[Chapter 140] Saint Exaltation Ceremony

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The atmosphere in the meeting room was chaotic.

Railron Earl, who had provided the venue, looked at the Second Prince Roardness who was watching as the nobles chatted.

He was furious at the arrogant and indifferent look on his face.

Every time the story of his marriage to the saint came up, he would throw a cold look, so there was nothing to say except about the saint's enthronement ceremony.

"The saint's enthronement ceremony is just a few hours away. Shouldn't Your Highness, as a member of the royal family, be more proactive?"

"I've already prepared my seat for the Emperor, the Empress, and myself. What else do you want me to do?"

"All kinds of people will flock to the capital, so shouldn't you do something with the saint at the event so that people can feel reassured?"

"Are you saying that I should dance with my future sister-in-law, the saint?"

The mouth of the one who had spoken shut tight.

Throughout the meeting, it was a series of such requests and answers.

The Second Prince did not expel the people who had gathered to support him.

But sometimes he would stare as if he could draw his sword and slit their throats at any moment.

The aura of the Second Prince, who had both notoriety and fame, was formidable.

The nobles in this place pretended not to notice such an aura.

And then, the Duke of Castagna, who had been leaning towards the Empress and Epero, fell ill.

Now, there was no basis or justification for him to join the Ninth Prince who had been left behind.

The nobles who had firmly believed Doris Castagna's words that "if she became the Crown Princess again, she would help transform all the Crown Prince's faction into the Second Prince's faction" were in agony.

If Doris, who had promised eternal glory, did not end up with Roardness, who knew if they would be helped and then abandoned?

They were burning inside, because in order to control the Second Prince, who had always lived like a wolf separated from the pack, they had no choice but to put a leash on him called 'the saint' Doris.

"Your Highness, I apologize for saying this, but do you really have the intention of jumping into the competition for the throne?"

"We find it difficult to gauge Your Highness's intentions."

"If His Majesty the Emperor listens more to public opinion, the position of Crown Prince could be given to His Highness, the Ninth Prince Epero, at any time..."

When a few of them who had been suppressing their complaints began to grumble, Roardness turned his gaze towards them.

The mouths that had been grumbling shut tight.

Seeing that, Railron Earl opened his mouth.

"Your Highness, we are in the same boat. If you want to use the people who have gathered to support you properly, you must give them a reason. All this time, we have been with His Highness, the Prince of Bardenal, with the pride of being a 'saint' of Ronta, a wise monarch."

"That's right. In order to support Your Highness as Crown Prince instead of supporting His Highness, the Ninth Prince, who is the legitimate son of the current Empress, we also need a reason. The criminal rehabilitation system. If you hear how much effort we put into bringing that outdated bill back up, you'll be moved to tears."

Count Siscometin added.

"How touching and moving."

Roardness, who didn't seem so at all, raised one corner of his lips in reply, and Earl Railron facepalmed.

'I can't reason with him at all!'

After staring at Roardness for a long time, Earl Railron sighed deeply and lowered his voice.

"I know you feel uncomfortable. Who would want to live with my sister-in-law?"

Roardness raised one eyebrow at his statement.

That's it, that's it! It's Doris Castagna who's the problem.

Earl Railron got up from his seat and approached the high seat, lowering his body.

"Just use the saint's image as a puppet crown princess, and after making her the empress, bring in many concubines. My daughter, Kanna, is the most beautiful woman in the capital..."

"You, didn't you want to give your daughter to the Duke of Trovika before? Your Highness, my daughter Irene is the right person. She has experience serving the Crown Princess closely, so they will get along well."

Count Siscometin joined in without losing.

The atmosphere in the meeting room heated up again with those words.

The voices of those who wanted to offer their young and beautiful unmarried daughters to the young lord grew louder and louder.

Among them, Roardness turned his gaze to Vincent, who was quietly writing the minutes.

"I'd like to discuss what to do with my lover, Countess Akacia. She would want to be by my side as well."

"A widowed woman with no husband doesn't fit the topic of this meeting when the throne is just around the corner."

"I was just about to get tired of her, so this is good."

A smile appeared on Earl Railron's face. A noble from the far west, who had been far away, opened his mouth slyly.

"There can be no blood on the road to the throne. Shall I find a way?"

"Consider it."

Roardness, who was still exchanging glances with Vincent, replied indifferently.

However, his eyes, which were lazily open, were shining brightly, and Vincent immediately understood his intentions.

'He's choosing those who threaten Countess Akacia.'

He doesn't care about the position of the saint's husband that Doris gives.

Thinking that it was truly like Roardness, Vincent began to write down the names of those who were excitedly talking about how to dispose of Countess Akacia.

****

An unprecedented number of people flocked to the capital.

Epero and I put on white robes worn by the priests and pulled up the hoods attached to the white capes.

The squares and markets were full of people even on cold days. There were "full" signs posted on the doors of inns everywhere.

For something that was put together in a hurry, there were extremely ornate and huge gold ornaments placed everywhere.

They were so magnificent that no one could steal them even if they wanted to.

Epero said it was the first time he had seen so many people in the capital in his life.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was chaotic.

Roardness, who looked arrogant and indifferent, just raised one corner of his lips when Earl Railron suggested they should be more proactive.

Railron was getting frustrated. He knew that Roardness wasn't interested in being a mere figurehead for the saint.

The discussion then turned to finding a suitable wife for Roardness. Several noblemen offered their daughters, each trying to outdo the other.

Roardness, seemingly uninterested, turned to Vincent and asked about the fate of his lover, Countess Akacia. This sparked a heated debate among the nobles, each trying to outmaneuver the others to gain favor with the future king.

Meanwhile, Epero and the narrator were preparing for the saint's enthronement ceremony. They were dressed in white robes and hoods, ready to face the crowds that had gathered in the capital for the event.

"The whole world is white. It would be even more impressive if it snowed right before the enthronement ceremony."

Epero, who was walking ahead, said, tapping the white banners draped over the market and residential areas.

"Don't talk to me."

"Wow, you still doubt me? I didn't tell Noebian about that, you know? Do you really think your brother wouldn't have put a spy in the mansion? You're really naive sometimes in strange parts."

"I told you not to talk to me?"

"...Am I still your wife's friend? For now, right?"

I rolled my eyes at Epero, who seemed rather excited, as I had never been out of the palace very often.

I knew better than anyone that Epero had a loose mouth, but I was annoyed that he kept pretending not to know.

"Be careful."

Epero glanced at me sneakily and pulled me into the crowd.

"Lord Epero. Lord Epero, please cover your hair. It's too eye-catching."

"Are you introducing yourself? Such blonde hair is rare even in Elacon."

Most of them had a mix of brown, but pure gold blonde hair was rare.

I idly stroked my well-braided hair and pulled the hood of my robe further down.

And then I tapped Epero's back hard. It means go forward without saying anything.

"I don't know what you think of me, treating me like a servant of the prince... Just because your brother almost treats his wife like a servant doesn't mean I have to be like that too?"

Epero grumbled all the way as we arrived at a huge podium set up in the central square of the capital.

The street around the square was also wider with the removal of street vendors.

High Priest Teln and Doris, who was to be enthroned as a saint, would soon stand on that podium to be seen by the people who had flocked to the capital.

A huge tent was set up behind the podium for the ceremony starting at exactly noon, and the priests were gathered there.

Epero and I were going to participate in the ceremony by blending in there wearing priest robes.

"You didn't tell your brother about the plan, did you? I understand that you didn't tell me in detail, because I have a loose mouth too. Shouldn't you tell your brother?"

"I don't think it's dangerous at all, but he thinks it's dangerous for me to appear in front of people at a time like this."

"It's dangerous, isn't it? Isn't it too peaceful to receive such a poison from the master you served?"

"If I just hide because it's dangerous, what kind of great cause will I achieve? Just as Roan has his own way, I have my own way to achieve my cause. It's not just for Roan, I've prepared for myself and those around me."

Epero stared blankly at me for a moment, then put his hand in his hat and scratched his head.

"You know? Sometimes, you're really cool."

I turned my head away from Epero's eyes, which were looking at me strangely, and towards where the people were murmuring.

Puuuuuu-.

The sound of a conch shell echoed loudly, shaking the ground.

"...It's starting."

It was the sound of the beginning of the saint's enthronement ceremony, where the protagonist would be replaced.

****

The saint's enthronement ceremony was as grand as the emperor's coronation in ancient times.

The crowd that filled the square cheered as they looked at the emperor and empress sitting on the high seat on the huge stage.

It was very rare to see members of the royal family outside the palace.

Beside the emperor and empress sat the Second Prince Roardness, the center of the hottest rumors these days.

As he sat there, looking proud and handsome, despite his slouching posture, the mouths of the nobles gathered below the stage moved non-stop.

"I heard it's not a saint's enthronement ceremony, but an engagement ceremony."

"Really?"

"There's a rumor that as soon as Her Highness the Crown Princess becomes a saint, His Majesty the Emperor will announce the union between Her Highness and His Highness the Second Prince."

"Even though the criminal rehabilitation system has been revived, would His Highness the Second Prince accept it?"

"To quell the rumors of his ominous red eyes, he needs the help of the saint. With the throne just around the corner, who would refuse that? Even if he says no, he can just take a woman he likes as his concubine later."

"I just hope it's not the widowed Countess Akacia."

"No way."

The young ladies' gazes, with a hint of mockery, were all focused on Roardness.

When his red eyes, which seemed to be lost in thought for a moment as he watched the snow begin to fall, turned towards them, the young ladies let out low moans.

"I've seen him from afar, and I've seen his portrait in countless gossip magazines and newspapers..."

"Whether he's ominous or not, it's clear that I want to be held in his arms once."

The Second Prince, who might become the Crown Prince, was very beautiful.

To the young ladies, the word 'dangerous' was even more attractive.

They turned their eager gazes to their parents, who were waiting for Doris's appearance.

Their gazes, filled with desire, were directed not only at Roardness but also at the mouth of the High Priest who was starting the speech, no less than theirs.

A successor to the throne with weaknesses was actually good for the nobles.

Most of the nobles of the Crown Prince's faction had come too far to support Epero.

By supporting the Second Prince, following Doris, who was the Crown Prince's wife, and spreading rumors about the 'ominous red eyes' whenever something bad happened, the royal power would gradually weaken.

The corners of the mouths of the senior members of the Crown Prince's faction rose.

In their eyes, the Emperor, who was watching Roardness, was invisible.

Of course, they couldn't hear the trembling voice of High Priest Teln, who was watching Empress Grace, Canulla Winstar, and Adriene.

As soon as High Priest Teln appeared on the stage, the surroundings became quiet.

And then.

Doris, dressed entirely in white, finished preparing to come up from below the stage.

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