After being forced to step down, the once-annoying nun eloped with me.

Chapter 3: The Purple-Clad Princess and Her Subjects (on 8K)

Finn's joke made Theresa laugh through her tears. But ultimately, now was not the time to let her continue crying like this.

So nestled in Yang Hao's arms, she quickly perked up again, transforming back into the aloof, sharp-tongued nun they knew, back into the person they were familiar with—but Yang Hao could tell that Teresa's every move was just an act.

He didn't expose Teresa's fragile pride. He simply stroked the nun in his arms gently, agreeing that they should just have the wedding in a few days, while waiting for the two to get down to business.

Subsequently, both Theresa and Finn believed that Theresa needed to personally resolve the matter—after all, the Bayrzans' target was Theresa, and only if Theresa, as the last princess in the prophecy, spoke would they choose to continue or give up on inviting the queen back to the underground capital.

"In other words, the Bayerns would never obey orders from anyone other than Theresa—as far as I know, my ancestors had a proverb that they repeated countless times: 'Between the emperor's orders and the advice of their mothers, the Bayerns will only choose the order that they, as soldiers, must obey.' While that may be an exaggeration, it gives you an idea of ​​how unwavering their loyalty to the royal family was."

Finn paused for a moment at this point. After glancing around Theresa's red, swollen eyes, she added:

"And Theresa is the last princess, the last member of the royal family in the prophecy—although I can't imagine how they fought against the demonic calamity underground and maintained their loyalty to the royal family...but one thing is certain, Theresa, they will only listen to you."

“I know…” the nun pursed her lips, “Just like how I used to only listen to what my Lord said, who is still full and hasn’t woken up yet. I can understand… but it still feels a bit strange.”

"[Light] would probably be furious to hear what you're saying now... Never mind. In short, Theresa, you have the right to order them back immediately, and the right to choose where your life should go. As far as I know, the Bayrjans won't force you to make a choice—so you can think it over and choose the path you want to take. Please remember, no one here will force you, so you must understand the situation before making a choice you won't regret."

"What if I regret whatever I choose?"

"Then choose whichever you like. I don't think His Majesty the Regent will say anything to you."

Yang Hao simply shrugged and continued to hold Teresa in his arms to show his support.

After some thought, Theresa said that she would have to wait until she understood the situation before she could make a decision.

She seemed to have become that strong nun again. But her trembling body still told Yang Hao that her heart was filled with anxiety about the future. He hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to stand up and say something.

“For now, when I contact them, I'll try to find out what's going on underground.” Yang Hao stroked Theresa's belly, gently drawing small circles on her navel through her tight-fitting nun's habit, making her blush but also relaxing her a little. “For example, the situation with the demons—I have a feeling the demons won't just come once. Since you, Finn, are also worried about the demons invading again, understanding the current demons is a good way to find out.”

"Yes, that's what I'm counting on—but is everything alright in Isgard?"

"I'll give you the report later. We don't need to worry about Isgard for the next two weeks—we just need to deal with our own domestic problems as soon as possible before the Roman Empire falls apart."

"Is it really necessary to be in such a hurry?"

"I need to allow extra time."

Yang Hao's explanation made Fen nod seriously.

The three of them remained in the reception room, seemingly unable to reach any conclusions. After all, they knew far too little about the Bayrzan Empire.

Everything still depends on the arrival of the Bayer Zans before a conclusion can be reached. Rather than staying here staring at each other blankly, it would be better for everyone to go back and rest.

At Finn's urging, Theresa reluctantly agreed to go back and get some sleep.

Yang Hao led her out of the meeting room. And the instant they left the meeting room, Theresa's feigned confidence vanished.

She gripped Yang Hao's hand tightly, looking down at the tiles on the ground with a dejected expression. In Yang Hao's eyes, she was like a pitiful and unfortunate kitten, so endearing.

But he also knew that Theresa wasn't ready to explode yet. He silently took Theresa's hand and led her back to their room.

And it was at that very moment, after they returned and Yang Hao locked the door—

Teresa, who had been putting on a brave face in public, was now sitting dejectedly on the edge of the bed. She looked down at her hands, unconsciously clutching her nun's habit, and silently let the tears fall from her eyes.

............

When feeling down or extremely agitated, people can temporarily escape their suffering through intense love.

Theresa naturally chose this path. After all, the Church of Light wouldn't forbid nuns from marrying, much less from falling in love with their partners when they are extremely depressed—in this situation, the only thing Theresa could do, and the only thing that could help her quickly free herself from her feelings of helplessness, was naturally her love for Yang Hao.

More intense than ever before, it was less about enjoyment and more about venting—when it was all over, she curled up in bed, her head resting on Yang Hao's arm. She hugged Yang Hao's neck tightly; only when Yang Hao held her completely in his arms could she close her eyes and get a good night's sleep.

Like a clingy cat. Yang Hao felt that the roles had been reversed this time—he thought it was great, but Teresa was in a bad mood just like he had been back then.

So how exactly should he do it? Yang Hao chose to listen and be patient, just as Teresa had been with him, and to ease the atmosphere. He patted the panting girl's back, feeling the warm, soft flesh pressed against his chest, and he smiled:

"You should choose a looser top for your wedding—otherwise, I'm worried that the wedding dresses I've seen will make you feel suffocated."

The little nun pinched Yang Hao's neck, then pressed herself even closer to his body.

“...I’m so scared.” She said in a whisper that only Yang Hao could hear, “I’m really scared...Little puppy, do you know that feeling? That feeling of suddenly being enveloped by the darkness of the past, where no matter what you choose, you can only sink into a bottomless swamp...I’m not saying bad things about them, but it really makes me feel overwhelmed.”

"Theresa, do you prefer a life where you can see the future?"

She nodded slightly, her eyes closed.

"Yes... I like a life I can foresee. I like to see you and me in the future, with our little princess playing around everywhere, frolicking with everyone from time to time. I can see it all, even if it might be boring and mundane, at least it's a life I can control..."

But what the prophecy predicted left me completely bewildered. I didn't understand Bayern, I didn't understand what that country needed me to do, I didn't understand what kind of power they hoped I would gain, or what kind of responsibility they expected me to shoulder...

Little puppy, I'm not like you. I'm just a nun. Just the responsibility of bringing that damned "Light" back to life, who's been sleeping and hasn't shown any signs of life since, is already suffocating me... And now I'm suddenly required to become a nation's Baselissa. This is just... sigh.

But what good would it do if I refused? Even a fool could imagine that the Bayerians, in the prophetic tale, were twisted into a rope and persevered for millennia... What good would it do if I refused? Would they accept it? In the end, the future before me remains shrouded in darkness. My only choice is to sink into the swamp and struggle, hoping that one day someone will let me see the future clearly.

I hate this. You can't let me go, and you'll definitely come over, no matter how much I refuse, you'll still come to help me... In the end, I'll become a vase you cherish, instead of someone you support.

I don't want this. My pride makes it impossible for me to accept this kind of life...

That's why I hate this. I hate this sudden, oppressive darkness that leaves no room for choice. I hate causing you trouble. I hate this.

The nun shrank back slightly as she spoke. Seemingly dissatisfied with the strength and manner of Yang Hao's embrace, she pressed herself closer, seeking the warmth and confinement that made her feel safe.

Just like a cat. Cats also like to seek security in narrow places. Yang Hao sighed, and in response to his lover's plea, he used even more force with both hands.

He originally meant to say that there's nothing wrong with being a "pretty face".

But putting himself in her shoes, what if he could only watch Theresa advance step by step while he remained stuck in the same place with no progress...?

He would watch her shine brightly ahead, while her side would remain empty and desolate because she had always reserved the most important place for him. Even in his most desperate moments, Yang Hao would feel immense shame.

His sworn brother once told him that if a woman is willing to do anything to be by his side, then what he should do is not to provide her with brute force protection, but to be her support when she is tired, to be the driving force for her growth, to be the handrail for her as she climbs, and to be the wall that will not collapse in an earthquake, and finally, to be the two of them who reach the top of the mountain together and become people who can be proud of each other and who will rely on each other in the end.

His sworn brother spent his entire life completing his test, and his sister-in-law also achieved her goal through her hard work. They are role models for Yang Hao throughout his life.

So he really couldn't bring himself to tell Teresa that "it's not so bad to be a vase and be pampered."

Therefore, he wanted to support her. He didn't want Teresa to regret it, and he especially didn't want her to one day secretly choose to leave because she could no longer keep up with him.

"Theresa".

"...Um?"

"Let's continue like this from now on, supporting each other every step of the way."

"Um..."

The girl in his arms nodded gently. Her body completely relaxed. Soon, a peaceful snoring sound came from her mouth.

She was tired. This was her safe haven where she could rest in peace.

............

Time passed and it was early morning of December 8th.

When the purple eagle banner of Bayez appeared on the streets of the Hanging Gardens of Fingal after a thousand years, all the elves came to welcome and pay tribute to their brothers and allies from a thousand years ago.

The purple eagle flag was so worn that the inscription on it was no longer legible. The flag bearer was an elderly veteran. Including the flag bearer, there were only seven people responsible for protecting the eagle flag.

They wore armor that had been patched and repaired for countless years, and held shields whose original materials were no longer discernible. The only things that looked brand new were their exotic weapons, but the sharp-eyed elves could tell that even by today's standards, the knights were already several decades old.

"Their armor... how many people did they inherit from? It's made of materials and leathers we've never seen before..." Some skilled elven leather craftsmen murmured solemnly, looking at the silently advancing column before them, utterly bewildered. "And those iron plates are a mix of old and new, many showing recent signs of damage... Have they been fighting underground, inheriting the equipment of their predecessors? Always using such worn-out gear?"

His former bow maker, now a gunsmith friend, gathered around, his eyes still filled with respect as he looked at the Bayer Zans man.

"Those weapons too. I can't figure out what their structure is at all... They seem to be able to transform, but can we really find materials on the surface that still have combat capabilities after transformation? And those materials seem to be special materials with their own magic... What were they taken from?"

"...I heard from my great-grandfather that the Demonic Calamity was apparently used as raw material by the Bayer Zans back then..."

"Then it must be armor and weapons maintained with demonic materials. Probably."

The elves were already filled with awe, but now that they deduced that the equipment of the Bayerzans Empire was made from materials from demons, and that they were still using demon weapons to retaliate against demons, their reverence grew even stronger.

For Lucas, the standard-bearer and captain of the reconnaissance team, the respect of his elven brothers was not the most important thing. He had learned countless times from his ancestors about the alliance between the elves and their homeland, but the alliance was not as important as the prophesied Basilisa.

"Hold your heads high, don't let our dignity be tarnished before our brotherly nation!" He reminded his companions in Bayernhan, staring straight ahead. Although they were veterans, they had never actually been to the surface, and were naturally capable of being stunned by the elven city's prosperity, potentially dishonoring their veteran status. "You are the chief veterans! Calm down!!"

But even Lucas himself was somewhat uneasy.

Underground, Constantinople's population of less than a million lived a rationed, dark life, waging an endless battle against evil.

Even the most senior veterans receive only twice the amount of dried cockroaches or moss, or perhaps dried lizards and earthworms each day—only on rare, fortunate occasions do they have the chance to eat cave fish caught from the cave lake. And these celebratory days might only occur once every ten years.

But what did they see on the surface?

The lush forest is filled with verdant plants that are a feast for the eyes! And the dazzling, blinding golden sunlight shines through!

How long has it been since they've eaten a plant in its normal form? How long has it been since they've seen anything other than a glowing mushroom, a fire-breathing demon, or a torch emit light?

Near the capital of the elven allies, there are legendary golden wheat fields! The wheat sways in the wind, forming a golden wave. In the elven forest where there seems to be no winter, are the elves living a life free from worries about food and clothing?

After his homeland sank underground for thousands of years, has the outside world become so beautiful? Lucas couldn't help but feel sad about the sacrifices his homeland had made, but the next moment, his sadness turned into joy.

He was proud of his country. Because his country protected countless lives and nations on Earth, and these protected lives must have also created new fame.

We don't know how they are doing. We don't know if the world on the surface has entered a more prosperous and advanced era. We don't know what kind of life the last princess in purple is living in her new family in the newly formed country.

I hope that the Bayer Zans Empire can still find a place in this new world.

Lucas led the way, steadily guiding the team's steps as they walked towards the verdant courtyard of the Hanging Gardens of Fingel, guided by the elves ahead.

This unusual situation naturally attracted the attention of the Issugard side.

The black dragon, who was fast asleep in bed and even having a lewd dream about vigorously ravaging a certain regent, was directly pulled off the covers by the maid who accompanied her.

Before Heilong could figure out what was going on, she was still suffering from a hangover because she had been drinking heavily the night before after being criticized and lectured by the President's daughter. The maid dressed her up like that.

"I said—?! What suddenly happened?!"

Nia glanced at the doorway, and after confirming through the black dragon's senses that there wasn't a single elf standing outside, she looked at her maid with utter confusion.

The maidservant hurriedly reported that news had come from the street—it seemed that an unheard-of country was preparing to make contact with the elves, and judging from the way the elves greeted them, the other party seemed to be a country highly respected by the elves.

"In other words, Lady Nia, you must find out what's going on—our merchants outside, and even the elves throughout the city, are welcoming those people! You must find out what's going on!"

"Oh...oh?! Then let me wash up first—that way it'll be easier for me—"

"Please clean your mouth with your dragon flame. No bacteria can survive being burned once. Now, immediately, get out of here! I'll prepare some food and water for you on the way, hurry!"

The black dragon was thus kicked out by her own maid. After sighing in frustration for a while in the corridor, the black dragon, now dressed in a long gown, hurried towards the street outside the temporary embassy...

In no time, she found the source of the disturbance. Through the conversations of the merchants of Isgard and other people present, Nia understood that the group that was attracting attention as it moved through the street seemed to be a diplomatic envoy team from the [Bayerzans Empire].

However... the Black Dragon couldn't understand why these envoys caused such a commotion when they arrived, and he couldn't understand why these envoys, who looked dirty and whose national flags weren't even properly maintained, received such a grand welcome from the elves.