TGW Chapter 22 Part 4

 

 

Fatima came out to the marketplace for the first time in a while.

"It looks like social gatherings can be addictive. I haven't gone in a while, and now I'm bored. I can't even go to the library."

During the period of the Imperial Council, security at the Imperial Palace was even stricter. With entry restricted, non-officials were unable to visit the palace library.

Soon, the Iron King would be getting married. The day after the wedding was the first official banquet of the year at the Imperial Palace. The news that the Red King would be preparing the banquet, along with the first royal marriage in decades, had people excited.

As the date for the wedding banquet, which everyone was interested in, approached, the number of private parties held at noble residences decreased. Those that couldn't draw attention were postponed until after the Imperial banquet.

Small gatherings did not satisfy Fatima. Having followed Countess Merze to such large-scale events, her standards had been raised.

"Countess Merze praised the palace parties hosted by the Red King, saying they were of a different caliber."

When she attended the year-end party, she was so overwhelmed by its splendor that she was in awe. Now, she had a pretty good eye for such things. She had reached a point where she could get a rough sense of the host’s taste just by stepping into the banquet hall. So she was confident that she would be able to appreciate this upcoming palace party with a discerning eye.

In the middle of the bustling marketplace, crowded with stalls, Fatima spotted a familiar man standing head and shoulders above the crowd. Her eyes widened. She quickly walked over to him.

"Russ."

Russ acknowledged her with a glance.

"Meeting you in a place like this—what a pleasant surprise."

Russ silently glanced at the man standing next to Fatima.

"This is my escort."

Fatima was uncomfortable with the escort Martin had assigned to her. She felt as if her every move would reach Martin's ears. After telling Martin, "I'll handle the escort myself," she had asked Count Merze to find someone for her.

The escort, with a stiff expression, bowed his head.

"It is an honor to meet you, Sir Kali."

Fatima, embarrassed, reprimanded the escort.

"This is not Sir Kali. He is clearly someone else. How rude of you. Apologize immediately."

"Oh, I... I'm sorry."

The escort apologized with a perplexed expression. Not knowing they were twins, he thought they must really look alike.

"I'm really sorry, Us. In fact, I believe you're a better warrior than Sir Kali. I always thought the glory of Sir Kali should rightfully belong to you."

Russ shrugged his shoulders, arms crossed. Fatima didn't mind. Russ was never one for formal manners.

"Russ, are you busy right now?"

"Not particularly."

"If you don't mind, could you spare some time? I've been away from home for a long time, and I want to talk about the desert."

"Alright."

Fatima had learned how important networking was in the social circles of the empire.

Russ was a pearl hidden in the mud. He was the closest confidant of Marquis Raad, and his swordsmanship was second to none, not even Sir Kali. Just as people were now marveling at Sir Kali, it wouldn’t be long before Russ’s true value was revealed. So, she wanted to strengthen the bond she had formed with him in the desert.

"I need to be friends with him. Then I could ask him to deliver a message directly to Kuhn."

The two of them moved to another location. To accommodate Russ, Fatima took him to a tavern frequented by commoners. At night, it sold liquor, and during the day, it served grain tea.

"It’s been a while. How have you been?"

"So-so. You seem to be doing well, Fatima. Oh, should I not call you that anymore?"

"No, please call me as you always did. In the desert, everyone calls each other by name. The empire's customs are polite, but they feel distant."

"Then I'll just call you by your name. I've always found adding ‘sir’ to be uncomfortable."

"Okay, Russ. It feels good, like I’m back home."

Russ’s gaze was peculiar as he watched Fatima smile bashfully.

‘She’s changed.’

Levan used to describe Russ as "a man driven purely by instinct." Half of it was criticism, and the other half was envy.

Most people rack their brains to read the other person and consider numerous scenarios. Russ was simple. He just knew who was good and who wasn’t based on his feelings.

Despite his straightforward nature, Russ had never been stabbed in the back. He could instantly sense those who approached with hidden intentions.

Russ saw through Fatima's fake smile. He knew she was approaching him with friendly intentions because she admired Kuhn.

However, the transparent motive didn’t bother him much because Fatima, whom he met in the desert, was a woman who shined even amidst rough sandstorms. Back then, he thought she and Kuhn made a good match.

But the Fatima he knew was gone. She had become a shallow noblewoman playing petty tricks. Somehow, it was disappointing.

"Have you heard what Sir Kali asked you to relay?"

"I’ve heard."

"I thought you would come to meet me, so I’ve been waiting for you."

"Coming to the Count's place is a bit... it’s not someone I know."

"Oh, I didn't think of that. So, how can I meet you?"

"Just come to the marketplace. I’m there almost every day if there’s nothing special going on. Usually around this time."

"I’ll do that."

They didn’t stay long in the tavern. They didn’t have any particularly important conversations. After parting ways with Fatima, Russ headed home. As he entered the Marquis’s estate, he ran into Levan, who was just leaving.

"Going to the marketplace again? You’re marking your attendance there, huh?"

Levan said, noticing Russ’s empty hands.

"Didn’t buy anything today?"

Russ had a hobby of going to the nearby marketplace to buy various knick-knacks. Even in the desert, he would make sure to visit the market whenever it was held.

"Hey."

"What?"

"Kuhn's woman—isn’t she the Silver King?"

"How can you say such a thing!"

Levan hurriedly looked around.

"Shut up and follow me."

The two men went to a corner of the estate's wall. Levan frowned.

"Watch your mouth. Is that something to say where people come and go?"

"What’s there to hide? Everyone who should know already knows."

"Don’t you know why we have to be careful?"

"I know their situation is complicated, but if it were a problem, Kuhn wouldn’t have started it in the first place. I’m sure Kuhn has thought about all sorts of scenarios."

"Still, it wouldn’t be good if a problem arises because word got out from our side."

Though he often joked that Kuhn would become a henpecked husband, deep down, Levan worried that Kuhn might end up completely under the thumb of the Silver King. Kuhn already seemed infatuated with her, and if he made a mistake, he might have to bow down entirely.

"Don’t interfere. It’s Kuhn who’s going to marry her, so it doesn’t matter whether you like her or not."

"Did I say I didn’t like her?"

Russ muttered and turned away.

 

***

 

The Imperial Council extended by one session and concluded after a total of four sessions.

After delivering the final adjournment declaration, the Emperor left the chamber. As always, the Silver King was the first to leave the meeting room, followed closely by Marquis Raad.

On the first day, the bewildered council members started to steal glances at the Silver King and the Marquis towards the end of the sessions by the second and third days.

Would it be the same today? Indeed, on the fourth day, as expected, the two left together, mingling exclusively with each other.

The expressions on the dukes' faces were complex and subtle. They were at a loss on how to interpret the relationship between the Silver King and the Marquis.

Having had a bitter experience on the first day, Dian had stopped trying to get between the two from the second day onwards. Clicking his tongue, he looked at the exit the two had taken.

"Are those two really dating? Or are they just sitting side by side reading books? That guy looks impressive on the outside, but he's just an empty shell, a total goof."

Dian approached the representatives of the vassal states.

"Gentlemen, you've all worked hard. If there aren't any other plans, how about coming to my palace for a light drink?"

"To Your Highness’s palace?"

"Since you're inviting us, we should certainly go."

The representatives of the vassal states readily agreed.

Dian extended the same invitation to the dukes, even cheerfully asking Duke Rimone to join them.

"Thank you for the offer, but I have matters to attend to," Dag refused with a look of discomfort. He thought to himself, "What kind of person is this?"

Duke Rimone, Duke Rouk, and Count Bless, the heir to Duke Bless, declined, but the remaining three accepted the invitation.

Dian led the group of dignitaries to the Iron King's palace. Each of them was a prominent figure, making their group noticeable. Even the interest directed towards the Silver King and the Marquis shifted towards them.

In two days, Dian's wedding was to take place. With such a major royal event approaching, the palace staff was busy. They had no room to focus on anything else.

Because of this, the multiple instances of palace staff witnessing the Silver King and the Marquis leaving together did not cause much gossip.

Thanks to this, Sienna and Kuhn were able to enjoy dates in the office of the Silver King's palace from late afternoon to late evening after the end of the Imperial Council.

Sienna organized the proceedings of all four days. From the second day onwards, she and Kuhn took turns summarizing, then exchanged their notes to review.

By the time they finished going over the notes, it was about time for dinner. After their meal, they would return to the office. The late nights were their private time, where they sat close together on the sofa, engaging in intimate conversations.

"Is a sandstorm really that bad?"

"It’s a terrifying natural disaster. You can't understand it unless you've experienced it. Being stuck for about three days without being able to move is quite common."

At some point, the conversation turned to the desert, and Kuhn shared his experiences there. He had traveled so extensively that there were hardly any places on the continent he hadn't been, so he had a wealth of travel stories. Sienna listened to his tales with great interest.

"It must have been tough."

"I told you, I went through a lot."

Sienna gazed at the scar above his eyebrow. It had faded considerably and could only be noticed upon close inspection. She traced the scar with her fingertip.

“How did you get this?”

“There was an ambush on the way to meet the chief of the Yaku tribe. It was by a faction opposed to the chief who supported the tribal alliance, and they resorted to trickery. They lured the desert monsters in.”

“You mean they used desert monsters as weapons? Is that even possible?”

“That's why I said it was a cheap trick. Those things are monsters. You can't negotiate with them. When the skirmish broke out, they ended up getting attacked by the desert monsters themselves. The desert tribes are tough. Even with the desert monsters charging at their backs, they still tried to snipe me, and an arrow grazed me here.”

He spoke as if it were someone else’s experience. Sienna's expression grew more solemn.

“That was really dangerous!”

“In the end, I was unharmed.”

When Kuhn recalled that day, he thought more about Russ, who had gone wild, than the desert monsters. Russ’s eyes had flipped when he thought Kuhn had lost an eye. If Russ truly lost his temper, even Kuhn wouldn’t be able to stop him.

None of those who had ambushed them that day survived. With the opposing faction completely wiped out, negotiations went smoothly.

“You always say I’m fearless, but you're no different. Don’t do anything dangerous.”

“I have a nagging butler at the mansion who’s quite annoying. But for some reason, I don’t mind your nagging.”

Sienna lightly slapped his shoulder.

“You really have a way with words.”

“I mean it.”

Kuhn playfully kissed her lips, making a loud smacking sound. Sienna laughed and covered his mouth with her hand. What began as a playful gesture quickly heated up. Their tongues intertwined passionately.

Their dates over the past few days had been like this. They laughed and joked, kissed deeply, and then talked again. They were completely immersed in their sweet, private moments.

“I’m planning to visit the Bless Duchy soon.”

“You’re going yourself?”

“There wasn’t much I could find in the libraries of the other duchies. The Bless family has hardly any presence in the capital, so I don’t have high expectations, but you never know.”

Kuhn hugged Sienna tightly and sighed.

“It’s going to be a big deal not seeing you for a while. Ugh, I don’t want to go.”

Sienna chuckled softly. She patted his back gently.

 

***

 

The day of the royal wedding had dawned. The Iron King's wedding ceremony was conducted in accordance with the royal traditions.

The essence of the Imperial Palace was that of a temple dedicated to the gods. It was perhaps the most extravagant and worldly temple in existence.

Royal ceremonies were inherently religious and emotionally restrained. In line with protocol, the guests repeatedly sat and stood countless times. Talking and laughing were not permitted. During the lengthy blessing prayers, everyone had to listen quietly.

By the afternoon, even those who had been bubbling with excitement could no longer force a smile. A naturally solemn atmosphere settled over the proceedings.

The high priest, who presided over the wedding ceremony, announced the entrance of the Emperor and Empress. Since the wedding took all day, the Emperor attended only the final part. The Emperor and Empress took their seats in the very front row, which had been empty until then.

The Emperor's seat was lower than that of the priest on the altar. As the representative of the gods, the priest conducted the ceremony, and the Emperor lowered himself humbly before the gods.

"The groom and bride, please make your vows before the gods. Witnesses, please observe the purity of this oath."

The Silver King and Marquis Raad stepped forward. The Silver King stood at the far left, and the Marquis at the far right.

Dian and Violet knelt facing each other below the altar. Two priests knelt beside them, holding holy scriptures.

The bride and groom placed their right hands on the scriptures and raised their left hands. The priest on the altar recited the vows. After each sentence, the bride and groom repeated it.

"Thus, I solemnly declare you husband and wife. I ask all guests to bless them sincerely."

The newlywed couple walked down the aisle between the guest seats on either side. The applause did not cease until the couple reached the exit.

It had been a long wedding ceremony, starting in the morning and ending in the late afternoon. Normally, a wedding would be followed by a reception, but the royal wedding's banquet was scheduled for the next day.

The idea was that after spending the first night together, the bride and groom would become a true couple and then receive everyone’s congratulations.

However, people believed there was another reason for this arrangement.

"Thank goodness the banquet is tomorrow."

"Exactly. If it were today, everyone would be too exhausted to attend! The banquet hall would be empty."

Those who were completely drained quietly returned home as soon as the ceremony ended.

Sienna, on her way back to the palace in the carriage, reflected on the grand wedding ceremony of the day. The Iron King and his bride, who had vowed before the gods, looked at each other with warm eyes. They would surely become a loving couple.

It was hard to imagine them behaving like the current Emperor and the Red King, who each had their own lovers and enjoyed themselves separately. This thought kept nagging at her.

"Because you were the only remaining blood of that person."

Why was she the only one left? Had there been no children? Could it have been infertility?

But the tone of what Sky King had said in her dream didn’t suggest that.

What if a child had been born but something had gone terribly wrong? And what if her mother was behind such a horrible incident?

Her temples throbbed with pain. Sienna gritted her teeth.

"That must not happen. I must stop it at all costs."

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