CH 12

When I heard that all the buildings that stretched like mountains were the Styx Royal Capital, I was truly amazed.

Looking up at the Styx Temple floating in the sky and the Arche of Apeiron, I was stunned by the grandeur of the white marble castle and overwhelmed by the orderly streets of the capital that seemed to go on forever as I rode in a carriage. My expectation that a religious state with sacred temples would be boring was completely wrong.

“The capital welcomes pilgrims and merchants from all countries. We provide them with a comfortable living environment and entertainment, and we also encourage them to renew their faith in the main god, Styx.”

In other words, the largest city on the continent is a very enjoyable place.

Despite being overwhelmed by the splendor, I was taken straight to the Styx Royal Castle. I was guided through the castle in my nun’s habit, and every person I passed by looked at me with curiosity. Nuns don’t usually go out, so I must have been a rare sight.

Eventually, I entered a spacious room and was told it was the reception room, which surprised me once again. The room was as big as the grand hall in Duke Uranos’s castle, with a ceiling painting of the main god Styx, windows that seemed to take up the entire wall, and a few sofas that could seat several people. The tea cups on the gold ivy-covered table were made of transparent white porcelain. I couldn’t count how many times I had been overwhelmed by the fact that this might still be considered modest, as it was the country’s most powerful nation on the continent.

As soon as I was led into the reception room, there was a knock on the door. For a moment, I hesitated whether to answer, but I gathered my courage.

“Please come in.”

In response to my voice, the door opened.

The man who entered had navy blue hair and bright brown eyes. He was wearing a white high-collared shirt and a mantle with gold decorations and tassels. Above all, he was breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes off him until he sat elegantly on the sofa in front of me, looking down with a cold impression.

He was none other than Athanasios Cypnimus, the prince of the Styx Kingdom. There was no mistake, he was the man who would become my husband.

I managed to come up with the idea that I should greet him and opened my mouth.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Eleni Galanis.”

I managed to say it without stumbling. I looked up at Prince Athanasios.

The prince maintained his majestic posture and said succinctly, “I’m Athanasios. Eleni.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s take a bath. Cleanse yourself first.”

Despite having just sat down, Prince Athanasios stood up.

——Wait, what? A bath?

“Yes?”

I was utterly confused.

“Didn’t you hear me? As a married couple, we should take a bath together. Let’s go.”

Prince Athanasios grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

This was turning out to be quite an unexpected situation.