ERTHMB Chapter 185

A Lovely Day

Even after the war ended, days of dealing with Beelzebuth’s remnants continued for some time.

The city located in Lucia Bay, which had been his stronghold, had completely sunk, and only rumors barely escaped to circulate through the streets that the golden tower Beelzebuth had built was somewhere on the ocean floor.

Natasha was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison along with the remnants, and while Eugene’s treatment was somewhat better, he had to relinquish everything he had.

All that remained to him was a shabby house in the countryside and a single horse. He had neither his past glory, nor the authority that had towered like the heavens, nor wealth.

For Eugene Evergale, this was tantamount to erasing the name Evergale from himself.

Nevertheless, Walter thought he didn’t look so bad. Walter would occasionally visit Eugene when he had time, watching him from a distance, and he seemed rather relieved.

Walter would come to realize from time to time, looking at his face, how freedom could be given even to one who had been stripped of everything.

“Oh my, I’d better hurry. I’ll be late for the ship.”

Walter, who had withdrawn his gaze from Eugene’s farm, hurriedly mounted his horse. Today was the day to meet Helena.

A week ago, she had sent him a ship ticket to Rihalt along with an invitation to the imperial palace. She hadn’t revealed the purpose.

However, since the destination was no ordinary place, Walter prepared the best clothes he owned and crossed the sea.

Even so, the moment he knocked on the palace door, he inwardly regretted not buying new clothes. What greeted him was Ian, the august Moon of Rihalt who now deserved the honorific title of His Majesty.

“Thank you for coming.”

Ian came out to greet Walter no differently than in the past, but he was dressed in an unapproachable manner.

Above his clean silver hair, the imperial crown radiated abundant yellow light, and the blue cape falling heavily from his shoulders accentuated his flawless authority.

Unfamiliarity and bewilderment mixed and rose to Walter’s face. Seeing his expression, Ian reluctantly removed the crown and spoke.

“I normally don’t wear it much because it’s heavy. Right now, Helena insisted I should look good.”

“…….”

When Walter still remained speechless, Ian let out a small complaint to Helena standing beside him.

“I told you it was excessive.”

“It’s practically a formal introduction, so it’s good to observe formalities at least once.”

He then removed even the cape and handed it to an attendant, gesturing for them to withdraw.

Walter, who barely came to his senses at the sight of Helena approaching, stammered a question.

“Formal… introduction? What on earth is the reason you’ve called me all the way here?”

Helena took Walter’s hands and spoke, meeting his blue eyes that so resembled hers.

“Sir. Could you please become my father?”

****

A dazzling street full of blue roofs and white houses. Lilly hopped up and down in front of a door that wouldn’t quite open, urging.

“Hurry up, we’re going to be late!”

Then the door opened with grumbling complaints. Gelda, dressed not in her usual rough hunting clothes but in a neat dress, came down the stairs with clicking steps.

“Is that my fault? It’s the fault of those who chose such a strange place for the venue. I’ve never seen anyone hold a royal wedding on a beach in all my life.”

Following her, Flam also came out in a tuxedo and cheerfully looked around.

“What does it matter if the scenery is good, it’s romantic. Should I try doing it on a beach too? What do you think?”

“Do you have someone to do it with?”

Gelda snorted. Instead of backing down, Flam quietly pulled her hand toward him. Soon a perfectly sized ring settled on Gelda’s ring finger. Gelda’s dazed gaze fixed on the rare sparkle adorning her hand.

Flam wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to make her face him.

“Where else would there be if not here?”

“—Disgusting, get away.”

Despite grumbling, Gelda leaned into Flam contrary to her words. The two heads gradually narrowed the distance between them. The moment Flam closed his eyes, Gelda tripped his legs and knocked him over.

From the position where she instantly gained the upper hand, Gelda briefly raised her head before bending down.

“Close your eyes, Lilly.”

Lilly covered her eyes with both hands. Of course, not a few seconds later, the space between her fingers quietly opened.

****

The beach where soft white sand dug into toes instead of solid ground bustled with unexpected guests.

The straight flower path was unusually scattered full of marigolds. The yellow color contrasting with the blue sea was dazzlingly beautiful.

On either side were rows of seats for guests, and at the end was a platform where the ceremony would be held.

And Dion, who had occupied a seat early from about two hours before, was occasionally shaking his legs with a nervous air.

Before his eyes, knights were simply enjoying the banquet atmosphere, all excited. After watching them with displeasure for a while, Dion finally snapped.

“Stop eating, Samte!”

Samte, who was just picking up a mille-feuille filled with custard cream and fresh strawberries, hesitated. He quietly put the mille-feuille back on the tray.

Sakin, sitting next to him, glanced at Samte’s chewing face and wiped the cream from the corner of his mouth. Meanwhile, Odyssey, rather mature for the youngest, voiced an observation.

“I understand feeling nervous by association since you’ve been with our lord for over ten years, but you’re unusually irritable today.”

Then Elai, who had been watching with arms crossed, added a comment.

“Just leave him be, he’s a perpetual bachelor.”

“Wh-what?”

To the bristling Dion, Elai raised his chin.

“It’s true, isn’t it? Don’t take out your frustration about not being able to marry on us.”

“What nonsense, it’s not like that! And you should help out normally before saying such things!”

“What, why so noisy before the ceremony even starts?”

While Dion’s face grew increasingly red, Heidi appeared from behind. Dion’s body shot up like a startled squirrel.

Soon coming to his senses, he quickly reached his hand toward Elai’s mouth, but unfortunately the cursed Elai was faster.

“It’s nothing. Sir Cedrick is just throwing a bachelor tantrum. Quite amusing.”

“Really very helpful, Elai!”

“To be able to watch Rihalt’s best comedy for free. Of course I should help.”

At Elai’s cheeky salute, Dion questioned with a tone of complete incomprehension.

“No, why haven’t you changed at all even though the demon left? Did it really leave?”

“What’s wrong with me now?”

“You’re still annoying, slippery, and you clench your fists!”

“Then since I never invited you, kindly fold yourself up and go back. You fainted as soon as you saw what I looked like after coming back from that last dispatch.”

“That’s because you showed up covered in monster bodily fluids……! Damn it, please quit that habit of chasing the smell of blood. I bet it wasn’t that a demon entered and became Elai, but rather the demon entered because it was Elai!”

Dion shuddered as if horrified. Though it was quite a cursed thing to hear in a holy nation, Elai laughed contentedly.

“A body chosen by a demon. That sounds quite nice.”

Finally unable to bear it, Dion tried to stand up, but Heidi’s touch stopped him.

“That’s enough, Dion. Don’t get too hung up on a fight you can’t win.”

“Even Your Highness is ignoring me? I’m not that much of a weakling!”

“Who doesn’t know that? My point is, focus on something with better odds of winning.”

Heidi pulled Dion’s cravat and lightly kissed him.

Dion, whose jaw dropped, opened and closed his lips like a fish that had lost its brain. Meanwhile, Ian appeared and firmly pressed Heidi’s shoulder.

“The groom is entering, Heidi. Today is my turn. Even if you’re in a hurry, you have to keep order.”

Laughter erupted from various places at the public teasing. Dion, his face red as a boiled tomato, hung his head low to hide it, and Heidi brazenly patted his back heartily.

Just then, Flam, with a face color similar to Dion’s, appeared with Gelda holding Lilly’s hand, and they took their seats as the ceremony began.

Following the officiant’s words, Ian crossed the flower path first and stood in front of the platform. On the opposite side he was looking at stood Helena receiving an escort from her father figure Walter.

The wedding dress that elegantly revealed the lines of her body clung to the curves like Helena’s own skin, maximizing her beauty.

She was like a large shell’s pearl cherished through endless time. A quiet stir passed through the audience once.

Soon, a beat late, a rich violin melody flowed, and Helena began walking in step with Walter.

Helena could feel Walter’s trembling through their clasped hands. To ease his tension, Helena rubbed Walter’s fingers with her thumb.

After a brief moment of eye contact with Helena, Walter shyly lowered his head.

“It was my lifelong wish to stand together at my daughter’s wedding… To achieve this in reality rather than a dream. It feels even more like a dream.”

Walter, who raised his head again, stopped walking. He slowly faced Helena.

“You’ve been lonely for far too long. Both Madam and I. So now it’s time to be happy for a very long time. Please be happy with all your might, without any gaps.”

Helena nodded. Walter then, before handing her to Ian, spoke with a deliberately stern face.

“If there ever comes a day when I see tears on my daughter’s face, no matter if the other party is the empire’s emperor, I won’t stand for it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind until the day I die.”

Ian firmly grasped Helena’s hand and turned around.

Standing before the officiant, he leaned toward Helena and whispered playfully.

“I guess I should make myself a father who’ll take my side too.”

“I’m going to be happy without any gaps, so will I need one?”

The pope serving as officiant cleared his throat to indicate he would now read the opening remarks and requested silence. However, Ian arbitrarily closed the pope’s book, saying to skip all the boring parts.

With good timing, a sudden breeze took Helena’s veil and waved it away.

Ian naturally kissed the revealed forehead with a chaste kiss and whispered.

“I love you.”

Ian felt himself being filled with even greater love as he poured out his love.

The weight contained in those mere three syllables had always weighed down his life, but now instead made his heart beat.

From his mother’s last will as she strangled his neck to his confession now, no love became a sin. It made him purely feel being alive and breathe.

Helena also raised her heels and answered in a whisper from a distance where her breath tickled his lips.

I love you.

It was a vow eternal in this moment, unrepeatable, complete and noble without hesitation.

Helena’s clear laughter burst out cheerfully. Waves blessing the two sang. Seagull cries flew between white clouds.

It was a lovely day.