#82. Just Give the Order
The moonlight gently filled the room.
In this moment, Belia looked out at the world, relying on the faint yet clear glow.
For some reason, she felt a peculiar sensation that was hard to put into words.
“What are you thinking about?”
Khalid, sitting in a chair and holding Belia snugly in his arms, asked as he slowly expressed his satisfaction, tightening his embrace around her waist.
“Nothing… it just doesn’t feel real.”
Belia murmured softly, and Khalid buried his face in her neck.
“Are we really getting married?”
As the wedding day drew nearer, a sense of unease crept in, as if it could all vanish in a dream.
The happier her days with him became,
the smoother everything went,
the more she worried—pointlessly—what would happen if all this happiness suddenly disappeared.
“You tell me everything will be fine, yet why do you keep wavering?”
“I don’t know…”
She simply…
“…maybe it’s because I once thought I had everything and lost it all.”
Belia leaned her entire body against Khalid.
“I keep… thinking, what if it happens again this time…”
The sensation of his lips brushing against her neck silenced her words.
Startled by the wet, sticky sound, she tried to turn away, but Khalid held her so tightly she couldn’t move.
“Ugh… please don’t…”
His actions grew increasingly persistent. Hot breath teased her ear.
“I… I can’t… please stop…”
Belia’s weak plea caused Khalid to abruptly halt.
“Mm…”
Feeling a twinge of guilt himself, Khalid smiled faintly and stopped, simply inhaling her scent. Sweet, as always. Yet restraining himself was torture.
“Alright.”
But a hunting dog must obediently follow its master.
Thankfully, a cold breeze from the open window quickly cooled the rising heat.
“You keep wavering, and it makes me anxious too.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Her voice was fragile, as if it might scatter.
“No. I’m not telling you to apologize… I just…”
Khalid lowered his gaze.
“Trust me a little more. That’s what I wanted to say.”
Every day, his feelings for Belia grew stronger, and likely would continue to do so, yet it frustrated him that he couldn’t give her complete assurance.
“…I trust you.”
“That’s right. Look only at me, trust only me, listen only to me.”
Don’t compare me to Raul. He and I are completely different.
Khalid’s voice scratched sharply across his throat.
“Remember, Belia, the only person who can truly have you… is me.”
So don’t worry, just give the order.
Bite my neck.
The Queen of Ronica and the envoy of the Divine Kingdom arrived in the empire, less than a week before the wedding.
Their visit became an enormous topic of conversation among the people.
Among the priests who worshipped the One God, they were the closest to the divine.
Moreover, the Queen of Ronica had once been a priestess overseeing rituals for the Divine Kingdom.
Everyone lined up along the streets to welcome them to the capital, eager to receive even a fragment of their divine blessing, and greeted them sincerely.
“Father, thank you for granting my request.”
“This is the second time you’ve asked something personal of me.”
The queen smiled gently.
“The first was when I insisted on marrying the King of Ronica. Then… I met him, and…”
The envoy clicked his tongue, still displeased at the memory.
“Hehe. But seeing that I’m happy now, you should be glad.”
And the children were adorable as well.
When Herald and Belia were young, they had often been brought to the Divine Kingdom to stay in the temple.
And now, that child had grown up and was getting married.
“Time passes so quickly, doesn’t it, Father?”
The envoy didn’t answer her directly, his gaze fixed on the imperial palace visible outside the window. Its grandeur stirred a sense of unease that furrowed his brows.
“…I haven’t met him, but this current emperor doesn’t seem like a particularly good man.”
The queen followed his gaze, her expression bitter.
“Yes… his energy feels tainted.”
Belia would have to live in such a place.
The queen’s face darkened.
“Do not worry. Your child will be the kind to find gems even in darkness.”
It was a statement filled with infinite love and trust for her daughter. After saying this, the envoy fell silent.
A foreboding aura hung over the palace. He exhaled softly, sensing the difficult path his granddaughter would face.
“Divine God, please watch over them all.”
Silently, he prayed to his deity and closed his eyes.
At the main gate of the palace, Belia and Khalid were joined by the emperor, empress, Raul, and his fiancée, Princess Canterif, to welcome the envoy of the Divine Kingdom and the Queen of Ronica.
The emperor had clearly taken great care in the arrangements. Knights lined the entrance, conducting a magnificent welcoming ceremony.
“Haha. Such a grand reception!”
“The envoy is visiting the empire for the first time; we cannot be negligent. Please, come inside.”
The emperor personally guided the envoy with the utmost kindness.
The rest of the royal family followed behind. The Queen of Ronica walked alongside the empress.
“This is your first time in the empire, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. On the way here, I observed the empire and found it splendid and beautiful.”
“Oh my! Haha. We must ensure you lack nothing during your stay.”
As they engaged in polite conversation, they arrived at the central hall where a banquet was prepared. The table was already perfectly set.
The emperor invited the envoy to sit and placed the Queen of Ronica beside him. Opposite them sat the emperor and empress.
Once everyone was seated, the emperor signaled the attendants, who brought the dishes to each place.
“You must be weary from your journey, so we’ve prepared foods that are light and easy to enjoy.”
The emperor was consistently kind and gracious to the envoy.
The Divine Kingdom held prestige equal to that of the empire; even the slightest negligence was unacceptable.
Naturally, the emperor’s attentiveness extended to Belia.
“Princess Belia is widely praised among the people of the empire.”
The emperor spoke, complimenting Belia.
The quickest way to connect with someone is to find a shared interest, and in this case, the only topic the emperor and envoy could discuss together was Belia.
“From her charitable works to her recent medical projects, she is clever and capable. Truly a blessing for the empire.”
“Haha. I’m glad to hear Your Majesty say so,” the envoy replied, smiling warmly at Belia.
Belia felt her heart warm at her grandfather’s gaze.
“Though she is my granddaughter, she still has much to learn. But she is wise and kind… she will surely thrive in the empire.”
The emperor laughed heartily at the envoy’s words.
“Indeed. The princess is already immensely popular. Hahaha.”
The banquet’s atmosphere was pleasant. Conversations often turned to Belia and Khalid, and cheerful chatter continued.
Yet, there was one who sat silently, seemingly isolated.
‘…Annoying.’
It was Elin Canterif.
All attention was on the second prince and Princess Belia.
Of course, it was natural, given the wedding, but Elin was displeased.
The second prince, Khalid, had been a reckless, arrogant prince until recently.
That a mere princess of Ronica would be treated so differently simply because of this marriage seemed ridiculous.
“…Elin, relax your expression.”
Raul held her hand and whispered softly enough for her alone to hear.
A small gesture, but it eased Elin’s tension.
‘Yes… I have His Highness.’
Elin relaxed and smiled gently. Raul, seeing her smile, subtly exhaled in relief.
Even if his true feelings were different, outwardly, that was enough.
Then the envoy spoke thoughtfully.
“Since this is also my granddaughter’s wedding, I wish to personally bestow blessings upon the couple.”
A high-ranking priest from the empire was scheduled to bless the wedding, but having the envoy do so personally carried special significance.
It would become a historically memorable moment.
“Hm. But there is already a priest scheduled. And soon, the first prince’s wedding approaches…”
The emperor began to object about fairness, but Khalid quickly interjected.
“We would be greatly honored if you did, Grandfather.”
The scheduled priest could be asked for understanding. Meeting the envoy was already a reward. Khalid’s assurance made the emperor relent.
“Oh? How does Belia feel about this?”
The envoy naturally turned to her.
“It would be a great honor for me if Grandfather blessed our marriage.”
“Hahaha. And yet, she hasn’t even been to the Divine Kingdom once?”
The Queen of Ronica laughed at the envoy’s teasing tone, and the emperor gave an awkward smile at their interaction.
“I am truly glad to see you, Grandfather.”
Belia added a charming smile.
The envoy laughed heartily.
The emperor subtly glanced at Raul and sighed inwardly. It couldn’t be helped: Khalid would inevitably stand out, but given the empire’s relationship with the Divine Kingdom, the envoy’s goodwill couldn’t be refused.
“I will explain to the priest. He is the most devoted priest in the empire; scheduling him is difficult, but it cannot be helped. Haha.”
Observing the emperor’s minor displeasure, the envoy smiled.
“Very well. Then the first prince’s wedding can be blessed by that priest. It is fortunate to have such a devoted servant in the empire.”
“The priests serving the One God are not ranked. I only wish to bless my granddaughter’s marriage. There is no issue at all.”
At last, the emperor, with a bitter expression, agreed.
