Editor: Areth Kyntaul
I never thought my city would be so lively.
Though, there were residents present right from the start. But after bad harvests and being stripped of one thing after another, how could they have money to waste at bars and in the entertainment district?
Freya said that a city must have an entertainment district to be stable. The people need entertainment, but that wouldn’t be a need when filling your belly and staying warm are problems themselves.
People came here one by one. They were all dignitaries and people from all over the lands. Many of them came because they admired Her Majesty, while some came to see me. As a result, the main thing I’ve been doing these days has been receiving different people.
Their identities were intricate and complex. There were musicians, academics, and even a sculptor who came to sculpt a statue of the top half of my body…
Of course, I turned him down…
‘I’m still alive! I don’t want to see my statue staring at me! I don’t need it, yet!’
We’ve begun preparing for my wedding.
What was the most ironic was that the person who sent me blessings for my wedding was the young pope. When he saw me, his face turned white as a sheet due to fear.
It looks like what I did that night left him with a huge fear.
Nier, however, really liked him. Every time she saw him, she would stare at him. Her hands would quiver, and she would keep on asking me if she could hug him.
I didn’t care, since he was just a kid in Nier’s eyes. I didn’t want to butt heads with the church either as they had completely become the royal family’s subordinate.
Their religion’s doctrine had been changed to have the empress as the sovereign. Basically, they now worship the empress. Wait, no. They worship the royal family.
But the ‘royal family’ only consisted of two people. One was Elizabeth and the other was me.
That’s why Mommy Elizabeth let Nier, who had no surname, take on the royal family’s surname without hesitation.
Normally, Nier wouldn’t be able to take on the royal family’s surname, even if she were to marry into the royal family, with her background and identity. However, due to the royal family members being very few and Nier being liked by the empress, she was able to become part of the royal family.
Thus, she was able to go from a Valkyrie to a royal family member.
Lucia took on the Galadriel surname, however; I don’t have a clue what Vyvyan is thinking. Based on fragments of what Vyvyan has told me, I only know that the Galadriel tribe is very strict about bloodlines.
Back when my father eloped with Elizabeth, the elven king sent out nearly everyone to hunt down Elizabeth. Not even Vyvyan could resist the pressure and was forced to bring her brother back.
The reason I can now do as I please is that the demigod Vyvyan now has complete control over the Galadriel tribe.
If Vyvyan had not become the yandere that she is now, she would, by now, have had a daughter who would have been made my wife for the sake of maintaining the purity of the Galadriel tribe’s bloodline. If I didn’t have such a sister…
I imagined Vyvyan’s blood-red eyes, and a chill went up my spine…
I really would be forced to marry Vyvyan then, wouldn’t I?! I would be forced to, for the sake of keeping the Galadriel tribe’s bloodline pure.
Elves aren’t against free-love. However, the royal family is very strict about their bloodline since mana was power.
“How is it? How is it?! Your Majesty!! How is it?!” Nier smiled cheerfully as she held the bottom of her dress and spun around.
The captivating diamond necklace she wore swayed along like a rainbow was following her graceful movements, emphasising her face. The beauty of the pair made one marvel at the sight.
A colourful phoenix was sewn onto a corner of the wedding dress. Under the swaying of the light, it looked like the phoenix was dancing.
The crown she wore wasn’t as heavy as I thought. It actually looked very light. The divine shape of the phoenix must’ve been made from pearls.
At the back of her head was a thin veil which revealed her white neck.
Others are not permitted to use this bird shape, which resembled a phoenix, as it was the creature that represented the empress. Hillier’s means “the phoenix’s nest.”
I think Nier is the only one who has this special honour of using the same totem as the empress.
“That’s cow-tits for you. You can still move around in such heavy clothes.” Lucia snorted with disdain and then wrapped her arm around mine.
She blushed as she flapped her white dress and then said, “Your Highness, mine looks better, doesn’t it? Since… since… I wore this… for our first time… the moon that night sure was beautiful…”
Nier looked at her grouchily and then me with her shiny eyes. My whole body jerked and then I shook my head.
‘There’s no way I’m going to do it with you while you’re wearing that dress! There’s nothing on Lucia’s dress. It’s just a plain white dress, while yours has diamonds hanging off of it. I’m afraid I’ll throw my back out! And you never listen to me. You pounce me whenever you feel like it. If you mount me while wearing that dress, don’t you think my ribs will bend inwards and I’ll burst some organs?!’
“Tch. How shameless. You elves sure are stingy. You only get married once in a lifetime, yet you’re so stingy. Or were you planning to get married a few more times after His Majesty passes away?” Nier fired back.
She hugged my other arm and showed Lucia she wasn’t going to lose.
All of the hairs on Lucia’s petite body stood up. She looked at Nier furiously and angrily exclaimed, “Don’t apply you humans’ lowly view of life to us! Our love is absolutely loyal and devoted! I will only love His Highness for my entire life! If His Highness’s life comes to an end, mine shall too!”
“Don’t say something so scary!” I held my hand to my forehead.
I had a beauty on each side, but my days weren’t peaceful.
The designer tapped on her wrinkly forehead and with a smile said, “So then, Your Majesty, if you feel that Her Majesty the princess’ dress is alright, I shall take my leave.”
I nodded and replied, “Thank you very much. I am very happy with her dress. Thank you.”
The designer bowed deeply, sighed and then said, “You need not thank me, Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Empress’ body is more suited than Her Majesty the Princess’. When I took Her Majesty the princess’ measurements, Her Majesty the Empress looked on with envy. It seems that Her Majesty the Empress really wants to wear a wedding dress again…”
“Actually, I would say that Her Majesty is thinking of her own family. Your Majesty, we have never seen your father. Perhaps he passed away in battle? Marriage is a very important matter for women. I have lived for a very long time and designed countless outfits for Her Majesty the Empress. I want to design a wedding dress for Her Majesty the Empress.”
“All of her current clothes are my works, so my dream as a designer can be said to be achieved.”
I silently nodded.
Elizabeth is like that. It looks like the majestic and imposing empress desires a family more than anyone, in reality. She’s a gentle woman, a kind mom, and definitely a virtuous… okay, not virtuous… wife. Elizabeth’s emotions must be like a roller-coaster ride, seeing Nier get ready to be married so cheerfully.
I looked at the designer and quietly asked, “Why don’t you?”
“Your Majesty?!”
“This is my personal request.” I chuckled softly and then elaborated, “Please design a wedding dress for the empress, Her Majesty. Place it in her room on my wedding day. Although I am not her husband, I am her son, so… I do look like her husband, right…?”
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