Episode 90. For the Real Wedding
"Hahaha. It's delicious!"
Groovy, his face completely flushed, was gulping down the alcohol the nobles were pouring him.
Back in prison, he'd heard the inmates lamenting about alcohol. When people were physically confined, they'd long for many things and lament their fate, and alcohol was the most common complaint from both men and women.
But Groovy never sympathized. What on earth is alcohol? What does it taste like? So, how good would it be if you drank it?
"Hahaha. It's delicious!"
Groovy, his face completely flushed, was gulping down the alcohol the nobles were pouring him.
Back in prison, he'd heard the inmates lamenting about alcohol. When people were physically confined, they'd long for many things and lament their fate, and alcohol was the most common complaint from both men and women.
But Groovy never sympathized. What on earth is alcohol? What does it taste like? So, how good would it be if you drank it?
"It's so damn delicious!"
It was a mysterious, exhilarating feeling, like flying through the world. His eyes were spinning, and he was out of breath, as if he'd just sprinted. Groovy hadn't realized he was outside the real world until now. Catching the captain's eye and traveling to the North wasn't something he could take lightly. And more than anything, the thought of returning to prison was what kept him from enjoying his freedom.
But now, things were completely different. Bercheria had given him complete freedom.
"Groovy is not the property of the royal family. He was born in the dungeons, not because he committed a crime and was imprisoned there."
"Ugh!"
No matter how much he thought about it, there was no more exhilarating feeling. Every time he thought about not having to return to prison, his heart swelled with excitement, and he felt lost. Groovy laughed heartily, but secretly wiped away tears that escaped his eyes.
"Oh my. Groovy. You really drink well."
"Look at your skin. How can you be so beautiful, like a woman?"
Young women, who were usually too low-ranking to attend royal parties, gathered around Groovy and chattered. Not only was their party not as grand, but there were no pretty boys as slender and beautiful as Groovy. In fact, they had never seen a blond before.
"Come on, Groovy, drink more."
The woman sitting next to him poured the wine she was holding from the bottle into Groovy's glass. In Periat, contact between unmarried men and women was forbidden, but in secret, debauchery abounded. The Emperor, charged with protecting his staid empire, wasn't particularly interested in such matters. As long as the two kept quiet, they could enjoy their private lives without anyone finding out.
"Wahaha. This is exciting."
Just as Groovy swayed his hips and brought his glass to his lips, a large hand blocked the rim of his glass. Drunk, Groovy didn't even notice and ended up smacking his lips against the stranger's hand.
"Eh, hmm."
He spat in annoyance and raised his head to see a man staring down at him. He had long hair that reached his waist, tied back, and was wearing a knight's attire. His pale, transparent brown eyes were striking, but his features teetered precariously on the line between handsome and ordinary. At first glance, he seemed handsome, but a closer look revealed a somewhat awkward, pitiful face.
“Stop drinking, brother.”
Groovy frowned and asked.
“Who are you? Do you know me?”
The unfamiliar man frowned just like Groovy.
“I don’t know?”
“...Then who are you?”
“Huh.”
The man, who was as big as a door, snatched the glass from Groovy, set it down on the table, and even took the seat next to him. He brushed back the hair that fell from his small face.
“My name is Giancarlo Costerville. Just know that I’m one of the ten most handsome men in the capital.”
“...?”
Groovy thought back for a moment, having thought he’d met all sorts of strange people in prison. Perhaps there were even more strange people outside.
“I feel so bad for you. If I may offer some advice, remember to always be careful with women, wherever you are in the capital.”
"It's a very dangerous place, especially for handsome guys like you and me," said Costerville, leaning close to Groovy.
Groovy's face was filled with bewilderment as he gazed at Costerville, his golden eyes fixed on him.
***
When Bercheria held out her palm, a silver butterfly landed gently on her hand.
It was a divine object too beautiful to have taken someone's life or injured their soul.
Bercheria emerged from under the bed with a butterfly fluttering its wings, and opened her palm in front of Lacrahan and herself.
"This is a parallel butterfly."
"It's my first time seeing one in person, so it's fascinating."
"It moves its wings, but doesn't it fly on its own?"
Lacrahan reached out, and the parallel butterfly flapped its wings a few more times and landed on his palm.
"I understand it can only move slightly, depending on the will of the person next to it. It doesn't act or move on its own."
"I see."
This was precisely why Lacrahan had predicted he would easily find the parallel butterfly when he entered the Empress's chambers.
Bercheria's gaze, gazing at the fluttering butterfly, was complicated.
If this divine object hadn't existed, would her life have flown in a different direction?
Lacrahan's warm body touched her forehead as she pondered.
"There's no need to dwell on it. After all, if the Supreme Being had made up his mind, he would have done it by any means necessary."
Lacrahan watched Bercheria leaning against his hand, a pang of pain welling up in his chest.
He felt sorry for her for having endured something she didn't need to endure.
Long ago, when they erased each other's memories, all Lacrahan had wanted was for them to endure in peace until they met again.
He thought that if they forgot each other, there would be no pain or suffering until they regained their memories.
However, unlike Lacrahan, who had become an ordinary human except for the remaining ice element, Bercheria, who had become a god from a human, seemed to have had a difficult life.
Humans are always selfish, and they wouldn't tolerate even a single mistake after ten attempts at help. They would gnaw at that mistake and attack it, as if denying the sacrifices they had made because of it.
Perhaps it would have been better if Bercheria had lived a single life, like Beloveye. But she wasn't born a god like Dipper, but was made a god by the Supreme Being, and even that was impossible.
"I'm sorry, Bercheria."
At Lacrahan's words, she opened her closed eyes.
"Don't say that."
As he embraced Bercheria, who was being held in his arms, Lacrahan thought of the "Twilight Promise" in his pocket.
One day, Bercheria, who had awakened in bed with him, had asked him to create an object that would keep them together until death.
This was back when she was still human.
So, this ring wasn't just Lacrahan's wish.
It contained the wishes of both of them.
"I just thought of what to do first with the Parallel Butterfly."
Lacrahan now planned a wedding for the two of them.
Here, in the imperial palace, where the greatest number of people could bless each other.
People sometimes took the ceremony of marriage lightly, but that wasn't true.
It was a pledge that two souls would become one. It was a sacred ritual, proclaiming beyond this life and beyond. It was a proclamation that transcended the realm of humanity and even to the gods. It was a declaration that no one could ever separate them.
It was a divine object too beautiful to have taken someone's life or injured their soul.
Bercheria emerged from under the bed with a butterfly fluttering its wings, and opened her palm in front of Lacrahan and herself.
"This is a parallel butterfly."
"It's my first time seeing one in person, so it's fascinating."
"It moves its wings, but doesn't it fly on its own?"
Lacrahan reached out, and the parallel butterfly flapped its wings a few more times and landed on his palm.
"I understand it can only move slightly, depending on the will of the person next to it. It doesn't act or move on its own."
"I see."
This was precisely why Lacrahan had predicted he would easily find the parallel butterfly when he entered the Empress's chambers.
Bercheria's gaze, gazing at the fluttering butterfly, was complicated.
If this divine object hadn't existed, would her life have flown in a different direction?
Lacrahan's warm body touched her forehead as she pondered.
"There's no need to dwell on it. After all, if the Supreme Being had made up his mind, he would have done it by any means necessary."
Lacrahan watched Bercheria leaning against his hand, a pang of pain welling up in his chest.
He felt sorry for her for having endured something she didn't need to endure.
Long ago, when they erased each other's memories, all Lacrahan had wanted was for them to endure in peace until they met again.
He thought that if they forgot each other, there would be no pain or suffering until they regained their memories.
However, unlike Lacrahan, who had become an ordinary human except for the remaining ice element, Bercheria, who had become a god from a human, seemed to have had a difficult life.
Humans are always selfish, and they wouldn't tolerate even a single mistake after ten attempts at help. They would gnaw at that mistake and attack it, as if denying the sacrifices they had made because of it.
Perhaps it would have been better if Bercheria had lived a single life, like Beloveye. But she wasn't born a god like Dipper, but was made a god by the Supreme Being, and even that was impossible.
"I'm sorry, Bercheria."
At Lacrahan's words, she opened her closed eyes.
"Don't say that."
As he embraced Bercheria, who was being held in his arms, Lacrahan thought of the "Twilight Promise" in his pocket.
One day, Bercheria, who had awakened in bed with him, had asked him to create an object that would keep them together until death.
This was back when she was still human.
So, this ring wasn't just Lacrahan's wish.
It contained the wishes of both of them.
"I just thought of what to do first with the Parallel Butterfly."
Lacrahan now planned a wedding for the two of them.
Here, in the imperial palace, where the greatest number of people could bless each other.
People sometimes took the ceremony of marriage lightly, but that wasn't true.
It was a pledge that two souls would become one. It was a sacred ritual, proclaiming beyond this life and beyond. It was a proclamation that transcended the realm of humanity and even to the gods. It was a declaration that no one could ever separate them.
"What is it?"
Lacrahan smiled gently at Bercheria's question.
***
Emperor Gerard stared at the boring party hall, only to realize that Bercheria had been nowhere to be seen. It wasn't just Bercheria. Lacrahan was nowhere to be seen either.
"What the heck!"
Gerard jumped up from his seat and narrowed his eyes as he saw Bercheria crossing the hall.
"Ahem."
She was walking towards Groovy, who was bickering with some ugly guy in the middle of the hall. Leaning back deeply in his chair, Gerard watched Bercheria whispering to Groovy. It was a sight that naturally whetted his appetite. If only those two could be placed in the treasure trove together. If only that could happen, there would be nothing in the world to envy.
Perhaps it was only natural that Gerard had been lovesick ever since he saw a picture of Bercheria holding a staff in a book as a child. From the day he was born until the moment he sat in this hall, there was nothing he couldn't have if he wanted it. If he wanted it, he could get it, no matter how expensive it was. Since the money was going to be taken from the people anyway, there was nothing to be sorry about.
The problem was that he couldn't control his overflowing abilities, but he'd never been lacking.
But there was one thing: Bercheria, which deepened his thirst.
Seeking to quench this thirst, he turned to jewels, collecting glittering objects, but his heart never felt satisfied. Of course, looking at them brought him joy, but it didn't feel completely fulfilling.
"Your Majesty."
Gerard suddenly turned his gaze at a voice calling him.
He saw Lyone staring at him, sweating profusely.
"I'm not feeling well today, so may I go in first?"
Gerard waved his hand, signaling for her to hurry.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
His expression was cold as he glanced at his mistress, who stumbled as she walked away.
"Anyway. She hasn't been feeling well lately..."
He suddenly stared at Bercheria, his eyes wide.
"Oh. Why didn't I think of that?"
Gerard suddenly clutched his stomach and started laughing.
"No. It's so absurd."
Thinking back, it had been so simple from the start.
To oust Lyone and install Bercheria in her place.
The Emperor of Periat who had made the weather goddess his government.
Gerard felt like giving himself a round of applause.
If he could do that, Gerard's name would shine brightly in Periat's history.
The people would respect him, too.
He would use Bercheria's abilities to wield even greater power.
"Isn't this what it means to be a good wife?"
Gerard suddenly felt a pang of admiration for Kelita, who had promised to marry Lacrahan.
"There's no need to do it sequentially, just get it done in one go."
Gerard's sinister eyes gleamed at Bercheria.
But there was one thing: Bercheria, which deepened his thirst.
Seeking to quench this thirst, he turned to jewels, collecting glittering objects, but his heart never felt satisfied. Of course, looking at them brought him joy, but it didn't feel completely fulfilling.
"Your Majesty."
Gerard suddenly turned his gaze at a voice calling him.
He saw Lyone staring at him, sweating profusely.
"I'm not feeling well today, so may I go in first?"
Gerard waved his hand, signaling for her to hurry.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
His expression was cold as he glanced at his mistress, who stumbled as she walked away.
"Anyway. She hasn't been feeling well lately..."
He suddenly stared at Bercheria, his eyes wide.
"Oh. Why didn't I think of that?"
Gerard suddenly clutched his stomach and started laughing.
"No. It's so absurd."
Thinking back, it had been so simple from the start.
To oust Lyone and install Bercheria in her place.
The Emperor of Periat who had made the weather goddess his government.
Gerard felt like giving himself a round of applause.
If he could do that, Gerard's name would shine brightly in Periat's history.
The people would respect him, too.
He would use Bercheria's abilities to wield even greater power.
"Isn't this what it means to be a good wife?"
Gerard suddenly felt a pang of admiration for Kelita, who had promised to marry Lacrahan.
"There's no need to do it sequentially, just get it done in one go."
Gerard's sinister eyes gleamed at Bercheria.
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