Chapter 419 The Entire World Would Know
In the memories Valerius had given him, becoming the Holy Sovereign meant Lucian could unite both worlds under his rule.
That included the mystic beast territories.
Lucian's ambition was even greater than they had expected, fueled by the illusion of invincibility that came with his overwhelming power, as well as the lingering effects of his altered memories.
He had already been ambitious on Earth, even if he had only been the heir to a business empire obsessed with making money.
With a different identity came different ambitions.
Zara immediately launched into a dramatic outburst.
"You said you loved me, but you can't even grant one tiny request? And you still have the nerve to claim you like me? Lucian, I am profoundly disappointed. Truly heartbroken! You're such a jerk!"
She shot to her feet and stormed away.
He had been given an easy way out, yet he had chosen the path to his own destruction.
Could he really blame her now?
Lucian had chosen death himself!
She would just have to send him extra offerings every year on the anniversary of his death.
Lucian watched her retreating figure and gave a quiet scoff.
After a long moment, he sighed softly. His low voice gradually faded into the distance.
"Greedy."
******
No matter how conflicted Zara felt, the enthronement ceremony still had to go ahead.
Since the investiture of the Holy Consort would be held at the same time, Zara had to make an appearance that day as well.
Valerius was still on Earth and had not returned, so the High Priest would preside over the ceremony.
They had already held a Holy Sovereign's enthronement once before, so the proceedings were largely the same.
The difference was that Zara now had to appear in ceremonial dress.
Her gown had been custom-made from the fur of a rare mystic beast. The design was extravagant, yet elegant.
It had a simple off-the-shoulder neckline, while the voluminous skirt spread around her in a brilliant shade of midnight blue and black, like a star-filled galaxy.
Countless points of light shimmered across the fabric, creating the illusion of an endless, dreamlike night sky.
A jeweled crown rested on her head, with a matching veil cascading all the way to the floor and flowing beyond the hem of her gown.
It looked as though thousands of stars were falling around her, dazzling enough to leave anyone spellbound.
It was exactly the kind of breathtaking gown most women dreamed of wearing.
Except...
"Why is this crown so ridiculously heavy?"
Zara clicked her tongue. It felt as though she had several dozen pounds balanced on top of her head.
"By mystic beast standards, it looks pretty good," Pyrelion commented.
"The dress is doing most of the work," Aurelion said. "Though... Zara does have very fair skin."
"If you were human, I'd report you for sexual harassment," Zara said. "But seriously, my neck feels like it's about to snap."
Aurelion fell silent for a moment. "...Think about how much that crown is worth. Does it still feel heavy?"
Zara considered that, then nodded. "You have a point. Do you think they'll let me take it back to Earth afterward?"
Pyrelion fell silent.
"Probably," Aurelion said. "As long as you sneak it out."
"The enthronement is about to be broadcast to the entire world," Pyrelion reminded them. "Maybe don't discuss stealing the crown in front of the public."
Zara clicked her tongue again. "The last time these people saw me, I was the long-lost Holy Heir. Now I've suddenly become the Holy Consort. Do you think they'll decide the Upper Realm is a complete mess?"
"It'll be fine," Aurelion said. "People in the Lower Realm love this kind of drama."
He spent plenty of time online and knew exactly what entertained the public here.
"Are you ready?" Lucian walked in from outside.
Zara turned toward him, took one quick glance, and immediately squeezed her eyes shut.
She could not exactly wear sunglasses with a bridal gown and crown. It would have ruined the entire look.
Lucian wore ceremonial attire designed to match hers, though his was cut like a formal suit. Over the years, the Divine World had clearly borrowed quite a bit from Earth's fashion.
A starry cloak rested over his shoulders, and a crown sat upon his head.
Naturally, his crown was reserved for the Holy Sovereign. Unlike Valerius's excessively ornate one, Lucian's was simple and refined. It made him look like a flawless aristocratic prince who had stepped straight out of a graphic novel.
No, prince was too low a title now.
He was already a king.
Seeing Zara standing there with her eyes shut, Lucian gave a soft laugh.
"We're about to go outside. I won't look directly at you, so you can open your eyes. You'll have to face the public during the ceremony. You can't keep them closed the entire time."
He walked over and took her hand, his voice unusually gentle.
"Come on. The ceremony is about to begin."
Zara opened her eyes. When she saw that he really was not looking at her and was simply walking beside her, she relaxed slightly. "Once the ceremony is over, we'll officially be married, right? We don't need to sign anything or get a marriage certificate here?"
Lucian paused. "...No. The entire world will know. That will be enough."
Lucian led Zara out to attend the ceremony.
As before, they had to circle the world in an airship, mainly so the people of the Lower Realm could see their faces and recognize their new identities.
The Lower Realm's internet immediately erupted with discussion.
[Wait, isn't that the Holy Heir's fiancée from before?]
[Whoa. Did the Upper Realm recruit another husband into the family?]
[Careful with the "husband into the family" jokes. Have you forgotten how powerful the new Holy Sovereign is?]
[Why didn't she become Holy Sovereign herself? Why settle for Holy Consort?]
[The Holy Sovereign and Holy Consort haven't looked at each other once. Confirmed: this is a loveless political marriage!]
[Am I the only one who wants to see Lunelle's face right now? Forget the Holy Sovereign, wasn't she supposed to become the Holy Consort? How did it suddenly become Zara?]
[Lunelle was never qualified for the position. Let's not pretend otherwise.]
[Holy Sovereigns and Holy Consorts can get divorced, right? Neither of them is even smiling. There's clearly no affection between them. I've seen plenty of alliances like this among powerful families. It's nothing but politics.]
The online discussion grew increasingly lively as Lucian held Zara's hand throughout the entire procession.
Zara spent the whole trip acting like an emotionless ceremonial prop.
Whenever Lucian turned his gaze toward her, she immediately looked away.
No. She still could not tolerate him reading her thoughts.
Which meant there was still a perfectly valid reason for Lucian to die.
Since Aurelion and Pyrelion could not appear in public, they remained hidden away and whispered to each other.
"I wonder what people on Earth will think when they find out Zara came here for one trip and returned as a married woman," Aurelion said.
"I feel like Lucian is doing this on purpose," Pyrelion replied.
Aurelion looked surprised. "Doing what on purpose? Doesn't he have amnesia?"
Pyrelion flicked his tail. "Maybe the memory loss is real. But does he truly not know what Zara wants? As long as he refuses to sign those papers, nothing happens to him. What if he simply never signs?"
"He'll still die," Aurelion said. "You don't understand Zara. I've been around her long enough to know that money is all she sees. The old Lucian was nothing more than a rich fool she could profit from."
Pyrelion paused. "...Would a woman like her really agree to marry Lucian if she felt absolutely nothing for him?"
Aurelion smacked his lips. "Who knows? She's never been in love. Maybe she just doesn't understand what she's feeling. She's been single her entire life, after all."
"Have you ever been in love?" Pyrelion asked.
"No."
"Then why do you sound so confident?"
"Because I've watched more TV dramas than Zara."
Pyrelion fell silent.