The Castina Empire was the only empire of the continent, a time-honored country boasting almost one thousand years of history. The empire, which had been rising and falling under the rule of several emperors, was in the midst of revival under the good governance of the 33rd emperor, Mircan Lushana Castina.

Emperor Mircan was flawless in every regard including character, personality and other qualities except for the fact that he had no child. The imperial family had only a few offspring from generation to generation, so if the emperor died without having a child, the empire would be in turmoil due to the fight for succession.

When the emperor became more and more worried and the nobles’ fighting for their own political benefits became more and more severe, his only blood, Rublis Kamaludin Shana Castina, was born. All the people of the empire cheered at his birth. His name meant ‘The man who will bring the glory of the new morning.’

The only problem was that Rublis was born too late. There was no daughter of a great noble family who would be suitable as his bride in terms of age. Under the imperial law, the empress candidate was supposed to be selected among the daughters of the noble families whose titles were the marquis and above. Strange enough, after he was born, there was no daughter born into the families of the marquis or above. In the end, there was a debate among the aristocrats about whether or not to revise the imperial law. Finally, there was a prophecy about the upcoming birth of a girl who would be the prince’s bride.

A year later, Aristia La Monique was born to Marquis Monique, the only founding father of the empire except the dukes. The warm golden-eyed girl with the silvery hair was chosen as the prince’s future wife as soon as she was born. By the time she took her first steps, she began to be disciplined as the next empress.

Shortly after the prince turned 23, Emperor Mircan died.

Following him, Rublis became the 34th emperor of the Castina Empire, but the empress next to him was not the marquise’s daughter with golden eyes and silver hair, but a young woman with black hair. A mysterious young woman suddenly appeared at the lake of the imperial palace the year the crown prince turned 21 and Aristia turned 16.

Soon, people began to think that she was the protagonist of the prophecy before Aristia was born, namely the mysterious young woman sent by God to be Rublis’s wife.

Aristia was forgotten on the day the whole empire celebrated the crowing of Rublis as the new emperor, the day she had been earnestly looking forward to, the day she was meant to stand beside him as the empress. It had been a day when pollen flew through the air and the people cheered.

Watching Rublis, who was always cold to her, smiling at the mysterious young woman, happily holding her hand, and receiving crowns as the emperor and empress, Aristia, who was raised to become the future empress, was given the title as the emperor’s concubine, and bowed to the young woman entering the empress’s palace that she thought would be her home someday.

Although she was destined to be the first lady of the imperial palace, Aristia began her life as one of the emperor’s concubines

***

“Wow, silver hair! This color really exists! You’re really pretty. Hi? What’s your name?”

The child of prophecy, a mysterious girl sent by god to the empire. As someone loved by everyone, she smiled at me brightly. Praised by so many people for her innocence, her innocent smile made her look like an idiot.

“I, Aristia La Monique, am honored to greet the Moon of the Empire, Your Highness.”

If I had been the empress, I would have been given Castina as my last name, but my current name is Aristia La Monique. Castina is only given to the emperor’s official wife, the empress. As the emperor’s concubine, I would never be allowed to have the glorious last name of Castina.

“Aristia? Your name is long. Can I call you Tia? ”

“…Yes, it’s my honor, Your Highness. ”

Tia, Tia. Didn’t she know? For aristocrats, first names were only used between people with some kind of acquaintance. Nicknames were allowed only between blood relatives, very close friends or lovers.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Jiun. Let’s get along well in the future. ”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Tia, you are pretty, but the way you speak is too rigid. Can’t you treat me comfortably?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Sorry? Oh my god… that’s the word I hear often in historical soap operas. Don’t talk to me like that. Can you just talk to me comfortably? I’m so uncomfortable when you talk to me like that. ”

It is basic to use formal language among aristocrats, and it is the custom of the imperial family to use more formal and archaic language. This young woman, the child of prophecy, loved by God and called a girl of mystery, used the vulgar language of commoners while ignoring all the royal manners.

Is she clumsy at etiquette? Or is she ignoring me just because I’m a concubine and not worth her good treatment? I had better not make a wild guess. She might not be good at manners yet. I don’t think she knows who I am.

“Tia, would you like to go outside and play with me?”

“Where do you wish to go?”

“Well, I want to go outside the palace, but my sisters won’t let me go. Let’s just go for a walk, huh?”

“Your sisters?”

“Yeah, I mean those sisters who take care of me. Phew! Do you know how scary they are? I don’t know why there are people here who are older than me. They make me uncomfortable. ”

I blankly looked at the empress as she grabbed my wrist blindly, saying something like the ‘eastern land of courtesy.’ I felt very unpleasant, but there was something more offensive than that. Sisters? If they were taking care of her, they would be called maids, not sisters.

I heard the rumors that the emperor was kind and generous to people around her. Was it because of her actions like this?

I let out a sigh. It was a due virtue for masters to treat their servants tenderly and warmly, but there is a limit to everything. If a person is indulged by his supervisor’s too generous treatment, it is his supervisor’s fault.

Of course, it was definitely necessary for the empress to be kind and warm to her maids so feel comfortable and regard her as a good empress.

‘But why doesn’t she know that it is presumptuous for the maids to meddle in the emperor’s actions as the first lady of the empire?’

I felt that maybe I should discipline the maids again. In that case, I would have more work to do.

“Isn’t this place so pretty?”

Although the empress was slender, she was very strong. Led by her, I arrived at the empress’s private garden, hiding my unpleasant feelings. It was a place that the late emperor, who doted on me, often invited me to when I was young. It was also the place I met Rublis for the first time, who I thought would be my better half for the rest of my life.

The wind was blowing through the colorful flowers and fresh greenery of the garden. I felt as if I could hear his familiar voice somewhere from this familiar garden where I could walk easily even with my eyes closed. I was suddenly moved to tears. Those good old days when I thought I would be happy with everyone flashed through my mind in the blink of an eye.

"Tia? Are you okay?"

"...I'm fine. I'm sorry to have you worried, Your Highness."

The girl looked at me, tilting her head to the side. I clicked my tongue in my heart. 'You still need more self-discipline, Aristia. No matter how deeply you miss the late emperor, how come you are showing your feelings in front of others?' I thought to myself.

"What are you thinking about? Did something bad happen to you?"

"No. I was just thinking about what I dearly missed."

Her expression, which I thought was always bright, suddenly grew dark.

"What you missed..."

"..."

"Mom, Dad, even my naughty brother, Jisu... I miss them so much

Oh, I see. Probably she has a family, too. I heard she is eighteen years old this year. Like me, she is still missing her family. I have a father, though he is brusque, but she doesn't have any family here. Suddenly, she was separated from her family, and became an empress regardless of her will. She is probably a victim.

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“Mom and dad… … . ”

I felt sorry that I have hated her until now. When I opened my mouth to say something to comfort her, I suddenly heard a cold voice from behind me.

“What’s going on here?”

It was a very cold voice. Obviously, I didn’t hear anyone approaching, but he came to me and stared at me sharply.

“I’m honored to see the Sun of the Empire, Your Majesty.”

“Jiun, what’s up? Why are you crying? ”

“Ruve.”

Ruvelis Kamaludin Shana Castina. Ruve? I gave a hollow smile at that. For the past sixteen years, I was not even allowed to call his name, but she called him by his nickname so easily.

“What did you do to Jiun? What did you say to make her cry like this? Why is she crying? ”

“Your Majesty?”

I felt it was unfair. Why is he blaming me first? What did I do to her?

“No, Ruve. Tia didn’t do anything to me. I just cried because I missed my family.”

“… Oh, got it, Jiun, go and get some rest. I will follow you soon.”

I felt bitter when I saw him looking at her tenderly. My heart was broken when I saw him soothing her with a warm voice that I had never experienced. I shed tears when I watched him wistfully looking at her, as if he felt she was so lovely.

Even when he looked at me coldly with contempt and a cynical smile after she left, I lowered my head without telling him I was heartbroken.

“Let me warn you,” he said.

“Pardon? Your Majesty?”

“Don’t approach her. She is tender and innocent. She is not the type of woman you can mess with.”

“Your Majesty.”

I was choked with emotions when he scolded me like that.

“Did you think the position of the empress was yours? No way. You were once respected as the future empress because I wrongly interpreted the oracle. It was originally reserved for Jiun, not you. ”

“… ”

“Let me forgive you this time. But when this happens again, I’ll get you.”

“I will keep it in mind, Your Majesty.”

I was so heartbroken when he turned back coldly after warning me. What did I do to her? I didn’t do anything. I just tried to understand her.

“Oh, you are here.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I have been looking for you for a long time because there are some papers you need to sign urgently. As the emperor is not available, we can’t handle lots of stuff…”

“…Really? Got it. Let’s go back. ”

I glanced at the chief palace official blankly. Papers that need urgent signing, and the affairs of the palace office that don’t run smoothly without me. That’s the value of my existence. I’m supposed to make up for the empress’s role as she is not yet accustomed to the royal manners and customs. And that’s why I’m here at the palace.

Telling the official with a sigh to walk ahead of me, I followed the palace affairs director, ignoring the tears dropping on my dress.

***

“Tia, are you the emperor’s concubine?”

What happened to her today? I was annoyed when she, with tears welled in her eyes, abruptly came to me and asked if I was the emperor’s concubine. I was dumbfounded to hear that.

It’s already been four months since she suddenly appeared before me. For more than two months she often visited me without any notice and disrupted my work. Despite that, she was now asking me who I was. Does that make any sense?

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“Then, you are really Ruve’s concubine?”

Concubine. Even though a concubine is not the emperor’s official wife, there is a hierarchy in concubines. In the empire, there is only one empress and only one royal concubine. Accordingly, the empress is called the emperor’s official wife, while the emperor’s unofficial wife is called a royal concubine. The royal concubine manages all the palace women and in times of emergency she acts on behalf of the empress. The meaning of the title ‘royal concubine’ was changed since the 11th emperor’s reign as it was given to the woman that the emperor favored most. So, there were few royal concubines who played their roles properly in the history of the empire.

“Yes, I am the emperor’s royal concubine, Your Highness.”

Nearly half a year after she became the empress, she still does not know the difference.

She probably doesn’t understand why I am correcting the name of my title. Unlike the previous empresses, she is not yet familiar with her work and role as the empress, so I’ve been subbing for her. Despite that, she doesn’t realize what a big insult it is to call me one of the usual concubines. I wonder when she will realize that.

“By the way… ”

‘What are you trying to say this time? What the hell are you gonna tell me? ‘

Due to severe hypotension, I didn’t feel well in the morning. Strangely enough, today I felt so dizzy, and I had a headache, so I could not get up when I had so much work to do.

Was it because of that? I was growing more and more annoyed when she visited me abruptly and hesitated to say something. Given that nobles usually have social gatherings until late at night, it is the standard manners for them to avoid visiting somebody in the morning. She has been learning royal manners for almost half a year, but she still doesn’t know basic manners. I just don’t know what her etiquette coach is teaching her.

“Uh… let me come back later. Sorry.”

After hesitating for a while, she jumped out. While looking back at her in annoyance, I picked up the pile of papers with a sigh. I was thinking I should hand over my job to her around next year, it seemed impossible.

“I’m sorry, Tia. I’m really sorry.”

My temper flared when she again came to see me the next day and made me upset.

The moment I saw her, I thought to myself, ‘Please, can’t you stop your rude behavior by abruptly visiting me without any notice?’

I pressed my aching head and said with a straight face, “Why are you sorry to me, Your Highness?”

“I’m so sorry, Tia. I am so sorry. ”

I was frustrated, thinking, ‘Stop it, please! Yesterday you made me upset by asking me whether I was a royal concubine. Why are you doing it again today?’

I was boiling with rage when I saw her crying after she visited me abruptly with a haggard look, as if something happened last night. I felt like shouting at her, but I didn’t.

I thought to myself, ‘Why are you so sorry to me? Because I have to take care of all the messy work you’ve haven’t done? Because you have left all the palace work to me? Or because of your poor manners that you can’t improve at all? Can’t you stop now? If you’re not here to test my patience, please stop it.’

“What I mean is… ”

“… ”

“I heard you were originally designated as the empress. I heard that you were Ruve’s fiancée since you were born.”

‘Ah, you only heard it now? How come you heard it only now, when it was already half a year since you became the empress?’

“Sorry. I’m really sorry.”

“… ”

“What I really mean is…”

“Oh, you don’t have to apologize, Your Highness.”

“What are you talking about?”

In fact, I was just trying to listen, letting her words in one ear and out the other.

But because of my headache in the morning, words tumbled out of my mouth in spite of myself.

“I heard the emperor’s wife was decided by God. So, it is true that as the child of the prophecy, you are the emperor’s wife. As we were ignorant, we misinterpreted God’s will. ”

“How can you say that so easily?”

“What do you mean, Your Highness?”

“God? God decided the empress? Why did God decide it? Is it such a big deal?”

What? I was speechless at the moment. She shouted at me when I stared at her blankly.

“How can you say that as if it’s so natural? Aren’t you upset about it?”

Do you really think I am taking it for granted? Do you think I have accepted the reality calmly without getting angry?

“Empress? Oh my god! I didn’t want to be this kind of empress at all! One day, when I was on my way back home, I just picked up a coin. After that, I was thrown into this empire. Everybody around me, dressed in strange clothes, looked at me weirdly. They were speaking a language I’ve never heard. Somehow I could carry on conversation with them. They reminded me I was in a different world from where I used to live, and they even said I was a girl sent by God!”

After she spat out some words that I could not understand at all, she gasped for breath.

“All of a sudden, a guy named the emperor appeared before me and asked me to be the empress. I’m only nineteen years old by Korean age, so I’m not an adult yet, but I was forced to get married to him!”

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“Empress? I don’t want to be anything like that. I just want to go back home. I endured it until I could go back. Although I didn’t want it, I diligently learned strange letters and manners.”

When I heard that, I found myself boiling with anger. I held the hem of my dress with my hands that started to tremble.

“I regarded you as a sister, but I discovered you were a royal concubine, and originally designated as the empress. You didn’t become the empress because of me, right? I’m so hurt now, but now I’m a bad girl because of that. Empress? What the heck is that?”

“Are you done talking to me, Your Highness?”

I coldly stared at the black-haired girl. And I kept venting my anger by rebuking her subtly.

“Did you ask me what the empress was? She is the first lady of the empire. It’s never a position you can treat as trifling. You had better not shoot your mouth off.”

“…Tia? ”

I turned away from her who was gazing at me with trembling eyes. Though I thought I should not act like this, I couldn’t control my boiling anger.

“Did you say you just want to go back? Did you say you were sorry because you knew my title only now? Did you say you were sorry because you took away the title of the empress from me and as a result you were a bad girl? Then, why did you say you wanted to be the empress from the beginning! ”

“That’s because…”

“You are so cowardly. You did so because you probably didn’t know anything. I think it was probably difficult for you to refuse. However, I think you should be responsible for your decision, to say the least.”

I gasped for breath, now pouring out some of the emotions I have been holding back. She was trembling when I spoke.

“If you wanted to be the empress, you should have at least realized what it was.

Writing? Manners? Did you say it was hard to learn them, but you did against your will? Did you think the role of the empress looked so easy? You’re the mother of all the people in this empire. At the same time, you’re the only partner and resting place of the emperor who is ruling this country. You can’t afford to think about going back home while keeping your position as the empress.”

“I just…”

“You asked me if I was not angry at all, right? Of course, I’m really angry. I feel sorry for the emperor and my people. Above all, I feel sorry for myself. I think I wasted so much time helping someone like you until now. ”

“… ”

“Just leave. I don’t want to see you complaining like this. I really hope you can realize how important the position of the empress is.”

I trembled with boiling anger. I felt so miserable about myself. Was I demoted to a concubine because of this kind of deplorable woman? Why did the emperor choose this woman instead of me as his wife? Why did he think she was so lovely?

“Tia, I just…”

“Please go ahead and leave.”

“I was confused that I suddenly fell into a strange place… ” As she was hesitant for a while, she continued, “I found it hard to accept that Rub had another woman because in my country, no man is allowed to have another wife except for his legal wife. As it turns out, Rub’s other wife was you, who I like so much just like my sister. In fact, I think I came in between you and Rub.”

“… ”

“Sorry. It’s a slip of my tongue. I’m really sorry.”

“… ”

“…Let me leave now.”

I let out a sigh, overcome with fatigue. I pressed my stinging temple with both hands as I felt a pain there when I poured out anger. And I took a deep breath as my breathing was getting rough. I thought I was quite good at controlling my emotions. But these days I often flew into a rage for reasons I can’t explain.

I don’t know why I am acting emotionally these days. It’s not the first time I have experienced it.

When I saw the pile of papers on the desk, I just felt frustrated. The empress, not me, was supposed to take care of this work, but she didn’t know anything about the role of the empress. She enjoyed the privilege of being the empress and enjoying his love fully but didn’t care about her duty as the empress. I just feigned a smile at her disgusting behavior.

How long has it been? I raised my head, surprised to hear the door open loudly. He was standing there, losing his temper. How did he come here? I was very puzzled, but I got up and bowed to him out of courtesy.

“I’m honored to see the Sun of Empire, Your Majesty…”

At that moment, he slapped me in the face.

My head was turned back. I barely held back a groan, covering my burning cheeks with both hands, thinking, ‘I should not show him the ugly side of mine. ‘

He stared at me for a while and he said in a cold voice, “What did you say to Jiun? Did you tell her you were the legitimate empress? ”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Then, why is she crying? Why did you tell her to leave? ”

“That’s because…”

I was speechless for a moment. I couldn’t figure out what to say. While hesitating, he seemed already convinced that I had spoken some evil words to her. When I met his cool eyes looking down at me contemptuously, I felt heartbroken just like I used to whenever I met his eyes.

Although I felt resentful, I didn’t use any harsh language towards her.

I felt it regrettable that she became the empress, but I’ve never thought that the position of the empress was mine. Actually, I had never thought so even before she appeared because he was

never warm to me.

“Do you really want to be my wife?”

“Your Majesty?”

“For what? I know that love is never the reason. There is no chance that a cold woman like you who doesn’t moan when I hit your cheek can love me. If so, what is it? Your family is still living in splendor and honor, so you don’t have any reason to be the empress for your family. Why are you acting like this? Are you going to give birth to the next emperor for the interests of your faction?”

Everything he said turned into a dagger and stabbed my heart. While I was standing by his side, I just tried to protect myself against those who tried to find my mistakes all the time. Even though I wasn’t loved by him, I wanted to be a woman who could love him freely and help him with what he was doing.

“Take it off.”

“… Pardon?”

I could hardly believe my ears when he said that unexpectedly. When I looked up at him with trembling eyes, I noticed his eyes sparkling strangely. I felt goosebumps at his twisted smile.

“If you want to be my wife, let me make you mine now.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Why are you pretending to hesitate? Didn’t you say that, expecting me to do this? ”

“No, Your Majesty! Please don’t!”

While I was trying to get out of his rough grip, I begged him to stop.

I was so scared when he undressed me as if he was taking my clothes off violently. I was seized by extreme fear at the moment.

The moment I struggled to pull my hands from him, I suddenly recalled that he had never come to Jiun’s bedroom before. I don’t know why, but it was certain that he didn’t, because that’s what the court ladies standing outside her room said.

‘If that’s the case…’

I was trembling when I thought that. If I accepted him now, could he treat me a bit differently? If I had his baby, would he take care of me? Isn’t he a man who grew up alone without any relatives? If he had a child who could succeed him, couldn’t he care for me as the child’s mother?

I slowly stopped moving my body. I took a deep breath while trying to calm my heart that was beating like crazy. I said in a calm tone, opening my trembling lips, “Although I’m not your official wife, I’m your concubine, so this is not the right way for you to treat me. I want to undress myself, so please respect me.”

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