abcnovels
Chapter 193:
Chapter 193:
Chapter 193:
The capital of the Arad Empire, seen in reality, was nothing short of spectacular.
With endless stretches of beautiful buildings in unique architectural styles, it was a sight to behold.
The difference between seeing it in the game and seeing it in person was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.
Moreover, since it was the Founding Anniversary of the Empire, the entire capital was in a festive mood.
“Wow. This is awesome. Ohhhhh.”
Otto couldn't stop marveling at the capital of the Arad Empire.
“That's enough.”
Camille nudged him.
“Why do you keep doing that?”
“What?”"People keep staring at us. Can't you admire the view a bit more discreetly?"
As Camille said, Otto was the very embodiment of a country bumpkin who had come up from the countryside.
“Pfft.”
“Country bumpkin, A Country bumpkin.”
“Do you see him looking around?”
As Otto kept looking around in amazement, people passing by were chuckling.
He was acting like a country bumpkin.
“So you're embarrassed, huh? You feel embarrassed?”
“Yes.”
“What?!”
"Please maintain your dignity, I beg you."
“Because it makes me embarrassed.”
Otto grumbled.
"I can't even sightsee in peace. They keep giving me looks and treating me like this. Huhuhu."
Otto wiped the corner of his eye and gave Camille a pleading look.
"Stop acting. Weren't you the one who said you wouldn't come because it hurt your pride?"
Camille said with a stern expression.
“Tsk. You're not fooled.”
Otto pouted.
"Anyway, stop giving me looks. Let me enjoy the sights."
“…….”
“Wow! Look at that building! It's amazing!”
Camille decided to give up on trying to stop Otto from making a fuss.
‘"He seems to be enjoying it so much. I guess I should just let him be.'
Camille didn't really understand, but Otto genuinely felt like a tourist.
It was because Otto was seeing such a big capital for the first time in his life.
For Otto, who had never traveled abroad in his life and had only ever lived in Seoul, the capital of the Arad Empire was a joy to behold.
* * * * Read in GalaxyTranslation97 Website * * * *
* /SchattenTranslations *
The next evening.
Otto made his way to the Salzburg residences nestled close to the Imperial Palace.
Originally, the main residence of the Salzburg family was located in the northern part, where the Wall stood, and the mansion was simply a vacation home that they used whenever they had business in the capital.
Yet even that mansion was grand and extravagantly ornate.
Not only did one have to pass through a vast garden that stretched to the entrance, but the size of the mansion itself was comparable to that of a small country's palace.
Indeed, the nobility of the empire was remarkable from its very grandeur.
But that wasn't all.
The welcome ceremony was also magnificent.
*Thunk!*
The knights of the Salzburg family, lined up on both sides, raised their swords to clear a path for Otto and his companions.
“Welcome, Your Highness Otto de Scuderia!”
The knights of the Salzburg family greeted Otto and his entourage with loud cheers.
“Welcome, son-in-law!”
Duke Randol, son of the Grand Duke of the North and father of Elise, grasped Otto's hand warmly.
"It's truly a pleasure to meet you like this!"
“I greet you, Duke Randol.”
Otto made a courteous bow towards Duke Randol, the father of Elise.
Although Otto was a King, he was not on the same level as the Duke of the empire.
“Welcome.”
Elise's mother, the Duchess of Bellatrix, also greeted him.
She was a middle-aged woman of graceful bearing, and was known to have been a formidable swordswoman who had outclassed her young husband, Duke Randol.
In other words, there was a significant genetic component to Elise's talents.
Of course, that was hardly the only factor.
"Our grandson-in-law has arrived! Hahaha!”
The Grand Duke of the North, Giancarlo, also gave Otto a great welcome.
He wasn't the only one.
"So, you are my sister's fiancé."
"Nice to meet you."
"I never thought I'd see my brother-in-law in my lifetime. Nice to meet you."
Elise's brothers also welcomed Otto.
Hermes, the eldest son.
Ares, the second son.
And Ceres, the third son.
They were all knights of the Arad Empire and commanding officers of the Northern Army, formidable warriors.
“Don't you find him a bit too flashy?”
"Yeah, he's incredibly handsome. What if Elise falls head over heels for him just because of his looks?"
“Unless you're so crazy you want to die.”
Elise's brothers whispered behind him.
‘I can hear everything!' were the thoughts of Otto upon hearing the hushed conversation of the 3 Brothers.
*Haa!*
"Thank you all for the warm welcome. I am Otto de Scuderia."
Still, Otto maintained a formal etiquette with Elise's family.
It was an atmosphere of warm welcome, with not a hint of hostility.
While her brothers seemed a bit intense, there was no need to worry about it.
It's understandable because, to Elise's family, Otto was somewhat of a savior.
That's because they all thought Elise would live a solitary life, without ever finding a partner.
But the fact that she was in a serious relationship with her fiancé was enough to raise their spirits.
In other words, Otto was a very valuable acquisition for the Salzburgs.
So Elise's family was very interested in Otto.
Very much.
"When do you plan to announce it officially? Have you spoken to Brother Conrad about it?"
“So, what are your dreams?”
“Do you love our Elise?”
"What are you going to do from now on?"
"How far did you go?"
"Surely you haven't gone that far already, have you? Acting like adults?"
All sorts of questions were pouring in.
"Haha. Hahahha."
Otto felt bewildered, unsure of how to respond to the barrage of questions from Elise's family.
With not just one or two, but a whopping six people bombarding him with questions at once, his mind became cluttered, leaving him unsure of where to start answering.
‘Ah! H-Help me!'
Otto sent a pleading look to Camille, silently asking for help.
‘How can I help you with this?'
But Camille didn't have a clear solution.
‘Just accept it as karma. It's just your in-laws showing interest.'
‘Still, this is a bit much!' Otto glared at Camille.
‘What can I do?', Camille's pointed look while raising an eyebrow.
‘Uugh.'
As he was being bombarded for a while, a savior appeared.
*Creak!*
The mansion doors opened, and Elise appeared.
Elise was not wearing her usual military uniform.
She was dressed in a backless gown, wearing heels, with light makeup and a few accessories.
"……!"
"……!"
"……!"
Everyone, including Otto, was momentarily breathless at the sight of Elise finally making her appearance.
Her beauty was breathtaking.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that if God sculpted a single statue, it would be Elise.
*Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!*
How fiercely must Otto's heart have pounded at that moment.
“You're here.”
Elise smiled at Otto.
"Thank you for coming to see me."
"No, I'm the one who's grateful! Thank you! Thank you!"
Unconsciously, Otto kept expressing his gratitude to Elise, which was an unavoidable and very natural occurrence.
Undoubtedly, no man in this world could resist bowing before Elise's smile.
"May I escort you, my lady?"
Otto held out his hand toward Elise.
“Very well.”
So Otto escorted Elise to the carriage, ensuring she could get in safely.
“Let's go!”
Following that, the procession of carriages, including the one Otto and Elise rode in, began to move, totaling almost more than twenty carriages.
Toward the imperial palace, where the banquet was to be held.
* * * * Read in GalaxyTranslation97 Website * * * *
* /SchattenTranslations *
Inside the carriage.
“How have you been?”
Elise asked Otto in greeting.
"I'm always doing well. Been a bit busy lately, but overall, fine."
"I've been the same."
Elise said apologetically.
“I've been so busy that I couldn't come to see you. I promised to meet up with you once a month. I'm sorry I couldn't keep that promise."
"No, it's okay."
Otto shook his head as if to say it was no big deal.
"I know you've been busy, so it's okay. Just the fact that you come to see me first every time is something I'm grateful for."
“Is that true?”
“Yes. That's why I came right over here. I appreciate you calling me.”
"No need for thanks. I'm the one who's thankful."
“Haha.”
“By the way.”
Elise asked Otto.
"Have you been practicing diligently all this time?"
Indeed, a question typical of someone who only knows swords.
“Uh. Well. Mm.”
Otto couldn't answer.
‘Fuck. I've been a bit busy, haven't I?
Coming back from the Caliphate Kingdom and immediately pushing for continental expansion, Otto hardly had time for proper training, so he couldn't really say he'd been working hard.
Although he did it in his spare time.
"To be honest… I was too busy to train to a level that would satisfy you, Elise."
Otto didn't lie.
Instead of causing disappointment by lying unnecessarily, he chose to be honest, even if it meant admitting his shortcomings.
“I understand.”
Elise nodded her head.
"Yeah, I heard you were quite busy."
“What?”
“I heard about you from my family.”
“From the House of Salzburg?”
"Our family's eyes and ears are spread throughout the continent, so it's natural for news of you to reach us."
“Ah.”
"I'll help and teach you in your training. So don't worry too much. I won't get angry."
“Thank you.”
“But.”
Elise asked cautiously.
"Why haven't you written to me?"
"L-Letter?”
“Yes.”
"Well, I was going to send one, but you seemed so busy, so I held back."
"Next time, don't worry about that and just send it. No matter how busy I am, I'll definitely find time to read a letter."
That moment.
‘Was she waiting for a letter?'
Otto thought Elise might have been.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked him out of the blue why he hadn't sent her a letter.
"You… wanted to receive a letter?"
"T-That's not it."
A momentary blush appeared on Elise's face.
“I just…”
“Huh?”
“I was just curious.”
"What were you curious about?"
“The soldiers of the Northern Army always await letters. A letter from their spouse or lover."
“Ah.”
"I was curious about how much comfort they find in holding those letters close to their hearts, even beneath their armor."
“So you're saying you'd like to receive a letter of comfort from me, is that what you mean?”
“Well, not really.”
“Oh.”
Otto chuckled and said.
“You wanted to receive one, a consolation letter.”
“…….”
“You were disappointed that everyone else got a letter from their significant other, but not you, Elise?”
“ …….”
“I'll send you one every week.”
Otto happily agreed to send her a letter of comfort.
Elise is a goddess of war who fights battles on the other side of the Wall every day.
If a single letter could comfort her tired body and mind, what difficulty could there be in writing one?
"Is that true? That you'll send a letter every week?"
"Of course. Since I can't visit you, I should at least send letters often. From now on, I'll send them regularly."
“I see.”
A smile appeared on Elise's face.
* * * * Read in GalaxyTranslation97 Website * * * *
* /SchattenTranslations *
That night.
The Imperial Palace of the Arad Empire was hosting a grand and lavish banquet.
The size of the banquet hall alone, which was as large as a typical kingdom's palace with a bit of exaggeration, made it hard to even imagine how much manpower and money went into its preparation.
Since the most noble and famous people of this continent were invited to the banquet, it was only natural that all eyes were on them as they entered.
But no one attracted more attention than Otto and Elise.
“Now entering, Lady Elise.”
"His Majesty Otto de Scuderia, King of the Lota Kingdom, is entering."
Otto and Elise entered the ballroom.
"…….!"
"…….!"
"…….!"
The people who entered the banquet hall first couldn't help but lose their composure upon seeing Otto and Elise.
The unreal harmony of beauty between Otto and Elise left everyone speechless, their mouths agape in astonishment.
But only for a moment.
“My God!”
“What a couple!”
“How can they be so handsome and beautiful!”
“Who in the world is that young man, how can he be so handsome!”
“Oh my, oh my!”
As people regained their senses, they began chattering among themselves, each offering a comment or two about Otto and Elise.
And….
‘What the hell.'
Upon seeing the scene, Emperor Argonne, who had entered the banquet hall first, flew into a rage.
Because, no matter how handsome Emperor Argonne was, he couldn't compare to Otto in appearance.