When the officiant said those words, all the attendees in the chapel stood for a moment. A thunderous applause echoed within the chapel. Keith stared blankly at the attendees, his eyes scanning the rows of standing guests, but suddenly his gaze stopped on someone. It was Isabelle.

His eyes widened slightly, his hands trembled a little, his feet took a step forward, his expression looked restless. Lyra, noticing this, glanced at him and quickly shifted her gaze, sweeping across the entire audience.

There, she finally saw her.

A young woman stood in the back row, almost invisible. She wore a light blue dress that looked beautiful, her golden hair and amethyst eyes reflecting the sunlight streaming through the glass windows. Her expression seemed... content?

Lyra raised an eyebrow, her forehead slightly furrowed. Her mouth turned up slightly, her expression now looked annoyed as she looked at the woman. She not only realized who the woman was... but also understood the meaning of her presence.

The woman seemed to have deliberately come to her wedding. A faint smile appeared on her face, then she turned and walked out of the wedding hall.

Lyra tightened her fingers behind her dress, still holding her bouquet with a slightly stronger grip. She then turned her gaze to the man standing beside her.

Keith was still standing stiffly, his gaze not shifting from the woman, as if his thoughts were still trapped in the past. His lips parted slightly, as if wanting to call out a name that shouldn't be uttered today. But no sound came out.

Lyra, seeing all this, could only remain silent. Honestly, she wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know what to do; one wrong move and Keith's affection for her would decrease.

However, silence also felt painful.

Lyra took a slow breath, trying to stabilize her expression. The light in her eyes gradually dimmed, not just because of jealousy, but because of the bitter reality that she was trapped in a marriage with a man still trapped in the past.

For her, the one thing she wanted to do now was to finish this wedding ceremony quickly.

Isabelle walked out of the chapel in a hurried manner. Once outside, she sighed, then leaned against the chapel wall, letting the afternoon breeze gently caress her long, flowing hair.

She then tossed her hair back, closed her eyes for a moment, her hands folded in front of her chest, her chin slightly raised as if she was thinking about something.

"How was the situation inside, Belle?" A man's voice came from behind a stone pillar, his voice sounded relaxed and curious.

"Hmph, very boring," said Isabelle, then she slowly opened her eyes, her expression now looked very bored. "It felt like I was watching a cliché theater."

She then snorted, then closed one eye, her lips slightly raised in a cynical smirk.

"Besides, Your Highness. Why did you tell me to attend such a depressing event?" she continued in a lazy voice, a hint of sarcasm in her words.

The man behind the pillar finally revealed himself, sunlight washing over his face and his golden eyes shining brightly. He was Richard, the second prince of the empire.

Richard smiled faintly, then walked towards Isabelle, and without saying a word, he pulled her into his arms. Isabelle didn't resist, she just stood there, letting the embrace envelop her.

After a few seconds, Richard slowly released his embrace. He looked at Isabelle's face, then raised his hand and gently touched her cheek. His fingers traced the lines of Isabelle's face carefully, as if she were something fragile and precious. His gaze was gentle, yet deep and full of obsession. A gaze that not only adored, but also showed how much he didn't want to lose her.

"Alright, forgive me," Richard said, his smile turned thin, almost like the smile of a guilty person but still calm. He lowered his hand from Isabelle's cheek, but his gaze didn't waver.

"I just thought... you needed time to see your former fiancé getting married. To make sure that there's nothing left of him in your heart."

Isabelle then turned her gaze away from Richard, her gaze directed towards the fading twilight sky. She let out a soft breath, her tone light yet meaningful.

"I never had feelings for him before." She paused, then looked back at Richard with a teasing smirk. "But for some reason Keith is so obsessed with me, so... I think it wouldn't hurt to take advantage of it for a while. Give him a little hope, before I finally leave. It's entertaining."

She shrugged slightly, as if talking about a trivial matter, even though her words were sharp and calculating.

"Oh, of course I wouldn't do that to Your Highness." Isabelle stepped closer, her fingertips gently touching Richard's chest, then following the neckline of his robe.

Richard looked at Isabelle, his golden eyes seemed to penetrate the woman to the depths of her heart. The smile on his face was still the same as before. He then took Isabelle's hand that was touching his chest and held it tightly. His thumb caressed the woman's hand.

"Of course, that's why I chose you as my Queen, Isabelle." He said, then kissed the back of her hand.

Although she tried to suppress her surprised expression. Her eyes widened slightly, but quickly she lowered her gaze, clearing her throat softly to cover the unusual nervousness she felt.

"By the way, what about your previous plan, Your Highness?" she said, trying to change the subject. She gently pulled her hand from Richard's grip, "Is there any progress?" she asked, this time her eyes turned serious. She glanced at the man in front of her with a thoughtful look.

Richard finally released the grip slowly, then stood up a little straighter. His gaze became more serious, but his tone remained calm.

"Oh, luckily you asked, Belle," he said, tucking his hands behind his robe. "I got a report from the northern region's royal diplomats," he continued, a small meaningful smile playing on his lips. "They agree with my offer. Including the most important condition I proposed."

Isabelle raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Wow, isn't this good news, Your Highness?" she said, her voice full of enthusiasm again. She then stepped a little closer, her voice lowered. "So, when will they start moving?"

The Aurenhart Kingdom is a small kingdom located in the northern region of the empire, a region rich in mithril and magic stones, rare resources desperately needed in war and magical development. For years, the relationship between Aurenhart and Avandor has been good. Mutually beneficial trade through the export of these valuable materials has been one of the pillars of the economic stability of both kingdoms.

However, everything changed since the current king ascended the throne. Under his new rule, the kingdom experienced a severe economic crisis that affected every aspect of the kingdom's life. The King of Aurenhart began to question the continuation of their trade relations with the empire, especially the high export taxes on mithril and magic stones.

This situation was exploited by Richard, who secretly contacted Aurenhart's diplomats. Richard would offer them something beneficial if they supported his planned rebellion. Of course, for an educated and experienced diplomat, this is an offer far from reality. Fighting against the Avandor Empire, a large country with an unparalleled military might, is a very dangerous step, unimaginable to most people.

However, Richard didn't rely on ordinary logic. He knew very well that in a world filled with ambition and uncertainty, even decisions that seem foolish can be smart moves in the long run. Aurenhart, caught in an economic crisis, didn't see many other options. The export taxes on mithril and magic stones imposed by the Empire were very high, and the burden further worsened their economic condition. In their eyes, Richard's offer began to look like a way out of the slump.

Richard offered that if they supported his rebellion, they wouldn't just get tax exemptions. He promised a lucrative future, something too sweet to be ignored by a small kingdom sinking in crisis. Aurenhart would not only be freed from economic pressure, but would be raised to become a core ally of the new government that Richard was secretly planning.

After the coup succeeded and Richard ascended as Emperor, Aurenhart would be granted a monopoly on the trade of mithril and magic stones throughout the northern region. There would be no competitors. There would be no imperial hand interfering. All distribution channels and profits would be theirs.

More than that, Richard promised greater autonomy to Aurenhart. Under his rule, they would have full rights to manage resources, set prices, and even determine cross-border trade policies without the need for central approval. And to strengthen all of that, he offered direct military protection. Richard's personal elite troops, along with experimental technology and magic that had never been revealed to anyone, would be a shield for Aurenhart if a prolonged war broke out.

But behind all those sweet promises, there are subtle threads that only those wise enough to read more than just words can see. Because in the end, Kaelith's goal is not just to provide relief or assistance.

By offering such extensive freedom, Richard indirectly designed Aurenhart's structural dependence on his future government. Without military assistance from the empire, they would not be able to defend their territory. And without Kaelith's personal support, their legitimacy as an independent kingdom would always be challenged by the central empire.

This is the plan he devised to control the empire and the kingdom that has natural resources so beneficial to the empire's economy.

Richard then sighed softly, then looked at the blue sky stretching above them. His gaze seemed empty for a moment, as if he was calculating something complicated in his mind. His forehead furrowed slightly, showing a hidden worry behind the calmness of his face.

"It needs extra preparation for this, maybe about two or three months..." he muttered softly but firmly. He then looked down again, looking at Isabelle with a sharp gaze, different from his previous gaze.

"That's if the expedition that can be carried out by Marquiss Hale still doesn't happen as it is now..."

His expression then returned to being gentle. He looked at Isabelle like someone who truly entrusted everything to her. A smile formed on his lips, warm but holding a hidden meaning. "It's all because of your help, Belle."

He took Isabelle's hand again and held it, this time not with possessive pressure, but with respect and admiration. "You are not only my queen... but also my most trusted ally.”