Light from the Shadow

Chapter 48

A year later

"You look great, Kuan." Rishi barged into the soon-to-be emperor's room without knocking. Maids and a few male helpers were helping him with his new uniform. Today he would be crowned the new emperor of Solbaru. The staff quickly removed themselves from the room.

"Brother?"

"How is everything?" Rishi asked.

"Except the elders, everyone is shocked by your sudden abdication of course." Kuan sighed. "Are you sure about this?"

Rishi put his hands on Kuan's shoulders. "You'll be fine. In fact, you manage to gain everyone's trust and confidence in you in a much shorter time than I thought."

Kuan flushed. "That's because you keep spewing nonsense to everyone you meet."

"How praising you is considered nonsense, I wonder?" The emperor sneered.

"I just feel bad. It makes me feel that my family snatches the throne from you twice."

Rishi took out an envelope with an elaborate design and passed it to Kuan.

"What is this?" Kuan asked as he opened the wrapping. There was a card inside. "This..."

"My little revenge to you."

Kuan hugged Rishi and laughed. "Congratulations!" He looked at the card again. A wedding invitation.

Rishi ruffled the prince's hair. "Don't think too much. Go and be the emperor now so I can marry Ayna already."

"You are overbearing until the very end." Kuan frowned at his dishevelled hair.

A knock was heard at the door. After Kuan gave his permission, Ayna came inside.

"Kuan! Congratulations! You look great!" She ran to hug the prince but was dragged away by her fiancé.

"Thank you for coming, Ayna." Kuan kissed her hand with a smile.

"I come here to deliver this." Ayna produced a sword and showed it to Kuan.

"Isn't that..." Rishi recognized the familiar design.

Ayna nodded. "This is similar to yours. But this time, I'm the one making it."

"Wow. You are making sword for a man who is not your lover or husband. What should I make of that suspicious gesture?" Rishi knitted his brows. "Should we swap?"

"Don't be silly! Yours can only be used by you and your descendants. Same thing with Kuan's. I made specifically for him. No others can summon the magi inside."

"Your magi... has healed completely?" Kuan asked. Ayna nodded and smiled happily.

"Who do you think supervise her training?" Rishi took the sword from her and admired the brand-new blade. He noticed the magi writing on the blade, right below the golden Solbaru emblem.

Kuan snatched the sword from Rishi. "This is mine, brother." And added with a smile. "Thank you, Ayna. I'll treasure this."

Rishi and Ayna left Kuan's room for the Grand Hall where the coronation would take place afterwards.

"The writing on the blade..." Rishi mumbled.

Ayna turned to him. She knew as the former Head of the Grand Library, Rishi was of course, familiar with the writing.

"What do you think?" She asked.

Rishi smiled warmly at her. "I think it suits him very well."

"Isn't it?" She smiled proudly, remembering the words she blessed the sword with, carved in ancient magi writing.

"May the light of the new sun continue to shine."

Ayna glanced at the sword hanging on Rishi's waist. "Qwentine must be proud of you."

He looked taken aback. "Why are you suddenly mentioning my father?"

Ayna shook her head. "Nothing. I just remembered the day we bought this sword together. I wish you could see how happy he was that time." Her eyes were tearing up.

He wiped her tears and hugged her. "I know... I'll never forget him. Although we are not related by blood, he will always be my father." He pulled himself. "I plan to go back using the name he gave me after this."

"Rishi Meanica? Ah... you're right, people are calling you Taya Mehari now." Ayna did not change the way she called him even after he was crowned the emperor. "I've been calling you that so it's fine by me."

Rishi stared at her for a while, looking like he was in deep thought. "Hmmm no... for you, I think I'd like you to call me Taya instead."

Ayna looked perplexed. "What's with the different treatment? I'm used to calling you Rishi. It feels weird to call you something else."

"I want to be the sun for you." He muttered.

"Huh?" Ayna was even more confused.

Rishi chuckled and shook his head.

"You choose. Call me Taya or darling if you prefer that. I'm not going to respond to the others." He turned his back and resumed walking.

"Wait, what? Hold on! Rishi!" Ayna followed him hurriedly from behind.