Ch.188188. Founding Ceremony

Time passed quickly, and about three months had gone by.

The season was spring.

With spring breezes blowing and warm sunlight embracing people, good weather had arrived.

Finally, the day of both the founding ceremony and coronation had come.

The venue for the founding ceremony was none other than the site where the old capital had once stood—now a massive fortress city built upon it, which would become the nation’s capital.

This meticulously planned city rivaled the old capital in size, with visible efforts made to create an environment where slums could never form.

Built by completely overturning the foundation, this city resembled, if one had to compare, a European city with a long history.

The quaint three-story houses were perfect as single-family homes, and the streets were lined with trees planted for landscaping and security, alongside power poles.

These power poles, shaped like elongated lamp bases, operated by magic, with the simple function of absorbing sunlight during the day and releasing it at night.

Throughout the city, ecological parks similar to New York’s Central Park had been established, satisfying aesthetic sensibilities while greatly benefiting people’s emotional well-being.

On the wide-spreading roads, carriages led by Blood Wolves circulated regularly, which could be easily understood as a form of public transportation.

The city’s underground water supply and sewage systems had also been completely rebuilt, making water-related utilities not much different from modern standards.

Particularly in the deepest part of the sewage treatment plant, slimes and slush slimes that fed on household waste and wastewater lived while helping maintain water quality.

This city was protected by tall and sturdy walls, constructed to function reasonably well even during a proper invasion.

The walls were plastered with various protective magical formulas and featured special structures that generated magical effects, showcasing new technology that could block all forms of external surveillance.

Even the gaze of gods.

Anyway, this fortress city, which had no security issues whatsoever, was named Bjornburg.

Regardless of whether the namesake was embarrassed or not, following the opinion of a certain inquisitor, this Bjornburg had three landmark-level architectural structures.

One was the Grand Temple, designated as the headquarters of the Vengeance Order.

This massive building, reminiscent of a gigantic Gothic cathedral, seemed to embody the authority built by I—Ma-Duke.

Another was the palace where the nation’s supreme ruler would reside in the capital.

This palace, which would also serve as a government office building including capital administration, was a fortress that focused entirely on aesthetics rather than defensive capabilities.

And finally, there was the enormous square at the very center of Bjornburg—the so-called “Red Square.”

Named for the red bricks paving its floor, this square was both the heart where the city’s flow converged and the venue for grand events.

Naturally, those grand events were none other than the founding ceremony and coronation.

Countless, countless humans had gathered in the square for the coronation.

The audience sat in temporary structures built specifically for today’s event, while those who couldn’t find seats due to lack of space chattered noisily.

Laughter filled with hope echoed from all directions, and a strange anticipatory heat spread among hundreds of thousands of people.

And just as the atmosphere began to gradually heat up—at that very moment.

Bam~ Babababam~ Bababa~ Bam-Bababam, Bambababam~.

The Blood Warrior military band, carrying various brass instruments I had ordered to be created, began playing magnificent music—as important figures started to enter one by one.

High-ranking officers of the Avenger Legion at deputy commander level and above. Executive officers of the Black Sun Legion at the level of Thousand-Man Commanders. Mid-level and higher priests of the Vengeance Order and high officials. Professors from the Magic University.

*Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap—!!!*

As they entered, the audience responded with applause, and they took their designated seats around the central platform one by one.

[Distinguished guests are entering. Everyone, please welcome them with a big round of applause!]

With those words from Inquisition Director Eric Bjornson, who was serving as the master of ceremonies, the truly important people began to make their appearances.

[The Captain of the Holy Assault Squad, the great warrior chosen by Him! Saint Persha is entering!]

The first to appear was Persha, armed with black armor and a holy battle standard.

As a Saint (聖人, Saint) selected after rigorous examination by the Vengeance Order, he had his body completely covered in armor that was especially ornate for the ceremony.

He wore a red cape on his back, proclaiming that all sins had been forgiven, and though his expression was hidden inside his helmet, he felt bewildered yet joyful.

Having become essentially a living symbol proving the sanctity of the Order, he walked forward with solemn steps and took his designated position.

[The Chancellor of the Magic University and Director of the Supreme Magic Research Department, Lunifer Faisentrious, is entering!]

The next to enter was the Chancellor of the Magic University, Lunifer Faisentrious.

Instead of the white robes he usually wore, he was dressed in white ceremonial attire with red decorations, and to maximize the image of a “wizard,” he walked in carrying a crystal ball and an ornate staff.

Though his face wasn’t covered, so he couldn’t freely show his emotions, in truth, he didn’t want to participate in such clownish activities.

One might ask why he participated then…

An enormous research grant was enough to move even Lunifer.

[The Prime Minister of the Administration and Interim Regent of the State, Regent Ben Gaitenpang, is entering!]

Following Lunifer came the Interim State Regent Ben Gaitenpang, who openly revealed his identity by partially displaying his dragon form.

Amid great cheers for the man with suspiciously sparkling eyes, he slowly moved forward in his administrative uniform—and then returned to his original form.

KUUUUNG!!!

With a thunderous roar, he transformed into a massive Red Dragon and settled in the back of the venue, positioning himself as something of a backdrop.

[The Pope of the Vengeance Order! The first great spokesperson of Vengeance!! His Holiness Gracchus is entering!!]

Almost simultaneously as Ben took his position, Gracchus, dressed in papal attire, began advancing with a solemn atmosphere.

He wore a rather tall inverted triangular hat decorated with a skull between crosses, and his body was clothed in a reddish-brown, spacious garment.

This attire was lavishly decorated with fluttering banners, and he also wore special pauldrons on his shoulders and the upper part of a breastplate on his chest for style.

At the top of the staff in his hand was the upper body of someone trapped in armor and burning, and surprisingly, this person was still alive and feeling pain despite his condition.

This sinner, eternally preserved in this state for the crime of blasphemy, served as an example that no one, regardless of status, could escape punishment for blasphemy.

As great cheers naturally poured out for Gracchus, the highest official of the Order, the next person to appear boasted popularity that was by no means inferior to Gracchus.

[His merciful and devout Saint! The Apostle of the Chosen Blood! His beloved child, Saint Lisa Raeldotir is entering!]

Amid an enormous roar of cheers unlike anything heard before, Lisa, with a mysterious smile, slowly began to walk forward.

She wore a beautiful blood-red robe and carried a staff wrapped in sacred aura, while a golden halo shone behind her head, emphasizing her sanctity.

Beside her stood four warriors in white armor holding shields—these were the White Guards, special warriors assigned to protect the Saint.

Although Lisa clearly displayed vampire-like bat wings spread behind her back, the enthusiastic crowd paid no attention to such details and continued to cheer.

Those incompetent opportunists who would criticize her for being a vampire had all been dragged to underground detention—the gulags.

As everyone took their positions on the platform, the crowd somehow sensed that something was approaching.

As the murmuring grew louder, those who felt the powerful presence were silenced by its intimidation.

[The Great One, The Chosen, our rightful sovereign, the Great Avenger, His foremost descendant, and the Empire’s Doom. Bjorn Wolfson is coming!]

In the silence, only the words the master of ceremonies managed to utter spread across the central square. Through their midst appeared the cause of all this—Bjorn Wolfson.