Chapter 619

Chapter 619: The Blood-Colored Wedding

Chapter 619: The Blood-Colored Wedding

In the verdant imperial capital, Titania.

The pristine white walls towered high above the earth, enclosing the bustling city at its center. Within this colossal city, home to approximately two million people, lush green plants and blooming flowers were everywhere. Most streets were immaculate, and walking through one of its narrow alleys felt like wandering through a cozy, tranquil small town.

Today was the day of the Crown Prince’s grand wedding. Every household had adorned their doors with either a white or pink rose, symbolizing blessings and celebration.

At the forefront of the city, before the Rose Palace,

Vivid petals filled both the sky and the earth. Crowds of cheerful people, joyful music, waving hands, and voices of blessings all converged into the wedding scene.

The two newlyweds gently waved to the people in the square and then turned around to enter the palace behind them.

Passing through the long, verdant courtyard and walking down the central avenue adorned with white statues, the two newlyweds slowly ascended the steps of the central palace under the shoulder-touching greetings of various nobles.

Looking up slightly, above the door, the lifelike rose carvings reflected a gentle glow under the sunlight, appearing breathtakingly beautiful.

“Let’s go in, dear.” Crown Prince Ansel took the hand of the bride beside him and said softly.

For nearly twenty years, he had never imagined that he would speak to anyone with such tenderness in his lifetime. However, from the day he met Florasia, he changed his past thoughts.

Once upon a time, he sneered at the so-called political marriage. Instead of relying on various relationships to win others over, he preferred to use his own abilities to achieve everything.

And beautiful girls, in his view, were just common sights. As the crown prince, there were countless young women within the empire who wanted to ingratiate themselves with him. To the point that at every banquet, he had to bring several attendants to help ward off those women who wanted to approach him. For a long time, he even detested the smell of those seductive perfumes. But as the next ruler of the empire, he still skillfully concealed this aversion in his heart.

Therefore, when he heard that his father the emperor had arranged a marriage for him, he didn’t feel happy, nor did he resist. Because in his view, it was merely a process that life must go through. Marriages among the nobility were often like this, mostly for the sake of combining and deepening power. After getting married and having children, they would almost live separately, maintaining appearances only.

He once thought the same way. Even though many people often said how beautiful the Miss of the Landsworth Family was, he remained unmoved. The word “beautiful” was used too excessively in noble life. Any noble young lady would have someone praising her like that, and poets even had to come up with exaggerated words to highlight the uniqueness of their praise objects.

Over time, he had lost interest in such compliments.

But everything changed on that day.

He still remembered it was in the afternoon. He was preparing for a nap and then planned to go to the arena with some attendants for exercise. Then a servant of his father came temporarily to notify him, hoping he would quickly go to the central butterfly courtyard, where the emperor and the Grand Duke of Unicorns were already waiting.

Then, when he entered the familiar courtyard, he saw the girl standing under the flower trellis, her serene face, her peerless beauty, her soft golden hair shimmering with a hazy glow under the alternating sunlight. Everything was like the most beautiful dream.

Rarely had he stood quietly for nearly ten seconds, before approaching under the slightly surprised gaze of the attendants. This was the first time in many years that he had been so out of sorts.

And today, this beautiful dream would become reality.

Gently holding that delicate hand, he ‘casually’ glanced at his fiancée’s pale golden hair and crown, his heart overflowing with peace and happiness.

If she exists, I am willing to put down the hands that have always held swords and embrace the beautiful roses. He recalled the words of a court poet.

After entering the hall, on both sides of the passage, the magnificently dressed and well-mannered high nobles congratulated them one by one. They smiled as they looked at the two newlyweds, and then the group slowly ascended to the central platform, where a priest wearing white with gold trim kindly gazed at them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please quiet down slightly.” The host nearby held a small alchemical amplifier and spoke to the audience, after which the hall gradually became silent, and everyone’s attention focused here.

This magnificent ceremonial hall inside the palace was specially built for rituals. The dome, dozens of meters high, was adorned with exquisite carvings and paintings. The pillars in the hall were also lavishly golden, decorated with non-repetitive fairy patterns. The buildings within the Verdant Empire beautifully inherited the intricate and luxurious style of the elves.

Seeing everyone settled down, this bearded host also revealed a faint smile and began to introduce and narrate the history of the empire in sequence, then gradually leading to the current royal family and the friendship between the Landsworth family.

Although outsiders might find it tedious, this is indeed part of a noble wedding, and as royalty, they paid even more attention to it.

“…So, finally, we invite the heir of Azure Moon and Emerald, the protector of the entire empire, the commander-in-chief of the Glorious Army, the brightest twin stars of the Ivar World, Emperor Perion, Emperor Lios.” The host recited the long titles of the current emperor of Verdant, and after finishing, he quickly announced the title of the current Grand Duke of Unicorns and invited his entry.

According to the established procedure, both sets of parents would enter at this time to bless the couple, followed by the final vows made before the priest, and the announcement of the completion of the wedding and contract.

At this moment, the crowd inside the hall slowly turned their bodies and quietly watched the rear door, waiting for the entrance of the two emperors and the head of the Landsworth family.

However, after a long while, that door remained motionless.

Sweat started to bead on the forehead of the host on stage. Although he himself was a powerful noble, in such an important occasion, if something went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Anxiously, he hurriedly summoned a nearby attendant and instructed him to go out through a side door to check what was happening outside.

The familiar young attendant nodded, responded with a gesture, and then bowed his head and quickly walked toward another side door.

He skillfully pulled open the door, but this time, he stopped immediately after stepping forward, standing dumbfounded.

Behind the door, several bodies lay sprawled about, many of whom were his former colleagues and companions.

Just as he was about to shout in panic, the hall’s door finally opened.

Clap clap clap

The applause was neither fast nor slow, standing out prominently in the quiet hall.

“I’m sorry, my dear brother, you’re probably going to be disappointed today.” A handsome prince with the same golden hair entered the hall, followed by rows of fully armed crimson knights.

These knights clad in crimson armor held shields and long swords, quickly entering the hall. The heavy armor clanged against each other, producing a startling sound.

Soon, nearly 500 crimson knights surrounded the entire hall, gripping their shields and long swords tightly, separating the guests inside the hall from the two newlyweds in the middle, and then escorting the red-clothed prince into the hall.

“Aimanke!?”

Crown Prince Ansel furrowed his brows at the sight of this person, and a few similarly dressed attendants in white with gold leaves also protected him. These attendants were his trusted confidants who grew up with him since childhood, carefully selected for their talent and ability. Though not numerous, each of them was above Sequence 6, providing him with slight comfort.

“Yes, it’s me, the grandson of the previous emperor, Aimanke.” He slowly stopped and stood in the center of the hall.

Suddenly, he turned around and looked at the astonished crowd present.

“I know you may all be guessing what’s going on, but let me tell you, the truth is not as simple.”

“If not absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t want to disturb the wedding today and frighten all of you.”

“But the situation has indeed reached a shocking point.”

He turned around, pointed his finger at Crown Prince Ansel. “You, Crown Prince Ansel, and your twin brother, in order to seize the throne prematurely, bribed the servants around the emperor and poisoned the two great emperors, causing both Your Majesties to pass away just this morning.”

As the words fell, the hall erupted in boiling cries of shock, like an explosion.

“What!”

“How…how could this be possible?”

“The emperors actually left on the same day…”

“Could such a thing really happen?” Various suspicions and disbelief arose among the crowd, as the matter was too sudden, and Ansel’s reputation wasn’t particularly bad in daily life.

“I know some people won’t believe it,” Aimanke shouted loudly, temporarily suppressing the noisy clamor.

“But, I will make everyone understand that this is not slander or defamation!”

After the red-cloaked prince’s words subsided, familiar faces slowly entered the hall one by one.

“That’s…the emperor’s close minister, Kingsley?”

“And the Chief Minister, Von Lord.”

“Oh, even the Commander of the Imperial Guard, General Soqion.”

The crowd was amazed and discussed the faces they recognized.

“What Aimanke says is true. If it weren’t for his arrival upon receiving secret orders, we might all have been silenced by Prince Ansel.” An old minister spoke with trembling voice.

“This is slander.”

Facing these accusations, Ansel did not lose control but answered solemnly. Such charges were insufficient to overturn his identity as Crown Prince.

“I knew it, Brother, you definitely wouldn’t submit easily. In fact, I believe that with your skills, you wouldn’t surrender in such a disgraceful manner.”

Aimanke looked at the familiar face ahead, slowly tightening the hilt of his sword at his waist, and slowly drew it out.

The blade emitted a crisp tremulous note, slowly revealing itself under the candlelit hall, reflecting chilling glints.

“So, let’s resolve this in the most direct way.”

“What gives you the right to draw your sword against me, Aimanke? Just based on the slanders of those lowly ones?”

“Remember your place, grandson of the previous emperor, not a descendant of the current emperor. Perhaps you share similar bloodlines with me, but your actions now are tantamount to treason!”

“Seize this traitor!” Ansel roared, awakening many people. Several nobles present began to hesitate.

“Hold your tongue!” Aimanke swung his sword directly, and dozens of crimson knights rushed forward.

Intense battles broke out inside the hall. The long swords gleamed red like blood, clashing with the white-clad attendants wielding silver swords. Despite the attendants being fewer in number, about 20 in total, each of them possessed extraordinary strength, quickly gaining the upper hand and beginning to suppress their opponents.

Witnessing this scene, Aimanke signaled again, and more crimson knights joined the fray, the crimson glow flowing over their armor.

“Bloodblade Knights!? Aren’t they supposed to be stationed at the empire’s borders? How could they be here?” Some nobles watching this spectacle guessed anxiously. Some wanted to help Ansel, but the encircling Bloodblade Knights were elite forces stationed at the border, each possessing strength above Sequence 5, ranking among the strongest corps in the empire.

Compared to the nobles indulged in luxury in the imperial capital, these border knights exuded an aura of killing, striking fear into the hearts of others.

With the resonance of these elite knights, under the crimson blades, the white-clad attendants were slaughtered on the spot.

“Aahh…” Multiple swords were pulled out from the body of the attendant in front of them, drawing streams of blood, and then kicked onto the ground, lying in a pool of blood.

“You are the empire’s elite. Why do you follow his orders?” When the attendant in front fell, Ansel protected Florasia behind him and drew out the splendid long sword at his waist.

‘The golden leaves transform into the hilt, the silver moonlight transforms into the blade, when this sword is drawn, it resembles the arrival of a king.’

This was the phrase recorded in poetry, and the origin of the long sword in Ansel’s hand, the ceremonial sword of the founding monarch Alin. It was said that it was crafted by elves at the request of the Elven Queen, using extremely rare materials and blessed by the elves.

When the sword was drawn, a gentle breeze carrying a faint halo rippled through the hall, calming people’s emotions, making them reluctant to fight.

When Aimanke saw the sword, his eyes narrowed, resisting the growing sense of calm rising within him, he stepped forward quickly, his figure moving swiftly.

Clang—

The clear clash of swords rang out in the hall, vibrating and rubbing against each other.

Aimanke and Ansel held their swords crossed together, staring intently at each other, both burning with fierce determination. Upon closer inspection, one could see their resemblance, as they shared the same grandfather, and usually addressed each other as brothers.

“Why?” Ansel looked at Aimanke, who was not an irrational person.

“For everything.”

Aimanke was not prepared to reveal his inner thoughts; doing so would only give his enemy an opening. Since he had entered this hall, there was no turning back. He had to kill Ansel, absolutely ensuring he did not leave the hall alive, otherwise, not only would he die, but all those around him would perish as well.

For today, he had staked everything, like the most reckless gambler.

The figures of white and red intertwined within the hall, sparks flying, heart-stopping sounds emanating, causing numerous onlookers to sweat and tremble.

As time passed, no reinforcements appeared outside the door, prompting many unfavorable speculations among the nobles inside.

Another intense exchange occurred, with swirling air currents as the two momentarily separated, standing apart.

“I swear to kill the princely figure before me, my brother, Ansel!” Aimanke wiped his palm across the sword edge, a thin stream of blood slowly trickling down.

As he recited his vow, the sword emitted a radiant glow, intricate yet cruel patterns lighting up.

“The Oath-Bound Sword, Hodudel.” A few nobles whispered the cursed name.

Ansel looked at the long sword before him, a dangerously ominous feeling rising sharply in his heart like a knife cutting through. Then he saw Aimanke swing the sword and charge forward again.

Sssst—

The two clashed again within the hall, but an unusual silence followed.

Clang! The golden-leafed, silver-bodied long sword fell to the ground, bouncing slightly, emitting a lingering resonant tone, then falling again, its reverberations fading slowly.

Blood flowed silently, gradually soaking the white-clad prince. Sunlight fell on his face, still handsome and beautiful, but he would never open his eyes again.

The urgent tolling of bells echoed throughout Titania, and chaos reigned in the streets as armored soldiers from both sides engaged in fierce combat within the city. One side consisted of the original palace guards and the elite troops who had quietly infiltrated the city, while the other comprised supporters of the Crown Prince and the loyal regiments of the former emperor within the capital.

Both sides were elite forces, fully armed, but none could have anticipated fighting each other on what was originally a day of celebration. Soldiers from both sides received resolute orders from their superiors: the opposing side was guilty of treason, and they must not retreat or compromise.

And the leaders of both sides understood that in such a struggle for power, failure meant complete annihilation, with their entire families paying the price. Thus, they held nothing back, striving to eliminate the opposition within the city at any cost.

Thus, amidst the streets filled with flowers, people trampled and fought each other until the earth was stained crimson, becoming even more vivid and beautiful with blood.

(The chapter ends)