Chapter Forty-Five
_When We Attain Happiness: 1
Ivan did not turn to Rukshan; instead, he went to Kayin, who was vomiting black blood. Ivan felt worried and began treating him with holy power, but the wound would not heal...
"How will you save him?! You know that no matter how strong your holy power becomes, you cannot heal a demonic poison..."
Ivan lowered his hands, sighed, and placed his small bag in the hand of Kayin, who was breathing with difficulty. Ivan whispered calmly:
"Is the protection spell I gave you still with you?! ..."
"Yes .."
"I will buy you some time. Do not hesitate this time to rip out his heart and destroy it..."
Kayin opened his mouth to speak, but Ivan stood up, turning his back to Kayin, and advanced toward Rukshan. He realized Rukshan's trick, so he reinforced his body with magic instead of holy power and gripped his sword attentively..
Rukshan and Ivan began to fight. Ivan protected himself while Rukshan struck mercilessly. He felt strange; Ivan hadn't initiated any strike except at the beginning of the fight...
'Is he planning something?!..'
He was certain of it when he looked toward Kayin, whom he assumed was lying on the ground, but the man was standing, supporting himself and smiling. He felt a terrifying momentum coming from him. Rukshan retreated automatically, making Kayin smile in a demonic way. Ivan suppressed his mockery and stepped back.
Kayin attacked swiftly, and in less than a moment, he ripped out Rukshan's heart. Blood flowed from Rukshan's mouth as he looked with terrified eyes, until their glow faded..
Kayin's legs collapsed, and he sat on his knees. Ivan approached him anxiously, and Kayin laughed mockingly..
"It seems that ripping out fathers' hearts is my mission... "
As he looked at Rukshan's heart, whose pulse began to fade until it vanished, Ivan kicked the heart out of Kayin's hand and crushed it with his foot, then said calmly...
"Are you okay?!..."
"It seems I hurried a bit; the potion hadn't finished its work, but I was worried Rukshan would find out..."
"Foolish, but it's fine... I have another potion..."
"Is Raphael accustomed to saving everyone this way?! How much did it exhaust him?!"
"Several days, but he was smiling despite that..."
Kayin smiled wearily while taking the healing potion, then showed Ivan the other potion and said...
"How did you think of it?!..."
"He was the one who gave me the solution; fortunately, my mother had made a concentrated potion of the Bloody Fire Wreath... I don't know what she was thinking, but it was useful..."
Ivan smiled beautifully, causing Kayin to ruffle Ivan's hair playfully...
"I don't know why everyone grew up so suddenly... but you are still Ivan, that mischievous child... take care of everyone."
Kayin finished his words and stood up, having fully regained his health, and began dusting himself off. Ivan spoke in a sad tone:
"Are you leaving?!..."
"Everything is over, so I feel a bit of relief... take care of everyone, Ivan..."
"..."
"Ah, I won't tell anyone about the relationship that binds you to that man, for you kept my secret in the past..."
Ivan truly felt sad. Kayin had always been his friend and family who eased the feeling of alienation in his heart. He was searching for his mother, but he also wished he could boast about Raphael and Kayin as his family. Leopard was as important as them; he was kind and affectionate, and might strike Kayin if he annoyed him. Perhaps he didn't want to change Raphael's future only, but the future of them all...
Kayin had distanced himself by a reasonable distance, but Ivan stood and spoke in a clear voice:
"You will return, I will try to do anything for that..."
Kayin smiled without turning and moved his hand in a gesture of farewell. He hoped so, but he was afraid of the confrontation; he wanted to and didn't want to...
* * *
The people did not need to see the Empress emerge from the Temple to believe their sin, but Raphael carried the exhausted Ariana and advanced with steady steps, followed by Ivan and a number of knights carrying Steve Rukshan's body...
The exhausted soldiers straightened up, looking at Raphael with looks of pride and respect. A special carriage advanced to the middle of the crowd. Raphael placed Ariana inside, then stepped forward to address the crowd with a deep voice:
"This time I am not your hero... Cardinal Ivan Jerome is the one who was the cause of this man's death..."
Raphael pointed to Ivan and Steve Rukshan's body. The soldiers shouted with resentment:
"Burn him..."
"Hang him..."
Very insulting words were shouted by the people. The rest of the priests and Paladin knights who had either surrendered or hadn't participated from the start were in a state of brokenness and shame; the greatest power on the continent had been crushed...
"It is not the time to talk about what will become of this man.."
"..."
"I don't want it to become chaos; let us unite for the sake of Cassian..."
"For Cassian..."
The soldiers shouted with great enthusiasm, while Raphael gave orders to imprison everyone who was in the Temple and investigate them. He gave Ivan the right to handle the body, and he chose to bury it in mass graves with those who were with him....
Thus, the first file was closed. Then Raphael mounted his horse, followed by Leopard, Ernesto, Dylan, Philip, and Elena, and the closest was Ivan with a calm face..
"What's wrong with you?!..."
"You know I didn't kill him.."
"I know, I truly know who did it.."
"Will a day come for you to forgive him?!..."
"I don't know, leave it to time..."
"How did you know?!..."
"Ivan, you have never killed anyone in your life; would I believe that you killed that man?"
Ivan smiled with a complex feeling and said with eyes congested with many emotions:
"Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Raphael laughed cheerfully and said with a pout:
"I still feel a bit of jealousy.."
" ...?!"
"You have never called me anything but formally despite your tasteless style, but Kayin and Leopard sometimes, you called them without reservation..."
Ivan laughed with a deep sense of joy; Raphael was fine, Kayin would return one day, and Leopard was happy despite his frowning all the way back due to the rush..
Philip was an ally, Ariana didn't die, and his mother was with him; wasn't it a beautiful feeling?
* * *
Six months later
With the beginning of spring and the melting of snow, the capital was decorated with flowers, for spring had arrived much earlier than usual. The road leading to the Great Temple was paved with white and blue flowers and other beautiful, bright colors. Commoners and nobles alike were dressed in their finest clothes, with bright and happy faces...
"Excited to see Her Majesty..."
"I heard that many kings will attend..."
"Everyone from all over the continent was invited..."
"His Majesty is the hero of the continent; how could they miss his wedding?!..."
"Haven't you heard as well..."
"What?!"
"Cardinal Ivan Jerome, despite his refusal of the Patriarch position, is the one who will preside over the wedding ceremony of the Emperor and Empress..."
"Oh my God, I'm excited to see the wedding..."
Usually, the wedding would be in the Great Temple, which was renovated after the disaster, but the surprise for the people was that the marriage vows would be in the square in front of the Temple for everyone to see. The capital had been secured and knights planted in every corner; even if they got rid of the Temple, it didn't mean there weren't many villains who didn't care about hurting people...
* * *
"It seems Duke Rathan cares for his family more than his friend..."
The servants, led by Marshall, were helping Raphael adjust his final look. Raphael looked at the speaker with a frown:
"Are you enjoying what is happening to me now, Philip Silvano?!.."
Philip laughed cheerfully; Raphael's expressions were new to him, and he said, stifling his laughter:
"I don't know, Your Majesty, but for him to refuse using the gates and teleportation to come to the capital and instead be several days late for the set appointment.. it is a disgraceful act, but I wonder at your tolerance for it..."
"The Princess is still too young to travel by magic, so I appreciate it.."
"Anyway, I don't care; I won the best man position because of him..."
Raphael didn't hate Philip's mockery; rather, he felt this man was trying to be a good friend... Raphael doesn't deny that hardships bring people closer. Raphael used to look at Philip as nothing but his parents' spoiled child, ignoring the hardships he faced in his life to rise to what he is. When rewards were granted to those who participated in stopping the disaster, Philip was the one who refused his reward, saying he did nothing but support Elena. He even surprised everyone with his desire to marry her, and their marriage took place a month after the events. No one could oppose the marriage, for Elena was one of the four saints who destroyed the gates and saved Cassian...
The saints were truly amazing; Elena also didn't care about the reward, but was content with marrying the man she loved. Meanwhile, Ernesto said his power was nothing but a weapon for Cassian and he did nothing noteworthy. Dylan, whose friend the "fourth saint" died, only asked that the Imperial family take care of his friend's sister and protect her, and afterward, Ivan asked that he be his special assistant in the plan to reform the Temple..
There was Brian, who was able to cut down every monster that tried to reach the set boundaries other than the capital, and Casper, who was a hero by protecting the frightened citizens inside the shelters. Each of them was given the title of Count: Casper from "Sir Wilton" to "Count Orion" and Brian from "Carous" to "Count Pedro", and both continued their work...
* * *
"Your Majesty, you are so beautiful..."
"Thank you, Sofia... the dress you made for me is beautiful as usual."
"I am happy..."
The maids had finally finished styling Ariana's hair, braided and scattered with pearls, and the last piece was the flower Raphael chose. Never before had a noble lady repeated the same ornament in two important ceremonies, but this flower was an exception...
"Your Majesty, the Duchess of Silvano has arrived.."
"Marian... let her in..."
Ariana was speaking enthusiastically, for Elena had become a very close friend to Ariana...
Elena entered in a light green dress decorated with pink peony flowers, her blonde hair flowing smoothly behind her back. She approached Ariana and held her hands enthusiastically:
"I am happy for you, Ariana..."
"Thank you, Elena. I feel a bit nervous..."
"It's fine.. I have to go back to my place. Take care of yourself..."
"Alright ..."
She entered quickly as she exited, and after that, the maids excused themselves and left; only Marian remained...
"I feel happy to see Your Majesty happy.."
Tears were falling from Marian's eyes, so Ariana hugged her gently and said:
"Why do you look sad?! Marian will always be with me."
"My lady has been through a lot; I never want her to be hurt..."
"I won't be hurt; I will be happy and Marian will be happy..."
Ariana smiled with a bright face, and happiness returned to Marian's face...
* * *
"I am very angry..."
Her face was red and pouting in a pathetic way. The man stopped in confusion; at times he carried the little one and at times he put her down. He didn't know what exactly his wife wanted from him...
"..."
"I won't attend the wedding because of you; I was so excited, Leo."
Leopard laughed, put down his little girl, and approached his wife, hugging her, and said in a sweet voice:
"I'm sorry, but you two really must rest now, and I promise you that I will come in the evening to take you with little Elida..."
Liliana sighed in surrender:
"Fine, go quickly to change your clothes... I will get ready while I wait for you..."
Leopard kissed her forehead warmly. He was an overprotective person; the doctor said the effect of magical transport would be somewhat bad for the child, but he didn't say it was fatal. Liliana didn't comment, for she loved her foolish husband. After he finished dressing, she helped him adjust his tie, and even saw him off to the palace gate accompanied by their beautiful little girl with her pink hair and beautiful blue eyes...
"We must get ready, my little Ellie; we are going to meet the Empress..."
She smiled in the face of her beautiful child and went up to her room to get ready...
* * *
The March sky was bright and clear, as if the sky were celebrating with the Empire. The decorated and luxurious white carriage bearing the emblem of the Forest Nymph—the emblem of the Silas family—stopped...
The carriage stopped before the large crowd near the large Temple square. Elliot opened the carriage door and helped Ariana descend. She wore a pearl-white dress with semi-bare shoulders, a white puffed skirt scattered with diamonds and pearls with bottom edges of white lace. Her honey-brown hair was elegantly braided and scattered with pearls. The diamond blue Anchusa flower shone magnificently. She wore a pearl necklace which was an inheritance from the previous Empress, and the white veil was of luxurious lace...
Ariana held her brother's hand with a deep sense of happiness; she felt that today she was the happiest person in the world. There was nothing more she wished for...
"I am happy that my little sister is now finding true happiness..."
"And when will my brother find his happiness?!..."
She smiled slyly from under her veil. Elliot frowned and said:
"Still ..."
"Brother, my aunt will be upset if she hears your silly excuses; brother, you are the last hope for Silas..."
"I'll think about it ..."
Elliot sighed and murmured audibly with dissatisfaction. Ariana smiled and said with a kind face:
"You will find someone who suits you, brother, I am sure..."
Elliot felt warmth from Ariana's words...
When Ariana was walking with Elliot, Emily Roalf was given the task of scattering flowers. She almost flew with happiness when the Emperor summoned her and made this request of her kindly. The child who thought she would not see the day she would walk under the sun was now walking behind the Empress, in a light sky-blue dress that Ariana herself chose for her, and she decorated her hair with the hairpin the Emperor gifted her. Her short black hair sparkled as she smiled happily while scattering flowers, and her parents were looking at her happily....
Elliot and Ariana finally reached their destination. Raphael was waiting for her impatiently, in the white Emperor's robe decorated with silver threads, and the pin was in the shape of the Anchusa flower, like a flower blooming in the middle of snow...
Raphael held her hand with a deep sense of happiness; he had finally gotten the woman he loves, she would be his wife and his Empress. He kissed her hand with love and smiled warmly, holding her toward the altar. After exchanging the marriage vows that Ivan recited to them, he finally declared them husband and wife...
"And finally.. you may kiss your bride..."
"You should act like a priest at least..."
Despite Ivan's provocative manner, he was very happy. Raphael scolded him in a whisper, making Ariana laugh at them. They exchanged a kiss awkwardly and then greeted the guests and everyone happily ...
"And finally Raphael got married..."
It was Leopard's voice, who patted Raphael's back happily. Raphael looked behind his friend and said in confusion:
"Didn't the Duchess come with you?!..."
"She will attend the reception. She wanted to come, but we arrived in the early morning and she didn't sleep well, so I told her to rest and then get ready to attend in the evening..."
Leopard was justifying to Raphael and Ariana, who smiled and said kindly:
"I want to see the Duchess, but it's fine, I'll wait until the evening.."
Leopard smiled with relief and pulled Raphael to talk for a bit as usual. Ivan approached Ariana and whispered:
"Are you curious about the Duchess of Rathan?!..."
"..."
Ariana laughed at Ivan's shrewdness and nodded yes. He spoke in confusion:
"I heard she is the daughter of a local noble, but I don't know exactly how they got married?!.."
"I have a suspicion; she might be the person who reincarnated in this world..."
"Logical, for you are part of this world, and Logan told us that there is a strange soul that entered this world..."
"Then let's wait until the evening.."
"Alright, I'll go to my mother; perhaps she feels bored..."
Ariana smiled at Ivan, who looked more childish and pure than any child: happy and enthusiastic, helping everyone with a pure heart despite his sharp tongue and twisted nature. She saw him as he returned to his mother, talking to her with affection and cheerfulness, while Karin, who had regained her health and body, looked younger than her age...
... To be continued ...