The Great Wish - Chapter 45: It Will Come To Pass (5)

All imperial ceremonies followed strict religious customs, and funerals were no exception. Imperial funerals were simple, almost excessively so, given they were meant to honor the death of a ruler of the world.

Aside from royal weddings, which were considered the grandest of all ceremonies, the funeral rites of the empire were considered humble, almost to the point of austerity.

The entire ceremony spanned three days, during which priests led prayers, asking the gods to grant the deceased eternal rest. Afterward, the body would be laid to rest in the imperial cemetery.

On the morning of the former emperor’s passing, the pillar of light disappeared. Many believed that the gods had come to take his soul.

Sienna did not correct their misunderstanding; in fact, she subtly encouraged it. She felt that elevating her late father’s honor was the last act of filial piety she could perform.

After the three days of the funeral, Sienna was overcome with an overwhelming sense of emptiness. The weight of the responsibilities she carried now seemed heavier, with the realization that her father was no longer there.

She left the post-funeral arrangements to Kuhn.

“I don’t want to see anyone today.”

“I understand. I’ll handle everything with the Iron King.”

Returning to her bedroom, Sienna sat in her rocking chair, staring blankly for a long time.

Suddenly, she remembered the Sacred Tree.

The Sacred Tree!

She jumped up. The disappearance of the light had coincided with the funeral, so she had put off her visit.

Rushing to the Sacred Tree chamber, her heart raced with anticipation as she approached the door. As she opened it, a refreshing breeze washed over her. The Sacred Tree, standing tall under the sunlight, was as green and steadfast as ever.

What’s changed?

She approached it and looked up. Her eyes widened in shock. Where the flowers had once bloomed, round fruits had appeared, pearly white like large pearls.

Fruits?

Sienna could hardly believe what she was seeing. There were records of the Sacred Tree blooming, but there had never been a single mention of it bearing fruit.

And there weren’t just one or two. Dozens of fruits were hanging from the branches, as numerous as the flowers that had once covered the tree. She couldn’t even estimate how many there were.

Sienna stretched her hand toward the fruit, but it was too far. All of them hung high up, out of reach. Though the distance made it hard to gauge their size, the fruits appeared larger than any fruit she could hold with two hands.

A passage from a rejected scholar’s thesis crossed her mind:

“All living things are born, grow, and eventually produce seeds. The Sacred Tree defies the natural order.”

All living beings die. The world sustains itself because life continues through the birth of new generations.

Even the godly descendants did not enjoy eternal life. No matter how miraculous the Sacred Tree was, it was still just a tree. It might live longer than humans, but eventually, it too would die.

No one had ever questioned why the Sacred Tree only bloomed but never bore fruit. It had been treated as a sacred mystery, almost taboo. Except for that one scholar, a century ago.

Could this be the “great completion” that was foretold?

If all these fruits sprouted into new Sacred Trees, the whole world could bask in divine blessing. There would be no need to fear the monstrous threats, and the desertification would slow down.

But with light comes a shadow.

As Sienna circled the Sacred Tree, deep in thought, she pondered the consequences.

But… if this happens, the empire’s influence will diminish.

The empire’s power rested on its ability to grant the Sacred Tree’s branches to vassal states. Even if the empire didn’t interfere directly in their internal affairs, there was a symbolic hierarchy. This was what allowed the empire to remain the center of the world.

As empress, her role was to uphold the will of the gods and lead the empire’s prosperity.

But if the two values conflict, as emperor… which should I choose?

Sienna stopped as she noticed a fruit hanging slightly lower than the others. She reached for it, standing on her toes and even jumping slightly, but it remained just out of reach.

I need something to stand on…

Sienna looked around but found nothing suitable to stand on. She turned and went to the door. As she pushed it open, the attendants waiting outside lowered their heads.

“Lady-in-waiting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You should…”

She was about to request a stool or ladder but changed her mind.

“Bring the Duke here. Tell him to come directly into the Sacred Tree chamber.”

After giving the order, she returned inside. Standing beneath the Sacred Tree, she gazed up at it while waiting for Kuhn.

Soon, she heard a soft cough and turned to see Kuhn standing quietly at a distance. He placed his hand over his heart and gave a small bow.

“You summoned me, Your Majesty?”

Sienna burst out laughing. While he usually spoke informally when no one else was around, every now and then, Kuhn would call her “Your Majesty,” which always amused her. It wasn’t out of formality or jest; it felt as natural as calling her by her name.

No matter how many others addressed her as “Empress,” Kuhn’s unchanging attitude reminded her that, to him, she was still his partner and family, not just a ruler.

“Kuhn, come here and look at this,” she said, gesturing for him to join her.

Kuhn approached, though his steps slowed slightly as he neared the Sacred Tree. Nevertheless, he didn’t stop and stood beside Sienna. Like her, he tilted his head back to look up at the tree. His eyes widened in surprise.

“Fruits…?”

“I think the ‘great completion’ refers to these fruits,” Sienna replied.

Kuhn, still staring in awe at the Sacred Tree, remained silent.

“Kuhn?” Sienna prompted.

Startled from his reverie, he responded, “Hmm? Oh… I’m just amazed. Fruits… Does this mean we can plant them and grow new Sacred Trees?”

“We’ll have to find out. But I need your help with something right now.”

Sienna led him over to the fruit she had been eyeing earlier.

“If you lift me, I think I can reach it.”

Kuhn held her up as high as he could. Sienna stretched out her hands, trying to grasp the fruit. Just as she was about to wrap her fingers around it, the fruit slipped away.

“Huh?”

She tried again, this time making a quick grab for it, but again, her hands closed around empty air. Even on her third attempt, the fruit eluded her.

“Kuhn, put me down.”

After setting her down, Kuhn looked at her empty hands with a puzzled expression.

“The fruit seems to avoid my hand. I don’t think I’m supposed to pick it.”

“Maybe it’s not ripe yet. Fruits take time to mature after they appear on a tree.”

Unripe fruit… His reasoning made sense. Perhaps the fruits of the Sacred Tree would hang there for an indefinite time before they were ready to be harvested.

In a way, Sienna felt relieved. For now, she wouldn’t have to make the difficult choice between two conflicting values.

“Tomorrow, I’ll call the priests and have them count the fruits.”

“That might be a tough job.”

“Even if we can’t be precise, we should at least have a rough idea.”

Sienna sighed softly. So much had happened in just a few days that she felt completely drained. Although the Sacred Tree had bloomed and borne fruit on the day she was crowned, she felt more burdened than joyful. The expectations placed upon her were enormous.

“…Do you think I can do this well?” she asked.

Kuhn gently pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her waist, and kissed her temple.

“You only need to do what you’re capable of and what you want to do. The blooming of the flowers and the fruits is a sign that you’re allowed to do just that.”

Sienna smiled faintly.

“A ruler who only does what they want is a tyrant.”

“Tyrants aren’t made easily. You, my love, are far from that.”

Sienna laughed, then suddenly lifted her head as if remembering something.

“Before we leave, I want to check something. I wonder if it’s okay for you to touch the Sacred Tree. I’ll go pluck a leaf…”

Before she could move, Kuhn caught her arm. Reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a small pouch.

He placed it in her hand, and when Sienna opened it, she gasped in surprise as she pulled out a green leaf.

“This is…”

“It’s the leaf Isabel was holding. I guess no one noticed and collected it. I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier.”

“…It hasn’t withered.”

Sienna stared down at the vibrant green leaf resting in her palm.

“So, you truly are a descendant of the divine bloodline.”

“But I don’t have any of the typical traits of the godly lineage. My hair isn’t special, and I don’t have a body resistant to medicine.”

“Yet, here’s the proof.”

“…True.”

“Tell me about your family. Do you have any relatives from your bloodline?”

“That’s a long story. Let’s go somewhere more comfortable to talk.”

“Okay… but wait. Before that, why don’t you try picking a fruit?”

Sienna pointed at the fruit and said with a mischievous grin. Kuhn looked at her, bewildered.

“Pick the fruit?”

“Just like how only you could write in that book. Who knows?”

“And if I can pick it?”

“Then it’s yours.”

Kuhn gave her a curious look before laughing.

“If I pick them all, I’ll give them to you.”

Kuhn looked up at the fruit Sienna had tried to pick earlier. He stretched his arm out but was just shy of reaching it. Lowering his stance slightly, he then leaped up. Sienna clearly saw what happened next—the branch with the fruit smoothly moved upward, as if deliberately avoiding his touch.

Kuhn tried again, this time crouching even lower before launching himself upward. This time, the branch moved even more obviously, swaying away just before his hand could touch the fruit.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Kuhn said, “It’s like the tree’s mad at me for trying to touch it.”

Sienna burst into laughter, having had the same thought moments before.