The Empress’s Beast Selection

Chapter 3 Carriage Accidents

It was a lot to swallow for her.

Demios’s well-groomed eyebrows twitched uncomfortably at the blunt answer.

“Is that all?”

“Is there more to come?”

It was Sepia who owed him a favor.

So it was always her who was the weak one.

Even if they were a goddess-made couple, Demios was her savior.

‘You would not have sought me out without the voice of the goddess.’

So she couldn’t complain, and it wasn’t her place.

For they were no longer young lovers.

They hadn’t slept together in a long time.

‘Perhaps a real lover has come along.’

All she had to do was keep her place as Empress.

Why does it hurt so much to know that?

Not knowing why made her even more dizzy. Demios watched her silently, then rose to his feet.

“I’ll get up first.”

It had been less than ten minutes since Sepia had sat down.

She stirred at the sight of him rushing to his feet.

He didn’t often smile at her, but they could still crack a light joke.

She wondered if that was no longer possible.

She wanted to catch him as he left, but.

“May the sun of the Empire always shine brightly.”

Demios paused for a moment at the low-key salute.

But then he turned away nervously, and Sepia gave up.

For a relationship that had only grown more distant.

***

Sepia looked out the carriage window. Outside, the sunset was deep and dark.

The capital city of the Beastman Empire was like a small city.

As a result, carriages were often used for traveling within the city.

They were returning to the Empress’s palace after a meeting about the descent system.

“Shall I prepare a bath for you when we arrive?”

“Please.”

It was up to the Empress to prepare for parties and anniversaries.

The triumphal entry was just around the corner.

And she was sick to her stomach at all the talk of Demios’ name.

‘I see him every day.’

Rumor had it that the Emperor was away from the palace at every turn.

No wonder.

He’s met his long-sought mate.

‘I need to prepare myself.’

She just didn’t want to think about it any further.

Maybe turning away was the answer today.

She couldn’t wait to take a dip in the hot water.

Squeak.

“Aaah!”

The maid’s scream brought the carriage to an abrupt halt.

Sepia was thrown forward, almost smashing her face into the wall.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

She was a little surprised.

The first thing the maid checked on Sepia was her condition, and she tapped her small spear angrily.

“A sudden stop with the Empress on board, you could have hurt her!”

“So, my apologize. Suddenly, a young lady jumped in front of the carriage and….”

The coachman was obviously puzzled by the maiden’s outburst.

The maid clicked her tongue in disbelief.

“What kind of nobleman doesn’t know that this is a carriage road?”

The roads of the imperial city were well marked by sidewalks and carriageways.

Sepia turned to the window. Outside, the sunset was bright red.

‘She’s not a maid, she’s a young lady.’

A noblewoman who couldn’t tell the difference, or would rather not.

“I must look outside for a moment.”

“Your Majesty?”

She suddenly had a bad feeling.

Before the maid could catch her, she peeked through the open door.

In front of an ornate carriage.

There, a woman as white as snow was weeping.

Her hair was snow-white, fine as a soft thread.

Her eyes sparkled like amethysts.

Their peculiar color was made all the more mysterious by her snow-white skin.

‘An albino.’

His porcelain-white body and rare violet eyes gave it away.

‘Titian Louvre.’

Sepia knew instinctively that this was the woman who bore her husband’s name.

From the rumors she’d heard.

‘Even if it wasn’t for the name, Demios would have been smitten.’

The fact that she was albino must have been tightly controlled, but the fact that she was beautiful couldn’t have stopped it from spreading.

Titian stunned, looked like a poor white deer run over by a carriage.

Sepia’s maid, not yet realizing who Titian was, began to scold her.

“What kind of dangerous behavior is this, crossing into the carriage road? Even the Empress carriage was passing by.”

At the mere mention of his name, Titian shivered as if she had been doused in cold water.

“I’m sorry, my body is usually weak, so I couldn’t see very well.”

She had heard the rumors about her weakness.

But to be wandering around the vastness of the imperial castle without a maid was incomprehensible.

Before Sepia could wrap her head around it.

“I must say hello…”

Titian staggered to her feet.

Her long dress made her wobble, but the coachman caught her.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Titian smiled broadly.

It was a fragile smile on a pale face, and it made the coachman blush.

Titi straightened his clothes and bowed to Sepia.

“It is an honor to meet the Empress, I am Titian Louvre.”

She gripped the hem of her dress a little, drew back her left foot, and bowed her head.

It was certainly proper etiquette, but somehow it seemed rushed.

Still, it was pitiful. It made him look elegant.

Suddenly, she could see Titian and Demios standing together in her mind’s eye.

Sepia’s husband, more like a silver moon than a sun.

Titian, shining like a pure white snowfield under the moon, was a perfect match.

Sepia was stuck in the scene.

“Stir, Empress. I beg your pardon, but would you mind carrying me?”

A blue on sight.

They weren’t even meant to have such a conversation.

When Sepia fell silent, the maid spoke up.

“Lady Louvre is still taking up the Empress precious time.”

The maid’s expression had turned cold at the mention of the Louvre family.

Titian was at a loss for words in response to the cold reply.

“Well, I’m sorry.”

Her large eyes looked like they were about to burst into tears.

Sepia sighed.

It was better to listen than to watch, she thought, not knowing what might come next.

“I can hear you, so talk to me.”

“… Ah, thank you.”

Titian blinked wide, then smiled.

“I’m sure the Count and Countess are worried about me sneaking out of the mansion, so if you don’t mind, could the Empress’s maid deliver the news for me?”

The maidservant couldn’t hide her displeasure at Titian’s bluntness.

She couldn’t understand what she was thinking, coming to the Imperial Palace alone.

Instead of scolding her, Sepia did her a favor.

“Madame Lemodie. Please send a message to the Louvre. Titian is in the Imperial Palace.”

“Your Majesty, but…!”

The little maid raised her voice in exasperation.

The maid barely managed to contain her anger and replied.

“I see.”

Swallowing a sigh, Madame Lemodie was about to pass by Titian’s side.

“Please tell them that I’ll be in His Majesty’s residence, for imperial is too broad a term.”

“What…!”

Madame Lemodie snapped, incredulous.

She was so angry that a few strands of her brown hair turned into feathers.

It was a sign of incarnation.

Just before she transformed into her true form, Madame Lemodie huffed and puffed and stormed away.

Sepia looked down at the feathers she had left behind and thought.

‘I see you’re on your way to Demios.’

Though it was odd that a newly-minted noble would have anywhere else to go.

The sun was setting.

Titian stood there, staring at Sepia like a nail.

It was an uncomfortable position to be in. Sepia turned and was about to climb into the carriage.

“May I ride with you in the Empress carriage? I actually got lost on the way there.”

Titian blushed both cheeks as if embarrassed.

Sepia looked around wordlessly.

Most of the nobles had already left the palace.

The coachman would be the only one to call for new carriages, and that would take quite a while.

In the meantime, it would be quite ridiculous to stand there with Titian.

‘Better to leave before we attract attention.’

First to the Empress’s Palace, then to the other carriage.

“Let’s go.”

“At your service.”

Sepia held out her hand. The escort knight, who had been at her side for some time, helped her into the carriage.

Once seated in the carriage, Sepia looked over the door and spoke.

“Come on.”

“Yes. Excuse me.”

Titian also had to be helped up by the coachman.

But her gaze was elsewhere. Locking eyes with her, the escort asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing.”

The Empress’s knight never left Sepia’s side, attending only to her. Titian looked at him wistfully, then stepped onto the floor of the carriage.

Sepia and Titian sat down, facing each other.

Soon the carriage was off.

The well-paved road made no noise, creating perfect silence inside.