A man was crossing the main hall of the Imperial Palace.

On one side, there was a stone railing with a panoramic view of wide fields and a village, and on the opposite side, there was a stone wall adorned with portraits of past emperors and empresses.

Whichever way you looked, there was something captivating to see.

However, the man paid no attention to either the stone wall or the view beyond the railing.

He walked as if blinders were on his eyes, focusing only on what lay ahead, urging his steps forward.

‘Enjoy the surroundings, and eventually, you will reach your final destination.’

…Such sayings didn’t resonate with him at all.

For the man, the surroundings were nothing more than spaces filled with beings who were fortunate if they didn’t bother him.

The rear was even less worthy of turning back to.

With unusual silver hair and icy gray eyes rarely seen in the empire, the man, a cold and handsome beauty, was often followed by the admiring gazes of many women. However, he never glanced back.

In a life where he was busy just looking ahead, the presence of a woman seemed unnecessary.

Well, unless she met his standards in terms of cultural refinement and social status. Apart from that, there was no value in turning back.

For Ishaar, only what was in front mattered.

Anything blocking his path was stepped over, and anything deemed of some utility was utilized.

That was his way of life.

In that regard, Ishaar didn’t quite match with his lord.

Hersis patiently waited until anything blocking her path was removed, and anything of use…

‘He doesn’t have such things in his dictionary.’

He had no need to exploit anything. With his strength alone, he could achieve his goals sufficiently.

That’s why Hersis, a woman filled with leisure and self-confidence, didn’t care about others’ gazes.

But.

‘Sometimes, you have to consider others’ perspectives, especially in cases like this.’

No imperial couple had ever entered a separate residence right after marriage.

The Empress’s Palace was not meant for the freedom of solitary women but rather for the empress’s childbirth and childcare.

Anyone familiar with the situation would know, and the empress herself couldn’t be unaware.

Yet, insisting on entering a separate residence.

It was an act akin to throwing a bait to those incessantly finding fault.

‘What’s the reason?’

It was impossible to endure without asking. Then came an answer that was truly absurd.

‘I want to focus on solidifying my position as the empress for the time being.’

‘So, you allowed it?’

‘Of course. It’s my decision, and if there’s any discomfort, I should endure it, right? Also, from what I remember… You seem to have some responsibility in that matter too, Ishaar.’

His gaze was exceptionally sharp, and Ishaar couldn’t reproach him any further, so he just withdrew.

No visible edges or paintings were in sight as he turned the corner. Instead, a dim corridor with iron full-body armor and helmets lined on both sides emerged.
Ishaar smoothly passed through the center and muttered to himself.

“How foolish. Not even knowing what the real duty of the empress is, which I should genuinely pay attention to.”

If someone were sitting inside those full-body armors, Ishaar would not have been able to avoid charges of insulting the imperial family. However, there was little chance of that happening, so he could continue his criticism.

“The empress’s primary duty is to quickly conceive a successor to prosper the imperial family. It’s not like I can do something incredibly great, you know.”

In his heart, he wanted to immediately send a letter of reprimand through Rosa, but he decided to endure it.

Because, unexpectedly, a woman with unnecessary energy might show up again in the attire of a servant.

It was more than enough to have a woman who was unnecessarily active. Moreover, now she had a higher status than him.

Ishaar turned left at the end of the marble corridor lined with armored soldiers.

Then, the destination came into view not far away.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Today, what should I read to cool my head?’

Walking slowly past the lined-up bookshelves, Ishaar thought.

What was stuck in the shelves were all old and faded ancient books.

When his mind was in turmoil, he used to visit this ancient document reading room. He mainly read books written in ancient languages because concentrating on interpreting difficult characters naturally helped settle the confusion in his mind.

‘I should continue reading the ancient history of the Klenue Empire that I started last time.’

Ishaar’s steps hastened to the most remote place.

While doing so, he suddenly stopped.

He seemed to have seen someone not far away. A woman he would never meet in a place like this.

Ishaar turned around and slowly walked back to the bookshelf where he thought he had seen the woman a moment ago.

“…!”

Ishaar realized that he hadn’t seen it wrong.

With a bewildered expression, he bowed courteously.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Although Liz couldn’t hide her puzzled look, she quickly responded with a calm courtesy.