Roksan must have come to see Sepia with this in mind.
It was regrettable that despite having the rightful claim, he couldn’t assert it.
“You don’t have to worry about it leaking to the other side since what you’re looking for seems to be a confidential item.”
“It’s a family heirloom.”
Then, all the more reason it wouldn’t reach Demios’s ears.
“Just wait for a moment.”
Sepia got up from her seat.
Entering the Empress’s bedroom, she returned with a brown envelope a while later.
Inside, there was the aristocratic map.
“I’ll give you mine. How long do you need it for?”
“Six months should be enough.”
He spoke as if it were generous, but Sepia knew that such a short period was unreasonable.
The palace was as vast as a small country, and if he needed the aristocratic map, it meant it was hidden just as meticulously.
‘If you want to move discreetly, you’ll need more time.’
After roughly estimating the time, Sepia spoke.
“Let’s make it a year. However, there are conditions.”
Won’t lose it.
Won’t make a forgery.
Won’t lend it to a third party.
To the four conditions written in the contract, he added one more.
“How about adding one more condition? You’ll confirm once a week that the map hasn’t been lost.”
“Alright.”
It was a reasonable suggestion.
Both of them signed the contract with the four conditions, and Sepia decided to keep it.
‘An heirloom of the Duke.’
She didn’t know why it had been hidden in the palace instead of given directly to Roksan, but it must be a significant item.
“I hope you can find it.”
“As much as you trust, I’ll definitely find it.”
He replaced the word ‘help’ with ‘trust’ in his statement.
“The snowfall seems to be getting heavier. I should leave now.”
Roksan got up from his seat.
Sepia, who was about to see him off, stopped him.
“Just a moment.”
“This is…”
What Sepia handed him was the coat she had been keeping.
“You’ve kept it.”
“Of course. I’ll return it now.”
The coat had been well-maintained, possibly thanks to the maids’ attention to detail.
Even the consideration of wrapping it in cloth to prevent it from getting dirty showed.
He expressed his gratitude as he accepted the coat.
“Thank you. I hope there will be another opportunity to lend it to you.”
“Why is that?”
“Isn’t it an excuse to come back and retrieve it?”
Even his playful laughter seemed elegant.
With the falling snow, Roksan returned to his residence.
Standing by the window, Sepia watched his footsteps for a long time.
It had become late at night.”
Here is the English translation of the Korean paragraph you provided, following your guidelines:
Sepia, who had finished her bath, was sitting in front of the dressing table.
Lady Lemodi was meticulously drying and combing the long hair of the Empress.
As Sepia glanced at herself in the mirror, she spoke.
“Lady Lemodi.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Lady Lemodi, have you lived in the palace for a long time?”
“Yes, indeed. My mother served as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess, so I learned the duties of a lady-in-waiting by her side.”
As if reminiscing about her younger days, the wrinkled corners of Lady Lemodi’s eyes folded elegantly.
She was a witness to many incidents that had occurred in the past.
“Roksan, I mean… Duke Leofor, what kind of person was he in the past?”
Sepia was inquiring about Roksan’s past before she became the Empress.
The gentle combing momentarily paused in the air. It soon resumed, but there was a slower pace than before.
“…He is now a hero who has returned, but once he was just a boy surrounded by unfortunate rumors.”
From now on, I will tell you a story that was secretly spreading even in the past.
Lady Lemodi lowered her voice.
Claude Leofor, the Duke.
He was the heir to the Red King, Laximus, and the Red Queen, Leticia.
“Empress Emeralda, I mean, Yerdial, had been wary of the Red King’s family even before she fell ill.”
Empress Emeralda and Red Queen.
The two women had been in competition for the position of Empress in the past.
Yerdial became the Empress, but Leticia also became the Red Queen after accepting Laximus’s proposal.
As soon as Yerdial ascended to the throne, she gave birth to her eldest daughter, Princess Rudien.
When two different races of humans have a child, there is a 50% chance that the child will inherit one of the parents’ races.
Upon confirming the race of the child, Yerdial sighed on the spot.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
