Chapter II

Evanovich frowned.

"Why is the Emperor's messenger here…?"

"He came out when I called. I don't know if it's a messenger or a cat." Amelia said.

The wizard spat softly. There was a subtle sneer around his mouth.

"Didn't you hear the new Emperor call for me, King?"

"P-Pardon?" Evanovich mumbled pathetically. The same as the sight of Amelia previously.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"When did Emperor Luciano ever…"

"Luciano is dead. As a servant of the Imperial Household, I have come to deliver the obituary announcement." The wizard grinned and said.

"Your men in the Imperial City will be giving you the same news by tomorrow."

Evanovich froze in his spot and couldn't reply.

"Luciano died…? Then the Emperor would be Arelius…"

Emperor Luciano had no children.

His younger brother, Aurelius, and his half-sister, Amelia, were the closest blood relatives.

"Aurelius Elysion is also dead. They were assassinated together."

"What!?" This time, Evanovich shouted.

It was such a sudden situation that he had never imagined.

'Then who's the Emperor…'

Tens of thousands of thoughts crossed his mind as his face turned white.

"Aurelius also had no children. So the throne would be succeeded to the next closest one. I'm sure you know that much." The wizard explained briefly with a tiresome hint.

Adelle's hand, which held Evanovich's arm, also whitened.

"You know, according to the marriage contract, all the titles that would be inherited by her will also be attributed to her husband."

As if the wizard understood, he alternatively looked between Evanovich and Adelle. Then he spoke slowly,

"In other words, you were the original heir."

"Oh, my God…"

Evanovich's mouth opened wide, and Adelle's hands began to tremble.

Both of them were shocked and unable to speak for a time.

"If you had only waited another day then you would have had a continent."

The wizard leaned slightly towards Evanovich with his arms crossed.

A long shadow fell over Evanovich as the wizard continued.

"Before the Emperor's obituary, the two divorced. Now the Emperor is a different person."

"D-don't tell me…"

"That's right."

The wizard glanced at Amelia and said, "She is the new owner of the continent, Emperor Amelia Noelani Francoise Elysion."

As soon as his words fell, Evanovich felt his body reeling and feeling faint.

"If I were you, I'd lower my head a little."

"That's ridiculous…"

Evanovich managed to grab the table next to him.

Likewise, Adelle, whose hand was freed, held him by the shoulder as if he was powerlessly hanging.

"Did you hear that? Lower your head." Amelia shrugged and smiled.

The eyes that shone pathetically until he stumbled a little while ago were glimmering now.

"T-that can't be. She was the Queen of Vainas until just now!"

"And you almost became the owner of the continent. Why do you keep pretending that you didn't hear me?"

Amelia clicked her mouth as if she was frustrated.

Evanovich shook his head dreamingly.

"This is unbelievable…"

"Oh, that's alright if you don't want to bow down. Anyway, where is the route going out of this disgusting kingdom?"

She asked apathetically.

That familiar face of his wife now had a cold look that he had never seen before.

Evanovich trembled without realizing it.

"We require a wagon filled with gold and get it ready right now. As you said before, we need to leave today."

"…What?"

"Are you deaf?"

Amelia uttered exactly what Evanovich said a while ago. However, her way of speaking was much calmer and harsher.

Even the slightest bit of blood on Evanovich's face disappeared.

Amelia snorted.

"You weren't going to give back the dowry when you got divorced right?"

"The dowry is trivial, so it's not tied…"

"It is foolish to ruin the relationship between two countries by being bound by wealth. Just as you have said, King."

The wizard cut off Evanovich's words and recited what he had said.

"If you have some brains, what you're going to throw up after divorce means you're going to return the dowry. Isn't that obvious?"

The wizard's mouth was even more open to ridicule than ever before.

"I can't believe it…"

Evanovich stumbled, a little louder than before.

"I'll give you an hour, King of Vainas. Fill one wagon with gold."

Amelia took a step toward Evanovich and ordered.

Under her penetrating gaze, Evanovich couldn't move.

"If the treasury lacks gold currently, remove the gold from the walls and roof of the royal palace. If it's still not enough, then we'll take the swords of the knights and melt the decorations from the hilts and scabbards."

"Come on, wait…"

"If there's still room, use the golden throne and the crown of the king, and then cut off your and Adelle's blond hair and put it in the carriage."

Every word she uttered was humiliating in his ear.

"Oh, and…"

Amelia turned to the wizard as if she had suddenly remembered.

"Don't forget their crowns."

The wizard nodded as he pointed at something with his hand.

Swoosh~

He stretched his hands over the heads of Evanovich and Adelle.

"Keuk!"

"What are you doing?"

The two, King and new Queen, shouted, but his hands casually and roughly peeled off the crown and the tiara from their heads.

It was as if he were dealing with objects and not humans.

Evanovich's head, which had always flashed, felt empty.

Adelle's head, which had been beautifully fixed with a pin, was torn off along with dozens of strands of hair.

"Ahhhh!"

"That's a disgrace. Your wife represents the government with the jewels she brings in her dowry."

Ignoring Adelle's short scream, the wizard raised the crown high in his hand. Then without any hesitation, he hit them hard on a marble table.

Quang!

Crash!

The two silver crowns were shattered, and the jewels that decorated them fell.

"No!"

Quang!

Screams resounded all-around at the same time, but the wizard threw the broken pieces of silver on the floor as if he could not hear the screams.

Then he carefully picked up the two black jewels from the wreckage and held them in his hand.

The black diamonds clicked against each other as they were held between his long fingers.

He turned around and took a step towards Amelia and reached out his hand to her.

"Here."

He opened his palms.

The two black jewels were shining as if they were merging.

The wizard's strange silvery-gray eyes were also glistening in harmony with the illumination of the jewels.

He grabbed Amelia's right hand and slowly lifted it with his palm.

Then he gently laid down the black diamonds that he had held on her palm before folding her palm.

"Did I do a great job?"

He grinned and asked Amelia, who smiled in response.

Her white teeth were revealed between her lips. He thought it was his first time seeing that expression on her face.

It was different from the expression that she had shown to Evanovich a while ago.

He bent his head slightly towards Amelia as if he wanted to act cute and wanted her to pet him.

"Good job."

Amelia reached out and lightly patted the wizard's head.

Her lips drew a clear line.

He gently closed his eyes and opened them, as if he liked her touch.

"Let's get out of here."

Leaving Evanovich looking at her foolishly behind, she put her hand on the wizard's arm and turned towards the door.

"I need to go and see what I have inherited."

***

It was a wonderful day.

"I think it's fate that I met you."

King Evanovich of the Kingdom of Vainas whispered sweetly to his lover.

"I've never loved a woman other than you in my life."

He pulled her pale, soft hands and whispered, all the while kissing it.

"Adelle, promise me you'll look at me forever."

"Your Majesty, Adelle is so happy."

Evanovich and his lover, Adelle, looked into each other's eyes as if they would never tire of each other.

"Oh, you are a great couple!"

"I envy you both."

"How could there be such a good match?"

It was like a scene in a play or a fairy tale. The people around were loudly praising them.

They looked like they were blessed witnessing these two people's love.

Surrounded by colorful lights and exciting music, everyone in the banquet hall was smiling happily.

Except for one person.

"Can I leave now?"

"Huh, were you still there?"

When he heard a question behind his back, Evanovich, with Adelle in his arms, turned around and asked the owner of the voice.

It was Amelia.

That person had bluish silver hair and roots, which were not of Vainas native, and caught the eyes of Evanovich.

Her luxurious dress showed that this woman was not of an ordinary status.

"…You told me not to go."

The woman had a purple velvet dress, which made her look serene, and was engraved with the Vainas Royal Family crest.