Although the fog was unusually thick, it was a typical morning. Whether he had been awake all night, half of the thick documents had already passed through Redian’s fingers. The intense sunlight slowly seeped through the window. Feeling the limit of his patience with the prolonged wait, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes tightly.
“…”
Simultaneously, a breeze blew, stirring his silver hair. It was definitely a morning like any other. However, his long eyes were slightly crumpled.
How much more time had passed?
“Milord.”
Only after a long while did Redian open his eyes, his gaze meeting the empty air.
“… You’re late, Halphas.” But he spoke without even looking down at the presence before him. “Was there anything unusual last night?”
“…”
“I noticed that master left very early without leaving any message behind.” His tone was low and devoid of any emotion. “She must have known I’d look for her.”
Redian’s mornings were always the same. After kissing the sleeping Siani on the forehead and leaving the room, he received reports on what she was doing out of his sight. But today was different. Siani seemed to have returned to the imperial palace before dawn had fully broken.
“What happened?”
Or… perhaps she didn’t stay here last night at all.
“You were on watch last night, so you must know.”
Redian asked Halphas as he got up and lit the incense burner.
“That…” Halphas began. He knew well that his master was not kind, but he still hesitated.
“That? Is that all you have to say to me?”
Smoke from the incense spread, obscuring his view.
“Milord, I have no intention of deceiving or betraying you.”
Halphas also knew that Redian was asking despite already having guessed everything.
“If what I saw last night wasn’t a dream…” Memories flashed through Halphas’s mind. “How should I explain this to you…” The memory was so vivid that it made his eyes twitch.
The light poured through the cracks in the wall, the trumpet sound that made his ears numb, and the woman standing between them. Was it really a dream? If it wasn’t a dream…
What on earth… He felt as though he lacked the words of any language in the world to explain it.
“You certainly seem out of it.”
Redian, who usually wouldn’t tolerate a moment of silence, answered quite coolly, finding Halphas’s honest, dazed expression intriguing.
“Then I’ll ask again.” Redian slowly turned the ring he always wore. “What did you see last night?”
“…Milord.” At that moment, Halphas’s head jerked up as if he had finally remembered the answer to the question.
“Yes. Answer me, Halphas.”
Time was running out, and the limit had long been passed. Yet, Redian endured, clenching the ring tightly. To ensure that vivid memories would spill from that mouth. What had Siani done during the night he wasn’t there? What was she hiding from him?
“The goddess…”
As Halphas’s mouth slowly opened, Redian’s expression turned peculiar. Even though Halphas, born from the fires of hell, couldn’t possibly believe in a goddess.
“Indeed, the goddess…”
Yet he was speaking the word ‘goddess’ with his tongue and lips.
“Loves Milord very much.”
“…”
Moreover, the answer that came from that dazed face was very interesting. Normally, Redian would never tolerate such a thing.
“Really?” Redian smiled pleasantly. He couldn’t find out what had happened last night, but… “I’m curious too.”
It was a reaction only someone who had directly seen love with their own eyes could have.
“Just how much does master love me?”
It was almost unbearable to think about how beautiful that sight must have been.
* * *
Siani returned to the imperial palace in the late afternoon.
“Master left without a word. You must have been busy.”
“The founding festival is the day after tomorrow. There are so many things to catch up on.”
Redian lightly stroked Siani’s cheek, who was in his arms. He didn’t ask anything about her strange behavior last night. Instead, he pretended not to know.
“…Master?”
But then,
“Why?”
Redian’s gaze was drawn to a scar on Siani’s palm. It looked like a wound from holding a sword or an arrow.
“Where did you get this wound?” Redian’s eyes instantly sharpened. “Hurry and get it treated.”
Questions like where, why, and who tangled in his mind, but he had no time to ask them. All he could think of was treating it immediately. The sight of the red blood on her delicate skin made him feel like his insides were burning.
“No, it’s fine. It’s going to get worse soon anyway.”
But Siani gave an ambiguous answer.
“I’d actually prefer it if the scar remained more prominently.”
“…What?”
She seemed sincere as she looked down at her palm.
“It’s like you and I will have the same scar.”
Indeed, it was in the same place as the scar on Redian’s palm. If their hands were to be clasped tightly, the wounds would align, and their blood would seem to blend together.
“By the way, Rere. I came because I have something for you.” Siani, who had naturally taken Redian’s hand, moved her steps. “It’s your one and only coronation, and it just coincides with the founding festival.”
Since the founding festival was a ceremony honoring the goddess, everyone had to wear restrained, pure white ceremonial robes.
Siani sounded displeased as she spoke. “It’s the day you should shine the brightest, but wearing ceremonial robes is too dull.” She stopped in front of her dressing room door. “So I specially prepared a gift for you, Redian.”
As the curtains slowly parted, what appeared was…
“What do you think? They say it’s a color that signifies the revival of life and paradise.”
It was a deep green uniform decorated with dazzling gold embroidery and a magnificent epaulet. Even a small amulet was attached near the heart where Rixon’s emblem would be placed. Anyone could see that it had been prepared for a long time.
“Congratulations on becoming the crown prince of Meteora.”
At that moment, Redian recalled the time when Siani had found him after breaking through a firmly closed wall. He remembered the touch that covered his head with a robe and the voice that whispered as she took off his mask.
“I wanted to be the first to congratulate you.”
And today, once again, the fair fingers that had saved him from the mire touched his collar.
“…”
Redian couldn’t take his eyes off Siani. He couldn’t understand what the emotion that was choking him was. His love, his salvation, his light. He didn’t know by what name to call this woman.
“But,” Redian asked calmly, hiding his trembling voice. “Isn’t wearing ceremonial robes at the founding festival a rule set by the temple?”
Of course, Redian was ready to follow any of Siani’s words. He was just curious about what thoughts were lingering in her small head.
“I’m telling you in advance, just for you.” Siani shrugged and lowered her voice. “After all, I’m the goddess.”
“…”
“So don’t worry. I promised you the first day we met, didn’t I?”
In the end, Redian couldn’t help but laugh with her.
“As long as you follow me, I’ll protect you until the end.”
Even when she spoke lightly, as if joking, he knew all her words were promises and vows.
“Of course, You’re my goddess, Master.”
Yes, she was a goddess. To Redian, Siani was the air, the wind, the sunlight, and the seasons. Every name of the emotions he felt was her, and the entire world surrounding him was her… How could she not be his beautiful goddess?
“Then you should be more dazzling than me, Master.”
“Right. Bergman had a bit of a hard time, but hey, it’s a day where you and I are the main characters, right?”
When Siani’s mouth curved into a bright smile as she faced him,
“So look forward to it, Rere.”
“…”
Redian could only stare at her for a long time. He could no longer pretend to be unaffected, his throat tightening.
“It will be a red and splendid dress, so beautiful that it won’t show any blood stains.”
He just wanted to tell her. That she was the only reason he endured thousands of years. That the strength to withstand the terrible darkness was only her. That he never once regretted the time he spent loving her.
“By the way, you know you have to escort me, right?”
So…
“Yes, Master.”
He was alive because of her.
“I will be by your side.”
And he would live for her.
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