One step, a day. Another step, a year. The next, a decade.
With every step Jin took toward the coronation hall, he recalled the past. It was less a matter of remembering with his mind and more a reawakening of memories etched upon his very heart.
The devil’s whisper, curling into his embrace. His mother’s hand, abandoning him. The blood and tears that had streamed down his chin. And the vow he had whispered, to cut down anything and everything for the sake of Bariel.
Creeeak.
Thump!
As the doors to the coronation hall opened, a brilliant light flooded out, accompanied by a majestic melody. The nobles, who had been waiting with bated breath, turned in unison to find their new emperor, gasping in awe at his long, flowing cloak.
“It’s so beautiful, heavens.”
“It contains all of Bariel’s history; it is too dazzling to look upon.”
The golden thread embroidered upon the red cloth was so magnificent and delicate that one could hardly believe it was the work of human hands. From the founding of Bariel to the era of the former emperor, every piece of history was densely stitched, leaving not a single gap. At a glance, one could not tell if it was golden thread on red cloth, or red thread on golden cloth.
“The Prime Minister is following directly behind him.”
“And after him is Minister Maxim Tweller of the Imperial Defense Force. I thought it would be the Ministry of Magic. This is a bit of a surprise.”
“Did they not say the deployment ceremony would immediately follow the inauguration? With a war ahead, it is the right decision to lend more prestige to the Imperial Defense Force than the Ministry of Magic. The Ministry of Magic can move by its mere existence, but the Defense Force ultimately moves by the hearts of the people.”
“How wonderful would it have been if the Empress were by his side?”
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
“Oh, do not speak of such things. There are many from the Davion family nearby.”
Following the path Jin forged, the ministers of the Imperial Palace entered. The Prime Minister held a small golden dagger, while the other ministers held lit golden candlesticks.
“Roel, look, it’s my brother!”
“…Yeah. I see him.”
Vivi, upon spotting Ian, shook Roel in her excitement and whispered, “Do you know what the dagger the Prime Minister is holding means?”
“…No.”
“It means he will attend and serve the Emperor up close and share in the governance of the nation. Furthermore, it’s a pledge to stake his own life on speaking truth to power, on matters of right and wrong.”
“What about the candlesticks?” Roel asked, her gaze fixed on Ian. It was hard to tell if she was looking straight ahead or watching the back of Jin, who walked before them.
“The candlesticks mean they will dedicate their bodies to lighting the path His Majesty the Emperor will walk. They are also the light that connects the Imperial Palace and its people. It’s a way of showing that His Majesty is there, and I am here.”
Hmm. I see.
Vivi and Roel’s whispers were slowly drowned out by the performance of the imperial orchestra.
In the meantime, Jin arrived at the foot of the dais. Before he could reach the throne, he first had to pass by a statue in the shape of an angel—the messenger who was said to have connected Bariel and God at the time of its founding.
“The holy water.”
Just then, the High Priest approached with the holy water and bowed. Jin dipped his fingertips into the water and, with a reverent gesture, anointed his forehead, the space below his eyes, and his chin. It was a final act of showing his mere mortal form to God before ascending to the seat of Emperor.
He knelt before the statue.
Swoosh.
“My name is Jin Verocion. I am a descendant of Bariel, blessed by God, and one who carries the blood of the Imperial Family. I offer my prayers to God, and I ask that you, O Messenger, please allow my voice to reach the heavens in its entirety.”
The melody stopped, and the hall filled with silence. The only sound was Jin’s calm voice. Though it was close to a murmur, his whisper echoed so loudly that everyone present could hear it vividly. As Jin bowed his torso deeply, a single drop of holy water trickled down his chin.
“From this moment on, I shall become the father of all things in Bariel. The warm sunlight and the fresh leaves, the heart-piercing cold, the laughter and tears of the people—all that exists will be with my name.”
Thump!
The nobles, too, placed a hand on their chests and looked toward the statue.
“And so, I beseech you. I pray that the blessing upon this great empire, which has lasted for 1,111 years, will continue, and I ask that you permit me to create the empire that God desires. I swear this: if Bariel wills it, I will offer all my breath, my blood, and my fate. If, by chance, you do not wish for me—”
Jin lifted his head, his eyes meeting the statue’s. The holy water made it look as though he were weeping.
“Then kill me here and now. If that is God’s will, and it is for the sake of Bariel, I will gladly die.”
The coronation prayer was a time-honored tradition. As long as one did not die on the spot, one would gain the justification of having received God’s permission. Most knew it was a formality, but to speak of ‘death’ before God was enough to make anyone nervous. Because—
“In a thousand years, exactly two people have died during the coronation prayer,” Vivi whispered through her teeth, so quietly only Roel could hear. She figured he wouldn’t know, having grown up in the desert. “I don’t remember their names exactly, since they never became emperor. Anyway, one was crushed to death by a falling chandelier, a plot by his political rivals, and the other died from poison disguised as holy water.”
Though their deaths were by human hands, not divine, the repercussions were clear. They were recorded as those who had died for failing to receive God’s chosen blessing, which in turn gave their opposition the justification to rise to power. It was unlikely to happen now, but with that ‘what if’ in mind, every noble watched Jin with bated breath.
Shwaaaak!
The curtains on the window behind the statue were drawn back. A brilliant light poured in, stretching the statue’s shadow long across the floor, creating the illusion that its arm was reaching out to caress Jin.
The Prime Minister bowed, and the ministers lowered their postures in succession.
‘…God’s permission.’
Through the prostrated form of Jin, Ian saw himself. Was I like that on that day, at my own coronation? Did God permit it, and caress me with a shadow? For a moment, he remembered the god who had held him in the Abyss, and a smile touched his lips.
“Prime Minister.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will serve you with all my heart.”
Before ascending the throne, Jin greeted the retainers who had followed him by pressing his cheek to theirs. The Prime Minister and Minister Maxim Tweller carefully paid their respects, and then it was Ian’s turn.
“Your Majesty. Thank you.”
“Those are my words to say, Sir Ian.”
No. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. By you becoming the Emperor, my history can finally begin. Bariel will prosper beautifully along its destined path, and at its end, I will be there.
Your Majesty. There was a time when I realized it and felt a sense of longing. Unlike me, you are one who will leave a trace in history. Unlike my own fading destiny, yours seemed so whole, so solid that nothing could shake it. But now, I realize it again. Because you are strong, the future me can begin anew. And to be able to witness that beginning is the greatest fortune I have been given.
Squeeze.
Jin and Ian silently embraced, sharing in that sentiment.
Slowly, Jin finished greeting the other retainers and ascended the stairs, the golden cloak rippling and swaying with his movements.
Swoosh—
“I, Jin Verocion, declare my ascension as the 15th Emperor of the Great Bariel Empire.”
Jin sat upon the throne and took the imperial family’s ceremonial sword in his hand. At that, all the retainers and nobles who had been in low postures prostrated themselves on the floor, marveling at the emperor’s ascension.
Dong— Dong—
A bell tolled from somewhere. The citizens who had flocked to the Imperial Palace cheered and clasped their hands. Then, the crowd, thousands strong, prostrated themselves in unison, celebrating the birth of their emperor.
“Jin Verocion is our Emperor!”
“Waah, congratulations, everyone! It’s a new era!”
“Bariel! Bariel! Bariel!”
“Ah, may God’s blessing be with him!”
Ba-riel! The beginning of the glory held by God— The heart of Gaia, which turns to gold when it rains— Lift your heads high, and you shall see— The light on high is Bariel’s beacon—
A chant, its origin unknown, slowly began to swell. Jin stepped out from the coronation hall, waving to his people, and everyone cheered, throwing flower petals.
Bwooo—
Bwoo—
A series of water-buffalo horn whistles sounded. The people, wondering what was happening, began to point at the sky one by one.
“Hey! Look at that!”
“It’s a dragon!”
“Wooooow!”
—Kkyuuu!
As the red dragon soared powerfully into the sky with a roar, the people waved their hands in delight. At first, they had thought it was a monster that had come through the black moon, but hearing it was a gift from Ruswena, they were overjoyed, ignorant of the detailed circumstances behind it.
“A new era has dawned for the Great Bariel Empire.”
Zzzing. Zing.
Mages connected their magitools to amplify Jin’s voice. The Emperor’s message, as if whispered in their ears. The people looked straight up at Jin, their eyes sparkling.
“As Emperor, I will strive for the prosperity of the empire and for your well-being, and I will protect the glory of Bariel for eternity. I will not forgive any who stand in the way of this, no matter what they may be. I will make them atone with blood and make known the majesty of Bariel.”
“Waaaaah!”
The crowd clenched their fists and cheered. In the distance, the march of soldiers began, their perfectly synchronized steps filled with grim determination.
Thump! Thump!
“Burgos. A neighboring country that has long shared a border with Bariel. Yet they have lost their national pride and are killing one another, and furthermore, they have caused the deaths of our envoys. I, Jin Verocion, cannot overlook this. Valiant warriors of Bariel, advance into Burgos and show them what justice is.”
The vanguard of the Imperial Army exited the Imperial Palace. Dozens of white horses led the way, carrying the flag of Bariel. The people who had been unable to enter the palace grounds cheered, blessing the soldiers on their way to war.
“Return safely!”
“Go and bring us victory! Victory!”
“Proud soldiers of Bariel! You are the heroes of the empire! Thank you!”
“Eirin! Eirin!”
Just then, a man in the crowd recognized a familiar face among the soldiers and called out her name repeatedly. Eirin, who had been staring straight ahead in her nervousness, shifted only her eyes to look at the man. It was the owner of the tavern where she had been staying.
“Eirin! Be careful and come back safe!”
“…”
“Don’t die! And don’t get hurt!”
“…”
“Come back to the tavern when you return! All the drinks will be on me!”
She was no longer a tavern worker, but a soldier in the vanguard. She couldn’t even turn her head, so she just smiled, winking one eye. At her smile, the tavern owner, who had been pushing through the crowd after her, nodded in relief. He couldn’t follow the march any further, pushed back by the swelling crowd, but he shouted one last time until his throat was raw.
“Eirin! You are a warrior of the empire! You’re amazing!”