IBTCETEC 14

~Chapter 14~

Your Majesty, There Are Many Eyes Watching

“Do you want a flashy wedding?”

“Of course not.”

Regina thought it was better for her face to be less well known.
A formal royal wedding in Fredericks was a huge event where she’d have to show herself to the whole empire.

In the Permang Empire, Regina had never appeared at such events.
No one in Fredericks would recognize her face, but if she ever returned to Permang, it could become a problem.

She thought carefully about it.

‘For now, I guess I can cover my face with a veil, so it should be fine…’
Still, someone might recognize her. It was a big advantage not to go through that risk.

“Let’s go.”

Conrad stood up lightly, grabbed Regina’s hand, and led her out of his office.

Regina stopped in surprise at his actions. Conrad was holding the door for her, waiting for her to come out.

“Your Majesty, there are a lot of eyes watching…”

“Who cares if they’re watching?”

There were many servants and nobles in the hallway, but Conrad acted as if nobody else was there.
They all bowed their heads and hurried past, trying not to meet his eyes.

Limutan followed them, holding a small silver tray with a document on it.
No one seemed to notice, only hoping Conrad wouldn’t remember their faces.

Everyone in the palace tried to stay out of trouble, carefully watching the tension between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

“There are still too many who haven’t learned their place.”

When Conrad’s low voice echoed in the hallway, the servants hurried away even faster.

Only three people were left in the hall. Conrad finally smiled, looking satisfied.

“Can I ask why you’re in such a hurry?”

Regina asked what she’d been wondering for a while, almost whispering in Conrad’s ear.

Her warm breath made Conrad pause. He felt the tension in Regina’s hand as he squeezed it gently.

“It’s never gone this far in a marriage arrangement before. It’s better to finish quickly.”

Regina looked at him and thought,

‘Does that mean he can’t leave the empress’s seat empty any longer?’

From what Regina had seen, Fredericks wasn’t in any real danger.
Conrad was a strong emperor, and Chloe, who threatened his position, didn’t seem that dangerous.

So why did it feel like everything was being rushed?

She kept thinking about it as they walked to the temple, not noticing the empty hallway.

Because Conrad wasn’t very religious, hardly anyone was ever in the corridor that led from the palace to the temple.
With the knights keeping out the servants, no one could disturb them.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

A high priest greeted them with a smile at the temple.

“It’s been a while, High Priest.”

“With such happy news for the empire, of course I had to come myself.”

“Is that so?”

Conrad looked at the high priest sharply and even laughed at him.

“You didn’t hear anything different from the Empress Dowager?”

When he mentioned Chloe, Conrad’s face was cold.
But the high priest just kept smiling.

“You don’t need to check, Your Majesty. The temple always serves you loyally.”

“You never know.”

“Please, come inside.”

The high priest moved aside, letting Conrad and Regina enter.
He took the document from Limutan and nodded to Conrad.

The temple’s holy light only allowed the chosen to enter.
The high priest led the way, and bright light seemed to swallow Conrad and Regina.

The scene changed. In the shining white space, Regina felt a strange power flowing into her.

‘What is this…!’

Light spilled from her collarbone, then stopped.

Regina staggered in pain, and Conrad quickly grabbed her waist.

A rush of blood came up as her insides churned.

“Are you all right?”

“There was a sudden rush of magic…”

Regina coughed, trying to catch her breath.
Conrad pulled her into his arms, blocking the high priest’s view.

If she still had her original magic, it would have been nothing.
But because her magic was sealed, the temple’s passageway reacted to her.

Since ancient times, mages with sealed magic were considered impure.

“What’s wrong?”

Conrad answered the high priest before he could get suspicious.

“It’s nothing. Rena just got a little dizzy, that’s all.”

He quickly handed her a handkerchief.
When Regina wiped her lips, red blood showed on the white cloth.

“…I can handle it.”

Catching her breath, Regina thought,
‘A hallway to the temple made with magic, not holy power?’

This was strange.
A magic-made passage would be normal in Permang, but not in Fredericks, a land of knights.

She quickly checked the structure before the door behind the high priest closed.

She could tell by instinct—it looked just like the design of the Permang palace.

‘Someone leaked Permang’s technology…’

But how?

Only a mage could make such a path.
And yet, here it was, being used for the temple in Fredericks.

Regina gripped the handkerchief tighter.
Conrad saw it and covered her hand with his own.

“This way.”

The high priest led them to the altar.

There were no other priests in the temple—only the high priest.

“Please sign the marriage contract.”

He placed the marriage contract on the glowing white altar and handed them a beautiful feather pen.

The pen shimmered with a gentle light.

Conrad took it first and signed without hesitation in his sharp, graceful handwriting.
He handed the pen to Regina.
As she gripped the cold pen, she hesitated.

‘You have to use your real name on the contract.’

That’s the only way the ceremony would be valid.

Both Fredericks and Permang kept all marriage contracts in their temples.
They believed no one could lie in such a sacred place.

Not knowing Conrad’s real plan, Regina hesitated. Using her real name would reveal her true identity.