensive jewels or bells, and it had now become an accessory that symbolized the high-ranking nobility.
Five years.
It was a short time for people to change and a long time for people to change.
Sepia had lived under the name of Empress of the Beastkin Empire.
Wherever she went, it was natural for her to be treated as a foreigner or by her location rather than her name.
Even the man in front of her didn’t know Sepia from the Huron Empire.
Sepia’s heart pounded a little at the fact that he didn’t know her.
She mustered up a little more courage and asked,
“What are you doing here?”
This was a palace without a master.
Even Sepia didn’t know why she was there.
The man who had been watching her smiled silently and then finally opened his mouth.
“I was looking around the palace for a while and got lost. Could you please guide me, Young Lady?”
She could have asked back, but the man didn’t. Instead, he was even more kind to Sepia and asked for her help.
Touring the castle so late at night?
Was it because the victory party was approaching? There seemed to be a lot of foreigners in the palace today.
Suddenly, she remembered what had happened in the afternoon.
Sepia tried to push Titi and Demios out of her mind.
“Yes.”
Even if it was something like this, she wanted to move her body a little more.
'I also wanted to repay the favor for lending me my coat.'
As Sepia took a step forward, the man followed her.
The two walked together on the empty night road.
The garden path was not maintained.
The pace of the walk, which depended solely on the moonlight, could not help but be slow.
'It's strange.'
The mind that had been dizzy until just a moment ago felt as if it was becoming easier.
Sepia walked slowly and looked up at the man.
The side of his face, illuminated by the moonlight, looked like a cool, carved sculpture.
His body stretched straight out without any sign of cold.
The hands, wrists, and nape of his neck exposed outside of his clothes sparkled with lines wherever the light touched them.
They were all scars.
His face was far from scarred, but if the exposed parts were like that, what on earth were the hidden parts?
'Maybe he returned from this expedition.'
That was the most likely possibility.
She was observing the man in silence.
Without even realizing that he was looking at Sepia, their eyes met at that moment. She belatedly turned her head, but it was already too late.
“You can look at it more.”
Sepia’s face blushed at his slyness.
The man asked her a question.
“Weren’t you interested in me?”
“Excuse me.”
Sepia, who had recovered from her blush, stared straight ahead.
The gemstone hanging below her neck was a triangle, symbolizing marriage.
It was probably dark and hard to see.
However, the man didn’t look flustered.
Instead,
“...You are a wife.”
After a while, the man, who had finally caught his breath, wiped his tears and answered.
“I probably won’t feel the cold or anything like that, not as much as Young Lady.”
She couldn’t refute that statement. No matter how you looked at it, it was true.
She was certain of one thing from the conversation just now.
‘This man doesn’t know who I am.’
Just like Sepia, the man didn’t know who she was either.
That must be why this conversation was happening.
Sepia fiddled with the necklace between her collarbones.
‘It must be because of this.’
The jewel hanging from the silver thread was a magic stone that was used to mask the scent of the target.
The beastkin were quick-witted and could usually guess what kind of person they were by their scent.
The magic stone was excellent at masking expensive jewels or bells, and it had now become an accessory that symbolized the high-ranking nobility.
Five years.
It was a short time for people to change and a long time for people to change.
Sepia had lived under the name of Empress of the Beastkin Empire.
Wherever she went, it was natural for her to be treated as a foreigner or by her location rather than her name.
Even the man in front of her didn’t know Sepia from the Huron Empire.
Sepia’s heart pounded a little at the fact that he didn’t know her.
She mustered up a little more courage and asked,
“What are you doing here?”
This was a palace without a master.
Even Sepia didn’t know why she was there.
The man who had been watching her smiled silently and then finally opened his mouth.
“I was looking around the palace for a while and got lost. Could you please guide me, Young Lady?”
She could have asked back, but the man didn’t. Instead, he was even more kind to Sepia and asked for her help.
Touring the castle so late at night?
Was it because the victory party was approaching? There seemed to be a lot of foreigners in the palace today.
Suddenly, she remembered what had happened in the afternoon.
Sepia tried to push Titi and Demios out of her mind.
“Yes.”
Even if it was something like this, she wanted to move her body a little more.
'I also wanted to repay the favor for lending me my coat.'
As Sepia took a step forward, the man followed her.
The two walked together on the empty night road.
The garden path was not maintained.
The pace of the walk, which depended solely on the moonlight, could not help but be slow.
'It's strange.'
The mind that had been dizzy until just a moment ago felt as if it was becoming easier.
Sepia walked slowly and looked up at the man.
The side of his face, illuminated by the moonlight, looked like a cool, carved sculpture.
His body stretched straight out without any sign of cold.
The hands, wrists, and nape of his neck exposed outside of his clothes sparkled with lines wherever the light touched them.
They were all scars.
His face was far from scarred, but if the exposed parts were like that, what on earth were the hidden parts?
'Maybe he returned from this expedition.'
That was the most likely possibility.
She was observing the man in silence.
Without even realizing that he was looking at Sepia, their eyes met at that moment. She belatedly turned her head, but it was already too late.
“You can look at it more.”
Sepia’s face blushed at his slyness.
The man asked her a question.
“Weren’t you interested in me?”
“Excuse me.”
Sepia, who had recovered from her blush, stared straight ahead.
The gemstone hanging below her neck was a triangle, symbolizing marriage.
It was probably dark and hard to see.
However, the man didn’t look flustered.
Instead,
“...You are a wife.”
His golden eyes took on a mysterious color and soon found their place.
That was the end of the conversation.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming awkward, the two arrived at a street where lights were visible.
It was the main street of the imperial palace, so they would be able to find their way anywhere from there.
“I came out further than I thought. The maids must be worried.”
It took longer than expected to guide the man.
It was now time to return to the Empress.
The two stood under the streetlight and faced each other.
“Thank you for your help.”
The man expressed his gratitude.
Sepia, who remembered his slyness earlier, avoided the man’s eyes.
“Then I’ll leave now.”
She was about to turn around. If only the man hadn’t asked her.
“You’re not asking who I am.”
Those words stopped Sepia’s steps in an instant.
In fact, she wanted to ask who he was.
She wanted to find out the source of the strange sense of familiarity she had been feeling since earlier.
‘But if I bring it up, I’ll have to reveal my identity.’
Even though he would soon find out, she didn’t want to reveal the fact that she was the Empress right now.
As she was about to walk away, she realized that the man’s coat was still hanging on her shoulder.
“Thank you for the coat.”
“Please return it when we meet next time.”
The man’s hand stopped Sepia from taking off the coat.
For a moment, their hands overlapped. The straight, neat hands were covered in calluses.
Such an unfamiliar feeling.
Sepia tried to shake off the strange feeling and turned her thoughts in a different direction.
'You must be one of the guests of the victory ceremony.'
She thought she should look over the list of attendees again.
"Lord Roxanne!"
A red-haired knight was rushing towards her from afar. He stopped in front of the man and sighed as if he had finally found her.
"Where on earth have you been?"
The red knight seemed to be one of the man's close associates.
'Your name was Roxanne.'
It was still a name she did not remember. The man called Roxanne shrugged his shoulders at the knight's glare and gave another order.
“I'll find her later. You can take her home.”
“What... no. Ha, I get it.”
The knight washed his face dry as if he had a headache and straightened his posture. In the meantime, the man said goodbye to Sepia. It was also a verbal promise.
"I'll see you later."
The night fog slowly covered the palace as the darkness deepened. The man turned around with a smile and slowly disappeared. On the way back, having stubbornly refused the knight’s offer to take him. The lights in the Empress’s palace were on unexpectedly.
“Oh my, where have you been?”
“I’m sorry.”
Sepia, surrounded by maids, kept apologizing. They all seemed worried that Sepia had made a bad choice. Although she was a newbie, they were all kind people.
‘And I don’t have the heart to commit suicide like this.’
She felt bad for having caused her needless suffering. After the Empress’s palace became quiet, Sepia took off her coat and handed it to the maid.
“Please keep this.”
“Huh? Why is that coat? And it’s a man’s...”
Sepia avoided answering with a laugh. Sepia returned to her bedroom and lay down on the bed.
‘I couldn’t sleep until just now.’
Maybe it was because of the cold air. She suddenly felt drowsy. She repeated his name with her half-conscious mind.
‘Roxanne.’
She had to return the coat. The victory ceremony, which she had thought was just the Empress’s business, began to look forward to a little. It would be the grandest party of the year. Sepia closed her eyes.
***
The next morning. Breakfast with the Emperor was Sepia’s first schedule. Demios did not show up for the second or third time after the first meal.
‘I thought it would be the same today.’
Of course, she thought he would have breakfast with Titi. However, Sepia’s guess was wrong, and Demios was already seated at the banquet hall before her. Sepia sat down. Soon, the court ladies brought out the food. The meal began. However, Demios did not pick up his utensils.
“I didn’t know you would do that, Empress.”
Sepia’s hand that had been holding the spoon stopped in midair.
‘Is it because of what happened last night?’
Since the lights were on in the Empress’s palace in the middle of the night, he might have heard it. Sepia was choosing her answer to that.
“Pushing Titi from behind.”
What, now?
'What did I just hear?'
Suddenly, an ominous feeling flashed through her mind. Sepia barely managed to pull herself together.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're trying to evade."
Red eyes taunted her.
Sepia's mouth fell open at the look of questioning the guilty person.
'Do you think I pushed Titi right now?'
He was talking about the time they rode together in the carriage yesterday.
Could it be that she fell down on purpose when she got off...
'Ha.'
It was simply unbelievable.
Sepia asked back with a bewildered look.
"That young lady said that?"
"That young lady?"
"I'm talking about Lady Titi. The one with Your Majesty's name."
She was just stating the truth.
And yet Sepia had to experience the pain of her heart sinking.
Demios, who had been silent for a moment without even knowing it, nodded.
"Yes."
It was a confirmed kill.
What on earth had the two of them been talking about in the imperial palace?
The one who claimed to be the victim wasn't even present.
And yet Sepia had to experience the pain of her heart sinking.
Demios, who had been silent for a moment without even knowing it, nodded.
"Yes."
It was a confirmed kill.
What on earth had the two of them been talking about in the imperial palace?
The one who claimed to be the victim wasn't even present.
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