Chapter 69
Aslan’s ring held a gemstone the same amethyst color as Lysian’s eyes, and Lysian’s ring held a topaz, the same color as Aslan’s eyes. The jewels were rather simple for a queen and her king, but to them, they held more meaning than anything else.
With the exchange of rings, the ceremony came to an end. Regardless of how anyone felt about Aslan, today was a momentous day. Everyone in attendance clapped, and celebratory fireworks announcing the queen’s wedding rang loudly throughout the capital of Florea. At the joyful voices of the people, a smile spread across Aslan and Lysian’s faces.
The first to approach Aslan and Lysian was Chrysanthemum. He greeted them elegantly and smiled at Aslan, who was dressed in Florea’s ceremonial attire like his own.
“You look good in the attire, Lord Yilmaz.”
“Thank you. You as well.”
“Congratulations on your marriage.”
After Chrysanthemum, others began to approach, offering their well-wishes. Among them were Aslan’s former professors and the generals who had secretly taken an interest in him.
Among them, an all-too-familiar but unwelcome face appeared. Kaplan, who had come as an envoy from Heiban to congratulate the union of Lysian and Aslan, was present.
The marriage of Lysian and Aslan had brought about peace between Heiban and Florea. Heiban pledged to supply leather and meat to Florea, while Florea promised to send grain and silk to Heiban in return.
Kaplan, who had come to see how disgraceful Aslan’s behavior would be, was taken aback when Aslan displayed the natural manners of a true Florean, as if he had been born into the kingdom.
Kaplan, who had come to mock the sight of a beast walking on two legs dressed in clothing, barely suppressed the urge to contort his face at the unexpected scene.
Concealing his discomfort behind a smile, Kaplan stepped in front of Aslan and Lysian. Given that Florea was the more powerful nation, he could not afford to show his true feelings.
“Congratulations on your marriage.”
“We are truly delighted by Heiban’s congratulations,” Lysian said with a smile, making the air around them blossom with a sense of joy, as if flowers were fluttering around. Indeed, the queen of the kingdom of flowers. The title of the “Flower King” fit her perfectly. But Lysian’s hospitality ended there.
Aslan, standing a step behind Lysian, looked down at Kaplan. Under his golden eyes, a hint of wariness lay, and Kaplan’s lips stiffened.
“As long as Lord Yilmaz remains as king, Florea will stand as an ally of Heiban.”
Lysian’s eyes, hidden behind her smile, glinted sharply. There was an underlying threat, hinting that the relationship with Heiban could take a different turn if it were not for Aslan.
“Of course, as Lord Yilmaz will serve as king for his entire life, so too will the relationship with Heiban continue as such. Or is that not so?”
Beneath Lysian’s sweet and soft face lay a quietly concealed, sharp dagger. The oppressive atmosphere was even more intense than Aslan’s, who had earned fame on the battlefield as a lion. Realizing there was no room to intervene between them, Kaplan quietly lowered his head and answered, “So it is.”
Kaplan realized that there was no place for him between the two of them. It was never his place to begin with, yet a futile sense of defeat swept over him.
As Kaplan stepped back, Aslan and Lysian stood proudly facing each other. The two, dressed in pure white ceremonial attire, were lost in each other’s presence.
Aslan recalled Lysian’s words earlier, when she had promised him her lifetime, and a satisfied smile lifted the corners of his lips.
“A lifetime, you say.”
“I won’t step back, even if you don’t want it.”
“As will I. Even if you grow tired of me, I won’t let you go. Now, I am not a captive anymore, but a king. With the power of a king, I will cling to you tightly.”
Finally, both of them smiled brightly, enjoying the fulfillment of being bound to each other.
In that sweet moment, Lysian suddenly lifted her head as if she had just remembered something. A trace of unease passed over her expression. Aslan felt his heart drop at the sight of Lysian’s eyes shaking, so quickly after their whispered words of love.
With an air of seriousness, Lysian calmly spoke. Her anxious heart could be felt in her sincere eyes and lowered voice.
“Even though you will be a king, you will still let me bind you from time to time, won’t you?”
Aslan tried hard not to show his exasperation at Lysian’s question.
“…If it is what the queen desires, then of course.”
How worried he had been about what she might say! But the way she asked it was so typically Lysian that Aslan couldn’t help but smile.
The kingdom of flowers, Florea. A place overflowing with beauty.
In the dazzlingly bright Florea, the love between Lysian and Aslan also bloomed brightly, like a flower bud.
Aslan and Lysian, with smiles full of happiness, stepped out onto the balcony and stood before the people.
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