Chapter 857: After the Brillada Battle
Chapter 857: After the Brillada Battle
Even though three days had passed since the great battle, it still felt like yesterday when he recalled the treacherous fight three days ago, or the life-and-death struggle three months ago at Valhalla Canyon, about three hundred kilometers east of the border of the Yarloran Kingdom. Or even further back...
It wasn't the passage of time that made these events feel distant, but rather the irreversible nature of two or three things.
"Sigh."
A thousand words could not express the thoughts in Loren's mind, and all he could do was let out a deep sigh.
He had truly suffered.
In the West Free Memorial Palace, on the second floor, he gazed out the window.
The Royal Avenue in the north of Brillada was bathed in golden sunlight that filtered through stained glass, creating a colorful display on the palace square.
The Royal Guards, dressed in crimson uniforms and holding long spears, stood vigilant, guarding the path to the palace without a moment's distraction.
Inside the palace, there was a bustling atmosphere.
Servants scurried back and forth along the marble corridors, delivering stacks of documents.
The nobles and ministers of Brillada, with serious expressions, were engaged in heated debates in the conference room.
In a carved wooden office with a closed door on the west wing of the second floor, the newly crowned Emperor Loren Cranter was hard at work, hunched over his desk.
His brown hair fell across his forehead, partially concealing his slightly weary blue eyes.
The tea on his desk had gone cold, and a mountain of documents piled up beside him.
Three days ago, after his coronation, he had been thrown into a whirlwind of tasks, leaving him utterly bewildered and overwhelmed.
The West Free Memorial Palace was located at the western end of the Royal Avenue in Brillada, the capital of the Kreitni Empire, and it was adjacent to the West Free Throne Mountain.
It served as the residence of the Kreitni monarch and was one of the three palaces currently in use in Brillada. Compared to the Saint Asteria Palace, located in the center of Brillada, this residence was more suited for leisure and diplomatic affairs.
The Saint Asteria Palace required time for reconstruction, so the West Free Memorial Palace became the temporary residence of the new emperor.
Its origins dated back several hundred years to the West Free Federation, when the allied lords donated a Peace Memorial Monastery to the Moon God Monastery in Brillada. Later, during the unification of the Seros Empire, the Elsay Saint Domain, and the West Free Federation, and with Brillada becoming the capital of the Kreitni Empire, this extra ancient monastery was converted into a royal palace.
The palace was designed with four wings surrounding a central courtyard, embodying the "fairness, justice, and respect" style of the allied lords of the West Free Federation. The outer walls were adorned with classical columns, and the north wing, being the oldest part, housed important rooms such as the Royal Banquet Hall, the Royal Bedchamber, the Morning Prayer Chapel, and the Evening Dining Hall. The other wings served as living spaces for the royal family.
At this moment, Loren was in the west wing.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of his office.
"Come in."
"Your Majesty, the embassy has delivered new diplomatic documents, the finance minister wishes to discuss the budget, and also..."
The secretary poked her head through the door, immediately launching into a stream of official business as she entered.
"I understand, please leave it here."
Loren gestured to the side of his desk, having just finished reviewing a document, and then spread out a map.
He was born into a minor noble family on the border of the Herton Kingdom, and in his youth, he had set out on a journey to avoid becoming a lord burdened by endless tasks. His travels had eventually led him to become a true priest, but now he felt like he had come full circle.
What happened before was unpredictable, and what happened after was unchangeable—this was fate.
"By the way, Your Majesty, the envoy from the Herton Kingdom is waiting for you in the east wing of the palace."
The secretary added as an afterthought.
According to protocol, envoys from allied nations would be scheduled to arrive in Brillada in the coming days, but the Herton Kingdom had a powerful noble with sufficient authority already present in Brillada, so they were directly appointed as the envoy, allowing them to complete their duties before returning home.
Oh, that's right, the secretary suddenly realized, the emperor himself was from Herton. No wonder.
"Is it Duke Mikaya?"
Loren asked, as if suddenly remembering something, lifting his head.
He felt like a prisoner who had been confined for too long, finally seeing a glimpse of freedom.
He had wanted to call Mikaya by her name, but now he felt it more appropriate to address her formally, given her status as a high-ranking noble from the visiting nation.
"Yes, Your Majesty, she has arrived and is waiting in the reception room."
The secretary bowed.
"I'll be right there."
Loren stood up, straightened his wrinkled collar, took a deep breath, and quickly walked out of his office.
He made his way down the long corridor.
The southeast tower rose four stories high, marking the highest point of the palace. The palace's auxiliary buildings, including the monastery ruins and the Royal Oak Garden, offered a panoramic view of the surroundings, making it the ideal location for receptions.
Soon, Loren arrived at a bright reception room in the east wing.
He pushed open the door.
The faces of three old friends greeted him.
"I was saying that the Gray Princess chapter in 'Holy War Romance' was really good, especially the part where the governor was knocked down by his sister's shoe. I laughed so hard..."
"I think the most unexpected part was the mechanical dance of the Cat Sage, but why did the actor refuse to perform in the second part?
"The dark-haired and dark-eyed Duke Mikaya and the silver-haired, red-eyed Duchess Ifatiya sat on an embroidered sofa, chatting and laughing while holding teacups.
The Ice Maiden Armis stood by the window, turning at the sound of their voices.
"Loren, it's been a while," Armis greeted Loren.
Technically, they had met just three days ago, but those three days had been so hectic that they hadn't had a chance to meet.
Even during their brief encounter three days ago, they hadn't exchanged many words, and if one were to count properly, it had been three months since they last saw each other.
"Here you are, Loren."
"Loren!"
Mikaya and Ifatiya rose to greet him.
They had been old acquaintances with Loren since their time in Iceteria.
"Ifatiya, you haven't changed much in over a decade," Loren remarked with a wave of his hand, indicating that they need not be so formal.
The two were deliberately being overly polite to tease him.
"Don't you think Mikaya hasn't changed much either?"
Ifatiya leaned over, standing on her toes, as she placed her hands on Mikaya's cheeks, observing her husband.
Mikaya was now in his thirties, but he still looked no different from when he was in his twenties.
"Yes, his other appearance probably wouldn't change much either," Loren agreed as he sat on the sofa, gesturing for Armis to take a seat as well.
After some small talk, Loren began discussing past events and current political affairs with his three old friends.
Although the topics were heavy, being with his dear friends allowed Loren to relax his tense nerves a little.
The morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating their worried faces and casting a warm glow.
Loren knew that, in addition to the burden of being a monarch, he had friends by his side to face the challenging times together.
While the carefree moments of their past conversations might be hard to recreate, this brief moment of joy would become the motivation to get him through the difficult times ahead.
After the negotiations with the Crethia Empire, Loren had to remain as Emperor Loren Cranter for at least a year, until the situation stabilized. Only then could he step down, and Princess Alexia of the Silver Moon Reform Society could rightfully succeed the Crethia Empire's throne as the legitimate heir to the Seros Spirit Sword.
Although Alexia had the trust of several Army Gods and was a core member of the Silver Moon Reform Society, she was also the rightful successor to the Seros Spirit Sword. However, with the Crethia Empire in turmoil and the entire Southern Continent in a complex state, it was challenging for Alexia to take on this mess. A powerful figure, comparable to Hestinos, was needed to swiftly resolve the issues, someone with sufficient international prestige and domestic authority.
'What is this... I'm already a priest who has sworn to the Goddess of Fate. How can I become the Emperor of the Crethia Empire?' Loren thought, frowning after discussing the serious matters. These thoughts had kept him awake in the palace for the past two days, and he still felt like he was in a fantastical situation.
He had long ago sworn to dedicate his life to the Goddess of Fate, becoming Her sword to vanquish evil and Her hand to save the unfortunate.
Moreover, his claim to the throne was not legitimate. He was essentially from Herton, not even a native of Crethia.
It was entirely the Army Gods and the Crethia nobility who had forcefully supported him.
'...'
Mikaya and Ifatiya exchanged glances, unsure of how to apologize to Loren.
The only honest person in the team, and the only one not informed of the plan, was now sitting on the throne, sighing and lamenting.
The situation was indeed as it seemed—the Crethia Empire was requesting Loren to become their emperor, and for the sake of peace in the Southern Continent, Loren couldn't refuse this responsibility that only he could shoulder, even though it wasn't originally his to bear.
'I asked the Goddess of Fate, and She had no objections,' Armis could only comfort him.
She had divined the situation using her divine arts.
'...'
Ifatiya wanted to ask if the Goddess of Fate could speak, but she felt it would be blasphemous to voice the question.
Mikaya glanced at Ifatiya, sensing that her thoughts were indeed blasphemous.
'By the way, Florence is waiting for you,' Armis added, turning to Loren.
When mentioning the Church of the Goddess of Fate, one couldn't help but think of another colleague of Loren and Armis—Florence, the Grand Paladin of the Church of the Goddess of Fate.
It was with Florence's help that the few great demons were able to infiltrate Brillada with Huberian, and Florence had taken Loren's place to guard the rear in the Herton Kingdom.
'After I settle the chaos in the Crethia Empire, I can take a rare vacation and return to Iceteria. It's been a long time since I last visited,' Loren said, his expression filled with longing for his dear brother.
Florence was probably still staying at his place.
Since Florence moved in, Loren hadn't had the chance to properly show him around Iceteria. Just as he was about to do so, the war in the Southern Continent began, and Loren's last impression was of the joy of living together with his brother.
The Army Gods felt awkward about keeping him for too long, as Crethia was originally his conquest.
Loren was willing to help them resolve the chaos, and they were already grateful for his assistance. So, they devised a plan to grant Loren a family visit, allowing him a few days of leave to return to the Herton Kingdom.
"I wonder what Julia would think if she heard that you suddenly became the Emperor of Crethia."
Mikaya rested her chin in her hand, speaking to herself.
In his memory, even before he left the Herton Kingdom, there were signs of a complicated relationship between Loren and Julia. Later, when he heard about Lance's matchmaking efforts at Iceteria Academy, Mikaya felt that things had taken a turn for the better.
Julia might have assumed that Loren had died while saving her, but the explosive news was not only that Loren had resurrected but had also become the Emperor of the Crethia Empire, ready to end the war and unrest in the Southern Continent.
Regardless, Mikaya was eager to see the developments, and the best part for her and Ifatiya was to be spectators of this drama.
"Ah, I was thinking of inviting her for a meal too."
Loren's eyes briefly glinted with light at the mention of Julia's name, but his brows soon furrowed again.
He didn't know when he would see Julia again.
Even if he had a holiday to return to the Herton Kingdom, Julia rarely had the opportunity to leave the Yalloran Kingdom.
The only comforting thought was the help of a mysterious instructor introduced by Polaor, who had facilitated a shift in their relationship; Julia and Loren had gone from friends to regular dining partners.
"Why a meal?"
Both Ifatiya and Mikaya looked at the Ice Maiden, puzzled.
Their relationship had indeed progressed, but it seemed to be veering in an unexpected direction.
Perhaps only the Ice Maiden herself, back in Iceteria, could unravel their confusion and sense of discord.
It was as if their thought processes had been contaminated by a familiar yet mysterious entity.
The Ice Maiden shook her head as well.
She didn't understand why Loren and Julia's date had resulted in them eating meals together all day.
"What about Lance?"
Seeing that the other three were exchanging glances without speaking, Loren took the initiative to ask.
He had heard a little about Professor Landry, and Lance's identity in the Crethia Empire was that of Professor Landry.
Lance always managed to accomplish tasks that others couldn't even fathom in a short time, and the reason was his relentless work ethic; he worked like a madman, and Loren, recalling Lance's exhausted state that day, was genuinely concerned that he might collapse from overwork.
"Lance and the others went to see Violet today," Mikaya said, turning to Loren with a smile.
He could tell that Lance had taken advantage of Loren countless times, but Loren never held it against him.
"I heard Violet woke up, and the Silver Moon Reform Society members all rushed to see her," Ifatiya added.
"Lance feels a bit guilty and doesn't dare to face you. This morning, he kept saying that he owes you, and he'll make it up to you when he gets the chance," the Ice Maiden said, recalling Lance's words.
"It's a good thing that the Southern Continent is saved, and Lance has changed," Loren said with a shake of his head.
If it were the old Lance from their time at Iceteria Academy, he probably wouldn't have had any thoughts about it.
Loren knew that Lance didn't have any malicious intentions; he just had a different way of doing things. Now, it seemed like Lance was learning to be more human.
"..."
The Ice Maiden had always imagined Loren as the mastermind behind the scenes.
Only now did she realize that she herself was the one pulling the strings.
She had rarely done anything inappropriate in her life, but forcing Loren to take the Frozen Mechanical Throne was something she deeply regretted.
She, too, felt a dual sense of guilt towards Loren, just like Lance. This made her feel so ashamed that she didn't know how to face Loren.
"Um, if we're going back to Iceteria, can I have a day with you? As we agreed last time."
The Ice Maiden couldn't bring herself to ask.
Only when she was alone with Loren could she possibly confess her long-held misunderstanding of him and reveal this dark history.
Fortunately, during their previous encounter at the Temple, Loren had promised that he would take her around Iceteria as colleagues when the opportunity arose.
"No problem, we did agree on that," Loren said, remembering that during his most difficult time, the Ice Maiden had helped him manage church affairs without questioning him like others had.
Although his time to visit home was short and his trips were rushed, if nothing unexpected happened, taking a day or half a day off shouldn't be a problem.
"Then I'll bother you in advance," the Ice Maiden said, nodding slightly to Loren.
She hadn't had such an opportunity to go out and play with colleagues before.
She might be seen as an old-fashioned person.
Asking Ifatiya or Huberian wouldn't be appropriate; they were too young, and their behavior was completely different from hers.
As for Talia... let's not talk about Talia for now.
The only person she could think of who was slightly mature, not too old-fashioned, reliable, and a friend was Sigrid.
She decided to seek advice from the dominant Sigrid about how to spend a day off with colleagues.
Indeed, consulting Sigrid, who was skilled in handling interpersonal relationships and a powerful career woman, was the best choice.
The Ice Maiden also seemed slightly more at ease.
"By the way, how are you all returning to Iceteria?"
Loren asked the Ice Maiden, Mikaya, and Ifatiya.
"We estimate that we'll stay and recuperate in the Empire for a few more days before heading back to Iceteria," Ifatiya replied, tapping her lips thoughtfully.
Huberian, the Ice Maiden, and several other high-ranking demons were allies of Florence, and it would be more convenient for them to return to Iceteria via the same route. With the international situation still complex and sensitive, using unofficial channels to cross borders could easily lead to unnecessary trouble.
Lance and Talia, on the other hand, were special agents of the Boson Kingdom. They needed to return to the capital, Paria, to meet with their superior, Lieutenant General Nigel, before heading back to Hutt.
"Anyway, Boson and Hutt are close, so it won't take much longer to reach Iceteria."
Ifatiya recalled that traveling between Paria and Iceteria with Mikaya had always been convenient, and the difference between the two routes was not significant.
"It's been a while since we last visited Paria," Mikaya agreed with a hint of nostalgia.
Apart from Iceteria, Paria was the most familiar city-state to him and Ifatiya.
"It's been a while since I've seen Rosalinda and Aetius. I think Mikaya and I will probably visit Paria first this time," Ifatiya said with a hopeful smile.
Paria also held many legends about Duke Mikaya.
They might accompany Lance and Talia on the Paria route and revisit the city.
"But Mikaya, won't you be swarmed if you go to Paria...?"
Loren remembered that Mikaya had a group of passionate fans in Paria.
After being missing for so long, if Mikaya suddenly reappeared, he would likely be discovered as soon as he stepped out, causing a frenzy and making it impossible to find peace wherever he went.
"It's fine, Mikaya has a way to stay hidden," Ifatiya assured them, her chest puffed out with confidence.
"Just don't cause more chaos in Paria," Loren shook his head.
He had been keeping a closer eye on the situation in the Southern Continent these days than anyone else.
"After the Paria Incident and the full-scale war in the Southern Continent, the Boson Demon Realm issue has been temporarily suppressed without a comprehensive solution. Now, it seems that the initial solution is to establish a duchy exclusively for demons on the southern border of Boson, adjacent to the Kreitni Empire, and relocate most of the Boson demons there. This was brought up during the peace negotiations."
Loren explained to the group.
Placing the demon duchy between Boson and Kreitni was entirely acceptable to the residents of Boson, as they trusted the demons they had lived with for so many years more than the Kreitni Empire, which had just invaded. This duchy would also serve as an excellent buffer zone for the Boson Kingdom.
Although the Kreitni Empire had pushed Loren to the throne and actively sought peace talks, the compensation was still far less than what would have been demanded in defeat. It was either reparations or territorial concessions, and what Boson wanted was land, which the Kreitni Empire could provide.
This matter was still under discussion with the Kingdom Parliament Alliance. Whether this duchy plan could be established and recognized by the alliance depended not only on the intentions of the Kreitni Empire and the Boson Kingdom but also on the overwhelming support of the allied people for a demon nation. A referendum might be held.
"There's a good chance," Loren shared the information he had gathered. "The unrest in the Southern Continent may come to an end, and the contributions of the high-ranking demons to the allies are undeniable. Moreover, the Ice Maiden's image as a positive half-demon priest is almost synonymous with the benevolent acts of the Church of the Goddess of Fate, and people's resistance to demons has greatly diminished."
Loren revealed everything he knew to his old friends.
"I don't care either way. Whether the demons restore their nation or not has nothing to do with me. I'm only concerned about whether the Boson Demon Realm is fun or not," Ifatiya joked, in a tourist-like manner.
"Then won't your sister be extremely happy?" Mikaya asked Ifatiya.
He had heard Ifatiya talk about her sister in their homeland long ago. Princess Talia's initial wish was to restore their nation, which led her on a long journey to find an opportunity for restoration. She was much more determined than Ifatiya, who chose to marry and settle down in Iceteria.
The demons of Boson all claimed to have seen the Demon Lord on the day of the Paria Incident.
The demons of that era thought that the Nine Seal Demon Lord only existed in history and legends.
Even though the demons couldn't see the Demon Lord's appearance at that time, the demons of the Boson Kingdom now believe that the silver-white songstress on the Brillada battlefield was their Demon Lord, as she was the last and only Nine Seal Demon Lord of this era.
"Sigh, my sister no longer wants to restore the nation. She just wants to retire in Iceteria," Ifatiya said, closing her eyes and spreading her hands.
Her sister's wish was probably to live a carefree life in Iceteria.
And to marry a good man.
The world is full of unfulfilled wishes.
When you want something, it seems impossible to obtain, but when you let go, it may suddenly come true.
(End of Chapter)
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