Serpent Emperor's Bride-Chapter 109: The Ring That Was Removed

[Imperial Palace — Winter Garden — Continuation]

The tea had grown cold.

The warm air inside the glass garden no longer felt comforting, and the soft sound of the fountain seemed louder now that the conversation had fallen into silence.

For several moments, none of them spoke.

The Emperor of Thalryn slowly placed his cup back onto the table, the faint sound of porcelain touching glass echoing softly beneath the quiet roof of the winter garden. The warmth inside the chamber remained gentle, yet the heaviness of the conversation still lingered in the air like a shadow that refused to leave.

He exhaled slowly, his expression returning to its usual calm, though the weight of what he had revealed had not truly left his eyes.

"Well," he said quietly, his fingers resting on the edge of the table, "It seems I have turned what was meant to be a peaceful tea... into a council of war."

A faint smile touched his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. Levin lowered his gaze slightly in respect. "You did only what a ruler must do, Your Majesty."

The emperor watched him for a moment, then the faint smile softened. "...You speak as if you never left the court of Thalryn."

Levin did not return the smile. "The empire cannot afford another war."

His voice was calm, but the firmness beneath it made both the emperor and Seraphine look at him more closely.

Levin continued slowly, choosing each word with care.

"We have already lost too many warriors in the last conflict." His gaze moved briefly toward the glass wall where snow drifted outside. "And those who remain... are young. They are too young to be sent to a battlefield they do not yet understand."

The emperor’s expression grew serious again.

Levin rested his hand lightly on the table, his fingers still, controlled.

"And yet..." he continued, "...a matter such as this cannot simply be ignored."

He lifted his eyes again. "The vault was discovered near the border of both lands. It lies between our claims as much as theirs."

Seraphine listened without speaking, her gaze fixed on him.

Levin went on, "The treasure may have been hidden during the old wars... by one of our own kings... or by theirs."

A brief silence.

"And if that is true... then neither side will agree to abandon it."

The emperor nodded faintly. "That is exactly the fear."

Levin’s voice lowered slightly. "Which means if one army moves first... the other will follow."

He paused for a moment, then spoke the words that had been waiting since the beginning of the conversation.

"I will speak with Malik about this."

The emperor’s eyes sharpened slightly.

Levin continued calmly, "If Zahryssar stands as witness between the borders... neither side will dare move without thought."

A long silence followed. Then the emperor slowly inclined his head. "...You would do that?"

Levin did not hesitate; his voice softened, but the certainty did not change. "This land raised me, Your Majesty. If there is a way to prevent war... I will not turn my back on it."

For the first time since the conversation began, the emperor’s expression truly eased. A faint, genuine smile appeared as he bowed his head slightly.

"Then allow an old man to thank you once more... Malika."

Levin shook his head faintly.

"There is no need."

But before the emperor could reply, the door of the garden opened quietly. An attendant stepped inside and bowed deeply, walking quickly to the emperor’s side. He leaned close and whispered something into his ear. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The emperor’s expression changed at once, not alarm, not anger, but the look of a ruler who had just been reminded that peace never lasts long.

He straightened slowly and looked back at Levin. "It seems our conversation must end sooner than I wished."

Levin inclined his head. "Has something happened?"

"The envoy from the Eastern Empire has arrived," the emperor said calmly. "And he insists on meeting tonight."

Seraphine’s brows tightened faintly, but she said nothing. The emperor sighed quietly, then rose from his seat.

"Duty does not wait... even for tea."

Levin stood as well.

"As it never has."

The emperor gave a faint nod, then turned toward Seraphine. "Can you take—"

"I will take care of it, Father." She spoke before he could finish, her eyes already on Levin.

The emperor paused for a moment, then looked between the two of them. Something unreadable passed through his gaze.

"...Very well."

He adjusted his cloak slowly.

"I apologize, Malika. I had hoped to speak longer, but it seems the empire refuses to give me such luxury."

Levin inclined his head. "There is nothing to apologize for, Your Majesty."

The emperor gave one last faint smile. "We will speak again soon."

He turned, his steps slow but steady as he walked toward the exit of the winter garden. The doors opened, cold air slipping inside for a brief moment before closing behind him.

And just like that, the garden fell silent; only the sound of the fountain remained, and Seraphine was still looking at Levin.

Levin sat where he was, his expression calm, though the tension in his shoulders had not fully faded since the emperor left.

For a few moments, no one spoke.

Behind him, Iru shifted slightly, his fingers tightening around the edge of his sleeve as he glanced from Levin... to the princess... and back again.

The air felt wrong, too quiet and too heavy.

Captain Varesh stood a step behind, his arms folded, his sharp eyes watching everything as always. After a moment, he leaned slightly toward Raevahn and muttered under his breath, "...Why does it feel like we walked into something we were not meant to see?"

Raevahn did not look at him; his gaze was fixed on the princess. "I heard something... when we were at Veyrhold," he whispered back.

Varesh’s eyes shifted slightly.

"What?"

Raevahn lowered his voice even more. "One of the attendants said... the Malika was once engaged to the princess."

Varesh’s brows moved faintly.

"...Engaged?"

Raevahn nodded once. "She was meant to marry him before Zahryssar demanded a bride."

A short silence passed between them. Varesh exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting toward Seraphine, who still had not looked away from Levin.

"...I see." His voice was quieter now. "Then this silence makes sense."

Raevahn glanced sideways at him. "You understand it that easily?"

Varesh did not answer immediately. He watched the princess for a long moment, his expression unreadable beneath the shadow of the lantern light.

"...Letting go is never easy," he said at last.

Raevahn studied him carefully. "...You sound like you are speaking from experience."

Varesh’s jaw tightened slightly, but he did not look at him. For a moment, he said nothing. Then his eyes returned to Seraphine, still standing across the table, still holding the cup she had not touched since the emperor left.

"...She still hasn’t let go," he murmured quietly.

Raevahn followed his gaze.

Seraphine’s fingers were resting lightly on the table, the blue stone ring catching the lantern light with every small movement.

Raevahn blinked faintly.

"...You noticed the ring too."

Varesh nodded once.

"She never took it off."

A pause.

Raevahn exhaled slowly. "...That is a dangerous kind of loyalty."

Varesh’s voice lowered.

"No." His eyes remained on the princess. "That is not loyalty. That is the kind of wound that never closes."

Behind them, Iru cleared his throat softly, as if trying to break the silence without daring to speak directly, but neither Levin nor Seraphine moved.

The fountain continued to whisper between them. The past stood there... quiet, uninvited, and impossible to ignore.

Several long breaths passed. Then Seraphine finally spoke, her voice was calm.

Too calm.

"I have collected many more paintings since you left."

Levin blinked faintly, the sudden change of subject almost unexpected. Seraphine continued, her gaze lowering for a moment before lifting again.

"...Would you like to see them?"

For a short moment, Levin did not answer. His eyes rested on her face, searching, as if trying to understand whether this was truly about paintings... or about something else.

Then he exhaled quietly.

"I do not mind."

Seraphine nodded once. She turned without waiting for another word and Levin followed. Behind them, Iru let out the breath he had been holding, and Raevahn muttered quietly, "...Paintings?"

Varesh shook his head faintly.

"This is not about paintings."

They followed at a respectful distance as the doors of the winter garden opened and the cold corridor of the imperial palace stretched before them.

***

[Imperial Palace — Inner Gallery Hall — Night]

The art gallery of the Thalryn palace lay deep within the inner wing, far from the noise of the court. Tall windows lined the walls, their glass fogged slightly by the warmth inside, while rows of lanterns hung from iron chains above, casting golden light over the long hall.

Paintings covered the stone walls from end to end. Landscapes of the northern mountains.

Portraits of old kings. Scenes of war, victory, and winter festivals. Seraphine walked slowly along the hall, her hands folded in front of her.

"I began collecting them after you left," she said quietly.

Levin’s gaze moved from one painting to another.

"You always liked this hall."

Seraphine gave a faint smile. "You used to say this was the only place in the palace where people told the truth."

Levin stopped briefly in front of a painting of a frozen battlefield.

"...Paintings do not lie," he said softly. "They only show what already happened."

Seraphine looked at him for a moment but did not reply, they continued walking. She stopped in front of another painting.

"This one came from the western provinces."

Levin looked, a river under snow. Warriors crossing a bridge, as he nodded faintly. "The colors are good."

Seraphine smiled slightly. "You always notice the colors first."

They walked again.

One painting.

Another.

Another.

Then—

Levin stopped. His steps halted so suddenly that Iru nearly walked into him from behind. At the far end of the wall hung a large framed painting.

Older than the others.

The colors softer, the brushwork more delicate. Seraphine did not speak, she only watched him. Levin stepped closer slowly.

The painting showed the inner garden of Veyrhold.

Summer.

No snow.

No armor.

No crowns.

Two young figures stood in the center. A boy and a girl. Thirteen... maybe fourteen years old. The girl was smiling brightly, her eyes shining with excitement, her hand held forward as a ring was placed upon her finger.

The boy beside her stood calm, straight, almost too serious for his age, yet there was a faint light in his eyes that only someone who knew him well would notice.

Young Levin and Young Seraphine. Their engagement day, the hall became completely silent.

Levin did not move.

His eyes remained fixed on the painting, as if the years between then and now had suddenly vanished.

Seraphine spoke quietly behind him. "You said you did not like portraits."

He did not turn.

"I did not."

She stepped closer, stopping beside him. "But you let them paint this one."

Levin’s fingers moved slightly at his side, "...It was not my choice."

Seraphine smiled faintly.

"No." Her voice softened. "It was mine."

Levin’s gaze lingered on the girl in the painting, smiling without hesitation, without doubt, without knowing what the future would take from her.

"...You look happy," he said quietly.

Seraphine looked at the painting.

"I was." A pause. "And you?"

Levin did not answer at once, his eyes moved to the boy in the painting, calm, bright and unburdened.

"...I was young," he said at last.

Seraphine’s fingers tightened slightly, "That is not what I asked."

Silence filled the gallery.

Behind them, Iru stood still, sensing the weight of the moment but not daring to speak. Captain Varesh and Raevahn remained a few steps away, their presence quiet yet alert as the lanterns above flickered softly, casting long shadows across the paintings on the walls.

Levin finally spoke, his voice was calm, but slower than before, "...That was a different life."

Seraphine looked at him without blinking, "Yes, but it was still ours."

Levin turned fully toward her now. For the first time since entering the gallery, he did not look at the painting, but at her.

At her green eyes, at the same eyes that had looked at him the same way years ago... before crowns, before war, before Zahryssar. He held her gaze for a moment, then spoke quietly.

"Princess... I do not know whether I was happy in those days or not." A faint pause. "But now...I belong to someone else and I am happy with the Serpent Emperor."

The words fell gently, yet they struck harder than any blade. Seraphine did not move. Her heart pounded so loudly it felt as if the whole hall should hear it, but her face remained calm, her posture straight, her hands folded before her as she lowered her gaze slowly.

A soft smile appeared on her lips.

A small one, a tired one.

"I see..." Her voice was steady, though quieter than before. "I wished... I would hear a different answer."

She lifted her eyes again, meeting his calmly, "But it seems... it is finally time for me to let go."

"You should," Levin said, his gaze dropped briefly to her hand. "And perhaps... you can begin with that ring."

Her fingers trembled for the smallest moment, almost invisible. Her eyes lowered to the blue stone resting on her finger, the same ring she had worn through every winter since he left.

Her voice came softer now.

"...Before I take it off..." She hesitated, then looked at him again. "May I hug you... one last time?"

The words hung in the air.

Levin did not answer immediately, his expression did not change, but his silence was enough to make the moment heavier.

Before he could speak, Seraphina stepped forward for a hug but—A step moved behind him. Captain Varesh stepped forward.

His voice was calm, respectful... but firm as iron.

"I apologize, Princess." Varesh bowed slightly. "But except for Malik himself... no one else may touch the mother of our empire."

The words settled heavily in the hall. Seraphine’s eyes flickered once toward Levin, then back to Varesh. For a moment, something painful passed through her gaze.

Then she smiled, softly with dignity.

"I see... I spoke without thinking." She lowered her head slightly. "I forgot my place."

Her fingers moved slowly, the blue ring slid from her finger. For a moment she held it in her palm, looking at it as if it carried the weight of years inside that small stone.

Then she stepped closer to Levin and placed it in his hand, "I wish you a long life... and a happy one, Malika."

Her voice did not break.

Not even once.

"I hope... you do not forget the days when we used to run through these halls without titles... without crowns... without war."

Levin looked at the ring in his palm, then at her. A very faint smile appeared on his lips.

"I will never forget."

The lantern light trembled softly above them. Seraphine nodded once, then stepped back. The distance between them felt larger than the whole palace.

Outside the tall windows, the northern wind howled across the frozen towers of Thalryn, and in the quiet gallery, beneath the painting of a promise that never came true—the past was finally laid to rest.