Chapter – 99
Part 21. The Next Emperor
Xian smacked his lips as he walked over, and Dii pointed at him.
“You must have felt my hangover-curing divine power too.”
As she spoke, Dii poured soup into a large bowl. It had been boiled for a long time with dried fish, green onions, and garlic. When Xian made a disgusted face, Dii held out noodles to him.
“At a feast, you have to eat feast noodles.”
“…What are you giving me?”
“Feast food. And since you’re about to stop being the Crown Prince, consider it consolation food.”
Dii said the malicious words with sparkling eyes.
Even though Xian frowned, the smell alone already made him feel better from his hangover, so he accepted the bowl.
The noodles were thin wheat noodles the cook always kept stocked because Dii often asked for them. They were topped with fish broth, egg garnish, and stir-fried carrots.
Dii slurped up some noodles with a fork to taste the seasoning.
“Good thing Peton has a sauce similar to soy sauce. It’s a bit disappointing though…”
Jin followed Dii and slurped some noodles, then gulped down the broth.
“Ah, I feel like I can live again.”
“Right? Our master always cured hangovers with feast noodles.”
“Wow, your master sounds amazing.”
“Of course. He’d boil five eggs and drink one bottle of soju for each egg…”
After saying that, Dii suddenly froze before continuing.
“Yeah… our master really wasn’t an ordinary person…”
Meanwhile, Xian lifted the bowl and drank the broth in one gulp. The picky man muttered quietly.
“…Divine power?”
He didn’t want to admit it now, since the strong fish smell bothered him, but this was definitely hangover magic.
Was hangover food supposed to be fish all along?
Having reached a great realization, Xian kept drinking the noodles and broth.
After only tasting a little, Dii filled another bowl and tried to take it outside. Jin asked,
“Where are you going?”
“To give it to Amila.”
“You’re not eating?”
“I don’t even have room for meat.”
After scolding him, Dii happily carried the bowl outside. Jin clicked his tongue at the sight.
“I’ve never seen someone love meat that much… Xian?”
He had been about to complain, but Xian was already lifting the bowl and gulping down both noodles and broth together. After finishing, he finally sighed in relief.
Then he said to the chef,
“Is there more?”
“T-There is, but if you eat it all, the Goddess will be sad!”
“It’s fine. I’ll buy her a castle later.”
A castle just for eating this?
Jin was shocked by Xian’s scale of thinking. At the same time, he realized that even that terrifying older brother wasn’t spared from hangovers.
* * *
After eating until she felt like she could hibernate for winter, Dii returned to the Western Temple.
Stephanie brought the dazzlingly white Goddess robe that Dii would wear today.
“This is the outfit for the ceremony.”
“Oh, it’s pretty.”
The robes Dii usually wore were also white, but today’s was even brighter and looked twice as luxurious. Dii lifted the hem and admired it.
“Look closely—there’s white embroidery too.”
“Pretty, right? For once that cheapsk— I mean, His Highness allocated a large budget.”
“…Even you think Kyle is stingy, Stephanie?”
It definitely seemed like today was an important day.
Together with the other maids, Stephanie helped Dii change into the robe and neatly brushed her hair, decorating it with flowers.
While sitting in the chair, Dii looked up slightly and asked,
“But how do you know today is the day?”
“We don’t know beforehand. When His Majesty suddenly feels that his health isn’t good, he asks Priest Catiline to request the date from the god Roxand. Then His Majesty and the officials gather people who are… somewhat qualified to become the next emperor.”
“‘Somewhat’? That’s pretty cynical of you. That’s why I like you.”
“I don’t trust people with power. Well, our Prince Kyle… I trust him as a person.”
“Yeah. That’s why I like Kyle too.”
After saying that, Dii seemed embarrassed and made a strange groaning sound while writhing in her seat.
Her makeup was finished neatly, and Dii spoke confidently.
“Alright, I’ll go now, Stephanie!”
“Yes. Please take good care of the future of Vitencia!”
“Of course! Trust this Goddess!”
With that declaration, Dii left the Western Temple.
Inside the Grand Temple, it was already packed with people.
More people than those at the earlier party were seated inside.
For today’s ceremony, every famous figure in the Vitencia Empire had gathered.
Ritader stood at the entrance and handed Dii a flower crown woven from many colorful flowers. As she placed it on her head, she muttered,
“Ah, it smells like spring.”
Peton was still chilly, but she had heard that in the imperial capital many flowers had already begun to bloom.
Dii quickly walked over and stood beside Amila, who had arrived earlier. Amila’s long hair was also decorated with flowers, and as always she looked breathtaking.
“Ah, Amila. You’re dazzling again today. I don’t want to stand next to you!”
“Why do you say such obvious things every time?”
Amila muttered, then suddenly asked as if she realized something.
“Is there some kind of social implication in this?”
Dii covered her mouth with both hands and said emotionally,
“You’ve grown into a proper adult…”
“I was always an adult.”
The two chatted warmly when suddenly something hit Dii’s back with a light thud. When she turned around, a paper airplane lay on the floor.
She picked it up and unfolded it, narrowing her eyes.
Pretty.
She turned and glared at Xian.
Xian immediately pointed at Kyle, trying to frame him.
But Kyle didn’t seem like the kind of person who would do something useless like folding paper airplanes. Honestly, it was questionable whether he even knew how.
More importantly, he would never throw something at someone’s head.
Dii shot Xian a glare full of those thoughts, but that sharp-witted guy pretended not to understand.
I should’ve just left him suffering from his hangover.
Now that he had recovered, he was pulling childish pranks.
While Dii trembled with anger, the prayer ceremony began.
Soon the two Goddesses stepped onto the altar.
Amila entered the space behind the altar, while Dii remained on top of it.
After the long prayer ended, High Priest Etel presented the emperor’s symbol—a sword with a black blade.
Dii accepted it and held the blade, turning the handle toward Xian.
This was because of the superstition that summoning the god Roxand required a small amount of pure blood from either a Goddess or a royal. Even if the Goddess was important, they apparently couldn’t make a royal bleed.
Xian slightly moved the sword, and the sharp blade instantly cut Dii’s hand.
Blood dripped down.
When Dii looked at him with a pitiful expression, Xian was smiling faintly.
That bastard did that on purpose, didn’t he?
A chill ran down Dii’s spine.
She thought he was only interested in money, but it seemed he also enjoyed hurting people.
Since everyone was watching, she had no choice but to remain still while Etel recited the words for the god.
Then Xian entered the room behind the altar.
Originally, Dii would guide him inside, but since there were two Goddesses now, they divided the duties. Especially the part where someone watched the god Roxand’s choice inside—it was Amila’s responsibility.
Amila insisted on doing it because she believed Xian might threaten the witnessing Goddess. She claimed she could protect herself from humans better than monsters.
Dii stepped down immediately and had her hand treated by a doctor waiting nearby.
Kyle was visibly clenching his fists, clearly wanting to run over immediately.
Fortunately, Amila and Xian came out soon after.
Amila said calmly,
“God Roxand has refused to acknowledge His Highness Xian Clayes as the next emperor.”
Silence fell across the temple.
Jason signaled William with his eyes, asking to be let inside, but William deliberately ignored him and said to Etel,
“Next, show Kyle Clayes, the King of Peton.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jason shamelessly looked disappointed.
This time Kyle stepped forward.
Etel again presented the sword he had taken back earlier.
Dii came out with her hand bandaged and tried to hold it, but Kyle walked forward and grabbed the blade himself.
“K-Kyle. That’s not how you’re supposed to do it.”
“Hold it.”
At his words, Dii had no choice but to grab the handle.
She couldn’t bear to see Kyle get hurt, so she lowered her head and couldn’t lift it.
After the prayer ended, Kyle also entered the room behind the altar.
Dii stared at the drops of blood on the floor.
It felt like they were piercing straight into her heart.
Seeing him injured made her want to burst into tears.
Even this small wound felt unbearable.
What if he was hurt badly… or—she couldn’t even imagine it—what if he disappeared from the world?
Just thinking about it made her heart feel like it was being torn into pieces.
If that happened… she probably wouldn’t be able to do anything at all.
* * *
After a while, Amila came out again.
Trying to lower the corners of her lips that kept rising slightly, she announced,
“God Roxand has chosen His Highness Kyle Clayes as the next emperor.”
At her words, William jumped to his feet.
“That’s a relief!”
He had shouted without thinking, then quickly regained composure and began clapping in a dignified manner.
The others inside also stood and applauded.
Xian congratulated Kyle and shook his hand.
Seeing this, Dii blinked and asked Stephanie,
“That’s it? That’s all?”
“Of course. It’s over. What else would there be?”
There was no way it could be this easy.
There had to be some hidden scheme!
While Dii was thinking this, Amila passed by and said quietly,
“That drunken fox really was the god Roxand.”
“W-What? What was it like? How did you know?”
“Ask His Highness later.”
Amila glanced back at Kyle, but he was already surrounded by people congratulating him.
Meanwhile, Xian walked over to Dii.
“It turned out exactly like you said, Goddess. Is that divine power again?”
Dii immediately pointed at him angrily.
“You bastard! You moved the sword on purpose earlier!”
“Hm? Yeah.”
“Yeah? What kind of ridiculous pervert says that so casually? Fine, I’ll let it go since today you’re giving up the Crown Prince seat.”
She spoke with a gangster-like swagger.
“Did you get hurt badly?”
Xian asked calmly while taking her hand to examine it.
Seeing the bandage soaked with blood, he bit his lower lip with a strange expression.
Dii recoiled in disgust.
“You’re not going to drink blood or anything, right? Honestly, you look like the type who would.”
“I’ve never tried, but I feel like I could drink yours.”
“You’re weird.”
“Isn’t Kyle weirder? He was already injured. What difference does it make if he gets hurt a little more?”
“…Wow. You’re even weirder than I imagined.”
Dii looked disgusted, but Xian only chuckled instead of denying it.
She pulled her hand away.
“Go away. Stop bothering me.”
“Sorry, sorry. But I really was worried about your injury.”
“Liar.”
“I’m serious. More importantly…”
Xian glanced at Kyle, who had turned his head toward them.
Then he said to Dii,
“Look at Kyle’s expression.”
“Why?”
Dii looked around and found Kyle.
Their eyes met.
“He’s smiling?”
Xian bent down and brought his lips close to her ear before whispering,
“How about now?”
Startled, Dii quickly shoved him away.
“What are you doing?!”
“Getting revenge.”
Xian said with a grin.
