CHAPTER 101
The round eyes reflecting the Emperor glistened with moisture. As the large hands gently cupped Arabelle's cheeks, dew gathered at the corners of her half-closed eyes.
In the palm of his hand, rough and scarred, he found peace in the small face that faintly smiled. With an indescribable sense of relief, Arabelle's eyelids slowly closed.
The crimson eyes that had held Arabelle as she fell asleep once more now turned towards Espéral. The red eyes, unable to hide their anxiety, quivered slightly.
Espéral, sensing the Emperor's unspoken worry, spoke quietly.
“She’s fallen asleep due to exhaustion from battling the curse. There’s no need to worry greatly. The light of Arabelle we see now is very healthy and bright.”
It wasn’t just the Emperor whose tense shoulders relaxed at Espéral's words. The Emperor’s knights and the elf Berel, who had been guarding them, all sighed in relief simultaneously.
The Emperor, kneeling on the grass, extended his arms to lift Arabelle into his embrace. As he effortlessly rose to his feet, his faithful steed, Pegasus, awaited him.
The Emperor, holding Arabelle without a hint of disturbance, mounted the saddle and grasped the reins with one hand.
“I will return to the palace first.”
Sir Peter and Sir Jacob swiftly mounted their horses to escort the Emperor.
After exchanging a brief glance with Espéral, the Emperor looked down at Count Coralrd.
“I will stay behind to see if there is anything left to finish and then return.”
Count Coralrd and his son Timothy bowed as they saw the Emperor off.
Sir Derek, who had approached Espéral and Berel, also bowed.
“I will enter with Count Coralrd.”
The Emperor, nodding in acknowledgment, turned his gaze back to Espéral.
Espéral’s transparent eyes warmly watched the peacefully sleeping Arabelle in the Emperor’s embrace. Whispering in an unintelligible language, Espéral reached out a hand and traced a circular shape in the air.
Soon, a portal for spatial movement was formed, to leave the Aether River and return to the palace. The white light emitted by the ring grew larger, revealing the blue Lake Innis within.
As the Emperor and Arabelle’s Pegasus entered the ring without hesitation, Sir Jacob and Sir Peter’s horses followed behind.
As the back legs of Sir Peter’s horse also entered the ring, the portal quickly shrank and disappeared moments later.
***
On the desolate shores of Lake Innis, a circular portal appeared, emitting white light and expanding in size. Three horses emerged from the portal one by one, stepping onto the grass.
As Sir Peter’s horse exited the spatial portal, the ring vanished in an instant.
It had taken the Emperor five full days to descend into the underworld and retrieve Arabelle’s light from the moment the white moon was obscured by the black moon and the curse was activated.
However, time in the human world, which had stopped while the Emperor fought the monsters of the underworld, had passed by less than a day.
The human world’s time resumed on the second day after the Emperor and Arabelle arrived at Lake Innis.
The late autumn sky, rushing towards noon, was high and clear with not a single cloud.
The Emperor’s party left Lake Innis and rode through the coniferous forest towards the shores of Lake Glacis.
As they left the warm spring water and arrived at the vast lakeside, a cool breeze stirred the waves.
The wind announced the coming of winter, making the tips of their noses tingle.
The Emperor immediately drew Arabelle close, shielding her from the cold wind. His long fingers, carefully securing the cloak that covered her entire body, were exceptionally meticulous.
Despite the sudden change in air, Arabelle remained soundly asleep in the Emperor’s embrace.
The red eyes, holding her pale face, trembled slightly. Even in the agony of the curse, feeling her love, he did not give up.
More than the pain or the damnable fate of living as a monster forever… his heart was torn by the thought of Arabelle crying because of him.
What must it have been like when she read the prophecy written on papyrus? When she realized she had to sacrifice herself to save him, did she still smile brightly at him?
He still vividly remembered the words Arabelle had whispered in his ear as she saved him by drawing out the light within herself.
“Meeting Your Majesty… I have come to know a love and happiness that I would never have gained in a lifetime. Just as Your Majesty has protected me, please allow my light to remain by your side and protect you.”
As the Emperor, holding Arabelle, gazed at his reflection on the lake, the small figure of the woman he embraced was hidden beneath his own shadow and could not be seen on the water.
The Emperor’s gaze deepened as he looked down at the pale face peeking out from the cloak.
With this small and delicate body… she saved him. She gave all of herself without hesitation.
The Emperor’s grip on the beloved one, whom he had nearly lost forever, tightened. His long thumb tenderly brushed her long eyelashes, and his gaze lingered on Arabelle’s sleeping face.
He swore he would never lose her again. The gently shimmering ruby eyes suddenly deepened in intensity.
Sir Jacob and Sir Peter, rowing the boat, glanced at the bundle of the Emperor’s cloak with a sense of unspoken promise.
The woman who had done without hesitation what even a knight sworn to absolute loyalty could not easily do.
A noble lady who had saved the Emperor wounded and transformed into a black leopard, was initially just that. He never imagined she would become the Empress of the Empire when he took her to the palace as a clue to break the curse.
The small and delicate woman with large eyes seemed like she would be swallowed by the intense and immense light of the Emperor if she stood by his side. Her personality, appearance, and background seemed ill-suited to the Emperor.
The Emperor, who used anyone without a twinge of conscience for his goals, might have discarded her when she became useless. It was a bit pitiful to think that.
But…
The two knights, still gazing at Arabelle’s face, looked at the Emperor holding her. His determination to protect her from everything in the world even created the illusion that he was shielding her.
The Emperor, who had no emotions to seal away, had come to understand human emotions through the woman in his arms.
It wasn’t just love. The Emperor, who had first loved someone more than his own life, had to accept fear and anxiety he had never shown even when facing hundreds of enemies alone.
He had spent sleepless nights consumed by childish jealousy and had shamelessly indulged in embarrassing whims.
He realized that holding Arabelle’s hand and strolling through the garden was true happiness, more than expanding the empire’s territory.
The tiny moon, which once worried that it would be burned to ashes by the sun, had now claimed the heart of the sun.
Her gentle and soothing light began to penetrate the sun, transforming its raging, fierce flames into a warmth that could embrace and nurture. She was becoming the true sun of the Empire, capable of encompassing and giving warmth to all.
The woman who was thought unlikely to survive the Empress selection competition was soon to become the Empress of the Empire, and no one doubted her qualification any longer.
Arabelle had truly and honorably positioned herself beside the Emperor through her own abilities.
Even with winter approaching, the surrounding air carried the excitement and tranquility of spring. The eyes of the two knights watching the Emperor and Arabelle softened with warmth.
At last, the gondola carrying the Emperor and his party neared the opposite shore of the cold Lake Glacis.
Sir Peter, who was rowing while keeping his eyes forward, suddenly spoke in a flustered voice.
“Uh… oh…? Ah… right…”
“What’s wrong?”
As Sir Jacob, who was rowing alongside Peter, turned his head towards his friend, he too wore a look of surprise.
“Your Majesty…”
Sir Peter called out to the Emperor, who was sitting with his gaze fixed on Arabelle.
Without answering, the Emperor turned his eyes to his knight. At that moment, the Emperor’s expression hardened slightly as he glimpsed what was visible over Peter’s shoulder.
He had completely forgotten.
Today was…
“It’s Your Majesty’s birthday!”
Sir Jacob and Sir Peter exclaimed in unison, their voices raised, and quickly covered their mouths with their hands as they alternated glances between the Emperor and Arabelle.
Fearing that Arabelle might wake up, Peter muttered softly, watching the Emperor’s growing unease.
“It seems the preparations for the festival both inside and outside the palace are already complete…”
As he said, the increasingly closer dock was bustling with imperial boats ready to carry royals and nobles for the fireworks display tonight.
Eight beautifully decorated boats, adorned with flowers and lace, showcased their elegant appearances, while imperial staff bustled about preparing for the lake activities and fireworks.
Additionally, four squads of the imperial guard had been stationed at the dock for the safety of the night’s festivities.
As the gondola approached the dock, the festive scene of the palace became clearer.
A flower path of violets and lavender, planted for the festival, guided the way from the dock to the palace.
Thousands of crystal lanterns hung from the branches of trees on either side of the flower path, awaiting the night to come.
Hundreds of flags announcing the Emperor’s birthday fluttered proudly atop the semi-circular dome roof at the center of the palace.
The handsome brow of the Emperor furrowed in displeasure.
He had never been fond of his birthday celebrations. He preferred to use the time and money spent on festivals to strengthen and expand the military.
Seeing the royals and nobles indulging in lavish parties with imperial funds made him resentful; he found no joy in it.
There was no sense of pride in the silver coins distributed to the citizens on his birthday as a ruler. In fact, he thought it was wasteful.
Why should the treasury be opened and money be distributed for his birthday? Considering that the money given to the citizens and satellite nations could build dozens of warships, it was a bitter thought.
The grand week-long birthday celebrations held by previous emperors were reduced to a single evening after Maxwell ascended to the throne that year.
However, the Emperor’s eyes suddenly sparkled with something he seemed to have thought of. The expression that had previously been discontented now looked quite pleased.
On the boat to Lake Innis, he had asked Arabelle.
If the curse were lifted… they would surely hold their private wedding on his birthday night.
And Arabelle had clearly agreed. Though she had not answered in words, the round chin he held had clearly moved up and down.
One corner of his mouth previously closed in a straight line, curved up in a sly smile. The large back of his hand slowly caressed Arabelle’s cheek.
Tonight’s festival might not be so bad after all.
The two knights, whose eyes had been fixed on the Emperor, momentarily opened their mouths before closing them again.
The fleeting expression that had just crossed the Emperor’s face was one that came out when he was devising a plan no one could imagine. What was even more surprising was the playful expression that had been added to his sharp features, something that even as a child he had never imagined.
Simultaneously, as the two knights closed their eyes and opened them, a cool and dignified face appeared as if it had always been there.
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