Ryan led Sulia into a quaint chocolate workshop that resembled an old tavern, filled with the rich warmth of history and a delightful sweetness in the air.
Resting against Ryan's arm, Sulia took a deep breath, her senses filled with the aroma. "Is that... chocolate?"
"Right on. This is a chocolate workshop," Ryan said, smiling. "Today, we'll be making our own chocolate by hand."
"Can I make a little bear?" Sulia's eyes lit up with excitement; she adored bears and had a collection of bear dolls at home, especially golden bears.
"Of course." Ryan chuckled, watching his wife's childlike enthusiasm.
Chocolate was an extremely luxurious item, with high elf chocolate priced around 330 gold crowns per pound. It was a delicacy that elite nobles worldwide sought out, partly because high elf chocolate was rumored to offer near-instant energy and refreshment.
The chocolate-making process was relatively simple. After a bit of guidance from the shop owner, Ryan and Sulia quickly picked up the basics. They melted the chocolate, mixed in cream, and poured it into molds to cool.
Sulia eagerly began with a teddy bear mold, while Ryan focused on crafting skulls, double-headed eagles, and sword designs. After a while, though, he set down his tools to watch Sulia as she carefully worked, her gaze intent on her little bear. Smiling, he moved behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her and holding her hands to help her. "Let me help you."
"Alright," Sulia replied softly, leaning into his reassuring strength. His steady breath brushed against her hair, and his chin rested lightly on her golden locks. "That's right, gently, little by little."
The shop was quiet, save for the soft sound of bubbling chocolate. The sweet aroma in the air grew richer, and Sulia's voice softened as she traced the bear's outline. "Is this right, Ryan?"
"A little lighter, just don't press too hard," he coached, inhaling her scent. "You really do love bears, don't you?"
"Bears are adorable, don't you think?" Sulia tilted her head back slightly to meet his eyes. "They're the cutest."
"But why bears?" Ryan knew she loved anything bear-related but had never asked why.
"When I was young, my father used to tell me a story to help me sleep. Long ago, the second Knight-King of Bretonnia, Louis the Reckless, led a hunt through the forest. All day, he had no luck, while everyone around him, even the young squires, had caught game. His knights, not wanting their king to return empty-handed, found an injured bear and placed it in his path, hoping he could claim it."
"But King Louis saw right through it," Sulia continued. "He scolded the knights and released the bear, declaring that hunting injured animals was dishonorable. He warned that taking shortcuts could forever keep a knight from the Grail; true chivalry required honesty and courage."
"From that day on, I've loved soft, round bears. To me, they're a symbol of chivalry," Sulia said, leaning back against him.
"You have every right to be a noble knight, my love," Ryan murmured, his voice shaking slightly with emotion. "I'm so sorry, Sulia. I've been so wrong."
"What's wrong, Ryan?" Sulia turned to face him, puzzled.
"I've been wrong. I always said we were united, that we were one," he said, holding her tightly, as if afraid she'd vanish. "But in my heart, I've kept my guard up around you. I've treated you like an adversary instead of a partner."
Sulia remained silent, listening intently.
"I've always guarded myself against everyone," Ryan admitted, his voice breaking. "I fear my secrets being exposed, so I label everyone around me, even you."
Sulia sighed softly, setting her bear mold aside. She turned her hand to gently clasp his. "I know you've had to protect your power as king. You favor Olica because she doesn't challenge your authority, unlike me, who sometimes feels more like your chancellor than your queen. Am I right?"
"Yes," Ryan confessed. "I was wrong."
"It's not entirely your fault..." Sulia began, but Ryan interrupted gently.
"No, please, let me finish." He took a breath. "I was born from a bargain of interests. My father told me everything, and I thought I understood. I saw the world through deals and values, convinced that wealth or power was all I needed."
Ryan continued, his voice growing faint as he reflected on his life. "I understood Veronica, Teresa, and Olica. I could give them what they wanted—safety, magic, or love. But with you... I never knew what you wanted, and that scared me."
Lifting his head to avoid letting his tears fall on her shoulder, he was surprised to see tears glistening on her cheeks as well.
"Why couldn't you consider that I just love you, Ryan?" Sulia's voice trembled. "Why did you think I wanted something from you? Is that really how you see me?"
"I've never dared to expect love," Ryan whispered, wiping his eyes. "Love is priceless, the cornerstone that gives humanity hope in this dark universe. Without it, we're no different from the high elves, who have lost their purpose. Someday, I fear we might face the same fate."
His thoughts turned to the ancient human empire, which had once achieved such glory but was now barely holding on, kept alive by constant sacrifice.
"Sulia, I've talked so much about my father," he said after a moment. "Do you think he loves me?"
"Does he?" Sulia asked, squeezing his hand as if steadying both their hearts.
"He loves us all," Ryan replied, evading the question. Like Guilliman, he knew the truth was too painful to say directly.
"And what about you? Do you love him?"
Ryan fell silent, his gaze distant. At one time, he had resented the Emperor, feeling trapped by the path laid out for him. Yet the Emperor had shared his vision, urging Ryan to become the knight of humanity.
"I... don't know," Ryan finally admitted, his voice unsteady. "I've respected him, even revered him, but I've always treated it as a transaction."
"Power alone can't change everything, Ryan," Sulia whispered. "The high elves with all their scheming haven't halted their decline. Look at Phoenix King Finuba—he's a testament to that."
Ryan couldn't help but smile at her insight. Politics wasn't as simple as cutting through foes to inspire loyalty and usher in prosperity. Finuba's rise as Phoenix King was proof of how complex leadership truly was.
"That's true." Ryan's tone grew somber again. "But I'm a king. I have to protect everyone. Chaos is closing in, and the Great Ward left by the Old Ones weakens with each moment."
"You're a man, Ryan. You don't have to shoulder it alone." Tears shimmered in Sulia's eyes as she clutched his hand. "Let me help you. Let us all help you."
"Alright." Ryan spoke with newfound conviction, as if an immense weight had lifted. Leaning into her, he relaxed in a way he hadn't in years. "Let me tell you everything. Prepare yourself for a long tale, my love."
"The story begins when my father decided to create twenty primarchs to be his aides..."
Over the next thirty minutes, as they made chocolate together, Ryan shared his life story with Sulia. He held nothing back.
Sulia listened without a single surprised reaction, only a deep calm. When he finally finished, she gave a soft sigh. "Ryan, your origins are as extraordinary as I suspected."
"You're not shocked?" Ryan leaned close to her, placing his chin by her ear, grateful beyond words for his wife.
"I'd always prepared myself for this day," Sulia replied with a serene smile. "I was only waiting for you to tell me."
"Now you know," Ryan said, exhaling deeply as he steadied himself. "Sulia, I..."
"Take your time," she whispered, encouraging him. "I'm listening."
"I love you, Sulia." Ryan finally mustered the courage to say the words that had been so difficult. "Meeting you is the greatest honor of my life."
"I love you too," she whispered, turning to kiss him.
In that moment, the world faded away, leaving only their shared breaths, heartbeats, and the sweet scent of chocolate in the air.
After three minutes, they finally parted. Sulia, slightly embarrassed yet playful, chuckled. "Why did that feel like our first kiss?"
Blushing deeply, Ryan found himself at a loss for words. The king of Bretonnia, momentarily speechless before his queen.
"Looks like our chocolates are ready." Sulia grinned, her laughter bright and triumphant as she held up a bear-shaped chocolate. "Want to try one? Ahh~"
As they finished packing the chocolates, a sudden warmth filled the room. A golden light glowed, and from within, the figure of Sanguinius, Gene-Primarch of the Blood Angels, appeared before them.
"Keep your hearts alight with compassion, care for the weak, and never lose your humanity, no matter the betrayals you face," Sanguinius's voice resonated with emotion as he gazed at them both. "Greatness lies not in schemes alone but in love, courage, and justice—these are humanity's anchors in a cold universe. Only by loving others will you be loved
in return."
"Brother?!" Ryan gasped.
"Your love awakened me," Sanguinius said, nodding to Sulia. "Though time and hardship wear us down, always remember our purpose. That is our true foundation."
"Sulia, you have my blessing," he added, smiling at her.
---
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