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After shouting like that, I was guided by the maids to the Palace of Gloria.
"Is this Gloria Palace?"
"Yes, isn't it beautiful? This garden is filled with the flowers of each new owner's choice every time the castle changes hands."
"A black rose? Is that what the previous owner of this place wanted?"
"Yes, if you have a favorite flower, I can exchange it for another one."
"Ah... it's okay. It's pretty enough like this."
You like black roses. The previous owner felt like a villain. Then, I heard a noise behind me.
"I don't think I heard anything about you coming here."
Empress... no, it was the Empress Dowager.
***
On his way to the Empress as usual, Won-yeong sensed something strange. For some unknown reason, the flow of mana in the air felt strange.
Sometimes, when magical power is released, the flow becomes strange like this, but there were also cases where the flow of mana became unstable even when there was a person with very strong magical power.
"Why is the flow like this..? Did the magic tower come?"
As he walked further, Wonyoung stopped. On the way to the Empress's office, the Ma Tower Master and the High Priest were talking.
No, if you were just talking, it wouldn't have stopped.
"If you say any more, I will kill you."
"Can you kill him before then? He's the precious youngest son of the Marquis. It would be good if he could swing his sword a few times."
"As the noble youngest son of a Marquis, you don't learn swordsmanship. It's the opposite."
“But aren’t you weaker than me?”
The two were fighting fiercely, but if you listened closely, their conversation was incredibly childish. Even 15-year-old Won-young would find it childish.
At that moment, the book I was about to ask the Empress slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor.
widely-!
"oh..!"
"..who is there?"
"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry..!"
Wonyoung fled from there as if he were running away. He hadn't done anything wrong, but he kept feeling like he'd committed a mortal sin.
Although the Daeshin Gwan and the Matopju were exceptionally handsome, Wonyoung's favorability ratings for them seemed to have hit rock bottom.
"Oh, I'm really unlucky. I wonder if all nobles are like that."
"Move quickly, move quickly!"
"Be careful not to step on her skirt! Let's head to Gloria Palace as quickly as possible! Let's do it!"
"Uh, uh... Wait a minute..! I'm not a maid..?"
Won-young, who had been running away in anger for a long time, was swept away by the maids who were moving somewhere in a hurry and ended up somewhere.
This was Wonyoung's first time here, despite his long stay here. Yet, it was the most beautiful palace he had ever seen.
"Wow... but where is this place? How come I haven't seen such a wonderful place until now?"
Wonyoung delved deeper into the palace, entranced by the sights. The deeper he went, the more beautiful the flowers he saw.
As I went deeper, I was blocked by a group of maids and could not go any further.
"Hey... what's going on here?"
"Well, I heard the Empress came this way. But this is the place the Saintess is supposed to use from today onwards. Over there! Look over there. She's talking."
"..? A saint? Was there such a thing as a saint.."
"Oh my! Hey! You shouldn't call me that so carelessly! Haven't you heard that Countess Amrien has displayed her saintly powers this time?"
at that time,
What the heck!
I heard something breaking.
***
"Hello, Your Majesty the Empress."
"What's going on here?"
"I was looking for a place to live in the future."
".. What? Why is Youngae in this Gloria Palace.. No, surely the saintess appeared.. Was it Youngae Amrien?"
"Yes."
The Empress smiled briefly and then wiped her face.
"It's difficult, Youngae."
"yes?"
"No, nothing. I'll see you often from now on, so take care."
"It is an honor, Your Majesty."
The Empress pointed to the vase next to her. It was the black rose from earlier.
"Before that, Young-ae. Is this flower your taste? Or has it been there before?"
"It's been there for a long time... What's the problem?"
"little."
The black rose looked ominous, but the empress's expression was strange. It was as if she had seen something she was not supposed to see.
The Empress grabbed the vase with her gloved hands, then raised it high and brought it down.
What the heck!
"Gyaaaaah!!!"
"I hope there will be other flowers next time. I don't like black roses."
The Empress's sudden action froze everyone. While I was at a loss, the Empress disappeared.
"What...? It's too much to break something just because you don't like it..."
The maids, who had been stunned for a few seconds, were now clearing away the shards of glass that had fallen to the floor. I spoke to the maid who had picked up the fallen black rose.
“Please put that black rose in my room.”