I Will End My 10-Year Unrequited Love - Chapter 17
Cyrone was merciful but cruel, beautiful yet harsh. A deep silence passed between Estine and Elia. It was Estine who first quietly took Elia’s hand.
“By the way, Elia, do you remember the young master of the Damon family? He was the one who brought you here when you had collapsed.”
Elia had completely forgotten about Rias. The memory of him holding her shoulder and never letting go surfaced, and Elia’s face showed signs of embarrassment.
“I’ll thank him properly once the situation settles down.”
Elia thought to herself. Once things were a bit clearer, she would express her gratitude to Rias. But at that moment, her gaze hardened. How had Rias managed to come to her so quickly in the chaos? Had he done the same even before time turned back?
“Yes, do that. He’s a very kind person.”
Estine spoke with a worried look. She understood better than anyone the suffering her daughter had gone through, the torment of fate. If Elia hadn’t been born into the Reiffers family, and if Estine hadn’t joined the family as its second wife, perhaps Elia wouldn’t have suffered so much.
“Elia, I sometimes regret the decisions I made. If I hadn’t chosen the Reiffers family, you wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.”
“No, Mother. Please don’t say that. I was born for this.”
At Elia’s reply, Estine gave a dry smile. Gently, Estine touched her daughter’s head as if to tell her to rest. She stood up and began to walk away, her footsteps growing softer.
As she turned the door handle, Estine glanced back.
“Elia… does it still have to be him? No matter how much you try…”
The words, which she couldn’t quite bring herself to say, spilled out.
“No, I was wrong. Rest now.”
With a soft sigh, Estine composed herself and straightened out her appearance.
“Mother.”
Elia’s calm voice stopped Estine in her tracks. Elia had been staring at the moonlight for some time, and her eyes were resolute.
“I, I want to marry Count Rias.”
Estine’s eyes widened in disbelief. Elia had never once strayed from the pride of the Reiffers family. Raised so thoroughly in that belief, Elia had always insisted on the man she loved; Cyrone. To hear her suddenly say such words was a shock.
For a moment, Estine’s vision blurred, filled with relief and sorrow, among other mixed emotions.
Elia smiled faintly at her mother with a calm expression. She no longer regretted anything.
It was an inescapable fate. No matter how it was disguised as some coincidence, fate would eventually find its way to her.
* * *
The Empire had returned to its daily routine. The world was as peaceful as ever. Despite the scandal at the Crown Prince’s coronation ceremony, it had already been accepted that the flame of God had embraced Cyrone’s name.
Now, Cyrone was the Crown Prince of the Empire that was revered by all.
“Hoo…”
Elia slightly furrowed her brows. The grandeur of the Welrod Palace, seen after so long, made her feel uneasy.
‘Before Father arrives, I need to receive the imperial seal.’
It had been a few days, and Elia looked notably more exhausted. The reason she had come this far was because of the imperial seal. At the very least, nobles of count rank or higher were required to receive the imperial seal before getting married.
In particular, the marriage between Rias Damon and Elia Reiffers was the union of two powerful families. One from the most influential dukedom in the Empire and the other from a renowned northern family.
But the seal itself wasn’t the main issue. The problem was who would be the one to give the seal.
The current Emperor, Mondol I, was not the rightful heir to the throne. However, after the former heir had taken his own life, Mondol was unexpectedly crowned the next Emperor, leading to years of political turmoil and conflict.
The true power of the Empire rested with the noble families and the senior advisors, many of whom had long followed the former heir. As a result, Mondol, who had become Emperor by chance, was not welcomed by the powerful factions.
Eventually, Mondol ascended to the throne as the 17th Emperor, and this became the root of the ongoing conflict. The cracks between the imperial family and the nobility deepened, and during his reign, the power of the noble families began to threaten the imperial authority.
Mondol I ruled for exactly 30 years before retreating to the palace. Rumors circulated that the Emperor had been unable to overcome his mental struggles and had fallen into a state of critical illness, but no one knew the full truth. The rumors only grew, becoming increasingly bizarre.
It was said that in the Emperor’s dreams, a ghost without a name or existence, haunted the Emperor.
Regardless of the truth behind these rumors, it was clear that the Emperor could no longer govern. The Emperor had expressed his desire to abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince, but even that was not easy.
Due to opposition from the senior council and the noble families, it would take several more years before Cyrone, the Crown Prince, could succeed the throne.
It seemed that they wanted to delay the imperial succession as long as possible, with the imperial family’s direct line and power crippled during this time.
