Late at night, when the exchange ceremony was coming to an end.
After the important guests left, the Emperor and Empress also finished preparing to leave the banquet hall.
The couple walked side by side. Erhi held the Empress’s hand, and Drohan held the Emperor’s hand. They walked together to the Empress’s palace.
At the entrance of the palace, the nanny, Madame Remody, was standing guard.
Remody placed a hand on her waist. The gaze of the lady, who had a history of visiting Erhi and ruining the banquet hall until late at night, was not kind.
“Princess Erhi.”
“Ah, hehe.”
Erhi hid behind Sepia at that scary gaze.
Sepia belatedly remembered that she had not told Madam Remody that she had found the child, looking at her daughter, who was acting foolish towards her.
“Madam Remody, I took Erhi with me.”
Sepia, who thought that this time she was also responsible, held Erhi in her arms.
Madam Remody, who knew that it was half right and half wrong, tried to add a few words, but instead let out a deep sigh and said what she wanted to say.
“Haa... I understand.”
“I’ll put the kids to bed today, so you can go home now. You’ve worked hard, ma’am.”
“That’s really fortunate. Have a good night.”
Remody brushed her chest, as if she were really tired. It was the moment she turned her back on the couple. Erhi let go of Sepia’s hand and ran to hug Remody’s waist tightly.
“Nanny Remody! I’m sorry I went out alone today. I’ll be more careful next time. Yes?”
It seemed that her tired face was weighing on her mind.
Remody’s lips, which had been stiff due to Erhi’s sleepiness, relaxed. She gently stroked the child’s round head.
“Please have pretty dreams. Your Highness, the Princess.”
Turning around to say goodbye, Remody’s expression relaxed a little more than before.
Sepia whispered with Roxanne as she watched the back of Madam Remody walking away.
“We should give her a vacation.”
“It would be good to set a generous vacation allowance.”
“I agree.”
She felt bad as she watched Madam Remody growing older day by day.
Sepia was thinking about choosing a temporary nanny among her maids.
Roxanne grabbed her empty hand and asked,
“How about giving me a vacation tonight?”
They hadn’t been able to spend time together while preparing for the exchange.
She thought about the piled-up schedule for the future, but the warmth of the embrace came first.
“Yes.”
Sepia answered with her eyes down, and Roxanne kissed her soft hand.
For a moment, she thought of Drohan next to Roxanne, but the child was already far away from the couple and was watching Erhi.
“Mom, Dad!”
Her excited footsteps seemed uneasy.
“Kkiyak!”
The ribbon tied around her ankle came loose, and the face of the child who stepped on it gradually came closer to the ground.
“Erhi!”
Before the surprised couple could even run.
Drohan, who had been watching Erhi, caught her falling body and helped her up.
“You’re falling. You idiot.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
Erhi, clenching her fists as her heart pounded, just blinked.
After the important guests left, the Emperor and Empress also finished preparing to leave the banquet hall.
The couple walked side by side. Erhi held the Empress’s hand, and Drohan held the Emperor’s hand. They walked together to the Empress’s palace.
At the entrance of the palace, the nanny, Madame Remody, was standing guard.
Remody placed a hand on her waist. The gaze of the lady, who had a history of visiting Erhi and ruining the banquet hall until late at night, was not kind.
“Princess Erhi.”
“Ah, hehe.”
Erhi hid behind Sepia at that scary gaze.
Sepia belatedly remembered that she had not told Madam Remody that she had found the child, looking at her daughter, who was acting foolish towards her.
“Madam Remody, I took Erhi with me.”
Sepia, who thought that this time she was also responsible, held Erhi in her arms.
Madam Remody, who knew that it was half right and half wrong, tried to add a few words, but instead let out a deep sigh and said what she wanted to say.
“Haa... I understand.”
“I’ll put the kids to bed today, so you can go home now. You’ve worked hard, ma’am.”
“That’s really fortunate. Have a good night.”
Remody brushed her chest, as if she were really tired. It was the moment she turned her back on the couple. Erhi let go of Sepia’s hand and ran to hug Remody’s waist tightly.
“Nanny Remody! I’m sorry I went out alone today. I’ll be more careful next time. Yes?”
It seemed that her tired face was weighing on her mind.
Remody’s lips, which had been stiff due to Erhi’s sleepiness, relaxed. She gently stroked the child’s round head.
“Please have pretty dreams. Your Highness, the Princess.”
Turning around to say goodbye, Remody’s expression relaxed a little more than before.
Sepia whispered with Roxanne as she watched the back of Madam Remody walking away.
“We should give her a vacation.”
“It would be good to set a generous vacation allowance.”
“I agree.”
She felt bad as she watched Madam Remody growing older day by day.
Sepia was thinking about choosing a temporary nanny among her maids.
Roxanne grabbed her empty hand and asked,
“How about giving me a vacation tonight?”
They hadn’t been able to spend time together while preparing for the exchange.
She thought about the piled-up schedule for the future, but the warmth of the embrace came first.
“Yes.”
Sepia answered with her eyes down, and Roxanne kissed her soft hand.
For a moment, she thought of Drohan next to Roxanne, but the child was already far away from the couple and was watching Erhi.
“Mom, Dad!”
Her excited footsteps seemed uneasy.
“Kkiyak!”
The ribbon tied around her ankle came loose, and the face of the child who stepped on it gradually came closer to the ground.
“Erhi!”
Before the surprised couple could even run.
Drohan, who had been watching Erhi, caught her falling body and helped her up.
“You’re falling. You idiot.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
Erhi, clenching her fists as her heart pounded, just blinked.
Why do you always run around like that? Sepia’s eyes became stern.
“Erhi, come here.”
“Ugh.”
Erhi approached her hesitantly, perhaps because the atmosphere was strange.
Sepia pushed Erhi away from her, who was clinging to her, and lowered her eyes to meet his.
“What did Mom say?”
“Don’t run. It’s dangerous.”
“Then what should you do?”
“I have to walk.”
What should I do with the child who always answers well?
Her dejected expression overlapped with the image of Erhi dragging her to the break room earlier.
Sepia sighed and tied the loose string.
“You should listen to your nanny.”
“Ugh, I was wrong.”
The corners of the daughter’s eyes drooped as she looked at her nanny’s face.
Roxanne, who had been watching the mother and daughter, added a word.
“Now that I think about it, I think you should listen to your brother.”
“No! I can do it on my own!”
The Emperor burst into laughter as he watched Erhi squeakily answer.
For a moment, Sepia’s stiff expression relaxed, making it impossible for her to scold the child any longer.
“Let’s hold your nanny’s hand tightly tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
Seeing Erhi answer brightly, her heart was relieved.
It was the moment when Sepia was about to sit up in relief.
“Mom, Dad. Let’s all sleep together today!”
“Huh?”
“With Drohan. Yes?”
The child, who had become cheerful as if she had never been so depressed, shook Sepia and Roxanne’s hands vigorously.
Sepia and Roxanne exchanged troubled looks.
It was true that while preparing for the exchange, they had not spent much time with the children.
Even so, she had tried to pay attention, but perhaps it was not enough. When Sepia felt sorry for no reason, her heart leaned toward Erhi,
“I’ll put you to sleep.”
“Huh?”
Drohan, who had grabbed Erhi’s arm, began to drag his sister away.
“No! You’re younger than me!”
“We’re the same age.”
“You want to sleep with Mom and Dad too!”
“But I don’t think that’s the case today.”
Drohan walked into the palace with Erhi without giving her any consideration.
Even though they were clearly twins, perhaps because he was Beastmen, Drohan was a head taller than Erhi.
No matter how much she struggled, Drohan did not give up, so Erhi’s cute scream echoed through the air.
“Euaaaah, Mommy!”
The incident ended with the Emperor waving his hand to the twins.
The Emperor, who was looking at the place where the children had disappeared, rubbed his chin with a very serious face.
“I should give Drohan a reward.”
Then, he wrapped his arms around Sepia’s head and brought their faces close.
Just before their lips overlapped, Sepia asked at a distance where their breaths were mingling.
“Erhi?”
“Erhi too.”
Then, it didn’t matter.
Sepia burst into laughter at the answer that was already half-off.
The clouds cleared, and the bright moonlight illuminated the Empress’s palace.
The kiss was hot under the pouring light.
A faint sensation flowed through the gap between their lips that were closing dimly, leaving behind fatigue.
As if possessed, she moved to the Empress’s bedroom.
She came to her senses when her back touched the soft bed.
Sepia recalled the back view that had bothered her.
“I think Drohan has matured too early.”
Only six years old in human age.
She thought of her son, who had figured out the mood in advance and was leading his sister.
She felt bad for no reason, wondering if he had matured early because she had not been paying attention.
“Don’t worry too much. Beastmen people mature early. And they are also divine beasts.”
“That’s right.”
“Erhi, come here.”
“Ugh.”
Erhi approached her hesitantly, perhaps because the atmosphere was strange.
Sepia pushed Erhi away from her, who was clinging to her, and lowered her eyes to meet his.
“What did Mom say?”
“Don’t run. It’s dangerous.”
“Then what should you do?”
“I have to walk.”
What should I do with the child who always answers well?
Her dejected expression overlapped with the image of Erhi dragging her to the break room earlier.
Sepia sighed and tied the loose string.
“You should listen to your nanny.”
“Ugh, I was wrong.”
The corners of the daughter’s eyes drooped as she looked at her nanny’s face.
Roxanne, who had been watching the mother and daughter, added a word.
“Now that I think about it, I think you should listen to your brother.”
“No! I can do it on my own!”
The Emperor burst into laughter as he watched Erhi squeakily answer.
For a moment, Sepia’s stiff expression relaxed, making it impossible for her to scold the child any longer.
“Let’s hold your nanny’s hand tightly tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
Seeing Erhi answer brightly, her heart was relieved.
It was the moment when Sepia was about to sit up in relief.
“Mom, Dad. Let’s all sleep together today!”
“Huh?”
“With Drohan. Yes?”
The child, who had become cheerful as if she had never been so depressed, shook Sepia and Roxanne’s hands vigorously.
Sepia and Roxanne exchanged troubled looks.
It was true that while preparing for the exchange, they had not spent much time with the children.
Even so, she had tried to pay attention, but perhaps it was not enough. When Sepia felt sorry for no reason, her heart leaned toward Erhi,
“I’ll put you to sleep.”
“Huh?”
Drohan, who had grabbed Erhi’s arm, began to drag his sister away.
“No! You’re younger than me!”
“We’re the same age.”
“You want to sleep with Mom and Dad too!”
“But I don’t think that’s the case today.”
Drohan walked into the palace with Erhi without giving her any consideration.
Even though they were clearly twins, perhaps because he was Beastmen, Drohan was a head taller than Erhi.
No matter how much she struggled, Drohan did not give up, so Erhi’s cute scream echoed through the air.
“Euaaaah, Mommy!”
The incident ended with the Emperor waving his hand to the twins.
The Emperor, who was looking at the place where the children had disappeared, rubbed his chin with a very serious face.
“I should give Drohan a reward.”
Then, he wrapped his arms around Sepia’s head and brought their faces close.
Just before their lips overlapped, Sepia asked at a distance where their breaths were mingling.
“Erhi?”
“Erhi too.”
Then, it didn’t matter.
Sepia burst into laughter at the answer that was already half-off.
The clouds cleared, and the bright moonlight illuminated the Empress’s palace.
The kiss was hot under the pouring light.
A faint sensation flowed through the gap between their lips that were closing dimly, leaving behind fatigue.
As if possessed, she moved to the Empress’s bedroom.
She came to her senses when her back touched the soft bed.
Sepia recalled the back view that had bothered her.
“I think Drohan has matured too early.”
Only six years old in human age.
She thought of her son, who had figured out the mood in advance and was leading his sister.
She felt bad for no reason, wondering if he had matured early because she had not been paying attention.
“Don’t worry too much. Beastmen people mature early. And they are also divine beasts.”
“That’s right.”
Beastmen and humans naturally grow at different rates.
“I will pay more attention. So for now...”
The bottom of the fluttering clothes was hidden.
The soft and sweet texture was guiding his hand.
The night, when she could forget everything.
Sepia’s arm pulled his neck.
Late morning.
In the end, she had to postpone the meeting until the afternoon because she couldn’t wake up in the morning.
The marks left here and there were hidden by the clothes.
She had turned from a woman to an Empress again.
The Emperor, with whom she had spent the night, woke up before her and was holding a pen.
But what he was writing down was not a document, but a letter.
“What is that?”
“A letter to be sent to the Huron Empire.”
To whom?
Perhaps the Emperor of Huron, but it seemed to be a personal matter, as the Emperor’s seal was not stamped on it.
Roxanne put the letter in an envelope and closed it.
“A letter to someone I knew in the past. It’s time now.”
Was it the past, when he had stayed in the Huron Empire instead of Demios?
The relationship they had formed back then? Sepia looked surprised. He would tell her if she asked, but she didn’t want to pry into it.
‘He’s not someone who moves around carelessly.’
There was a reason for Roxanne’s actions.
Instead of asking about his relationship, Sepia brought up what had been on her mind all along.
“The exchange ceremony hasn’t ended yet, so there’s still time to think about it, but...”
If the Empress of Huron passed away like this, the Duchess would gain the upper hand.
The Duchess would become the Empress and give the position to the new Crown Prince, who would be her puppet, and she would become the Empress Dowager.
'If my mother becomes Empress...'
If the Duchess had seized power, it could have influenced future diplomacy.
Roxanne, who had been listening to her, added to the story.
“The holy water of the underground temple belongs to the beasts. So even if it purifies humans, there will be a limit. It would only extend their lifespan a little. And...”
“And?”
“Um, no. It would probably depend on the Empress of Huron.”
He finished the conversation with a strange smile.
Sepia was lost in thought. If Roxanne’s words were true, it would be suitable for buying time as the Crown Prince of Huron wanted.
Now, only Sepia’s decision remained.
In the past, the lifeline of the one who had abused her was in her hands.
Sepia closed her eyes deeply and opened them.
Underneath her complicated nerves, she could not tell whether she would regret this decision.
However.
“Yes. I will give the holy water to the Crown Prince. In return...”
“I will pay more attention. So for now...”
The bottom of the fluttering clothes was hidden.
The soft and sweet texture was guiding his hand.
The night, when she could forget everything.
Sepia’s arm pulled his neck.
***
Late morning.
In the end, she had to postpone the meeting until the afternoon because she couldn’t wake up in the morning.
The marks left here and there were hidden by the clothes.
She had turned from a woman to an Empress again.
The Emperor, with whom she had spent the night, woke up before her and was holding a pen.
But what he was writing down was not a document, but a letter.
“What is that?”
“A letter to be sent to the Huron Empire.”
To whom?
Perhaps the Emperor of Huron, but it seemed to be a personal matter, as the Emperor’s seal was not stamped on it.
Roxanne put the letter in an envelope and closed it.
“A letter to someone I knew in the past. It’s time now.”
Was it the past, when he had stayed in the Huron Empire instead of Demios?
The relationship they had formed back then? Sepia looked surprised. He would tell her if she asked, but she didn’t want to pry into it.
‘He’s not someone who moves around carelessly.’
There was a reason for Roxanne’s actions.
Instead of asking about his relationship, Sepia brought up what had been on her mind all along.
“The exchange ceremony hasn’t ended yet, so there’s still time to think about it, but...”
If the Empress of Huron passed away like this, the Duchess would gain the upper hand.
The Duchess would become the Empress and give the position to the new Crown Prince, who would be her puppet, and she would become the Empress Dowager.
'If my mother becomes Empress...'
If the Duchess had seized power, it could have influenced future diplomacy.
Roxanne, who had been listening to her, added to the story.
“The holy water of the underground temple belongs to the beasts. So even if it purifies humans, there will be a limit. It would only extend their lifespan a little. And...”
“And?”
“Um, no. It would probably depend on the Empress of Huron.”
He finished the conversation with a strange smile.
Sepia was lost in thought. If Roxanne’s words were true, it would be suitable for buying time as the Crown Prince of Huron wanted.
Now, only Sepia’s decision remained.
In the past, the lifeline of the one who had abused her was in her hands.
Sepia closed her eyes deeply and opened them.
Underneath her complicated nerves, she could not tell whether she would regret this decision.
However.
“Yes. I will give the holy water to the Crown Prince. In return...”
If she had chosen to serve the empire over the past, then this would be enough.
Now, all that was left was up to the Empress of Huron.
The exchange ceremony ended successfully.
The Crown Prince and his wife immediately rushed to the Empress of Huron upon returning to the empire.
But.
Clang-!
The glass flying next to the Crown Prince shattered into pieces with a cracking sound.
“You finally brought it.”
Dalian, who was lying on his sickbed, gasping for breath, glared at his son with blazing eyes.
Now, all that was left was up to the Empress of Huron.
***
The exchange ceremony ended successfully.
The Crown Prince and his wife immediately rushed to the Empress of Huron upon returning to the empire.
But.
Clang-!
The glass flying next to the Crown Prince shattered into pieces with a cracking sound.
“You finally brought it.”
Dalian, who was lying on his sickbed, gasping for breath, glared at his son with blazing eyes.
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