It has been a week since the emperor left.The empire remained preoccupied with combating the spread of the plague, which had infiltrated neighboring villages that were unaware of the warning issued by the capital.

Three days ago, doctors and scientists identified the type of virus which had been inflicted into a one body cell. It was dubbed the (Void), a contagion synthesized from the very essence of sorcery.

To ensure fast research, the empress ordered the mage tower to help in discovering a cure. After that, her conquest of balancing the court had begun, with the emperor gone, all heavy burden was put on her shoulders.

She had to ask their opinion, and only her trusted attendees could talk directly to her. She has not seen Rohas as of late, but he gives a message stating that he is returning to the palace with an apology for his sudden disappearance.

The letter was left in her office, and it was late when she read it. She was tired, which is why she didn’t bother talking to anyone.

Her husband decided so hastily and left just to flee from her eyes. Before, in Selena's memory, the emperor would not do such a thing, but the situation changed, even her husband has changed.

Things never go as planned, even when she was determined to change Selena's course of the story. Furthermore, he refrained from any physical or emotional harm towards her and disregarded any unfounded speculations. He remained faithful to his spouse. Selena had misunderstood his case, and she just assumed that everything was true.

The emperor would forgive her actions, and even though he failed as a husband, he never failed to give anything she wanted. He was not the gentle one who speaks, but he was also not the type who would insult his wife.

He just failed to fulfill his role as a husband, but everything was not entirely his fault.

"There is a prevalent issue of miscommunication in contemporary times," she mumbled to herself. Ever since he left, she was working in his office as his official representative, so the look on his office was still new to her.

Still, the lingering of the emperor lurks all around his office, making it impossible for Selena to focus whenever she reminds of that day. 

*Knock*

"Your majesty," she shifted and she grabbed the documents on the table.

"Come in," she said, giving the person outside the permission to enter. Derrick heard her response, and he quietly entered the door.

"Lady Stella showed up to ask the official date of her lawsuit trial since her majesty had postponed it during the recent crises," he stated with a serious look.

Selena growls and she looks at him. "Schedule it early tomorrow morning. Make sure as well to have all the preparation done before we proceed. Tell her as well that I am deeply saddened to cancel our meeting. I have a lot of work to be done by midnight."

And the epidemic that is still active in front. 

Derrick gently nodded, and he bowed before he left. It would be nice to see the empress bright again, but with his majesty gone and the things that had happened before, she looks more dead than alive.

He worries that she's putting herself in a lot of stress, but at this moment, the empire is in a critical situation and there are schedules that have not been met.

It would be best for them to hide his concern and help her as best as he could until his majesty comes back. He looked up at the emperor's palace with anticipation, but strangely, his office felt so distant.

He looks at the adjoining room door, which has the logo of the Alvadiz Empire. Beyond this door lies the awaiting Lady Stella who came to the palace to meet the empress.

It was Lady Stella's idea to postpone the trial, so he was grateful to her, but this case can not continue to be postponed. 

He enters the door when the lady appears before her. She still has such a demeanor that one can get enchanted too just by looking. 

Still, the lady is a brave person who stood up from her miserable marriage life.

She is a survivor, someone who has lived her life and survived fate on her own hand. He respects such a person who does not succumb to a written fate.

He bowed his head and greeted me. "My lady, greetings and welcome to the palace."

Stella tilted, and she stood up. "Er, so, her majesty?"

Derrick simply smiles. "Regrettable to say but the empress is currently working, and she wants me to tell you how saddened she is for canceling your meeting. However, she agreed to push your case tomorrow morning."

She looks at him and she stiffly smiles. looks like the rumors were true, as his majesty is absent. The empress had been busy with all the work managers in the emperor's palace.

"Is that so?" she paused and looked. "Is her majesty alright?"

Derrick fake a smile. "Yes, she is—"

"Lie," she said. "Her majesty is a tough person, but she is still human. She must be suffering right now."

In a marriage where love is excluded, there's no reason to shed for someone who both did not love each other, but marriage is a two parties pledging to each other.

In this matter, the empress is different.

"Well," he stiffly smiles. "I assume you already heard of the news?"

She nodded, and they sat down. "It’s hard to believe that the empire is in great danger, the emperor left in a rush expedition and the empress is taking all of those extra measures by herself."

"Indeed, the empress had a lot on her plate—some of them are duties she wasn't trained to accomplish, but she was doing fine. You do not need to worry. We just don't know what exactly happened, and how it started. The empire all knew that the emperor and empress did not marry for love, but it’s hard to believe that from what we saw during the conference."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It would be a great betrayal if I follow what gossipers do," he said with a stiff smile. Although Stella wasn't satisfied, she can understand that not everything needs to be reasoned.

"Perhaps if we leave it behind—" she paused. "We can't do such a thing, even if the empress is fine, she may not look on the inside."

It's not that Derrick didn't know that, but there is nothing they can do to fix a broken marriage. It could have been different if both choose to communicate, but even communication without trust—it is not something they can mend.

"Can you say that to his majesty as well?" That's right, no matter what, both of them have to take the first step towards breaking one wall. If the empress is not fine, what of the emperor who left for such a reason?

Yet, one cannot judge someone, for they don't know the full story themselves to understand the situation.

"There is nothing we can do indeed. They must fix their own if they both still seek one another—but they are married through arrangements."

Derrick doesn't know. The scene before felt like more than that. Maybe a spark had ignited while both were healing from their own phase. 

"Life is uncertain. We can’t tell which is right or which is wrong. Fate is deceit, for everything in life is so uncertain, and so our destiny cannot be foreseen on what may come to be."

She smiles. "You are literate, I respect that," but Derrick was right. Everything is uncertain, whether fate is woven or life that has no bound.

 "I am happy to hear that," he said, and then he simply nodded.

Stella looked at him and one came to her. He is very gentle, and yet he seems very different from what she heard outside. The empress secretary is a beauty but has no name. Now she realizes how misleading those stories outside are.

He shows decency more; he respects everyone he meets, he’s so different from a noble. The way he speaks shows consideration, and he doesn't speak if he knows some words are crucial and cannot be revealed. He is truly a trustworthy person by her majesty’s side.

"You are indeed the empress secretary—" said Stella. If she can leave her husband's side, maybe she can settle for a new beginning to do what she wants. "Can a woman take part in a Secretarial Exam?" she asked.

Derrick flinched and he looked. "Why do you ask?"

"I-I ne-nevermind—"

He shook his head. "I don't mean to scare you. Have you seen the news from the newspaper?"

She nodded and he smiled. "Maybe perhaps you are interested?"

Stella looked down and she breathed out. "Indeed, but the empire had never allowed women to partake in any courses led by men."

She was right. Throughout centuries and millennia, women have been excluded from courses led by men. It is pointless to be interested when she can't even do it.

"You seem so unsure that you can't partake. There is no law that forbids that. We partly follow a culture, and we assume it with one glance. You are lucky that this year’s selection varies from the past!"

She giggled. "You sound so sure, secretary," and then she breathed out. "Will the exam judge one’s ability?"

"Yes, today's selection was elected to open for both women and men."

It seems encouraging, but there is still one that she must accomplish to enter the exam. She stood up and she bows.

"Please take me in as your apprentice," said Stella.

"You sure are brave, but one must be done before I decide."

Stella looks. "What could that be?"

“Your victory in the lawsuit is crucial for you to be my apprentice, as I do not allow married women because of the seriousness of our work in the palace.”