The Demios she knew and the Emperor in front of her were different people. The one who came to study abroad in the Huron Empire was definitely Crown Prince Demios.
He looked exactly like the portrait, with silver hair and red eyes.
The Crown Prince's study abroad had been the subject of much gossip.
He wasn't even a member of the royal family, and he was being sent to another country. And for five years.
It was widely speculated that there would be some kind of deal between the two countries, but no one knew the exact truth.
However.
'What if... it wasn't the Crown Prince, but a substitute?'
The fog that had been clouding her mind for a long time was clearing.
Sepia faced the true nature of the other person she had seen through the blurry boundary for the first time.
Even the identity of the rejection that had been tormenting her until now.
The Emperor, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"No. You already know."
The past days when she walked with her eyes closed would not return.
The stern gaze pierced through Demios.
“Why did you deceive me?”
When on earth did that change?
He blinked slowly. His bloodshot eyes were filled with Sepia.
“Because you asked me for help.”
The bloody voice made her stomach churn.
The feeling of nausea that she now knew the source of, along with an instinctive rejection, rose up her throat along with the stomach acid.
Sepia barely managed to straighten her vision, which was distorted by dizziness.
“I sent the letter to ‘Demios,’ not to Your Majesty.”
She could now understand the meaning of the words that asked her to wait until he contacted her first.
Her young lover had not forgotten Sepia but was in a situation where he could not return.
The Emperor must have known that the letter was not addressed to him.
However, he sent a reply.
Along with the marriage proposal that she had thought would be her salvation.
However, instead of making excuses, the other person in front of her spoke words to appease Sepia.
“...The Empress has too many distracting thoughts. That is your shortcoming. What really matters is that I saved you, and now your husband, and the fact that you were able to become Empress are all thanks to me.”
Sepia shook her head at his words.
“No. The most important thing is that Your Majesty deceived me, and I have been deceived all this time.”
If she had known from the beginning that Demios and her lover were different, she would not have asked for help.
Sepia asked repeatedly.
“Did you accept me as your Empress because I am the star of Ishtar?”
If that were not the reason, there was no explanation.
Demios’s mouth twisted.
As if he had realized that he could no longer deceive her.
“...At first, yes. Oh, one more thing. I wanted to take that guy’s.”
Sepia’s expression hardened at the mention of her young lover.
Demios, who had been scorning someone while thinking of someone, stared at her.
His eyes, filled with desire, looked cruel and, at times, childish.
“I love you.”
Sepia’s eyes widened at the unexpected confession.
Demios, who was staring at her wavering gaze, gritted his teeth.
“Yes. At first it was fun, and the second reason was because of the oracle.”
Interest, curiosity, and malice toward someone were Demios’s first beginnings.
However, everything changed the moment he met Sepia in person.
“I fell in love with you.”
The wet red eyes confessed.
“...Yes. It must feel like a lie from the Empress’s perspective. But you must know this. I saved you. I gave you time to accept the confusion you were in. Moreover, you promised to be on my side, didn’t you?”
Your eternal side.
That was Sepia’s promise to Demios before she became Empress.
Her blue eyes stopped trembling.
Sepia, who had been listening silently, opened her mouth.
“No. The oath I made back then wasn’t directed at Your Majesty.”
The time of grace he had given her was the period he had deceived Sepia.
That wasn’t love.
Despite Sepia’s indifference, he lashed out like a young animal.
“I saved the Empress. Not the guy who was sent to Huron! I was with you back then!”
Demios revealed his teeth.
He grabbed his head in uncontrollable excitement.
It was the beginning of incarnation.
'It was wrong from the beginning.'
She had to go to 'him.'
To the wolf who was her true lover.
Sepia backed away.
Soon, the red-eyed beast revealed its true form.
The shadow of the beast covered part of the garden along with Sepia.
It was clearly the shape of a wolf.
However, its large body and silver fur made it clear that it was a different kind of beast.
Also.
'This is a divine beast?'
The madness was shining in those red eyes.
The eerie aura made her doubt his true identity.
[I wish I hadn't known. If I had been fooled from the beginning, both you and I would have been happy. It would be useless now. It doesn't matter. You are already mine. Now, and forever.]
A self-deprecating voice buzzed in Sepia's head.
The red eyes flashed as if they would swallow her up.
[Imprison the Empress.]
"...!"
The emperor's guards surrounded Sepia.
Before she could open her mouth to scream, her airway was blocked.
The pungent smell made her lose consciousness.
'No.'
Her vision was distorted.
The gods in front of her, and even the knights who had caught her.
Darkness was falling.
She lost consciousness without being able to utter her lover's name.
When she opened her eyes, it was an unfamiliar ceiling.
Her vision was dizzy, and her stomach was churning. She barely managed to raise her body, and then a spurt of water welled up inside her.
"...Your Majesty? Are you awake?"
When Sepia covered her mouth, Madame Remody hurriedly held out a handkerchief.
After wiping her mouth, a glass of cold water was held out.
After drinking half of the water, her rumbling stomach seemed to calm down a little.
"Is there anything else that is uncomfortable? You've been lying down for two days."
Madame Remody's eyes were filled with concern.
'Two days?'
Instead of answering, Sepia estimated the time she had collapsed.
And her last memory.
She had lost consciousness after smelling the cloth that had covered her mouth.
"... I'm fine. More importantly, where am I?"
Cold wallpaper and marble.
The interior looked more like a place that had not been touched by human hands for a long time than an old one.
The furniture was the same; the only things that took up the large space were a bed and a side table.
They looked like they had been brought in hastily.
Madame Remody lowered her head as if she was sorry at her gaze.
“...This is the Ghost Palace. His Majesty has issued a ban.”
Sepia shut her mouth at the unexpected answer.
‘A ban?’
So she was tied up here?
However, she still couldn’t understand why she had been moved to the Ghost Palace.
It was common for the imperial family, especially the Empress, to be confined to the residence palace until a proper judgment was handed down, even if they committed a high crime.
This place, now called the Ghost Palace, was actually owned by the Grand Duke.
However, it wasn’t like that from the beginning.
Originally, there was no title of Grand Duke in the Beastkin Empire.
This was created by the former Emperor Giluti, who had one special palace as proof of his status as the Grand Duke.
The special palace was the only building in the imperial castle that was free from the influence of the Empress and had played a role in banning the imperial family since the past.
The reason why the empty palace is called the ghost palace is that the title holder has not been decided.
Since then, this place has been neglected.
It was for this very reason that the once splendid space had become a cold palace.
'I first encountered Roxanne here.'
She had come here after walking aimlessly.
However, she had no idea that she would enter the inside.
And that was after losing consciousness.
"...But it's hard to understand why I am here."
It's not the Empress's palace, and it's a palace where she hasn't met the owner.
Remody eventually shed tears at the repeated questions.
"His Majesty sent it."
A trembling hand held out the document.
Sepia's eyes widened as she accepted it.
'A divorce certificate, that is.'
The divorce certificate, which had the Emperor's seal, contained the reason.
Refusal to sleep together.
It was a strict order that this was a legitimate reason for divorce as it violated the duties of an empress.
The divorce trial would be held in a month.
Sepia stared blankly at the divorce certificate. Soon, Remody knelt in front of the bed.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I made a rash remark that day...!”
Their relationship indeed became icy after the lady’s advice.
However, it was not Remody’s fault that Sepia received the divorce papers. Rather,
‘If I had accepted the advice, this wouldn’t have happened.’
The maid’s judgment was wise.
It was she who failed to accept it.
“It’s not your fault, Madam.”
Sepia consoled her.
Hoping that Remody could relieve her debt in her heart even a little.
“Can’t I leave this place until the trial?”
“...I begged and begged that Your Majesty wouldn’t let even the maids in, so I could come in alone.”
Sepia tightly closed her eyes at the lady’s words.
With one word, Demios had completely isolated her.
And the reason he had kicked Sepia out of the palace early on was.
‘To make Titi the Empress.’
It had taken her two days just to come to her senses, so the palace staff must have started emptying the palace by now.
To accept a new master.
Her young lover had not forgotten Sepia but was in a situation where he could not return.
The Emperor must have known that the letter was not addressed to him.
However, he sent a reply.
Along with the marriage proposal that she had thought would be her salvation.
However, instead of making excuses, the other person in front of her spoke words to appease Sepia.
“...The Empress has too many distracting thoughts. That is your shortcoming. What really matters is that I saved you, and now your husband, and the fact that you were able to become Empress are all thanks to me.”
Sepia shook her head at his words.
“No. The most important thing is that Your Majesty deceived me, and I have been deceived all this time.”
If she had known from the beginning that Demios and her lover were different, she would not have asked for help.
Sepia asked repeatedly.
“Did you accept me as your Empress because I am the star of Ishtar?”
If that were not the reason, there was no explanation.
Demios’s mouth twisted.
As if he had realized that he could no longer deceive her.
“...At first, yes. Oh, one more thing. I wanted to take that guy’s.”
Sepia’s expression hardened at the mention of her young lover.
Demios, who had been scorning someone while thinking of someone, stared at her.
His eyes, filled with desire, looked cruel and, at times, childish.
“I love you.”
Sepia’s eyes widened at the unexpected confession.
Demios, who was staring at her wavering gaze, gritted his teeth.
“Yes. At first it was fun, and the second reason was because of the oracle.”
Interest, curiosity, and malice toward someone were Demios’s first beginnings.
However, everything changed the moment he met Sepia in person.
“I fell in love with you.”
The wet red eyes confessed.
“...Yes. It must feel like a lie from the Empress’s perspective. But you must know this. I saved you. I gave you time to accept the confusion you were in. Moreover, you promised to be on my side, didn’t you?”
Your eternal side.
That was Sepia’s promise to Demios before she became Empress.
Her blue eyes stopped trembling.
Sepia, who had been listening silently, opened her mouth.
“No. The oath I made back then wasn’t directed at Your Majesty.”
The time of grace he had given her was the period he had deceived Sepia.
That wasn’t love.
Despite Sepia’s indifference, he lashed out like a young animal.
“I saved the Empress. Not the guy who was sent to Huron! I was with you back then!”
Demios revealed his teeth.
He grabbed his head in uncontrollable excitement.
It was the beginning of incarnation.
'It was wrong from the beginning.'
She had to go to 'him.'
To the wolf who was her true lover.
Sepia backed away.
Soon, the red-eyed beast revealed its true form.
The shadow of the beast covered part of the garden along with Sepia.
It was clearly the shape of a wolf.
However, its large body and silver fur made it clear that it was a different kind of beast.
Also.
'This is a divine beast?'
The madness was shining in those red eyes.
The eerie aura made her doubt his true identity.
[I wish I hadn't known. If I had been fooled from the beginning, both you and I would have been happy. It would be useless now. It doesn't matter. You are already mine. Now, and forever.]
A self-deprecating voice buzzed in Sepia's head.
The red eyes flashed as if they would swallow her up.
[Imprison the Empress.]
"...!"
The emperor's guards surrounded Sepia.
Before she could open her mouth to scream, her airway was blocked.
The pungent smell made her lose consciousness.
'No.'
Her vision was distorted.
The gods in front of her, and even the knights who had caught her.
Darkness was falling.
She lost consciousness without being able to utter her lover's name.
***
When she opened her eyes, it was an unfamiliar ceiling.
Her vision was dizzy, and her stomach was churning. She barely managed to raise her body, and then a spurt of water welled up inside her.
"...Your Majesty? Are you awake?"
When Sepia covered her mouth, Madame Remody hurriedly held out a handkerchief.
After wiping her mouth, a glass of cold water was held out.
After drinking half of the water, her rumbling stomach seemed to calm down a little.
"Is there anything else that is uncomfortable? You've been lying down for two days."
Madame Remody's eyes were filled with concern.
'Two days?'
Instead of answering, Sepia estimated the time she had collapsed.
And her last memory.
She had lost consciousness after smelling the cloth that had covered her mouth.
"... I'm fine. More importantly, where am I?"
Cold wallpaper and marble.
The interior looked more like a place that had not been touched by human hands for a long time than an old one.
The furniture was the same; the only things that took up the large space were a bed and a side table.
They looked like they had been brought in hastily.
Madame Remody lowered her head as if she was sorry at her gaze.
“...This is the Ghost Palace. His Majesty has issued a ban.”
Sepia shut her mouth at the unexpected answer.
‘A ban?’
So she was tied up here?
However, she still couldn’t understand why she had been moved to the Ghost Palace.
It was common for the imperial family, especially the Empress, to be confined to the residence palace until a proper judgment was handed down, even if they committed a high crime.
This place, now called the Ghost Palace, was actually owned by the Grand Duke.
However, it wasn’t like that from the beginning.
Originally, there was no title of Grand Duke in the Beastkin Empire.
This was created by the former Emperor Giluti, who had one special palace as proof of his status as the Grand Duke.
The special palace was the only building in the imperial castle that was free from the influence of the Empress and had played a role in banning the imperial family since the past.
The reason why the empty palace is called the ghost palace is that the title holder has not been decided.
Since then, this place has been neglected.
It was for this very reason that the once splendid space had become a cold palace.
'I first encountered Roxanne here.'
She had come here after walking aimlessly.
However, she had no idea that she would enter the inside.
And that was after losing consciousness.
"...But it's hard to understand why I am here."
It's not the Empress's palace, and it's a palace where she hasn't met the owner.
Remody eventually shed tears at the repeated questions.
"His Majesty sent it."
A trembling hand held out the document.
Sepia's eyes widened as she accepted it.
'A divorce certificate, that is.'
The divorce certificate, which had the Emperor's seal, contained the reason.
Refusal to sleep together.
It was a strict order that this was a legitimate reason for divorce as it violated the duties of an empress.
The divorce trial would be held in a month.
Sepia stared blankly at the divorce certificate. Soon, Remody knelt in front of the bed.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I made a rash remark that day...!”
Their relationship indeed became icy after the lady’s advice.
However, it was not Remody’s fault that Sepia received the divorce papers. Rather,
‘If I had accepted the advice, this wouldn’t have happened.’
The maid’s judgment was wise.
It was she who failed to accept it.
“It’s not your fault, Madam.”
Sepia consoled her.
Hoping that Remody could relieve her debt in her heart even a little.
“Can’t I leave this place until the trial?”
“...I begged and begged that Your Majesty wouldn’t let even the maids in, so I could come in alone.”
Sepia tightly closed her eyes at the lady’s words.
With one word, Demios had completely isolated her.
And the reason he had kicked Sepia out of the palace early on was.
‘To make Titi the Empress.’
It had taken her two days just to come to her senses, so the palace staff must have started emptying the palace by now.
To accept a new master.
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