Invited to a Wedding

Chapter 39

Christina reflexively glanced back when she saw Laas’s destructive progress halted by the Minister’s outstretched right hand.

Thankfully, everyone had evacuated, so she was the only one who witnessed it.

‘Huh? Why am I thinking “thankfully” right now?’

As she puzzled over this, the Minister reached out with his left hand, took hers, and said,

“Don’t you dare leave my side.”

“U-understood!”

Even in this dire situation, Christina couldn’t help but feel a flicker of happiness that the Minister was holding her hand, even as she chided herself for it. The Minister, meanwhile, slowly began to walk forward.

The closer he got, the more intense Laas’s vibrations became.

‘It’s almost as if it’s… terrified.’

Christina’s intuition was correct.

Laas was plainly afraid of the Minister approaching.

The zone of destruction was expanding rapidly, walls and ceilings turning to ash and scattering, but the Minister, unconcerned, pressed on towards Laas.

Finally, when he was right in front of it, the Minister, without hesitation, grasped the violet gem floating in the air with his right hand.

“Ugh?!”

Christina, swallowing hard as she watched the scene, instinctively covered her ears with her free hand. The moment the Minister gripped the gem, a repulsive sound erupted, echoing in all directions.

It was a scream.

A desperate struggle, the only way to describe it.

The gem’s shriek was so ghastly, so profoundly disturbing, that it sent a chill down Christina’s spine, and she was accustomed to every form of death imaginable.

All the while, the Minister seemed to be confirming something.

“As I thought…”

The Minister murmured something short, his grip tightening.

The next moment, the Las was completely shattered.

The jewel instantly turned to dust, scattering as a black smoke briefly bloomed, then vanished.

Christina, removing her hands from her ears, blinked, then questioned the Minister.

“I-Is it over?”

“It’s over.”

“How…? How could you destroy a star made by the Moon Goddess…?”

“The Goddess didn’t make it.”

“Huh? W-What are you talking about?”

The Minister, noting her utter confusion, dusted off his hands, leaving a concise reply.

“It’s a fake. A crude imitation.”

“A fake, you say? That thing just now?”

She looked around, a disbelief etched on her face.

In that brief instant, everything around them had been utterly decimated.

“The upper part is completely blown away, not even a trace of the building left?”

“If it was real, it would have ended far worse. If it had been genuine, we couldn’t even stop it, let alone destroy it.”

Even more lost than before, Christina was about to question the Minister.

How did he know it was a fake?

How could the Minister be unharmed by that destruction?

Why was the jewel so fearful of the Minister?

By what means did he shatter the jewel, and so on — there were truly many things she wanted to ask.

Many, but she couldn’t ask.

Because the Minister spoke first.

“Forget everything you’ve seen here, including this conversation. We’ll say the jewel went berserk and self-destructed.”

“That’s… an order?”

“It is an order.”

“Don’t tell anyone? Not even Celine? Not even Commander Chirner?”

“Don’t tell anyone, not a soul.”

Meaning it was a secret only between her and the Minister.

Christina felt a surge of elation, as though her entire being was aflame.

“Understood. I won’t tell anyone. I swear it on my life.”

“Your life isn’t necessary.”

“I’ll swear it anyway.”

Footsteps approached, along with voices calling for the Minister.

The two realized that the Order and the Imperial Guard had sensed the anomaly and were rushing to intercept. They turned to meet them.

Then Christina, hesitant, asked the Minister, “Just tell me one thing. What would have happened if you hadn’t stopped that fake Ra’s rampage?”

Hearing the question, the Minister continued his stride in the direction of the sound, replying casually,

“Probably… the Capital would have been obliterated.”

—

Seated before the fireplace, the old man slowly raised his hand, bringing the teacup to his lips.

At first glance, it was an utterly ordinary scene.

If only the cup didn’t contain the very essence of life, extracted from the young.

The old man’s appearance began to shift rapidly.

Moments before, he had looked ready to meet his end, but now he possessed the vigor of a middle-aged man.

“Haa… I’ll live.”

Another middle-aged woman approached him as he exhaled a sigh of relief.

“The Capital is safe. It seems the experiment failed, Kaios.”

“It seems there are still those worthy enough in this era. But why do you speak so detachedly, Nakia?”

Nakia merely shrugged, unbothered by Kaios’s scowl.

“The replica Ra’s rampage itself was a success. It’s just a shame we didn’t accurately measure its power and range.”

“I don’t approve of wasting such a priceless replica on a simple rampage experiment… but I’ll let it slide this time.”

Rising from his seat, Kaios opened the door.

Beyond the opened door wasn’t the outside.

But a vast space, darker, denser, and far more desolate.

As Kaios and Nakia traversed the space, cries of despair, pleas for mercy, and curses echoed from all around.

Caged within steel bars that lined the walls from floor to ceiling were, unmistakably, people.

Those they had captured for experiments and the harvesting of their life essence.

“Come to think of it, have you still not found Asero Kerke?”

“Lumié is searching high and low, but still nothing. Frankly, I doubt she survived at all.”

Nakiah spoke, her face etched with doubt, and Kaios chuckled.

“She’s alive, without a doubt. I’d wager on it.”

“Even if she is alive, I don’t think she’ll willingly cooperate.”

“Aren’t we all from the same era, compatriots even? We’ll simply have to persuade her on that front.”

Kaios chuckled, while Nakiah sighed. They reached the end of the space, opening the second door and stepping inside.

The place felt entirely different from the previous one, where the test subjects and fodder had been kept.

At first glance, the interior resembled the great Praus Cathedral.

Light streamed through the windows, illuminating the various murals painted on the walls, and the stone statues imitating the gods of mythology.

The difference from Praus Cathedral lay in the fact that the murals were stained with blood.

And that the statues’ heads were all shattered.

Nakiah stopped walking, but Kaios continued onward, stopping at a statue in the center and spitting out his words like he was chewing them.

“The age of being swayed by the power of the gods is over. Now, it’s humanity’s turn to claim divine power.”

Kaios stopped before the central statue, staring at it with burning hatred.

The statue of the goddess, headless, merely endured his gaze.

—

One of the good things about having a job was being able to use it as an excuse to decline bothersome requests.

Even someone like me, who does practically nothing, can usually brush off most things by saying I’m busy.

Thanks to that, I’ve been able to dodge my parents’ nagging about showing my face in society.

However, sometimes there are people I feel a little guilty about using work as an excuse to avoid.

Like the son of a dear family friend I’ve known since childhood, and the younger brother I grew up with in the same neighborhood.

“Um, Ervin-hyung. I know you’re busy, but if possible, I’d really, really like you to attend.”

Just a while ago, feeling guilty about my subordinates working themselves to the bone cleaning up after the black market auction, I’d happily left the director’s office after playing around, only to find Leonardo waiting for me.

Mr. Munteanu’s son, that is.

To be more precise, the next Marquis in line.

“Leo.”

“If you’re short on time, I’ll adjust to your schedule! Just tell me a date that’s even a little convenient, and I’ll talk to my wife and make adjustments…!”

He’s not even married yet, and he’s already calling her his wife.

More importantly, it’s *your* wedding, why are you adjusting it to *my* schedule?

Thinking that he might look earnest, but remains broken in his own funny ways, I pulled out the large paper bag I had stashed under the living room table and handed it to him.

“Hyung-nim, this is…?”

“Didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl, so I just picked out some appropriate things here and there.”

Inside the paper bag were baby clothes, a mobile, toys, and other infant supplies.

Don’t get your hopes up, I just picked them at random.

“How did you know my wife was pregnant… No, it’s nothing. Thank you, Hyung-nim.”

Even while saying thank you, he looked somehow resigned. Did he not like the gifts?

“And the wedding, you can have it at Wiror Park on XX month XX day at 10 AM, like you originally planned. I should be able to clear my schedule by then.”

“I haven’t told anyone about that yet… Yes, I understand.”

Ah, right. I had something else to give him too.

I went back into the room for a moment and returned, handing Leo a well-pressed suit.

“I heard the owner of Takenda Tailors hurt his back, so you were in a tight spot. It’s not like wearing your old one is bad, but it’d be better to wear a new one to the wedding, if possible.”

“Who did you even hear that from… No, never mind. Thank you.”

With a strange face plastered with an awkward smile, Leo accepted the suit and suddenly asked, as if struck by a thought.

“…Don’t tell me you have a dress for my wife too?”

Uh, I didn’t prepare that.

Didn’t he already have a dress prepared for his wife?

“Should I have prepared one, maybe?”

“No!”

Deafening, jeez.

Then why did you ask, you punk?

“Haa. Hyung-nim, you really haven’t changed a bit, then or now.”

I gave him gifts, and I got cursed at.

I’m so sad, I feel like I could cry.

“If you’re done here, then leave.”

“Yes, Hyung-nim. Well, I’ll take that as confirmation that you will be attending and be on my way.”

As Leo bowed and was about to head out the front door, I remembered something I had forgotten and called out to him.

“Leo.”

“Yes?”

“Congratulations on your wedding.”

Ah.

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“Ah, don’t cry.”

“Ah, really.”

“Don’t you dare sob like that, grown man!”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t bow to me!”

“Save such things for your parents and in-laws!”

In the end, it took a good while of coaxing before I could send him on his way.

It’s no joke, I’m more tired than when I’m at work… come to think of it, since I don’t do anything after clocking in, it’s only natural that dealing with people is more exhausting.

Anyway, I had barely managed to find myself alone and was about to whip up a quick dinner when someone else knocked at the door.

I opened it to find Francesca standing there.

“What is it now with you.”

“Erwin! You got help from me the last time and the time before that, didn’t you!”

“So what if I did.”

“And you’re going to the Marquis Munteanu’s son’s wedding in a few days!”

“What? How did you know that.”

“Creepy.”

“I’m going there too, you know? So let’s go together!”

“Huh? Together?”