CHAPTER 375: CHAPTER 198: NIGHT OF DESTINY’S ADVENT (DOUBLE-LENGTH)

With the inauguration of the new Queen Isabella of the Empire, and the calming of the previous event in the Empire Capital where many Evil Gods descended simultaneously.

The entire Fresta Empire, and even the Western Continent, returned to the long-lost tranquility.

Everything seemed to return to the past.

The nobles of the Upper City District came and went in the council halls, clinking glasses at banquets. Although the leading rebellious oath-sworn families had all fallen, the core power of the Empire Capital had a vacancy, naturally attracting others to fill the gap.

The largest share was divided among the Royal Family, White Tower, and Dark Shadow Council, while the remaining scraps were naturally competed for by the emerging new nobles.

The young people in the Black Lily District discussed the new book "The Tale of Xiao Huohuo" recently released by the Royal Book Society, and the latest gossip in the Empire Capital.

The hottest gossip now is—when Queen Isadella and the officially announced Prince Consort will marry, and some even opened bets on it.

Amidst the bustling crowds, it seemed no different from the hundreds of years of peace during the Fourth Epoch.

However, this seeming tranquility—

Will it be the day-to-day peace that continues for long, or is it merely a brief clearing between storms, nobody knows.

Perhaps, like the creator of the Glorious Era, the Ancient Sun God, imagined, deities touching higher ranks truly possess the ability to rewrite the past at will—

But the future is the one thing that neither anyone nor the deities can conclude.

This world is not short of Sacred Relics that can peek into the past or even rewrite it, such as the "Hourglass of Time" held by the Queen of the Night, Augutina.

However, no matter how powerful the divination and foresight abilities might be, what they can glimpse is but the tip of the iceberg of fate, not the full picture of the future.

"Thinking about it, even in terms of real-world time, we’ve known each other for ten years already."

"And if we count the time spent in the Garden of Eden—"

"Then our acquaintance, familiarity, and meeting... would already be nearly twenty years ago."

"Now thinking back, it feels like a lifetime ago."

The bright sunlight streamed through the window, falling into the serene courtyard, and also onto the girl’s hair.

Shiayar held a wooden comb in his hand, gently combing the long hair of the girl in front of him.

The waterfall-like golden hair cascaded down, radiating a glaze-like brilliance under the sunlight.

"Things from childhood, I thought you would have forgotten them long ago."

Enola leaned slightly against Shiayar’s embrace, allowing him to comb her hair and whispered softly.

Her thoughts drifted back to the Ceylon of more than ten years ago.

Before, it was Enola’s mother, the gentle Countess of Austere Winter, who would comb her hair.

Until that day, all past in Ceylon was buried in the thick smoke and great fire.

The one who helped her comb her hair became Shiayar alone.

"How could I forget."

Feeling the faint sandalwood scent from her hair, Shiayar responded.

"The dignified Count of Austere Winter, the eldest daughter of the Winter Flower Family, yet had a heart to run away and explore."

"And by a twist of fate, during your first runaway, your first exploration, you encountered the Northern Territory’s blizzard on the ice field far from town."

"If it weren’t for me coming out to collect the drying clothes before the blizzard, and Silver just happening to find the confused you by the forest edge, leading me to bring you back to the hunter’s cabin...then the future Sacred Spear Contractor might have been buried in the polar blizzard, right."

"At six or seven years old, enjoying adventures is quite normal, isn’t it."

The golden-haired girl leaned against Shiayar’s embrace, her eyes half-closed, speaking again after a long pause.

"However, I’m actually thankful for that blizzard."

"If it weren’t for that blizzard, our life’s paths would be like two parallel lines, so close yet never truly meeting."

"But because of that blizzard, there was the sole intersection point between two lines, leading to everything that followed."

"That’s not easy to say."

Shiayar chuckled: "After all, charming girls like little Ennie aren’t common."

"You are the only daughter of the Count of Austere Winter, the pearl of all Ceylon. How would you know I hadn’t been eyeing this sparkling pearl for a long time, that our encounter was a premeditated advance."

He stopped the comb in his hand and tied the smooth golden long hair into a simple ponytail.

"I’m a very selfish, petty, and greedy person, you know. Without that opportunity, I would probably secretly plan another chance to approach you."

"If you were as proactive and assertive as you say."

Enola opened her eyes, studied her reflection with the ponytail in the mirror.

"According to Ceylon’s rules, as long as you are eighteen, you are ready to marry."

"With your hometown’s old saying, now that we’re still unmarried, we’re considered old bachelors and spinsters, urged to wed by family."

"Ennie, you’re getting really good at jokes."

Shiayar gave a thumbs up.

"But there’s another saying from my hometown, that is, the Huns are not yet destroyed, how to make a home."

"In the Western Continent, it means the Evil Gods are not yet destroyed, how to make a home."