The Crown Prince Ceremony (4)
Without thinking, the crown of the Crown Princess was also placed on my head. Then I felt a sensation like something snapping. When I raised my face in surprise, I saw women around me who had not been there before. Many noblewomen of various ages could be seen. What’s going on? When I tensed up, they laughed and disappeared with a swish.
As I stood there dumbfounded, the Empress chuckled.
“Did you see them? Then Ralphine is fine too”
“What was that just now?”
The Empress looked at my surprised expression and laughed heartily.
“They are the Empresses who have been here in this cathedral. They came to inspect the new Crown Princess.”
… Could they be ghosts or something like that?
“That’s one way to put it. However, they won’t show themselves to someone they don’t like, so it’s good that they showed themselves to you. You have been recognized by the Empresses.”
I was scared of ghosts and monsters when I was a kid, but eventually I stopped paying attention to them because they weren’t there. However, if they really exist… It would be scary if I started to worry about it and became afraid of the darkness at night.
“Did Cermiane see them too?”
I tried to distract myself by asking Cermiane. He seemed a little happy, and smiled a little sadly.
“Oh, the past Emperors and… My three older brothers were there.”
Wow. He must have met his two older brothers who died before Cermiane was born. That’s probably why he’s so happy.
The Emperor and Empress were laughing happily. They’re quite mischievous. They knew what we were surprised to see and laughed silently. However, not only that, but they must also be really happy that we have truly become members of the imperial family
After leaving the cathedral, this time we boarded a carriage with the Emperor and Empress and headed to the tower of the outer wall of the imperial palace. There is a presentation for the citizens of the imperial capital. A few days ago, announcements of the new crown prince’s enthronement ceremony were made all over the capital, and by now the knights should have sent out announcements throughout the city.
Under the escort of Cermiane, upon reaching the tower, an enormous crowd writhed below. The area in front of the tower was a small square, so spacious that even I would need to count to thirty to run across it. But the square was packed with people to the point where the cobblestones were not visible. Moreover, the alleys that led from the square were full of people as far as the eye could see, and people were even crowded on the windowsills and rooftops of the buildings.
Those tens of thousands of people, whom I was not certain how many there are, were the ones who made the earth shake and throb when we appeared at the top of the tower.
The proclaimer yells out, not to be outdone by the earth tremors: “On this good day, the Prince Cermiane has become Crown Prince. At the same time, his wife, Princess Ralphine, became Crown Princess. The great Emperor decreed it in accordance with the will of god almighty!
The tower began to tremble with the pressure and vibration of the cheers. Even though it was winter, the heat rose up and made me sweat on my forehead.
“Long live Crown Prince Cermiane!”
“Glory to the Empire!”
“Long live Crown Princess Ralphine!”
The cries of the people swirled around me like a whirlwind, and I couldn’t tell whether they were shouts, screams, or cheers. All of them were directed at I and Cermiane.
Something incredible had happened. At that moment, I truly understood the enormity of becoming the Crown Princess in every sense of the word. As Crown Princess, I would stand above not only the people in this empire but also hundreds of times more people, lead them, and assume responsibility. We would have the power to influence the life and death of these people and their families. We would have the power to make or break the Empire’s citizens, to bring prosperity or famine, everything would be in our hands.
I still didn’t know much about the nobility, and although I was told that we would hold a higher position than the nobility, just below the Emperor and Empress, it felt like someone else’s problem. However, I did understand the common people’s lives very well. Among the innocent people cheering for us, there might be people I became friends with at the Hunter’s Association, or the friendly shopkeepers from our regular market. From today onwards, I held the power to affect their lives in a significant way. I have become the one who can easily let those people who are trying their best to live, die.
It sent chills down my spine. Oh, my God, I can’t do that! No way! I looked up at Cermiane, who was also pale. I guessed he was also feeling the same way. But even so, Cermiane looked at me and smiled softly. I gritted my teeth inwardly! I gritted my teeth inwardly.
NoIt’s no use. If I can’t handle it, then I shouldn’t have come along in the first place. Even though Cermiane had already made up his mind and was showing concern for me, it was clear that the Crown Prince, who would become the Emperor one day, would bear more burdens and responsibilities. He would undoubtedly face greater challenges. It was pitiful. How could I call myself his wife if I couldn’t support him or help him through the hardships?
I reached out my right hand and grasped Cermiane’s left hand. His hand was sweaty and a little trembling. I squeezed her hand tightly and firmly.
“Let’s go, Mia.”
Cermiane smiled as he squeezed my hand back.
“Oh Ral, with you by my side, everything will be okay.”
We held hands and faced the tornado-like heat and deafening noise, raising our hands to smile and respond to the cheering crowd. We felt like we were sailing into rough seas as we became the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the Empire.
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