283: Married?

Wednesday's chapter.

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Chapter 283

“Do you, Teresa von Newmark, accept Jack Alder as your husband?” JaVale asked.

“I do.” Teresa, dressed in a white wedding dress, replied, and both of our hands, held by each of JaVale’s hands, began to glow, and divinity began to course through my body.

I was skeptical at first, but the dark energy in my abdomen didn’t react to this divinity and simply let it run through me. As if it knew acting out here would spell trouble.

I still didn’t fully know about that black power. Julian remaining alive wasn’t going to help as well, since most probably he didn’t have any idea about this either, seeing as Tara didn’t know anything either.

Anyway, you’re probably wondering how we got from threatening a cardinal of the church to here. So let me explain briefly.

Obviously, whoever came up with these communion ceremonies was a catholic, given the catholic nature of this wedding. To marry someone in this world, one needed the blessing of Kaya, or the divinity granted by her.

Now, while the church wasn’t the only one that could receive Kaya’s divinity, at the moment on the continent, they had made sure no one else in the world would, so if one wanted Kaya’s blessing for a marriage, they would have to seek the church out.

The marriage of a princess was a significant matter, and going all the way to the Holy Land and getting blessed by the pope himself would make sense. But since this marriage was taking place in secret, and who gave the blessing wouldn’t be revealed as well, since anyone who had received divinity could bless a wedding, even if it was an ordinary priest, who you could find about a hundred alone in the royal castle.

In thousands in the entire capital of Newmark, Artemis.

So the deal came down like this. By revealing the dead bodies and planting evidence that they were sent by Galliard, we’d help JaVale wash his hands of the blame. In other words, he’d keep his neck, since we’ll be making it look like the plan was spoiled because of Galliard’s hastiness.

As to who blessed this wedding, no one would have any idea since only an idiot would step forward, and the goddess was sure as hell not coming down to tell who it was.

The people in this room weren’t going to say anything either since JaVale was wearing a mask. Even though his voice was recognizable, he could simply feign ignorance and say someone was trying to frame him. If not at fault, he wasn’t a figure to easily remove, even by the pope.

Politics.

And that was the end of it. Start and end. Both of it was nothing but politics. Oh, and there was a kiss too. Only on the cheek, though, since lip kissing wasn’t a thing in this world. Love was, and from Teresa’s expression, she had only a little of it for me.

She was still young. She’ll come around.

And it was a first for me too. Not like I hadn’t been married before. I had married plenty of times. Once I became something in any world, fathers would present me with their daughters on a golden platter. Wives if they didn’t have daughters.

But since that wasn’t my thing, I’d only accept those who were willing to stay and watch. I wanted to bathe them in the humiliation I suffered at the hands of the strong men like them. Besides, men who were willing to offer their wives were hardly honorable.

Anyway, now that the wedding was over, JaVale said, “If you would like to receive a child, please head to the temple of the new beginnings.”

So that’s what they called the baby-making temple, huh?

Temple of the new beginnings. Fancy name. I remember the system calling it something else. Temple of fertility or something? Something like that.

Anyway, we nodded, and everyone was dismissed once we were connected.

So that’s what it means to be married. I could sense a sigil on my heart. No doubt Teresa would have one too.

So that was why one man could only marry once. Was it intentional?

“I shall go train now. This outfit is too ridiculous for me.” Teresa said and left the room, followed by Valeria, since none of Teresa’s maids or her knights had any idea she was getting married. That surprise was for tomorrow.

As for Elara, Elizabeth and me, we stayed since it seemed like Elara had something to discuss.

“Prepare for a child, Elizabeth. We shouldn’t dally for a task such as this.” Elara ordered, but before Elizabeth could sigh and nod, I interjected, “My lady, if I may…”

“What?” Elara asked, while Elizabeth looked at me like she was shocked that I could interrupt Elara.

“If I may request that you wait for nine months. As you may already know…” I didn’t finish.

Elara understood either way. She waited for a while, considering everything before she nodded and replied, “Very well. We shall wait for a few months.”

Elizabeth was shocked once again. For an entirely different reason.

The reason for stopping her wasn’t just that I already had four kids in the oven, two in my two sisters, one in my mother, and one in my ‘grandmother’. Had to say it like that. Felt even more satisfying.

No, despite the incest filled breeding, I had another reason. Teresa’s age. I’ll wait until she’s at least eighteen to have kids with her. Even Martha was well into her seventeenth year when I did.

She was sixteen and had already awakened for seven months when I came to this world, and it had been well over a year since I came to this world, so it was safe to say she was within the limits of an appropriate age, even if her body, except her ass, refused to look her age.

The point was that I wasn’t having a kid that young.

And by “young” I meant Teresa. Not me.

Besides, I’d much rather have an organic kid the right way than have a goddess make one for me god knows where.

I was still going to that place. But not to make babies, that much I’ll tell you.

“Now that Jack and Teresa are united, there is nothing we have to worry about,” Elara said.

The “nothing to be worried about” point meant that there was no reason now blocking Elara from the royal court. No legitimate reason, actually.

With the third prince out of the race, there were only three contestants now. There was a high chance Galliard would be out too, given that Elara had prepared his fall through the church.

That wouldn’t be the end of him, but that also meant he’d be away for long enough for us to accomplish our mission.

As for the third party…

“I am sure you understand what I mean to say, do you not, Lord Septal?”

Elara’s voice echoed throughout the room as she sat with the usual sharp look, her back straightened, and her head held high as if nothing was above her.

And nothing was. Lord Septal, who commanded an army on par with the royal army, was gritting his teeth right now, his eyes full of helplessness.

On the desk before him were pages, documents of his collusion with Carlson and George to fight against her. Elara had survived, so he for sure must have gotten rid of all the evidence.

But George and Carlson weren’t simple people either. They kept the evidence hidden with them in case they needed to rein in Lord Septal in the future.

Elara had, of course, gotten hold of it. She didn’t find George’s side of the evidence, since he was quite more meticulous than Carlson, but Carlson’s hidden vault was easy to discover even with the high-ranking seals cast around it to keep it hidden from prying eyes.

“Now I can wage war on the Septal family using this evidence. Or I can forgive you. All depends on my whim.” Elara made it sound like everything was in her control, before she added, “And my whim depends on your decision.”

A double insult. The transgression the Septal family had committed against her could be forgiven and forgotten forever.

In other words, they weren’t even worthy of enmity. That was how low she regarded them.

Lord Septal could only clench his teeth. And there was even more helplessness in his eyes. No matter how mighty an army he had. Before Elara, even with the etiquette of war involved, loss would be guaranteed.

And no one would be coming to help him either. Who would be stupid enough to do that?

“Since no one would care for you in the future, why would you care for them now?”

Damn, she got exactly to the point.

Terrifying, I say. Simply terrifying.

“So…” Elara said, letting the silence hang in the air, “What say you, Lord Septal?”