They were chairs for the Black, White, Red, and Yellow Knights’ Commanders.
In the center of the chairs, emitting a heavy aura, were two men.
The Red Knights’ Commander Bengert, with a body like a red bear and wearing a glamorous epaulet, and the Yellow Knights’ Commander Ashan, with his exotic purple skin.
They were about ten years older than Lucia, and like her, they had significantly contributed to the establishment of the empire.
“Oh, who do we have here? Isn’t it the great one?”
“It’s been a while, Commander Lucia.”
Their greeting, as they met eyes with Lucia, was not very enthusiastic, even though they hadn’t seen her for a long time.
“It has been a while.”
Lucia greeted them and sat at the end, next to Yellow Commander Ashan, farthest from her seat.
She then focused on the vacant seat farthest from her.
The owner of that seat, Leon’s chair, had not yet arrived.
Threats, uncomfortable gifts.
Lucia, who had been tricked by some mysterious scheme as soon as she returned, was already tired of what might happen in this uncomfortable conference room.
“Childcare leave, I heard. Is that true? It must be believable.”
In the quiet conference room, Red Commander Bengert sneered and spoke, an inappropriate question for his size.
When Lucia didn’t respond,
“Hmm! A Sword Master in five years after giving birth! How a woman who’s given birth could be. Impressive. Surely, you didn’t deceive the Emperor’s eyes? Haha.”
It was an obvious provocation.
However, for her, with her 92yearold mental age, provoking her to this extent was quite difficult.
Lucia responded minimally, lifting the corner of her mouth slightly as she looked at him.
“……Hey, Commander! What’s that smile? Are you ignoring me?!”
Lucia intended to pass it quietly, but as always, her dry smile seemed to provoke his anger further.
If the Black Knights were like cold and humid wolves, the Red Knights were like boiling lava in temperament.
Perhaps it was natural, since their members always fought like cats and dogs.
“Enough of this. It’s disgraceful among Commanders. Ah, Commander Lucia. We’re already discussing that matter. A military disciplinary committee might be held before you return.”
The Yellow Commander quietly spoke, watching their psychological warfare.
It was quite a hostile way to change the subject.
The Yellow Knights were a secret group attending the Emperor.
Therefore, it was only natural to be closer to the emperor among many knights, but the emperor, who always sought Lucia in the most dangerous moments, did not see her favorably.
‘……Punishment. How bothersome.’
Since it was a leave that was granted with the emperor’s permission, there would surely be no particular punishment.
It was nothing more than a small feast for conservative nobles who just wanted to complain.
When Lucia declared her early retirement and retreated to the mountains, she recalled their sudden change in attitude.
Nobles sensitive to the hierarchy always disliked her, who was trusted by the emperor like the current commanders, but in the end, they were the ones who clung to the weakening power until the very end.
It was tiring to get involved with such foolish people again, but thinking of Nia, it was beneficial to be in a position to quickly learn information.
As she thought and flipped through, the enemy’s commander spoke again, scoffing.
“Punishment. Where would it be carried out properly? His Majesty sent her for training, and even granted her parental leave for giving birth to a child. Training must have taken quite long. The notorious Black Commander must have played with fire.”
It was a blatant mockery, irrespective of gender.
Lucia’s eyebrows twitched at his overstepping remarks.
That was when.
“You do not say such things.”
A lowmid, soft yet clear and firm tone.
The owner of the voice who entered the conference room with calm steps was Leon Ruwins, the commander of the White Mage Corps.
Leon, who always wore an unadorned smile, immediately lifted his chair and placed it beside Lucia.
It was public knowledge that Leon had looked at her for a long time, but the everproper man had never openly taken her side in public like this.
The commander of the Imperial Army, taken aback by his straightforwardness, got up and moved his chair, and the enemy’s commander awkwardly stood up and said,
“What, what? Why on earth do you have to sit there? No, more than that. Commander Leon! Are you trying to teach me, a fellow commander? What is the meaning of this!”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m here to teach you what you didn’t learn in my era.”
The enemy’s commander, Bengert, was shocked by his gentle sarcasm that he had never heard before.
Regardless of his reaction, Leon sat comfortably on the chair next to Lucia, as if nothing had happened.
Then, with his usual angelic face, he exuded a satisfied smile.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
