Chapter 136
After spending a busy period delivering wedding invitations, Alter finally managed to return to the mansion.
Despite carefully selecting the people to whom he had to deliver the invitations in person, he could not help but be pressed for time.
It was probably because, as the number of guests increased, so too did the number of invitations.
'It doesn't feel real. Am I finally getting married now?'
Lost in thought, Alter glanced at Brillie.
Brillie seemed quite exhausted as well, quietly sipping her teacup without a word.
Even though it was only a political marriage, both he and Brillie were putting their true feelings into it.
'Now, apart from Brillie, I wouldn't be able to get married.'
As Alter retraced his past, he recalled his first encounter with Brillie.
They had clearly been wary of each other, and their personalities were so different that even the direction of conversations clashed.
Yet, it was Brillie who first approached him, and perhaps because of that, his preconceived notions began to change.
'Do I... love Brillie?'
Alter asked himself again but couldn't bring himself to answer.
One thing was certain—he treasured Brillie. Still, he wasn't sure if that could truly be called affection.
'Is it just because I've seen her so often that I've grown attached? Hmm...'
Unable to fully accept that idea, Alter deeply suppressed such thoughts. For now, he simply could not make a judgment.
Perhaps it was something he had to discover bit by bit after living together with Brillie.
'What I should be focusing on right now is...'
"The Northern Grand Duke probably won't be able to come down to the capital, right?"
"I believe so. He values his duty above all else."
"Still, he came last time, didn't he?"
"That was different. My father was a close friend of the previous Emperor. He missed the requiem, so he must have come down reluctantly that time."
"But isn't it a bit much? For your child's wedding, he should at least make a brief appearance."
"He can't neglect his duty just because of me, can he?"
"But I heard that after we visited, the monsters haven't been appearing as much, right?"
"Yes, that's true."
"Then couldn't he just temporarily delegate command to the deputy-commander or aides and drop by for a bit?"
"Um..."
Lost for words, Alter met Brillie's gaze.
is father had not attended his younger sister's wedding in person either.
While his younger sister's mother had come, that was a scene he could hardly hope for himself.
"I know his circumstances, but I still think he should adjust for this, at least. Even if it's a political marriage, it's not any different, right?"
"I understand what you mean... But I want to honor my father's wishes. As his child, how could I infringe upon the Northern Grand Duke's authority?"
"..."
Brillie almost argued that point but reluctantly closed her mouth.
Just because she disapproved didn't mean she should hurt Alter's pride.
On the contrary, as they had promised marriage, she felt she ought to understand his position.
"Couldn't you yield just a little on this?"
"Yield? I was just voicing my thoughts. If I offended you, I apologize."
"No, in principle, you are correct, lady Brillie. It's just not everyone has the same circumstances."
"Everyone will understand. Someone needs to protect the northern territory, after all."
Brillie cared more about Alter's situation than about the perceptions of others.
She herself had no reason to be bound by the prejudices of other nobles.
However, the reality that Alter would have to contend with might be rather cold indeed.
'Is it all right to get married with no family present...?'
Of course, Alter's half-siblings had settled in the capital and would probably attend the wedding.
Yet they were only siblings, and it was important that parents be directly involved.
Especially as Alter's mother had passed away early, his father's absence would stand out even more.
'I'll have to embrace him even more.'
Brillie reaffirmed her resolve, her gaze full of pity.
From now on, she would always remain by Alter's side.
As his companion, she would have to fill whatever was lacking.
'I don't know if I love this person. But... I don't want to lose him.'
Brillie stood between affection and a sense of responsibility.
She had accepted Alter as her husband, but couldn't quite see into her true feelings.
Perhaps she was still being swayed by the pretext of a political marriage.
'Am I overcomplicating things? What is it that I should really be doing...?'
* * *
Zair, after checking the letter, could not help but agonize over it for quite some time.
His youngest son was finally holding a wedding, yet he himself was unable to leave Goranmoche Castle.
Since the next head of the household had not yet been decided, whom should he send as a representative?
'Normally, it would be right to send the mother...'
Zair thought of Uriel, then shook his head.
Uriel, the legitimate wife of the grand duke's house, had passed away long ago.
Having another wife attend would only put him in a difficult position.
'Sending Rozandion or Marchen... hmm, that wouldn't be a good solution either.'
Both were Alter's half-siblings, but in many ways, they stood in a competitive relationship.
Alter was well aware of this, and there was no reason to send either of them to the capital.
'The best would be to entrust Tina, but can I really just leave it at that?'
Zair still harbored many regrets regarding Alter.
Since childhood, Alter had suffered from a curse and survived with neither his mother's love nor Zair's support.
He had done nothing for his son, and now even considered avoiding his wedding.
'Will I safeguard my honor, or will I act with no regrets...'
Zair ceaselessly weighed those two options. As the Northern Grand Duke, he should not be swayed by personal emotions.
But as a father, if he ignored his son's wedding, wouldn't he regret it for the rest of his life?
'I was a poor father to Alter. I couldn't give him anything, only ensured his survival.'
Zair closed his eyes, overcome with remorse.
He had obsessed over Alter's safety and did not let him outside the castle.
All the while, he plotted for the family's benefit and even pushed through the political marriage with the duke's house.
Alter had quietly accepted all those conditions, but in reality, they must have seemed cruel.
'Do you think she's a good partner for him? If so, then I can't help but go.'
Finally, Zair reached a decision: he must attend the wedding, even if only briefly, and light up the occasion.
For the sake of Alter and Uriel, he could set aside his pride.
'You too must have hoped for this from me, Uriel...'
* * *
Yuria received the two in audience and personally accepted their wedding invitation.
She was somewhat aware of their marriage, considering she had sent them on so many dangerous missions.
Now that they were finally getting married, shouldn't she, as the Emperor, offer her blessing?
'I must have taken that chance from them. However urgent things were, I overstepped.'
Yuria gazed at the invitation, then placed it gently inside her drawer.
She had used the two, driven by her own power and ambition.
The regicide, seizing the throne, subjugating dragons, and purging rebel factions.
Had they not helped, she could never have reached this place.
'If I attend the wedding, it'll just cause a fuss... I'll have to send a proxy.'
At a wedding, all attention should be on the bride and groom.
But the Emperor's presence would only overawe the atmosphere, and in the end, dampen the mood.
So it would be best to have a representative deliver a congratulatory letter and gift.
'It's a little regretful... but I must refrain.'
Yuria, recalling the former Emperor's advice and the deposed Emperor, accepted this naturally.
The former Emperor—her father—had worried about the nobles' pride and the concentration of power.
The deposed Emperor—her half-brother—forgot that, and ended up relinquishing the throne to her.
Looking back, if she had not been connected to the youngest son of the grand duke's house, she might not have become Emperor at all.
'My destiny is really so light. A fleeting choice changed everything.'
With a wry smile, Yuria caressed the armrest of her chair.
She had sacrificed much to become Emperor, yet it all happened in a fleeting moment.
Had anything gone wrong, she would surely have lost her life.
'This is how it was meant to be. It had to happen like this.'
Yuria, once again, accepted the choices she had made.
Giving up the youngest son of the grand duke's house, keeping the deposed Emperor in check, and making the next great mage and Sword Flower her most trusted confidants—all of these had determined her fate as Emperor.
'... If I leave no heir, rebels will rise again.'
For some time, Yuria had been seeking someone who could become her consort.
She could not carry on the line alone, and needed to finally set the troubled imperial household in order.
She was determined to lay a solid foundation so the painful past would not repeat itself.
'So in the end, I can't marry the one I wanted? What an ironic life it is.'
* * *
The Knight of True Flame was enduring pain, engulfed in flames and electricity.
Power he had craved so desperately demanded an equally severe price.
Though his will waned the longer time passed, his desire would not be suppressed.
"Haah... Haa... Meaning? What use is meaning...?"
The Knight of True Flame was still obsessed with what the next great mage had said.
The reason to become strong, the great purpose, a firm belief and set of values.
Why was he so fettered by overwhelming power?
"Are you asking me about meaning? Aren't you the one cheapening that meaning!"
The Knight of True Flame unconsciously voiced resentment toward the next great mage.
Because the next great mage existed, because he was so far above everyone else, he was made even more wretched.
So he resolved to defeat him by force and prove his value.
"Are you trying to take even this from me? I can't allow that. I've already given up everything!"
Crying out, the Knight of True Flame clenched his fists.
By now, the next great mage had likely returned to the capital.
No doubt he would be celebrated as a hero, perhaps even preparing to wed Sword Flower.
In comparison, he had become a public enemy of the Agnes Empire, obsessed only with power.
"To me, this is everything. Power is truth! Was it not power that ended both war and peace?"
Firmly believing in his view, the Knight of True Flame was convinced of his own righteousness.
Now, all he needed was to steal mana from Ru the Luminescent and Lailnetia the Devouring.
If he absorbed all dragon mana, could he not become the greatest human—and monster—in history?
"I'll prove my meaning. Nothing can stop me. Krrrk... Kuaaa!"
---