It has been a considerable amount of time since Selena last visited the primary palace. This was during the period when she was still vying for her partner's affection and harboring an unconditional love for him, before experiencing the loss of their child.

The seed of memories still drifted as she strolled through the corridors. Then there she saw that memory of a once in love princess who seeks the prince wherever he goes.

It was a memory she regarded as "distasteful" to start with. She looks at the paintings on the wall and the vases’ design on each block. A girl fading from her sight was walking down to it. The girl was fortunate as she walked through the vacant corridors.

Another one was a sad young lady, who was holding a book in her hand, another one was an aging lady—the height was taller than the other one, walking in the corridors with a child of two day’s since birth in her hand.

The infant? She shakes her head as they deliberately walk down the corridors leading to the conference room, where the meeting is presently being held.

This palace bore a lot of memories for Selena, so it was heavy for the author to look away whenever memory floods from her eyes.

Besides, obnoxious or not. This is not the proper time for her to think about those distressing memories. She needed to maintain focus on her objectives and the purpose of her presence in front of her husband.

Selena maintained that so her mind won't falter by such thoughts.

━━✣━━

The empress has never visited the main palace since the day her child died, that is why her display was rather unpredictable to a good deal of personnel in the palace.

Not only does she seem quite cold as of late, her demeanor was dashing with radiant light, it was so bright everyone was stunned. There was a rumor of her working in the Empress Palace recently, causing uncertain gossip about her well-being. So maybe the empress is turning into a new leaf after all.

Besides, unlike her customary beauty routine. Her plain and tranquil demeanor was better suited for her role as empress. Her beauty is unmatched, and the change in her style highlighted her radiant image.

She bears the symbol of her family’s silver white hair, lighter than a snow, brighter than water, it gives off that feeling of an angel descending to earth. The color of her eyes stare like a red blood staining the entire field of snow, staring with an audacious, haughty glare, yet performs such a dry ranch.

Her cheeks were plum, her nose was sharp, her lips reflected the tight glossy pink color sticking on her lips. Her features show varied comparison from before she was pregnant and after, but her figure did not change.

She still has such a slender, perfectly shaped body. Her style of fashion has further changed, and there was no less than one ring on her hand. She wore nothing but one ring, not even a single ruby necklace, or emerald diamond earrings. It is just her wedding ring and her plain dress.

The tips of her high heels were stomping on the marble floor, creating that cold yet stern aura of a deliberate empress. It echoes on a floor with a soft sound, enabling everyone to talk. They were just observing her.

Selena tilted at the doorknob that led to the conference room, as guards were at each side trying to block her from invading.

She glances at them as silently as she could before she looked. "Sir Marquis, the empress's obligation is to inspect what?"

Sir Rohas yielded his head and made the guards jolt. "Conduct of the palace servants."

She nodded as she returned to them. "According to the etiquette of the empire’s policy for the empress task, the empress has the jurisdiction to join an important meeting which is carried out in the conference room—"

"I dare you to block my path again. I will make sure you will work at the lowest rank of the Imperial Palace next time. Be fortuitous, I am not accusing you of treason," she said.

The guards look at each other reluctantly. Indeed, blocking the empress is already a crime unless it is by the order of his majesty. There is no point fighting a battle they cannot win if the opponent is the empress. 

So they both bow and step out of her way.

There she passes, Selena opens the door as wide as she can and she enters bluntly.

"We wish for you to consider replacing the empress, your majesty!"

━━✣━━

It was a foolish notion to let them initiate this tumultuous discussion—a meeting they asked for. Yet, as a monarch, he didn't have an option but to approve of this 'necessary' meeting these ministers had assembled. 

In fact, he told them not to, but those old buffoons were very persistent at the slightest.

Well, with that kind of topic, they couldn’t ask him directly so they pulled out topics they could come up to, thus their primary target is to convince him to replace the empress. That was their intention from the start. They couldn't control their emotions to overthrow her certain existence.

"As you know, we had dealings with Duke Helthes about the properties that had been damaged during last year’s drought."

However, they endeavored to engage in superficial conversation in an attempt to dupe his majesty's discernment.

"Didn't we handle that previously?"

Or perhaps they are just poking problems to call it a meeting. He carefully taps his fingers on the table, waiting for them to finish this pointless meeting that had ripped the emperor's time.

"W-we did—"

"Enough! Time to express your true intentions. My day is not to be wasted," he stopped and yelled at them. 

The ministers look at him in shivers, but they can't withdraw now. They all prepared for this day, a period to persuade and replace the empress who has not done her duty and that they dislike. 

One of them stood up. "Your majesty, we wish for you to consider replacing the empress!"

A bold move, he thought and smirked at the same time. The door suddenly banged open revealing a wild silver haired woman—the empress was just in front of them with an ominous look.

She must have heard the minister talk about replacing her, although the emperor doesn't have a thought of reinstating her. If the minister is here for such a meeting, then this is not an essential matter.

"Your majesty, the empress!"

Everybody was alarmed, not only by the emperor who was looking at her, but even the minister who was talking behind her back. 

Selena's eye tilted at the man sitting beside his majesty. Then she smirks and yields. "Greetings, your majesty, the emperor," she then glanced up. "I apologize for my bold timing."

The ministers’ shivers turn cold. The empress' expression was so sharp that they couldn't even return to what they were talking about with his majesty.

"Not at all, empress, please come in and sit with the minister," it was a chance he could make sure the minister does not simply mock her authority. The emperor thought it was a perfect stage to show her capability, as the empress chosen by him.

Besides, he can't simply replace the empress. Despite her vile acts during the year that disgraced the Imperial Family, the empress did more than to dishonor the family, but she was the reason the empire grew steadily as each day passed.

Replacing her was never a plan.

"I must say," she said, and she looked at him before she nodded. "You have a fine choice for an incompetent attendee, husband."

They all look at her with the same thought, "What!?" a hustle of confusion and a mix of irritation. 

They are being called useless at this point. "Y-your majesty, please cease from ridiculing the ministers!" 

Ah, the count, ministry of health attendees, the worthless minister who can't even work with a competence. 

"Let the empress talk, ministers," his majesty said, and they all dropped silently.

"As an illustration of a regrettable circumstance, I was merely articulating the 'truth' regarding your inadequate job performance." she smirked and Derrick handed her over the documents.

"Initially, the education ministry, under the guise of imperial authority, is engaged in defacing insurrectionist behavior within the Premore realm. Presently, we possess compelling substantiation to expel you from our midst."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disregarded the issue of slave trading emanating from the Pytra Region, and has declined any assistance offered by the affected area."

She swapped each page one by one. "The Ministry of Manpower displays an excessive level of confidence in its abilities, disregarding the urgent need to assist our overburdened citizens. This is evident as it compares their daily exploitation to the provision of necessary aid.."

"There we go, the ministry of finance, conspiring with the ministry of manpower to over charge enormous stores and the conduction of protection fees from small merchants—" she turns the page and throws it in front of them. "What more incompetence do you want to hear?"

"Ah, of course, the ministry of health attended. How can I forget you, Count Raymond? You ignore a world crisis—an epidemic that could take many lives!" 

The crimes of each minister had been unveiled like a carpet in the hallways. The empress dissatisfied look forced them into silence. The documents she scattered were all the evidence of their crime.

Which the emperor was aware of since then—now, he can see the faces of those who deceived his trust shift towards each other.

He clicks his tongue. "Be grateful that the empress is not sending you all into the guillotine. Now your only choice is either announce your crimes or resign—"

"That's too shallow for a punishment, husband," she said and a smile formed from her lips. "What will happen if they rebel? Would they have been as good as dead right now?"

The grim look of the empress made the ministers look at her and they all bowed at her feet. "Your majesty, the empress, please forgive us! We promise not to do it again!" 

"Sign a fealty contract," she coldly said.