NOVEL NEXT Chapter 185
The Crown Prince Wishes to Retire
Side Story 2: Marriage (2)
Though the selection ceremony was nearing its conclusion, the capital was bustling with even more people.
That’s because the biggest event of Ignit was yet to come.
“The world’s elites gather in the capital!”
With Ignit being nearly the only nation worthy of being called an empire at this point, it had turned into a global festival with leaders from all over the countries in attendance.
Despite Roman, Golan, and Wingzar aiming to split the East Continent among themselves, they were still on shaky ground.
When it came to territory size and population, they were getting close to the empire.
Having divided the land larger than the West Continent into three was no small feat. But the stark differences in military power and wealth next to Ignit posed a serious problem.
Moreover, factions seeking independence had already begun to appear.
“Ignit is certainly impressive.”
“Indeed.”
With a powerful emperor at its helm, Ignit stood strong and unwavering.
The entire continent had suffered great damage, but Ignit had not come away unscathed either. Masters had died or sustained grave injuries, and the losses among Empire Citizens throughout the war had been significant.
Despite that, faith in the emperor remained steadfast.
“How enviable.”
A leader from the distant Southern Islands, having crossed the sea, looked upon the citizens of Ignit cheering for Kariel with envy.
After all, he was busy keeping the nobles in check.
The same was true for others as well.
From the leaders of the New Continent to those of the East Continent, upon arriving in the capital, they looked enviously at the citizens of Ignit celebrating Kariel’s marriage.
“This is probably the only place where the leader’s marriage is met with such cheers.”
Gazing with a bittersweet smile from afar was Batu, the king of Golan, who had unified the plains.
He had become a great king but felt uneasy now.
While he was attempting to stabilize his reign through marriage alliances with the daughters of major tribal chiefs, it was merely a stopgap measure.
Would this sense of stability last until his dying day?
He harbored worries that when his time came, his children might rise in rebellion and split apart.
And it wasn’t just that.
Wingzar and Roman were also entangled through marriage alliances, just like Golan.
The Roman emperor had entered into marriage alliances with the major tribes of Sandria, while Wingzar had done so with the noble ladies of the southern kingdoms.
This had caused marriage alliances to become a trend in the East Continent, solidifying them as a key method of strengthening ties between allied nations.
In stark contrast stood the emperor of Ignit.
“I have no intention of taking in a second empress. One is enough!” The emperor, who wouldn’t even consider a marriage alliance!
Many were bewildered but congratulated Kariel on his decision to only choose one empress.
Perhaps it was the long-standing relationship that made it so?
“A long-term crush. Finally bearing fruit?”
“Since her days as a princess, Aila have gazed at only one man like a sunflower, and she has finally captivated the emperor’s heart!”
“From princess to principality finance officer to one of the Top 10 Merchant Leaders in the Empire, all the way to empress! Let’s look at her life story!”
Aila’s rise to become the sole candidate, ultimately ending up as empress, became the dream of many women.
Especially the fact that she had captured the emperor’s heart exclusively made her the object of envy.
“Ignit is different from other nations! They marry only one!”
“All the major ministers declared they would pursue love matches!”
The couples who were somewhat forced to bond in the banquet hall.
Under the emperor’s command, even those who were lukewarm about marriage found themselves bonding throughout the selection ceremony, leading to genuine connections.
Of course, many ended up parting ways, but rather, it became solidified as a custom in Ignit.
“Political marriages are a thing of the past! Remnants of the past, be gone!”
With the emperor actively endorsing love matches and all the high officials following suit, arranged marriages were likely to become a relic of the past.
What could be done if the very core of the Empire was opting for love matches?
This was causing lovers in foreign nations filled with passionate romance to flock to Ignit.
And so, amid everyone’s envy, the wedding began at last.
“Your Majesty, preparations are complete.”
“Hah… it took quite a while.”
As Kariel finally stepped out in a perfectly tailored outfit, many gasped in admiration.
Although he was of a stature that could not come close to the best-looking man on the continent, thanks to Salvatore, Kariel was no slouch in the looks department either.
It was just that the tired look from his late-night work had always made his face appear haggard, but as he walked with a dignified expression, he could rival any handsome prince.
“Move on.”
“Yes! Your Majesty.”
At Kariel’s command, all the masters guarding his front bowed their heads in unison.
None had attempted such a thing before: a horde of masters dedicated to his protection.
Two Grand Masters stood on either side, with masters following in a line behind them.
The Empire Citizens watching this spectacle through a massive image sphere could not help but gasp in awe.
This alone was enough to astonish anyone, but then came an even grander scene.
Hundreds of airships in the sky unfurled banners celebrating Kariel’s marriage, while numerous small aircraft flitted about sprinkling flower petals.
“Is this… the strongest nation in the world?”
“Wow…”
As Kariel made his way to the wedding venue, countless magical displays illuminated the sky, leaving the envoys from various nations staring in awe.
They were witnessing a level of magical engineering they could not even dream of mimicking.
In truth, Kariel had no intention of hosting such a lavish wedding.
“Let’s just keep it simple.”
With an already tight budget, he wished to avoid wasting money on unnecessary things. However, all of his ministers and even the Empire Citizens opposed this.
The reason was straightforward.
“We must show the Empire’s majesty.”
“That’s right! We need to ensure that every nation understands there is a formidable difference between us—let’s engrave it in their minds!”
“Exactly!”
All the ministers unanimously voiced these sentiments.
The Empire Citizens felt the same way.
From the nations that had split the continent, to those from the New Continent who dared to compare themselves with Ignit, it had to be shown.
“We must demonstrate that we are the strongest nation in the world!”
Even the notoriously stingy chancellor, Luther, said such words.
Protecting Ignit’s pride was that important. The benefits gained from being at the center of the world far outweighed the costs.
By showcasing the pinnacle of Ignit’s technology through this wedding, they would underline their supremacy.
All were spellbound as they gazed at the sky and then back at the massive image sphere.
“Whoa….”
The power of fire that Kariel had displayed when he assumed the throne.
As he slowly ascended to the sanctuary now transformed into the Temple of Fire, numerous spirits of fire began to appear.
These spirits had formed naturally after the war, following the disturbances created by Kariel in the capital.
The sight of fireballs swirling around Kariel reflected why he was hailed as the hero who saved the continent.
Thus, enveloped in the blessings of the spirits, Kariel arrived at the wedding venue.
And then from the sky, his bride Aila descended slowly.
She floated down in midair without any apparatus, thanks to magic created by dozens of small aircraft.
Everyone was in awe of this sight.
Even more astonishing was what happened when she was nearly at ground level.
Kariel created wings of fire and gracefully landed with Aila in his arms.
“Truly overwhelming.”
A reporter from the East Continent murmured in a daze.
He suddenly envisioned the headlines that would pour out after the wedding.
“The Wedding No One Can Imitate”
It was a wedding that only the emperor of Ignit, namely Kariel, could pull off.
The bishop of the Temple of Fire overseeing the ceremony offered his blessings and performed several rituals, but perhaps due to the grandeur of previous events, the guests struggled to focus.
Realizing this, the event host quickly rushed past the dull parts and concluded the ceremony with a kiss between Kariel and Aila.
“I sincerely congratulate the union of you two.”
The moment the officiant’s final words rang out, everyone began to bless Kariel’s marriage.
They celebrated the birth of an empress amidst the cheers that echoed throughout the capital.
With this magnificent wedding, destined to be remembered in history, all formalities came to an end.
“How enviable.”
At Rufiel’s remark, Kariel chuckled softly.
The expression of envy seemed to drip from his gaze.
“If you’re envious, then you should get married too.”
“Hah…”
At Kariel’s words, Rufiel pondered for a moment before shaking his head. The risk of being caught in a weakness and having to relinquish the throne to Kariel loomed large if he married hastily.
Thus, one by one, the ministers began to come to bless Kariel’s marriage, starting with Crown Prince Rufiel.
“Your Majesty has begun to walk the path to hell.”
“Please… may your happiness last longer than ours…”
Middle-aged ministers displayed expressions of sympathy.
In contrast, the young fellows wore envious looks.
“I must get married soon too, older brother.”
“How enviable indeed.”
Seriel and Luther envied Kariel, who would be living with his wife in the future.
The stark contrast between the minister’s attitudes was amusing, making Kariel smile as he welcomed the envoys from various nations one last time.
“Welcome.”
“Heartfelt congratulations on your marriage.”
From the king of Wingzar to the king of Golan, and even the Roman emperor, now a king himself, offered their congratulations.
Kariel received formal congratulations and gifts from all who visited. While he couldn’t personally greet everyone who came to share in the celebration, he did ensure that he shook hands with the leaders of the highest ranks as they presented their gifts.
“I sincerely congratulate your marriage, Your Majesty.”
“It’s a pleasure.”
The leader from an unnamed nation in the New Continent.
Though he bore an unsettling gaze, Kariel forced a smile as he attempted to pass beyond it.
“Your Majesty.”
At the call of his name, Kariel tilted his head to see the nameless king.
“I have a message to convey.”
“A message?”
Kariel frowned at the king’s words, instantly sensing they were of a different nature than a congratulatory message.
He glanced at Talion, who was nearby.
At that moment, the master-class guards surrounding them shielded the two.
“What is it?”
“Do you wish to be a god? Or do you wish to remain an observer?”
A sudden, informal address.
Yet Kariel could tell this wasn’t the demeanor of a mere commoner, so he remained silent, staring at him.
“Who told you to address him informally?”
“A person who occupies the highest peak of the New Continent asked you.”
Upon hearing the cryptic words, Kariel turned to Talion.
“Could it be… Quetzalcoatl?”
“He also asked you about the void of the vanished god… and the resulting turmoil.”
The enormous serpent that had taken possession of the tallest mountain in the New Continent.
What had caused problems recently was that this serpent, which had lain dormant, had begun awakening and devouring the remnants of the ancient world that had crossed over into the continent.
Gaining strength by consuming ancient remnants, the serpent had transformed into a divine being that wielded various powers.
To Ignit, which had once seen real ‘gods’, they merely appeared to be gigantic monsters, but for the New Continent, it was a different story.
“Could that have been one of the things we were informed about earlier?”
“Indeed.”
Talion bowed his head in response to Kariel.
“Has it transcended simply developing power and acquired spirituality as well?”
Perhaps he had stumbled upon part of the world’s secrets.
While to Talion and others it may have only seemed like a divine beast that absorbed powers from the ancient remnants abundant in the West Continent, Kariel had a different perception.
The true void left by the absence of an actual ‘god’.
He suddenly grew curious about the being known as Quetzalcoatl, who spoke of it.
“Hah… perhaps the honeymoon will truly last longer than expected.”
At those words, the eyes of the nearby masters trembled.
“Once again, I thank you for coming to deliver the message.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The nameless king of the New Continent withdrew with a bow.
Afterward, learning of similar matters from several leaders, Kariel fell into deep thought, his expression grave.
“Baldur…”
Calling out the name of the now-vanished god, Kariel quietly gazed up at the sky.
A world where the gods had disappeared.
Because of that, something was about to unfold.