Magnius took a deep breath. There was nothing suspicious about the story because that type of venomous snake was indeed common in this Middle Country. And the venom of the Golden Tail Snake was more deadly than any snake in the world.
"Legend has it that the snake was a Demonic Dragon that was later cursed."
Well, Magnius couldn't argue with that.
"I can probably see where this story is going," he told the Emperor. "But what about you? Where were you at the time, Your Majesty?"
"My mother died after I was ten years old, Magnius," the Emperor said. "People say that my mother's love for my father was great, so great that she would destroy her own people, or take part in it."
Magnius took a deep breath. If that was the true story, then the Emperor's mother could do such a horrible thing.
Come on... Destroying your people? In this case, if not out of very deep love, then what else?
Well, Magnius the Mighty understood this very well. Love mostly made people crazy. Crazy in making decisions and so on. This was also one of the reasons why he who was already 40 years old still did not have a wife.
"But the reality is the opposite."
The big tall man frowned. He found deep sadness, as well as great anger on the Emperor's face.
"Your Majesty?"
"Did you ever ask your father?" the Emperor said. "Why is it that at the end of my father's life, your father felt so guilty about him?"
"My father?" The wrinkles on Magnius' forehead grew. "I swear to God, I do not understand what you are hinting at, Your Majesty."
The Emperor gave Magnius one of those smiles that were so bitter in the eyes, then she walked over to the man and touched his chest.
"Your late father was one of our people who caused my mother to commit suicide!"
Magnius the Mighty widened his eyes as if he had just heard a thunderbolt strike. His heart seemed to stop beating, unable to even gulp.
And he was certain that the Emperor had deliberately chosen the word 'our people' rather than referring directly to the al-Banix nation in that instance.
"Your Majesty..." Magnius suppressed his feelings violently. "Forgive me. I did not know that you—"
"I know!" The Emperor smiled wryly again. "It would be a lie to say I do not hate you for this, Magnius."
And immediately Magnius knelt before the Emperor.
Well, he could well have expected that. After all, there was bound to be a lot of pressure on the emperor's mother at that time who was not of the al-Banix clan. Although, she had already shown her love and loyalty to the previous emperor by taking part in destroying the Asurry who were her people in the Southeast.
"Your Majesty!"
"But I can't," said the Emperor with tears rolling down her cheeks. "I cannot, Magnius. After all, you are my cousin. Your father is my father's immediate family, and your mother is my father's distant family. I cannot."
Right, Magnius thought. Although the Emperor was born from the womb of an Asurry, in truth, she was the descendant of the previous emperor. Which also meant she carried half the blood of al-Banix within her. This could be proven by the snow-white color of her hair.
"And you..." The Emperor helped Magnius back to his feet. "I like you too much, Magnius. You know very well how much I love you."
Magnius tried to process everything with a calmer mind. And he did not deny the Emperor's words just now. Because in reality, he was the first man and the one who obtained the Emperor's chastity.
The only reason why they couldn't marry was the close family relationship between each other.
Had Magnius been a cousin on the maternal line, or, had Magnius' mother been a relative of the Emperor's father, then they might have been able to marry.
The customs in this country are indeed very confusing at times, Magnius thought.
"I do not know their exact number, Magnius," the Emperor continued as she leaned her cheek against her cousin's muscular chest. "Before my mother ended her life, she only told me not to bring this up for my father's sake."
Tough, Magnius thought. That must have been very tough for a young girl to go through.
"Since then, I have been cared for by special servants, in a small area in the southwestern part of the country."
"Forgive me..." Magnius embraced the Emperor with all the care he could. "I apologize for the sins of my parents to you and your mother, Your Majesty. Please!"
The Emperor tried to smile while rubbing her cousin's hand.
"No Magnius, you do not understand. I do not hold any hatred towards you or the descendants of the others. To me, one's mistakes are one's responsibility. Not their children, nor anyone else."
"Thank you."
Although Magnius was quite saddened by what his parents had done to the Emperor's mother and felt guilty about it, he also understood that the Emperor was a girl who always kept her word.
"And then, as you can easily guess," the Emperor said later. "When the young princess died from the Golden Tail Snake's bite, it was I who took her place in this palace."
"Seriously, I and everyone else could be said to be fooled by your appearance, Your Majesty."
"Because she and I look so much alike?"
"Yeah!" Magnius nodded. "Very, very similar. Except..."
The Emperor smiled again. "My father did not lie, Magnius."
"I beg your pardon?" Magnius frowned again.
"Those who know of my birth alike say that I was indeed born under the auspices of the Blue Star."
"So that story—" Magnius gulped.
"You know, don't you?" said the Emperor. "According to legend, every child born under that particular star must have a great destiny. And I feel that, Magnius. And at the very least, that legend has saved me."
"Well, you're right," Magnius agreed. "I still remember the uproar back then about the color of your eyes that was said to change from cotton-white to as blue as they are now. Then, your voice changed to become very masculine. Although that part of the story was—"
"Yeah, a lie." The Emperor nodded. "But, my voice has been like this since I was a child."
"I didn't know that you held such a big wound all this time." Magnius again knelt with his head bowed before the Emperor. "Once again, I beg you not to hate me, Your Majesty."
"Hey..." The Emperor asked Magnius to stand back up. "I told you, didn't I? You are the only cousin among the others whom I love and trust, Magnius. Please get up!"
"Your Majesty, I don't want to see you sad. Your burden as the successor to the ruling emperor of this world is already very heavy. So, if there's any sadness or other worries you're still harboring, just let them out. Just tell me everything!"
The Emperor cupped the cheek of her cousin who was much taller than her, then smiled very sweetly.
"This is why I trust you so much, Magnius. You are so sincere towards me, not merely for the sake of pleasure or a life of luxury like the others."
"Your Majesty, I have liked you from the beginning-or, let's say the real Princess Rulca. Perhaps both. Then coupled with the story you revealed to me, I was convinced that it was not a lie. And all of that makes me even more determined to continue supporting you."
"Thank you, Magnius. You understand me very well indeed. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
"By the way, how old do you think I am?"
Magnius frowned with a smile. "Truly is, I don't know. If you are the real Princess Rulca, then you are currently 20 years old."
"Twenty-five years old," said the Emperor. "The young princess and I are only five years apart."
"Is that so, huh?" Magnius smiled as he looked at the ruddy, blushing face before him. "But you definitely look younger than that."
"Hey, come on now, dear cousin! What did you expect? Some of my blood is Asurry."
"That's right. And I think, you inherited the same ability, didn't you? We both know that the Asurry is matrilineal, whereas al-Banix is patrilineal. And both are in you."
"Are you trying to tease me, Magnius the Mighty?"
The tall, well-built, and muscular man laughed smoothly. "I just want to say that it was the fusion of the two bloodlines in you that probably triggered the appearance of the Blue Star when you were born. What a destiny!"
"Oh, Magnius, you're so sweet. I wish I could ask you to fondle me right now. But, we can't do that here, my dear cousin. This is the Tomb of the Seven Knights, a holy place."
"I understand very well, Your Majesty." Magnius bowed. "Then, what else?"