The ceremony began with Viola taking the oath, but voices of objection started rising. A minister from the crowd raised his concern, saying,
"How can we be sure that a woman is capable enough to protect our land?"
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Viola listened calmly and replied,
"I am Gladiolus, chosen by God to rule this land. Are you trying to question God?"
Viola knew this would not silence the crowd.
Another minister spoke,
"Princess Viola, you know there are rumors spreading outside."
Viola immediately stood up from her chair.
"I want you to clearly say what you mean. If not, I will have to punish you for spreading false rumors about the last king and defaming him as incapable of making decisions."
The room fell silent. Everyone looked toward Priest Anemone to make a decision.
"Since Princess Viola has a letter from the last king, according to the law, we must accept this," he declared.
After the ceremony, Priest Anemone waited for Viola. When she arrived, he greeted her,
"Queen Viola, your ceremony was successful."
"Priest Anemone, thanks to you. Take this—this is what you were looking for," Viola said calmly.
She handed him a small piece of paper. He read it and immediately burned it.
Priest Anemone returned to his chamber and began throwing things in anger.
"How dare this woman try to play games with me? Bring him to me," he ordered his trusted servant.
His red eyes stared at the moon, as if challenging it.
A minister came to meet him.
"Priest Anemone, I still don't understand how you let this happen."
Priest Anemone looked at him.
"Whether I support her or not doesn't matter. She would still become queen because that general will only listen to the last king's letter. If I had rejected her at that moment, I would have lost my authority—my power."
The minister asked,
"But what will happen now?"
Priest Anemone replied,
"Let her be. She's just a woman—how far can she go? She will need us to survive. And it's easier to control women than men. In fact, this is good for us. We can take power from her whenever we want."
4 YEARS LATER – IMPERIAL GLADIOLUS SCHOOL
After four years, a new batch of students was admitted to learn about the glory of the nation and its laws.
In this prestigious school, only Dianthus, Gladiolus, and Monarda males are allowed to study. Monarda students sit at the back of the class so Dianthus and Gladiolus can maintain distance from them. All teachers in the school are from Dianthus.
There are 300 laws in this nation, and the teacher repeats them continuously so students can memorize them:
God has made all of us for a specific purpose; we cannot go against it. Dianthus are at the top. They are known for their knowledge and are born to be priests, passing on the message of God. Gladiolus are in the second position. They are born to rule but cannot question or go against the Dianthus. Monarda are in the third position. They are responsible for the economy and must follow Dianthus and Gladiolus without question. Attis are in the fourth place. They are instructed by God to do fieldwork and cannot question Dianthus, Gladiolus, or Monarda. Thistle are at the bottom. They are slaves, born to clean others' waste. They are not allowed in spiritual places and cannot question anyone above them.
During the lesson, the teacher noticed a student lost in thought, staring out the window. He struck him with a wooden stick.
"Prince Amaryllis, is something outside more important?"
All the students turned to look at Amaryllis. He wanted to ask a question but didn't have the courage, so he simply apologized.
"Don't lose focus from now on," the teacher warned.
After class, Prince Amaryllis and Laurel stood outside the school, looking at the ocean.
"Do you think all these laws and rules are right?" Amaryllis asked.
"I don't know," Laurel replied.
"You know… every night I still dream about what happened four years ago, when they killed that entire family… just because I touched someone innocently."
Laurel looked at him with concern.
"I don't have an answer for that. But as your friend, I can say—it wasn't your fault."
At that moment, Narcissus approached.
"Brother Laurel, Father is looking for you."
Laurel nodded.
Priest Anemone is Laurel's mentor, training him for palace duties. Though Anemone never shows affection, Laurel sees him as a father figure.
Laurel's goal is to repay Priest Anemone's kindness. Aside from him, the only person he truly cares about is Narcissus, Anemone's daughter. She is the only light in his sorrowful world. Laurel has no real family, but whenever he feels lonely, Narcissus is always there for him—like a sister.