A beach with a full moon.
The feeling of sand crumbling under her bare feet.
A dark blue sea spread out before Sepia's eyes.
'Here is...'
She must have fallen asleep in her bedroom, but why was she standing on the white sand?
The sound of the waves swaying and the lukewarm night air.
All the senses were too vivid to be a dream.
The dark night sea seemed warm rather than scary. Enough to make her want to approach.
The moment Sepia took a step, the waves rose up like water pillars.
Blue hair and eyes.
The one who appeared before her was the High Priest of the Sea.
[Star of Ishtar.]
With the smile of the ocean, two sea dragons commanded by Siltizane circled around Sepia.
She had thought she would never see them again after the divorce trial.
Siltizane approached her with a wave's tail attached.
[Don't forget that the one who possesses you is the Emperor.]
"What..."
Pale lips kissed Sepia's hand.
Siltjane's kiss was a baptism and a blessing.
Moreover, she could not take the words of the High Priest lightly.
He was the goddess's first-class servant and agent.
'What do you mean?'
I am no longer the Empress.
She was about to ask again.
The High Priest's beautiful hair permeated the night air.
His appearance gradually dispersed. The kiss, even his voice. Like fog.
The dream was over.
When she opened her eyes, the now familiar ceiling greeted her.
It was still dark.
Between dawn and twilight.
Sepia got up from her bed and pulled back the curtains.
The dark sea beyond the window was the same scenery she had seen in her dream.
Along with the unknown dream, she recalled the events of the day.
A day had passed since Madame Remody arrived in Leopold.
The news she had told him from the capital was truly shocking.
'... Demios is crazy.'
When Remody was there, there were more than ten dead court ladies in his hands.
When she heard that Demios was only focused on finding the missing Sepia, she got goosebumps.
'I knew you'd come looking for me, but.'
She didn't expect that all the administration of the empire would be paralyzed.
She heard that the separate department, the Charity Department, was somehow being held by Viscount Wlon.
However, there was no telling when the Emperor's madness would spread beyond the palace.
Sepia recalled Remody's words.
'The current Empress has not only given up on state affairs, but even her seal is under suspicion.'
Sepia had expected that Titie would not be able to handle the Empress's affairs.
She must have been coveting the Empress's position, so it would have been strange for state affairs to be running smoothly.
'... But about the seal.'
It was still unclear information, but Sepia could make a guess.
What if Titie's name was fake?
It would have been a planned approach from the beginning.
Above all, it wasn't a scale of an incident that she alone could have made up.
Someone who could gain an advantage by approaching the Emperor.
However, the scale was not narrowing down.
'Who could it be?'
She heard that her brother was sentenced to death for murdering Titie's maid, and the Count couple and their family were exiled to the north.
It was not clear whether he was the murderer.
What was clear here was that Titi had completely cut off the Count's family.
'So it couldn't be the Count's family.'
In the end, they were just one of the puppets like Titie.
Therefore, there was a need to look into the details.
Since Titie had abandoned the Count's family, it might be possible to dig up information from the Louvre now.
'... Roxanne said we should return to the palace.'
The legacy of the Red King.
Maybe that was the key to solving the fate of the empire.
The end of the sun rose above the horizon.
The blue light was fading and the morning was dawning.
Sepia was long and she watched the blue sea.
And so the morning dawned.
There was a knock on the door.
It was the maid, Lucy.
“Come in.”
“Oh, you’re awake?”
“Yeah, I woke up early. Can you bring me a glass of warm water?”
“Yes!”
Lucy told her to wait a moment and ran out.
She looked like a squirrel moving busily, which made her laugh.
Lucy handed her water and diligently cleaned up the bedroom.
Sepia, who was watching her, asked,
“Has the guest who came yesterday woke up?”
“Oh, not yet. She must have been very tired.”
“I see. Let her rest.”
After unpacking, Madam Remody fell asleep.
She must have been physically and mentally exhausted from traveling a long distance.
Above all, she must have felt quite nervous about deceiving the Emperor.
If the lady hadn’t bought her time, she would have had a hard time getting out of the capital.
She was grateful to her, and she hoped that she wouldn’t get hurt because of her.
“Breakfast...”
When Lucy finished cleaning up, she spoke to Sepia.
“Put this down!”
“You can’t do that!”
Through the open door, she could hear the commotion in the hallway.
The bickering, mixed with Leopold’s unique dialect, gradually grew louder.
Finally, she opened Sepia’s bedroom and came in.
“Miss Dyling!”
It was a woman with long brown hair and white hair patterned on it.
She was glaring at Sepia with cold golden eyes.
“Who are you?”
Familiar yet different eyes.
Above all, the woman called Dyling had her wings out.
Large wings in the shape of an eagle.
This, combined with the laurel wreath on her head and her unique attire of white cloth wrapped around her body, made Sepia think of someone from a myth.
Her maids were the same. They were wrapped in cloth of lower quality than Dyling, but this was also an outfit you would see in a temple.
Dyling, who was standing with her subordinates, glanced at Sepia.
She put her hand on her forehead as if she was shocked.
“Oh my god, I thought it couldn’t be true. Why is the deposed Empress here? Could it be that you're my brother’s fiancée...?”
For the first time, someone recognized her.
After a moment of silence, Sepia asked expressionlessly.
“Who is Young Lady?”
It was difficult to hide it anymore once she recognized her face.
Above all, it wasn’t a completely unexpected situation.
At her question, Dyling straightened her chin and answered.
“I am Dyling Daerdis, the Saintess of Leopold. I am also the daughter of Lapikan, the temporary lord of Leopold.”
She was Roxanne’s cousin.
It made sense that she was the daughter of Lapikan. However.
‘But a Saintess?’
The word Saintess is used differently in each country, but in the current Beastkin Empire, the Star of Ishtar meant that role.
“I understand that the Saintess of the Beastkin Empire is the Star of Ishtar.”
“It’s different here. It’s my ability that cured the plague.”
Dyling straightened her body, placing her hand on her left chest as if she knew she would say that.
When she spread her wings, large feathers fell down.
Sepia realized what Dyling meant by her unique attire.
‘Cured the plague?’
That would be impossible without using magic or holy power.
“You mean you can use holy power?”
“Yes. Yes. Although you can’t see it, I have the power to heal the people.”
Dyling was a bald eagle beastman.
It was common sense that the only people in the empire who could control the power of the sea were the priests of the sea who directly served the goddess.
Dyling was declaring that she could perform the miracle herself.
She muttered in astonishment.
“I heard that my father was locked up in an underground prison, but the Duke's fiancee was being cared for with great affection, so I came to see... I didn’t think it was to protect the deposed Empress.”
Dyling’s gaze grew fiercer and fiercer.
She pointed at the door while looking at Sepia.
“Get out of the castle right now. No, you have to leave the territory...”
“Dyling Daerdis. What are you doing?”
The cold tone drew attention.
Roxanne came across the hallway and approached Sepia.
Dyling blocked his path with her body and appealed.
“Brother! How could you do this? How good our father was to you!”
She went on and on about how she and the temporary lord had set an example for the territory.
But Roxanne was not persuaded.
“You must know that my uncle used me to spread the plague.”
“That’s not true. It’s a slander!”
Dyling, who had been shouting, seemed to have decided not to do it, so she softened her voice for a moment and began to coax him.
“Even if you are the owner of the territory, there is a procedure. Please release my father right now. Then the goddess will forgive you. I will ask Her to do it.”
Dyling clasped her hands together and made a prayer gesture.
Roxanne sighed as he watched her and ran his hand through his hair.
“Dyling, I will tell you once more that you are not a Saintess.”
Dyling bit her lower lip at the words that denied her.
She fluttered her wings as if she could not control her anger.
“Don’t you know anything, brother? Was the reason you came back to Leopold from the beginning because of that woman? Did you seize the territory to disguise the deposed Empress as your fiancée?”
Dyling’s resentment was directed at Sepia.
Until Roxanne took Sepia into her arms.
“Dyling, what you said is completely wrong.”
Roxanne, who had denied her words with a cold tone, kissed Sepia's nape.
His eyes, slowly raised, warned her.
"It's not a disguise, it's my female."
The feeling of sand crumbling under her bare feet.
A dark blue sea spread out before Sepia's eyes.
'Here is...'
She must have fallen asleep in her bedroom, but why was she standing on the white sand?
The sound of the waves swaying and the lukewarm night air.
All the senses were too vivid to be a dream.
The dark night sea seemed warm rather than scary. Enough to make her want to approach.
The moment Sepia took a step, the waves rose up like water pillars.
Blue hair and eyes.
The one who appeared before her was the High Priest of the Sea.
[Star of Ishtar.]
With the smile of the ocean, two sea dragons commanded by Siltizane circled around Sepia.
She had thought she would never see them again after the divorce trial.
Siltizane approached her with a wave's tail attached.
[Don't forget that the one who possesses you is the Emperor.]
"What..."
Pale lips kissed Sepia's hand.
Siltjane's kiss was a baptism and a blessing.
Moreover, she could not take the words of the High Priest lightly.
He was the goddess's first-class servant and agent.
'What do you mean?'
I am no longer the Empress.
She was about to ask again.
The High Priest's beautiful hair permeated the night air.
His appearance gradually dispersed. The kiss, even his voice. Like fog.
The dream was over.
When she opened her eyes, the now familiar ceiling greeted her.
It was still dark.
Between dawn and twilight.
Sepia got up from her bed and pulled back the curtains.
The dark sea beyond the window was the same scenery she had seen in her dream.
Along with the unknown dream, she recalled the events of the day.
A day had passed since Madame Remody arrived in Leopold.
The news she had told him from the capital was truly shocking.
'... Demios is crazy.'
When Remody was there, there were more than ten dead court ladies in his hands.
When she heard that Demios was only focused on finding the missing Sepia, she got goosebumps.
'I knew you'd come looking for me, but.'
She didn't expect that all the administration of the empire would be paralyzed.
She heard that the separate department, the Charity Department, was somehow being held by Viscount Wlon.
However, there was no telling when the Emperor's madness would spread beyond the palace.
Sepia recalled Remody's words.
'The current Empress has not only given up on state affairs, but even her seal is under suspicion.'
Sepia had expected that Titie would not be able to handle the Empress's affairs.
She must have been coveting the Empress's position, so it would have been strange for state affairs to be running smoothly.
'... But about the seal.'
It was still unclear information, but Sepia could make a guess.
What if Titie's name was fake?
It would have been a planned approach from the beginning.
Above all, it wasn't a scale of an incident that she alone could have made up.
Someone who could gain an advantage by approaching the Emperor.
However, the scale was not narrowing down.
'Who could it be?'
She heard that her brother was sentenced to death for murdering Titie's maid, and the Count couple and their family were exiled to the north.
It was not clear whether he was the murderer.
What was clear here was that Titi had completely cut off the Count's family.
'So it couldn't be the Count's family.'
In the end, they were just one of the puppets like Titie.
Therefore, there was a need to look into the details.
Since Titie had abandoned the Count's family, it might be possible to dig up information from the Louvre now.
'... Roxanne said we should return to the palace.'
The legacy of the Red King.
Maybe that was the key to solving the fate of the empire.
The end of the sun rose above the horizon.
The blue light was fading and the morning was dawning.
Sepia was long and she watched the blue sea.
And so the morning dawned.
There was a knock on the door.
It was the maid, Lucy.
“Come in.”
“Oh, you’re awake?”
“Yeah, I woke up early. Can you bring me a glass of warm water?”
“Yes!”
Lucy told her to wait a moment and ran out.
She looked like a squirrel moving busily, which made her laugh.
Lucy handed her water and diligently cleaned up the bedroom.
Sepia, who was watching her, asked,
“Has the guest who came yesterday woke up?”
“Oh, not yet. She must have been very tired.”
“I see. Let her rest.”
After unpacking, Madam Remody fell asleep.
She must have been physically and mentally exhausted from traveling a long distance.
Above all, she must have felt quite nervous about deceiving the Emperor.
If the lady hadn’t bought her time, she would have had a hard time getting out of the capital.
She was grateful to her, and she hoped that she wouldn’t get hurt because of her.
“Breakfast...”
When Lucy finished cleaning up, she spoke to Sepia.
“Put this down!”
“You can’t do that!”
Through the open door, she could hear the commotion in the hallway.
The bickering, mixed with Leopold’s unique dialect, gradually grew louder.
Finally, she opened Sepia’s bedroom and came in.
“Miss Dyling!”
It was a woman with long brown hair and white hair patterned on it.
She was glaring at Sepia with cold golden eyes.
“Who are you?”
Familiar yet different eyes.
Above all, the woman called Dyling had her wings out.
Large wings in the shape of an eagle.
This, combined with the laurel wreath on her head and her unique attire of white cloth wrapped around her body, made Sepia think of someone from a myth.
Her maids were the same. They were wrapped in cloth of lower quality than Dyling, but this was also an outfit you would see in a temple.
Dyling, who was standing with her subordinates, glanced at Sepia.
She put her hand on her forehead as if she was shocked.
“Oh my god, I thought it couldn’t be true. Why is the deposed Empress here? Could it be that you're my brother’s fiancée...?”
For the first time, someone recognized her.
After a moment of silence, Sepia asked expressionlessly.
“Who is Young Lady?”
It was difficult to hide it anymore once she recognized her face.
Above all, it wasn’t a completely unexpected situation.
At her question, Dyling straightened her chin and answered.
“I am Dyling Daerdis, the Saintess of Leopold. I am also the daughter of Lapikan, the temporary lord of Leopold.”
She was Roxanne’s cousin.
It made sense that she was the daughter of Lapikan. However.
‘But a Saintess?’
The word Saintess is used differently in each country, but in the current Beastkin Empire, the Star of Ishtar meant that role.
“I understand that the Saintess of the Beastkin Empire is the Star of Ishtar.”
“It’s different here. It’s my ability that cured the plague.”
Dyling straightened her body, placing her hand on her left chest as if she knew she would say that.
When she spread her wings, large feathers fell down.
Sepia realized what Dyling meant by her unique attire.
‘Cured the plague?’
That would be impossible without using magic or holy power.
“You mean you can use holy power?”
“Yes. Yes. Although you can’t see it, I have the power to heal the people.”
Dyling was a bald eagle beastman.
It was common sense that the only people in the empire who could control the power of the sea were the priests of the sea who directly served the goddess.
Dyling was declaring that she could perform the miracle herself.
She muttered in astonishment.
“I heard that my father was locked up in an underground prison, but the Duke's fiancee was being cared for with great affection, so I came to see... I didn’t think it was to protect the deposed Empress.”
Dyling’s gaze grew fiercer and fiercer.
She pointed at the door while looking at Sepia.
“Get out of the castle right now. No, you have to leave the territory...”
“Dyling Daerdis. What are you doing?”
The cold tone drew attention.
Roxanne came across the hallway and approached Sepia.
Dyling blocked his path with her body and appealed.
“Brother! How could you do this? How good our father was to you!”
She went on and on about how she and the temporary lord had set an example for the territory.
But Roxanne was not persuaded.
“You must know that my uncle used me to spread the plague.”
“That’s not true. It’s a slander!”
Dyling, who had been shouting, seemed to have decided not to do it, so she softened her voice for a moment and began to coax him.
“Even if you are the owner of the territory, there is a procedure. Please release my father right now. Then the goddess will forgive you. I will ask Her to do it.”
Dyling clasped her hands together and made a prayer gesture.
Roxanne sighed as he watched her and ran his hand through his hair.
“Dyling, I will tell you once more that you are not a Saintess.”
Dyling bit her lower lip at the words that denied her.
She fluttered her wings as if she could not control her anger.
“Don’t you know anything, brother? Was the reason you came back to Leopold from the beginning because of that woman? Did you seize the territory to disguise the deposed Empress as your fiancée?”
Dyling’s resentment was directed at Sepia.
Until Roxanne took Sepia into her arms.
“Dyling, what you said is completely wrong.”
Roxanne, who had denied her words with a cold tone, kissed Sepia's nape.
His eyes, slowly raised, warned her.
"It's not a disguise, it's my female."
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