Chapter 231. The First Empress (2)

Translator: Aura / Editor: SaWarren

We didn’t usually walk hand in hand.

I felt embarrassed, but I also held his hand tightly.

The High Priest, who had insisted in disdain that we not invite him, smiled slightly at us as if he couldn’t help it.

However, once we stopped in front of him, he whispered as he opened the sacred book.

“I asked not to be invited.”

Then, smiling, the High Priest asked Heinley according to procedure,

“You both walked separate paths until your paths joined and you began to walk together as husband and wife. King of the Western Kingdom, Heinley Alles Lazlo, agrees to walk together with Navier Ellie Troby the rest of the path?”

I was a little surprised. That certainly wasn’t the typical wedding line.

As I looked at him in surprise, the High Priest smiled playfully.

Probably because we had exchanged our marriage vows in the Eastern Empire he suited the phrase to the current situation.

However, the High Priest’s playful smile disappeared as soon as Heinley said, “Wait a minute.”

When the groom did not answer the question of whether he accepted the bride and instead asked the high priest to wait a moment, murmurs arose from the seats of the distinguished guests.

Having rehearsed this yesterday, I waited quietly while watching everyone’s reactions.

However, after seeing Rashta’s smiling face I stopped. There was no need to watch the people who expected to see me suffer on this day.

Looking to my side, Heinley was still smiling calmly despite the bustling crowd.

“First I need to announce something.”

To everyone’s surprise, his tone was different from usual.

The distinguished guests looked at each other, puzzled. Heinley waited for them to calm down a little, then spoke in a strong voice.

“From this moment forward…”

“?”

“The Western Kingdom will become the Western Empire, and I, Heinley Lazlo, will reign as the First Emperor of the Western Empire.”

There was an air of dignity in Heinley’s tone.

The distinguished guests were even more surprised than when Heinley said, ‘Wait a minute.’

As if they couldn’t understand what was going on.

But when some of Heinley’s closest aides, who were already prepared for this, applauded, the people of the Western Kingdom immediately followed, clapping and cheering together.

Even the distinguished guests applauded being swept up in the confusion of the moment.

The murmurs gradually turned into a great commotion that echoed throughout the hall.

Seeing the journalists busily waving their hands, I looked back at Sovieshu.

Sovieshu had a pale complexion, but his expression was indifferent.

Was he annoyed? Or did he think I was obsessed with being an Empress?

In any case, he was managing his expression very well. In contrast, Rashta’s expression was as if he had snatched the crown from her head.

Turning around again, Heinley recited on his own in front of the High Priest.

“I, Heinley Alles Lazlo, Emperor of the Western Empire, do accept Empress Navier Ellie Troby as my wife.”

The High Priest frowned for a moment as he watched Heinley do well on his own.

Still, Heinley continued and asked me, naturally changing my title,

“Does Navier Ellie Troby, Empress of the Western Empire, agree to marry Emperor Heinley Alles Lazlo?”

“I do agree.”

I said with a smile, then the High Priest took out the marriage certificate.

It was the same marriage certificate signed in the Eastern Empire.

The High Priest said quietly, crossing out the lines that read ‘King’ and ‘Queen’,

“Please sign again on the side.”

After Heinley and I signed, the High Priest closed the sacred book, officially proclaiming our union.

At the same time cheers broke out louder than before.

The wedding reception began. Heinley and I were the first to dance together.

I felt his hands on my neck and waist more clearly than ever.

Was it because of what will happen in a few hours?

In contrast, Heinley was not at all pleased because of the jewels on my dress.

“You’re wearing too many jewels, My Queen. I feel like I put my hands on armor…”

I try to act stern.

“You’re a shameless eagle. What do you expect? Just dance.”

At the stern scolding, Heinley whispered with a grin.

“Lucky no one can read my thoughts.”

What was he thinking?

Maybe…he had thoughts similar to mine?

However, I preferred not to ask.

Instead, I grabbed him more firmly around the waist. Then, I caught a glimpse of Grand Duke Kapmen in the crowd.

After a series of turns while dancing, he was gone before I knew it.

Was he alright?

He had a really somber expression both yesterday and today.

Maybe it’s because of my wedding.

He could be so in love with me right now for the magic potion, that he was jealous…

“Look at me.”

Heinley realized immediately that I was worried about Grand Duke Kapmen, and whispered.

“Wife, now just look at me.”

You’re being too greedy.”

When I mockingly rebutted, Heinley proudly replied,

“My Queen is now my woman, and I’m your man.”

Heinley murmured, “We belong to each other”, before naturally kissing my forehead and leaning back.

“Take me, my Queen. Hold me, wrap me in your arms.”

How adorable.

How many years is he younger than me? Even in this form, he was still cute.

However, Heinley was unexpectedly greedy. I had never seen anyone describe marriage as an act of possession.

After our first dance, we walked to the thrones holding hands.

Sitting in our seats, one of the officials in charge of the event came over with a tray of food.

Heinley took the tray and placed it in his lap, staring at me.

No way… does he want to feed me in front of everyone?!

“I’d like to feed you, My Queen. Just like last time.”

I thought so.

Although it was fine to show that we had a good relationship, feeding me in front of everyone was not something we should do as emperors.

I kept my mouth shut and shook my head quickly.

Fortunately, Heinley was smart, so he reluctantly handed me a fork.

“Another time, when it’s just the two of us.”

As time passed, other nobles also began to dance on stage. Perhaps because of Heinley’s self-proclamation, the atmosphere was much livelier than at a typical party.

People’s voices were becoming more energetic and their expressions brighter. Especially the people from the Western Kingdom looked really excited.

As I silently watched, I noticed that no one paid any attention to the jewels that covered the entire hall.

Well, the Kingdom had become an Empire, so now it wouldn’t matter how glamorous the decorations were.

Come to think of it, I couldn’t see Duke Elgy….

“Why didn’t Duke Elgy come?”

He was a friend of Heinley’s.

“I invited him, but I don’t know why he didn’t come.”

“I understand.”

Once Heinley started talking to McKenna, my brother came over and we chatted a little.

However, some young ladies, probably the ones who sent the letters, kept staring at my brother with dazzling eyes, so I ended up sending him over there.

“Brother, don’t just stand by my side, also dance and have fun.”

Unresisting, he calmly approached the young ladies and talked to them. Was my brother doing this for me?

Although he looked very awkward.

After that, I conversed with my ladies-in-waiting for a while, and when they left to dance, Nian came over and greeted me.

“You are now Her Majesty the Empress again.”

Smiling charmingly, she added in a playful tone,

“This title suits you better.”

The unknown nobles of the Western Kingdom, or rather, the Western Empire, who were following Nian agreed with her remark.

Without realizing it, Nian seemed to expand her influence rapidly.

Once Nian left, I slowly looked around me.

Mullaney was not near me, but she smiled and waved discreetly at me when our gazes met.

High-status nobles close to Heinley approached me and openly expressed their goodwill towards me.

Obviously, Heinley did not make the decision to proclaim himself emperor overnight. So they assumed that I was the reason Heinley did it, and they were grateful.

Sovieshu … I wonder what he’s thinking.

Although he had a composed attitude, he was completely alone, rejecting anyone who approached him.

‘What about Rashta? Haven’t I seen her?’

For some reason, Rashta wasn’t attracting attention. She stood out everywhere for her beautiful and wonderful appearance.

‘Oh, there she is.’

I can see why she hasn’t stood out.

She was doing her best to be inconspicuous.

Why was she acting like that? That wasn’t her personality.

… Ah, I get it.

It’s because of Nian.

***

Although the heat rose inside her, Rashta tried to keep a low profile as much as she could.

This was because Duchess Tuania and Viscount Langdel were here.

She didn’t want to see them, so she tried her best to avoid them by moving from side to side, but since she was the empress, the eyes of those present always followed her.

Fortunately, no one tried to stop her to talk as she passed.

Rashta managed to approach Christa after walking around the hall a few times. At this point, she planned to cause a ruckus by taking advantage of Christa’s feelings.

However, before she could even pretend to know Christa. She suddenly heard the sound of a fan being unfolded, and a loud laugh.

Turning around, Rashta saw Duchess Tuania coming towards her, surrounded by a group of gentlemen and ladies.

As well as Viscount Langdel, who had pounced on her with a knife in the past.

Feeling an instinctive fear, Rashta hurriedly left the area once again.