93 - The Bride of the Great Lord is a Warrior from Hell
Alisha answered like an excellent student, but hesitated.
She worried if her answer was correct, and questioned why she was being asked such a thing.
“Isn’t it a bit strange?”
In the East Continent, the Imperial Family, who ruled the Rune Empire, knew the Rune Empire's myths most accurately.
Discussing history with Reikart, a member of the Imperial Family, was as daunting as arguing with a great scholar.
“Myths always have some unrealistic elements, don’t they?”
Alisha hesitated to point out problems in a story she had accepted as natural since childhood.
Every country and every continent had mysterious parts in their founding myths and legends.
Questioning or pointing them out was not polite.
It could easily be seen as insulting the country.
“The Imperial Family of the Rune Empire are descendants of Celestial Beings.”
Reikart said with an indifferent face.
Alisha nodded at the words she had heard countless times since she was young.
Alisha dared not point out the unreality of a winged man.
Perhaps she had experienced the power of a winged Celestial Being.
“Isn’t it funny? That a human inherited the blood of a winged Celestial Being. But it’s true.”
“Yes…?”
Reikart spread a twisted smile.
“The Royal Dot that the Imperial Family can manifest is because they inherited the blood of Celestial Beings. The Royal Dot is a shackle. Descendants who do not manifest the Royal Dot can be freed from the shackle.”
Alisha blinked at the difficult-to-understand words.
The Royal Dot was a symbol of the Imperial Family's glory.
“That’s not important, so never mind. What I find strange is about Emperor Otto. A winged man descended from the sky, married the last princess of Paeirun, and had a child, and that child became Emperor Otto. Emperor Otto couldn’t rule the empire as soon as he was born, could he?”
Reikart’s words sounded a bit like a challenge.
“That’s right…”
Alisha remained cautious.
“So, in fact, Emperor Otto is not the first Emperor of the Rune Empire.”
Reikart stared into the air whenever he spoke about the winged man.
Alisha also glanced at the air, following his gaze.
“Then…”
Was the winged Celestial Being who descended from the sky the first Emperor, not Emperor Otto?
Reikart shook his head at Alisha, who seemed to be asking that.
“It’s not important, but the last princess of Paeirun had a father, but no crown prince, who was her brother. The child who was supposed to be the crown prince had already died before the princess was born.”
“……”
Alisha only blinked at the story she was hearing for the first time.
“The last princess of Paeirun was supposed to marry one of her vassals instead of inheriting the last throne of Paeirun. The groom candidates were a seventy-year-old grandfather chancellor, a forty-something vassal, and a twenty-year-old piece of trash who did all sorts of dirty things. The princess sent the twenty knights given to the heir to the throne to the groom candidates and assassinated them.”
Reikart, who had seemed like a friendly history teacher when he started talking, spoke of a history full of disillusionment with a bleak face.
“Yes?”
“Because she hated all three of them. The royal authority was weakened, and the power of the vassals had grown, so there wasn’t much the princess could do. The princess tried to abandon the throne and run away, but a winged man descended from the sky.”
Reikart stared into the air again as he spoke about the winged man.
Isn’t that a good thing?
Alisha was about to rejoice at the truth of the founding myth, but she closed her mouth.
“The last princess of Paeirun is the last queen of the Paeirun Kingdom and the founder of the Rune Empire. All the Imperial Family of the Rune Empire are her descendants. Her lover, the winged Celestial Being who guarded the Emperor, became involved, and accurate records could not be left.”
Reikart seemed to have a lot of dissatisfaction with the winged man.
“There is more to the founding myth.”
“The story after the last princess and the winged man married and had Emperor Otto?”
Reikart nodded at Alisha’s question and said.
“The winged man became pregnant.”
“Yes?”
“There are winged Celestial Beings, so a Celestial Being can become pregnant. Isn’t that so?”
Alisha was momentarily stunned by Reikart’s words.
“I, I guess so…”
Alisha’s gaze quickly scanned Reikart.
“The winged man gave birth to fraternal twins. The daughter, who resembled the Emperor among the twins, built the Great Temple. The son among the twins had a different appearance from his family and was known not to resemble anyone. Dark skin, white eyes. He became the first Grand Duke Tessen.”
Alisha realized why Reikart had told her the long, long founding myth.
“The first Grand Duke Tessen completed his duties and ended his life. Since then, there have been no winged descendants in the Imperial Family. Instead, among the Emperor’s sons, a child was born whose appearance was slightly different from his brothers.”
Reikart’s words hid the unspoken words, ‘just like me.’
His face was indifferent as he spoke.
“The Emperor, his brother, was therefore afraid of having children.”
Alisha frowned slightly.
She unknowingly spoke in a cold voice.
“His Majesty knows Your Highness’s pain.”
“All the Imperial Family know.”
Reikart turned to look at Alisha’s frowning face.
“The late Emperor did not immediately designate me as the next Grand Duke Tessen after my younger brother, the previous Grand Duke Tessen, died. Then, one by one, the Imperial grandchildren collapsed. They suffered from fever and hallucinations. As all the Imperial Family with the Royal Dot collapsed, the late Emperor eventually raised me to Grand Duke Tessen.”
Alisha could now understand the attitude of the Imperial Family towards Reikart.
The strict formality and heartfelt respect were not simply due to the hierarchy of titles.
All the Imperial Family were spending a peaceful life with Reikart Tessen as a hostage.
The Emperor felt sorry for plunging his brother into the hell of pain, so he regarded Reikart as the top priority among the Imperial Family.
The Emperor hesitated to have children, fearing that one of his children would suffer the same pain as Reikart.
“Ray.”
Alisha always felt sorry for Reikart, who was struggling with pain.
She felt more sorry for the man in front of her than ever before at the unexpected story she had just heard.
Alisha firmly grasped the hand of the pitiful being.
“I’m okay.”
Reikart said to the face that looked at him worriedly.
“You’re not okay.”
Alisha shook her head, holding Reikart’s hand tightly with both hands.
She comforted him and was angry at the Imperial Family who had put him in this situation.
Reikart spread a faint smile as he looked at the indignant Alisha.
Alisha stopped being angry on his behalf and soon changed her expression.
“Ray, I have something to say. And a request.”
“A request?”
“Didn’t the previous Emperors fear as much as His Majesty does now? The late Emperor tried not to raise Ray to Grand Duke Tessen. I don’t think His Majesty now is weaker-hearted than the late Emperors. Emperors are afraid, but they have no choice but to have children. Because that is the Emperor’s duty.”
Alisha said, holding Reikart’s hand.
It was a ruthless and cold statement.
But it was an accurate explanation of the existence of the Emperor.
“What is your request? Alisha.”
Reikart understood what Alisha was trying to say.
Something else was preventing the Emperor’s child from being born.
“Please get rid of all of Duchess Belz’s gifts.”
Alisha whispered in a small voice.
“……!”
The composure on Reikart’s face was momentarily shattered.
There was no need for a separate explanation.
Looking at his face, Alisha continued.
“Keep everything about the gifts a secret.”
“Alisha.”
“Duchess Belz is useful to me. This is my request, Ray.”
Alisha finished speaking with a gentle expression.
Reikart stared at Alisha, who was making a sinister request with a refreshing face, for a long time before nodding.
“I will.”
Looking up at his complicated face, Alisha gave a light smile.
“When we go to Tessen, let’s go destroy White West Arlik.”
“The castle in the forest?”
“Yes, I think something good will come out if we take care of that place.”
Alisha, who had just hinted at a huge background, spoke like a rookie adventurer.
Reikart was pushed by the face that looked at him with sparkling eyes and nodded again.
“I will.”
He seemed to be nodding at everything Alisha said, but he decided not to argue.
Meanwhile, Alisha was lost in thought.
When she, who had been to hell, touched him, Reikart’s pain disappeared.
There seemed to be something at White West Arlik, which she had seen in hell, that would erase Reikart’s pain.
Wouldn’t there be something there if we went?
I hope there’s something good.
Duchess Belz’s office had recently been the epitome of strictness.
Originally, the Duchess, who was meticulous in her work, became even more demanding as her visits to the Imperial Palace decreased.
The lamp on the desk.
The teacup.
The paper and quill.
All items had to be placed correctly in the position Duchess Belz wanted.
The most important thing among them was the letters that came to the Duchess’s residence.
She had to sort them by the rank of the sender, the material of the outer envelope, and the invitations that immediately revealed the purpose.
Duchess Belz began her work by opening the most ornate letter.
The paper knife neatly cut the ornate outer envelope.
[To Duchess Belz.
I look forward to seeing you with your friend Master Katrina.
Sincerely, Sirius.]
The paper on which the letter was written was stamped with a pattern like the gold decoration of the Golden Incense Candle that Duchess Belz presented to the Imperial Family.
In addition, the letter faintly smelled like the Golden Incense Candle.
Thud.
The letter fell from Duchess Belz’s hand.
“……!”
There was no one in the office, but the Duchess unknowingly looked around.
Surprised and throwing the letter, she reread the short content.
“Sirius?”
Duchess Belz’s eyebrows tilted fiercely.
With an uneasy face, the Duchess, who had put aside her work, left the office.
It was the morning that Alisha and Reikart left for Tessen.
Cynthia had done her best so far.
She had calmly overcome the territorialism of the high-nosed social circles of Imperial Capital Baden, and she had known the true nature of her dangerous comrades who had other intentions and boldly cut off relations.
She was also doing a good job of matching the whims of the incompetent Marquis Reine, who was acting tyrannical nearby.
Cynthia’s contribution could not be left out in the fact that Viscount Brenel and Marquis Mannors had become close.
There were minor difficulties and obstacles, but Cynthia herself had made a great effort to ensure that Viscount Brenel was on a roll these days.
So, Cynthia Brenel believed.
Today was the day Cynthia received the reward for her efforts so far.
Marquis Mannors introduced Cynthia, who had kept her faith and strengthened the relationship between the families, to a good spouse.
“Lady Cynthia, thank you for your hospitality.”
Everyone in the Brenel family happily welcomed Cynthia’s groom candidate.
“Welcome, Sir Ralph.”
Cynthia greeted Ralph Berea with the brightest face she could make.
He, the second son of Count Berea, was a promising young man.
The two had a pleasant time having a meal prepared by the Brenel family.
The space decorated in the garden was a good place for unmarried men and women to meet officially.
Cynthia’s family members looked at the good-looking couple from afar.
“6, 5, 4, 3……”
A place far from Cynthia’s family.
Anne, who was hiding in a corner of the garden, counted down.
“2, 1, now!”
Anne, who had been whispering secretly, turned her body around.
“Ugh!”
The sound of a man vomiting violently echoed from a specially prepared place in the garden.
The conscience pricked at the sound that made her feel the pain so acutely.