The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 258

Proofreader: somnium

The weather was very clear on the day of the Crown Prince’s Coronation Ceremony.

The people even accepted this as a blessing from God.

Active people came out early in the morning to sweep and decorate the road.

The flower girls on the street emptied their baskets before morning even came.

Those who could not buy flowers cut the flowers of mountains and fields the day before or two days in advance and soaked them in water.

Some even cut the flower stalks of flower pots that were grown nicely.

The poor, who could not even afford it, folded paper flowers.

People from the temple handed out various colored papers. Blessed beeswax candles and white bread were also distributed.

“Receive the blessing of the Saintess.”

The priests drew crosses and knocked on doors from door to door.

The poor family offered a prayer of thanks. Households that could afford were given candles, and expensive incense candles and butter were offered.

The rich man donated silver or gold coins equal to the weight of the candle.

It was a Saintess who revived the miracle of Saint Olga. She was a Saintess, given the oracle that she would become the Empress.

She was a Saintess who gave birth to an imperial star, blessed by God at the altar of the Harvest Festival.

Is there any more evidence that God specifically chooses and loves the Empire?

The bloody incidents that had occurred so far were blown away at once. The scent of flowers filled the city.

Faithful people put the sacred images they worshiped at home by the window or in front of the front door and lit a blessed candle in front of it.

It meant that they would dedicate the blessing not to their family, but to the Crown Prince who will be appointed today and to the Empire.

“Blessings to the Saintess and the Crown Prince!”

“Glory to the Empire!”

The hasty ones were shouting before the Coronation Ceremony even started.

Paper flowers fluttered in the sky.

＊＊＊

King Eimmel lay still in bed.

Although the mansion where he was imprisoned was in a remote place, the sound of cheers from afar could be faintly heard.

“How long are you going to sleep?”

Cadriol hurriedly pulled the curtain.

The King did not look at him. Because that was only one thing he could do at will.

“Now, get up. You must attend the Crown Prince’s Coronation Ceremony. This is the last thing you can do for your country as King Eimmel.”

“…… It is you, who killed the Queen.”

The King spoke out of context.

Cardriol grinned.

“Is that important?”

“Your……!”

The King gritted his teeth, but his voice had no power.

No matter what he said, there was no way Cadriol would have said that with his mouth. And he didn’t have the strength to make Cadriol confess.

“If you don’t want to go.”

Cadriol shrugged his shoulders and left the bedroom.

He didn’t even expect it anyway. It was just to show formal courtesy.

As he got out, he heard a louder shout.

“How is the atmosphere?”

“It’s completely festive. It looks like the temple has decided.”

“I guessed so. Has a Saintess ever been so involved in politics?”

“I don’t know theology well, but probably not. Could this have happened only in the early days of the founding of the Empire?”

The lieutenant thought for a moment and answered,

“So the temple must be so excited.”

Cadriol nodded and hurriedly climbed onto the horse.

As he went into the city, he could feel the atmosphere of joy in his body.

In a place that had nothing to do with the parade after the Crown Prince’s Coronation Ceremony, there were also those who voluntarily played instruments and sang hymns out of joy.

Every temple in the alleyway was holding a worship service.

Cadriol had a strange feeling.

Even when Lawrence was crowned the Crown Prince, he was here as a representative of the Eimmel Kingdom.

He was, even then, an ally of the winner. He knew the insidious air currents moving at the bottom of this ecstasy.

‘Well, in the end, the winner is still the same, and the person who creates this atmosphere is the same.’

But this time, the Saintess will not be troubled or afraid of this cheer.

She must have already taken control of the organization by using all the means she can with the temple.

‘I thought she was taking over the temple for Lysia Morten.’

Cadriol thought.

So he thought that was why she had beaten Bishop Akim. Because it’s a hindrance to Lysia.

“I didn’t expect her to receive the oracle herself.”

The oracle must be a blatant lie. However, her divine powers could not be a lie, as many people had witnessed it.

But Cadriol also finds it hard to believe. That Marquis Rosan is a Saintess.

“It’s over. Done.”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“The world is doomed. So is my life.”

Cadriol grumbled. And he spurred his horse.

＊＊＊

The shouts of cheer reached the Imperial Palace. Normally, he would never have heard of it.

It must have been that people were gathered towards the Crown Prince’s Palace and shouted.

Cedric asked,

“Did the temple make them shout like this on purpose?”

“The temple is overly loyal.”

Artizea answered.

“Ease your brow. It’s a good day, it’s a good thing.”

“I know.”

Cedric replied briefly.

It was really good. When he thought of all the things Lysia’s been through since it was revealed that she was a Saintess, it was even more.

But he couldn’t help but be complicated.

When Lawrence held the Crown Prince’s Coronation Ceremony.

When Lawrence celebrated his coronation.

Even when he decides to confront him instead of avoiding it.

Even when he takes Artizea out of the dungeon and when he asks her for a plan.

Even when she came and offered to make him emperor.

Even when entering the Crown Prince’s Palace.

He didn’t think he ever really thought that this moment would come.

Ansgar knelt before him and wrapped the belt around him. And he smoothed the shape by adjusting the angles to the hem of his trousers.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have another attendant to help him get dressed. But since it was an important day, Ansgar went out on his own.

A golden epaulette hung over his shoulders and a red belt draped him as silence fell in the toilette room.

It was only natural that there were those who were happy he became the Crown Prince, those who hated him, and the Evrons, the feeling that was indescribable.

“Let me see.”

Artizea looked around at Cedric’s appearance as he finished dressing up.

He was flawless and perfect.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Artizea wore a blue dress with tiny pieces of jewels sewn to the hem of the skirt.

As she moved, the dress shone in the light. Her hair, which was braided to a moderate length and raised loosely, was sprinkled with gold dust.

Perhaps, what people expect is a pure white Saintess, but she did not deliberately dress up like that.

It was Cedric who should get the attention.

With this one-time magnificence she hoped to show who is the master. The Crown Prince is not the Crown Prince because the Saintess has chosen him, but because he is the Crown Prince who will sit at the apex of the Empire.

The official knocked on the door.

“Grand Duke, it is time to depart.”

Cedric reached out his hand to Artizea. Artizea placed her own hand on his.

There was a white carpet outside the door.

All kinds of symbols and emblems were embroidered around the edges. The sun and moon, land and river, the groups that symbolized it, grain and sheep, wild beasts and horses, swords and spears, and the crests of the families who first built the Empire and paid their allegiance were also engraved on it.

At the end it was written in ancient language.

〚May God bless Krates forever.〛

The emblem was also engraved with gold thread inside Cedric’s cloak.

Artizea felt the irony.

If God had blessed Krates, it would have been that God did not bless the blood of the Imperial Family, but rather the land from which it was called.

The two looked straight ahead and walked.

The carpet stretched out to the outside of the Crown Prince’s Palace. The knights lined up on the left and right, and drew their swords shining in silver and took a salute.

The crowd shouted outside the ranks of the knights.

“Glory to the Crown Prince!”

“Blessed be the Saintess!”

Those calls were soon united into one.

“Long live the Empire!”

It was as if for this moment alone, the groups entangled with all kinds of interests seemed to be one whole.

The door to the Luminous Hall was wide open.

From there the priests were carrying lamps lit with incense.

Each time they passed, nobles and officials knelt one by one. The priests also knelt down.

The Archbishop did not kneel, but bowed enough to pay homage to the authority of this world.

So, when they arrived before the throne, only the Emperor and the Empress were higher than them.

Cedric knelt on one knee before the Emperor and bowed his head. Artizea fell on her knees beside him.

First, the Empress put a ring with a seal on each of their hands.

The Emperor then placed a small gold crown on Cedric’s head.

Cedric closed his eyes tightly.

The weight on his head wasn’t so great. But it felt like an execution tool to Cedric.

“Stand up, Crown Prince.”

said the Emperor in a low voice.

“Now that you are of the Empire’s base, you must never kneel, never be broken, stand firm and be a pillar that supports the sun and the moon.”

“The order that you have given, I will never forget it.”

Cedric answered politely, stood up and stretched his knees.

As he turned around, the Archbishop who presided over the ceremony said,

“Congratulations.”

Afterwards, high-ranking nobles and officials, including Chancellor Lin, who was nearby, also congratulated the Emperor.

“Congratulations!”

Those who could not come close shouted from afar.

The words of congratulations quickly spread outside the Luminous Hall. The attendant informed the outside that the Ceremony was over.

The loud cheer sound reached the Luminous Hall.

Cedric took Artizea’s hand and went all the way.

Now, all that was left was the parade.

After taking a lap along the Capital’s main road and returning to the Luminous Hall, the celebratory banquet will begin.

The banquet was to last for three days.

Whhooaa-!

The moment the two went outside, the shouts of the crowd waiting outside the Luminous Hall became a single sound and resounded in the blue sky.

The sound pierced Cedric’s stomach and chest painfully, terrifying him.