SPECIAL SIDE STORY TWO
Side Story 2-3
Childish as it might seem, whenever Helios treated her specially, Alice felt a profound sense of security and happiness. Her self-esteem soared as well.
Seeing Alice unable to contain her smile, Helios chuckled softly.
[The nobles will think the Holy Maiden has gone mad. Stop grinning like a fool.]
Despite his words, Helios stroked Alice’s hair as if finding her endearing.
Just then, the clock chimed—dong—announcing noon.
[It’s time to begin the ceremony.]
Helios removed his hand from Alice’s head, and she cleared her throat, composing her relaxed expression.
Returning to her solemn demeanor, Alice made a small gesture toward the orchestra.
Soon, majestic music announced the beginning of the wedding ceremony.
The nobles bowed their heads, and as the musical melody shifted to a brighter march, the Emperor, standing at the entrance of the wedding aisle, began to walk.
Alvin strode down the wedding aisle with powerful steps and stood before Alice.
Alice watched the dignified Alvin with appreciative eyes, then made another small gesture to the orchestra as the bride and Kylus appeared at the aisle.
The music changed to a slightly slower tempo.
Sacred yet elegant music filled the chapel as Sienna, firmly holding Kylus’s arm, walked down the wedding aisle.
Sienna approaching him in her pure white wedding dress was so beautiful that Alvin’s heart felt as if it would burst.
How long he had yearned for this marriage.
Alvin gazed at Sienna without blinking, imprinting this beautiful moment in his memory.
Thinking that he would never forget it until his dying day.
When Sienna finally reached the end of the wedding aisle, Alvin extended his hand. He wanted nothing more than to firmly hold Sienna’s hand and become one with her.
But Kylus, who held Sienna’s hand, didn’t move.
A few seconds of silence. Alvin looked at Kylus in confusion.
Kylus looked directly at Alvin and spoke gravely in a low voice that the nobles couldn’t hear.
“Your Majesty, I will always be behind Sienna. And if the day comes when Sienna sheds tears because of you, I will stake everything I have to take her back from you.”
Please remember my words well, Your Majesty. It was a warning disguised as a request.
To dare warn the Emperor—it was disrespectful, but Alvin didn’t get angry.
Right now, Kylus wasn’t speaking as a duke to his emperor, but as Sienna’s guardian to the man who would become her husband.
For that reason, Alvin responded respectfully:
“I will remember and bear this in mind until my dying day.”
Only then did Kylus offer a faint smile as he passed Sienna’s hand to Alvin. Thus, Sienna and Alvin stood before Alice.
Alice spoke solemnly:
“Does Emperor Alvin Pentium swear to cherish and love Sienna Meltain Dearrut as his Empress for the rest of his life?”
Alvin opened his mouth without a moment’s hesitation.
“I do.”
Alice’s gaze turned to Sienna.
“Does Sienna Meltain Dearrut swear to cherish and love Emperor Alvin Pentium as her husband for the rest of her life?”
Sienna, her eyes slightly reddened from the emotion of Kylus’s gesture, calmly replied:
“I do.”
Alice proclaimed loudly:
“By this, I declare before Lord Helios that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Alvin Pentium and Her Imperial Majesty Empress Sienna Pentium are now husband and wife. May infinite blessings be upon their future.”
Alice glanced slightly to the side.
The blessing was not her role.
[My turn, I see.]
Helios lightly snapped his fingers, and soon, sparkling, sacred blessings showered down upon Sienna and Alvin.
Sacred blessings and—
“Congratulations, Your Majesty. Your Imperial Majesty.”
The nobles’ congratulatory words filled the chapel.
Boom—Boom—!
Flower fireworks announcing the Emperor and Empress’s marriage exploded above the temple, and Alvin and Sienna shared a sacred kiss.
Kyaah! Alice inwardly squealed while smiling radiantly. And perhaps her joy was transmitted to the baby as well.
Thump—Thump—Thump—
Little Wiggly excitedly kicked.
After the wedding ceremony, the Emperor and Empress rode in an open carriage from the temple to the imperial palace.
Countless citizens conveyed their congratulations to the Emperor and Empress, who smiled continuously and waved to their people.
After the wedding parade concluded successfully, a reception and celebratory banquet began at the imperial palace.
Soft waltz music filled the air as the Emperor escorted the Empress to the dance floor.
As the Emperor and Empress began to dance, the nobles also took their partners’ hands and headed to the dance floor one by one.
Kylus and Alice also clasped hands, but their destination was not the dance floor.
It was a sofa in a corner of the banquet hall, away from people’s direct gaze. Dancing with a full-term pregnancy would have been too strenuous.
Plop—Alice sat on the plush sofa and exhaled a relieved breath.
“Now I feel alive again.”
“You’ve worked hard, my lady.”
Kylus stroked her back and then lowered himself before Alice.
“Kylus?”
Alice called his name with a puzzled look, but instead of answering, Kylus took hold of her feet.
He naturally removed her shoes.
Is he going to massage my feet here? In a party hall filled with the Empire’s nobles?
Alice was flustered and hurriedly called out to Kylus, but—
“Kylus, it’s fine— Ah, that feels so good…”
Kylus’s hands moved faster. As his hands gently massaged her feet, words of relief escaped her lips involuntarily.
In truth, her feet were very sore from standing for so long.
Kylus slightly furrowed his brow at the condition of Alice’s feet and said:
“Your feet are quite swollen from standing for so long. Rien, please stay still.”
“But there are too many people here…”
“This spot is well away from people’s direct gaze, so it’s fine. Besides, my devotion to you is famous enough that even commoners know about it. What does it matter if they see? Nobody will think much of it.”
“Well… that’s true.”
Alice couldn’t deny it.
Kylus’s reputation as a devoted husband was well-known throughout the Empire.
As if to prove this, even when the gazes of some nobles fell upon them, they weren’t particularly surprised.
The men glanced briefly with a look that said, “He’s at it again,” while the women looked with envious eyes before turning away.
Kylus smiled and said:
“So don’t feel uncomfortable and rest comfortably, my lady.”
Right, everyone already knows he’s excessive, so might as well be shameless.
“Thank you, Kylus.”
Alice relaxed her body and surrendered her feet to Kylus’s massage.
As she leaned back on the sofa, succumbing to languor, she could see Alvin and Sienna dancing beautifully in the dance hall, like a scene from a movie.
Alice spoke with a fond smile:
“Seeing His Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty so happy gives me a peculiar feeling—a heartwarming joy. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it feels like watching my own children get married.”
Kylus chuckled and replied:
“It’s not an exaggeration. Both His Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty were greatly influenced by you as they grew. Without you, they wouldn’t have developed into such fine individuals.”
The pleasant compliment naturally brought a smile to Alice’s lips.
“Hehe.”
Alice stroked her full-term belly and said:
“I hope our Little Wiggly grows up to be as splendid as His Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty.”
“Of course they will. We’ll raise them together with love.”
Alice smiled deeply at Kylus’s unwavering, reassuring gaze, imagining them taking care of their child together.
But only for a moment. She paused as the child in her imagination couldn’t be fully visualized. Wait… would it be a girl or a boy?
That’s right. Alice still didn’t know the baby’s gender. This world didn’t have ultrasound machines to see inside the womb. They would only know the gender when the baby was born.
There were folk beliefs about predicting gender based on food cravings, but Alice hadn’t experienced much morning sickness and ate a balanced diet, making such predictions difficult.
It was a bit disappointing, but health was the most important thing. And in truth, gender wasn’t very important.
Whether a daughter or a son, this was their child, and that wouldn’t change. Whatever the gender, the baby would be lovely and beautiful.
Thump—Thump—
Alice gently caressed Little Wiggly, who seemed particularly active today, and spoke softly.
