Chapter 3 · Coronation Upon the Ruins

The road to the grand cathedral stretched straight ahead with an almost arrogant precision.

Isadel was dragged down the corridor by the imperial guards, both arms held fast.

Not content with daring to lay hands on her body, they were making her climb the empire’s most sacred path in this state.

Fury surged within her, but struggling would change nothing.

Isadel bit her lip hard and moved her feet obediently.

At last, the massive archway gilded in gold opened.

Between the doors engraved with the emblem of the Rastain Empire, a heavy scent of candle wax poured out.

As she stepped into the cathedral, light passing through the stained glass spilled multicolored fragments across the marble floor.

And at its center, upon the marble altar, a golden throne sat in solemn majesty.

A seat that had existed solely for her from the moment she was born.

As the next emperor of Rastain, successor to her father, it was the sacred pinnacle she should rightfully have ascended.

It was a moment she had imagined and prepared for thousands of times, yet to think she would watch another’s coronation not as its master but as a criminal.

Isadel clenched her fists until her fingertips trembled.

Cruelly, the guards seated Isadel in the very front row before the altar.

‘Damn it…’

Isadel chewed on curses inwardly and scanned the cathedral.

Every face was familiar.

“Hah…”

A hollow laugh burst out.

More than half of the nobles who had sworn loyalty to her father were present here.

Instead of the white Laertia flower symbolizing the Lacent imperial house, they wore the red Carmilia flower symbolizing the new imperial house over their hearts.

The more sacred the space, the more vividly the stains of betrayal stood out.

The very people she had believed were her own court had become his overnight.

‘Traitors.’

A bitter taste swirled on the tip of her tongue.

She had thought the world had been turned upside down, but in truth, only she had fallen.

It was then.

A secret whisper flew from behind and pierced her ear.

Diagonally behind Isadel, Baroness Deban fluttered her fan and spoke.

“Come to think of it, His Imperial Majesty’s name… was it Erhan? They say even among Hwa-in, his beauty is exceptionally outstanding.”

“Hmph, what good is outstanding beauty? He’s still of commoner birth.”

When Marchioness Nork retorted bluntly, the ladies around her who had been listening added their words one by one.

“My lady, you exaggerate. They say it’s not just that he’s handsome. His beauty and his Hwa-in power are both beyond the ordinary.”

“Thanks to that, most families attended today’s coronation, did they not? Even the families that opposed him all came.”

Baroness Deban waved her fan leisurely and looked around the cathedral.

“What can we do? The world has been overturned. Besides, everyone must be curious. Just what kind of person is this Erhan who annihilated the Lacent imperial house overnight?”

As she said, the intentions of those gathered in this solemn place were no different.

They had come to the coronation reluctantly, unable to defy the tide, yet their interest was wholly fixed on the new emperor’s face.

Even those who had looked down on him as a Hwa-in could not hide their excitement at the thought of seeing in person the face they had only heard rumors of.

Just then, the grand doors of the cathedral opened.

“Lord Erhan Karhilen enters!”

Every gaze in the hall turned toward the cathedral entrance.

The moment he stepped onto the red carpet, the clamor that had filled the cathedral ceased at once.

“Good heavens…”

Lost sighs burst out here and there.

Men and women, young and old alike, could not take their eyes off him as if bewitched by his beauty.

Blond hair radiant as if molten pure gold had been poured.

Blue eyes like the bluest sea of the empire carved out and set in place.

From brow to jawline, there was not a single flaw to be found.

Had she ever seen a more perfect being in her life?

Before a beauty so perfect that admiration itself felt like luxury, people were left speechless.

And they had no choice but to admit it.

Who on earth could fail to be bewitched by that perfect face?

Erhan walked slowly across the center toward the altar under everyone’s gaze.

Isadel followed his figure passing before her with cold eyes.

Splendid golden embroidery adorned the jet-black ceremonial robes.

The noble gold that had once been her symbol now brilliantly wrapped the body of the hateful usurper.

At last, Erhan ascended the altar and leaned naturally into the throne.

As if that seat had been his from the beginning of time, without a trace of awkwardness.

Watching him, Isadel ground her teeth.

‘What do you think that seat is, that the likes of you dares sit in it?’

With everyone’s gaze fixed on the throne, the low voices of the priests began to fill the cathedral.

As the ritual’s phrases repeated, the air gradually sank with an unreal weight.

Finally, the high priest took the emperor’s crown from the reliquary behind the altar.

All eyes fixed on the golden crown glinting in the light.

Then he raised the crown high.

“Today, in the name of Rastain, I proclaim Erhan Solvern Karhilen emperor of the empire.”

With the high priest’s declaration, the golden crown slowly descended onto Erhan’s head.

The moment the cold metal touched his brow, Erhan let out a long breath.

At the same time, an energy flowing from his body instantly covered the entire cathedral.

The nobles who filled the cathedral began to rise from their seats one by one, against their own will.

Isadel, too, was forced to rise by the movement of those beside her.

But unable to understand this strange situation, she furrowed her brow and looked around.

‘What is this?’

The moment she looked around, her face froze.

The imperial guards protecting the cathedral and the distinguished guests seated below the altar were all looking at the emperor.

But a subtle heat hung in the air, and people’s eyes were unfocused, hazy and dreamy.

As if intoxicated by a drug.

‘Surely not…’

Was this what Hwa-in power was?

An absolute power that dyed human consciousness like intoxication by sweet poison, and finally led them to the most ecstatic submission.

Isadel’s heart sank coldly.

Erhan was now flaunting his Hwa-in power.

Perhaps he meant to show her.

To engrave clearly upon her that with this power she had mocked as a cheap drug, he could bring everyone—including her—to their knees.

Erhan slowly rose from the throne and began to recite the emperor’s oath.

“I, Erhan Solvern Karhilen, swear before God. For the infinite glory of Rastain, I shall protect the laws and order of the empire and fulfill all responsibilities given to me.”

“……”

“If this oath be false, may this crown judge me.”

It was a solemn oath without a single waver.

But that sacred declaration sounded to Isadel only as a humiliating blasphemy.

No sooner had Erhan’s declaration ended than the cathedral fell into frenzy.

The crowd, eroded by Hwa-in power, clapped without even knowing their palms were bursting.

Some let out cheers, and some shed tears with faces overcome with emotion.

Everyone worshiped him, and everyone was in raptures over him.

Everyone except one person.

Erhan slowly raised his head and scanned the hall.

There was only one thing he was searching for.

Isadel’s gray-blue eyes, holding hatred alone amid gazes full of reverence.

At last, having found her, Erhan twisted his lips as if to show off.

‘How is it, Isadel? How does it feel to have your entire world taken from you by me?’

The mockery he had not uttered aloud circled her ears like a hallucination.

The two gazes collided violently in the air.

On one side lay the blood-curdling hatred of one who had lost everything.

On the other lay the arrogance of one who had gained everything.

Ding—! Ding—! Ding—!

The bells announcing that the master of Rastain had changed rang out beyond the grand cathedral, spreading across the entire empire.