Chapter 78: Annulment Ceremony (1)
Zeke led her down the aisle, their clothes a polar opposite of each other. One wore red and the other white. Yet there seemed to be some kind of unity in the way they didn’t look mismatched.
The further they got into the imperial hall, the more people started to whisper among themselves. They were far more shocked that the youngest Admiral of the Association would dare to escort her to greet the emperor before the ceremony actually started than seeing her alone and abandoned by her own family.
That was to be expected. In their eyes, the Association was an extension of righteousness and honor. It’s the home of every single Guide and Sentinel, treating them indiscriminately. And the Supreme Commander of the Association, whose duty was to ensure that the Guides and Sentinels on hundreds of planets weren’t endangered, was now hand in hand with a young woman they had never imagined him to be seen with.
This led to many people speculating once more.
Could it be that the two of them knew each other long ago?
Or perhaps, was the reason behind Lady Aisha wearing a red gown because of him?
Was Aisha Novalis really someone whom they could offend after today?
There were a lot of people who had the same thought. They weren’t blind to see that Lady Aisha knew the Admiral from the way they still conversed whilst they walked. And the startling scene of the Admiral responding to her made their speculation more cemented in their minds.
For those who might not know, Admiral Valaerion wasn’t just someone anyone could approach. He was known for being antisocial and liked to stay within the Association the entire year around unless he needed to go on a mission or enter a contamination zone to save people. And aside from those who had worked alongside him and had become friends with him, who all belonged to the Association, a young woman and an outsider standing so close to him was something that no one had ever dreamed of witnessing so soon.
"You can let go of my hand now," Aisha informed him as they had reached the stairs to the throne.
Zeke’s hand held hers a little longer before he finally let go.
Then both of them faced the emperor before greeting him respectfully.
"Aisha Novalis pays respects to Your Imperial Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy eternal health and prosperity."
"Greetings, Your Majesty. May the Empire shine forever."
Aisha had curtsied a little lower, the proper manner of a lady from a merchant family. While Zeke only greeted the emperor with a slight nod before he lifted his head. Their difference in showing respect and disparity in status was like the earth and the heavens. Yet, when people looked at the two of them, they couldn’t help but be mesmerized as they looked more like a couple.
Consort Gabriel had her attention focused on them long before they arrived near the throne. Now that they were closer, she felt the same as the other people who had that thought.
She looked between Aisha and Admiral Valaerion with narrowed eyes.
Then, she said offhandedly, "If I didn’t know what occasion today is for, I’d mistaken it for your wedding. You two—"
"My Consort."
Emperor Nikulaus cut in before she could finish.
"Begin the ceremony."
Consort Gabriel looked at him, but the emperor didn’t even so much as glance at her. He had his eyes in front, and when she followed where he looked, she was shaken to her core the instant she realized something.
Digging her nails into her palms, she looked straight ahead and called for the ceremony to start.
Everyone moved to take their seats and no longer discussed. Zeke had also walked slightly away from there and stood on one side.
The annulment ceremony would start first with presenting the annulment papers signed by both parties. This was the customary and only step for normal couples. A ceremony might not even be necessary. They can finish things cleanly and quickly.
But the empire had another rule. If a member of the royal family ever found themselves in a displeasing match with their other half, they cannot just annul their engagement by signing the annulment papers. One must present a justifiable reason for the dissolution of the relationship.
And since Soren and Aisha are Sentinel and Guide, the empire must ensure that they are not compatible by measuring their matching rate.
Sentinels and Guides also have their own bonded pair. However, it’s easier but messier to find them. Aisha had seen this in her memories. Like wolves, who can find their mates amongst the thousands of wolves around them, Sentinels and Guides could also do the same. But they don’t base it on survival instinct as wolves do. Rather, they base it on whose matching rate is higher with them.
And thus, a Guide can match with several Sentinels at a time or at the same time. And a Sentinel can also match with several Guides. However, not a lot of people have tried this. After all, they were afraid of the miasma that could burst out any time. Can one Guide handle more than one Sentinel?
Thus, the Association and the Federation strictly order that those who are of age must register through the S-M program to test and measure if someone has a matching rate higher than those who were matched to them from before.
When Aisha awakened as a D-rank, they immediately had her matched with Soren.
However, the result was...
"As everyone had already known. Lady Aisha awakened as a Guide two years ago," the Judge began the ceremony. Starting by using Aisha’s awakening result as a basis for justification for allowing Prince Soren to dissolve their engagement. "She received a rank of D, and a purification value of 29."
Murmurs erupted once more. A little louder this time, as there were still those who hadn’t heard of Aisha’s rank and purification rate.
Seeing the effect of his words was working, the Judge continued, "His Highness, Prince Soren, has awakened as an S-ranked Sentinel. Unfortunately, everyone should already see that they cannot be a match."
People nodded in agreement.
"However, we didn’t raise the matter of breaking off the engagement not because we didn’t want to. But because Prince Soren cherished Lady Aisha and the time they’ve spent as betrothed."
Once again, people reacted, and some even looked sympathetically at the prince, wishing they could give him a pat on the back for being such a gentleman.
The Judge was great at setting the mood and story in favor of Prince Soren. Aisha coldly watched him continue spouting nonsense with that long nose of his, like that wooden puppet with those ridiculous white gloves and yellow hat.