Side Story 2

“My lady, we’ve arrived.”

The coachman’s voice called out as the carriage door opened.

Alice stepped down from the carriage, taking Aileen’s hand who had disembarked first, and widened her eyes at the person standing in front of the temple.

“High Priest Prion.”

The Great Temple of Helios, the Sun God.

She had come without sending advance notice. Yet Prion had come out to greet her like this.

Alice approached him.

“How did you know I was coming… And aren’t you terribly busy right now?”

Prion was currently handling all the duties of the Pope. The formal appointment ceremony where he would officially take the Pope’s position was scheduled for early next month.

That meant every day was extremely busy for him. So… she had been hesitant about sending the invitation.

She had specifically told Prion that he needn’t stay long—just attend briefly to grace the occasion with his presence.

Just then, Prion suddenly took a step closer to her.

Soon, a soft, low voice reached her ears.

“When the beloved daughter of Lord Helios visits, it’s only natural that I, a servant of Helios, should come out to greet her.”

Alice let out a light laugh at Prion’s jest.

“If I’m the daughter, aren’t you the son? I’m sure Lord Helios thinks of you that way.”

This wasn’t a joke but her sincere belief.

Alice knew better than anyone how much Helios cherished Prion.

Wasn’t Prion a child chosen by fate through Helios? Those children cannot be harmed, my husband…

A bitter smile briefly crossed Alice’s face as memories surfaced, but she quickly composed her expression.

“It’s always too generous a blessing.”

Prion took a step back and continued.

“He’s waiting for you.”

“Pardon?”

When Alice tilted her head in confusion, Prion curled up the corners of his mouth.

“I’m no prophet—how would I know the Duchess was coming? I know because He told me.”

“Oh…”

Alice let out a small exclamation as understanding dawned on her.

“It hasn’t even been a week since I last visited. He must have missed me already.”

“Lord Helios cherishes the Duchess greatly.”

“Indeed. He knows everything yet always pretends not to care.”

Alice chuckled as she recalled Helios’s manner of caring while feigning indifference.

Prion seemed to recognize that behavior as well and shared the same smile before leading the way.

“Let us go. I shall escort you, Duchess.”

Click

Prion, who had opened the chapel door for her, bid Alice farewell.

“Having completed my duty, I’ll take my leave now, Duchess.”

“Thank you.”

After Prion departed, Alice stepped into the chapel with easy strides.

Though it was a place filled with majestic and sacred energy, to Alice it had become as comfortable as the Dearrut Duchy.

For her, this place was her family home.

Alice stopped in front of a massive statue.

Looking up at Helios’s lofty face, Alice was about to softly call out to the deity with a faint smile.

[Tsk.]

If only a disapproving clicking sound hadn’t suddenly reached her ears.

Alice lowered her gaze toward the source of the sound.

Right beside the statue stood a silver-haired, handsome man who looked identical to the sculpture, regarding her with displeasure.

Alice blinked slowly. It was enough to make one dizzy—seeing the beautiful statue gain color and vitality.

Then, the sculpture spoke.

[Why are you staring so stupidly? Close your mouth. You’re about to drool.]

With the familiar voice and the usual form of address.

Alice snapped back to reality and looked at him properly.

“Lord Helios.”

The man before her who had momentarily shaken her senses was none other than Helios, the Sun God.

The cute child Helios she had known was long gone.

With the disappearance of the dark specters, Helios’s power had rapidly recovered, allowing him to return to his true form.

The problem was that Alice hadn’t yet adjusted to the adult Helios.

[Yes. You finally look a little less foolish.]

Alice started and took two steps back from Helios as he approached her.

Then she raised her hand, signaling him to come no closer.

[What?]

Helios’s eyebrow arched upward, but he had no choice.

“What do you mean, ‘what’? I told you last time. That face… I’m still not used to it.”

Helios stopped in his tracks and smoothly curved his lips into a smile.

[Ah, yes— I suppose my extraordinary handsomeness is too much for a mere human to comprehend.]

Though his narcissistic comment was truly insufferable, Alice couldn’t refute what was an undeniable fact.

Without hiding her annoyed expression, Alice said:

“Yet this ‘mere human’ is someone you’ve been desperately waiting for.”

For a moment, Helios faltered.

Seeing Helios’s bewilderment, Alice continued nonchalantly.

“It’s only been a few days since I last visited the temple, yet you sent High Priest Prion to meet me and came down yourself without being called. You care so-o much for this mere human.”

Alice placed her hands together neatly against the center of her chest.

“Did you miss me that much?”

As she blinked her golden eyes innocently, Helios’s brow tightened sharply, and simultaneously, thwack—an invisible hand flicked her forehead.

“Ow!” Alice exclaimed briefly, rubbing her forehead as she spoke.

“Why did you hit me? This mere human is really hurt…”

But before she could finish her sentence, Helios’s voice resounded.

[Not as hurt as I am.]

“…Pardon?”

[After enduring countless lightning strikes to connect your love, you bring the invitation card last, after distributing it to everyone else.]

Alice’s hand, which had been rubbing her forehead, froze.

“That’s not it…”

Alice opened her mouth hastily in confusion, but Helios cut her off.

[Yes, I waited for you for a very long time, you ungrateful child.]

Helios turned his head away from her sharply, seemingly genuinely upset.

He wasn’t just pretending to be displeased as usual; he was sincere. And he had truly been waiting for her invitation.

Alice scratched her cheek awkwardly before carefully opening her mouth.

“Well, I… If you felt hurt, I’m sorry.”

Alice quickly continued.

“But it’s not that I didn’t think of you and brought the invitation late. How could I possibly dare to forget Lord Helios?”

“Hmph, your words are so smooth.”

“If it weren’t for Lord Helios, Kail and I couldn’t have been together. And Lord Helios is… the person I trust and rely on most in this world.”

As much as Kylus.

Alice swallowed the words that almost escaped and added something else instead.

“Lord Helios is my strong support and my family home.”

Helios, who had been silent all along, glanced at Alice.

[…Well, I did bring you into this world… As I said, I take responsibility for you.]

“And you want me to be happy, don’t you? That’s why I wanted to give you a special invitation. Not a common invitation like the ones distributed to others, but one where I personally selected everything from the paper to the writing. That’s why it was a bit late, unintentionally. Really.”

Alice carefully pulled something out of her handbag. It was a special invitation with gold plating on the envelope.

Like a rabbit with drooping ears, Alice cautiously held out the invitation to Helios.

As Helios accepted it with a haughty gesture, Alice took out another invitation from her bag and showed it to him.

“Look. This is the invitation we sent to the nobles, and even the envelope is different, isn’t it?”

I put a lot of effort into yours, Lord Helios. Truly.

While Alice passionately defended herself, Helios’s gaze was directed not at the invitation but at Alice.

He looked at her expression, which mixed indignation and pride, and soon let out a chuckle.

She looked just like a child showing off something she had made to her father. And as they say, no parent can win against their child—Helios was no exception.

Helios opened the invitation and said:

[I can tell at a glance which part you wrote.]

The round, bubbly handwriting that contrasted sharply with Kylus’s neat penmanship.

How could even her handwriting be so cute, just like her?

Helios, whose thoughts would have made the gods of the divine realm shake their heads in astonishment, looked at Alice again with composure.

[I’ve received the invitation well, but I still haven’t been released from my confinement and cannot leave this place.]

“Yes… I know. But I still wanted to give you the invitation.”

[Is that all?]

“…Pardon?”

[If I can’t come to you, you can come to me, can’t you?]

For a moment, Alice couldn’t understand Helios’s words and tilted her head.

I have to hold a wedding, yet you’re asking me to come…?

As Alice completely failed to grasp his meaning, Helios cleared his throat with a low ‘hmm’ and spoke.

[I notice there’s no wedding venue mentioned here.]

At those words, Alice blinked slowly. Simultaneously, Kylus’s words came to mind.

‘You’ll find out soon.’

‘I’m sorry, Lien. I wanted the venue to be given as a direct gift, so…’

Finally, ding! Understanding dawned in her mind like a lightbulb turning on. She realized what Helios meant.

“You can’t mean… that we should hold the wedding here?”

The chapel of Helios’s Great Temple.

This was the most sacred place in the empire where the most holy appointment ceremonies were held. Sometimes royal weddings took place here, but… only with the deity’s permission.

In other words, it was difficult even for the imperial family to hold weddings here.

And now he was offering to open the chapel for the wedding of nobles who weren’t even royalty?

Alice was astonished, but Helios confirmed it matter-of-factly.

[Yes. Hold your wedding here. Under my watchful eyes.]