“What more can I do for you here?”
Sepia looked at them expressionlessly.
Even though she was just sitting still, they were getting angry and pulling out their swords. What more could she do?
It was a sarcastic remark.
However, Demios as if he knew Sepia would understand, immediately stated what he wanted.
“I wish the Empress would yield just this once. To commemorate Titi’s first entry into the palace. I will give Madame Swany the Repetto Palace.”
She was shocked.
She had really said what she had nothing to say, but she got such a reaction.
As if he had even come up with some great solution.
‘What commemoration?’
To commemorate my husband’s mistress entering the palace?
Her heart sank at every word he said.
Was it this painful to maintain composure?
Sepia squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.
“Even excluding the reason for Madame Swany, Your Majesty’s request is inappropriate.”
“...What are you talking about?”
Demios’ eyes narrowed.
He seemed annoyed that even after saying this, she was not easily granted his request.
However, the main point was about to start.
“To rent the palace of the Imperial Palace, you must be married. Or you must have been married before.”
Article 57, Section 6 of the Palace Law.
Anyone who wants to rent the palace under the Empress temporarily or long-term must be married or have been registered as a legal person. It was one of the imperial laws that had been maintained for a long time as a culture of the Beastkin Empire that only those who had reached adulthood and married were recognized as proper adults.
Demios’s expression hardened as if he had not taken this into account.
Sepia stood up and said,
“You can bring Titi after marrying Lady Titi to someone else. Then we will consider Madame Swany as well.”
If it was the sincerity of marrying a government with his own name to a man outside of his own, then it would be worth considering.
Demios’ face distorted as Titi flinched.
Sepia ignored them and returned to her desk to rub the papers.
“The victory ceremony is just around the corner, so there’s a lot to worry about. Please go back now.”
Sepia picked up her quill.
As she took on a completely ignorant attitude, a rough voice rose from her seat.
Click, click.
The sound of the government’s shoes followed.
The sound soon disappeared.
Sepia, who had even been bitten by the maids, was finally alone.
She crouched down and covered her mouth.
“Sob.. Sob...”
Only the large desk hid her.
Sepia couldn’t get up for a long time. She waited for the tears streaming down her cheeks to dry.
***
Rumors spread throughout the noble society.
It was news that the Emperor’s government had acquired a palace in the imperial palace.
It was the fourth most splendid palace in the imperial palace, the Repetto Palace, and they were able to obtain special permission thanks to the Emperor’s guarantee.
Historically, a guarantee directly signed by the Emperor was a qualification that only great people or heroes who had made a mark on the empire could obtain.
No matter how much she bore the Emperor’s name, he was guaranteed for the government.
The world sneered at him, saying that it was truly an extraordinary love.
Sepia headed to the lake in the innermost part of the palace.
The lake, which was created solely for the royal family's relaxation, was so small that it took about ten minutes to circle it once.
It was such a peaceful and quiet place.
The willow branches had turned brown.
The leaves swaying in the wind seemed to bring some peace.
However, Sepia's mind was extremely restless.
Titi was able to reside in the palace because of Sepia's permission.
All palaces in the palace were under the control of the Empress.
Therefore, even if Demios had stood as a guarantor, it could not overcome Sepia's authority as Empress.
'That's enough.'
Sepia rubbed her eyes.
Judging by Demios's temperament, Titi's entry into the palace was almost a foregone conclusion.
'It's just a matter of whether it's early or late.'
Since she could protect the palace where Madame Swany resided, this was all that was needed.
She tried to think that way, but it wasn't easy.
In fact, even sitting in her office was burdensome.
The maids kept worrying about her.
'Maybe they saw it.'
She thought she cleaned it up well, but they might have seen the tear stains left on the carpet.
It's not that she doesn't appreciate those who are there for her when she's having a hard time.
But...
Sometimes, even such worries came as pain.
That was right now.
That fact felt terribly embarrassing, and she was also filled with regret.
‘I shouldn’t have shown tears.’
The Empress was the most noble woman in the empire.
To wear the tiara, she had to bear its weight.
But before that, it was necessary to determine whether she was worthy of wearing the crown.
‘Empress? You are not worthy of being a human. Because you inherited that kind of blood.’
The voice of the curse that she had barely forgotten.
The memory of Huron caught Sepia’s ankles.
Sepia was born as the eldest daughter of the Duke of Arte.
It was when she was three years old.
Duke Socio Arte entrusted his young daughter to the Huron Imperial Palace.
It was to appoint Sepia as the next Empress early.
However, the Duke did not know.
His wife, Duchess Valuntiae, and Emperor Bertique were in a close relationship.
The first to find out about their relationship was Empress Dalian.
Throughout history, there were probably Empresses who did not get involved in the Emperor's extramarital affairs.
However, Empress Dalian was different.
She truly loved Emperor Bertique.
The Emperor's extramarital affairs came as a great shock to Dalian.
Even when their relationship became widely known, there was nothing Dalian could do.
As the love between the Emperor and the Duchess deepened, Dalian's resentment also grew stronger.
It was natural for her hatred to be directed at Sepia. Empress Dalian had a reason to abuse Sepia.
'If you want to become the next Empress, you have to endure this much, right?'
Mental and physical pain inflicted under the pretext of training to become an Empress.
Young Sepia was trapped in the cage of the imperial castle and ruined.
Still, she was able to see her father once a month.
Whenever she met Duke Arte, Sepia would cling to his leg and beg him.
'Father, I want to go back to that house.'
However, the Duke simply turned away from his tearful daughter.
With the comforting thought that if she became Empress, she would be able to do anything.
During the day, some lessons bordered on abuse.
At night, there were whispers like curses.
Just before Sepia's mind was about to break, Demios, the Crown Prince of the Beastkin Empire, arrived in Huron.
At the young age of ten.
The boy was Sepia's salvation.
Because Demios was there, she could not go crazy.
Five years later, even after he left, the Empress training continued.
However, when Sepia turned seventeen, Empress Dalian announced a Young Lady, not Sepia, as the Crown Princess. She was not disappointed.
Even she had long expected that she would not become Empress.
Instead, she felt hopeful.
She thought that she could now return to the ducal residence and wait for Demios there.
However, it was only a short dream.
Sepia could not return home.
Duke Socio did not collect his daughter who had lost her strings, nor did he visit her anymore.
The Empress was very happy to see Sepia left completely alone.
'Look. No one wants your existence. But someone like you could become the Empress? No way.'
The Empress would not let Sepia go.
Dalian used Sepia as a tool to take classes with the Crown Princess, disgrace Sepia to save the Crown Princess's reputation.
It was complete discrimination.
Even the nobles of Huron avoided Sepia.
Before long, Sepia had become someone everyone hated.
Occasionally, she had the opportunity to meet her biological mother.
The Duchess of Valuntiae pitied her daughter but never reached out to her.
However, once the Crown Princess was chosen, even her biological mother treated her as someone who did not exist.
The Duchess had been using Sepia as a ward to avoid the Empress's arrows.
Every moment was abandonment and pain.
However, she had to endure.
Her last hope. Waiting for Demios to contact her.
One year. Two years.
Even when Sepia turned 19, the letter did not arrive.
Despite hearing the news that he had ascended to the throne.
She finally realized.
'You have forgotten me.'
It was finally despair.
But the misfortune was not over yet.
The Empress, who had grown weary of abusing Sepia, declared that she would abandon her to that distant desert country.
She had been locked up in the castle her whole life, and now she was being exiled.
It was a place where even her life was at stake.
That night, Sepia wrote a letter. She
had promised Demios that she would wait until he contacted her first.
But.
'You were the one who forgot me first.'
You promised that you would definitely come and get me.
Sepia bit her lower lip and moved her pen.
The letter containing their childhood was desperate and so earnest.
'If you've forgotten, just make you remember.'
Even if it was just a fragment of Demios's memory.
If by any chance the feelings from back then had completely disappeared, even a simple expression of sympathy would have been fine.
Half a year had passed since she sent the letter, and winter had come.
In the meantime, the delegation that would send Sepia to the desert was completed.
Three days before leaving for the desert.
Sepia had given up everything.
Until the marriage proposal from the Beastkin Empire arrived.
She tried to think that way, but it wasn't easy.
In fact, even sitting in her office was burdensome.
The maids kept worrying about her.
'Maybe they saw it.'
She thought she cleaned it up well, but they might have seen the tear stains left on the carpet.
It's not that she doesn't appreciate those who are there for her when she's having a hard time.
But...
Sometimes, even such worries came as pain.
That was right now.
That fact felt terribly embarrassing, and she was also filled with regret.
‘I shouldn’t have shown tears.’
The Empress was the most noble woman in the empire.
To wear the tiara, she had to bear its weight.
But before that, it was necessary to determine whether she was worthy of wearing the crown.
‘Empress? You are not worthy of being a human. Because you inherited that kind of blood.’
The voice of the curse that she had barely forgotten.
The memory of Huron caught Sepia’s ankles.
Sepia was born as the eldest daughter of the Duke of Arte.
It was when she was three years old.
Duke Socio Arte entrusted his young daughter to the Huron Imperial Palace.
It was to appoint Sepia as the next Empress early.
However, the Duke did not know.
His wife, Duchess Valuntiae, and Emperor Bertique were in a close relationship.
The first to find out about their relationship was Empress Dalian.
Throughout history, there were probably Empresses who did not get involved in the Emperor's extramarital affairs.
However, Empress Dalian was different.
She truly loved Emperor Bertique.
The Emperor's extramarital affairs came as a great shock to Dalian.
Even when their relationship became widely known, there was nothing Dalian could do.
As the love between the Emperor and the Duchess deepened, Dalian's resentment also grew stronger.
It was natural for her hatred to be directed at Sepia. Empress Dalian had a reason to abuse Sepia.
'If you want to become the next Empress, you have to endure this much, right?'
Mental and physical pain inflicted under the pretext of training to become an Empress.
Young Sepia was trapped in the cage of the imperial castle and ruined.
Still, she was able to see her father once a month.
Whenever she met Duke Arte, Sepia would cling to his leg and beg him.
'Father, I want to go back to that house.'
However, the Duke simply turned away from his tearful daughter.
With the comforting thought that if she became Empress, she would be able to do anything.
During the day, some lessons bordered on abuse.
At night, there were whispers like curses.
Just before Sepia's mind was about to break, Demios, the Crown Prince of the Beastkin Empire, arrived in Huron.
At the young age of ten.
The boy was Sepia's salvation.
Because Demios was there, she could not go crazy.
Five years later, even after he left, the Empress training continued.
However, when Sepia turned seventeen, Empress Dalian announced a Young Lady, not Sepia, as the Crown Princess. She was not disappointed.
Even she had long expected that she would not become Empress.
Instead, she felt hopeful.
She thought that she could now return to the ducal residence and wait for Demios there.
However, it was only a short dream.
Sepia could not return home.
Duke Socio did not collect his daughter who had lost her strings, nor did he visit her anymore.
The Empress was very happy to see Sepia left completely alone.
'Look. No one wants your existence. But someone like you could become the Empress? No way.'
The Empress would not let Sepia go.
Dalian used Sepia as a tool to take classes with the Crown Princess, disgrace Sepia to save the Crown Princess's reputation.
It was complete discrimination.
Even the nobles of Huron avoided Sepia.
Before long, Sepia had become someone everyone hated.
Occasionally, she had the opportunity to meet her biological mother.
The Duchess of Valuntiae pitied her daughter but never reached out to her.
However, once the Crown Princess was chosen, even her biological mother treated her as someone who did not exist.
The Duchess had been using Sepia as a ward to avoid the Empress's arrows.
Every moment was abandonment and pain.
However, she had to endure.
Her last hope. Waiting for Demios to contact her.
One year. Two years.
Even when Sepia turned 19, the letter did not arrive.
Despite hearing the news that he had ascended to the throne.
She finally realized.
'You have forgotten me.'
It was finally despair.
But the misfortune was not over yet.
The Empress, who had grown weary of abusing Sepia, declared that she would abandon her to that distant desert country.
She had been locked up in the castle her whole life, and now she was being exiled.
It was a place where even her life was at stake.
That night, Sepia wrote a letter. She
had promised Demios that she would wait until he contacted her first.
But.
'You were the one who forgot me first.'
You promised that you would definitely come and get me.
Sepia bit her lower lip and moved her pen.
The letter containing their childhood was desperate and so earnest.
'If you've forgotten, just make you remember.'
Even if it was just a fragment of Demios's memory.
If by any chance the feelings from back then had completely disappeared, even a simple expression of sympathy would have been fine.
Half a year had passed since she sent the letter, and winter had come.
In the meantime, the delegation that would send Sepia to the desert was completed.
Three days before leaving for the desert.
Sepia had given up everything.
Until the marriage proposal from the Beastkin Empire arrived.
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