The announcement of the coronation schedule sent shockwaves throughout the empire.
A young empress who had strengthened imperial authority to an unprecedented degree.
Not only had she reached the realm of a Swordmaster, but she had also been chosen by the Holy Sword, Tempest.
With an empress of such stature, there wouldn't be a single noble who dared to skip attending her coronation.
Because of this, it was said that an enormous crowd was already gathering in the capital.
Not just people, but a vast amount of goods were pouring in as well.
All of it was meant to be presented as gifts to the empress in honor of her coronation.
"I suppose I should prepare a gift as well."
Knowing the empress's personality, she wouldn't even glance at gold, silver, or lavish feasts.
She'd likely be genuinely annoyed by such things, seeing them as nothing more than wasted space in her storage.
So, what would be the most optimal gift for her?
"Should I offer Hukhuki and Mulmuri?"
[Kyaaaak!?]
[Kraaaak!?]
As I idly spoke without much thought, considering that cuteness might be the best option,
Hukhuki and Mulmuri, who had apparently been nearby the whole time, looked up at me with betrayed eyes.
Their expressions practically screamed: You're not going to abandon us, right? Right!?
"Wouldn't it be better for you two to be treasured in the palace rather than treated as mere pets here?"
[Kyaaaak!!!]
[Kraaaak!!!]
"So you agree? I'll take that as a—"
[No.]
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
[Absolutely not.]
"···."
And so, offering Hukhuki and Mulmuri as a gift was ultimately abandoned due to their fierce resistance.
Even though they constantly complained about Yulia and Charlotte being annoying, troublesome, and irritating,
it seemed they'd grown attached enough that the idea of leaving made them reluctant.
[Kyaaaak! No way we're leaving this golden land where we get delicious, nutty treats every day!]
[Kraaaak! Nowhere else has a warm bath like this place!]
"···."
...So that was their real reason.
I kind of regretted asking.
If I hadn’t, I could’ve at least ended things on a heartwarming note.
"When I meet Her Majesty, I'll brag about my Zzzzzm Killer Sword!"
"Charlotte... the coronation is meant to celebrate Her Majesty. Shouldn’t you be more respectful?"
"Then I’ll celebrate first, and brag after!"
"···."
Now that I thought about it, was there really a need to prepare a gift?
For the empress, an event like the coronation was probably nothing more than a dull, tiresome obligation.
Wouldn’t the greatest gift be the presence of Charlotte, Yulia, and Yuri?
It wasn’t like I was thinking this because I was too lazy to find a gift or didn't want to spend money on one.
I had genuinely thought this through for the sake of the empress.
'And, more importantly, bringing the kids along increases my chances of protecting my chastity.'
No matter how desperate the empress was to abduct me as her national consort,
she surely wouldn’t be able to pounce on me with the kids watching.
The children were not just a gift for her—they were also my defense mechanism.
"Lord. A messenger from the palace has arrived."
"A palace messenger...?"
Startled, I turned around and saw that, sure enough, a messenger was waiting at the front gate.
What was this about?
Was it related to the coronation?
"Count Vermonte. I've come to discuss pre-arrangements for the coronation."
"...Shouldn’t that have been coordinated before announcing the schedule?"
"Her Majesty said, 'It’s better to confirm the schedule first, so the Count won’t be able to refuse later.'"
"···."
A sense of dread rapidly crept over me.
Just what was she planning...?
Meanwhile...
"Haijik, we're departing soon. Summon the carriages."
"Yes, Father. I’ll also arrange for cargo wagons and an escort detail."
"Good."
Count Ariente gazed at the long procession of carriages and smiled with satisfaction.
Since Her Majesty was holding a coronation upon reaching adulthood,
he had prepared an extravagant amount of gifts to celebrate this auspicious occasion.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
Had it # Nоvеlight # been during his time as a member of the noble faction, he would have only prepared one or two carriages’ worth.
But things were different now.
Ariente was now aligned with the Vermonte faction, the rising power in the empire.
Some mocked them, calling Ariente a Vermonte colony, a lackey, or even a walking wallet.
But such insults no longer fazed Count Ariente—in fact, he found them amusing.
'Who else in this world has a relationship as deep as mine with Count Vermonte? I owe Vermonte a debt of ten billion.
For my entire life, and for my son's sons, we are destined to serve Vermonte! Our bond is eternal!'
There was no shame in siding with the strong.
The fools who mocked him as Vermonte’s lapdog had long since faded into irrelevance, governing tiny rural villages.
Meanwhile, Ariente had reaped countless benefits as the neighboring lord of Vermonte Territory, a hub of tourism, industry, finance, and military might.
'Pride doesn’t put food on the table. Survival depends on keen instincts and quick decisions.'
It had all been thanks to his early recognition of Count Vermonte’s brilliance.
He had known from the very beginning—
from the moment he had tried to scam the Count... no, from the moment he had proposed a fair deal.
With Count Vermonte now the undisputed favorite of the empress,
it was only natural for Ariente to match that loyalty.
Of course, Her Majesty wouldn’t even glance at whatever gifts he brought,
but at the very least, he had to show sincerity.
"We’ll be arriving at the palace soon. Haijik, once we disembark, go straight to— Hmm?"
As their procession entered the capital,
Count Ariente stretched his stiff body—
only for his gaze to freeze at the sight outside the window.
"Father? What’s wrong?"
"Just now... I think I saw a skull whizzing past the window...?"
"You must be mistaken, Father. Why would there be a skull in the—"
[KYAAAAAAA!]
"Whoa, what?! Father, what’s wrong?!"
"LOOK! LOOK OUTSIDE, HAIJIK!"
"Outside? What are you— HNGYAAAAH!!!"
Outside, countless skulls rushed past in an eerie parade.
Count Ariente and Haijik clung to each other, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Had they somehow wandered into hell without realizing it?!
Count Ariente frantically called for the coachman to halt the carriage.
"W-What the hell...?"
Stepping outside, Count Ariente's vision filled with a terrifying sight—
endless ranks of undead soldiers lining the roads on both sides.
The sheer grotesqueness of the scene made his consciousness waver,
and he nearly fainted on the spot.
"Have I finally died and gone to hell...?"
"F-Father! Get a hold of yourself! That’s Count Vermonte’s undead legion!"
"W-What...?"
Only after spotting the Vermonte and imperial crests on the banners
did Ariente and Haijik breathe sighs of relief.
Whew.
Thank goodness.
It was just Vermonte’s undead legion...
Wait.
"...But why is the undead legion here?"
As his hammering heart finally began to settle,
a new sense of unease crept in.
Why had an undead army been deployed in the capital for the coronation...?
At the Imperial Palace...
"Finally, the city looks proper. I knew something was missing—turns out, it was your undead legion."
"···."
The empress beamed as she surveyed the undead legion stationed along the roads leading to the palace.
Was she pleased with the sight of the undead?
Or was she simply enjoying the way the nobles trembled in terror as they passed?
It was hard to say.
Though, perhaps... her good mood stemmed from something else entirely.
And so, as I suddenly realized that I was alone with the empress,
she scooted closer with a mischievous smile.
Not after the coronation—
now?