Demios was rounding up blond and blue-eyed beastmen throughout the capital and the empire.
Most of the imperial citizens were dragged away without knowing what was going on, and those who resisted or tried to protect their families were killed in the process.
Also, no one who was taken by the knights returned alive.
In the capital where this process was repeated, a strange phenomenon began to occur where beastmen were extremely cautious and hid from the eyes of the imperial army.
Those who should be protecting the empire were acting like invaders.
Demios was behind them.
'We must return to the capital. If not...'
Innocent people were dying.
And it was clear that they would be killed in the future.
However, if she returned to the capital, she would also end up in the same situation.
She was a Grand Duchess without authority.
Just like marrying a title, the position of Grand Duchess was recognized as a small kingdom within the empire.
If that were the case, Sepia could escape Demios' shadow.
However, to be recognized as a true Grand Duchess, she needed a husband and a Grand Duke.
Above all, the Grand Duke had the authority to declare a territory as a Grand Duchy.
As long as the title holder was not determined, Sepia would only be called a Ghost Grand Duchess. She needed authority.
An independent force that could escape the shadow of the mad Emperor.
Sepia looked back at Roxanne and opened her mouth.
“Roxanne, did you know that Demios would go mad?”
“...A little.”
His golden eyes darkened under the light.
Perhaps Roxanne was the one who had experienced the Emperor’s madness most closely.
The Empress was desperate to hide Demios’s flaws, and this brought about negative effects due to the forbidden magic.
He began a story that Sepia did not know.
“When I received the blessing from the High Priest of the Sea, I also received a prophecy. To be exact, it was an unofficial thing that only the Red Queen knew.”
That meant that it was something that should not be leaked out.
And the subject of the prophecy was Demios.
Sepia asked back, looking confused.
“But the divine beast protects the empire.”
“Demios seems to have had a defect since birth. And that defect does not appear in the divine beast.”
“Defect?”
Roxanne was silent for a moment.
He spoke with a low look in his eyes.
“Sepia, do you know about the companionship ritual?”
Among the divine beasts, only the Emperor had another way of imprinting besides the name.
It was a special ritual where they recognized each other as companions, a magic that made them a perfect pair.
“Yes. I heard that I can’t because I’m human.”
“No. The divine beast’s companion does not discriminate between species.”
“But...”
It was different from what Demios had told her.
Why would he tell her such a lie?
More than anything, Demios wanted to keep Sepia by his side.
To do that, imprinting was the most efficient way.
Why would he leave such an easy method behind?
“No way...”
“Demios is a body that cannot perform imprinting.”
At his words, Sepia recalled Demios’s true self.
Although he had the appearance of a divine beast, his eyes looked exactly like those of a demon beast.
Demios might not have been born with a simple mental defect.
However, the cause was unknown.
The divine beast had always been a perfect being.
“When Sepia was imprisoned in the Ghost Palace, I was attacked dozens of times. As if he had been waiting for you and me to separate.”
It was the same type of beast-man that had first attacked him.
Roxanne pretended to be mortally wounded and went to Leopold to prepare.
And in this situation, who would be most pleased with his injury?
“The Emperor.”
He was using the cards that the Huron Empire had discarded.
But how?
The reason the Huron emperor had failed to create a weapon was that he had failed to instill commands into the rampaging beasts.
However, the beast-man was precisely targeting Roxanne.
It was difficult to see that as Demios’s ability alone.
Unless there was someone behind the Emperor.
Perhaps it had to do with the person the former Count Louvre family had mentioned.
‘A person who uses magic freely.’
It was impossible without a medium.
It was the same for beast-man and human.
The same goes for black magic. Didn’t the Empress sacrifice her body?
If the mastermind had really approached Demios, it would have been dangerous to return to the capital.
Even knowing that the reason Roxanne had to return to the palace was clear.
“Roxanne, what is the relic you’re looking for?”
Most of the imperial citizens were dragged away without knowing what was going on, and those who resisted or tried to protect their families were killed in the process.
Also, no one who was taken by the knights returned alive.
In the capital where this process was repeated, a strange phenomenon began to occur where beastmen were extremely cautious and hid from the eyes of the imperial army.
Those who should be protecting the empire were acting like invaders.
Demios was behind them.
'We must return to the capital. If not...'
Innocent people were dying.
And it was clear that they would be killed in the future.
However, if she returned to the capital, she would also end up in the same situation.
She was a Grand Duchess without authority.
Just like marrying a title, the position of Grand Duchess was recognized as a small kingdom within the empire.
If that were the case, Sepia could escape Demios' shadow.
However, to be recognized as a true Grand Duchess, she needed a husband and a Grand Duke.
Above all, the Grand Duke had the authority to declare a territory as a Grand Duchy.
As long as the title holder was not determined, Sepia would only be called a Ghost Grand Duchess. She needed authority.
An independent force that could escape the shadow of the mad Emperor.
Sepia looked back at Roxanne and opened her mouth.
“Roxanne, did you know that Demios would go mad?”
“...A little.”
His golden eyes darkened under the light.
Perhaps Roxanne was the one who had experienced the Emperor’s madness most closely.
The Empress was desperate to hide Demios’s flaws, and this brought about negative effects due to the forbidden magic.
He began a story that Sepia did not know.
“When I received the blessing from the High Priest of the Sea, I also received a prophecy. To be exact, it was an unofficial thing that only the Red Queen knew.”
That meant that it was something that should not be leaked out.
And the subject of the prophecy was Demios.
Sepia asked back, looking confused.
“But the divine beast protects the empire.”
“Demios seems to have had a defect since birth. And that defect does not appear in the divine beast.”
“Defect?”
Roxanne was silent for a moment.
He spoke with a low look in his eyes.
“Sepia, do you know about the companionship ritual?”
Among the divine beasts, only the Emperor had another way of imprinting besides the name.
It was a special ritual where they recognized each other as companions, a magic that made them a perfect pair.
“Yes. I heard that I can’t because I’m human.”
“No. The divine beast’s companion does not discriminate between species.”
“But...”
It was different from what Demios had told her.
Why would he tell her such a lie?
More than anything, Demios wanted to keep Sepia by his side.
To do that, imprinting was the most efficient way.
Why would he leave such an easy method behind?
“No way...”
“Demios is a body that cannot perform imprinting.”
At his words, Sepia recalled Demios’s true self.
Although he had the appearance of a divine beast, his eyes looked exactly like those of a demon beast.
Demios might not have been born with a simple mental defect.
However, the cause was unknown.
The divine beast had always been a perfect being.
“When Sepia was imprisoned in the Ghost Palace, I was attacked dozens of times. As if he had been waiting for you and me to separate.”
It was the same type of beast-man that had first attacked him.
Roxanne pretended to be mortally wounded and went to Leopold to prepare.
And in this situation, who would be most pleased with his injury?
“The Emperor.”
He was using the cards that the Huron Empire had discarded.
But how?
The reason the Huron emperor had failed to create a weapon was that he had failed to instill commands into the rampaging beasts.
However, the beast-man was precisely targeting Roxanne.
It was difficult to see that as Demios’s ability alone.
Unless there was someone behind the Emperor.
Perhaps it had to do with the person the former Count Louvre family had mentioned.
‘A person who uses magic freely.’
It was impossible without a medium.
It was the same for beast-man and human.
The same goes for black magic. Didn’t the Empress sacrifice her body?
If the mastermind had really approached Demios, it would have been dangerous to return to the capital.
Even knowing that the reason Roxanne had to return to the palace was clear.
“Roxanne, what is the relic you’re looking for?”
She had to know now.
About what he was looking for.
Roxanne grabbed her shoulder.
“Sepia, there’s something I haven’t told you.”
What I’m going to say from now on is up to you.
He took something out of his pocket and showed it to Sepia.
“This is...”
“What I’m looking for is the seal of Drodien.”
The seal, which was shaped exactly like a divine beast, shone under the moonlight.
The seal that only the Emperors of the empire had inherited from generation to generation had been lost at the starting point of Demios.
‘The relic of the Red King was the seal of Drodien?’
If that’s the case, then the seal wasn’t lost but was in the possession of the Red King.
From the former Emperor Gilutia.
However, the seal of Drodien was originally a pair.
However, Roxanne only had the male Drodian.
“Actually, the former Emperor Balkan wanted to make the Red King the Emperor.”
When he found the first relic, the Red King’s will was left under the male’s seal.
It was a story of the past that Roxanne did not know.
Balkan was the 39th Emperor of the Beastkin Empire and was the predecessor of Gilutiae and Demios.
The Red King Laximus unofficially rejected the former Emperor Balkan’s proposal.
He was worried about the clash of powers and the blood that would be shed.
In the end, the throne went to Gilutiae.
Up until this point, Gilutiae had kept the seal of Drodian.
The loss of the seal occurred during Demios’s generation.
As Demios grew up, Gilutiae, who suspected his movements, handed the seal over to the Red King Laximus.
The result was the prophecy of the high priest.
The Red King transformed the seal into a legacy and hid it in the imperial castle so that Demios would not find it.
However, the seal always had an owner.
Laximus suggested to Gilutiae that the title of Grand Duke be created.
And the seal of the divine beast was returned to the Grand Duke.
It was hidden deep in the palace.
'No way.'
The seal hidden in the possession of the Grand Duke and the legacy of the Red King meant the same thing.
And the Grand Duke did not only have a title, but also had a real owner.
That means.
"Does the position of the Grand Duke have an owner?"
She was not an empty title, but married to Roxanne?
Then her husband was not a ghost.
He was visible in the shaking pupils.
Only Roxanne.
Demios could cover her memories and the sight that only scanned the surface, but he could not deceive her body.
The beast that had hidden its claws for a long time took advantage of this, preparing to get her back, to welcome her as his female.
However, Sepia's consent was needed for this.
"I need your permission."
In addition to the Emperor of the Beastkin empire, the divine beast could bite.
By biting the neck to show that it was his, he could share a level of senses with his partner.
Roxanne stroked Sepia’s nape.
A dizzying touch.
Above all, Sepia was human.
If he bit her neck, she would share with him the five senses that she could not feel as a human.
“By leaving a mark on Sepia, our marriage will be formalized.”
An indelible mark that belonged to Sepia, his.
It was the most perfect and sweetest trap.
What would it feel like to feel half of him by sharing the same breath?
‘I can never escape.’
About what he was looking for.
Roxanne grabbed her shoulder.
“Sepia, there’s something I haven’t told you.”
What I’m going to say from now on is up to you.
He took something out of his pocket and showed it to Sepia.
“This is...”
“What I’m looking for is the seal of Drodien.”
The seal, which was shaped exactly like a divine beast, shone under the moonlight.
The seal that only the Emperors of the empire had inherited from generation to generation had been lost at the starting point of Demios.
‘The relic of the Red King was the seal of Drodien?’
If that’s the case, then the seal wasn’t lost but was in the possession of the Red King.
From the former Emperor Gilutia.
However, the seal of Drodien was originally a pair.
However, Roxanne only had the male Drodian.
“Actually, the former Emperor Balkan wanted to make the Red King the Emperor.”
When he found the first relic, the Red King’s will was left under the male’s seal.
It was a story of the past that Roxanne did not know.
Balkan was the 39th Emperor of the Beastkin Empire and was the predecessor of Gilutiae and Demios.
The Red King Laximus unofficially rejected the former Emperor Balkan’s proposal.
He was worried about the clash of powers and the blood that would be shed.
In the end, the throne went to Gilutiae.
Up until this point, Gilutiae had kept the seal of Drodian.
The loss of the seal occurred during Demios’s generation.
As Demios grew up, Gilutiae, who suspected his movements, handed the seal over to the Red King Laximus.
The result was the prophecy of the high priest.
The Red King transformed the seal into a legacy and hid it in the imperial castle so that Demios would not find it.
However, the seal always had an owner.
Laximus suggested to Gilutiae that the title of Grand Duke be created.
And the seal of the divine beast was returned to the Grand Duke.
It was hidden deep in the palace.
'No way.'
The seal hidden in the possession of the Grand Duke and the legacy of the Red King meant the same thing.
And the Grand Duke did not only have a title, but also had a real owner.
That means.
"Does the position of the Grand Duke have an owner?"
She was not an empty title, but married to Roxanne?
Then her husband was not a ghost.
He was visible in the shaking pupils.
Only Roxanne.
Demios could cover her memories and the sight that only scanned the surface, but he could not deceive her body.
The beast that had hidden its claws for a long time took advantage of this, preparing to get her back, to welcome her as his female.
However, Sepia's consent was needed for this.
"I need your permission."
In addition to the Emperor of the Beastkin empire, the divine beast could bite.
By biting the neck to show that it was his, he could share a level of senses with his partner.
Roxanne stroked Sepia’s nape.
A dizzying touch.
Above all, Sepia was human.
If he bit her neck, she would share with him the five senses that she could not feel as a human.
“By leaving a mark on Sepia, our marriage will be formalized.”
An indelible mark that belonged to Sepia, his.
It was the most perfect and sweetest trap.
What would it feel like to feel half of him by sharing the same breath?
‘I can never escape.’
She wanted to return to her original place with him.
“I will allow it.”
Sepia approached him.
A rough heartbeat rang out when she placed her hand on his chest.
The more she touched him, the more she felt that he was not a human but an animal.
A kiss settled on the nape of her neck.
The scent of his breath changed.
A breath that was a little more raw.
At that moment, sharp fangs touched her delicate skin.
The fangs of the beast, caressing her flesh, began to make marks on her nape.
A prickling pain. But ecstatic.
Sepia’s eyes opened wide in a dreamlike joy.
'I feel it.'
Her vision flickered as she felt the blood flowing through her whole body rise.
It was the beginning of primitive love, which coveted each other.
The wind coming in through the open window scattered the pure white curtains.
Sepia was sitting at the dressing table, looking into the mirror.
Her cheeks were blooming with life like a newly bloomed flower. She carefully felt her neck and felt a mark.
The bite marks left on the nape of her neck were not those of a human but of a wild beast.
At least if she were a beast, she would know what this mark was.
Sepia let her hair down and swept the long strands toward the nape of her neck where the mark was.
Then, Roxanne appeared in the mirror.
“Sepia.”
“...When did you come?”
Roxanne kissed her exposed neck as if he had been watching her.
“There is someone we need to meet before we head to the palace.”
“Who is it?”
“You may feel antipathy, but it will definitely help you.”
Sepia’s mind wandered at his words.
Being antipathy meant that she also knew who she was about to meet.
But that was rare.
Especially if Roxanne was the one who had vouched for him.
He handed her the letter.
Sepia's eyes widened as she saw the elegant handwriting.
"Madam Swany?"
The recipient of the letter was the Empress Dowager's maid.
“I will allow it.”
Sepia approached him.
A rough heartbeat rang out when she placed her hand on his chest.
The more she touched him, the more she felt that he was not a human but an animal.
A kiss settled on the nape of her neck.
The scent of his breath changed.
A breath that was a little more raw.
At that moment, sharp fangs touched her delicate skin.
The fangs of the beast, caressing her flesh, began to make marks on her nape.
A prickling pain. But ecstatic.
Sepia’s eyes opened wide in a dreamlike joy.
'I feel it.'
Her vision flickered as she felt the blood flowing through her whole body rise.
It was the beginning of primitive love, which coveted each other.
***
The wind coming in through the open window scattered the pure white curtains.
Sepia was sitting at the dressing table, looking into the mirror.
Her cheeks were blooming with life like a newly bloomed flower. She carefully felt her neck and felt a mark.
The bite marks left on the nape of her neck were not those of a human but of a wild beast.
At least if she were a beast, she would know what this mark was.
Sepia let her hair down and swept the long strands toward the nape of her neck where the mark was.
Then, Roxanne appeared in the mirror.
“Sepia.”
“...When did you come?”
Roxanne kissed her exposed neck as if he had been watching her.
“There is someone we need to meet before we head to the palace.”
“Who is it?”
“You may feel antipathy, but it will definitely help you.”
Sepia’s mind wandered at his words.
Being antipathy meant that she also knew who she was about to meet.
But that was rare.
Especially if Roxanne was the one who had vouched for him.
He handed her the letter.
Sepia's eyes widened as she saw the elegant handwriting.
"Madam Swany?"
The recipient of the letter was the Empress Dowager's maid.
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