The Empress' Beast Selection (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
Relentless pain.
Demios trusted the words of his mistress, whom he had only recently met, yet refused to believe Sophia’s.
Though he had resolved to ignore it, he still felt foolish for being hurt.
“I’ve said it time and again—I don’t have a mistress.”
“Is that so?”
Despite her firm words, Demios’s attitude remained unchanged.
He twisted the corners of his mouth into a smile.
“It’s surprising to hear that from you, Empress… If it’s just for light amusement, I suppose I don’t care. But stay away from Duke Leofort.”
This was a warning.
It meant he wouldn’t stand idly by if she associated with the Duke.
It was a statement that ignored the fact Sophia and the Duke already knew each other—
regardless of whether she knew Roxan’s true identity or not.
A sudden urge to rebel flared within her.
As Emperor, he could interfere in the Empress’s political affairs, but he had no right to meddle in Sophia’s personal relationships.
“Why must I do that?”
“What?”
Demios’s eyes narrowed, taken aback—he had expected her to simply understand.
“Your Majesty has no right to interfere in whom I choose to associate with.”
Demios was momentarily speechless at the cold expression he had never seen on her before.
This was the first time Sophia had shown such a resolute reaction.
At that very moment, the music stopped.
The first dance, which the imperial couple was obligated to perform, had ended.
Sophia gave a slight curtsy and stepped back.
Demios, snapping out of his daze a moment too late, left the ballroom.
But that was all. His gaze remained fixed firmly on Sophia.
His intense stare was almost scorching.
Sophia turned her head away before he did.
Just before the second piece began, Titié—who had been waiting for Demios’s invitation to dance—could no longer endure and approached him.
“Your Majesty, is something wrong? You look unwell.”
Titié looked up at him with a worried expression.
Her petite frame, even smaller than Sophia’s, and her porcelain-white skin seemed as if they might shatter at any moment.
Her perpetually fragile demeanor and dependent attitude made her the perfect example of a delicate female.
Demios extended his hand toward his white doe.
“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
“I’m happy.”
Titié blushed and took his hand with a shy smile.
As the music began, other nobles gathered into the ballroom with their partners.
Sophia withdrew from the center and watched the two dance.
Unlike Sophia, who had remained stiff throughout the dance, Titié’s face was beaming with joy.
Titié chirped something sweetly with an endearing expression, and the tightly closed line of Demios’s lips softened gently.
‘Is that why he likes her?’
Suddenly, Sophia wondered if Demios’s closeness to Titié might not be solely because of her name.
The surrounding nobles initially admired how well the pair matched, but soon began glancing toward Sophia and falling silent.
The second dance concluded.
After escorting Titié outside the central floor, Demios quickly departed with a group of male nobles.
All were carnivorous beastmen deeply involved in imperial politics.
Seizing the moment, beastmen immediately gathered around Titié, who was now alone.
“Hello, Lady Titié. I can’t tell you how delighted I am to finally meet you.”
“Likewise! I’ve been longing to greet you properly!”
Their greetings were filled with flattery—most either eager to forge a connection or brimming with curiosity.
Titié responded with a shy smile.
“I couldn’t hold my debutante ball due to poor health, yet you’ve welcomed me so warmly. Thank you.”
Everyone knew Titié had only recently been formally adopted into the Louvre family.
They also knew that before this, she had neither been treated as nobility nor properly educated.
Though old-line families were strict about birth status, none among those present dared mention it.
“Oh dear, what does that matter? If it truly bothers you, why not consider today your debutante ball? What do you think?”
“Would that be acceptable?”
Titié’s face brightened.
Her pure, bellflower-like smile stole the hearts of several young nobles.
The cheerful atmosphere was growing richer by the moment.
“Oh, my dear Titié.”
“My beloved daughter.”
A couple pushed through the crowd and embraced Titié tightly.
Surprised, Titié recognized them and immediately broke into a wide smile.
“Oh, Father. Mother.”
Count Edro Louvre and Countess Delcy.
The deer clan that had adopted Titié.
“We’re grateful you’ve shown such kindness to our Titié.”
“She’s always been shy, so seeing her smile eases our hearts.”
They were minor provincial nobles of little consequence.
Yet merely by taking in a distant relative bearing the Emperor’s name, their status had skyrocketed.
It was absurd that they now treated a woman they’d previously ignored as their own daughter.
A few sharp-witted nobles, however, instantly fell in step with the Count and Countess.
“It must be thanks to you both that Lady Titié has grown up so carefree.”
“Oh my, you flatter us! Hehe.”
Countess Delcy fluttered her fan, feigning modesty.
She clearly delighted in the capital nobles catering to her mood.
Rumors said they were preparing to move into a residence in the capital’s central district.
Establishing a foothold in the capital while holding distant lands was no easy feat.
After all, there was a reason noble circles sharply divided between provincial and capital families.
Count Louvre, too, lingered near Titié, thoroughly enjoying his newfound treatment.
Yet not everyone viewed them favorably.
“Goodness, they’ve barely acquired a mistress and already they’re parading about.”
“Exactly. Taking in a grown woman and claiming to raise her as their own daughter—it’s laughable.”
To noblewomen from ancient lineages, Titié was naturally distasteful.
Other ladies nodded in agreement.
Amidst these clearly divided factions, Sophia remained silent.
Lebroga, the noblewoman from Damill known for her influence among the ladies—and a musk cat beastman—noticing Sophia’s concern, approached and said,
“Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty. It’s not even a formal arrangement, and the imperial household has no concubine system. That young lady will never be more than a mistress.”
Just moments ago, she’d glared at Titié with narrowed eyes; now, standing before Sophia, her expression was gentle and deferential.
The proud musk cat lowered herself thus because Sophia had once done her a great kindness.
Seeing Lebroga’s genuine concern, Sophia offered a calm smile.
“Thank you for your care, but I’m fine.”
“…Sigh, men are all the same. Even Laktan loses his wits whenever he sees a pretty beastwoman, you know?”
Lebroga grumbled about her husband.
The Damill family was famously devoted; her complaints stemmed from genuine affection.
Amused by the adorable cat’s grumbling, Sophia’s mood lifted slightly.
Meanwhile, the conversation around Titié had shifted.
“But Duke Leofort was far more handsome than I imagined—I was truly surprised.”
“I always thought His Majesty was the most perfect male in the empire…”
“Considering both looks and ability, of course.”
The young ladies blushed as they recalled the Duke.
“I prefer the Duke myself. His Majesty is… how should I put it? Too beautiful.”
The others quickly nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. More so than many females. Standing beside him makes one feel small. But the Duke seems like he’d protect us.”
“Makes me feel inadequate.”
“Oh dear, not at all—but I understand that feeling.”
A lively discussion about alpha males blossomed.
Comparing the Emperor and the Duke was only natural.
After all, both were of similar age and bore the blood of divine beasts, though neither was of imperial lineage.
Perhaps it was only natural for the Emperor to be wary of a blood relative who’d earned great merit.
“There are plenty of other handsome knights besides the Duke, too.”
While coveting alphas was expected, many young ladies wisely set their sights on attainable males rather than impossible ones.
The others nodded knowingly.
Among them, female hawk beastwomen were already scanning the room with sharp eyes, hunting for prey.
Hearing the chatter, Countess Louvre shifted excitedly.
“Ahem, don’t say that—what about our Louvre family’s eldest son? Though he couldn’t attend today, he’s grown into a fine young man.”
“Oh, the Louvre heir… Of course. I’ve heard he’s quite admirable.”
The hawk-eyed young ladies reluctantly nodded.
The conversation stalled. The girls exchanged awkward glances and hid their mouths behind fans.
The Count and Countess Louvre were staying at a luxury hotel in the capital while arranging their permanent residence.
Since the hotel catered primarily to distinguished guests, any incident occurring there quickly became gossip, spreading swiftly through high society.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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