"…" Muria cast a sidelong glance at Fernand, puzzled by the attitude behind his father's words. How worried could he possibly be about Muria finding a wife to say something like that?
"As the former king of Gayle, do you really think it's appropriate to say such things?" Muria asked, his tone tinged with incredulity.
"But as a father who desperately wants his son to find a partner, it's perfectly appropriate," Fernand replied with a grin. He felt as though he had spent far too much energy worrying about Muria's personal life—though none of it had been particularly useful.
"So you want me to consider it? Does that mean you think I should marry the Crimson King?" Muria asked in an odd tone, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"This is your decision to make. My opinions won't influence your choice," Fernand replied evasively, an unusual stance for him.
"Do you not understand my position right now? If I were to unite with the Crimson King in this manner, it would mean our nation submitting under her rule. Are you not worried about that possibility?"
"I'm not worried," Fernand replied decisively, his tone resolute and without hesitation. "I trust you won't let that happen."
"So, because you trust me, you support my union with the Crimson King, regardless of how it happens. You don't care about the process; you only care about the result," Muria said, finally piecing together his father's line of thinking.
"Exactly. I only care about the outcome. The details of how you two come together are irrelevant." Fernand nodded in agreement without a hint of hesitation.
"As a king, marrying the ruler of another nation—this doesn't bother you?"
"It's not for me to worry about. That's your problem to solve."
"I see." Muria sighed softly, then added, "In that case, I'll tell you something in advance so you won't be too surprised later. Whether I marry the Crimson King or she marries me, our two nations will merge into a single entity—a new, stronger nation."
"Really?" Fernand's face lit up with delight. The Gayle Kingdom had already surpassed the ambitions he'd once had during his reign, growing far beyond his expectations.
He had always known that under Muria's leadership, the Gayle Kingdom would become much stronger than he could have ever imagined. But he hadn't expected such a rapid leap forward, nor in a way he hadn't foreseen.
"Do you think I'd lie to you?"
"Haha! This is truly wonderful news." Fernand stood up, pacing excitedly around the palace. "The news of two monarchs uniting will surely bring joy and celebration to the citizens of both nations!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Best wishes to Your Majesty!" The corpse-servant nobles assisting Muria with governmental affairs exchanged glances before kneeling in unison, offering their heartfelt congratulations.
As the Gayle Kingdom grew stronger, any dissatisfaction these corpse-servants might have harbored was buried deep within them. None dared to show even a hint of discontent, for replacing them would be a trivial matter for Muria.
"All right, get back to work. You know I don't care for this sort of flattery," Muria said, waving his hand dismissively. Though he had grown weary of empty compliments after hearing them countless times as a ruler, they didn't irritate him.
"A united nation will be great!" Fernand exclaimed, still caught up in his excitement. But his expression soon grew serious as he turned to Muria. "A nation can only have one voice. If there are two, it will inevitably lead to division. You must ensure you are the one with ultimate authority."
"If the two voices agree on everything, it's no different from having one," Muria replied with a sigh, feeling slightly exasperated as Fernand eagerly imagined the future of a unified kingdom.
"No, no, it's not the same. You might think that you and the Crimson King see eye to eye on most matters now, but over time, you're bound to have disagreements."
"Don't worry. There won't be any significant disagreements between us. Besides, none of this is set in stone yet. We haven't even decided who's marrying whom."
"If the Crimson King insists, you, as the man, should take a step back," Fernand suggested.
"I'm not just a single man eager to get married; I'm the ruler of a nation. Every action I take impacts the livelihoods of millions of people."
"Oh, stop dancing around the issue. You just want to marry her, not the other way around," Fernand said, hitting the nail on the head.
"You don't want to diminish the status of our citizens by marrying into her nation. That's commendable. But you need to consider the other side—they don't want to lower themselves either. No one wants to feel lesser, do they?"
"That's true." Muria nodded. In a world with a system of extraordinary powers, strength dictated respect. And while the women in this world weren't necessarily weaker than men overall, societal norms still leaned toward male dominance.
"In that case, why not settle it this way? Neither of you marries into the other's nation. Instead, relocate your capitals and build a new city together. Then you can hold your wedding there."
"That's… a great idea."
"Then what are you waiting for? Go talk to the Crimson King about it," Fernand urged.
"All right, I'll take care of it."
…
"Relocating the capitals, building a new city, and getting married there—is that the result of all your thinking?" Mikaela asked, a faint smile playing on her lips as she looked at the ghostly avatar of Muria, whose form seemed to weaken under the pressure of her power.
"This is the most balanced solution. I believe it's one that both our citizens will accept. When we announce the merger of our nations, they'll be less resistant, and the transition can be smooth."
"Our marriage, and you're thinking about such things? You're worrying about what mortals think?" Mikaela asked, a hint of surprise in her tone.
"As monarchs, it's our duty to consider the needs of those we rule."
"Muria, you're an epic being, yet you don't act like one at all. You're still tethered to mortal concerns," Mikaela remarked.
"And what does an epic being act like? Indifferent to the passage of time, unfazed by the rise and fall of civilizations?" Muria replied, a faint smile on his face.
"This isn't Erathia, and the kingdom you rule isn't called Senapsis," Mikaela reminded him.
"But I am the King of Gayle," Muria replied with a sigh. When it came to mortals, his perspective differed greatly from Mikaela's.
Mikaela, born into the Seraphim race with the bloodline of ancient gods, was the greatest prodigy of her kind from the moment of her birth. Her innate superiority made her regard mortals with indifference.
The vast disparity in their life forms meant that mortals held no significance in her eyes. She wouldn't harm them intentionally, but neither would she ever consider their perspective.
"Let's cut to the chase. Are you rejecting my proposal?" Mikaela returned to the central issue.
"I didn't reject it. I simply proposed a compromise for our marriage," Muria clarified.
"You just don't want to marry into my nation, do you?" Mikaela pressed.
"That's not it."
"You want me to accept your proposal instead."
"…"
"Ha!" Mikaela let out a sharp laugh. "Fine. I agree to your plan."
"In the next world, you propose to me, and I'll marry you!" Sensing her lingering dissatisfaction, Muria didn't hesitate to make a promise.
"You said it!" Mikaela's expression turned serious as she stared at Muria's ghostly avatar.
"I said it."
"All right, we'll see how you do next time."
…
The news of two powerful monarchs joining in marriage swept through the world like a hurricane, leaving nations in shock.
Many powerful nations saw this as a direct threat. Mikaela's kingdom of Radiance was already one of the strongest in the world, while Gayle, though newly risen, was rumored to be no less formidable. The merger of these two powers was an existential concern for other nations.
While rulers fretted over the geopolitical implications, the people of both nations were equally stirred by the news. It was clear that their lives would undergo dramatic changes as a result of this union.
One of the most immediate changes was the announcement that their capitals would be relocated. The reason? Their rulers had decided to construct a new city where they would hold their wedding—a symbolic gesture marking the unification of their nations.
For the common folk, this upheaval caused chaos and uncertainty. But for the nobles and bureaucrats, it brought even greater anxiety. The formation of a new nation meant the establishment of a new administrative system. The old systems would be dismantled, and everything would be rebuilt from the ground up.
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