One Night's Love
Two and a half months had passed since I departed from the Empire, and at long last, I arrived in the Talen Kingdom, the land of my birth.
Reaching my actual hometown would still take another two weeks of travel, but that was a distance I could easily endure. Only now did it truly begin to sink in: I was finally drawing near to home.
The gentle charm of spring was slowly ripening into the heat of summer, and my lazy donkey let out a drowsy yawn. Wearing a wide, unbidden smile, I crested a hill carpeted in lush green grass.
Soon. So very soon.
It was possible I wouldn't even recognize my parents. It was possible the memories of my distant past had faded beyond recall. Yet even amidst that creeping dread, like a moth irresistibly drawn to flame, I felt an intoxicating ecstasy at the thought of reclaiming my hometown and rediscovering my past.
My home was just within reach.
Einzel was lost in deep thought.
Out of nowhere, a proposal of marriage had landed before him.
Had it come from some minor aristocratic house, it would have made sense. The Hero's title carried immense weight, and a lesser family might naturally seek to exploit that prestige and fame for their own ends. But coming from House Luderan—indisputably the foremost noble house in the entire Empire—the matter was entirely different.
No matter how exalted a Hero's prestige might seem, once the Holy Sword was returned, he would ultimately be nothing more than a glorified commoner. In contrast, Luderan was undeniably the strongest and greatest lineage in the land. Command over the imperial military had traditionally remained under their sphere of influence; even the Emperor could not easily dream of stripping them of military authority, preferring instead to seek their cooperation.
That was the kind of titan they were. Einzel never for a second entertained the notion that a house like Luderan would covet him merely for shallow prestige.
Why, then, were they seeking him out?
No matter how much he racked his brain, he could find no answer. To his own eyes, he was nothing more than a hypocritical coward—struggling desperately because he feared death, yet simultaneously yearning to abandon everything out of that very same terror.
...Fine. Let's return to the core of the matter.
The true motive behind Luderan's marriage proposal remained an enigma. Stripped of that, the fundamental question was simple: should he accept their offer, or decline it?
To accept, or not to accept.
As he weighed the political dynamics and potential consequences of saying yes, an entirely different thought abruptly forced its way into his mind.
...If I accept this marriage, would it ease some of this crushing weight?
Right now, he was being steadily consumed by severe lethargy, paralyzing fear, and endless pain. Perhaps, if he married and built a family, those agonies might gradually fade away. Even if he didn't understand it yet, once he had a home of his own and came to know love, wouldn't he finally have a reason to endure?
Come to think of it, Sayne possessed a breathtaking beauty unlike anything he had ever witnessed in his rural homeland, and her pedigree was peerless. Was this really so bad a proposition? Her personality was easygoing and decent, too. What was there left to hesitate over?
In truth, didn't this fulfill the very dream he had harbored when he first left his village—to succeed in the world, marry a beautiful wife, and build a peaceful family?
Letting those thoughts carry him, he harbored a faint, desperate hope that this marriage might reveal a single ray of light in the pitch-black darkness that clouded his sight.
Yes. Let's accept. The terms are more than generous, and once I have something to protect, perhaps things will get better.
With that resolve, he set quill to paper and began writing his acceptance.
"Oho, is that so? You have decided to accept the marriage?"
"Yes. While it feels like an opportunity far beyond my station... since things have turned out this way, I wish to proceed."
"Well decided. It would be best to hold the ceremony as soon as possible, would it not?"
"I will defer entirely to your wishes, Your Grace."
"I appreciate you saying so. In that case, let us set it for roughly two weeks from now. Truth be told, the moment you voiced your acceptance, preparations were already set in motion. We are arranging everything to befit the Luderan name, so I am certain you will find it to your liking."
"Yes, of course."
And so, Einzel's wedding was set for two weeks later.
Returning to his lodgings from the Luderan estate, a restless, fluttering unease stirred in his chest at the reality of his impending nuptials. He gazed up into the night sky.
...Mother and Father must be looking at this same sky.
It soon dawned on him that his parents had no idea their son was getting married.
He had blindly chased success all the way to the Empire. Ignoring his parents' earnest pleas, he had looked down upon the tranquil countryside as plain and meager, desperately chasing the thrilling splendor of a world he had never known. How long had it been after arriving in the Empire? A dazzling, resplendent sword had appeared before him. Sensing instinctively that taking hold of that blade would alter the course of his destiny forever, he gripped its hilt—and became the Hero.
...Had becoming the Hero truly been the right path?
As the Hero, he had died countless times, drowning in unending agony and terror. If someone else had been chosen, perhaps they would have done far better than he ever could. If someone else had been chosen, perhaps he would never have had to suffer through this torment.
If only he had never touched the Holy Sword in the first place. If only he had returned home to live peacefully with his family. No... if only he had never left his hometown at all.
Einzel shook his head. All of it was meaningless conjecture. He had left his home, he had become the Hero, and now, he was about to be wed.
He recalled the words his father used to say: once a man marries, he becomes the pillar of a household, and so he must always stand strong. In two short weeks, he too would be the head of a family. Steeling his resolve, he walked into his bedchamber.
Two weeks later came the day of the wedding.
The ceremony was conducted on a grand, magnificent scale. As the most sensational topic in the imperial capital, the union between the Hero and the eldest daughter of Luderan drew an immense throng of guests. Einzel wore a navy formal suit adorned with intricate gold embroidery that complemented his dark hair and eyes, while Sayne was clad in a pure white bridal gown. Both possessed striking, peerless looks, and as the central figures of the day, they commanded the awe of everyone in attendance.
While the orchestra played a celebrated serenade, they strode down the crimson carpet toward the Archbishop of the Goddess Religion presiding over the rite. Offering them a divine blessing, the Archbishop spoke:
"Do you, groom, promise to cherish the bride with steadfast faith and unwavering trust for all eternity?"
"I do."
"And do you, bride, likewise swear to treat the groom with an unchanging heart?"
"I do."
Having presided over countless aristocratic unions, the Archbishop spoke not of love, and neither bride nor groom questioned it. The ceremony concluded as Einzel knelt before Sayne and slipped the ring onto her finger.
Following the ceremony came the reception banquet. As festive melodies rang through the hall, men and women paired off across the dance floor. Einzel did not ask anyone to dance, feeling an instinctive reluctance to approach someone else on his own wedding day.
It was then that Beatrice approached and extended her hand to him.
"Would you care for a dance?"
Beatrice was the sole companion from the Hero's party to attend the wedding. Lena held zero interest in the social gatherings of mortals, and Peria, having plunged headlong into research the moment she returned to the capital, was practically unreachable outside of their sporadic lessons in magic.
Einzel took Beatrice's offered hand. Even if he wouldn't initiate a dance, refusing one offered so graciously was out of the question.
"It really came as a surprise. I never imagined the two of you would marry." Beatrice spoke with effortless poise as they moved across the floor, while Einzel, struggling just to keep up with the intricate steps, could barely squeeze out a reply.
"...Indeed. It seems no one can truly predict how life turns out."
"Fufu. Just so you know, even if you are a newlywed, there will be no leniency when it comes to your Holy Power training."
"Yes, of course. I understand."
Once the song came to an end, Einzel danced no further. When the grand banquet finally drew to a close, their wedding night arrived.
The maidservants bathed and groomed Einzel before ushering him into the chamber. It was their bridal suite.
Once the attendants had cleared the room, Einzel looked toward Sayne, who had arrived first and was lying on the bed.
"Um... we may be married, but I'm not going to force anything on you tonight, so don't be too nervous."
Having said his piece, Einzel turned his gaze to examine the lavish bedroom.
From behind him came the soft rustle of Sayne rising to her feet. He began to turn around.
At that exact moment, a dagger erupted through his abdomen.
"...Huh?"
Einzel let out a dazed, hollow gasp at the utter unreality of the sensation. In the next instant, the blade was smoothly pulled free.
He collapsed to the floor with a dull thud, clutching his belly. Blood was pouring out uncontrollably.
"Wh-what...?"
Einzel wrenched his head around to look back. Sayne stood there, holding the blood-stained dagger.
And tears were streaming down her face.
Bewilderment seized his thoughts, but the torrential loss of blood rapidly clouded his consciousness. In the fading moments before the darkness swallowed him entirely, the final sight he witnessed was Sayne turning the dagger toward her own throat and driving it home.
Time slowed to an agonizing crawl. As his soul detached from his failing flesh and drifted toward the blinding light, he was violently pulled back into the past.
To the exact moment Duke Luderan had proposed the marriage.