SPECIAL SIDE STORY TWO
Side Story 2-1
The peaceful Pentaum Empire was abuzz with excitement for the first time in ages.
Today was the wedding day of Emperor Alvin Pentium and Lady Sienna Meltain Dearrut.
To celebrate this joyous occasion, a festival had been underway in the capital for three days.
Because of this, the square where the wedding parade would take place had been packed with people since dawn, and even areas beyond the square were so crowded there wasn’t room to step.
Yet not a single person complained. All citizens of the Empire had been eagerly awaiting the Emperor’s marriage.
It would have been unimaginable during the previous Emperor’s reign, but the days of the corrupt imperial family that citizens had cursed were long gone.
Emperor Alvin Pentium was an Emperor who commanded the loyalty of Duke Kylus Dearrut, the Empire’s hero, and who had implemented tax reforms for the Empire’s citizens.
The reform that increased taxes for nobles and decreased them for commoners was the first thing Emperor Alvin did upon ascending to the throne.
Despite the imperial authority being in disarray due to the former Empress’s alliance with darkness, he had prioritized the Empire’s citizens. And since then, Emperor Alvin had consistently implemented policies benefiting the people.
Recently, he had even established an academy for commoners, declaring that there should be no discrimination in education.
How could anyone dare criticize such an Emperor? Among the commoners, Emperor Alvin’s popularity was tremendous.
And now, after waiting a year, this respected Emperor was finally marrying his beloved, Lady Sienna Meltain Dearrut.
Furthermore, Lady Meltain Dearrut was the sister of the Dearrut ducal couple, known as the Empire’s hero and Holy Maiden—how could the people not be delighted?
Citizens of the Empire, regardless of gender or age, were sincerely celebrating Emperor Alvin’s marriage.
“I hope the parade starts soon!” a child in the square exclaimed with a bright face, and adults nodded with expectant expressions as they gazed at the Grand Temple of Helios where the wedding ceremony would be held.
While the commoners were anxiously awaiting the Emperor and Empress, the chapel was already filled with nobles.
Although there had been friction between the Emperor and the nobles due to the tax reforms, with time, the imperial authority had been growing more solid day by day.
This was only natural, as two people chosen by the gods—the hero and the Holy Maiden—had pledged their loyalty to the Emperor.
Of course, this didn’t mean the nobles had no complaints whatsoever. Count Chentu, who had been particularly heavily taxed during the reforms, clicked his tongue and remarked:
“So a lady of the Dearrut family has become Empress after all. The imperial authority will only grow stronger from now on.”
“Are you dissatisfied with that?”
“Of course…”
I am. With stronger imperial authority, how much more will the Emperor empty the nobles’ pockets?
Count Chentu was about to say this, but he faltered when he turned his head and met pitch-black eyes.
Jet-black hair and eyes like the night sky transferred onto a face of exquisite beauty.
It was Duke Kylus Dearrut. And Duke Kylus never showed mercy to his enemies.
Therefore, never fall out of Duke Kylus’s favor—this was a famous saying among the nobles.
As if to prove this, the nobles standing near Count Chentu quickly scattered.
“Of course…?”
At Kylus’s prompting, Count Chentu swallowed dryly and hastily changed his words.
“Of course! Imperial authority should be strong! I meant that I’m truly delighted thinking about how the Empire will prosper with stronger imperial power. Dissatisfaction? That’s absurd. Haha.”
Count Chentu forced an awkward laugh.
Kylus, wearing a smooth smile, grabbed the Count’s shoulder.
“Who would have thought our thoughts would be so aligned? I apologize for misunderstanding, Count.”
“Haha… It’s fine. Well then, I should—”
The Count tried to retreat, but Kylus gripped his shoulder firmly and continued.
“I sincerely hope other nobles think like Count Chentu. To prevent any nonsense from circulating on this joyous day.”
Kylus swept his gaze sharply across the gathering.
His words carried a warning: anyone caught speaking nonsense would end up in his grip like Count Chentu.
The nobles seemed to understand his warning perfectly, meekly lowering their gazes.
Kylus, with a satisfied expression, finally released Count Chentu, who was now sweating profusely.
“You may go. I must also return to my lovely wife.”
The nobles’ expressions soured momentarily, but Kylus completely ignored them as he departed with grace.
Though only a few minutes had passed since they’d been apart, he couldn’t wait to see his beloved Alice rather than the faces of these pathetic nobles.
In the bride’s waiting room at the chapel.
Sienna had dismissed the maids, wanting to be alone for a moment. Unlike the excited atmosphere outside, her heart felt somewhat troubled.
Heaving a low sigh, Sienna rose from her seat and approached the mirror, trying to soothe her uneasy mind.
The pure white wedding dress in the mirror captured her attention.
Made of smooth silk without a single ornate bead, it was an empire dress that elegantly accentuated the curves of her upper body while flowing wide below the waist.
It was also a dress that Alice had personally designed for Sienna.
A wedding dress filled with Alice’s devotion and affection.
That’s why Sienna loved this dress so much. Just looking at it brought a smile to her face.
Smiling, Sienna fingered the soft silk dress, reminiscent of Alice.
Just as her unease began to subside, she noticed the magnificent necklace around her neck in the mirror.
The blue diamond necklace passed down through generations to the Empresses of the Pentium Imperial family.
Though the brilliantly shining necklace was dazzlingly beautiful, Sienna’s anxiety returned the moment she saw it.
Seeing the Empress’s necklace made the reality of marrying the Emperor sink in once more.
“…To think I’m really becoming the Empress.”
Sienna slightly furrowed her brow.
Though she had no regrets about this marriage, having chosen it out of love for Alvin, the position of Empress looming so close made her somewhat worried.
She wasn’t entirely confident she could be a good Empress.
Sienna was an exceptional sorceress, but being an excellent sorceress didn’t guarantee she’d be a splendid Empress. After all, one couldn’t manage the inner palace with magic.
Moreover, her personality was frank and bold, while an Empress had many proprieties and protocols to observe.
Becoming Empress meant she could no longer use magic to beat up those who displeased her.
So Sienna was genuinely concerned.
“Will I be able to do well?”
Without causing trouble?
As her expression darkened with sincere worry, a melodious voice answered:
“Yes. You’ll do fine.”
It was Alice.
Sienna brightened, turning her head toward Alice.
“Duchess!”
Alice, her golden eyes curving beautifully, approached Sienna.
Sienna whined with a slightly hurt expression.
“Why are you so late? I waited for you for so long, Duchess.”
Her fellow sorcerers would be horrified and question her sanity if they saw this, but Alice was accustomed to Sienna’s affectionate manner.
Alice patted Sienna’s arm and said:
“I’m sorry for being late. My stomach was hurting a bit suddenly, so I had to rest before coming, which delayed me quite a bit.”
Sienna widened her eyes as if she’d never been whining just a moment ago, and looked at Alice’s belly.
Alice, now more than nine months pregnant, had a full-term belly suggesting the baby could be born any day.
“Your stomach hurt? Are you alright now? Is it okay for you to be here today?! No, this isn’t the time for you to be standing like this…”
As Sienna continued worrying, not knowing what to do, Alice hurriedly waved her hands.
“I’m fine. It was just common Braxton Hicks contractions. My due date is still two weeks away. I think I was just a bit excited because I’m so happy today.”
“But still…”
“I’m really fine. Look, I’m perfectly normal now.”
Alice gently caressed her full-term belly as if to prove her point.
