The noble faction members became noisy after not only Duke Verita but also Marquis Enesil and my father showed their wishes to accept Jiun into their families. Starting with Earl Lanier, who ridiculed Duke Lars, both sides began to argue violently to get the upper hand.

I looked back at Jiun, ignoring Duke Jena, who seemed to be dumbfounded at the unexpected situation unfolding before his eyes. I saw a smile on her face as she looked at me blankly.

‘Smiling in this situation?’

I had an ominous feeling that something was going wrong.

“Well, then, how about accepting Jiun Graspe as the empress?”

The emperor jokingly asked, as the top five noble families of the empire showed their willingness to adopt her as a foster daughter. It drove the already turbulent meeting into a panic.

At that moment, a high-tone voice was heard among those who remained silent, at a loss what to say.

“Your Majesty, can I, Jiun Graspe, say a word?”

“… Hmm? Go ahead.”

“I have heard about what God’s prophecy about me was. I heard God said the place I wanted was my place. If so, I want to choose a family for myself.”

What the heck? My eyes popped open at her surprise suggestion.

‘Is that woman sitting over there the same Jiun that I used to know?’

I looked down at her, trying to catch my breath. After glancing at me slightly, she smiled brightly. I felt a more ominous feeling now. My nervous heart beat quickly.

“Did you say the place you wanted was your place? So, you want to assert your rights to God’s prophecy? If that’s the case, I feel like I have to give up the throne if you want it.”

“How can I, Your Majesty? I don’t have any qualifications to be the emperor. But…”

After parrying his cold response gently, she said, sweeping her black hair back, “But if it means assisting you as the empress, it’s a different story. As someone said a while ago, I am not equal to Lady Monique. I am the one God sent directly to this place. I am not something like vulgar blood. ”

“So what?”

“But when it comes to Lady Monique, I want to know more. If Duke Jena’s words are correct, it means there is vulgar blood flowing in her body. In that respect, I would like to hear more from Duke Jena about her. If the family I would like to turn to has vulgar blood…”

Jiun smiled brightly, slurring her words. When I thought about what she failed to mention, my whole body trembled.

Not caring about me at all, she said, with her dark eyes sparkling, “I believe God will respect my choice, Your Majesty.”

“Huh… ” After remaining silent for a moment, the emperor nodded.

Looking at her, Duke Jena said with a satisfied expression on his face, “There are many people who can’t remember because it happened a long time ago, but I had a younger sister who allegedly died of sickness. But that is not true. I concealed the truth because it was a disgrace to my family. She was kidnapped by a commoner knight who earnestly loved her.”

Everybody became so quiet in the conference hall that they could even hear even a hair dropping. Looking around them, Duke Jenna continued, “I organized a chase squad to find her, but it took a while. When they found her, she was already pregnant with a commoner baby. She got pregnant after being raped. Do you understand now? That commoner, the kidnapper’s vulgar blood flowed in that baby girl. She was none other than the marquis’s wife. Thanks to the marquis’s protection, she lived as a marquise even though she had no qualifications at all.”

I felt as if the blood in my whole body got cold.

‘Is this the hidden truth about my mother?’

So, that’s why my father was so reluctant to tell me about my mother’s story? And the emperor must have tacitly turned a blind eye to it, even though he was aware of it?

Your Majesty acknowledged me even though you knew it?

I felt as if everyone’s eyes seemed to focus on me. I tried to stay calm, holding the hem under my desk as much as I could. Whatever the reason, I should not act strangely enough for the noble faction to find fault with.

“Duke Jena, it looks like you have a great talent as a storyteller. Thanks for your story,” said my father, who listened to the duke silently. He looked the same as before, but I felt his voice was subdued a lot.

‘It seems some of the duke’s story is true.’

Holding my trembling hands tightly, I barely controlled my expression.

Tilting his head, Duke Jenna talked back, “Novel? I’ve just told the truth.”

“If you want to argue what you have said is true, you need evidence. Can you present the evidence to support your claim? If you blamed me without any specific evidence, you will have to pay the price for disgracing my family. ”

“Then, Marquis, can you present the evidence about your late wife’s family background?”

“It is you who came up with the groundless story first. So, you have to present the evidence first.”

As if he looked aghast, Duke Jena showed his teeth to my father. When he tried to counterattack, raising his eyebrows as much as he could, someones’ cool but determined voice was heard.

“Stop there! Marquis is right, Duke. You’re just making claims without presenting any clear evidence? If you question the marquise’s family background, it is directly related to the honor of the Monique family. As a result, I have to take your groundless claim about her birth as nothing more than slander, ” said the emperor in an angry tone.

“Your Majesty, but…”

“Stop it! I won’t allow you to say anything more about it. As the master of the empire, I can’t tolerate the conflict between the two prestigious families. Got it?”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

“Your Majesty, he has already insulted my family. Please allow me to restore my tarnished honor. ”

“I have already said that I don’t want any conflict between the two families. So, stop it, Marquis. Instead, in order to clear the groundless suspicion, let me disclose the document that recorded the confistication of the marquise’s title as the time of her marriage and the confisticated seal of the Sonia family. Jiun Graspe, isn’t this enough to clear your suspicion?”

The emperor looked around sharply as if he would not tolerate anymore if anybody again raised suspicion about her. Overwhelmed by his threatening posture, the pro-emperor faction and the noble faction shut up, but those who were still looking at me were deeply suspicious.

I realized Duke Jena’s cheap trick suddenly.

‘Duke Jenna was aiming for this kind of thing from the beginning.’

He had no evidence about his preposterous claim from the beginning, though he was convinced. Perhaps he felt if he could make a dent in my honor, that was enough for him.

I don’t know how credible his claim was, but when I examined the directory of the nobles last time, it was certain that my mother had an unknown family background. The matter of her birth could be quickly solved if the emperor decided to disclose the noble directory that recorded her birth, but he didn’t say anything about it. I felt something fishy about it.

Even faced with the emperor’s sharp gaze, Jiun opened her mouth casually, “Yes, Your Majesty. After hearing their argument, I have come to realize for sure which family I should turn to.”

“Okay, which family do you want to choose?”

“I would like to be accepted by Duke Jena as his foster daughter. I believe God will respect my choice, Your Majesty. ”

“… Let me approve. ”

“I’m so grateful for your decision. Then, just like Lady Monique did, can I go to the seat that I deserve to sit in as a member of a great noble family?”

“…Sure, go ahead.”

As soon as the emperor approved, Jiun slowly raised her body.

Like I did in silence, she also clicked her heels to walk to her seat.

After she approached the head table, she bowed to Duke Jenna and said with a smile, “Thank you for accepting me, Daddy. I will not forget your favor.”

“Oh, yes. I’m glad to have you as my daughter. Have a seat here.”

After warming up to him with greetings, she sat down next to the duke just like I did.

Sitting now, on an equal footing with me, she turned her eyes to me after looking around.

At that moment, Jiun’s and my gaze met simultaneously.

She smiled gently while looking at me. Her red lips seemed to be saying something. I strained my eyes to read the movement of her lips.

‘It’s been a while.’

I got goosebumps.