The Empress' Beast Selection (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
For the past ten-odd years, Kalpman—the border region adjacent to the barbarian territories—had been a lawless zone beyond the reach of imperial authority.
Due to severed supply lines during the prolonged war, the expeditionary force had no choice but to become self-sufficient in that death-filled land.
Easier said than done—everyone here had survived walking through a living hell.
Groar ordered the camp dismantled and went to find the army’s supreme commander.
“So… where might Lord Roxan be?”
Roxan—the title by which the expeditionary force addressed Duke Leofort.
Strangely enough, instead of addressing him as “Your Grace,” the troops called him by a name different from his given one.
Unlike Groar, who eagerly sought the Duke, Biltman hesitated before replying.
“Well…”
“Agh, has he vanished again?!”
Groar raked his fingers furiously through his hair.
Of all times to disappear—precisely when his presence was most needed.
Just as Groar wondered if they’d be forced to wait yet again, a commotion arose from the direction of the city gate.
Between the rows of knights bowing in salute, Roxan was walking toward them.
At the sight of him, Groar’s expression instantly brightened.
“Lord Roxan, where have you been? Don’t tell me you went to see *her* again… No, more importantly—the East Gate has opened!”
“I know. I’ve just come from there.”
Unlike Groar, who was brimming with excitement, Roxan remained utterly composed.
While the expeditionary force remained stranded before the East Gate, he alone could freely travel between the capital and the imperial palace.
The Emperor had granted passage rights exclusively to Duke Leofort and one of his close aides.
The reason was obvious and blatant.
The Emperor hoped Roxan would come pleading for the recall of the expeditionary force’s standby order.
Including the aide was likely intended to ensure news of the commander bowing his head before the Emperor would spread once he returned to the troops.
It was a deliberate attempt to undermine the army’s morale.
Yet contrary to the Emperor’s intentions, Roxan neither sought him out nor appealed to anyone about the situation.
Abandoning an expeditionary force that had rendered extraordinary service to the Empire would only tarnish the Emperor’s own reputation.
Though the knights suffered just outside the capital, the gate was always destined to open anyway.
“Still, His Majesty was surprisingly quick to open the city gate.”
Groar softened his tone, evidently preparing to enter the capital soon.
Having accompanied Roxan in and out of the capital himself, he knew Roxan hadn’t gone to see the Emperor.
‘I thought he’d only open it on the day of the Victory Banquet.’
Had the Emperor changed his mind at the last moment?
The East Gate opening far earlier than expected caught everyone off guard.
“It wasn’t the Emperor’s permission.”
“Huh? What do you mean… Ah, surely not.”
Groar, about to ask for clarification, looked at Roxan with a hopeful expression.
There was only one person in the Empire capable of acting without the Emperor’s consent.
Silence was confirmation enough.
Upon grasping the full situation, Groar immediately adjusted his demeanor.
“We must thank Her Majesty the Empress.”
The entire expeditionary force seethed with anger over the Emperor’s orders.
Simultaneously, the human Empress herself became a target of their criticism.
After all, it had always been the Empress’s duty to prepare celebratory feasts like the Victory Banquet for the imperial family.
‘And to think she’s a human Empress…’
The new Empress had been chosen while the expeditionary force was still on the battlefield.
When news of the imperial marriage finally reached them, some soldiers harbored strong resentment toward an Empress of a different race.
No matter how blessed she might be with the Star of Ishtar, how could a human possibly become Empress of the Beastkin Empire?
As the standby order dragged on, rumors even spread among the troops that perhaps the human Empress was deliberately blocking their return.
Though Roxan swiftly quashed these rumors, suspicion toward the human Empress remained deeply entrenched.
‘I’m not sure why Lord Roxan shows such concern for the Empress…’
Perhaps this was precisely the reason.
Groar was certain that once everyone learned of this, they’d see her in a new light—even if they’d initially scoffed at the notion of a “human Empress.”
“She seems like a kind-hearted lady. She must be suffering terribly over this ordeal.”
A woman bearing the Emperor’s name, yet not his true consort.
News of the one-sided Name Imprint had already spread beyond the capital.
Initially dismissed by the court as absurd, it now seemed clear that the Empress alone had been left out.
Groar had always strongly disapproved of Name Imprints.
‘It’s not some recipe for disaster.’
If names were to appear, they should manifest simultaneously for both parties—how could one exist while the other didn’t?
Now that he owed the Empress a debt of gratitude, she even seemed pitiful in his eyes.
“She came all the way from a distant land with only the Emperor to rely on. I’d heard their marital harmony wasn’t bad at all… but now even that’s ruined.”
Groar murmured his thoughts aloud.
To his surprise, Roxan—who he’d assumed was staying silent—finally spoke.
“Don’t worry. He’ll surely come to regret it.”
“…Pardon?”
Groar asked in confusion—not because he hadn’t heard, but because of Roxan’s unwavering certainty.
Roxan’s face, now turned toward him, was as expressionless as ice.
“We return to the capital.”
The commander’s order rang out.
The fading sunset glowed fiercely within Roxan’s golden eyes.
Victory Banquet Day.
As the sun began to set, the Imperial Palace teemed with nobles’ carriages arriving from the capital and every corner of the realm.
The palace’s grandest ballroom.
Amidst lavish decorations, the Emperor and Empress made their entrance.
This marked the first time Sophia and Demios appeared together publicly since the woman bearing the Emperor’s Name had emerged.
Every eye in the hall fixed upon them.
All sought to gauge just how wide the rift between them had grown.
The imperial dais awaited at the front.
Demios escorted Sophia up the steps.
The nobles couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
‘So the rumor that the Emperor’s new woman drove them apart was false?’
The Victory Banquet was the grandest feast of the year.
Socializing, networking, wealth, and power—
Most nobles attending had traveled great distances not for celebration, but to secure their own interests.
To align oneself properly, one had to read the signs carefully.
Right now, the Emperor and Empress’s relationship was the most critical matter.
Yet seeing them in person, their bond didn’t seem as fractured as the rumors claimed.
Except for one detail: Titié Louvre’s seat wasn’t placed on the dais itself.
As soon as the Emperor and Empress took their seats, Titié sat down in a chair prepared as if she’d been waiting.
Even at a glance, her ornate velvet chair appeared plusher and cozier than those on the dais.
Everyone knew the space directly below the dais was reserved solely for imperial family members or distinguished state guests.
Titié adjusted her posture gracefully and smiled at the assembled nobles.
Her delicate, ethereal beauty—enhanced by her rare albinism—was captivating enough on its own.
And now she bore the Emperor’s Name as well.
Though whispers behind her back questioned why the palace housed a royal mistress, many nobles were desperately eager to curry favor with her.
All were weighing the shifting balance of power.
Seated on the Empress’s throne, Sophia surveyed the crowded hall below.
She’d anticipated Demios would grant Titié special treatment—but this?
‘Giving her a seat fit for royalty…’
Publicly championing Titié before all the nobles was tantamount to bestowing real power upon her.
The Emperor and Empress’s relationship inevitably influenced politics.
Everyone now recognized an invisible line had formed between them.
Some lamented this development; others felt relief.
It was clear evidence of factions forming within the court.
‘I suppose I should count myself lucky that Demios at least offered an escort.’
Better than entering alone as a spectacle—but being escorted without a single word exchanged had nearly suffocated her.
It still did.
Though seated right beside her, Demios never once turned his head toward Sophia.
‘He’ll head straight to Titié after the first dance ends.’
Only imperial family members could open the first dance at such a grand banquet.
That’s surely why a chair was placed directly before the dais—to let him go to Titié immediately afterward.
Sophia steeled herself.
She couldn’t afford to show jealousy over a mistress before the entire court.
Following the imperial couple’s entrance, Duke Leofort was to be honored for his achievements.
The Duke hadn’t entered the hall yet.
Instead, the expeditionary force’s deputy commander and several knights were already enjoying the festivities.
Perhaps due to their long absence on the battlefield,
their distinct aura made them stand out starkly among the nobles despite mingling freely.
‘Where is Roxan?’
Sophia scanned the hall.
In a crowd this large, someone like Roxan should be instantly visible—but strangely, he was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, she spotted another familiar face.
‘That knight from back then!’
The red-haired knight who’d once come to fetch Lucan.
The deputy commander was currently sampling various party delicacies with gusto.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, the knight immediately noticed Sophia, gave her a respectful bow, then returned to relishing his food and drink.
“Hahahaha!”—boisterous laughter echoed from his group.
‘A man with such un-noble-like cheerfulness,’ Sophia thought.
Pwoooosh—
The trumpet blast symbolizing victory resounded.
As a quintet played the Empire’s anthem, crimson banners bearing the wolf emblem unfurled throughout the hall.
“His Grace, Duke Claude Leofort, arrives.”
The Duke, heir to the blood of divine beasts.
Through grandly carved doors strode the lone hero who’d turned impossible war into victory.
“Good heavens, so that’s him…”
“Oh my…”
Whether due to his legendary feats or unexpectedly striking appearance,
everyone present gasped for different reasons.
Sophia was no exception.
‘Roxan?’
Her dear friend walked toward her across the crimson carpet.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
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