Year 9 – Mid-Spring, Astral Capital
The banquet hall of the Imperial Palace glowed beneath a thousand hovering lamps. Gold light fell across marble floors and silver tables. Nobles whispered between courses, pretending not to stare at the strange guest seated near the center—Ketsuraku Van Helsing, the Blood Elf who built a domain without the Emperor's blessing.
Beside him sat Princess Rosa Seraphiel, radiant and defiant in crimson silk, and across from her, Princess Luminous Akari Noctelle, composed in white and silver. One burned like sunrise, the other gleamed like moonlight. Between them, Ketsuraku's quiet calm unsettled the entire hall.
When the Emperor rose from his throne, the sound of metal on marble silenced all conversation.
"Tonight," he said, "we honor the creator of Crimson Haven. His power unites what has been divided since the fall of the World Tree—blood, light, and void. Let every noble here remember that balance is strength."
Applause followed, polite and shallow. Ketsuraku bowed his head slightly, though his hand twitched toward the invisible hilt of his scythe.
The Emperor continued. "A power such as this must be tied to the Empire, not left to drift. Therefore, I decree that Lord Ketsuraku shall wed my daughter, Princess Luminous Akari Noctelle, to bring our realms into perfect harmony."
Gasps broke through the chamber. Rosa froze. The goblet in her hand cracked.
Before anyone could speak, a new voice rang across the hall—deep, resonant, and angry.
"Your Majesty."
Every head turned toward the entrance, where a tall figure approached, his armor gleaming with holy fire. His white hair flowed like a banner of light.
Archduke Seraphiel, ruler of the Holy City of Dawn—Rosa's father.
He bowed, but the motion carried no submission. "Your Majesty speaks of harmony, yet forgets who defended this Empire when the demons crossed the southern veil. My daughter bled beside this boy when none of your priests dared approach him. If he is to marry Light, then Blood shall not be cast aside."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed. "You would challenge a royal decree?"
"I would balance it," Seraphiel said. "You cannot command the void and ignore the sun. My daughter bears the Celestial Flame. Without her, the bloodline you wish to create will consume itself."
The silence that followed was heavy. Even the guards dared not breathe.
Then the Emperor smiled—the kind of smile one uses when turning defeat into profit."Then let it be done. The Empire will have its balance. Lord Ketsuraku Van Helsing shall marry both Princess Luminous Akari Noctelle and Princess Rosa Seraphiel. Thus will Blood and Light become one foundation beneath the crown."
The nobles bowed; whispers swept the room like wind through dry leaves.
Rosa stared at her father, then at the Emperor. "You call this unity? It feels like war written in silk."
Luminous's voice was soft but steady. "It is both. My father binds nations the way others forge weapons."
The Emperor raised his hand, ending the debate. "Prepare the ceremony. At the next Blood Moon, the Union of Blood and Light shall be sanctified beneath Heaven's eye."
Ketsuraku stood. "If this is the will of the throne, then so be it. But remember—every crown rests on the river that carries it."
The Emperor's gaze lingered on him. "And every river flows where I choose."
That night, Ketsuraku stood alone on the balcony of the palace. The city below shimmered with golden light. The air smelled of metal and roses.
From the corner of his eye, a shadow flickered. Ix appeared, tipping his cane and grinning like a jester who'd predicted the ending all along.
"Two empires, two brides," Ix said. "Not bad for a boy who started dead."Ketsuraku didn't look at him. "You sound amused.""I'm always amused when mortals call chains unity."
Ix vanished in a scatter of red code, leaving only the whisper of laughter.
[System Update]Divine Contract Formed – Union of Blood and Light
Bonuses: +15% Reputation, +10% Diplomacy, +5% Summon Synchronization
Drawback: Emotional Instability – Bonds under pressure may fracture
[Skill Progression]
Silver Tongue level 1 – 56% Mastery
Blood Magic level 1 – 36% Mastery
Nihility Magic level 1 – 28% Mastery
The two princesses stood apart in the moonlit courtyard that night—Rosa fiery and furious, Luminous silent but unreadable. Between them, the wind carried the faint echo of a wedding bell not yet rung.