Sometimes, the young lady who grew up in strict families would ask about Young Master through acquaintances.
Titi did not fit into any of those categories, but Sepia could not point it out.
'I still don't know who he is.'
Compared to the closeness they had built internally, all she knew about Roxanne was her name.
She didn't want to introduce him to Titi, but she was embarrassed that she couldn't explain Roxanne to others in the first place.
"Huh?"
Sepia instinctively closed her mouth at the question that ended in a slur.
Then Roxanne stepped in.
"I am the Empress's close friend."
"Oh my."
Titi covered her mouth in surprise.
She closed her round eyes and laughed.
"You have a really nice voice. I think you're even lower than His Majesty."
Roxanne smiled silently at Titi's compliment.
As if she thought it was a positive response, Titi introduced herself with a smile.
“My name is Titier Louvre.”
“I see.”
Titi blinked in confusion at the unanswered question.
Then, she made a squeaking sound and wrinkled her nose cutely.
“I mustered up the courage to tell you my name first, but I guess Your Majesty won’t tell me yours.”
Roxanne didn’t respond to Titi’s grumbling.
Seeing him like that, Sepia unconsciously felt relieved. And then she was surprised at herself for that.
‘Why am I relieved?’
If Roxanne had introduced himself to Titi first...
Sepia flinched at the sudden feeling of resentment.
Titi, unaware of Sepia’s reaction, puffed out his cheeks, pretending to be angry.
“I understand. I’m not the type to ask questions unnecessarily. By the way, what were you two doing together?”
“We were taking a walk.”
“Walking is nice. I was bored alone, too. Can I join you?”
Titi didn’t seem to care about the maid behind her.
Roxanne, his eyes filled with anticipation, smiled as if he was having a hard time and stood next to Sepia.
“That would be impossible. My only friend is the Empress.”
It was an elegant refusal.
Titi’s face was dumbfounded at being blatantly pushed away.
After a moment, she came to her senses and clapped her hands as if she had figured it out.
“Ah, now I understand. The relationship between the two of you.”
Titi smiled brightly.
“The Empress also has a mistress!”
Sepia’s expression hardened in an instant.
Titi folded her hands as if she was satisfied and let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew, that’s a relief. It wouldn’t be good if the Empress were lonely, right? Oh, and don’t worry about rumors. I’m not the type of person who doesn’t know how to tell anyone.”
I can keep it a secret.
Titi put her index finger to her lips and winked one eye.
It was an incredible thing.
Sepia barely suppressed her anger and tried to maintain her composure.
“My friend is not the government, and what Youngady just said is nothing but an insult to someone who is not the government.”
“Oh my...”
Titi trailed off in surprise.
She cowered as if she was scared, then looked at the two of them alternately and asked,
“Then I apologize. But... Is it really not?”
Her expression was still innocent.
However, her pupils, devoid of light, were different.
The same eyes she had seen when she rode in the carriage with Sepia, looked like a deep, dark swamp.
It was when she couldn’t take her eyes off those gazes.
Roxanne, standing in front of Sepia, covered her behind his back and said,
“Each person’s perception develops differently.”
“That’s right...”
Titi, who had been captivated by Roxanne’s face, belatedly realized what he meant.
In short, he meant that even a sane person would look that way because she was the government.
“I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”
She was still smiling, but there was clearly a crack.
Sepia could see a dark purple ripple inside the corner of her eyes.
It was the moment when she confirmed the sepia-colored eyes. Tears welled up in Titi’s eyes.
“...Oh, I’m sorry.”
Thump, thump.
Clear tears flowed down her porcelain-white cheeks.
The maid hurriedly supported Titi, who was staggering while wiping her cheeks.
The woman who was shedding tears was incredibly delicate.
But Sepia saw Titi glaring at the two with an eerie gaze.
“I, I’ll excuse myself.”
Titi trembled as she stuttered her words, perhaps in shock.
The maid bowed her head to Sepia and led Titi out of the forest.
The secret lake regained its calmness.
It was fortunate that Titi was gone, but she was still worried.
“I can’t help it, but.”
Not about herself, but about Roxanne.
“Did you know that Lady Titi was His Majesty’s mistress?”
“There’s no one who doesn’t know the rumors in the capital.”
Contrary to Sepia’s concern, Roxanne seemed indifferent.
He could only speak in a firm voice.
“Then you must know very well that you could become His Majesty’s target.”
In a situation where even Empress Sepia was easily framed as the perpetrator, he was in much more danger.
She had no intention of reprimanding Roxanne.
She was only worried about his safety.
Nevertheless, Roxanne was smiling. Rather, he seemed to be happy with her concern.
“Then, Your Majesty, please protect me. As a gift to commemorate our friendship.”
It was clearly a dangerous situation.
But seeing him smiling made her feel that all of this was not so bad.
She thought that she shouldn’t get caught up in the joke. But still.
“Shall we do that?”
“Please, please.”
The words came out first, and Roxanne answered in time. She could only smile back.
Soon, Roxanne took something out of his bosom.
“This is a gift to commemorate our friendship.”
It was something like a brooch with a bright blue gem.
He took Sepia’s hand and placed the top of the gem on the back of her hand where there was a wound.
At that moment, the gem glowed brightly, then soon went out.
The back of her hand under the gem she had lifted was clean as if it had never had a wound.
Surprised, Sepia turned her hand around, but there was not a single trace.
It was as if time had been turned back.
“Could it be a magic tool?”
It was a precious item that magicians made by pouring spells into magic stones day and night.
However, compared to the extremely precious and valuable things, most of them were disposable tools, so their rarity was high.
Could such a precious thing be used on a scratch from a pen tip?
She was certainly grateful, but she was more embarrassed.
“It wasn’t that bad of a wound.”
Roxanne’s lips curled up slightly as she hid her healed hand behind her back in regret.
“The size of a wound isn’t necessarily proportional to the pain. It’s even more so if it’s a wound to the heart.”
His golden eyes captured Sepia.
As if he was trying to see into her entire heart.
He looked up at the sky.
The sky, which had become shorter as the seasons changed, was already drawing a sunset.
“I guess I should go back now.”
He let go of Sepia’s smoothed hand.
“I’ll see you again at the victory ceremony.”
He took a step back and stared at Sepia for a long time before turning around.
Sepia also couldn’t take her eyes off his back as he moved away.
Whoosh.
A wind blew along with the swaying branches, shaking her insides.
‘I didn’t even get to say thank you.’
The ripe leaves were falling one by one.
The next afternoon.
The garden of the Empress's Palace. The cosmos flowers were in full bloom in the fall.
Sepia was sitting on the bench in the center, reading a book.
She turned her head to rest her eyes for a moment.
Inside the thick book was a bookmark made of red maple leaves.
It was the maple leaf that Roxanne had caught at the secret lake. It was only after he turned around that she realized that the leaf was still in her hand.
The red leaf was no different from the one that had fallen to the ground.
However, the one she was holding was so beautiful and pretty that she couldn't let it fly away.
Sepia returned with the maple leaf and asked her maid to make it into a bookmark.
The maple leaf, which had been soaked in a special medicine and dried, didn't feel the same as before, but its color was still intact.
Sepia touched the smooth surface of the bookmark.
It felt similar to the back of her hand where the wound had been removed.
Her hand was clean. It was a scar that was left on purpose, but she didn't feel bad because it disappeared.
Rather, she felt like her feelings had been sympathized with.
So I left the maple leaves. I just wanted to leave one.
'It's gotten quite chilly.'
Sepia got up from her seat.
It was a short break, but it felt like her mind had calmed down a little.
It was when she entered the corridor of the Empress's Palace.
At the end of the corner were the ladies gathered.
They were the Lady Peacock and the Bird Ladies who had visited the palace earlier for an audience.
"You still haven't entered the capital?"
"I don't know why, but this is too much treatment."
They were usually people who liked to talk about others, but this time the atmosphere was quite serious.
'Who are you talking about?'
Sepia, puzzled, approached the group of ladies.
"What were you talking about?"
"Oh, Your Majesty."
The ladies, who seemed absorbed in the conversation, turned to Sepia in surprise.
The Lady Peacock folded up her fan and said,
"They were talking about the barbarian subjugation force. They said they still haven't entered the capital."
"Huh?"
Sepia instinctively closed her mouth at the question that ended in a slur.
Then Roxanne stepped in.
"I am the Empress's close friend."
"Oh my."
Titi covered her mouth in surprise.
She closed her round eyes and laughed.
"You have a really nice voice. I think you're even lower than His Majesty."
Roxanne smiled silently at Titi's compliment.
As if she thought it was a positive response, Titi introduced herself with a smile.
“My name is Titier Louvre.”
“I see.”
Titi blinked in confusion at the unanswered question.
Then, she made a squeaking sound and wrinkled her nose cutely.
“I mustered up the courage to tell you my name first, but I guess Your Majesty won’t tell me yours.”
Roxanne didn’t respond to Titi’s grumbling.
Seeing him like that, Sepia unconsciously felt relieved. And then she was surprised at herself for that.
‘Why am I relieved?’
If Roxanne had introduced himself to Titi first...
Sepia flinched at the sudden feeling of resentment.
Titi, unaware of Sepia’s reaction, puffed out his cheeks, pretending to be angry.
“I understand. I’m not the type to ask questions unnecessarily. By the way, what were you two doing together?”
“We were taking a walk.”
“Walking is nice. I was bored alone, too. Can I join you?”
Titi didn’t seem to care about the maid behind her.
Roxanne, his eyes filled with anticipation, smiled as if he was having a hard time and stood next to Sepia.
“That would be impossible. My only friend is the Empress.”
It was an elegant refusal.
Titi’s face was dumbfounded at being blatantly pushed away.
After a moment, she came to her senses and clapped her hands as if she had figured it out.
“Ah, now I understand. The relationship between the two of you.”
Titi smiled brightly.
“The Empress also has a mistress!”
Sepia’s expression hardened in an instant.
Titi folded her hands as if she was satisfied and let out a sigh of relief.
“Whew, that’s a relief. It wouldn’t be good if the Empress were lonely, right? Oh, and don’t worry about rumors. I’m not the type of person who doesn’t know how to tell anyone.”
I can keep it a secret.
Titi put her index finger to her lips and winked one eye.
It was an incredible thing.
Sepia barely suppressed her anger and tried to maintain her composure.
“My friend is not the government, and what Youngady just said is nothing but an insult to someone who is not the government.”
“Oh my...”
Titi trailed off in surprise.
She cowered as if she was scared, then looked at the two of them alternately and asked,
“Then I apologize. But... Is it really not?”
Her expression was still innocent.
However, her pupils, devoid of light, were different.
The same eyes she had seen when she rode in the carriage with Sepia, looked like a deep, dark swamp.
It was when she couldn’t take her eyes off those gazes.
Roxanne, standing in front of Sepia, covered her behind his back and said,
“Each person’s perception develops differently.”
“That’s right...”
Titi, who had been captivated by Roxanne’s face, belatedly realized what he meant.
In short, he meant that even a sane person would look that way because she was the government.
“I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”
She was still smiling, but there was clearly a crack.
Sepia could see a dark purple ripple inside the corner of her eyes.
It was the moment when she confirmed the sepia-colored eyes. Tears welled up in Titi’s eyes.
“...Oh, I’m sorry.”
Thump, thump.
Clear tears flowed down her porcelain-white cheeks.
The maid hurriedly supported Titi, who was staggering while wiping her cheeks.
The woman who was shedding tears was incredibly delicate.
But Sepia saw Titi glaring at the two with an eerie gaze.
“I, I’ll excuse myself.”
Titi trembled as she stuttered her words, perhaps in shock.
The maid bowed her head to Sepia and led Titi out of the forest.
The secret lake regained its calmness.
It was fortunate that Titi was gone, but she was still worried.
“I can’t help it, but.”
Not about herself, but about Roxanne.
“Did you know that Lady Titi was His Majesty’s mistress?”
“There’s no one who doesn’t know the rumors in the capital.”
Contrary to Sepia’s concern, Roxanne seemed indifferent.
He could only speak in a firm voice.
“Then you must know very well that you could become His Majesty’s target.”
In a situation where even Empress Sepia was easily framed as the perpetrator, he was in much more danger.
She had no intention of reprimanding Roxanne.
She was only worried about his safety.
Nevertheless, Roxanne was smiling. Rather, he seemed to be happy with her concern.
“Then, Your Majesty, please protect me. As a gift to commemorate our friendship.”
It was clearly a dangerous situation.
But seeing him smiling made her feel that all of this was not so bad.
She thought that she shouldn’t get caught up in the joke. But still.
“Shall we do that?”
“Please, please.”
The words came out first, and Roxanne answered in time. She could only smile back.
Soon, Roxanne took something out of his bosom.
“This is a gift to commemorate our friendship.”
It was something like a brooch with a bright blue gem.
He took Sepia’s hand and placed the top of the gem on the back of her hand where there was a wound.
At that moment, the gem glowed brightly, then soon went out.
The back of her hand under the gem she had lifted was clean as if it had never had a wound.
Surprised, Sepia turned her hand around, but there was not a single trace.
It was as if time had been turned back.
“Could it be a magic tool?”
It was a precious item that magicians made by pouring spells into magic stones day and night.
However, compared to the extremely precious and valuable things, most of them were disposable tools, so their rarity was high.
Could such a precious thing be used on a scratch from a pen tip?
She was certainly grateful, but she was more embarrassed.
“It wasn’t that bad of a wound.”
Roxanne’s lips curled up slightly as she hid her healed hand behind her back in regret.
“The size of a wound isn’t necessarily proportional to the pain. It’s even more so if it’s a wound to the heart.”
His golden eyes captured Sepia.
As if he was trying to see into her entire heart.
He looked up at the sky.
The sky, which had become shorter as the seasons changed, was already drawing a sunset.
“I guess I should go back now.”
He let go of Sepia’s smoothed hand.
“I’ll see you again at the victory ceremony.”
He took a step back and stared at Sepia for a long time before turning around.
Sepia also couldn’t take her eyes off his back as he moved away.
Whoosh.
A wind blew along with the swaying branches, shaking her insides.
‘I didn’t even get to say thank you.’
The ripe leaves were falling one by one.
***
The next afternoon.
The garden of the Empress's Palace. The cosmos flowers were in full bloom in the fall.
Sepia was sitting on the bench in the center, reading a book.
She turned her head to rest her eyes for a moment.
Inside the thick book was a bookmark made of red maple leaves.
It was the maple leaf that Roxanne had caught at the secret lake. It was only after he turned around that she realized that the leaf was still in her hand.
The red leaf was no different from the one that had fallen to the ground.
However, the one she was holding was so beautiful and pretty that she couldn't let it fly away.
Sepia returned with the maple leaf and asked her maid to make it into a bookmark.
The maple leaf, which had been soaked in a special medicine and dried, didn't feel the same as before, but its color was still intact.
Sepia touched the smooth surface of the bookmark.
It felt similar to the back of her hand where the wound had been removed.
Her hand was clean. It was a scar that was left on purpose, but she didn't feel bad because it disappeared.
Rather, she felt like her feelings had been sympathized with.
So I left the maple leaves. I just wanted to leave one.
'It's gotten quite chilly.'
Sepia got up from her seat.
It was a short break, but it felt like her mind had calmed down a little.
It was when she entered the corridor of the Empress's Palace.
At the end of the corner were the ladies gathered.
They were the Lady Peacock and the Bird Ladies who had visited the palace earlier for an audience.
"You still haven't entered the capital?"
"I don't know why, but this is too much treatment."
They were usually people who liked to talk about others, but this time the atmosphere was quite serious.
'Who are you talking about?'
Sepia, puzzled, approached the group of ladies.
"What were you talking about?"
"Oh, Your Majesty."
The ladies, who seemed absorbed in the conversation, turned to Sepia in surprise.
The Lady Peacock folded up her fan and said,
"They were talking about the barbarian subjugation force. They said they still haven't entered the capital."
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