"You want to announce your engagement to me and Aracelle?" Shana asked seriously.
"Yes," Thirteen answered. "Of course, if you don’t want to let the world know about our relationship, I’ll respect your decision."
Thirteen only delayed the announcement of his engagement with Shana and Princess Aracelle to the world because he knew the consequences that would follow.
Back then, they had been fighting a war against the Jinns and the Artemians. He knew that many would have reacted harshly to his engagement with Shana had he announced it when they were still at war. He had decided to wait until the battle was over.
Now that the Wanderers and the Jinns had decided to cooperate, there was no longer any need to keep this a secret from the rest of the world.
Also, Thirteen wanted to make a statement.
Shana and Princess Aracelle belonged to him, so everyone should no longer bother them again with marriage proposals.
The Saintess looked at her lover solemnly. She was weighing the pros and cons of making such an announcement.
As for Princess Aracelle, she was more than happy to let the world know that she belonged to Zion.
She had no problem with his request. In fact, she was already looking forward to the announcement.
A few minutes later, Shana finally spoke her mind.
"You can go ahead and make the declaration," Shana said with a smile, having made peace with herself. "The war is over, so I no longer have to worry about what others think of me."
"Are you sure about that?" Thirteen asked. "Your fans might get heartbroken and turn against you. They might even start calling you names."
"I don’t care," Shana answered with a playful smirk. "Whatever they say, they still won’t be my husband."
As if to prove that she would not back out from her decision, the young lady hugged Thirteen and pressed her lips against his own. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
She sealed the deal with a kiss and, with it, a memory of a Saintess who had fallen in love with the cruel angel.
In her mind, a bittersweet memory surfaced. It was a dream where they only became husband and wife for a night.
While he wasn’t a hundred percent sure that Shana was the reincarnation of Medea, Thirteen planned to make things up to the pitiful Saintess, who had one-sidedly loved him despite knowing he couldn’t stay with her forever.
When their kiss ended, Thirteen hugged Shana tightly and whispered in her ear.
"This time, we will be together for a long time," Thirteen said. "I promise."
As if his vow resonated with her spirit and heart, tears started to form at the corner of Shana’s eyes.
However, she fought back the tears and embraced her lover back, feeling his heartbeat match with her own.
After cuddling for a few minutes, the two finally parted because Thirteen still had more to say.
"Lady Ristella proposed that I also make Princess Xynalia my fiancee and announce our engagement as well," Thirteen added.
Shana and Princess Aracelle exchanged a glance, but neither of them looked too surprised about this revelation.
They were aware of Princess Xynalia’s envious look whenever Zion was with his lovers.
The way he kissed them.
The way he touched them.
The way he loved them.
His lovers had long realized Princess Xynalia’s feelings towards Zion. None of them had simply said anything.
It was not up to them to decide whether the Succubus Princess and their lover should become partners for life.
The one to make the ultimate decision could only be Zion—no one else.
"Will you accept her proposal?" Princess Aracelle asked.
"I will," Thirteen answered.
As a Majin Princess, she understood that the daughters of the royal family were often used as tools for diplomacy.
This was why she was ecstatic to end up with someone she loved, not someone she was forced to marry.
Arranged marriages were very common among the Jinns, especially between two different factions who wanted to establish an alliance.
Looking at this through the perspective of a princess, Princess Aracelle believed that Lady Ristella was pushing for this engagement for one simple reason.
She wanted to secure the position of the Velmoria Royal Family in Pangea, ensuring their roots would be buried deep within the ground of this new world.
If Princess Xynalia and Zion got married, their position would become unshakable.
It was by no means an exaggeration to say that Thirteen’s words could move the entire world, for the role he played in the war of the Rigel and Cygni Continents would go down in the pages of history.
Thirteen glanced at the fluttering threat of destiny that connected him with Princess Xynalia.
After he made his declaration, the purple thread had grown clearer.
Its once faint, translucent glow had now become more solid, as if the breath of life had been blown into it.
Although it wasn’t as colorful and solid as the other threads that represented Thirteen’s other lovers, the change in it was enough to make him understand that his feelings towards them affected the threads of destiny itself.
Thirteen’s gaze subtly moved toward the very faint golden thread that seemed to phase in and out of reality.
It was as if the golden thread would disappear at any time, just like the light of a candle on a stormy night.
Thirteen couldn’t help but think of the young lady who had sacrificed herself to give Thirteen and Cranky a few precious seconds when they had needed it the most.
Maple and Cinnamon had come to take her away in a hurry, looking very worried at their sister’s severe injuries.
Stella had told him that the reason she was staying with him was to look for a way to bring color back into her life.
In her world, where only black, white, and gray existed, Thirteen stood out because he alone had the colors that she had lost long ago.
’I hope she’s alright,’ Thirteen silently wished.
If it hadn’t been for Stella, they might have lost the war. This was something he couldn’t deny.
He also made a promise to properly thank her the next time he saw her again.