The castle was eerily silent, sending chills down one’s spine. The knights, upon seeing him, hurriedly greeted him.
“We are seeing His Majesty…”
“Where is Leticia?”
“She is waiting inside.”
Dietrian moved on without listening to the rest of the knight’s words. As he walked down the corridor where the lanterns flickered, his anxiety tightened.
“Leticia!”
Forgetting to knock, he burst open the bedroom door. Leticia, sitting on the edge of the bed, looked at him in surprise. Dietrian also swallowed when he saw the wing by her side.
Kailas.
Wings of Healing.
Why were the wing that had been healing Leticia’s pain in the castle at this hour?
His insides were burning and his mouth was going dry. Leticia said nothing even though she saw his condition. It seemed as if she was finding it hard to speak.
“Dietrian.”
Fortunately, Leticia was the first to call him. She slowly rose from her seat. Dietrian grabbed her with trembling hands.
“What is going on? Is there a problem with the child?”
A late regret washed over him.
He should have listened to Yulken.
He should not have forgotten how dangerous the early stages of pregnancy were for the mother, how difficult it was to carry twins.
Because Leticia was a saint, because the healing power protected her. Because the goddess and Sigmund were with her.
He had been complacent. He had only thought it would be fine. He was sure the future promised by Sigmund would surely come to pass.
It was arrogance.
Where was the guarantee that the dreams of a Gilead would come true? He should have been cautious until the very end. Absolutely…
“I’m fine.”
At that moment, slender arms embraced him. Leticia, who had turned pale, gently stroked his back.
“Did I startle you a lot? I’m sorry. But didn’t you hear from the spirits?”
“I did.”
“Then why do you look like this? Why are you so pale?”
“Why did you suddenly call for me?”
Leticia, who had been wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, hesitated. She then looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
“…Did the spirits not tell you why I called you?”
“You only said you were looking for me.”
“Oh dear.”
Leticia, who had been carefully observing his complexion, sighed.
“It’s my fault. I should have instructed the spirits to make sure you weren’t startled.”
In her eagerness to convey the message to Dietrian as quickly as possible, she had forgotten that the spirits were too instinctive.
Instead of explaining further, she embraced him tightly again. She gestured toward Kailas. Kailas nodded quickly and went outside.
“I’m perfectly fine, Dietrian. There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m not pretending to be fine when I’m not. You can check it yourself.”
“Ha.”
Dietrian exhaled the breath he had been holding. He buried his face in Leticia’s shoulder and whispered.
“I thought you were dying.”
“You know I am always safe. Why do you worry so much?”
“I don’t know. I always become a coward when it comes to things related to you.”
Dietrian whispered as he held her close, desperately clutching at the hem of her garment.
Thanks to that, despite their size difference, Dietrian appeared to be buried in Leticia.
“By the way, what’s the urgent matter? Sending spirits means something really pressing happened, right? And you’ve left the castle gates wide open.”
“I left the gates open because I knew you would come. It wouldn’t do to waste time opening and closing them. I didn’t expect you to be so shocked. I’ll make sure to communicate properly with the spirits next time.”
Leticia gently cupped his face.
Dietrian didn’t know, but she had been extremely tense from the moment he entered the bedroom.
“Dietrian. There’s something I need to tell you. But first, let me make a request.”
“A request?”
“Dietrian.”
Leticia held his hands tightly.
She caressed the ring on his fourth finger. It was a wedding ring, just like hers. Pressing her lips gently against the warm ring from his body heat, she whispered.
“Will you marry me?”
“…What?”
“Let’s have a wedding. I’ll make you the happiest groom in the world. Will you accept my proposal?”
Dietrian blinked in confusion. The sudden proposal left him dazed.
“Let’s have a wedding, a much happier one than the one we had in the Empire.”
“Well, that’s true.”
It was definitely Leticia who suggested postponing the wedding. She had said they should wait until Mano recovered.
So why a proposal now?
Was the urgency of the proposal such that it required summoning him with the spirits?
“Before you answer my proposal, come with me. There’s someone you need to meet right now.”
“Someone to meet? At this hour?”
“Yes. That’s the only way you’ll accept my proposal.”
Dietrian blinked in bewilderment. He still couldn’t grasp the situation. He decided to keep quiet without asking further.
It was said that peace in a household comes from listening to one’s wife. This was the advice of senior married men. Since it was something a wise wife was doing, there must be a reason.
Leticia led him down the familiar corridor. Dietrian’s eyes wavered as he followed her. The sound of his heartbeat grew louder and louder, thudding heavily in his chest.
“Leticia, where are we…?”
Dietrian stared at the tightly closed door in disbelief.
In Mano’s room, a faint light seeped through the crack in the door.
“Why do I need to see my mother at this hour?”
Even as he asked, he was beginning to guess the reason.
The series of events he had experienced over the past few days began to fit together like a puzzle.
Unable to bring himself to grasp the doorknob, he stood frozen. Tears welled up in his dark eyes. Leticia, who had been sniffing, gently pushed him from behind.
“Go in. She will be waiting.”
Dietrian squeezed his eyes shut.
With a click, the door slowly opened. He opened his eyes as he felt the white light pouring in.
“……!”
Mano, who was with Julios, turned to look at him. The moment their blue eyes met, his heart sank.
“Dietrian.”
Mano smiled brightly. It was the benevolent smile he had thought he had lost forever.
“Oh, my.”
Hot tears flowed down his cheeks.
Staggering, he entered the room.
After seven years, he had regained his mother’s smile.
Spring had returned to Mano once again.
Chapter 5: Marriage
The capital of the Principality of Zenos had unique features compared to other territories.
It was divided into four main districts, with high-ranking nobles appointed by the king responsible for maintaining order in each area.
People called them Masters.
Though they did not own land like the lords, their roles were similar.
When people faced difficulties, they went to the Masters. They also conveyed their requests to the king.
The exception was the northern district, Northfield.
The Master of Northfield was Julia.
Unlike other districts, Julia was solely responsible for maintaining order.
Northfield had no residential areas, only the royal castle and royal-owned commercial facilities.
In contrast, the Masters of the eastern, western, and southern districts were currently overwhelmed.
Their mansions had been bustling lately. Residents from their districts came to pester the Masters at every opportunity.
“Are we not having a festival?”
“I heard Madam Mano has recovered! Are we just letting this pass by?”
“What about the wedding? We can’t have the new lord just like this!”
When there are repeated joyous occasions, people are initially happy. As they continue to be pleased, new desires emerge.
One cannot let such overlapping good fortune slip away!
“Why is everyone so impatient? Please wait. His Majesty will handle it properly……”
“That’s because it’s not someone who would take care of it properly!”
“Exactly! You have always lived in patience for the country! And the same goes for the new lord!”
The Masters were taken aback by the people’s dissatisfaction. So, people were actually frustrated with their king and queen for being too modest.
‘Why are they complaining to me about this?’
Though the Masters of the three districts shared the same thought, they could not voice it. The people who came to see them were too adamant.
“Wedding! We need a wedding!”
“I heard that the new lord proposed to His Majesty, is that true?”
“Why is there no news? We should hold a grand festival! Please find out quickly! Hurry!”
Ultimately, the Masters, unable to withstand the pressure from the district residents, hurriedly made their way to the castle.
And finally.
The Masters, who had been granted an audience with the king, rushed back to their mansions.
“The date has been set!”
They announced to the people waiting eagerly as if to devour them.
“On the day the sea opens! A grand festival will be held! Everyone, start preparing!”
* * *
On the day the sea opens.
It did not literally mean the day the sea would open.
In the Principality of Zenos, a founding myth was passed down.
Long ago, a few humans who followed the gods governed the world.
However, according to the will of the gods, those who were supposed to uphold the rules of the human world began to fall into corruption.
Those who were supposed to help and lead people became blinded by greed and started to torment the weak.
In a world where order had vanished.
In a place where only the strong preyed on the weak, the powerless could only shed tears.
During this time, a woman devised a plan to overcome the crisis.
“I implore the Dragon for salvation.”
She knelt and begged the transcendent being who watched over the world, Dragon Sigmund, to help save the world.
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