SPECIAL SIDE STORY TWO
Side Story 2-2
Sienna finally lifted her gaze from Alice’s belly and looked at her. Alice offered a gentle smile as she observed the concern in Sienna’s green eyes.
“Besides, the issue right now isn’t me, but you, isn’t it? Sienna, why are you worrying about unnecessary things?”
“…Are they really unnecessary worries? An Empress must observe proper etiquette and conduct herself with dignity, but I…”
“You’re already such a dignified lady!”
“…Me?”
Sienna’s expression turned somewhat dubious, but Alice spoke with sincerity.
“Dignity doesn’t always have to mean being demure. Sienna, you’re more righteous, kind, and brave than any noble lady I know. You possess a hundredfold more magnificent dignity than stuffy propriety.”
Alice firmly held Sienna’s hands as she continued.
“Just rule the inner palace by being yourself, with confidence. Then you’ll certainly become an excellent Empress.”
“Ah… Thank you, Duchess.”
Sienna’s green eyes trembled slightly with emotion.
Alice playfully added to Sienna, whose eyes were growing red.
“Of course, you can’t blast His Imperial Majesty with magic when you get angry like you did in the past.”
If you’re really angry, use magic where no one can see. So rumors don’t spread.
As Alice whispered seriously, a smile spread across Sienna’s tearful face.
“Our beautiful bride is finally smiling brightly.”
Alice smiled as she caressed Sienna’s hand. Sienna, with a much more relaxed expression, gripped Alice’s hand firmly in return.
“Thanks to you, Duchess, my anxiety has completely vanished. As you said, I won’t lose myself, and I’ll definitely become a good Empress.”
“Yes, I’ll be right beside you, cheering you on.”
Alice smiled radiantly as she gently swayed their clasped hands.
At that moment, a strong movement—thump—was felt from within Alice’s belly. As if the baby in her womb was also cheering for Sienna.
Alice guided Sienna’s hand to where she had felt the movement in her belly.
“Sienna, it seems Little Wiggly is cheering for you too. Just now, the baby moved really strongly.”
(Little Wiggly was the Korean-style prenatal name Alice had given the baby.)
“Really?”
“Try calling, ‘Little Wiggly.'”
“Little Wiggly…”
The moment Sienna placed her hand carefully on the full-term belly with half-belief, Little Wiggly kicked strongly once more, as if on cue.
Almost as if answering Sienna.
Though she had felt Little Wiggly’s movements several times before, this was the first time the kicks were so strong, and the first time the baby had responded to Sienna’s call.
“Little Wiggly.”
Thump—
Once again, there was a response to Sienna’s call.
“Oh my!”
Her heart swelled with wonder and emotion. Sienna’s green eyes brightened as she made a promise.
She would become an Empress that Little Wiggly wouldn’t be ashamed of.
But before that…
“I can’t wait to meet you, Little Wiggly…”
Ever since Alice had announced her pregnancy, Sienna had been counting the days until she could meet her niece or nephew.
A child resembling the lovely Alice and the handsome Kylus—how beautiful they would be.
Just imagining that beautiful child nestled in her arms made her heart tingle with overflowing joy.
And there was one more person who indulged in such happy fantasies daily.
That person was Kylus.
Kylus, who had just entered the bride’s waiting room, agreed with Sienna’s words.
“I feel the same way, Sienna.”
With long, purposeful strides, Kylus reached Alice’s side in just a few steps and naturally drew her from Sienna into his embrace.
Sienna watched Alice with regretful eyes as the warmth moved away, but she didn’t try to hold on.
Because Alice beamed when she saw Kylus.
Kylus softly kissed Alice’s cheek, calling her “Rien,” and then spoke to her full belly.
“Little Wiggly, daddy is eagerly waiting for you too.”
Alice smiled at Kylus and Sienna as they gazed at her rounded belly with adoring eyes.
“Come now, both of you, calm down. It won’t be long before you see Little Wiggly. If everyone keeps urging like this, Little Wiggly might suddenly decide to come early.”
“Wouldn’t that be dangerous? That can’t happen!”
“That must not happen!”
Sienna and Kylus exclaimed simultaneously.
Though being born a little earlier than the due date wasn’t particularly dangerous, Alice merely smiled.
After all, it was best for the baby to be born healthy at full term.
“We’ll wait patiently, so take your time and come out on your scheduled day, Little Wiggly.”
“That’s right. Auntie will wait patiently too. Please come out healthy.”
Sienna and Kylus earnestly pleaded with Little Wiggly.
To think the two strongest people in the Empire could be so weak before Little Wiggly. Alice burst into joyful laughter, finding their earnest expressions adorable.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and a priest announced:
“It’s nearly time to begin the wedding ceremony. Would the bride please prepare to enter?”
“Finally!”
Alice exclaimed excitedly, taking Sienna’s hand and leading her to Kylus.
Today, Sienna was scheduled to enter the ceremony hall holding Kylus’s hand instead of her ill-natured father’s.
“Please take care of Sienna, Kylus.”
Kylus carefully took Sienna’s hand and smiled at Alice. “I’ll escort her with my utmost effort, so don’t worry, my lady.”
Alice planted a quick kiss on Kylus’s confident cheek, then said to Sienna, “See you soon, Sienna.”
After bidding farewell, she quickly left the bride’s waiting room.
After all, Alice had an important role in today’s wedding ceremony.
“The wedding ceremony will commence shortly. Please remain quiet.”
The priest’s voice, amplified by magic, resonated through the chapel, but the nobles briefly murmured among themselves when they saw the person taking the position of the officiant.
“Wasn’t High Priest Prion supposed to officiate?”
“Indeed. Who is that person…”
The nobles, narrowing their eyes at the unfamiliar figure who had suddenly appeared, soon recognized who stood at the officiant’s position.
The pink hair above the sacred temple vestments was particularly eye-catching.
“It’s the Duchess Dearrut!”
“Oh! Yes, indeed. This is the first time I’ve seen her in temple vestments… I didn’t recognize her.”
“But I’ve never seen those temple vestments before…”
As the nobles wondered, a passing priest explained:
“Those are unique vestments specially made for the Holy Maiden. The main deity personally bestowed the silk and imbued it with holy protective powers.”
“…!”
The nobles’ eyes widened.
Silk directly bestowed by the main deity? And infused with protective holy power too?
Such a precious divine item was unprecedented in history. And to think it was created for just one person.
How could they not be astonished?
“They say the main deity truly cherishes the Duchess, and it seems to be true.”
“Her holy power is said to be higher than even that of His Holiness the High Priest, who is acclaimed as the greatest in history. That alone shows how much the deity loves the Duchess.”
Truly a sacred person.
The nobles looked at Alice, the Holy Maiden, with renewed admiration and envy in their eyes.
Alice, befitting her status as the daughter of the main deity and the Duchess Dearrut, stood at the officiant’s position, gracefully accepting the numerous gazes directed at her.
At that moment, the main deity Helios, who had descended from the divine realm to the chapel earlier, stood beside Alice and spoke:
[Indeed, my aesthetic sense is superb. The vestments suit you well, my child.]
Alice smiled gently toward Helios, who was visible only to her.
“Thank you. I love them very much.”
Looking at Helios, Alice tilted her head.
“You’re dressed more modestly than at my wedding?”
Helios had descended to the human world today to attend Sienna’s wedding. She had naturally expected him to appear in the brilliant, noble form he had taken at her own wedding.
But while Helios’s attire was beautiful, it was far more modest than before.
Helios replied indifferently, as if questioning why she would ask something so obvious.
[Of course. That was when I attended my daughter’s wedding, and today I’m merely attending the wedding of a child I cherish. There’s bound to be a difference.]
My daughter…
Alice had to strain to keep her cheeks from rising too much.
Though she felt sorry for Sienna, Alice was pleased by Helios’s favoritism.
It felt like hearing someone say, “My daughter is the best in the world.”
