Chapter 74 Coronation And Execution
The carriage finally reached the Great Hall. The High Priest and all the priests and priestesses came out to greet them.
In the great chapel, the Emperor and Empress knelt before the High Priest. The High Priestess handed the Emperor and Empress a golden goblet of holy water and gave them a message of blessing.
“The blessings of the gods be with you, Emperor and Empress, and with our Empire of Asnerdam under your rule. May you both live long and prosper.”
When the High Priestess finished speaking, the Emperor and Empress slowly drank the holy water.
The holy water has the power to bless and heal at the same time, and as soon as they drank it, they both felt their fatigue dissipate and their bodies feel lighter.
As the ceremony in the Great Hall proceeded in silence, Sandra approached Killion’s side, her presence neither surprising nor unwelcome to Killion, who had avoided her gaze throughout the event.
“Lord Killion, have you been in contact with the silver-haired healer?”
“Not yet, Your Majesty, but I’m looking into it.”
“…”
The lie flowed effortlessly from Killion’s mouth. Even Killion was surprised by his own reflexive words.
‘She wants to see her!’
Sandra’s gaze suddenly sharpened, as if she could see through his lie.
Whoever Killion was, he had a reputation for being quite capable and resourceful, but she didn’t like the fact that he had been slow to act on this particular matter. She was suspicious.
‘He’s never this slow,’ she thought.
Irritation welled up inside her at the thought of doing nothing more than urging him on. Sandra gritted her teeth and spoke in a somewhat threatening voice.
“Effort alone will not do, Chancellor. Bring that silver-haired healer before me at all costs.”
“Yes, I will do as you command, Your Majesty.”
“You have until the coronation festivities are over, and if I do not see the healer’s face before then, I will seek her out myself.”
“…”
Having said her piece, Sandra turned back to her seat. Killion’s eyes sharpened as he watched her disappear.
‘No matter how hard you try, it will be in vain, for you will never meet her, and I will do everything in my power to stop you.’
Killion ran a hand through his flowing hair, repeating the words to himself.
After the ceremony at the Great Hall, the group boarded the carriage that would take them back to the palace. Instead of entering the palace, the carriage stopped in the square in front of the palace.
“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!”
“Long live the Empire of Asnerdom!”
“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”
As the people cheered endlessly, the Emperor stepped out of the carriage and onto the golden, ornately decorated dais. It was the first time the emperor had ever stood before the people and addressed them.
For a moment, the entire square was silent. Jonathan shouted to the assembled people, his voice echoing across the square, amplified by the sound-amplifying horns.
“O Artheon, goddess of abundance, bestow your favor on your servant, who will be a holy warrior who will help the people live in abundance and not starve!”
A thunderous cheer broke out. Some people clasped their hands together as if in prayer and closed their eyes tightly. Hot streams of tears rolled down their cheeks.
The emperor’s speech continued.
“O Selena, goddess of love, bestow your favor on your servant, who will be a saintly soldier who will help the people’s homes to overflow with love and peace!”
The people cheered again. Some stretched their arms straight up to the sky and prayed. Tears formed in the corners of their eyes.
Finally, the emperor’s speech came to a close.
“Tess, goddess of victory, bestow your favour upon your servant, so that the army that guards our borders may always be victorious, so that we may ensure the safety of our people!”
A mighty roar shook the air throughout the square. It stirred the people into a frenzy. They cheered in the hope that everything the Emperor said would come true.
When the emperor had nothing more to say, he raised his hands in the air to silence the crowd. Those who had been shouting at the top of their lungs fell silent for a moment. Some even swallowed hard in anticipation of the emperor’s speech.
“I would like to announce my first state project as emperor!”
The crowd tensed at the unexpected announcement. All eyes turned to the emperor’s mouth. Jonathan opened his mouth slowly, enjoying the intense stares.
“In honour of His Majesty the Good Emperor, who died in an unfortunate fire accident, fire extinguisher harnesses will be installed throughout the empire. No one should have to lose their precious lives in a terrible fire accident anymore.”
The people were genuinely moved by the idea of installing new tools for their safety. Not surprisingly, madogu had been the preserve of the wealthy aristocracy and imperial family.
“A fire extinguisher tool? Who came up with such a thing? What a curious name.”
“Does this mean that we won’t have to worry about big fires in the future?”
“I can’t believe his first national project is to save the people from accidents.”
“The new emperor is truly a giver for us!”
The people in the square were now almost shouting in support of the emperor.
“Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!”
“Long live the Emperor!”
Jonathan raised his arms in the air and basked in their cheers.
At this moment, he felt like he was finally the emperor and supreme power of this empire. No, he felt like the authority of this continent, of this world. He felt like a god.
Sandra’s eyebrows knitted together as she watched from the sidelines. Not a good day at all, she thought.
***
The final day of the coronation festivities. People gathered in the square in front of the palace. They were there to watch Madame Brienne’s execution.
In the center of the square stood the fearsome guillotine, its massive blade hanging high, its majesty chilling to behold.
“I’d like to see how vicious the woman who murdered the Good Emperor looks.”
“They say her face is disfigured by burns.”
The evil-doers raised their voices. Harsh words were spoken here and there, and they shouted at the top of their lungs with all sorts of venomous words.
“You’ve been punished. Why are you still alive to suffer this disgrace?”
“That’s right, I have a big liver. Did you think you could get away with murdering the Emperor?”
It was then. The main gates of the imperial palace burst open and a woman in a tattered prisoner’s uniform was dragged out by guards in handcuffs. Half of her face had been burned and completely melted away.
“Oh my God… look at that face…”
“It’s horrible, it’s horrible.”
“Yes, it is.”
The sight of Madame Brienne’s moldering form was so ghastly that people swallowed hard and clamped their mouths shut.
Silence descended on the large, crowded square. The only sounds were the weary steps of the prisoner and the rattling of his chains.
At last Madame Brienne was brought before the guillotine, and the people began to vent their pent-up anger.
“Kill the wicked woman, kill the witch!” they cried.
“Tear the wicked devil’s body to shreds!”
“Die! Die! Die!”
Shouts filled with rage broke out here and there. It wasn’t just curses that were hurled at Madame Brienne; stones and raw eggs flew at her.
Madame Brienne’s already horrific appearance was made worse. Blood trickled down her forehead from the stones, and yellow egg wash from the raw eggs.
“It’s time.”
The guards dragged Madame Brienne to the guillotine. As Madame Brienne stood before the massive contraption, her whole body began to shake with the realization that she was finally going to die, and her dry, parched lips moved slowly as she sobbed.
But no one dared to listen to the sobs of the criminal who had killed the Emperor.
“Go to hell, you filthy sinner!”
“May you be punished by burning in the unquenchable fires of hell for all eternity, tsk!”
That was it. The gates of the palace opened again, and a golden carriage drove slowly into the square.
“What, what is that?”
“If the golden carriage is… the Emperor?”
Uncomprehending people shook their heads and fixed their eyes on the carriage. Reaching the square, the carriage slowed to a crawl and finally stopped in front of the guillotine. Slowly, the door opened and Jonathan stepped out.
“The Emperor!”
“The Emperor himself has come to execute this criminal!”
“Long live the Emperor!”
The people gathered in the square widened their eyes at the unexpected appearance of the Emperor. Words of praise for the Emperor now flowed from the mouths that had only moments before uttered curses against Madame Brienne.
Jonathan slowly stepped up to the dais where the guillotine was mounted. The room around him grew quiet. The people closed their mouths and waited for Jonathan’s voice.
“People! Jonathan Boyenson, seventh emperor of the Boyenson dynasty, is here today to offer mercy.”
Mercy for a murderer? Not just any murderer, but a murderer who had killed the Good Emperor? The look of disgust on Jonathan’s face was palpable. But Jonathan did not back down.
