An event was held in the capital to commemorate the establishment of the ‘Gloria Foundation’.

Nobles, including the Viscount Diobe, gathered one by one, and newspaper reporters who came to cover the event were also visible.

Selina’s outfit was quite ordinary compared to the imperial palace. This was due to her father’s earnest request.

‘Absolutely! You must dress plainly and modestly. Remove all decorations! You must leave all sparkling jewels in the imperial palace!’

Her hair was simply tied back neatly with a ribbon, without any special adornment. To think she had to show her bare face at a place where reporters were gathering en masse.

But there were other noble ladies and reporters as well. People who had gathered to watch could be seen here and there. In the end, she had to chew her lips without expressing any complaints.

“Your Majesty the Empress. It’s hard, isn’t it?”

The Marchioness of Geminia, who was beside Selina, whispered softly. The Marchioness was also dressed rather plainly.

“You just need to endure a little longer. The men over there will answer questions from newspaper reporters, and we just need to stand here for a moment and then play with the children at the orphanage, and it’s over.”

“How long will it take?”

“Well, about 10 minutes or so. Even if they ask us to do it longer, we can’t.”

The Marchioness of Geminia glanced inside the orphanage and shook her head.

It was an event purely for show. A foundation opened by nobles with good intentions, even receiving imperial budget. Children playing energetically there, kind teachers, and noble ladies smiling benevolently as they watch and play with them.

It was truly a beautiful picture.

“Now, ladies, please come this way.”

Selina and the noble ladies were guided to a room. This place, which looked like a playroom in the orphanage, was said to be where children around three to four years old mainly lived.

“Please show yourselves playing with the children here for about 10 minutes.”

Selina glanced at the man standing by the wall. That man who seemed to be from a newspaper. Judging by the pen he was holding and what he was drawing, he must be an illustrator drawing pictures for the newspaper.

If she took the lead, she could imprint a slightly better image. Selina approached one of the children, breaking through the hesitant noble ladies.

“Since Her Majesty the Empress has taken the initiative…”

The noble ladies who had been eyeing each other also started to come forward little by little. They had been reluctant to hug the children who somehow looked grimy, but to think the Empress would take the lead.

Viscount Diobe, watching this scene, looked at the ladies’ volunteer work with a satisfied face.

‘As expected… How wise she is, as someone’s daughter.’

He had already requested the reporters to package the story as favorably as possible for the article. He had also finished talking with the director to some extent, so there was no need to worry much.

And the most important point was that he intended to secretly divert the budget going into this place.

They were children without guardians anyway. Who would care what they ate or wore? If they were pitiful children, then it was enough for them to eat and wear clothes befitting that. There was no need to increase the money further.

A pretty good picture came out. Noble ladies playing with children in the orphanage. The high and mighty treating the poor and pitiful with a friendly yet dignified manner. Such a scene would be appropriate for receiving donations coming into the foundation.

“Alright, time’s up!”

The noble ladies detached themselves from the children with groans. Their faces were visibly tired.

“Phew, that was tough. This is the kind of thing we should leave to nannies.”

“I feel like some strange smell has clung to me. I need to spray perfume as soon as we get out of here.”

Selina also gently detached the child she had been holding and followed them out. But the children still weighed on her mind.

‘I wish I had a child too.’

Was her heart too impatient? Despite spending countless nights with Cledius, no signs had appeared in her body. She had even gotten medical examinations wondering if there was some problem with her body, but the doctor only said she was healthy.

The reason she volunteered to do this work was in the hope that if she did some good deeds, a child might come soon.

The Marchioness of Geminia, who quickly caught the Empress’s mood, came closer.

“Your Majesty seems to like children. With such overflowing affection, I’m sure there will be good news soon.”

“Um, I’m curious about something. Does Her Majesty the Empress often do this kind of work?”

“Her Majesty the Empress does this regularly. Well, she doesn’t specially call reporters, but comes alone and leaves quietly, I hear.”

“That’s because she doesn’t have a child. She’s lonely.”

One of the noble ladies chimed in. Laughter mocking the Empress flowed among the ladies.

“Why suddenly talk about Her Majesty the Empress…”

“No, I was just curious.”

Selina hurriedly brushed it off. The words ‘what the Empress does’ stuck in her ear. The biggest driving force moving Selina was none other than Ilarid.

If it was something the Empress did, she planned to follow it step by step. Because someday she would rise to that position. If she couldn’t imitate the innate atmosphere and demeanor, she would at least try to follow the path Ilarid had laid out.

She could do it. She would definitely succeed. So that people would praise Selina, not Ilarid.

Selina took a slow deep breath, and left the orphanage imitating Ilarid’s usual upright posture. The correct posture she had taken after a long time felt as uncomfortable as ill-fitting clothes.

**

Originally, not many people gathered in front of the main gate of the imperial palace.

It was uncertain when carriages carrying nobles would pass by, and the soldiers guarding the gate were busy dispersing people as soon as they gathered.

But this time was different.

Even the soldiers were overwhelmed and had to be on alert due to the unusual atmosphere of the gathered people.

They were all armed. Some were holding real swords, and others were seen holding weapons they had designed themselves. Men holding guns, which were said to be difficult to obtain, were also noticeable.

One of the soldiers barely managed to speak in a trembling voice.

“Th-this is the entrance to the imperial palace. What are you doing in a place that is like the heart of the empire! Disperse!”

“My, you’re being quite strict. Did we shout demanding this and that be guaranteed, did we yell criticizing anything? We’re just standing here doing nothing, why are you being so sensitive?”

Giggles flowed from among the gathered people. Judging by their looks and sharp-tongued responses, they all seemed to be no ordinary people.

“We came because of an advertisement. An advertisement saying that the Rikas Mercenary Group, contracted with the imperial family, is recruiting new members.”

As one voice burst out, disgruntled voices flowed from here and there. The soldier turned pale realizing he hadn’t been notified of anything.

A man stepped forward from among the crowd. Gasps erupted from the people gathered to watch.

“Isn’t that a retired soldier?”

He was clearly wearing the uniform of the imperial army. The man’s grizzled hair and worn-looking uniform proved that he was once a soldier who fought for the empire.

The fact that he fought for the country alone was enough to immediately gain the trust of those gathered. Even if the uniform was worn, it couldn’t wear out his determination.

Judging by his apparent age, he was probably a soldier who went to war during the previous emperor’s reign and then retired. The man shouted towards the main gate in a strong voice.

“Open the gate! We are people who have come to apply for the Rikas Mercenary Group!”

“Even retired imperial soldiers?”

Cledius was considerably surprised. His red eyes, always full of composure, began to waver.

“Yes. Not only that, but most of the individual mercenaries who were active in the northern region have gathered, it is said.”

“Hmm…”

As Kailem finished speaking, he put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. Whenever unexpected situations arose, Cledius always tried to cover his mouth and hide his expression.

But this time, his shaken appearance was starkly visible. Even Kailem hadn’t predicted that so many people would gather, so he quietly bowed his head and waited for the emperor’s next words.

He had guessed that there was a lot of discontent among retired soldiers. It was natural since they had fought loyally for the country but received nothing in return. The pension that was supposed to be given separately gradually decreased, and welfare at the national level was useless.

Moreover, as they continued to discriminate between the imperial guard and regular soldiers, it seemed that what they had endured had piled up. If former imperial soldiers entered the mercenary group, it was clear that active soldiers would be shaken.

And he hadn’t imagined that individual mercenaries would step forward immediately. Cledius had seen the problematic newspaper advertisement. It hadn’t offered much compensation, nor had it enticed people with fancy sentences.

‘Is his character better than expected?’

It was a mistake to fully entrust Lebel with recruiting members. It could potentially become the source of an impending fire.

Cledius clenched his fist tightly over the hand covering his mouth. Mercenaries were bound to scatter if they lost their focal point. Especially if it was a leader like Lebel.

“Kailem.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Let’s move up the plan. Push it forward a little faster.”

**

Why is it so difficult to sleep at night and work in the daylight? Those things that should be natural.

Ilarid still tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. When she lay still, all her senses were on edge.

The ticking of the clock that she usually couldn’t hear, someone’s footsteps from outside, even her own breathing was audible enough to be bothersome.

As she turned her head, she saw the medicine bottles placed on the bedside table. One was for headaches and the other was a sleeping pill.

The sleeping pill prescribed by Letitia. She had earnestly insisted that it wasn’t harmful to the body and to take it without fail when sleep didn’t come.

‘Your Majesty the Empress really needs to sleep. Medicine isn’t necessarily bad just because it’s medicine, so you must take it when you’re having a hard time or really can’t sleep.’

Ilarid sat up in bed. And she picked up the bottle containing the sleeping pills. Really, would just one pill allow her to fall asleep without even having nightmares?

But she was afraid. It felt like jumping into a gambling table where she didn’t know what kind of dream would unfold or what the odds were. She shook her head and put the medicine bottle back on the bedside table.

She wanted to get some night air instead. Ilarid approached the window and slightly lifted the curtain. Dazzling moonlight poured in. As if entranced, she opened the window and felt the moderately cool night air.

Below the balcony. That night, Lebel had looked up here from below the balcony, probably. Ilarid slowly opened the window and approached the balcony.

Today, had he come?

But outside was quiet. Only the sound of guards changing shifts could be heard, there was no trace of Lebel anywhere.

‘He won’t come…’

Should she go find him and apologize for treating him coldly? At that time, she was flustered and couldn’t take care of those around her. She had become so accustomed to making such expressions.

A few excuses passed through her head. What kind of expression would Lebel make hearing such words?

Ilarid slowly closed her eyes. It felt like his figure would appear at any moment in the darkness, but when she tried to recall Lebel’s form, it disappeared like smoke.

Ilarid, who had been holding the balcony railing, suddenly opened her eyes. There was no one watching her around. A world with only moonlight and Ilarid. Only she herself could see her own heart.

‘I miss you.’

She murmured in the silence. Without realizing it, she was longing for Lebel, who had become faint.