Episode 87. Empress Lawrence and Kelita
That night, a grand party was held at the imperial palace to welcome Bercheria and Lacrahan. The gates were opened, allowing any noble residing in the capital to enter without an invitation.
Even those who would never have thought to attend an imperial party gathered, and the palace soon bustled with people.
On the surface, it was a welcoming party for Lacrahan and Bercheria.
However, a closer look revealed a hidden motive: to demonstrate just how great an Emperor Gerard was.
As time passed after the war, Gerard had gradually come to take his power for granted, and he likely hadn't initially considered Bercheria's arrival a major threat.
However, circumstances were always changing, and even as Emperor, Gerard had to realize that nothing in this world lasted forever.
"My Lady, you may sit here,"
The Emperor's attendant said, bowing to Bercheria.
She looked up at the place the attendant pointed to and burst into laughter upon spotting the golden chair next to the Emperor.
Empress Lawrence sat on his right.
Bercheria on his left.
Lyone, who should have been sitting in this seat, was watching from a foot away. Lyone was carefully observing the goddess who had usurped her place.
When Bercheria stopped, Gerard personally pointed to the chair she should sit in.
“Bercheria, sit down quickly. The party must begin.”
Bercheria’s gaze, looking down at the seat where his mistress had sat for a long time, was numb.
Gerard, who had been gazing at Bercheria with an arrogant expression, also grew anxious.
He knew everyone was watching.
“Bercheri...!”
“Your Majesty. I don’t think this is the right chair for me.”
“What?”
Bercheria passed the Emperor without a word and approached Empress Lawrence. She then sat down in the chair prepared for Princess Kelita, right next to Lawrence.
Those gathered in the banquet hall didn't notice anything strange about Bercheria's natural behavior.
Only Gerard felt provoked.
"That, insolent..."
Because he'd met Bercheria's gaze, he couldn't even fully express his displeasure.
A moment too late, Kelita and Lacrahan appeared, each taking their own empty seats beside the Emperor.
Once all the chairs were occupied, Gerard rose and raised his wine-sparkling glass.
Bercheria and Lacrahan followed suit, taking advantage of the confusion to briefly stare at each other. Kelita, who hadn't missed a beat, locked eyes with Empress Lawrence, who was blankly staring at her.
The real Lawrence had used the "Parallel Butterfly" to enter Kelita's body, leaving only a dummy fragment of her soul.
Nevertheless, it was fortunate that she seemed to be fulfilling her role as Empress well.
Now, each of them was looking at the other with their own thoughts.
"In the name of Emperor Gerard, I express my gratitude to everyone who attended this party."
The banquet hall became so quiet that even the rustling of dresses could be heard.
“Everyone knows that the north is the most vulnerable part of our empire. It’s barren and extremely...”
Gerard glanced at Lacrahan and continued.
“Neglected.”
Lacrahan’s gaze was sharp and focused on Gerard.
“What the North needed most was a protective aura. And just in time, Bercheria appeared to save the dying north. We are truly grateful, aren’t we?”
The Emperor asked, looking down at the banquet hall. The nobles below nodded repeatedly.
Gerard, as always, parroted the speech written for him by the prime minister.
He dismissed Bercheria’s arrival as a blessing for the empire, not merely for the sake of the barren north, and was disparaging both Lacrahan and Bercheria.
Even if an Emperor’s abilities were lacking, there were bound to be brilliant advisers everywhere.
"Now, for Grand Duke Lacrahan, who heeded my orders and came to this imperial palace, and for Bercheria, who has returned. All glory in the name of the Empire."
The nobles raised their glasses and answered the toast with one voice.
"All glory in the name of the Empire."
Their eyes, each sipping red wine, concealed their own thoughts, were intricately intertwined.
As the band began to play, the banquet hall became more lively.
People danced, and some nobles approached Gerard to flatter him.
When it was time to let go, Lacrahan quietly rose from his seat.
His tall shadow stretched across the floor, and Bercheria's hand, which had been facing him, fell to the side of the chair.
Passing by, Lacrahan gently grasped Bercheria's fingertips and then released them. Their warm bodies briefly overlapped, then quickly receded.
Lacrahan brushed past Bercheria's profile, who was facing forward, and strode briskly into the aisle behind the platform. The hem of his cloak fluttered behind a red curtain before disappearing.
Bercheria's expression, staring straight ahead amidst the music, remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
Lacrahan, stepping outside, walked down the quiet corridor as if he had entered a different world from the banquet hall.
"The Empress is strange. I sense a strange alienation in her, the same one I felt from my late mother. Could it be that even the Empress is a shell, a butterfly of parallel origin?"
Perhaps, perhaps not.
One thing is certain: you shouldn't believe or assume anything until you see it with your own eyes.
Hearing the voices of people walking noisily from the other side, Lacrahan quickly hid in the darkness.
"Is it really Bercheria?"
"I said so. If not now, then when? She could disappear again."
"When we meet, I'll ask for a lot of rain on my territory. You know what? Maybe she'll listen."
"Then I'll ask too. Let my kids build lots of snowmen."
Leaving the men laughing and passing by, Lacrahan slipped back into the hallway. The excitement wasn't surprising.
The protective aura Bercheria had once again bestowed upon the people was on a different level than before.
It wasn't just a matter of increased power.
She had become the most powerful goddess among the Bercherias who had existed for centuries.
Lacrahan briefly recalled the long-ago past, when he had been pursued by the Supreme Being.
All he had worried about was Bercheria's life.
The Supreme Being could not directly intervene in the life and death of humans, but he could annihilate the souls of those already dead. He could annihilate them forever, or even confine them to a hell from which they could never return.
That's why he was afraid. He feared that Bercheria would disappear from this world.
So he suggested to the Supreme Being that Bercheria should be made a god.
In fact, it was he who made her a god.
He thoroughly concealed the fact that he was the one who had discovered the secret that could kill a god, and continued to coax the Supreme Being.
The only way to protect Bercheria's soul was for her to become a god, not a human.
Even after the Supreme Being learned the truth, this was the only way to prevent her annihilation.
Annihilating a god was a very delicate task, even for the Supreme Being.
After that, he deceived the Supreme Being and made love to her.
It was the happiest memory of his life.
From her, Adkins learned emotions he might never have felt as a god.
In the end, the enraged Supreme Being transformed him from a god into a human, but he had expected it.
He wasn't afraid, believing that as long as he lived, he would one day possess Bercheria.
However, the fact that it would be an excruciatingly long time before they would meet again weighed heavily on his mind.
A time so long that even the absolute god would become numb.
So he sealed their memories and hid them away in the border region where the continents divided.
Even if the nations and rulers changed over time, the strategically important border region was the most suitable location.
'If we had been separated while still holding onto each other's memories, it would have been an agonizing time.'
Perhaps that time was so painful that they would have done anything to forget each other.
Having already discovered the bliss and sweetness of love, loving another was nearly impossible.
Loneliness must have slowly eaten away at their souls.
Arriving at the entrance to the Empress's chambers, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Lacrahan quickly pressed himself against the back.
"Is this enough cleaning?"
"The Emperor won't be coming anyway, so what?"
"Oh my. Look at this. Someone's listening."
"Who's listening? They're all probably in the banquet hall."
Lacrahan clicked his tongue at the sight of the maids disappearing, chattering noisily.
The duplicity of humans always irritated him.
The better the place, the better the life, the more blatantly that ugly side was revealed.
When their voices faded, Lacrahan waited until all signs of life around him had completely vanished before opening the Empress's room and entering.
"Where are you going?"
Lawrence, about to stand, stared blankly at Bercheria, who grabbed her arm.
Bercheria, too, was looking at the Empress with a face that betrayed no emotion.
"I was just about to pour a glass for Your Majesty the Empress."
"Bercheria?"
Lawrence glanced back and forth between the wine and the clean glass beside Bercheria, then suddenly glanced at Kelita.
Her eyes met briefly with Kelita's, then she smiled and looked at Bercheria.
"Of course, you should drink."
That night, a grand party was held at the imperial palace to welcome Bercheria and Lacrahan. The gates were opened, allowing any noble residing in the capital to enter without an invitation.
Even those who would never have thought to attend an imperial party gathered, and the palace soon bustled with people.
On the surface, it was a welcoming party for Lacrahan and Bercheria.
However, a closer look revealed a hidden motive: to demonstrate just how great an Emperor Gerard was.
As time passed after the war, Gerard had gradually come to take his power for granted, and he likely hadn't initially considered Bercheria's arrival a major threat.
However, circumstances were always changing, and even as Emperor, Gerard had to realize that nothing in this world lasted forever.
"My Lady, you may sit here,"
The Emperor's attendant said, bowing to Bercheria.
She looked up at the place the attendant pointed to and burst into laughter upon spotting the golden chair next to the Emperor.
Empress Lawrence sat on his right.
Bercheria on his left.
Lyone, who should have been sitting in this seat, was watching from a foot away. Lyone was carefully observing the goddess who had usurped her place.
When Bercheria stopped, Gerard personally pointed to the chair she should sit in.
“Bercheria, sit down quickly. The party must begin.”
Bercheria’s gaze, looking down at the seat where his mistress had sat for a long time, was numb.
Gerard, who had been gazing at Bercheria with an arrogant expression, also grew anxious.
He knew everyone was watching.
“Bercheri...!”
“Your Majesty. I don’t think this is the right chair for me.”
“What?”
Bercheria passed the Emperor without a word and approached Empress Lawrence. She then sat down in the chair prepared for Princess Kelita, right next to Lawrence.
Those gathered in the banquet hall didn't notice anything strange about Bercheria's natural behavior.
Only Gerard felt provoked.
"That, insolent..."
Because he'd met Bercheria's gaze, he couldn't even fully express his displeasure.
A moment too late, Kelita and Lacrahan appeared, each taking their own empty seats beside the Emperor.
Once all the chairs were occupied, Gerard rose and raised his wine-sparkling glass.
Bercheria and Lacrahan followed suit, taking advantage of the confusion to briefly stare at each other. Kelita, who hadn't missed a beat, locked eyes with Empress Lawrence, who was blankly staring at her.
The real Lawrence had used the "Parallel Butterfly" to enter Kelita's body, leaving only a dummy fragment of her soul.
Nevertheless, it was fortunate that she seemed to be fulfilling her role as Empress well.
Now, each of them was looking at the other with their own thoughts.
"In the name of Emperor Gerard, I express my gratitude to everyone who attended this party."
The banquet hall became so quiet that even the rustling of dresses could be heard.
“Everyone knows that the north is the most vulnerable part of our empire. It’s barren and extremely...”
Gerard glanced at Lacrahan and continued.
“Neglected.”
Lacrahan’s gaze was sharp and focused on Gerard.
“What the North needed most was a protective aura. And just in time, Bercheria appeared to save the dying north. We are truly grateful, aren’t we?”
The Emperor asked, looking down at the banquet hall. The nobles below nodded repeatedly.
Gerard, as always, parroted the speech written for him by the prime minister.
He dismissed Bercheria’s arrival as a blessing for the empire, not merely for the sake of the barren north, and was disparaging both Lacrahan and Bercheria.
Even if an Emperor’s abilities were lacking, there were bound to be brilliant advisers everywhere.
"Now, for Grand Duke Lacrahan, who heeded my orders and came to this imperial palace, and for Bercheria, who has returned. All glory in the name of the Empire."
The nobles raised their glasses and answered the toast with one voice.
"All glory in the name of the Empire."
Their eyes, each sipping red wine, concealed their own thoughts, were intricately intertwined.
***
As the band began to play, the banquet hall became more lively.
People danced, and some nobles approached Gerard to flatter him.
When it was time to let go, Lacrahan quietly rose from his seat.
His tall shadow stretched across the floor, and Bercheria's hand, which had been facing him, fell to the side of the chair.
Passing by, Lacrahan gently grasped Bercheria's fingertips and then released them. Their warm bodies briefly overlapped, then quickly receded.
Lacrahan brushed past Bercheria's profile, who was facing forward, and strode briskly into the aisle behind the platform. The hem of his cloak fluttered behind a red curtain before disappearing.
Bercheria's expression, staring straight ahead amidst the music, remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
Lacrahan, stepping outside, walked down the quiet corridor as if he had entered a different world from the banquet hall.
"The Empress is strange. I sense a strange alienation in her, the same one I felt from my late mother. Could it be that even the Empress is a shell, a butterfly of parallel origin?"
Perhaps, perhaps not.
One thing is certain: you shouldn't believe or assume anything until you see it with your own eyes.
Hearing the voices of people walking noisily from the other side, Lacrahan quickly hid in the darkness.
"Is it really Bercheria?"
"I said so. If not now, then when? She could disappear again."
"When we meet, I'll ask for a lot of rain on my territory. You know what? Maybe she'll listen."
"Then I'll ask too. Let my kids build lots of snowmen."
Leaving the men laughing and passing by, Lacrahan slipped back into the hallway. The excitement wasn't surprising.
The protective aura Bercheria had once again bestowed upon the people was on a different level than before.
It wasn't just a matter of increased power.
She had become the most powerful goddess among the Bercherias who had existed for centuries.
Lacrahan briefly recalled the long-ago past, when he had been pursued by the Supreme Being.
All he had worried about was Bercheria's life.
The Supreme Being could not directly intervene in the life and death of humans, but he could annihilate the souls of those already dead. He could annihilate them forever, or even confine them to a hell from which they could never return.
That's why he was afraid. He feared that Bercheria would disappear from this world.
So he suggested to the Supreme Being that Bercheria should be made a god.
In fact, it was he who made her a god.
He thoroughly concealed the fact that he was the one who had discovered the secret that could kill a god, and continued to coax the Supreme Being.
The only way to protect Bercheria's soul was for her to become a god, not a human.
Even after the Supreme Being learned the truth, this was the only way to prevent her annihilation.
Annihilating a god was a very delicate task, even for the Supreme Being.
After that, he deceived the Supreme Being and made love to her.
It was the happiest memory of his life.
From her, Adkins learned emotions he might never have felt as a god.
In the end, the enraged Supreme Being transformed him from a god into a human, but he had expected it.
He wasn't afraid, believing that as long as he lived, he would one day possess Bercheria.
However, the fact that it would be an excruciatingly long time before they would meet again weighed heavily on his mind.
A time so long that even the absolute god would become numb.
So he sealed their memories and hid them away in the border region where the continents divided.
Even if the nations and rulers changed over time, the strategically important border region was the most suitable location.
'If we had been separated while still holding onto each other's memories, it would have been an agonizing time.'
Perhaps that time was so painful that they would have done anything to forget each other.
Having already discovered the bliss and sweetness of love, loving another was nearly impossible.
Loneliness must have slowly eaten away at their souls.
Arriving at the entrance to the Empress's chambers, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
Lacrahan quickly pressed himself against the back.
"Is this enough cleaning?"
"The Emperor won't be coming anyway, so what?"
"Oh my. Look at this. Someone's listening."
"Who's listening? They're all probably in the banquet hall."
Lacrahan clicked his tongue at the sight of the maids disappearing, chattering noisily.
The duplicity of humans always irritated him.
The better the place, the better the life, the more blatantly that ugly side was revealed.
When their voices faded, Lacrahan waited until all signs of life around him had completely vanished before opening the Empress's room and entering.
***
"Where are you going?"
Lawrence, about to stand, stared blankly at Bercheria, who grabbed her arm.
Bercheria, too, was looking at the Empress with a face that betrayed no emotion.
"I was just about to pour a glass for Your Majesty the Empress."
"Bercheria?"
Lawrence glanced back and forth between the wine and the clean glass beside Bercheria, then suddenly glanced at Kelita.
Her eyes met briefly with Kelita's, then she smiled and looked at Bercheria.
"Of course, you should drink."
As Lawrence sat down, Bercheria's gaze naturally shifted to Kelita.
'The Empress and Kelita. There's something between them.'
The Parallel Butterfly, depending on the intentions of its wielder, could either take their life or leave behind only a shell, minus their soul.
If the wielder's power was strong, their powers became even more unchecked.
Therefore, nothing could be certain.
Bercheria poured wine into the Empress's goblet.
"To drink wine poured by the goddess? What an honor."
Just as the Empress was about to raise her goblet, Kelita vanished from Bercheria's sight.
Bercheria, remembering Lacrahan, who must be checking on the Empress and Kelita's chambers, stood up. Immediately, Gerard tapped the wine glass with his knife. Gerard grinned at the frozen Bercheria and spoke so everyone could hear,
"I'm thinking of having a wedding between Grand Duke Lacrahan and Kelita while he's at the palace."
Gerard, who had blurted out the unexpected words, looked around, rested his chin on his hand, and continued with a smile.
“Oh, oh, oh. But it looks like those two have already fallen in love and disappeared?”
“...!”
Everyone’s gaze followed Gerard, fixed squarely on Bercheria.
'The Empress and Kelita. There's something between them.'
The Parallel Butterfly, depending on the intentions of its wielder, could either take their life or leave behind only a shell, minus their soul.
If the wielder's power was strong, their powers became even more unchecked.
Therefore, nothing could be certain.
Bercheria poured wine into the Empress's goblet.
"To drink wine poured by the goddess? What an honor."
Just as the Empress was about to raise her goblet, Kelita vanished from Bercheria's sight.
Bercheria, remembering Lacrahan, who must be checking on the Empress and Kelita's chambers, stood up. Immediately, Gerard tapped the wine glass with his knife. Gerard grinned at the frozen Bercheria and spoke so everyone could hear,
"I'm thinking of having a wedding between Grand Duke Lacrahan and Kelita while he's at the palace."
Gerard, who had blurted out the unexpected words, looked around, rested his chin on his hand, and continued with a smile.
“Oh, oh, oh. But it looks like those two have already fallen in love and disappeared?”
“...!”
Everyone’s gaze followed Gerard, fixed squarely on Bercheria.
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