Chapter 372 – Surprise Appearance
Plaza of the Sun covered with countless people.
Time passed and it was already approaching noon.
If it had been summer or winter, it would have been quite a hardship to sit in such an empty field when the sun was shining brightest.
Now that spring is fast approaching.
The warm sunlight tickling the skin and the spring breeze pleasantly brushing the lungs provide deep excitement to those gathered here.
“Haha… It’s still chilly in the north. “It looks like spring has already arrived in the islands.”
“That’s true, honey.”
An elderly couple having a friendly conversation while seated in the VIP section at the front.
They were dressed in a very ordinary aristocratic manner, neither too flashy nor too flashy, but the dignity and dignity felt from them was by no means that of a criminal.
If there had been no empire, the four dukes of the empire would have been called princes in their respective territories.
“It’s already been more than ten years since I last had an audience with Her Royal Highness. “It feels really strange that you’re already having an engagement ceremony.”
“You said the other person was General Wolfgang, right? A very great warrior. Just as much as you.”
What is the identity of the impressive old man with snow-white hair and beard?
It was the Duke of Winterhearts, the loser of the North.
Unlike other dukes who remain silent about the empire’s successor competition, he was also the only duke who publicly expressed support for the third princess.
It was quite unusual for someone who is famous for being an iron man with an immovable heart and an immovable character.
“Wahaha!”
A bronze-skinned warrior bursts out in laughter next to him.
“Wow… !”
“Big, big!”
The laughter was so loud that the VIPs sitting next to him flinched in surprise.
The behavior does not feel formal at all.
Despite his shocking outfit, with his upper body covered in tattoos clearly exposed, with his shirt bare, and wearing a hat full of bird-of-paradise feathers.
No one dared criticize his behavior.
“It’s a warrior’s wedding, so it’s a lot of fun! “I hope it’s fun enough to run a long way!”
It was the southern part of the country that had relatively recently been subjugated to the empire.
Therefore, they still had a strong tendency to adhere to their traditional culture, and their unique culture was also quite heterogeneous from that of other regions of the empire.
That’s why the empire openly treats southerners as barbarians.
There was no one here who could dare to show such regional feelings to the warrior in front of them.
The great chief of the south and the great messenger of the Earth Mother.
Duke of Samoa.
He glanced at the Duke of Winterhearts and grinned, revealing his pure white teeth.
“Haha. “I agree.”
“Hmm! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in person, old man! It was still alive and well! It seems that the Earth Mother looks favorably on you!”
The two dukes, who were polar opposites, seemed to get along surprisingly well.
Is this because the South and North have somewhat different, harsh environments and a culture that reveres outstanding warriors?
Looking at that scene, Duke Velaryon frowned and muttered.
“Oh, I can’t believe I have to see the faces of those idiots even in a place like this.”
The place where the empire was born was none other than the western part of the county.
To that extent, Westerners have a strong sense of pride that they are the legitimate descendants of the empire.
Excluding the center, the most developed region of the empire was also the west.
Is it because of that exaggerated pride?
Duke Velaryon, the great lord of the West, had a somewhat arrogant personality.
But in a position like that, even arrogance can be felt as a kind of dignity. The arrogance of the weak is just unsightly, but the arrogance of the strong is different.
“Hey… Don’t do that too much. “I’m feeling quite excited already!”
“Under! “Looking at you, you are the same, you are the same.”
The woman who slyly appeases Duke Bellaryon is the brightest of the four dukes.
A big hand from the eastern part who has a somewhat rounder appearance compared to ordinary imperial citizens and at first glance seems like a friendly neighborhood lady.
She was the Duke of Kshatri Ra.
It is by no means common for the four great dukes of the empire to gather in one place in person.
Even in the general assembly where important issues at the national level were discussed, they exchanged opinions by sending their thoughts rather than their own.
Now that the war is over, the competition for successor has begun in earnest.
Using the event of the princess’s engagement ceremony as a justification, he personally took the heavy step of establishing the system.
The fact that they came together was not a coincidence but an inevitability.
No one knows what impact the results will have on the future of the empire.
“It’s been a while, little brother.”
“… Older brother.”
“You don’t look very good. “It’s not that I don’t know the feelings you have for me, but isn’t today a day for celebration?”
“Hehe… ! It’s still the same, it’s still the same, you fucking hypocrite.”
Even right before the event starts.
The dukes’ eyes remained quietly on the princes.
* * *
Above the immaculately clear sky.
The moment when the sun shines most dazzlingly.
—Deng, Deng, Deeng… !
With twelve bells ringing throughout the archipelago.
The princess’s engagement ceremony finally began.
And, at the end of the last twelve bells.
—Dododo…
A beautiful blonde girl wearing a white priest’s robe suddenly ran up to the podium.
In hopes of receiving the blessings of the heavenly gods, major events in the empire are always carried out with the blessing of a priest.
Generally, the person invited for the blessing is a cardinal or higher-ranking priest.
Considering the fact that the current Pope only appears at events hosted directly by the Emperor due to his old age.
It was certainly a shame that Alicia and Wolfgang’s engagement ceremony could not receive the Pope’s blessing.
Still, it was strange that a girl suddenly appeared.
Could it be that a single nun is blessing the engagement ceremony of a direct royal family member?
However, those gathered here did not express any doubts about her appearance.
Rather, they put their hands together politely and bowed their heads towards the girl in unison.
Soon, the blonde girl smiled brightly and made the sign of the cross.
“My dear brother and sister! “Congratulations on your engagement!”
—Whaaaaah… !
With divine power bursting out as if the entire Plaza of the Sun was dyed in gold.
As if everyone had been waiting, they stood up and shouted loudly.
“Glory, glory, glory to the empire!”
The engagement ceremony begins with the blessing of a saint.
Although she was a bit lively to be considered a blessing, she possessed an enormous amount of divine power that she would never be able to unleash unless she was a saint.
Hehe, it’s my turn next.”
Let’s witness the halo hanging over Ophelia’s head as she mutters to herself so softly that no one can hear her.
No one could doubt the effectiveness of the blessing.
‘Was the rumor true…? ‘
‘I heard that the three of you had a very close relationship, but I never thought it would be that bad.’
‘Are you saying that the relationship wasn’t one in which they were fighting over one man?’
The nobles were busy calculating in their heads due to the saint’s surprise appearance.
Before we knew it, the saint’s appearance had suddenly disappeared.
[It is truly auspicious that the Heavenly God himself blessed the union of a man and a woman]
A scary-looking old man stood on the moderator’s podium and began presiding over the event with a powerful voice.
—Noisy…
“He must be… “
She said, “I heard that you went on a pilgrimage in preparation for the conclave. “Why are you here?”
A purple badge symbolizing the cardinal of the Celestial Church.
A blood-stained star pattern embroidered on it with silver thread.
The fact that an old man was standing on the podium and volunteering to act as host brought a huge shock to those gathered here, even more than the saint’s surprise appearance.
That’s because he never had the personality to show his face in a place like this.
Heretic Butcher.
The embodiment of fear.
Agent of wrath.
There was only one priest in the empire whose epithet was as bloody as his impression.
Grand Inquisitor, Cardinal Malleus Ordos.
He was the host at Wolfgang and Alicia’s engagement ceremony.
Originally, it was common for a relative of the groom-to-be to take on the role of host, but there were times when Wolfgang’s relative, who was from a count’s family, was of insufficient stature to step forward.
Among Wolfgang’s connections, there was only one trustworthy elder who could step forward in this matter.
‘His Majesty the Cardinal.’
As a result, he risked being rejected and asked Cardinal Malleus to host the ceremony.
‘Oh oh… General Wolfgang! Thank you, thank you so much! ‘Thanks to you for subduing the demon, my son should be resting comfortably next to the Heavenly God by now!’
‘… Thank you The reason I came to see you all of a sudden is for no other reason…’
Surprisingly, Cardinal Malleus readily accepted.
As a result.
The most brutal host in the history of the empire took this position.
[Now that God has blessed the union of the two, it is humans’ turn next]
