For the heart - Chapter 72

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 72

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In the late afternoon, the palace gates were fully opened for the first time in a long while.

Today, when the Arsed Unification Banquet was being held, all the citizens would come out to witness the representatives of each nation receive new territorial names under the name of Arsed.

Among the nations, only the Montregger Empire and the Blanche Duchy were allowed to maintain their existing names according to the contract, so they would not receive new territorial names.

As the time for the naming ceremony approached, the representatives who had been staying in the Western Palace began heading to the Main Palace.

Casian attended as the representative of Montregger.

“We meet again, Prince Casian.”

The person who approached Casian was Duke Blanche.

The slender duke had his long ash-colored hair tied in a half-up style and wore a short jacket with a subtle blue tint and tasseled epaulettes.

Casian’s eyebrows furrowed at the sight.

It felt very similar to Nina’s knight commander uniform.

“I thought you came as the knight commander of the Blanche Duchy.”

“I put some thought into it. It was a choice I made while thinking about what would look best when standing beside Princess Nina.”

“I’m not sure about that. It just looks like there would be two knight commanders.”

At Casian’s firm words, Duke Blanche raised his chin and narrowed his eyes.

From the first time he saw him, there wasn’t a single thing he liked about him.

‘Acting up when he came as a hostage.’

The duke snorted and turned his head sharply, walking ahead.

‘Annoying bastard.’

Casian, who had long ago figured out what feelings Duke Blanche harbored for Nina, also frowned.

The naming ceremony was scheduled to be held on the second floor of the Main Palace, in the banquet hall on the balcony called the Golden Terrace.

It was the widest place in the Imperial Palace, the location where the citizens gathering in the Main Palace Square could see best.

In the second-floor banquet hall with all windows thrown wide open, the nobles of Arsed and representatives from each nation who attended without exception took their seats.

Nina, wearing the red uniform of the Imperial Knight Commander, also attended with the command staff of the knighthood.

Among them was one person wearing a tunic coat instead of a knight uniform.

It was the already retired Vice Commander Bern Heidrick.

Bern had been invited as the head of a count’s family, but naturally sat next to Nina.

Seeing this, people who recalled what had happened at the Heidrick family funeral not long ago began to murmur.

Coincidentally, those stories also reached the ears of Casian and Duke Blanche, who ended up sitting right next to each other.

The eyes of both Casian and the duke had been following Bern’s movements since he appeared.

As soon as he entered the banquet hall, he immediately found Nina and naturally sat next to her, and the two leaned their heads toward each other, quietly conversing.

“I’m fine with it.”

At the sudden declaration of being fine, Casian raised one eyebrow and turned his head toward the duke.

Duke Blanche, who had haughtily raised his chin, continued speaking while still looking at Nina and Bern.

“It’s natural for men to be drawn to a wonderful woman. That fellow was the vice commander, wasn’t he? Having seen the Princess up close, I understand what his feelings might be like.”

What are you to be fine with it and understand?

Though he didn’t say it aloud, Casian’s expression conveyed those words.

“Isn’t there a saying that opportunity comes to those who are prepared?”

Only then did the duke turn his head to Casian and smile brightly.

“There’s probably no man in the entire continent as prepared as I am. To have Princess Nina, that is.”

Have? Who’s having whom?

Crack—the sound of Casian grinding his teeth could be heard.

Just as he was about to throw a punch, his hands tensing with the urge.

“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”

Majestic music played as the Emperor and Empress made their appearance.

Emperor Rainer, wearing a crown and cape for the naming ceremony, entered with a dignified presence.

And following behind him was Lillien.

Her appearance with red hair flowing calmly and wearing a small tiara caused the crowd to stir once again.

Who would be the next emperor to rule the entire continent was practically confirmed by this entrance alone.

While everyone’s eyes were on Lillien, Casian was looking at Nina.

No matter how splendidly Lillien appeared in her gorgeous dress, only Nina Arsed, sitting with perfect posture, caught his eye.

The naming ceremony began, and the Emperor first went out to the balcony to declare that the entire continent had been unified under the name of Arsed.

“I, Rainer Arsed, declare! The entire continent has now become one under the great name of Arsed!”

Simultaneously with the declaration, celebratory cannons fired from various places.

Cheers and applause poured from the citizens who had gathered in black masses at the Imperial Palace.

At this moment, Rainer felt like he had finally become the greatest emperor he had always wanted to be.

It seemed as if all the feelings of inferiority toward his brother that he couldn’t overcome over the years were being washed away.

Savoring this joy, he continued the naming ceremony by calling out each nation he had conquered one by one.

Even excluding Montregger and Blanche, there were as many as 33 large and small territories that had been divided, and representatives who would receive new territorial names came forward one by one to kneel before the Emperor.

The Emperor wrote new territorial names on imperial edicts stamped with the seal of the Arsed Emperor and bestowed them upon the representatives.

Each time the thirty-two new territorial names were loudly announced, the citizens’ cheers erupted endlessly.

Everyone was sharing in the glory of Arsed.

Finally, the thirty-third and last territorial name was announced.

Just as the naming ceremony was about to end.

“Hero of Arsed! The greatest contributor to continental unification! Nina Arsed!”

It was a powerful voice that burst forth from within the crowd.

“Nina! Nina!”

“Nina! Nina!”

“Nina! Nina!”

With that as the beginning, people started chanting Nina’s name. All of Arsed was stirring with the name Nina.

Rainer felt as if cold ice water had been poured over him in an instant.

If there were to be chanting, it should have been his name as Emperor, Rainer Arsed, that was being chanted.

But Nina Arsed!

Along with the growing crowd, the voices chanting Nina’s name only grew fiercer.

In the black mass of people that had gathered, papers with Nina’s name written on them and drawings of Nina’s portrait had appeared here and there, so numerous they looked like waves.

The air in the town square also felt like it was boiling even hotter from the moment her name began being chanted.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had lived for this moment for the past 20 years! Why!

Rainer clenched both fists and whipped his head around to glare at Nina.

Flames ignited in his vision as he was convinced that Nina Arsed was the culprit who had ruined everything.

But then.

“Hah.”

The moment his eyes met Nina’s, Rainer’s knees buckled and swayed.

It was because he saw his brother’s face in Nina’s expressionless features.

An optical illusion as if Magnus Arsed was standing before his eyes. No, a vision close to a curse stole Rainer’s breath away.

His brother’s cold voice echoed from deep within his ears.

“Do you see? You can never become Arsed’s true Emperor. That imperial throne you sit upon is merely an illusion built upon my shadow!”

Rainer roughly clutched at his chest, suppressing the nausea that surged up.

His breath constricted as if it would be cut off, his vision shook, and cold sweat poured down his spine like rain.

The cheers from the town square, Nina’s face, and his brother’s voice all tangled together, crushing his mind entirely.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“Enough!”

The Head Attendant who had been standing restlessly beside him quickly supported Rainer.

Rainer covered his ears against the increasingly fierce sounds and fled from that place.

There was another person whose eyes blazed with fury at the sound of Nina’s name being shouted loud enough to shake the Imperial Palace.

Lillien Arsed.

How could so many people chant Nina’s name instead of mine! How on earth!

As Nina’s name was called to a frightening degree, an attendant approached with quick steps and spoke to Nina.

“Your Highness, please show yourself on the balcony. It doesn’t seem like it will die down unless you do.”

“I understand.”

Nina slowly rose and stepped out onto the balcony.

As Nina appeared in her red uniform, thunderous cheers erupted from the people filling the town square.

“Nina Arsed!”

“Nina! Nina!”

Her short blonde hair rippled in an even more brilliant golden light as it caught the afternoon sun.

Nina raised one arm in greeting to the people reaching their hands toward her.

At that moment her white wrist was revealed, and the red gemstone bracelet wrapped around it cast an intense light.

“Wh-what is that?!”

Lillien’s eyes widened as she shot up from her seat.

The bracelet she had expected Casian to give her was hanging on Nina’s wrist.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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