“Learning martial arts naturally teaches you how to defend yourself. Magic? Come on,” Ares scoffed.
“Are you saying magic isn’t enough to protect her? Magic is plenty! And it’s way more practical,” Kirine argued.
“Can you even teleport?” Ares challenged.
“It’s not that I don’t know how; it’s because of imperial law!” Kirine explained.
“Useless,” Ares retorted.
“Okay, I’ve heard enough!” Kirine snapped.
Before they knew it, the two of them had started bickering, with Sasha caught in the middle.
“You’re really going to teach her to recklessly swing a sword?” Kirine asked.
“And magic is supposed to be so refined that it’s above criticism?” Ares countered.
“Aren’t you two going to sleep?” Sasha yawned, sitting up.
Kirine and Ares immediately stopped, gently laying her back down as if nothing had happened.
In the end, they had no choice but to call a truce for the night.
***
“What’s all this commotion so early in the morning?” Kirine asked, stepping out of her lab. She had been diligently researching how to make a potion that restores lost memories.
“Actually, I was just about to call you out here,” Cecil replied.
“What’s going on?” Kirine asked, looking at Cecil curiously.
Instead of answering, Cecil gestured subtly in a certain direction. Following her gaze, Kirine saw foreign envoys approaching the Great Hall.
“The flag of the Kingdom of Katen,” she murmured.
The Katen envoys, carrying their red and gold flag, marched proudly toward the Great Hall. Their attire was short, revealing their limbs. In the Empire of Artium, this would be considered scandalous, but to Kirine, it looked comfortable. Their sun-kissed skin gave them a healthy, vibrant appearance. Despite being the same species, Kirine found them strikingly different.
Then, one of the envoys at the front, walking confidently, glanced back at her. Kirine noticed their short, red hair, cut at shoulder length, and their tanned skin. But it was their silver eyes that truly caught her attention. They were sharp, like a predator locking onto its prey. It was too precise a gaze to dismiss as a mistake.
What’s going on? Kirine wondered.
As soon as their eyes met, the envoy lifted the corner of their mouth in a slight smirk before turning back to face forward.
“Chief, what are you doing?” Cecil asked, tapping Kirine’s arm.
Startled, Kirine tilted her head in confusion. “What?”
“We need to go greet the envoys!” Cecil urged her.
“Oh? Oh, right, okay,” Kirine replied, snapping back to reality. She hurried toward the Great Hall, feeling a sense of unease about the situation.
***
By the time Kirine arrived at the Great Hall, the envoys from the Kingdom of Katen had already gathered. She cautiously scanned the room. Ares, who had arrived earlier, noticed her and gestured for her to stand beside him. Kirine quietly took her place at his side.
“What’s this all about? Why are the envoys suddenly here?” Kirine whispered to Ares, unaware of any notice about a visit from the Katen Kingdom.
Ares shook his head, equally confused. “I have no idea.”
“But that person…” Kirine said, subtly motioning toward the woman whose gaze had met hers earlier during the envoy procession.
The woman immediately turned to meet Kirine’s stare, this time locking eyes with a bold, almost challenging expression. Something about it felt off.
“Who is she staring at? Me or you?” Kirine asked Ares.
Sometimes it seemed like she was being watched, but other times it seemed like Ares was the target of the gaze. It was odd.
Ares responded indifferently, “Both of us.”
“What? Why?” Kirine asked, just as the Emperor of Artium entered the Great Hall, and the murmuring crowd fell silent.
“Though our nation and the Kingdom of Katen have long been allies, this sudden visit has left us somewhat surprised,” the Emperor declared, seated on his throne. He made no effort to conceal his displeasure. It was understandable; just two days prior, the King of Katen had sent a letter—essentially a demand—stating that he had a gift to deliver and something to discuss.
Thanks to the long-standing ties between the two nations, this breach of etiquette was tolerated. Otherwise, the Katen envoys would not have been allowed to set foot on imperial soil.
“The Sword of Katen, Viarte, greets the great sun of the empire. I humbly ask for your forgiveness for this unannounced visit,” Viarte announced, kneeling on one knee. The other envoys behind her bowed deeply in unison.
“Very well, I trust there won’t be such disruptions in the future. But I doubt you’ve come all this way just to deliver a gift. What is your true purpose?” the Emperor asked, sensing that the gift was merely an excuse.
Viarte, as if waiting for this moment, began to speak. “Then I beg your indulgence for what I’m about to say.” She apologized to everyone in the hall with a deep bow and then began to walk forward, each step purposeful and without hesitation.
Huh? Kirine blinked, watching Viarte’s confident stride. Oddly, it seemed like Viarte was heading straight toward her. Moments later, Viarte stopped, right in front of her. Or so she thought.
“Ares Arensis, I have come to propose marriage to you.”