Chapter 1316: What the fuck?!!

It’s the people’s choice! If they wanted Aether, they would have to give up something, too!

Now, the people would not speak to belittle their Empress. Instead, they would whisper and proclaim how she had sacrificed herself for the sake of her people!

That was the story that would spread through the cities and villages.

That was what Aether wanted all along.

This had been his endgame from the very moment he set his plan in motion.

There was, after all, a huge difference between the rulers celebrating and the people celebrating.

For a true ruler, the joy of the people was far more valuable than any private victory.

Aether looked at Aqualina, his eyes wide with shock and pleading. "W-What are you talking about? E-Empress, please, forgive her—she didn’t mean it that way!" His face twisted in horror, as if the ground had dropped out from under him.

Sandra stared at Aether for a long, blank moment before glancing at Liora. Now, finally, she understood what this entire game was about.

It had taken her long enough, but the pieces fit together at last.

Sandra could barely hold back a smirk as she said, "She isn’t wrong, Aether."

Her words made everyone in the chamber flinch.

Sandra took a deep breath, her voice calm but pointed. "I can see what she’s trying to do... balancing the scales. I understand it. But me..." she trailed off, shaking her head slightly.

Aqualina’s frown deepened. "Mother, there’s no need to worry about ethics right now. The people matter more. If they hear that Aether married two women from the Zephyra Empire, of course, they’ll think his support and loyalty will remain rooted there. That’s only natural."

"Even so... making me a part of this is—"

Aqualina clicked her tongue, her tone turning sharp. "What’s so wrong about it? Look at Liora! She’s a mother as well, isn’t she? I don’t see a problem."

Sandra’s expression grew tense, the weight of the moment pressing on her.

Everyone tensed... the Maids who were watching this tensed and wondered what their Empress was going to do.

Would she give up? Or sacrifice herself to save her people?

But they knew she was not going to accept it, after all!!

Aqualina shrugged, as if the whole affair was nothing to her. "Well, if you really don’t want to, I’ll just ask Cele—"

"Ahem..." Sandra interrupted, her face suddenly serious as she straightened. "Well, if you’re pushing me like this..." She looked around, then nodded, her voice clear.

"I... I accept it."

"..."

Aether’s face was a mask of horror and disbelief. "E-Empress?"

Sandra replied, her voice suddenly distant, almost cold,

"Don’t worry. It’s just marriage in name only.... Just a name, Okay?"

But still, the tension in the room didn’t break.

The entire chamber had fallen into stunned silence, unable to believe what they’d just witnessed.

Even the Elders were shocked. One finally found his voice and stammered, "W-What are you saying? That’s your future son-in-law!"

Aqualina stepped forward, her posture regal and unyielding, her expression deadly serious.

"I don’t have any problem. And if anyone else does, then take Liora out of the equation... or better yet, just leave Aether out of this altogether," she said, her tone edged with cunning and challenge.

The Elders frowned, realising with growing dread that Aqualina was doing all of this on purpose.... to push them away, all because of Liora.

Their gazes shifted, dark and accusatory, to Liora herself. She simply shrugged, unbothered by their hostility, her voice ringing with a cool amusement, "If I don’t get him... no one will," she declared, arms folded.

This was the most disgusting thing the Elders had ever witnessed.

And now they were being forced to make it official?

What would the people say?

One Elder muttered under his breath, voice trembling with indignation, "This is not only disgusting, but it’s also damaging Lord Aether’s reputation..."

Aqualina just shrugged, her eyes sharp. "We have our own agenda. You were the ones who came to us, with all your dirty words and hidden motives, trying to twist the plan we had settled on. If you feel disgusted, maybe you should look at yourselves first."

The words stung. Several in the chamber clenched their fists, anger and shame warring in their eyes.

Kaelen, however, remained calm. He spoke quietly,

"We already accepted his polygyny. I don’t think anything else matters anymore. Besides, this is our internal affair. Otherwise, all of this would have ended with just those three." He glanced at Liora, who only snorted, "Don’t look at me—you all tricked me first."

The Elders, chastened, forced themselves to calm down and nod in reluctant agreement.

If this were the option left... Well, if the other party had done the same, they would have acted no differently, just to keep the balance of power.

After all, they needed Aether.

"But still... It’s your mother!" one Elder blurted out, his face twisted in confusion and discomfort. "How about another girl? Surely, we wouldn’t mind that, right?" He looked hopefully around, desperate for an alternative.

The other Elders nodded weakly, their faces pale as they clung to any hope of normalcy.

But Aqualina answered with unflinching seriousness, "Elder Liora is the mother of the Emperor. She holds an authority that in my Empire no one possesses except my own mother.

Do you think I would just let my mother get invovle something small? I know what I am doing!!

That’s the reality you have to accept."

The Elders sighed, some nodding their heads in reluctant acknowledgement... What she said was Logical!

Really Logical conclusion!!

But in reality... it was anything but Logical!

Everything was being twisted, reason itself warped to fit the new narrative. That was Aether’s plan all along... laying his strategies, one layer atop another, until no one could find the thread to unravel it.

One by one... Layer by Layer... that’s how he’s going!!

With both Zephyra and Naiadae giving not just younger brides but also two women who were mothers, some even mothers of children, the Aurora group fell into a stunned, uncertain silence.

At this point, they even began to wonder: Was there something wrong with the other Empires, or was it just them?

The High Priests’ faces grew paler still. At this rate... they were definitely losing their Archpriest.

And, considering Aqualina’s words, it was clear they would have to offer something equally valuable—something powerful, like the other empires had—or risk being left with nothing.

Aether blinked, overwhelmed, guilt and sorrow etched across his face. "Guys, I said it was fine, but... these decisions—" He struggled for words.

Aqualina interjected sharply, "You don’t understand any of this yet, Aether. I have accepted your little selfishness, and you will accept mine, right?"

Aether bit his lips as Aqualina continued softly, "Once you become Emperor, I’ll teach you everything. You need to be as cunning as I am—and as cunning as my mother. Otherwise, everyone will use you... just like they’re trying to now!"

Aether bit his trembling lips, confused and utterly lost in the swirling tides of politics and sacrifice, his heart beating wildly as he tried to make sense of the chaos that surrounded him.

The Aurora group trembled as well, horror and disbelief knotting their stomachs and making their hands shake. Their Archpriest—so pure, so devoted—was surely going to be tainted by these people, drawn into something they could never have predicted.

They needed to act. But what could they possibly do?

They had already given up their beloved Saintess, the brightest jewel among them.

Who else could they offer? Who else was left to compare?

No one compared to an Empress... or the Mother of an Emperor.

The Aurora group... had truly lost to these devils, their hopes dashed on the rocks of impossible politics.

"Then I will marry him too."

The moment that gentle, steady voice echoed in the grand hall, every face snapped toward its source—the Archpriestess herself.

She sat straight, a lost and gentle smile upon her lips as she looked around at her loyal followers and the High Priests, her eyes brimming with warmth and unshed tears.

"As much as I hate to force this fate upon Archpriest... I know what you have all sacrificed to come this far. Even the Saintess did her part, gave her best, put everything on the line. Compared to that, what I offer now is a small thing in the balance," she said, her gaze turning teary and maternal, like a mother finally accepting her role in her children’s destiny—her hands trembling, yet her spirit unyielding!!

"AYOOO!! Archpriestess!!"

"No words could ever describe your sacrifice!!"

"We are so glad to have you!!"

"Please forgive us for being unable to do anything to help!!"

"We will definitely live up to your expectations, we promise!!"

"We love you! Deeply, truly, with all our hearts!!!"

Their words burst forth, filling the chamber with a chorus of devotion, love, and gratitude. Many followers and High Priests fell to their knees, tears streaming down their faces as they cried before the Archpriestess, hearts laid bare before her selflessness.

She gazed upon them with warm, shining eyes, her smile gentle and reassuring, offering comfort that reached even those most burdened by doubt.

"It’s all for the people,"

Those words stabbed into every heart present, deeper than any blade or spell. Even the thought of the Archpriest was forgotten for a moment, eclipsed by the gravity of the Archpriestess’s sacrifice and the love she showed her people.

She didn’t like it one bit in the beginning, yet in the greatest need, she sacrificed for their selfish desire!!

What a great Archpriestess they had—truly worthy of song and legend!

Even the Zephyra group found themselves surprised by her resolve and grace, exchanging glances filled with respect and no small amount of envy.

"I suppose, even they did this... ours wouldn’t be much of a problem," one elder muttered, stroking his beard as he nodded thoughtfully, and others quietly followed his lead.

Maelona tried to smile, but her lips did not quite reach her eyes. Aether noticed, but did not do anything.

The Archpriestess patted her follower’s shoulder gently, her touch a blessing and a reminder of her warmth.

"Come now, don’t cry. Just remember—don’t ever forget my sacrifice. After all, it’s only for the people!" Her words lingered in the air like a holy promise.

Then she turned to Sandra, offering a small, knowing smile, which Sandra returned with a soft nod, a silent understanding passing between them—one ruler to another.

"Yeah, all for the people," Sandra said with a sly expression, glancing at Aether.

Aether grinned wickedly, doing his best to mask it behind his hand.

And with that... the long, exhausting, tension-filled meeting finally drew to its conclusion.

The air in the throne room was thick with the remnants of trickery, clever plays, unspoken deals, stifled sobs, shocks, and shuddering surprises—every kind of drama imaginable had played out.

In the end, Aether’s plan had succeeded.

Against all odds, the doubts, the plotting minds of rivals and allies alike—he had managed to tip the scales in his favour.

Now, the people of all three Empires would believe this was an unavoidable decision, a fate woven by sacrifice and necessity.

They would tell stories of how their rulers gave up so much to secure this union, how much was lost and gained in the pursuit of unity.

The burden of their hopes, fears, and dreams would settle on Aether’s shoulders, heavier than ever before.

After all, he was now, through fate, marriage, and the will of thousands.

The ruler of three Empires.... Even Zephyra, though not in name, would feel his hand in its affairs.

A single man holding the power, trust, and allegiance of three mighty Empires?

Never before had history seen such a union.

Even the ancient records and wildest legends could not recall a ruler marrying both mother and daughter in the same era—let alone at the same time.

It was a tale so bizarre and miraculous, so filled with scandal and awe, that it would be whispered for generations.

Yet now, all had come together under one name.

This was a miracle born from ambition, cunning, and the willingness to shatter taboos for the sake of the Empires.

A history that would not—could not—be forgotten.

Truly... a new legend had been written in a single meeting, beneath a single roof.

If not for Aether’s meticulous preparations, his patient manoeuvring, and his almost inhuman sense of timing, none of this would have happened.

Not even Sandra or Maelona, with all their sharp intellect and cunning, had foreseen just how far he would push the boundaries of custom and power.

With the balance of power finally secured among the Empires... They would now have to carefully spread word to their people, explaining, somehow, that Aether would not only be wedding the Princesses and the Saintess... but also their mothers?

What the fuck?!!

Whispers would swirl, rumours would bloom.... one that belonged to Aether, the man who conquered three Empires!!