The wedding celebrations continued long into the night. Even after the ceremony had ended, the capital remained alive with music, laughter, and endless congratulations. Nobles, merchants, adventurers, and commoners alike celebrated the union between Princess Irene and Baron Henry Tecka.
Yet all festivals must eventually come to an end.
Three days after the wedding, Henry and Irene finally bid farewell to the royal capital.
King Mark personally escorted them to the royal carriage.
"Try not to work for at least a week," Mark said.
Henry laughed.
"You're asking the impossible."
"No," Mark replied while glancing at Irene. "I'm ordering it."
Irene smiled victoriously.
"See? Even the King agrees with me."
The carriage soon departed from the palace grounds. As it rolled through the capital's gates, crowds lined the roads one last time to wish them happiness.
The journey toward Tecka was peaceful.
Fields stretched across the horizon while merchants traveled freely along the roads. Villages that had once struggled with famine now flourished thanks to the agricultural reforms that had begun in Verna.
As they approached the city, Henry could already see the changes.
The old Verna of his childhood was gone.
The streets were crowded with merchants.
New houses stood where ruins once existed.
Children played without fear.
Market stalls overflowed with food and goods.
The people gathered near the gates erupted into cheers when the carriage entered.
"The Baron has returned!"
"Congratulations!"
"Long live Lord Henry!"
"Long live Lady Irene!"
Flowers were thrown into the streets.
Several children even chased after the carriage until their parents pulled them back.
Henry looked out the window and smiled.
"This place really changed."
Irene nodded.
"You changed it."
When the carriage finally reached the manor, another familiar face was waiting.
Nabu stood at the entrance with his usual monocle and perfectly organized documents tucked beneath one arm.
Henry immediately stepped down and pointed at him.
"I just got married."
Nabu blinked.
"Congratulations, my lord."
"No."
Henry pointed again.
"I am serious. I just got married."
Understanding immediately dawned upon Nabu.
He sighed deeply.
"Your mother anticipated this conversation."
Henry's eyes lit up.
"And?"
"Lady Tecka has officially forbidden me from assigning any paperwork to you for several days."
Henry almost looked ready to cry from happiness.
Nabu adjusted his monocle.
"However, after those several days—"
"No."
"My lord—"
"No."
Nabu sighed once more.
Then, surprisingly, he smiled.
"Still... congratulations."
The sincerity in his voice caught Henry off guard.
"Thank you."
That evening the manor hosted another celebration. Compared to the grand wedding in the capital, it was much smaller, attended only by close friends, family, and the citizens of Tecka.
For the first time in many years, Henry felt truly at peace.
Unfortunately, that peace created another problem.
Night eventually arrived.
And with it came a challenge Henry had not prepared for.
His mother practically pushed him toward the bedroom.
"Go."
"Mother—"
"Go."
His father laughed from the side.
"I'll pray for you."
"Dad!"
Ignoring his protests, both parents closed the door behind him.
Henry stood frozen.
The room was illuminated by several magical lamps that emitted a warm golden glow.
A large bed occupied the center.
And sitting upon it was Irene.
Her sword rested against the bedside table.
She was blushing so intensely that Henry briefly considered retreating from the room entirely.
For several moments neither spoke.
The silence became unbearable.
Finally Henry sat beside her.
Neither looked directly at the other.
Several more moments passed.
Then Henry awkwardly reached into his pocket.
"I... don't really know what people are supposed to do in situations like this."
Irene glanced at him.
"So..."
Henry placed a small box beside her.
"I got you something."
Curious, Irene opened it.
Inside rested a beautiful silver necklace decorated with a crystal unlike anything she had ever seen.
Its faint blue glow illuminated the room.
"It's beautiful."
"It is also an artifact."
Immediately her eyes widened.
"Of course it is."
Henry scratched his cheek.
"It comes as a pair. I have the other one."
"What does it do?"
"If one of us thinks of sending a message, the other can receive it instantly."
Irene stared at the necklace.
Then at Henry.
Then back at the necklace.
Finally she suddenly wrapped her arms around him.
Henry froze.
"I knew I chose the right man," she whispered.
"When?"
"When Mark first talked about you."
The rest of the night passed peacefully.
For once, neither politics nor war interrupted their lives.
The following day Henry spent showing Irene around Tecka.
He proudly showed her the restored farms.
The mines of Melarium.
The workshops.
The marketplaces.
Even the giant land purification systems.
Finally he brought her somewhere nobody else had ever been allowed to enter.
His workshop.
Irene opened the door and immediately froze.
The room looked like a battlefield.
Blueprints littered every surface.
Metal scraps covered the floor.
Half-finished artifacts occupied entire tables.
Numerous machines hummed softly in the corners.
Only Nabu had ever been allowed inside before.
"This is how you live?"
Henry looked around.
"It seems normal."
"It looks like a tornado attacked a library."
Ignoring the comment, Henry guided her toward the central desk.
There, unlike every other surface in the room, rested a single carefully organized blueprint.
"What is this?"
Henry smiled.
"A project."
She examined the drawing.
It depicted a sword.
But unlike ordinary weapons, strange magical circuits ran throughout the design.
"A mana blade?"
Henry nodded.
"Not for me."
Irene looked up.
"It's yours."
For a moment she simply stared.
Then she stepped forward.
Before Henry could react, she pushed him backward against the desk.
"What—"
She silenced him with a kiss.
When she finally stepped away, Henry's brain had completely stopped functioning.
Satisfied with the result, Irene smiled.
"I'll treasure it."
Thus another peaceful day passed.
Unfortunately, peace rarely lasted long in their world.
On the morning of the third day, a royal messenger arrived.
The rider looked exhausted.
His horse was barely standing.
He carried a royal summons marked with the highest priority.
The moment Henry read it, his expression darkened.
Within hours they had departed for the capital.
When they arrived at the royal palace, an uneasy silence hung over the halls.
Soldiers stood with lowered heads.
Servants moved quietly.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
They were quickly escorted toward a medical chamber.
Inside lay Prince Max.
Henry nearly failed to recognize him.
The powerful prince who had once marched fearlessly into battle now lay unconscious upon the bed.
Bandages covered most of his body.
His breathing was weak.
His skin was pale.
Several royal physicians stood nearby looking helpless.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
A captain stepped forward.
"A new demonic beast appeared at the southern border."
The room fell silent.
The soldier continued.
"It attacked three fortresses within a single day."
"Prince Max personally led the defense."
"He succeeded in evacuating the civilians."
"But..."
The captain lowered his head.
"He was defeated."
Even Irene looked shocked.
Max was one of the strongest warriors in the kingdom.
For something to leave him in this state—
The creature must have been terrifying.
"The border is collapsing," another officer reported.
"The soldiers need leadership."
"The citizens are panicking."
"The beast is still alive."
Silence filled the room.
Finally Henry stepped forward.
"I'll go."
Immediately several ministers objected.
"No!"
"You only just got married!"
"The border is too dangerous!"
"You are one of the kingdom's most important nobles!"
Henry ignored them.
"If nobody goes, more people will die."
Irene looked at him quietly.
Then she stepped beside him.
"If he goes, I go too."
The room erupted once more.
Mark rubbed his forehead.
"No."
"Absolutely not."
Then another voice spoke.
Everyone turned.
Princess Irwin had entered.
Her expression remained calm as always.
"I agree."
Mark stared at her.
"Sister."
"Irene and Henry will go."
"I will accompany them."
The room became silent.
Mark rose from his chair.
For the first time in years, he openly opposed Irwin.
"No."
Everyone froze.
The usually easygoing king rarely raised his voice.
"As King, I should be the one leading the army."
"And if you die?" Irwin replied calmly.
The room fell silent.
Neither sibling backed down.
For several long minutes the two argued.
Finally a compromise was reached.
Henry, Irene, and Irwin would travel to the southern border.
Mark would remain in the capital to maintain order.
Preparations began immediately.
As the sun set beyond the palace windows, Henry stood alone on a balcony overlooking the city.
Only a few days ago he had been celebrating his marriage.
Now another war was calling him.
The peaceful days had ended.
And somewhere beyond the southern horizon, a monster powerful enough to defeat Prince Max waited.
The storm had begun.