Chapter 215: Make Preparations Tonight, My Empress’s Husband (Two-in-one)
Imperial Capital, Black Lily District, Jin Gui Street No. 32.
The residence, silent for half a year, finally bustled with activity once more.
Orange-red lamps illuminated the living room, bringing a touch of warmth to the late autumn night.
A carriage with a matte black carriage stopped by the roadside, strewn with fiery red maple leaves. The black vulture emblem carved with gold thread on the carriage was exceptionally distinct, as if the black vulture in the crest might spread its wings and fly at any moment.
“Long time no see, my Empress’s Husband.”
Isadorella alighted from the carriage.
Today, her attire was not the standard black-dominant military uniform of the Freista Empire, but a crescent white trench coat.
Beneath her pure white beret, her long white hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
With her arms crossed, she looked at Shaya, who had come out to greet her in front of the residence. Her burgeoning figure, beneath the plain white trench coat, outlined breathtaking curves.
It seemed that every time Shaya saw Isadorella, she possessed a different charm: the majestic princess, the untainted King of Knights, the resplendent Empress… The only commonality was that her beauty was always stunning and breathtaking.
If—
One were to overlook the subtle, dangerous curve forming at the corner of Isadorella’s lips at this moment.
“Even though I was confident in your victory from the very beginning.”
“However, seeing you truly return is indeed a cause for national celebration.”
“But—”
“Don’t you think you’ve been a bit biased lately…”
“My Empress’s Husband.”
On Isadorella’s cute face, the faint smile grew increasingly distinct.
“Even though I know that Little Ai and the others are partners you cannot forsake, and I promised you that I wouldn’t make things difficult for you due to meaningless jealousy… It doesn’t suit my status.”
“But, at least in the eyes of the empire’s citizens—”
“Your primary identity is me, the Empress’s Husband of the current Empress, and also the future Prince of the Empire.”
“Not the Lord of the White Tower, or the lover of the young lady from the Winter Flower Family…”
She alighted from the carriage and walked step by step before Shaya.
Her pair of crimson beautiful eyes gazed directly into Shaya’s.
“Could it be that in your heart, my order of precedence is actually lower than Little Ai, lower than Sylvia?”
“Otherwise, why is it that Little Ai and the others know the full story of your trip to the First Era, while with me, you only casually mentioned a few things during our chats?”
“And after you returned, you sought out Little Ai and Sylvia first…”
“Instead of coming directly to the Imperial Palace to find me.”
Hiss—
Facing the extremely beautiful Empress, whose beautiful eyes were flashing with danger at such close proximity.
Shaya couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
What kind of lethal question was this?
In fact, among the women who had established a clear relationship with him, Shaya did spend less time with Isadorella on a daily basis.
This was mainly because Isadorella was different from Sylvia and Little Ai.
Beyond the identity of “Shaya’s fiancée,” Isadorella was also the Empress of the Freista Empire, which was in the process of rebuilding.
Compared to her, Little Ai was, of course, a given. Although Aerora now held the title of Deputy Leader of the Sword Holders within the empire, making her a genuine high-ranking official.
And before that, Aerora also held a position in the military…
But the reason Aerora held these positions was solely because Shaya’s current status required it, and she also wanted to help Shaya.
If, one day, Shaya were to break ties with the empire and choose to defect…
Aerora would unhesitatingly leave with Shaya, considering the power, wealth, reputation, and status she possessed in the empire to be as worthless as dirt.
Just as they had agreed in the snowfields of Ceylon, she would only live for Shaya.
As for Sylvia, although she was nominally the Lord of the White Tower, in reality, both Sylvia and the high-ranking officials of the White Tower, like the Silent Singer Isvilda, knew clearly… Sylvia herself was merely a figurehead, or rather, a hands-off manager.
In reality, the internal affairs of the White Tower were all managed by Isvilda, which had led the Silent Singer to be frantically consulting the Alchemy school regarding the latest research progress of the hair growth potion.
Sylvia, on her part, would at most occasionally attend meetings of the White Tower’s high-ranking officials, which was already going above and beyond. And even then, she would be daydreaming during the meetings.
For them, Shaya could be said to be the meaning of the vast majority of their lives.
But Isadorella was different.
As the heir to the empire, becoming the Empress was the education and responsibility Isadorella had received since childhood, and it was the entirety of her past life’s meaning.
Even though her mindset had changed after the journey of becoming the King of Knights and establishing the Conceptual Belt—the rise and fall of the empire remained an inseparable mission for her.
At this critical juncture where the old nobles had all fallen, the power within the Imperial Capital was being reshuffled, and the imperial power was transitioning… As the newly enthroned Emperor, Isadorella had too many matters, both political and military, that required her personal decision.
Precisely because of this, and out of concern for not disturbing Isadorella with her own affairs, Shaya had only vaguely mentioned many things to her during casual chats, rather than providing exhaustive details.
In his subconscious understanding, these were things he should handle himself and should not trouble Isadorella with amidst her busy schedule.
Of course, if one were to interpret it the other way around, as Her Majesty the Empress had suggested.
It could indeed be considered that, when facing Isadorella, Shaya could not truly open up as he could with Sylvia and Little Ai.
“It’s just that I was worried about Your Majesty being busy with your affairs…”
Shaya chose his words carefully.
However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Isadorella.
“No need to say more, I actually understand everything.”
“In your eyes, my identity is first and foremost the Empress of the Empire, and then your lover and partner.”
“This difference dictates that our relationship cannot be like Miss Sylvia’s, cannot be like Little Ai’s, becoming a girl solely for you, truly living only for each other.”
Isadorella blinked her crimson beautiful eyes.
The colors in her beautiful eyes were no longer dangerous, but held a trace of inscrutable depth.
“I’m saying this only to tell you, Shaya.”
“I can never be like Little Ai, nor do I wish to be a copy or a shadow of another woman in your heart.”
“I am me, Isadorella von Freysburg… I hope this name holds a unique weight in your heart, unlike anyone else’s.”
“However, when it comes to my feelings for you, I believe I am not inferior to Little Ai or Sylvia in the slightest.”
“What they can do, I can also do—”
“For example…”
Isadorella’s lips moved slightly as she leaned closer to Shaya and whispered into his ear in an extremely low voice:
“For you, abandoning the entire empire, abandoning everything I now possess.”
“Just as I did before—rewriting history again, creating new conceptual belts, such things are not impossible.”
Her voice was incredibly faint.
Even with the perception of a King of Knights like Sylvia and Aerora, who were preparing a family dinner in the residence not far away, could not hear it.
However, Shaya, who was intimately familiar with the personality of the current Empress of the Empire, could discern the unwavering determination in Isadorella’s words from her soft whisper.
She was such a person—proud and self-assured. Once she said something, it would not be swayed by anyone’s will.
“In my heart, your position is more important than my current Imperial throne.”
“I belong to you.”
“Isadorella von Freysburg, first and foremost your lover and fiancée, and then, the Empress of the Empire.”
“If you were to ask, I would willingly abandon the entirety of the empire and bear the risk of never being able to return.”
“To go with you to the historical echoes of the First Era with the Holy Sword, and slumber at the bottom of the Abyss for five hundred years, I would do so willingly.”
“This one thing, I hope you, Shaya, will remember firmly.”
As she spoke, she lightly stepped back.
No longer whispering into Shaya’s ear, she stood before him and meticulously examined him with her crimson beautiful eyes.
Moreover, Shaya could clearly feel…
In the mysterious projected Astral Realm, the Holy Sword contracted with Isadorella was now radiating dazzling radiance.
That gentle, yet majestic and profound mystery, softly swept over his physical body and soul.
Then, it replenished and filled the minor injuries and weakness on Shaya’s body, which was still somewhat unaccustomed after a long period of slumber…
As well as his soul, which had become somewhat weak after five hundred years of struggle.
This was a novel experience for Shaya.
In the past, Shaya had indeed encountered the power of the Holy Sword, but that was in the historical echoes of the Third Era, when he was wearing the Vortex Mask and appeared as the “Black Knight Cain.”
He had been pierced through the chest by the Holy Sword, and its immense golden radiance had destroyed all vitality within him.
This was the first time, as an ally, that Shaya had experienced the protection of the Holy Sword.
Unlike the Holy Spear Rungoniumad.
The Holy Spear was the Anchor of Storms, a manifestation of the Tower of World’s End that anchored the outer and inner worlds.
It represented pure destruction, wielding storms and thunder.
Although the contract with the Holy Spear could also provide immortality, that immortality was merely a form of existence, even interpretable as a curse, merely allowing the contracted party to hold on to their last breath when severely injured.
But the Holy Sword was different.
Its very birth was for the purpose of “salvation.”
Undoubtedly, when facing the opposite of justice, when facing calamities that were enemies of the savior, the Holy Sword could also unleash magnificent, awe-inspiring power, shattering darkness like a golden divine punishment.
However, similarly, the Holy Sword, meant for salvation, naturally had its aspect of salvation.
It was a land of ideals, standing in the seat of calamity, capable of restoring broken things, healing all pain, and pacifying all resentment.
Not mere immortality, but the ability to heal all physical and spiritual wounds.
And at this moment, as the blessing of the Holy Sword shone forth.
Even with Shaya’s current status, he felt the warmth and comfort spreading throughout his body.
The after-effects of sleeping for five hundred years, which Shaya had originally planned to take months, or even years, to slowly recover and awaken from, were now all healed and completely removed.
“That’s more like it.”
“If you keep looking sickly, how can you be my Empress’s Husband?”
Isadorella stood before Shaya, meticulously examining his entire body.
Only when the golden radiance of the Holy Sword slowly dimmed did she nod with apparent satisfaction.
Despite her words, a barely perceptible trace of fatigue flickered in her crimson beautiful eyes.
The more powerful a life form, the more difficult it was to heal its injuries.
For example, if a Beast Tamer who had just entered the extraordinary realm and was at the First Ring was injured, even if it were a severe injury, a Monarch-level healing Familiar Skill could easily cure it.
However, there had never been any potions or healing skills in history that could heal Mythical Creatures, or beings that surpassed the limit of the King of Knights.
This was why most extraordinary beings could recover from injuries within weeks or months, while demigods and pseudo-gods who suffered heavy damage often required thousands of years, or even several eras of deep sleep, to recover through the passage of time.
And even Holy Relics… Throughout history, there had only been a handful of them.
Healing Shaya’s own troublesome hidden injuries and after-effects—as the owner of the Holy Sword, how could Isadorella not pay a price?
However, she forcibly suppressed the fatigue in her eyes.
Yet, in the Next Moment.
Isadorella saw the young man before her extend his hands.
She did not resist, allowing her body to fall into Shaya’s embrace.
“Although I know my Empress’s Husband is invincible… and I never doubted you would win.”
“But to see you return safely—”
“I’m truly happy.”
She embraced Shaya’s neck like this and whispered into his ear.
“As for you favoring Little Ai and the others, I’ll forgive you this time.”
“However, forgiveness is forgiveness, but I am still the Empress of the Empire, after all, and I need to maintain some dignity.”
On Isadorella’s cute face, a shrewd expression grew more pronounced.
“So, Shaya, my Empress’s Husband—”
“Tonight…”
“You should be prepared to commit the crime of great disrespect against the Empress of the Empire.”
