Chapter 15 The Rejoicing Emperor, Part 2

 The Rejoicing Emperor, Part 2

"Alexandra! The fiancée you've been waiting for is here!"

 The emperor opened the door and walked into the room.

 Alexandra's private room is furnished with lovely and elegant accessories that women like.

 The vase that Martin had given her was filled with all kinds of pure white fresh flowers, and the jewel box that had been expressly made for Alexandra was placed in the most prominent place.

 Alexandra, full of joy, was even more beautiful than the imaginary Alexandra, whom I thought I had made more beautiful than ever.

 Around her neck hung a soft pink necklace, also a gift from Martin, richly decorated with rare Papalachian sapphires and diamonds.

 The dress, which hugged her surprisingly graceful and feminine body, was the same gentle pink as the jewel.

 Despite the fact that there is almost no exposure, the dress is somehow glamorous, probably because of the wonderful lines of her body.

 The dress smoothly accentuates the black of her eyes and hair.

 The crown on her head was elaborately crafted with pearls and diamonds, centered on a large round pearl.

 If Martin remembers correctly, the crown was a wedding present from a father to his daughter.

 He must have spent a lot of time to have it made and waited for the day when he could give it to his daughter, and it was a gem that could be a national treasure.

 After all, the emperor had left his feelings for his daughter, whom he wanted to be kind to, in a tangible form.

"Martin-sama, welcome to the palace!"

 A lady's greeting was given with a smile.

 It was an elegant gesture, nerve-wracking down to the tips of her toes.

 Light and easy on the ears.

 She called my name in a voice that I wanted to listen to forever and ever.

 I blinked several times as tears began to well up in my eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm late, aren't I?"

"No. I knew Martin-sama would be here. The waiting was also fun."

 The emperor and Luka both coughed as I admired their smiling loveliness.

"Well, what have I done! I'm so sorry for leaving you standing there. Martin-sama, Luka, Father. Please, have a seat."

 I almost wandered over to sit next to Alexandra, but Luca pulled at the hem of my dress, and the emperor smiled at me, and I sat down on the sofa in front of him.

 A soft, well-filled cushion cradled Martin's entire body.

"I made a little too much for Martin-sama to eat. Please, eat as much as you like."

"This! Did Allen-chan make all this?"

"...It's wonderful. It looks better than the Imperial Court Chef's work."

"It tastes great too, Mister Luca."

 Alexandra's cheeks flushed red with happiness as the emperor proudly boasted about his daughter.

"Take as much as you like, as much as you like. What would you like to drink? I recommend this tea. Please, check the aroma."

 The waiting maid held out a box with compartments.

 Each compartment contained a small bottle with a cork lid and a small amount of tea leaves inside.

"Hmm... I'll take this one."

 The emperor picks up one of the vials, opens the cork, and smells the aroma inside.

"Ceylon, isn't it? Would you like some orange tea with a slice of orange?"

"I'd like that."

 While Alexandra is brewing the emperor's tea, Luca is checking the aroma of all the tea leaves.

"For Martin-sama, I would recommend this one."

 I open the lid of the vial that Alexandra took for me.

 A surprisingly fragrant scent of roses spreads.

"It's a rose called Wollaton Old Hall. When you drink it, a scent similar to grapefruit will waft through your nose and make you feel refreshed."

"It's a strong, concentrated rose scent, though. It's strange that it also smells like grapefruit. By all means, please try Allen-chan's recommendation of Wollaton Old Hall."

"Yes, sir! One moment, please."

 While this exchange was going on, Luca seemed to have decided on a tea with a muscat scent.

 He tried to pour it himself, but Alexandra blamed him and he was afraid.

 Perhaps he couldn't stand the wait, he started to put the food on the plates from the cake stand.

 The emperor's plate was filled with non-sweets, but he kept a good portion for himself.

 The plate in front of Martin's eyes read.

"From left to right, mini shortcakes filled with strawberries, crushed cranberry jelly with fresh cranberries, macaroons filled with orange cream, freshly baked scones with cheese, summer vegetable and bacon quiche, and scallop terrine. I recommend clotted cream or cream cheese for the scones."

 It's hard to know where to start, but Martin's favorite things are neatly arranged.

 That's the squire.

 And Alexandra's affection for him, as she carefully explained, made me smile deeply.

"Now, please. Please take your time."

 I took a bite of the cranberry jelly as she suggested.

 The sourness and sweetness are exquisite, and it feels wonderful on the tongue.

 As I enjoyed the smoothness of the jelly, it was gone in a flash.

"Mmmm. Did it suit your taste buds?"

"...I'm a lucky man to have such a good cook as my wife!"

"Oh my. There's a difference between sweets and daily cooking, you know."

"The summer vegetable and bacon quiche is also delicious, Alexandra-sama."

 I can't believe you ate that before I did! I thought, but I didn't say it.

 There was no way I could say that in front of Alexandra, who looked so happy and humble.

 I had a feeling that she would just gently chide me and that would be the end of it.

"Yes, you're right. I eat scones every day and I never get tired of them."

"That's very kind of you, but you're giving me too much credit."

 The black tea smells of grapefruit and has a subtle sweetness, so it doesn't need sugar.

 Normally, Martin was more inclined to brew his tea with plenty of jam or liquor, but he didn't want to tamper with what Alexandra had made for him in any way other than what was recommended.

"Do you have some sugar?"

 I've already told you about my sweet tooth in my letter.

 In a cold country, no less, Alexandra is a good-natured person.

 Not very manly! I'm sure she doesn't think it's unmanly in the slightest.

 The delicate sugar with rose work was also tempting, but not this time.

"Thank you, the candy looks sweet, I'll try not to eat it this time."

"Is that so? The sweets themselves are relatively unsweetened, so feel free to use any jam or sugar you like."

"Yes. Thank you."

 I'm happy for Alexandra's thoughtfulness, but more than anything, I'm happy to be able to communicate directly with her in person.

 I've been dreaming about this for a long time.

 I thought it was okay if I couldn't do it.

 I changed my mind and thought that I might be able to do it.

 If I could do it, I would do anything, and that's what I did.

 That's Alexandra smiling in front of you.

 The hardships of the past have vanished into the distance.

"Hmm! Scones with cheese are also delicious."

"It's not as good as the cheese in Martin-sama's country, but cattle breeding is also popular in the Mysia Kingdom."

 Alexandra didn't have many opportunities to go out, but she seemed to have learned a lot about the country.

 If the flowers in the field hadn't already withered, I would have killed every last one of them.

 That wouldn't be disrespectful to God.

"Aren't they all in the same room?"

"My ex-fiancee and her partner are together, sir."

Well... then it's the lady-in-waiting, the High Priestess, and the two of you in that order.

"Yes, sir."

 Ferdinand leads Martin in, the sound of his clothes rustling quietly.

 Passersby in the temple stopped to thank him.

"Isn't the temple in turmoil?"

"I'm sure there are many who are personally confused, but the Emperor has asked us to remain calm on the surface, so we are quiet."

"Even if the head of the temple is in seclusion?"

"By nature, temple dwellers are worshipers of the gods. We do not worship the chief. There is no doubt there have been those who have behaved that way..."

 His words, which had been spoken quietly, were interrupted by a deep tone of contempt.

"There is not a single person who worships the current head of the temple."

 The current situation is announced.

 I want to say, "Suck it.

 Or...

 I will.

 Ferdinand stops and puts his hand on the door.

 His head tilted back in a puppet-like gesture.

"I fear the lady-in-waiting may be disrespectful. May I ask your permission to be present?"

"Would you like to be in the same room as the Temple Chief? -You can say what you want if you like. You're his mother and father, right?"

"Thank you for your generosity! I bow my head in gratitude."

 His knee-jerk acknowledgement was the most heartfelt I had ever heard.

 After taking a deep breath, Ferdinand released the words as if he were letting out all the breath he had taken in.

 There was undoubtedly a hint of hatred in his words.

"To my Lady, my noble guest-sama, please! Please! Please, be my guest!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! It's not my fault! I'm only thinking of you, Your Majesty!"

 The door is opened wide.

 Out tumbles an overly full woman with the stench of a woman's breasts, dressed in a vilely designed and poisonous colored costume, thickly coated with the smell of white powder and perfume.

 This is the concubine who struggled to humiliate Alexandra.

 How could a woman of this caliber be so mistaken?

"...I'm terribly sorry to the Emperor Martin. My Lady! I respectfully request your greeting! I said! Didn't you understand what I said?

"Don't speak so loudly! It's the height of disrespect for my mother! The only nobleman I know of is His Majesty! ...with a guest, huh? To a mistress? Who is it?

 I don't know the lady.

 But I have no intention of revealing myself.

 I think it would be better to finish our conversation here instead of entering the room.

"This is Martin Martynovich Gulieva, King of the Volturnine Empire."

 Ferdinand, reading the atmosphere, cheerfully announced who Martin was.

"Hee! Reaper of the Volt!"

 Yeah.

 It was a commoner's reaction.

 At least not the reaction of a nobleman.

 It couldn't possibly be the reaction of a concubine.

 He's insane, Martin declares again.

 He thought it was a waste of time to communicate with her.

 This kind of people, even in the meeting where Martin had been sullenly silent, would say that it was wonderful to have the king of a great country present! They'll go to the extreme of falsification to spread the word.

"...As the fiancée of Princess Alexandra-sama of the Missourian Empire, I must say. You will not be invited to any ceremony where Princess Alexandra is present! You will never see her again, that's all!"

 I hate tragic heroines.

 They're disgusting.

 Alexandra is the heroine of tragedy.

 Although she would never see it that way.

 The heroine of a tragedy is ultimately rewarded because she is the right heroine.

 If she is not, she will become a nuisance who continues to cause trouble to those around her through her misunderstandings, just like her concubine.

 Martin, who understands that he is an acrimonious person, avoids meeting with people he cannot understand in the first place.

 There are not many people who can blame Martin for being disrespectful, but doing so would distort the truth.

 It was the first time in a long time that he had encountered someone who was more annoying than he had expected, and he was even disturbed by his words.

 Martin throws his gaze in the direction of the day after tomorrow, so as not to let his agitation go unnoticed.

 Immediately, Ferdinand slammed the door shut and even bolted it from the outside.

"Good work, sama."

 He lightly taps Ferdinand on the shoulder, who is snorting and staring at the chamberlain who is probably slumped behind the door.

"...That's my real mother! Really!"

"Yes. Children can't choose their parents, you know. But at least it's a bit of a relief, right?"

"Yes. When I heard His Majesty Martin's words and thought that she would never be recognized as a wife of the exiled country... Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty."

 The expressionless face relaxed slightly and a hint of joy appeared.

 It was nothing like the flirtatious and frightened expression of his wife.

 In fact, Ferdinand did not resemble his wife at all.

 Perhaps he resembled the head of the temple more.

"The head of the temple is this way, sir."

 He was told not far from the chamber of the entourage.

 Without knocking, Ferdinand threw open the large door.

"Normally, those who live in the temple, as well as those who visit it, are allowed to use it, but right now. But now that man has a monopoly!"

 An exasperated Ferdinand glided to the side of the man lying prostrate in front of the huge cross and glared at the temple leader, his expression so far expressionless.

"Temple Chief Gotthold! A noble guest has come to see you! Please be courteous!"

 At Ferdinand's words, the head of the temple swayed to his feet.

 According to the report, the father and son were walking around shaking their obese bodies in a pompous manner, but the man in front of them was extremely thin.

 The man in front of me was extremely thin, and he had a vacant look in his eyes that told me at a glance that he was sick.

"Aah! Heee!"

 The vacant eyes, however, were on Martin.

 Or more correctly, as soon as they focused on Martin's back, he fell back.

"Ah! You! You, sir!"

"What? You can see now?"

"The God-sama who protects Martin-sama's back, is it?"

 Ferdinand, who hadn't been detected at all, seems to be able to see the god who protects Martin.

 He has a high divinity, so if he can see him, it means he has a strong faith.

 To be honest, this is surprising.

 I thought that Ferdinand would not have a strong faith in God.

"Yes. The head of the temple was invisible until now, wasn't he? You've been lying about being able to see, haven't you?"

"Yes. Yes, he did. That's why I suspect that Martin-sama's guardian-sama dares to make him visible."

"No! No! No! I can see now! God! I can hear you now, your voice! Hmph!"

 The chief priest's body slumped to the floor.

 As if he had been pushed with a tremendous force, he was plunged into the marble floor.

 A muffled moan came from the floor, as if he was in pain.

 Yet, strangely enough, no part of his body seemed to be injured.

 That was enough for me to understand what had happened to the temple chief.

 He had been touched by the wrath of the gods.

"His Majesty Emperor Martin's guardian sama... please, that waste has already been punished for eternity..."

 Ferdinand quickly placed his forehead against the marble.

 It wasn't to protect the High Priestess.

 He feared for the life of Martin's patron god.

 When a man is punished by a god and a different god punishes him, the fault lies with the one who inflicted it.

 It does not matter how high the god of the giver is.

 The guardian god must have understood Ferdinand's true intentions.

 The divine power that had overwhelmed the hall dissipated in an instant.

"Well done! That's my boy!"

"It is my greatest misfortune and humiliation that I was born from her belly with your seed!"

 Ferdinand grabbed the head of the temple chief by the neck and roughly slammed his much lighter body into the pulpit.

 As if from a chain of events, a cross fell from the ceiling onto the head of the temple chief.

 There was a good thud.

"Ow! Ow!"

"Shut up. Shut up."

"Ahh!"

 The temple chief, who stared hatefully at Martin, kept his mouth shut.

 Perhaps his intentions were irrelevant.

"You're no-sama, Temple Chief. Abandoned by the people you must protect, abandoned by the cronies you've fed, hated by your own sons and daughters... what you got from God-sama is despair, isn't it?"

"Despair?"

"Yes. Despair. A king in exile is meaningless. A king is a king because he has people, right?"

"Even in exile, a king is still a king! And he has his people!"

 He looks desperate.

 I'm sure he is.

 It's the only thing they have to cling to.

"The people... well... Maybe not. I have a feeling they're not good people... but speaking of which, what about kun?"

 The choice of Ferdinand, who seemed to have devoted everything to his sister's happiness, bothered me a little.

 Unlike the rest of his siblings, he didn't seem to be with Alexandra.

"...I am lost, sir."

"What are you confused about? You'll be my hands and feet to avenge your filial disloyalty! Damn it!

 The strength of will to defy the gods even though you've been touched by their scales is amazing.

 But that's all.

 I was forced to crawl to the floor again, without being able to tell her my intentions to the end.

"I am lost, but I will never become this man's people!"

"For now. Isn't that enough? -If kun wants to stay with Allen-chan, I'll accept it, always. With your sister."

 Both sisters seem to be having a hard time, but I have a feeling that time will tell.

 If nothing else, staying by Alexandra's side will automatically purify her.

 Only.

 It's just a matter of having the mental capacity to endure the cleansing.

 And that's not that hard to do in the future.

 That's what Martin thinks.

"Hey, Temple Chief. -kun. What do you want to do now that you're king?"

"What do you want?"

"Normally, people who want to be king have a reason. But I think most of those reasons don't make sense unless there's someone else. No people, no cronies, no children, no gods. Well... maybe some sinners. Under those circumstances. You know? As a king, what can you do?"

"I want to! I want to forgive the sinner!"

 Sinners = you?

 That's ridiculous.

 How can I have mercy to forgive myself if I've lost the chance to redeem myself?

"You can only pray, can't you? How can I give you forgiveness?"

 And even if you pray.

 There's nothing to pray for.

"What? Huh?"

 He tilted his head as if he didn't really understand.

 Apparently, the head of the temple had accepted the oracle of the gods with his own alterations.

 How could people who could be called the top of the nation be so selfish?

 Well, that's why we're on the path to destruction.

"Well... we have plenty of time. You can think about it as much as you want. Any more sarcasm would be advice. Hmm. But one more thing! Look at yourself in the mirror."

 You're showing signs of death that you can't die," I told her with just a movement of my lips.

 Behind me, the guardian gods are murmuring something.

 Apparently, I can't go any further.

"Then, Martin-sama, let's go to the next one."

"You-sama! Ugh! His Majesty King Martin! What do you want to be king for? !

"Me? I became king because I wanted to protect my two brothers."

"That's why?"

"...Maybe that's what happened to your brother, too. Unlike my brothers, he's too stupid to accept it forever."

 I don't think the emperor would want that.

 That would've been the last thing he would've wanted.

 If he had accepted it...

 Like my relationship with my brother, we could have trusted each other no matter what.

 All of that is gone.

 It's irreversible.

 Someday you'll realize that and you'll fall into eternal despair.

 He and Ferdinand glared at the head of the temple, who seemed to have entered his own world once again.

 Together, they left the hall of the temple with the sound of their shoes.


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