I bowed to him slowly to show due manners and came out of the meeting room, biting my lip tightly. The way he casually dealt with me as one of his vassals kept bothering me.

I felt kind of bitter about his attitude.

Is it because Im asking him for too much? Even so, he is not supposed to deal with me like this. Even if I offered to be taken off the list of the empress candidates, how can he treat the Monique family like this?

To talk about our family, it is one of the three surviving families in the empire that had decisively contributed to its founding. And our family has been showing absolute loyalty to the royal family since the founding of the empire.

The oath of blood is a binding promise that requires the emperor to accept ones wishes in return for ones lifetime loyalty for the imperial family. Nevertheless, the late emperor didnt keep the promise, while our family showed absolute loyalty. How can the current emperor neglect our family like this?

Suddenly, I felt sad. Given that even I, who had not yet made the promise, was treated like this, how much has my father suffered , who had his lifetime loyalty bound to the imperial family?

Given the late emperors character, my father was probably not treated unfairly. Nonetheless, he might have been forced to do what he didnt like.

Whew I climbed the wagon with a sigh.

I was about to close the door when I suddenly remembered a letter I received yesterday.

It was the letter from the High Priest, asking me to stop by the temple within the next two or three days as the time for me to receive his blessings was approaching.

Everythings a bother, but today was the last day I could visit the temple for his blessings.

I closed my eyes after telling the horseman to head to the temple.

I was tired in body and soul.

Praise the beauty given by the Father of Life. I give you the blessings of our Lord Vita.

The pink petals and floral scents have hovered around, it was familiar to me now. I expressed my gratitude to the High Priest and thought for a moment.

Should I say this or not?

It was the central players of the temple, including the top priests that the noble faction had a close relationship with. Given that the High Priest was in extreme confrontation with them, there was no possibility that he was involved in this case. But I was not sure if he would try to protect them because he belonged to the temple.

I hesitated to say again and again, but I thought that it would be better for me to be more prudent. In the end, I ended up leaving the sanctuary without saying a word about it.

When I arrived at the entrance of the temple, tangled in my thinking, I noticed several people who seemed to be top priests surrounding and exchanging greetings with someone.

Who is it?

I tilted my head with a puzzled look. Is there anyone who the top priests, called the strongman of the temple, welcome so much?

I was a bit curious, but I didnt want to take the trouble of checking who he was. When I said goodbye to him and took a few steps, while I was being seen off by some apprentice priests, I suddenly heard someone calling me from behind, Oh, you must be Lady Monique, right?

I quickly stopped walking. I drew my brows at the familiar voice. Was it Jiun that the top priests treated so preciously?

When I slowly turned my head, I noticed a woman with dark hair approaching me in no time. Her latest fashion dress was making a beautiful wavy pattern when she walked toward me.

Hi, Lady Jena.

Hi, Its been a long time, Lady Monique. I really wanted to see you once, but I didnt expect that I would meet you in this place.

Me, too.

Well, I was really worried about you after I heard about what happened at the cabinet meeting the other day. I wanted to convey my message of comfort. Are you okay now?

Yes, Im fine.

She indirectly ridiculed me by saying she heard I was called an infertile woman at the meeting. Nonetheless, she was looking at me with a worried expression as if she was genuinely concerned.

I was dumbfounded when she spoke, holding my hands kindly as if I were her closest friend, but I smiled at her casually. There were too many around me for me to ignore her.

Meeting like this is destiny, so can I escort you home? Im sorry I have not visited you earlier.

You dont have to.

Please. I think I would feel uncomfortable if I let you go like this.

Okay. Thanks for your offer.

Although I was annoyed when she pretended to be kind to me, I nodded, swallowing a sigh, because they would look at me strangely if I kept refusing.

But I still felt uncomfortable about going with her. Although she wouldnt harm me on the way back, as many priests already saw her here, I still felt hesitant.

When I looked back, the High Priest smiled at me faintly with a nod. Only then did I get in the wagon of the Duke Jenas family, feeling much more relieved.

Finally, I have a chance to talk with you alone like this. How can I call you, emperors concubine or Lady Monique?

Just as you like to call me.

I heard something ridiculous about you. I hear you are holding your coming-of-age ceremony at your estate. Is that right?

Yes, thats true.

You once pretended to be so proud, and now youre running away because youre just scared to hear rumors about you? she said, looking at me with a ridicule, You used to do your job proudly no matter what anyone said, then you cant even make your own decision now? How ridiculous! I am disappointed in you.

How come you showed such an attitude last time? Are you still hovering over her because you didnt know your place yet? Oh my, how wrecked you are! It looks like youre trying to draw his attention by trying to refuse him, right?

Dont talk to me recklessly. I am not really interested in the empress.

How funny! Do you know youre talking nonsense now? You clearly eyed me with jealousy then. I would say you were eaten up with jealousy.

What? Jealousy?

I felt as if I was hit by something because I recalled I really felt down when I saw the emperor walking with her some time ago.

Was I really jealous of her then?

I shook my head. I couldnt be jealous of her. How can I love him again when I vowed so strongly that I would not love anybody?

However, I still felt bad about her attitude, who acted as if I was a big nuisance.

Watching me biting my lip, she said, Youre really annoying. With an easy battle like this, I dont think my return is worth it. Ive come back to beat you. Its too boring. It was lame!

Suddenly, I came to my senses. What did she come back for?

What did you just say?

I said it was boring. Why?

Not that.

Well, I said my return was not worth it. Why? You always looked down on me, but as you are submissive now

Shut up! I was just through the roof about it.

What did you say? You came back to beat me?

What and what? Youre back to win?

My clenched fists trembled.

Only

Was there a single occasion when you didnt beat me? You were not satisfied with ruining my life in the past, and now you have screwed up my plan that I drew up after my return! I think I can live comfortably now, then you have come back for that despicable reason?

My lips trembled with surging anger, but I kept trying to keep my voice low, asking sharply, So, what do you want from me?

What?

Why are you doing this to me? I told you I would drop from the competition for the empress. What else can I do?

Oh, bring it on!

I stared fiercely at her sparkling black eyes.

What? Fun? How can you dare talk about fun when you have screwed up my whole life?

You took away everything from me in the past, and you have chased me up to this point. Why are you going after me? Why are you doing this to me?