In the Name of Empress-Chapter 437 - 304: Sinking into the Water, Overwhelmed
True benevolence is to end the war quickly, rather than being shackled by so-called kindness.
Mercy does not command soldiers. Now, he is the captain controlling a hundred million people and a vast empire. He must coldly calculate the gains and losses and make the right decision, even if some decisions are cruel.
Thinking of the captain, Roland envisioned a familiar face.
Captain Alina, who almost took him out to sea in exile years ago.
How is she doing now?
It’s said that she has also started to live in seclusion, practicing and preparing for the decisive battle.
As Roland and Sif admired the snowy scenery, vague footsteps came from halfway up the mountain.
Soon, the hastily arrived Raikkonen appeared before them.
"Your Majesty, Governor, this is a letter and official invitation from Liberator Alina of Jin Yuan Kingdom."
Thinking of the captain, and then the captain’s letter arrives, what a coincidence.
Roland received the letter and handed it to Sif without even looking.
If it were anyone else’s letter, he would open and read it directly, but since Sif and Alina have never been on good terms, it’s better for Sif to read her letter first.
Sif just smiled but did not take it.
"My hands are cold, you open it."
Roland glanced up and noticed Raikkonen’s figure already a hundred meters away.
This kid really knows how to read the room.
Roland chuckled and shook his head, then opened the envelope.
Hands cold? This excuse wouldn’t fool anyone. Sif had been constantly strengthening her resistance to the cold, her cold resistance is astonishing, how could her hands be cold.
She simply trusts Roland completely.
Alina’s letter was straightforward, after a simple greeting, she invited Roland and Sif to her observatory.
Of course, the public invitation was for a state visit.
Although Alina invited Roland and Sif, she knows full well that Sif will not go.
Sif is very busy.
"What does she want to do?" Sif knitted her brows and bit her lip, swallowing the second half of her words.
Their time is extremely precious, and if there’s no compelling reason, she doesn’t want to waste it.
"To spy on my fate." Roland said calmly.
"Is she out of her mind?"
Sif mercilessly ridiculed Alina’s approach, "If she had the strength and the guts to do it, she could have deduced it by now. She simply has no ability to deduce, she will still retreat when the time comes."
"This time is different, I can see her determination between the lines."
Sif frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with Roland’s explanation.
"You can see that?"
"Yes."
Roland’s fingertip pointed at a mark on the letter paper, "See, she wrote with such force that the pen broke, leaving a damaged mark."
Sif paused, smiled and teased, "Can you tell there’s murderous intent and determination from the writing?"
Roland shrugged, only smiling.
Otherwise, do you really think it’s a novel, where you can see murderous intent with one glance at the words?
He’s not Sif, with Insight Skill.
Sif took the letter paper, stared at it for a long time, then softly said, "Since you say so, I trust your judgment, when do we leave?"
"We’ll leave tomorrow, back by early next month at the latest."
"Alright, I’ll wait for you." Sif didn’t obstruct Roland, she simply placed her hands on his shoulders and back, stood on tiptoe, and closed her eyes.
Roland bent down to kiss her.
Sif who outside is the gentle yet dignified Empress, but before him, she is just a soft and lovely young girl.
Now is not the time to discuss love with the enemy at hand, but who can control the spread of emotions?
A flame strong enough to ignite everything engulfed the barriers of reason.
Sif’s passionate response, intermittently, yet easily tugged at Roland’s heartstrings.
"Carry me inside."
With the girl’s bold hint to this extent, he naturally could not pretend to be clueless.
Picking Sif up in his arms horizontally, Roland strode towards the bedroom.
Though they are already engaged, he and Sif separated with an ambiguous and intimate yet not fully transparent state.
According to Sussex customs, one cannot marry before a significant war.
Old Sussex believed luck to be balanced, marriage consumes too much luck, leading to ill fate on the battlefield.
War also has metaphysical aspects, one may choose not to believe, but it’s best not to actively challenge it.
Before Sussex soldiers go on expeditions, they say farewell to their lovers, trying to enjoy each other’s warmth without taking that last step.
They will embrace, kiss, promise each other, that marriage will follow the war’s end, but won’t do all that married couples do.
Should they truly fall on the battlefield, at least there won’t be too much lingering concern.
Leaving an unmarried girl to raise a posthumous child alone seems somewhat irresponsible.
Roland knew tonight would be when he and Sif finalize a life-and-death agreement.
They would enjoy intimate contact, solemnly vowing to get married once the war ends.
Even though such vows make Roland’s skin crawl, this is the romance of Sussex people, so of course Sif will do it, he can only follow suit.
Carrying Sif into the room, before reaching the bed, Sif suddenly broke free from his embrace, nervous as a startled rabbit.
"I’ll bathe first, wait for me." Sif whispered shyly with her head down.
A girl as noble as her would never accept having an unusual smell on the night of the agreement, not even a bit.
Watching Sif leave swiftly, Roland’s hesitant heart was replaced by warmth and more hesitation.
On this snowy night, it’s indeed a good day.
Roland patiently anticipated, then waited for over an hour.
Feeling anxious, he headed to the hot springs in the mansion’s backyard.
There is a natural hot spring on this mountain, providing hot water during winter, thus chosen as the Empress’s temporary mansion.
He and Sif sometimes stay here while passing through Emre Port, soaking in the spring.
Although Sussex people follow the faith of Feng Rao, their customs are relatively conservative. Strict upbringing means young people rarely cohabitate before marriage; they only meet genuinely on their wedding nights, so of course, they enter separately when soaking in the spring.
"Sif, still not ready? It’s already late."
The hot spring remained extremely quiet.
Impatient, Roland raised his voice, "Sif, are you okay? Talk to me or I’ll come in after you!"
The spring went quieter, the sharp sound of the whistling snowstorm remained overhead.
Roland’s hands and feet grew cold, his heart feeling pierced as his body trembled.
Despite the panic, he forced himself to stay calm.
First, eliminate the possibility that Sif was ambushed.
Sif is exceptionally strong, protected by the Insight Skill, how could she silently be harmed. Not even Sofia could succeed.
Most likely, she passed out from soaking too long?
Roland called out again several times, with no response, prompting him to check the situation closely by the spring.
As he approached, Sif’s familiar scent lingered, making its presence ever clearer.
She was indeed here.
Roland shrugged, not thinking much, and pushed open the door.
Regardless, she was his wife to be, seeing a bit prematurely isn’t disrespectful.
This is about rescuing.
Sure enough, Sif’s clothes were laid out by the spring.
Through the steam, her snow-white body could be faintly seen, half-reclined, resting against a stone, head tilted — she did indeed faint.
Passing out in the spring on their agreement night?
This could be laughed about forever.
Relieved, Roland approached Sif.
He crouched, reaching out to touch her cheek, intending to assess her condition.
He sensed Sif’s warmth and faint breathing, knowing she merely fainted, so he wasn’t overly panicked.
His peripheral vision captured Sif’s complexion submerged, Roland stood formally, paying due respect.
With a sturdy palm supporting her shoulder, Roland exerted delicate force to raise Sif up, preparing to wrap and carry her.
Yet Sif’s body remained still.
Perplexed, Roland faced the fifty-kilo mass, unable to budge — what was going on?
He quickly increased his efforts, still she wouldn’t move.
This time Roland was genuinely anxious; he hugged Sif, preparing to exert strength, but was seized by the neck and pulled into the hot spring.
Before he could cry out, submerged into the water, soft lips found his.
This tender, passionate kiss utterly devoured the last vestiges of his reason.
He sank deeper and deeper, into the water.
