FORMER Duchess Thalia could hear the whispers as soon as she strode into the palace hall. Eyes were everywhere, and their mouth began to speak a thousand hurtful words, but none of them mattered to her. She was about to ignore the enlistment of her name in the Empress selection, yet she was summoned by the Emperor's decree.
That man is cunning and knowledgeable. He knows how to play people in his hands through the authority he holds.
Thalia silently sat in the corner, observing the ladies as if they were trying to impress each other. She could see some famous ladies from powerful noble houses, wearing their luxurious dresses and jewelry. She was not supposed to be there in the first place, but Shun personally visited and beseeched her to continue the selection even though the eliminatio
