Bestowal of Peerage (2)

The ceremony for the bestowal of title began with the person receiving the title walking from the front of the detached palace to the imperial presence in the main hall, while the assembled vassals stood in rows and the Emperor sat on the throne. After receiving the title, they had to go out of the palace again and ride a carriage led by white horses, touring the capital along a designated route. It was a ritual to show and announce the newly titled Princess to the people.

From the front of the detached palace to the inside of the main hall, it couldn’t be called ‘all civil and military officials,’ but at least the major officials who usually entered the palace for work and the major nobles of the capital were almost all in attendance. The Sang-gung of the Rose Palace was primly nestled among the seated guests inside the main hall as if it were obvious. Originally, Serina’s status wouldn’t have allowed her to attend, but she entered as a maidservant of Mirabilis and took a seat next to Mullaba.

As the Yegwan gave the signal, the officials of the Ministry of Rites, who had been waiting in front of the detached palace, began to march first. Mirabilis, the star of this event, stood at the very end of the procession. Although it was early winter, it wasn’t very cold during the day. The procession, each dressed in ceremonial attire, slowly entered the interior of the main hall, greeted by the winter sunlight.

The vanguard of the procession, which entered first, lined up on both sides of the central passage, creating a path for Mirabilis to pass through. Mirabilis passed through the space they created.

In the suffocatingly silent imperial presence, the sound of her footsteps echoed off the stone and walls, spreading far and wide. Her slender waistline stood out even from afar. With each step of her long, sleek legs, the long train of her white dress fluttered as if dancing.

The throne was in the shape of two gilded wooden lion statues supporting it. It was the most direct tool symbolizing the Emperor’s power. Emperor Awigustos was at an age where vitality was slowly draining from his body along with his muscles, and old age was setting in, but he still hadn’t lost the dignity of his status as Emperor in his physical form. He sat on the throne and gazed at the Princess approaching him from beyond the main hall. A faint, pleased smile settled on his lips.

The main hall of the Imperial Palace was decorated on all sides with splendid paintings, chandeliers, and candles to emphasize the Emperor’s dignity, but even here, Mirabilis’s beauty wasn’t buried at all, but rather stood out even more. Under the weapons held by the soldiers lined up in ceremonial military attire, between the gazes of the nobles standing and watching beside them, Mirabilis walked straight ahead without stopping. The long train of her dress rustled as it brushed against the floor.

Light entered through the stained glass windows with all sorts of patterns, illuminating the interior of the main hall. The moving mosaic that slightly changed position each time the sun moved was one sign revealing the authority of the Emperor and the Empire. The rays of light that passed through the glass were dyed in various colors, unfolding the power of the monarch and the history of the Empire like a painting on the floor.

The ribbed vaults stretched out in arches, intersecting like the ribs of a giant, supporting the weight of the rock that formed the body of the building and creating a magnificent space beneath them. While receiving the canvas of light painted by the sun with her body and passing under the arches that were several lengths tall, the massive main hall, formed of cold stone, allowed its body to be given entirely as space and time for Mirabilis.

Supo tectod louces

(Under the protection of light)

The grand main hall filled its interior with silver light, visually embodying the old idiom. Beyond the curtain-like, splendid lighting of the main hall, Mirabilis knelt and bowed her head when she reached her designated spot. The Emperor’s gaze, looking down at his daughter from the throne, caught the indigo ornaments placed on her neatly arranged hair.

As the light pouring from the window shattered above Mirabilis’s head, it sparkled with a subtle golden light and a clear blue light, shimmering like a curtain. Mirabilis respectfully adjusted her posture and brought the lines she had memorized to the point of aching lips to her tongue.

“Mirabilis Rensia de Lucsimia, the Second Princess of Awikima, humbly petitions Awigustos, Your Majesty, the first citizen and knight of this nation, the guardian of faith, the king of nations, the Duke of Bullentes, and the Count of Parentum.”

Her lips were parched, so she slightly moistened them with the tip of her tongue.

“In my humble opinion, I believe that I have reached the age, respect the virtues of the supreme gods, uphold the laws of the nation, and have no disqualifications to demonstrate the generosity of the Imperial Family before the people. May Your Majesty graciously consider and grant me the title of Princess.”

Of course, it was an event that had already been coordinated in advance. However, in the bestowal ceremony, the Princess would petition the current Emperor to bestow the title of Princess upon her, and the Emperor would accept this and bestow the title. Therefore, the Emperor also spoke the predetermined lines.

“I have watched my second daughter Mirabilis for a long time, and I have judged that her character and actions are sufficient to receive the title of Princess. Therefore, I accept your petition and grant you the right to use the title ‘Princess’.”

The Emperor paused for a moment. In the moment when the vast main hall became silent in an instant, everyone’s gaze turned to the apex of the Empire. Awigustos warmly looked down at Mirabilis with eyes that were turning brown with age. After a brief silence like a smile, a powerful voice like eloquence burst from his lips.

“Also, taking the name of the land of Bilendia, where she lived in her childhood and where her mother’s clan resides, I bestow upon her the title of Princess of Bilendia (Regina Bilendias), and from now on, your official title shall be Regina Mirabilis Rensia de Lucsimia Bilendiensis.”

The moment she heard her father’s words, tears welled up in Mirabilis’s eyes. A myriad of emotions swirled like regret at the thought of how long it had taken to receive this title.

As the Emperor’s words ended, the lined-up orchestra played instruments, and everyone in attendance applauded. The sound of drums and clapping hands collided with the walls of the imperial presence, reflecting and echoing, filling the main hall. People cheered and scattered paper flowers and grains of grain as a sign of celebrating the new Princess.

The Emperor descended from the throne and personally placed a ring on his kneeling daughter’s finger. The ring, which also served as a seal to stamp on documents sent in the Princess’s name, was engraved with the crest of the ‘Princess of Bilendia,’ which combined the image of a sword, the symbol of Bilendia, and a silver tree, signifying the Awimika Princess, along with the phrase R. Mirabilid Bil. It meant ‘From Princess Mirabilis of Bilendia.’

Warm emotion flowed silently like water droplets between Mullaba’s eyelids. A suppressed sob poured out like a whimper from the old Sang-gung’s lips. Infected by him, Serina also felt a stinging sensation in her eyes. Mullaba had experienced more heartache than joy while serving Mirabilis for a long time. Even while watching her master finally receive the title of Princess, she felt like a mother watching her child leave for marriage, and she couldn’t properly watch the bestowal ceremony because she was constantly wiping away tears.

****************

Padrentia made the excuse of being ill and didn’t attend Mirabilis’s bestowal ceremony. Amitale argued that ‘even if it’s something you dislike, you should go considering the external perception,’ but Padrentia didn’t accept it. Amitale didn’t know what he had done because he had complicatedly instigated the work through others.

Since she had made the excuse of being ill to not attend the bestowal ceremony, she couldn’t go out to other places or receive guests. Padrentia hated Mirabilis. No, if she were to weigh her emotions between dislike and hatred, she was closer to hatred. The sorrow of losing her mother, and the anger she felt from no longer being ‘the Empress’s child,’ were shot at Mirabilis and hardened like stone, stuck in her heart until now.

Even so, she didn’t want to publicly gossip or announce that the two half-sisters had a bad relationship. A Princess should be noble. So, she didn’t want rumors to spread that she had a bad relationship with her half-sister, even if she was only half.

“I’m the one who had that child bestowed with the title of Princess.”

Since she had made the excuse of being ill, it was okay to wear comfortable clothes as if it were nighttime. Because she hadn’t scheduled anything, Padrentia spent her time idly in the middle of the day for the first time in a long time, but her heart wasn’t peaceful at all. It was like going to remove a lump and coming back with one attached, or a quick-witted cat not seeing what’s right in front of its eyes. A hollow anger welled up.

“I was hoping that she would be shocked by the attack and retreat back into the Rose Palace again, venting her anger on her subordinates.”

It was natural that the Minister of Justice didn’t understand the purpose of the culprit who instigated the attack on Mirabilis. It wasn’t a rational reason to begin with. It was no secret among those who knew the palace situation that Padrentia’s relationship with Mirabilis wasn’t very good. But even Amitale hadn’t realized that she would go to such lengths.

Suddenly, Padrentia felt the urge to turn the entire main chamber of the Chrysanthemum Palace upside down and smash everything, just like Mirabilis did when she was angry. But she forcibly suppressed it, repeating the words ‘I am a Princess of this nation, I am a Princess of this nation’ like a spell.

Padrentia always wanted to be seen as strong and unwavering. Therefore, she hated showing her subordinates a 모습 of losing control of her emotions and running wild. The gentle smile on her face was like a flower that bloomed from strict calculation and ruthless passion.

Although she had harbored resentment in her heart since she was young, she was able to alleviate her hatred to some extent with the sense of superiority she felt from becoming a Princess while Mirabilis didn’t. However, after the child named Serina stood next to Mirabilis, she changed somehow. Now that her hated sister has become a Princess, what can she use to comfort her heart? The anger and inferiority that she had suppressed in her heart were slowly rising.

Padrentia couldn’t bear it any longer. She was even more frustrated because she didn’t know if Supanita would do well as she was told. Watered-down wine wasn’t enough to cool the heat burning in her chest. She wanted to fill her inside with more, more strong liquor and go to sleep with her body feeling damp.

She took out the fiery liquor that she had deliberately asked Amitale to bring to one side of the main chamber. As soon as she opened the lid of the liquor bottle, the pungent smell of alcohol stimulated her nose. As she raised the glass and gulped it down, a burning sensation as if her esophagus was burning scratched past her throat. Padrentia continued to fill her glass, reveling in the hazy intoxication created by the strong liquor.