"But there's no helping it; my soft spot—my weakness—has already manifested, and it seems it cannot be removed."
Shiayar smiled. "But on the other hand, it is precisely because of our weaknesses that we are human, not the Deities high above us."
"To be honest, I prefer the present Your Majesty over the cold and stern princess I first met, because now you feel more human, not just a perfect political machine devoid of emotion."
Shiayar paused for a moment. "As for being your weakness, that is my honor."
"Yes, time can change many things."
"A year ago, I could never have imagined becoming who I am today."
Isadella did not deny it. "From the moment I was born, I have always lived to meet the expectations of others."
"My father hoped I would become the heir to the Empire's throne, the sovereign who could lead a declining Empire to its revival."
"Among the ministers and Great Nobles... some had the same expectations as my father."
"Others had malicious hopes, wishing for my downfall, for me to sink into depravity alongside them to maintain the interests of their privileged groups."
"To meet the expectations of the world, I put on the mask called 'Empire's Second Princess,' learning to appear flawless, becoming the figure all the people hoped for."
"I had to think everything through thoroughly. I had to abandon the leisure of admiring butterflies and flowers, and deep friendships with my peers were forbidden. Even loving a bonded Pet Beast was not allowed. All of these could become vulnerabilities for the enemies who studied me relentlessly, eager to exploit them when they targeted me."
A breeze fluttered through the palace, scattering the embers of the black flames.
Isadella looked at the night outside the palace. "In the past, that was how I lived—like a mirror, reflecting the perfect image people expected of me."
"The subjects and the ministers all cheered, proclaiming that the Empire would soon see a sovereign who would bring about a revival."
"The radiance reflected in that mirror was so dazzling that no one cared about the little girl beneath it—that little girl named Isadella."
"I lived for my father and the ministers, for the masses, for the Empire. I was so accustomed to meeting others' expectations that I never held any for myself."
"It was not that I didn't want to... I just didn't know how, and I didn't dare."
She turned her gaze to Shiayar.
"This attitude persisted until the moment you appeared, Shiayar, and then it began to change. I began to have expectations of you, even if I wasn't aware of them at the beginning—"
"What kind of expectations?"
"I'm not sure." Isadella's gaze shifted to the distant night sky over the Empire Capital. "The feeling is vague, and if I had to articulate it, it's like the witch hunts you once talked about."
"If I were condemned as a witch and tied to the stake, I wouldn't expect anyone to rescue me, and I wouldn't care whether they would come to my aid or not."
"Because being burned at the stake as the embodiment of all evil in this world, in exchange for the Deities' forgiveness, is what the people expect of me."
"But—" Isadella's words paused slightly, "if you didn't immediately charge through the crowd on a white horse and cut down that stake with a single strike, I think I would be quite angry."
Shiayar couldn't help but smile. "Shouldn't it be more like piloting a Black Knight Mecha and flattening the place with a Nuclear Explosion?"
"What if I end up vaporized by the Nuclear Explosion as well?" The silver-haired Queen also smiled. "This anticipation should not have existed. It was like when I was very young and took in a stray dog. The ministers persuaded my father with reasons such as its unknown origins or its potential as a cursed vessel for enemy sorcerers. Then, they mercilessly killed it in front of me."
"But now, I want to try... to have some expectations of others."
"As if in that flawed history, someone, defying the course of history, would pull me back to reality from the Imaginary Zone."
"Speaking of which, you haven't answered me yet."
Isadella fixed her crimson eyes on Shiayar's. "When do you want to marry me?"
"I thought when Your Majesty asked that question before, you were trying to experience the thrill of 'stealing' me right in front of Silvia Babe..."
Shiayar thought for a moment. "How about a year from today?"
"That long? Why?"
Isadella paused. "If possible, I'd rather have the wedding sooner."
"Because I believe, given another year, I could eradicate all hidden threats on the Western Continent."
"And the Western Continent should then be able to fully enter the stable Fifth Epoch."
Hearing Shiayar's answer, Isadella raised her eyebrows.
"I can feel that you are very strong now... but when we transitioned from the Third Era to the Fourth Epoch, even in just the region of Escarnia, it took us more than a decade to stabilize."
"Not to mention ushering in the Fifth Epoch..."
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly but quickly smoothed out again.
"However, I trust you."
Isadella moved her body a few inches closer to Shiayar. "There are still a few evil cult presences stronger than Legendary around the Empire Capital. These are probably not fully-fledged Godly Descents like the Lord of Ashes, but rather rituals bringing forth Demigod-level beings."
"What do you plan to do?"
"If we prevent the descent rituals in advance... then even if we kill those cultists, the Power of Faith and Divine Power will still remain, won't they?"
Shiayar thought for a moment. "In that case, it might be better to let them complete those Demigod descent rituals."
"The era when Deities walk the earth is bound to start and cannot be avoided. It's better to strike first, to weaken Their power in advance."
Upon hearing Shiayar's suggestion, Dyres, who was listening from the side, instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
Though Shiayar spoke calmly, to anyone else, this idea seemed no different from dancing on the edge of a knife. Even if it were just a Demigod-level Evil God's descent, not a complete one. But an Evil God's complete half-manifestation surpassed the Legendary tier, touching the realm of the Demigod. If there were only one, it might be manageable, but the auras erupting around the Empire Capital indicated there were clearly six. Shiayar now indeed possessed Throne Level combat power. However, for Isadella and him to confront six Demigods, even with the aid of the Sacred Sword, would be a nearly impossible feat.
Such a thought had hardly arisen when Dyres heard Shiayar's words continue, "As for Your Majesty, you just need to watch me from here."
His gaze fell on the majestic converging auras in the distance.
Shiayar could feel that a vast mysterious power was cascading down from the Astral Realm, infusing into the faith-formed bodies on the Main Material Plane.
And those auras also grew increasingly strong, expanding continuously.
From Legendary, to Demigod.
"I hope my return will be matched with a fitting stage."
"Someone like Tarik seems somewhat unworthy."
His words weren't very loud but clearly reached the ears of everyone present.
If it were the Isadella of the past, she would definitely not have agreed to Shiayar's plan and would have taken to the battlefield herself.
The only thing one could rely on in this world was one's own strength. This was the principle that had been instilled in Princess Isadella from childhood.
But at this moment.
The newly crowned, silver-haired Queen suddenly smiled, the frost in her demeanor melting away to reveal an incomparable beauty.
"Good."