Chapter 565

It was such an obvious conclusion: the cleansing of the Illuminati. Reina, active as a knight of the Last Wisp and as a hero, succeeded in wiping them out through an alliance with the Three Empires. They had not recovered all of Death Lord's physical forms, but Davey felt that maybe it was better to leave some alone rather than needlessly seek them out.

"Davey, what about those central Trifecta?"

"The Trifecta? Ah, those guys."

Returning to the Heins domain and getting busy with preparations for his wedding with Perserque, Davey only seemed to remember them upon her question.

"Just leave them be."

"Just let them be? Who knows what they'll get up to?"

"They can't do anything. If we provoke them for no reason and it backfires, we'll be at a loss."

Better to leave them be than to provoke and face backlash. Although they did put Davey's ally and Teacher Boris in that state, those who tortured should be tortured in return, according to the Hammurabi Code. Unlike the gentle Elder Sharus, Elders Pat and Slim were fierce critics of the Central Trifecta's dictatorship. Those two would undoubtedly put more pressure on the three than Davey would. He would only intervene when it went beyond their scope of resolution.

"The ceremony should indeed be held in the Heins domain."

"After all, that's now your hometown, your home." In reality, the Heins domain was where Queen Mother Lennie Alishad, his real mother, was born.

"Let's stop by the capital after the wedding."

"To see your mother?"

"Yes."

Even knowing the human soul reincarnates, visiting a tombstone feels habitual. Afterwards, Davey invested his time in resolving various minor issues. He wanted the once-in-a-lifetime wedding ceremony to be perfect.

"I wouldn't mind if our wedding ceremony was just the two of us."

"You're not refusing anymore."

"It's a waste of time to refuse."

Unlike before, she had decided to accept his persistent courtship. Because of this, she did not flatly refuse the idea of marriage. She, as the queen and the heart of the abyss, could disappear at any time. Her concern was about that, but in a way, Davey was the same. Being the bride of the deity meant he too would disappear from this world.

"We both live on borrowed time, huh. Hehe..."

At Perserque's chuckling words, Davey pulled her close and smiled. "You won't get dragged into the abyss, and I won't disappear either."

Would he let that happen? Absolutely not.

"Your Majesty, should I send out the wedding invitations?"

"What? Did I not tell you not to?"

"Your Majesty, it's a matter of courtesy. Those who hold you dear will naturally expect an invitation."

If a close friend got married without even sending an invitation, they would inevitably feel hurt.

That was what Chamberlain Bernile wanted to convey.

"Is that so? Fine. Handle it then, Bernile. But only send out a moderate amount."

Of course.

"We'll need to spend some money."

At Davey's words, Chamberlain Bernile grinned. "With all the wealth you possess, are you still fretting about money?"

"Have you not heard this before, Chamberlain?"

Davey stood up and, taking the box offered by him, continued, "The richest are the kings and leaders. We can't go back to the old days when we hunted because we had no money."

Inside the box was the unique, dark, and elegant formal wear of the Rowane Kingdom.

"Just one more to go?"

"The Greenstone Tribe believes they'll find one soon."

"That's good to hear."

It had been a while since Davey commissioned the Greenstone Tribe dwarves, known for their expertise in mining and crafting precious metals.

"Sir! Someone has come from the Green Rock Tribe! They say they've procured two enemy stones you were looking for!"

"Seems like the nobles are up to no good."

*

Four weeks, a full month had passed. During that time, the Last Whisp successfully annihilated the Illuminati, and the last forces that were hidden or the means to escape were completely destroyed. Wasn't it his first marriage in over a thousand years? It was true that he was quite attached to it.

Someone once said, "Marriage is the tomb of life."

He remembered the grumblings of online game guild members who were married when he played games in the sterile isolation room in his previous life.

[When I wake up, instead of having breakfast, I'm busy heading to work. I come home late, completely exhausted, and then there's a mandatory defense battle.]

[Sheesh... I just imagined my wife heading to her parent's house.]

[That wouldn't happen.]

[A few days ago, it was my wife's birthday, so I bought her an expensive designer bag. That night, she was all dressed up waiting for me. I wondered all night what I did wrong.]

[Sigh... We both have it tough. We really do.]

[I don't mind cooking for my husband or doing the laundry and cleaning. But taking care of the baby is so hard.]

[Ah, raising a kid isn't a joke. Even though I love them, when they wake up every three hours for milk, I really just want to sleep soundly.]

[I take turns with my wife because I feel sorry for her.]

[A landlord, said to be above the creator, being unemployed seems like a fresh amusement.]

[1]

The saying "marriage is the tomb of life" was not just a baseless comment.

"It feels both long and incredibly short..."

It felt strange. It had only been about a year since he confronted Perserque. In reality, considering a marriage, it was quite soon, but since he and she had been together as more than a couple, there was nothing surprising. On the contrary, it did feel somewhat surreal.

'I'm really getting married,' was his thought.

Given the customs of the continent, where marriage is part of politics, it was not surprising, but Davey's basic beliefs were more aligned with his past life. Yet, that fact was being confirmed.

News of his marriage spread through those in the know. Typically, Saints with a mark were not allowed to marry. Fortunately, the church of Goddess Freyja did not have a prohibition against marriage.

The ceremony was set to take place in the Academy, one of the most advanced buildings in the Heins territory, boasting the most spacious area. Usually, marriages were held in temples, but a marriage in a building made by his own hands felt more atmospheric than any temple built in the Holy Land.

"Sir, tell me the truth."

"What?"

The black-haired girl frowned. "Why are you asking me to do this?"

Josiah Frances was currently exerting power toward a red-hued gem.

"Vampires, no, Vampire Lords have a power called 'Blood Pact'."

At his words, the pink-haired vampire, Milpieu, who had been silent on one side, nodded. "A Lord's power, interesting. I want to study it."

"Don't even."

Although they were a Vampire Lord and a Half-Vampire, their relationship was not entirely good. In reality, the place where Milpieu was had traitors who had betrayed the Lord.

"Stop talking nonsense and just make sure you don't lose control."

"Grr... So? What does that power do? Blood Pact?"

"It's imprinting each other's existence by dropping each other's blood. This way, they can feel each other's presence until death."

Although dreaming of dying at the same time was a difficult hope, it was the most perfect way to check if Perserque was safe, even when far apart. The enemy stone procured through the Green Rock Tribe was also a gem very useful for containing the power of the vampire.

"Ah, it's melting!" Soon, whether she succeeded in manifesting the power or not, Josiah grinned. "Sir, if I do this well, you'll let me drink blood, right?"

"Yes."

"Yay! Got it!"

At his words, Josiah, joyously pouring more power, began to work again.

Over time, Josiah was slowly learning to control her power. Considering that the former Vampire Lord had awakened Josiah by sacrificing his own life, her talent might be among the highest of all Vampire Lords ever.

"If you have time to focus elsewhere, would you care to have some of this?" At that moment, Yuria Helishana, the leader of the Moon's Forest Elves who was tending to his hair and also a resident of Heins territory, gently laughed and offered Davey a small jelly.

"It looks appetizing at a glance."

But, if the maker was Yuria, things could get complicated.

"What strange concoction have you made this time?"

"It's nothing much. I solidified the body fluid of a slime and added ground-up bloodworm flesh. It's excellent for beauty, and the taste is quite pleasant."

Davey could recall what a bloodworm was from Yuria's description. Bloodworm. A worm-like monster about a meter long, with spines and eyes all over, repugnant to the extreme.

"We caught a bloodworm that had invaded the forest not long ago."

Well, she was a high-ranking spirit master, so it was not all that surprising.

"It's delicious and beneficial for the skin, you say?" Davey considered offering it to Perserque. However, given Perserque's rather discerning taste in food, she would probably decline.

On the other hand, Rinne, who had a reputation for peculiar food preferences, eagerly devoured the jelly Davey handed her, demonstrating a preference for its unique texture.

"Lord Davey, I require more data for my taste preferences," Rinne acknowledged her unusual taste in food, prompting Davey to hand her another jelly without hesitation.

"Rinne appreciates the distinctive texture," she reported with her foot clumsily bandaged but otherwise unaffected by her snack.

The taste must have been particularly enjoyable since Rinne, clutching the pouch of jellies Yuria had given her, briskly walked away, perhaps to share her newfound treat with others.

"Well, that's sorted. Although your naturally sharp appearance has its charm, I thought something softer might be more fitting for the occasion. What do you think?" Yuria summoned a water spirit that produced a large mirror for Davey to see his reflection.

In the mirror, Davey appeared as a young man dressed in a black formal attire, uniquely designed for the Rowane Kingdom. It wasn't a dramatic departure from his usual look, but it conveyed a more elegant image.

"Wow... Madam, I look completely different," Josiah Frances, who had momentarily been lost in thought, remarked in surprise.

"My goodness... one can change this much?" Another person commented, impressed by Davey's transformation.

"Don't exaggerate."

"You're not too shabby, except for your blood," Josiah playfully quipped, her tongue sticking out. She then handed Davey a bottle containing a liquid made from a red gem.

"I made it as you instructed," she said.

"How's the quality?" Davey inquired.

In response, Milpieu, who had silently observed the process, nodded, saying, "I believe the quality is excellent."

If Milpieu approved, it meant the blood mixture was of high quality. Davey removed his white gloves and used the Aura Blade to make a small cut on his fingertip. As the red blood dripped into the bottle, it began to glow.

"Oh no! What a waste!" Josiah immediately lunged, sucking on his bleeding finger. "Don't you realize the value of blood?"

"Okay, that's enough. No more."

"Don't be ridiculous. This isn't sufficient!" Josiah continued to suck on his blood until his self-healing stopped the bleeding. To those aware of her true nature as a vampire, this eerie sight was no surprise.

Once satisfied, Josiah wiped her blood-stained lips and smiled at Davey. "Congratulations on your upcoming marriage, sir. You're fortunate to have such a beautiful bride."

"Yes."

"I'm reaching the age where I should be considering marriage too."

Davey felt a pang of bitterness at Josiah's words, thinking about his own complex situation. "An impala being eyed by a leopard, its neck clamped in its jaws. Indeed."

"Am I the impala?"

"No, you're the leopard."

Josiah's expression twisted at Davey's words.

Davey likely voiced what was on his mind. He patted Josiah's head and slowly rose from his seat.

Many guests had already arrived at Heins territory for the wedding ceremony. He should at least greet them and express his gratitude, though he might also be inclined to subtly solicit gifts under the guise of receiving them.

"Well, let's go fetch the bride," Davey suggested, approaching Perserque, who was engrossed in wedding preparations, receiving assistance from Illyna, Winley, Tanya, and Emily, the priestess of the God of Forests.

"Prince Davey?" Someone called out to him.

"Who are you?"

1. In South Korea, a landlord as a job is perceived, by many people, as prestigious and wealthy in a lazy way. ☜