Roxanne added to the surprised Sepia.
“This amount includes my knights. If Sepia doesn’t accept it, she’ll probably be very angry.”
Roxanne.
Her best friend appeared when she wanted to give up everything and pulled her up.
Sepia looked at her and saw a boy next to Roxanne.
“ Then, can you grant me one favor?”
Most of the ministers gathered in the conference room today were carnivorous beasts or large animals such as rhinoceroses or elephants, even if they were herbivores.
They were upper-class beasts who were not pushed back by the main body anywhere, but the momentum of the divine beast bloodline made even these people hold their breath.
The reason the Empress wanted to get the charity organization approved as a new imperial business division was to have the business recognized as an official imperial business and to secure the imperial budget.
However, if it could be operated only through donations, there was no need to necessarily allocate a budget.
In addition, the public opinion of the imperial people was not directed only at the Empress and the Duke.
This was because the fact that the Empress's charity donations went to the Emperor's government was leaked.
The imperial people, who had little interest in the Emperor's government, immediately condemned the government.
After the minister finished his report, there was only silence inside.
Everyone was avoiding eye contact, watching the Emperor's expression in case they made eye contact.
Clang!
"Your Majesty?"
The ministers raised their heads in surprise at the sudden explosion.
The glass cup the Emperor was holding shattered under his grip.
The sharp shards dug into the nobleman’s hand, causing red blood to flow out.
The attendant immediately approached to treat the wound, but the Emperor raised his hand to stop the attendant’s actions.
“...Let us conclude the meeting.”
The ministers flinched at the sound of the door creaking in the distance.
The Emperor got up from his seat and went out of the conference room.
Titi was standing in front of the open corridor.
Titi, who had been waiting for the Emperor to come out in all her splendid attire, grabbed his hand in surprise.
“Your Majesty, your hand...!”
Titi’s lace gloves were stained red.
While the maids brought bandages, Titi tried to stop the bleeding with her dress.
The Emperor looked down at Titi with an unreadable gaze.
The ministers who had followed him out of the conference room were watching the scene.
“Your Majesty.”
The Empress and her maids were standing on the other side of the corridor.
Perhaps because she had been going out a lot recently, the Empress was wearing a thick robe and comfortable winter clothes instead of a dress.
Some might say that it was not an Empress’s attire.
However, her simple appearance did not hide her noble dignity.
The Empress approached the Demios and Titi.
The contrast between the Empress and the government’s outfits was even more dramatic because of the government’s crinoline dress which looked particularly extravagant today.
Demios, who was standing opposite the Empress, sneered at this.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“What?”
Sepia asked expressionlessly.
Demios’ face hardened at her cold attitude.
For the first time, Sepia did not feel guilty in front of him.
“You were the one who threatened me first, Demios.”
No matter how natural it was to fulfill the duties of an Empress, he should not have threatened herself with the dying people of the empire.
At first, she had considered making Roxanne an anonymous donor.
However, charity must continue.
Without changing the perception of the wealthy, the troubles would continue.
Sepia greatly expanded the fact of Roxanne’s donation and spread rumors that he had done such good deeds to prevent misfortune.
This was a golden opportunity to change the perception of the nobles without relying on Demios’s power.
She had succeeded in turning a crisis into an opportunity.
Sepia’s clear eyes were piercing Demios’s meanness.
‘...You finally understand. This is not my fault.’
Thanks to Roxanne, Sepia realized that her failure to fulfill her duties as the Empress and Demios’s threats were completely different issues.
Maybe Demios knew that too.
However, instead of acknowledging his own shallowness, he pursued Sepia in a different direction.
“...They’re saying that you brought down Titi to maintain the Empress’s business.”
“I didn’t spread that.”
Titi’s budget problem was something Sepia had not expected.
Demios would not believe it either.
“Then who did it?”
As expected, Demios had no intention of listening to her explanation.
Strangely, his words no longer hurt.
“There must be someone other than me who dislikes His Majesty’s government. What good would it do for the charity organization if I were to bring down Lady Titi’s at this point? My time is limited, so I would be doing more than necessary.”
It meant that she had no time to worry about the government when she was busy with other tasks.
Perhaps it was Titi's own creation.
She didn't know the source, but the thought suddenly occurred to her.
"I'll leave now."
Sepia nodded and passed Demios.
The maids following the Empress disappeared down the corridor, forming a long tail.
The Emperor stared at the empty corridor where the Empress had disappeared for a long time.
“This amount includes my knights. If Sepia doesn’t accept it, she’ll probably be very angry.”
Roxanne.
Her best friend appeared when she wanted to give up everything and pulled her up.
Sepia looked at her and saw a boy next to Roxanne.
“Sepia.”
With the voice of her first friend and lover. Could they really be just best friends?
Sepia signed the document in front of her as if she was possessed as if she was about to realize the identity of the strange resonance she had been feeling for some time.
“...I owe you a great favor.”
It was such valuable help that she doubted whether she could ever repay it. She wanted to do anything to help him. As if he had read Sepia’s mind, he opened his mouth.
“ Then, can you grant me one favor?”
“What is it?”
The request that followed was something she had not expected at all.
“I hope Sepia treasures me.”
Words she hadn’t heard in a long time. It was the moment when she realized the comfort she had not been able to give herself through Roxanne.
“It would be better if you used me.”
“...How could it be any better?”
Sepia swallowed her heart in response to the playful words.
‘Yes, that’s right.’
If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others. Giving while sacrificing yourself had a set end.
‘The fortune of the nation is just a warning of the troubles to come.’
She realized this after listening to Roxanne’s story. Those who really wanted to block the shadow that would cover the empire had to change their direction of thinking. Feeling guilty toward someone was a story for another day.
Roxanne’s real name and identity were written in her own handwriting on the donation certificate. Sepia looked at Roxanne with a clearer vision.
“Roxanne, can I use this donation certificate for a little bit of something else?”
“It’s my pleasure.”
She found it. A way to gain the strength to move forward.
***
Two weeks ago. The Emperor had announced that he would ban the establishment of new departments this year. The Emperor had brought up the national fortune, but the ministers knew that was not the only reason he had come forward. The establishment of the Empress's department was already planned. It was judged that the Emperor had come up with the above results to limit the Empress's rights. The ministers expected that the nobles who had been donating to the Empress's personal charity would stop donating.
However, after the Emperor's announcement, the number of donors and the donation rate increased significantly. The reason was Duke Leopold. The Duke donated most of the profits from mining magic stones and auctioning off the spoils to the Empress's charity. He said that it was to settle the karma he had accumulated on the battlefield over a long time. It was a completely different move from those who had tried to control their assets in case of misfortune.
Then, when the Duke made an official announcement that he would grow the charity together with the Empress, the people of the Empire cheered for the Empress and the Duke. Since the Empress began her charity, the approval rating for her among the people of the Empire had been on the rise. However, this response was the highest ever. Despite the national fortunes being in turmoil, the Duke's good deeds for the people of the Empire had captured their hearts. Although the Duke was known as a hero of the Empire, he was still a figure shrouded in mystery. However, the people of the empire who saw the Duke moving on the scene, including the donations, gave great praise to the Duke along with the Empress.
Rumors spread that if even the poor shared what they had with each other and accumulated good deeds, they could avoid misfortune. As things were like this, the nobles who were about to close the door to donations began to continue the good deeds of the Empress's charity organization one by one, under the name of their family. These donations opened the floodgates, and most of the wealthy class ended up putting their names on the good deeds.
Now, the situation was reversed. The number of people participating in the Empress's charity organization was so large that there was no longer any reason to watch the Emperor's face. The Empress had succeeded in controlling public opinion by using the fortune of the nation. The imperial conference room. The meeting to distribute the empire's business budget was coming to a close.
"... So, this year's budget seems to be finished at this level."
The Minister of Finance for Business carefully finished his report. It was to avoid provoking the Emperor, who was becoming increasingly sensitive.
Most of the ministers gathered in the conference room today were carnivorous beasts or large animals such as rhinoceroses or elephants, even if they were herbivores.
They were upper-class beasts who were not pushed back by the main body anywhere, but the momentum of the divine beast bloodline made even these people hold their breath.
The reason the Empress wanted to get the charity organization approved as a new imperial business division was to have the business recognized as an official imperial business and to secure the imperial budget.
However, if it could be operated only through donations, there was no need to necessarily allocate a budget.
In addition, the public opinion of the imperial people was not directed only at the Empress and the Duke.
This was because the fact that the Empress's charity donations went to the Emperor's government was leaked.
The imperial people, who had little interest in the Emperor's government, immediately condemned the government.
After the minister finished his report, there was only silence inside.
Everyone was avoiding eye contact, watching the Emperor's expression in case they made eye contact.
Clang!
"Your Majesty?"
The ministers raised their heads in surprise at the sudden explosion.
The glass cup the Emperor was holding shattered under his grip.
The sharp shards dug into the nobleman’s hand, causing red blood to flow out.
The attendant immediately approached to treat the wound, but the Emperor raised his hand to stop the attendant’s actions.
“...Let us conclude the meeting.”
The ministers flinched at the sound of the door creaking in the distance.
The Emperor got up from his seat and went out of the conference room.
Titi was standing in front of the open corridor.
Titi, who had been waiting for the Emperor to come out in all her splendid attire, grabbed his hand in surprise.
“Your Majesty, your hand...!”
Titi’s lace gloves were stained red.
While the maids brought bandages, Titi tried to stop the bleeding with her dress.
The Emperor looked down at Titi with an unreadable gaze.
The ministers who had followed him out of the conference room were watching the scene.
“Your Majesty.”
The Empress and her maids were standing on the other side of the corridor.
Perhaps because she had been going out a lot recently, the Empress was wearing a thick robe and comfortable winter clothes instead of a dress.
Some might say that it was not an Empress’s attire.
However, her simple appearance did not hide her noble dignity.
The Empress approached the Demios and Titi.
The contrast between the Empress and the government’s outfits was even more dramatic because of the government’s crinoline dress which looked particularly extravagant today.
Demios, who was standing opposite the Empress, sneered at this.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“What?”
Sepia asked expressionlessly.
Demios’ face hardened at her cold attitude.
For the first time, Sepia did not feel guilty in front of him.
“You were the one who threatened me first, Demios.”
No matter how natural it was to fulfill the duties of an Empress, he should not have threatened herself with the dying people of the empire.
At first, she had considered making Roxanne an anonymous donor.
However, charity must continue.
Without changing the perception of the wealthy, the troubles would continue.
Sepia greatly expanded the fact of Roxanne’s donation and spread rumors that he had done such good deeds to prevent misfortune.
This was a golden opportunity to change the perception of the nobles without relying on Demios’s power.
She had succeeded in turning a crisis into an opportunity.
Sepia’s clear eyes were piercing Demios’s meanness.
‘...You finally understand. This is not my fault.’
Thanks to Roxanne, Sepia realized that her failure to fulfill her duties as the Empress and Demios’s threats were completely different issues.
Maybe Demios knew that too.
However, instead of acknowledging his own shallowness, he pursued Sepia in a different direction.
“...They’re saying that you brought down Titi to maintain the Empress’s business.”
“I didn’t spread that.”
Titi’s budget problem was something Sepia had not expected.
Demios would not believe it either.
“Then who did it?”
As expected, Demios had no intention of listening to her explanation.
Strangely, his words no longer hurt.
“There must be someone other than me who dislikes His Majesty’s government. What good would it do for the charity organization if I were to bring down Lady Titi’s at this point? My time is limited, so I would be doing more than necessary.”
It meant that she had no time to worry about the government when she was busy with other tasks.
Perhaps it was Titi's own creation.
She didn't know the source, but the thought suddenly occurred to her.
"I'll leave now."
Sepia nodded and passed Demios.
The maids following the Empress disappeared down the corridor, forming a long tail.
The Emperor stared at the empty corridor where the Empress had disappeared for a long time.
Comments
Post a Comment