The previous Emperors declared several wars of conquest, but they could not overcome the numerical disadvantage and geographical conditions.
After the border area called Kalpman was created, the imperial family only provided support to the extent of barely holding back the barbarians using it as a shield.
Everything in the unexplored jungle was a threat.
In the unknown territory, the Duke seemed to have lost his emotions.
During the war, three urgent reports were delivered from the capital.
The death of the previous Emperor and the Crown Prince who ascended the throne.
The human Empress was said to have been born with the fate of a beastmen.
Two more years passed after the two urgent reports.
It was a night full of danger.
That day, Groer, who had not been able to sleep, came out of the barracks. The Duke was standing under the pale moon.
Groer still remembered the Duke's expression that night clearly.
It was the first time since he had seen a face that looked like it was crying without shedding tears.
Since that day, the Duke changed little by little.
The Duke, who did not open his mouth except for the necessary answers no matter how much Groer talked to him, even responded to the jokes of his men.
One of the men, seeing the Duke's attitude for the first time, even suggested that this day be designated as a memorial day.
Three more years passed after that.
The war finally ended after the head of the barbarian chief was cut off.
'We can go back. And alive.'
Everyone embraced each other in joy.
Even when they were intoxicated with the joy of victory, the Duke looked indifferent. The punitive force returned to the capital after two months.
However, after the Emperor's order to stand by, only the Duke and Groer were allowed to enter the capital and the imperial palace.
'Where on earth did you go?'
Groer was searching for the Duke who had suddenly disappeared from the imperial palace he had just arrived at.
After searching for a long time, the Duke was smiling brightly next to a woman.
The memory of almost losing his mind for a moment when he saw his smile for the first time was still vivid.
Groer belatedly learned that the woman that day was the human Empress.
“...It must be because of the Empress.”
The Duke, facing the Empress, finally seemed alive.
Biltman, who heard Groer’s muttering, asked back in surprise.
“You said it was fake, but was he a real government?”
Groer, who was about to ask his lord what a government was, suddenly clenched his fist and shouted.
“Tsk, what are you talking about... No, but the Emperor is like that too, so what? I’m rooting for him.”
“No, but still...”
When Biltman, bewildered by the sudden rash, hesitated, recalling the moral hazard, he said,
After the border area called Kalpman was created, the imperial family only provided support to the extent of barely holding back the barbarians using it as a shield.
Everything in the unexplored jungle was a threat.
In the unknown territory, the Duke seemed to have lost his emotions.
During the war, three urgent reports were delivered from the capital.
The death of the previous Emperor and the Crown Prince who ascended the throne.
The human Empress was said to have been born with the fate of a beastmen.
Two more years passed after the two urgent reports.
It was a night full of danger.
That day, Groer, who had not been able to sleep, came out of the barracks. The Duke was standing under the pale moon.
Groer still remembered the Duke's expression that night clearly.
It was the first time since he had seen a face that looked like it was crying without shedding tears.
Since that day, the Duke changed little by little.
The Duke, who did not open his mouth except for the necessary answers no matter how much Groer talked to him, even responded to the jokes of his men.
One of the men, seeing the Duke's attitude for the first time, even suggested that this day be designated as a memorial day.
Three more years passed after that.
The war finally ended after the head of the barbarian chief was cut off.
'We can go back. And alive.'
Everyone embraced each other in joy.
Even when they were intoxicated with the joy of victory, the Duke looked indifferent. The punitive force returned to the capital after two months.
However, after the Emperor's order to stand by, only the Duke and Groer were allowed to enter the capital and the imperial palace.
'Where on earth did you go?'
Groer was searching for the Duke who had suddenly disappeared from the imperial palace he had just arrived at.
After searching for a long time, the Duke was smiling brightly next to a woman.
The memory of almost losing his mind for a moment when he saw his smile for the first time was still vivid.
Groer belatedly learned that the woman that day was the human Empress.
“...It must be because of the Empress.”
The Duke, facing the Empress, finally seemed alive.
Biltman, who heard Groer’s muttering, asked back in surprise.
“You said it was fake, but was he a real government?”
Groer, who was about to ask his lord what a government was, suddenly clenched his fist and shouted.
“Tsk, what are you talking about... No, but the Emperor is like that too, so what? I’m rooting for him.”
“No, but still...”
When Biltman, bewildered by the sudden rash, hesitated, recalling the moral hazard, he said,
“If Lord Roxanne is happy, then that’s fine with me.”
“Same.”
The answers of his subordinates, who had lined up, pushed Biltman’s back.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll root for him too.”
The coyotes giggled as a group, perhaps because they found their own chorus funny.
It was time to resume their mission.
Hoping that the master would find what he wanted.
'Nonsense.'
As soon as Sepia checked the order, she headed to the palace.
After the Emperor's attendant left, she looked over the order she received several times.
But nothing had changed.
'The establishment of a charity department is prohibited.'
Even as she hurried her steps, her eyes were dizzy.
And there was another order.
Sepia, who had arrived at the palace, immediately sent a message to the attendant who was waiting.
The court ladies guided the Empress, who had a serious expression, to the reception room.
She sat down on the sofa, but her heart was still beating anxiously.
How long had she waited like that?
Demios' face appeared through the slowly opened door.
"What's going on in the middle of the night, Empress?"
Demios seemed to have already gone to bed, wearing a blue gown.
He stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as if he had no intention of sitting across from Sepia.
Unable to bear this sight, Sepia got up from her seat and stood in front of him.
"The establishment of a charity department is prohibited. What do you mean by that?"
The Empress had the budgetary authority for the palace within the Imperial City.
The Emperor had the budgetary authority and establishment of departments based on business within the Empire.
To obtain a new budgetary authority for Imperial business, a new department had to be established, and this required many years of performance and the Emperor's permission.
"Ah, that's all."
...That's all?
First, the late-night attendant was sent by the Emperor.
Demios was blaming Sepia for waking him up over a trivial matter.
“That’s all. How important is the establishment of the charity department...?”
“The Empress only comes to me when something like this happens.”
Demios cut her off with a cold expression.
Sepia froze in front of his cold gaze.
Those red eyes reminded her of the incident at the purification ceremony.
However, she couldn’t let it show.
Sepia barely moved her stiffening tongue.
“What’s the reason for banning the establishment?”
“Yes, that’s the reason. The Empress must think that’s the most important. The reason for banning the establishment is because this year has been auspicious.”
Demios quipped, asking if that was the answer.
Sepia was shocked by his laughter.
She barely managed to control her expression and pleaded with Demios.
“...In a year of uncertainty, we must look after and protect the people at the very bottom.”
In a year of trouble, the nobles would stop donating and further ostracize the poor.
That was why the establishment of the Charity Department was absolutely necessary.
“We must watch over and protect...”
He muttered along with Sepia’s words and asked.
“On the day of the purification ceremony. Why didn’t you go out to the surface right away to report when I collapsed?”
“Your Majesty caught me.”
When Demios collapsed, Sepia went out immediately to report the Emperor’s condition.
Wasn’t it he who caught her?
However, Demios didn’t believe Sepia’s words.
“Yes. Let’s say it happened once. But what about after I lost consciousness?”
“...That time...”
Because you strangled me. I couldn’t move at all because of fear.
Sepia couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth.
The feeling she had the moment she was strangled was more than rejection, it was fear.
When Demios lost consciousness again, she curled up and held her breath.
It was the same when he woke up.
Because if she made even the slightest noise, she felt like she would be strangled again.
Demios sneered at Sepia, who was speechless.
“Maybe you didn’t go out because you were afraid that the establishment of the department would be blocked by the Great Unlucky.”
If the Emperor and Empress did not complete the entire day of the purification ceremony and came to the surface, that year would be declared a Great Unlucky.
Sepia knew that too.
When he first collapsed, the question of the fate of the nation flashed through her mind, but she had tried to take Demios and escape to the surface right away.
However, after being strangled, she had not even thought of that.
“That is absolutely not true.”
Demios did not respond to her denial.
Sepia realized this by looking into his eyes.
From the moment he sent the attendant away, or rather, from the moment he looked at her with a wounded gaze, Demios had no intention of believing Sepia’s words at all.
“To think that your heart for the empire is that strong. You are truly the Empress itself.”
Demios applauded her in admiration.
The order he had sent contained not only the prohibition of the establishment of the charity department but also another clause.
Sepia was holding the Emperor’s order in her hand.
“As the Empress, I wanted to ease your burden a little.”
“Ah...!”
He snatched the order from Sepia and smiled as if he really liked the last line.
“As the Empress, it would be terrible to allocate the budget to my government’s palace, so let’s do this. All remaining temporary charity budgets will be transferred to Titier.”
The second clause of the order.
It was to transfer the temporary charity budget to the Repetto Palace’s budget for this year.
The above estimate was a provisional charity fund created by combining the Empress’s palace budget and external donations.
When Sepia first laid the foundation for charity, all the money she spent was taken from the Empress’s palace’s annual budget.
Since it was considered the Empress’s personal asset, she could use it freely without being influenced by the Emperor.
‘However, since last year...’
Discussions about making charity a large-scale imperial-based project had been ongoing for three years.
During the temporary budget preparation period last year, Demios ordered Sepia’s temporary funds to be transferred to the imperial-based project budget.
The pretext was to check the funds for the new department that would be created next year.
At that time, the establishment of the department was almost confirmed, and since Demios had full authority over the imperial business, Sepia agreed that it would be best to follow his advice.
That would be a problem.
The Emperor was the head of the business department that operated under the imperial command.
Therefore, changing the purpose of the budget was also Demios’s exclusive right.
“...That doesn’t make sense. The establishment of the department was planned, and above all, if the budget is transferred to Lady Titi, the businesses will not be able to operate starting next month.”
There were over forty poorhouses in the capital.
In addition, large sums of money were spent on orphanages and schools created by Sepia every month.
The budget that the Emperor was going to transfer to his government was enough to operate the charity businesses until this summer.
“Same.”
The answers of his subordinates, who had lined up, pushed Biltman’s back.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll root for him too.”
The coyotes giggled as a group, perhaps because they found their own chorus funny.
It was time to resume their mission.
Hoping that the master would find what he wanted.
***
'Nonsense.'
As soon as Sepia checked the order, she headed to the palace.
After the Emperor's attendant left, she looked over the order she received several times.
But nothing had changed.
'The establishment of a charity department is prohibited.'
Even as she hurried her steps, her eyes were dizzy.
And there was another order.
Sepia, who had arrived at the palace, immediately sent a message to the attendant who was waiting.
The court ladies guided the Empress, who had a serious expression, to the reception room.
She sat down on the sofa, but her heart was still beating anxiously.
How long had she waited like that?
Demios' face appeared through the slowly opened door.
"What's going on in the middle of the night, Empress?"
Demios seemed to have already gone to bed, wearing a blue gown.
He stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as if he had no intention of sitting across from Sepia.
Unable to bear this sight, Sepia got up from her seat and stood in front of him.
"The establishment of a charity department is prohibited. What do you mean by that?"
The Empress had the budgetary authority for the palace within the Imperial City.
The Emperor had the budgetary authority and establishment of departments based on business within the Empire.
To obtain a new budgetary authority for Imperial business, a new department had to be established, and this required many years of performance and the Emperor's permission.
"Ah, that's all."
...That's all?
First, the late-night attendant was sent by the Emperor.
Demios was blaming Sepia for waking him up over a trivial matter.
“That’s all. How important is the establishment of the charity department...?”
“The Empress only comes to me when something like this happens.”
Demios cut her off with a cold expression.
Sepia froze in front of his cold gaze.
Those red eyes reminded her of the incident at the purification ceremony.
However, she couldn’t let it show.
Sepia barely moved her stiffening tongue.
“What’s the reason for banning the establishment?”
“Yes, that’s the reason. The Empress must think that’s the most important. The reason for banning the establishment is because this year has been auspicious.”
Demios quipped, asking if that was the answer.
Sepia was shocked by his laughter.
She barely managed to control her expression and pleaded with Demios.
“...In a year of uncertainty, we must look after and protect the people at the very bottom.”
In a year of trouble, the nobles would stop donating and further ostracize the poor.
That was why the establishment of the Charity Department was absolutely necessary.
“We must watch over and protect...”
He muttered along with Sepia’s words and asked.
“On the day of the purification ceremony. Why didn’t you go out to the surface right away to report when I collapsed?”
“Your Majesty caught me.”
When Demios collapsed, Sepia went out immediately to report the Emperor’s condition.
Wasn’t it he who caught her?
However, Demios didn’t believe Sepia’s words.
“Yes. Let’s say it happened once. But what about after I lost consciousness?”
“...That time...”
Because you strangled me. I couldn’t move at all because of fear.
Sepia couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth.
The feeling she had the moment she was strangled was more than rejection, it was fear.
When Demios lost consciousness again, she curled up and held her breath.
It was the same when he woke up.
Because if she made even the slightest noise, she felt like she would be strangled again.
Demios sneered at Sepia, who was speechless.
“Maybe you didn’t go out because you were afraid that the establishment of the department would be blocked by the Great Unlucky.”
If the Emperor and Empress did not complete the entire day of the purification ceremony and came to the surface, that year would be declared a Great Unlucky.
Sepia knew that too.
When he first collapsed, the question of the fate of the nation flashed through her mind, but she had tried to take Demios and escape to the surface right away.
However, after being strangled, she had not even thought of that.
“That is absolutely not true.”
Demios did not respond to her denial.
Sepia realized this by looking into his eyes.
From the moment he sent the attendant away, or rather, from the moment he looked at her with a wounded gaze, Demios had no intention of believing Sepia’s words at all.
“To think that your heart for the empire is that strong. You are truly the Empress itself.”
Demios applauded her in admiration.
The order he had sent contained not only the prohibition of the establishment of the charity department but also another clause.
Sepia was holding the Emperor’s order in her hand.
“As the Empress, I wanted to ease your burden a little.”
“Ah...!”
He snatched the order from Sepia and smiled as if he really liked the last line.
“As the Empress, it would be terrible to allocate the budget to my government’s palace, so let’s do this. All remaining temporary charity budgets will be transferred to Titier.”
The second clause of the order.
It was to transfer the temporary charity budget to the Repetto Palace’s budget for this year.
The above estimate was a provisional charity fund created by combining the Empress’s palace budget and external donations.
When Sepia first laid the foundation for charity, all the money she spent was taken from the Empress’s palace’s annual budget.
Since it was considered the Empress’s personal asset, she could use it freely without being influenced by the Emperor.
‘However, since last year...’
Discussions about making charity a large-scale imperial-based project had been ongoing for three years.
During the temporary budget preparation period last year, Demios ordered Sepia’s temporary funds to be transferred to the imperial-based project budget.
The pretext was to check the funds for the new department that would be created next year.
At that time, the establishment of the department was almost confirmed, and since Demios had full authority over the imperial business, Sepia agreed that it would be best to follow his advice.
That would be a problem.
The Emperor was the head of the business department that operated under the imperial command.
Therefore, changing the purpose of the budget was also Demios’s exclusive right.
“...That doesn’t make sense. The establishment of the department was planned, and above all, if the budget is transferred to Lady Titi, the businesses will not be able to operate starting next month.”
There were over forty poorhouses in the capital.
In addition, large sums of money were spent on orphanages and schools created by Sepia every month.
The budget that the Emperor was going to transfer to his government was enough to operate the charity businesses until this summer.
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