Several days later, a reply arrived from the Rubere King.
As expected, he did not let this opportunity slip by.
He went on at length about the losses Rubere would suffer if it broke its alliance with the Western Continent because of the Empire.
And in return, he demanded vast territories and military forces from the Empire.
The conditions were nothing short of outrageous.
On the surface, it appeared to be a negotiation, but in truth, it was a deliberate refusal.
"…Rex. Inform him that we accept his requests."
"Your Majesty! This is outrageous! He made those demands knowing full well we would refuse!"
Rex raised his voice in anger.
To demand nearly half of the Empire's territory was already far beyond the bounds of diplomacy.
"…Still. Deliver the message as it is."
Luias' voice was firm. He had already made his decision.
Even if it meant losing half the Empire, even if the nation itself were to fall, he was resolved to bring Dahlia to the Empire at all costs.
'There was only one reason I stepped back before. Because I believed Lia's heart belonged to that knight. But… I cannot allow her to be sent to someone who is not even him.'
Luias clenched his fist.
'If that knight can't protect Lia… then I will.'
He could not lose Dahlia again.
Rex could say nothing more. He, too, knew what Dahlia meant to Luias.
And so, he had no choice but to accept the decision.
Thus, the Aureum Empire resolved to welcome Dahlia as its Empress.
"But, Your Majesty. I must oppose, to the very end, the King of Rubere coming to the Empire in person."
Rex spoke with a firm expression.
The moment the King of Rubere crossed the Empire's borders and set foot within the imperial palace, he would surely make even greater demands.
"It would be better for the Empire to go to the Kingdom instead."
"If we do that, won't the King of Rubere take the Empire even more lightly?"
Luias was not wrong. Yet Rex replied without a moment's hesitation.
"Having already agreed to give up half of the Empire, I will not stand by and watch him indulge in further greed."
Since Rex had already yielded once by accepting such an unreasonable demand, Luias decided to follow his judgment this time.
Bound by affairs of state, Luias could not go to Rubere himself.
Instead, Rex departed for the Kingdom of Rubere to formalize the marriage alliance in his stead.
***
With only a few weeks left before the wedding, unexpected news arrived.
Dahlia had disappeared.
The Kingdom of Rubere tried to conceal it, but as the ceremony drew closer, the silence could no longer be maintained.
"…Did she run away with that knight?"
At Luias' question, Rex replied with an uneasy expression.
"That much, we do not know. Rubere insists that there will be no disruption to the schedule. As for how they intend to find Her Highness in the meantime… we have no way of knowing."
A storm of emotions churned within Luias.
'If Lia ran away with that knight… would that be a blessing, instead?'
He felt relief at the thought that Dahlia had escaped the grasp of the Rubrere king, yet the emotion that followed was bitter.
Once again, Luias had been too late.
But the turmoil did not last long.
A few days later, Rex returned from Rubere with new information.
"Your Majesty. The Princess of Rubere was reportedly abducted and has now returned safely. A letter has arrived proposing that the wedding be held in two days."
Luias knew at once that it was a lie.
Dahlia had not been abducted.
"So… he found her in the end."
Luias lowered his gaze quietly.
"Was there any mention of Lia's guard knight?"
"They say the knight has been imprisoned for the crime of abducting the princess."
"…Abduction?"
Luias fell into thought.
'Then… that knight will not survive. The King of Rubere would never allow him to live.'
His eyes sank heavily.
'If I had not sent the proposal… If I hadn't… would Dahlia have escaped safely with that knight?'
The thought that his attempt to protect her might have been wrong tore at him.
But now that the King of Rubere had reclaimed her, Luias could not waver.
"Good work, Rex. Then we will proceed with the wedding preparations immediately."
Thus, the preparations to welcome the Empress, once suspended, began moving again.
But Luias's steps felt unbearably heavy.
***
At last, the day arrived when Dahlia would come to the Empire.
Unable to sleep from anticipation, Luias spent the entire night awake.
His thoughts were filled entirely with the prospect of seeing Dahlia again.
'What will Lia look like? Will she… recognize me?'
Dressed in ceremonial attire, he went out personally to greet her at the appointed time.
Finally, the carriage carrying Dahlia arrived.
Standing before it, Luias took a steadying breath and opened the door with trembling hands.
Inside sat Dahlia.
Her white wedding gown harmonized beautifully with her red hair.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
'Lia…'
For a moment, Luias could not take his eyes off her.
"Welcome, Empress Dahlia."
He wanted to greet her as he always had—Welcome, Lia!
But today, he could not.
This was no longer a simple reunion. From this moment on, Dahlia was to stand beside him as Empress.
And even before the wedding, he made her new position known to all.
So that, as long as she was in the Empire, no one would ever dare look down on her as they had in the Kingdom of Rubere.
"Thank you."
Dahlia carefully took his hand and stepped down from the carriage.
Yet she never once looked at him, keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.
Though she would not meet his eyes, Luias understood her heart. She looked utterly exhausted.
The wedding was grand and magnificent, yet brief.
It was by Luias' command, so that Dahlia would not feel overwhelmed or burdened.
Throughout the ceremony, Dahlia never once looked up at him.
Her gaze remained lowered, and though beautifully made up, her face was pale and worn.
Even so, the warmth he felt through her fingertips was enough for Luias.
The fact that she was beside him brought him joy.
After the ceremony, when night fell and the two of them were alone in the room, Luias broke the silence.
"Now… it's just the two of us, Lia."
That name.
The precious name he had thought he would never be able to speak again.
At those words, Dahlia lifted her head for the first time.
Only then did he meet her amber-golden eyes.
"At last, I can see your golden, jewel-like eyes again."
Luias smiled gently.
"It's been a long time, Lia."
"…H-how… As… you…"
Dahlia's voice trembled, her gaze wavering.
"I'm sorry. I never meant to deceive you. If I had told you back then that I was the Emperor… we probably wouldn't have even become friends."
"Then… now? Why… why did you marry me?"
Tears welled in Dahlia's eyes.
"That is—"
Facing her tear-filled face, on the verge of breaking, Luias felt his heart collapse.
Yet the truth he had buried deep within, he could not bring himself to speak.
It would only wound her further.
"Lia, I've dismissed all the attendants. No one will come near this room until morning."
He wanted to give her time—to breathe, to gather her thoughts, after all she had endured.
"I'll sleep in another room. You must be exhausted… get some rest tonight."
Regret flickered across Luias's face, but his voice remained gentle.
He quietly left the room so she could be alone.
But the moment the door closed, his steps stopped.
He could not bring himself to leave.
In the quiet night, the sound of her restrained sobs, held back for so long, reached him.
He stood frozen before the door, unable to move.
Her broken cries seeped through the door and deep into his heart.
Luias remained there, his hand still gripping the doorknob.
So that not a single sound would escape the room.
So that she could cry freely.
And for a long while, he stayed there.