Pope Claudius took a deep breath after hearing Aldrian’s answer and nodded. His heart felt at ease as he tapped Aldrian’s shoulder twice.

"Thank you," he said before taking his hand back.

Aldrian then turned and took his position on the platform. When he stood before Cardinal Daniele, the cardinal slightly lowered his head in greeting before speaking.

"The groom has arrived. Now, let us greet our empress for today, the bride."

After he finished speaking, another carriage flew from the distant sky. A holy aura could be sensed by countless people as it passed by, making them feel a warm sensation. The heavens seemed to be giving their blessing, with the white carriage always under the spotlight of sunlight.

The clouds in the sky formed a phenomenon of iridescent clouds, with rainbows visible above them across the path the carriage took. The sight was truly beautiful, making it impossible for the people to retract their gaze from it.

It was as if the heavens wanted all beings beneath them to see and focus on the carriage.

Aldrian, who could see all of this from the church, nodded in satisfaction. He knew that it was indeed the heavens’ act, and they had done all of that without him even asking.

Angelica was, in essence, the heavens’ chosen one, blessed with abilities that not all people possess. All of her power was strengthened by the heavens, and she was a being guided directly by them.

The heavens were like her second parent.

Although she experienced many hardships filled with tragedy, the power granted by the heavens remained her foundation, the very thing that made it possible for her to reach this point.

Now, as the heavens’ chosen one, the daughter of the heavens, she would marry him. The heavens wanted to present her to him with a clear and grand sign.

They wished to show their blessing and support for Angelica, and at the same time satisfy Aldrian. They wanted to make him impressed and happy.

Aldrian appreciated that, and he let the heavens know it by sending his thanks. He could feel the heavens’ happiness, which made him smile.

The carriage finally landed outside the church, at the edge of the red carpet. A few seconds later, the door of the carriage opened, drawing the focus of countless people toward it. They wanted to see the other main figure of the day.

Their curiosity and hope were answered as Angelica finally made her appearance.

Countless people gasped, their eyes glimmering as they could not take their gaze away from the sight before them. Their hearts beat faster, and a strange, sudden sense of sinfulness rose within them.

It was because they felt unworthy to witness such a beautiful being, one who looked like a goddess descending from the heavens. Their eyes felt too dirty to look at her, and their presence too lowly to be shown before her.

Aldrian’s heart also skipped a beat after finally seeing Angelica step out of the carriage. He felt as though he was falling in love with her all over again.

He did not know how Angelica would look in this wedding, because he did not want to use his abilities to see it beforehand. He wanted it to remain a surprise. He wished to enjoy the wedding ceremony with genuine feelings, without spoiling it through his own curiosity.

He did not regret that decision, as he could experience the emotions he felt at this very moment.

He truly felt like a mortal witnessing a goddess.

Angelica wore an elegant white wedding dress. The long dress gently traced her body’s curves, revealing a part of her collarbone and her neck. Yet it did not stir any sensual desire in those who saw her, only a deep sense of admiration.

She wore a white transparent veil that covered her head, but it could not hide her beauty or her radiant golden hair. Her eyes and expression carried a quiet happiness, and those who saw her could feel that happiness as well.

She held a bouquet of red roses in her hands, symbolizing her deep love for him.

Angelica, who could also see Aldrian looking at her, held back her tears.

Finally, the moment she had been waiting for had arrived.

She would finally marry Aldrian.

The love of her life. In this life and in all others.

In every one of her past lives, she had always met a cruel fate, ending in tragedy. She never found happiness. She never experienced the joy of marrying Aldrian, as she always died before that moment could come.

Now, at last, she could feel it. She had achieved her happiness in this life.

Behind her, Sylphia and Baek Jimin served as bridesmaids, holding the end of her wedding dress so it would not drag across the red carpet.

They wore elegant white dresses that still highlighted their beauty and status. However, their presence was completely overshadowed by Angelica.

Many people who saw Sylphia and Baek Jimin doing this were truly surprised. It was far beyond the norm, as they were the official wives of the emperor. This was the first time they had ever seen the emperor’s official wives become bridesmaids for a bride who would soon join them in the harem.

Did they not care about their status and hierarchy?

If this happened elsewhere, such a display would politically affect the empress. Many would interpret it as the emperor showing greater favor toward the new wife. That would be harmful to the empress’s position and also disrupt the balance within the harem.

It would invite unnecessary trouble and animosity among its members. There was no shortage of stories where a family collapsed because of the disharmony within the harem.

However, they saw that Sylphia and Baek Jimin seemed happy carrying out their role. Did they not feel disgusted or humiliated doing that? Was their relationship so deep that they could ignore their status?

They thought that Aldrian the Great was truly amazing, that he could make all of his wives appear so harmonious.

"His Majesty is different from others. Do not compare him or his family to common experience. Everything about him is special, and it is useless to question how or why he achieved it." The citizens of the empire would say such things to those who did not understand.

Aldrian, who saw his three wives before him, felt warmth rise within his heart, spreading throughout his body.

He looked at the three remarkable women who dared to tie their destinies to his. All of their fates had already been shaped from the moment they made contact with him.

For Sylphia and Angelica, they had followed him through countless past lives. For Baek Jimin, fate had brought them together in this life.

All of them were united now, supporting one another, and that moved him deeply.

His focus then returned to Angelica. He could not wait to pledge his oath and make her his wife. At this moment, there was no one more beautiful than her.

He was truly glad. He was glad that he had found her. He was glad that in his past lives, he had met her and built a relationship that would last for eternity.

This woman, who in the past had been like a caged bird, unable to show her beauty to the world and unable to see it, could now spread her wings and walk toward him with confident steps under the admiring gaze of countless people.

He did not know why, but at this moment he felt deeply moved, to the point that he wanted to cry. Perhaps it was because of everything she had endured, not only in this life but across many of her past lives.

She, who had suffered in all those lives, could finally experience happiness. And he was determined to protect that happiness. He would not allow that cruel fate, born from a powerful curse, to befall her again.

Not under his watch.

After making the entire first heaven his domain, he could finally sense the curse within Angelica’s being, even if extremely faintly. It was still there, still trying to influence her.

But even after turning the First Heaven into his domain, he still could not clearly grasp the curse within her. It was too abstract. Because of that, he could not truly break it.

However, it seemed that his presence in her life, especially in this current life, had prevented any misfortune from reaching her.

Even so, he remained vigilant for any changes. This was a curse cast by gods, after all. He had no intention of underestimating it.

Pope Claudius could no longer hold back his tears. He wiped them quickly, yet they continued to fall. He felt glad that the heavens had finally repaid all the suffering she endured in the past by allowing her to reach this moment of happiness.

She had met people who loved and supported her. She now stood here, smiling, marrying the greatest man to have ever lived, the man she loved.

He hoped that this happiness would wash away all her painful memories.

After a few moments, Angelica finally arrived beside Aldrian. Both of them smiled at each other warmly. There was no need to say anything. Their gazes alone already explained everything they felt at this moment.

The happiness, the excitement, the love they felt, all of it was clear from each other’s eyes.

Sylphia and Baek Jimin took a step back and sat on the VIP seats with Aldrian’s family. They were also holding back their tears, affected by the atmosphere of the ceremony.

Aldrian opened Angelica’s veil, and finally there was nothing obstructing his sight of her beautiful face.

He could see that she was holding back her tears, as the corners of her eyes were already wet. But the moment he lifted the veil, her tears finally fell. Aldrian raised his hand and gently touched her cheeks. He wiped her tears softly, as if she were the most fragile thing in the world.

Angelica only smiled and let him wipe her tears.

After a few moments of silence, Aldrian finally turned to look at Cardinal Daniele and nodded, signaling him to continue.