Chapter 360

The grand hall, located at the heart of the Imperial Palace.

This was where the coronation banquet was being held.

It was a grand and important event, with almost all the lords who had contributed to the victory in attendance.

They were all eager to make a good impression on the newly crowned empress, hoping to gain even the smallest advantage in the upcoming distribution of rewards.

It was the way of the world.

I chuckled inwardly.

In that sense, I was at ease.

I had no such thoughts.

I just hoped that everything would go smoothly with the empress.

“You seem relieved.”

Regina said.

We were on our way to the banquet hall.

Lords usually attended with their wives, but since I didn’t have one, it was only natural for me to attend with my fiancée.

Regina didn’t seem to mind what had happened with the empress earlier.

Her reaction was different from when I had been with the elf senior.

It was probably because she knew that I didn’t have any special feelings for the empress.

“Things seem to be going well.”

“Something happened earlier, didn’t it?”

As expected of Regina, she was sharp.

“I got a confirmation. No, it was definitely a confirmation. I couldn’t have been mistaken.”

I recalled the empress’s breathing and her rapid pulse.

It was still vivid in my mind.

I couldn’t have been mistaken.

“I see. So you changed your plans?”

“There’s no need to create a tense atmosphere.”

The empress wasn’t an ordinary person.

I could deceive others, but I couldn’t deceive her senses.

Even if I discreetly prepared the Turtle Unit, she would notice.

That’s why I had canceled the plan.

“Well, I’m sure you made the right decision.”

Regina said with a faint smile.

She had been keeping her distance from this matter.

It was probably because of the delicate relationship between the empress and me, but it seemed like there was more to it than that.

She hadn’t acted like this when she was the student council president.

Not even a few months ago.

But now, she seemed to trust and rely on me completely.

Our relationship had definitely changed.

Honestly, it was unexpected.

‘I didn’t know the legendary student council president had this side to her.’

It was just a guess, but maybe the partner Regina had been looking for was a man she could trust and rely on.

And I had fulfilled that role, which was why our relationship had progressed.

Whatever the reason, it was a good thing for me.

“Thank you for saying that.”

I escorted her up the stairs and continued, “By the way, you look stunning today as well.”

She was wearing a cool blue dress.

I had never seen anyone look so good in that color.

The dress was slightly revealing, which added a touch of sensuality to her beauty.

Of course, it all worked because she was tall and beautiful, with a model-like figure.

“Hehe, really? I can’t lose to the empress. I might lose something important if I do.”

“Cough.”

She suddenly made a joke.

…Her jokes always sounded so serious that it was flustering.

“P-Please don’t say that. S-Someone might misunderstand.”

I looked around nervously.

It was embarrassing.

It was one thing to hear rumors, but it was another thing to hear it from my fiancée.

“Oh my, it seems like everyone’s already misunderstanding.”

“Cough, cough.”

“So why don’t we act even more affectionate?”

“…Alright.”

I reluctantly wrapped my arm around her waist.

Well, I didn’t mind, but…

I could feel the envious gazes of the other guests.

…This was the perk of being with a beautiful woman.

“Is this better? Shall we go in?”

She smiled brightly, which was unlike her.

“Yes, let’s.”

We reached the entrance of the banquet hall.

* * *

“Excuse me, but we need to conduct a body search.”

One of the empress’s guards said.

It was a standard procedure.

They couldn’t let anyone enter the banquet hall with weapons.

But I couldn’t help but frown.

It reminded me of the past.

The incident where the empress had slaughtered the unarmed lords after they had entered the banquet hall.

“What’s wrong?”

Regina looked at me.

“Nothing.”

I quickly relaxed my expression.

The past was the past.

The present was different.

The empress now was a completely different person from the empress back then.

Such a horrific incident would never happen again.

“Go ahead.”

I cooperated with the body search.

I scanned the crowd as I waited for my turn.

Most of the guests were familiar faces.

They were the ones who had fought alongside me in the civil war.

It was then that,

“T-That’s just a handkerchief!”

A man’s voice caught my attention.

There was no particular reason.

I just sensed a hint of anxiety in his voice.

‘Who is that…?’

Viscount Bovary.

My memory supplied his name.

He was one of the lords who had surrendered to me when I had conquered the central region.

He was a cowardly man who had surrendered without a fight.

It explained his anxiety.

“Hmm, let me see it.”

“I-It’s just a handkerchief!”

But something bothered me.

Why was he so agitated over a handkerchief?

The guard was just unfolding the handkerchief to check if there were any weapons hidden inside.

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the handkerchief.

It was blood red.

It wasn’t a typical color for a handkerchief, but it didn’t seem unusual otherwise.

The guard, who had finished examining the handkerchief, handed it back to Viscount Bovary.

“Hmph, I told you it was my handkerchief.”

He quickly tucked the red handkerchief back into his pocket.

‘Is it that precious to him?’

I tilted my head but lost interest.

He wasn’t worth my attention.

“Excuse me. You may enter.”

“Good work.”

I nodded and entered the banquet hall with Regina.

* * *

The banquet hall was bustling with activity.

It was only natural, since it was a celebration of the new emperor’s coronation.

Lively music filled the air as people chatted and mingled.

‘Interesting composition.’

I thought as I observed the crowd.

The northern lords, the central lords, the western lords, and the neutral lords.

It wasn’t strange for them to gather in their respective groups.

But there were no western lords around Marquis Safia, the leader of the western faction.

It was a blatant rejection.

I had heard that his subordinates were dissatisfied with his passive stance, but I hadn’t realized it was this bad.

But Marquis Safia remained calm.

As expected of a veteran politician.

‘Do you think that’s going to change anything?’

I thought as I looked at the western lords, their faces grim.

Marquis Safia’s passive stance was the right choice.

If they acted up, they might end up losing everything.

The empress was that kind of person.

Well, maybe she was different now.

“The emperor is here!”

A guard’s loud voice interrupted my thoughts.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and knelt on one knee.

The empress entered the hall, wearing a pure white dress instead of her coronation robe.

‘That dress…’

It was the same dress she had worn during our private meeting.

A strange feeling stirred within me.

A red dress.

She had worn a red dress on the day of the Bloody Coronation, as if to foreshadow the bloodshed.

But this time, she was wearing a white dress.

The same dress she had worn when we were alone.

It was a clear message.

‘I made the right decision.’

I had chosen compromise over bloodshed.

And it had led to this outcome.

“Thank you all for coming to celebrate my coronation.”

She smiled brightly.

I could say with certainty that there had never been an emperor like her in history.

An emperor who spoke respectfully to their subjects? It was unheard of.

The funny thing was that people had already gotten used to it, since she had been acting like this since she was the princess.

They should have been terrified and begged her to stop, but they were just accepting it.

“Let’s forget about our worries and enjoy ourselves tonight. I know I will.”

Not “We,” but “I.”

And yet, everyone just accepted it.

Honestly, it was a behavior that could undermine her authority as an emperor, but I wasn’t worried.

She had a natural aura of dignity, and no one would dare to challenge a monster who had single-handedly killed two Imperial Knights.

“Long live the emperor!”

“Long live!”

“May your reign be long and prosperous, Your Majesty!”

“May the blessings of the sun and the earth guide you towards a glorious future!”

The crowd cheered and praised her.

I added my own words.

“May you be happy.”

* * *

The banquet began.

People lined up to greet the empress.

I didn’t rush.

There was no need.

“Everything seems to be in order.”

Regina whispered in my ear.

“You’ve been scouting?”

“It’s boring to stay in one place.”

“That’s so like you.”

I chuckled.

She continued, “I’ve never seen the empress look like that before.”

“Huh? What’s different?”

“She looks… lively.”

“…”

I didn’t know what she meant, but she seemed to have noticed something.

“It must be because of you.”

“If I agree with you, it would make me sound arrogant, but I won’t deny it.”

“You are arrogant. You’ve charmed the High Elf, me, and now the empress.”

“C-Cough, cough! P-Please don’t say things that could be misunderstood…”

I was about to protest, but then I stopped.

My gaze had landed on someone.

It was him.

Viscount Bovary.

I wouldn’t have felt this strange and unpleasant feeling if it had just been him.

But I could see it clearly.

His hand was trembling excessively.

Was he nervous?

It was possible.

But something felt off.

‘Is he really that nervous about greeting the emperor?’

I narrowed my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I walked towards him.

I had to confirm my suspicions.

It was Viscount Bovary’s turn to greet the empress.

I could see him clearly.

“Y-Your Majesty… I-It’s an h-honor to meet you.”

He stammered, his body trembling like a leaf.

“And you are…?”

The empress asked gently.

It meant that she didn’t even remember him.

“I-I’m… I-I’m…”

“Yes, you need to calm down.”

“T-Thank you. I-I just need to wipe my sweat…”

He took a handkerchief out of his pocket.

The same red handkerchief from earlier.

A sense of foreboding washed over me, and I quickened my pace.

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“Yes?”

“Y-You’re not the rightful emperor!”

*Rip*

He ripped the red handkerchief.

And then,

*BOOOOOM!*

“Ugh?!”

A massive explosion erupted.