Ancient Empire Calendar, Year 1840
Twenty years had passed since Ricardo had ascended the throne as Krael II Kislavein, the 66th Dynasty Lord of the Kislavein Dynasty.
Twenty years—for some, a short time; for others, a long time; for still others, neither short nor long, an average amount of time. But when it came to Krael II, these years would be remembered as the Magnificent Years.
Ricardo had turned 45. Perhaps if he were an ordinary human, he would have completed more than half of his lifespan. No one could know that. But because Ricardo had obtained all five Sarcophagi, he had been rewarded with 10,000 years of Life Energy.
Ricardo had waited a little while to accept this reward because he wanted his reign to be remembered as a clean, round 10,000 years.
Ricardo had been preparing for years for the ceremony in which he would be declared Emperor. If the Sapharos invasions had not occurred, this ceremony would have been completed long ago. But as they say, every dark cloud has a silver lining.
After years of arduous preparation for the ceremony, the people of Ricardopolis were finally ready.
All the Dynasty Lords of the Five Lands and their families had also attended this ceremony.
The Dynasty Lords saw this ceremony as an opportunity to display their own power. Each of them had brought their armies and their wealth.
The Overlords, the guests of honor at the gathering, were witnessing the ceremony from the very front rows. This naturally made them the target of envious glances, but none of the four cared.
The wives, concubines, children, and grandchildren of the Kislavein Dynasty Lord were also witnessing the ceremony from the best vantage points, just like the Overlords.
All preparations were complete. Only the arrival of the main character of this entire spectacle remained.
Ricardo had completed his final preparations in the enormous bedchamber of his mind-bogglingly colossal palace.
He was wearing a long white garment with golden stripes. He had golden tassels on his shoulders and wore a sash extending from his left shoulder to his right waist. A long cape flowed from his back.
The choice of colors was very contrary to Kislavein style, but his message was clear: Ricardo was not just the Kislavein Dynasty Lord; he was the One True Ruler of the Five Lands.
Beside this Ruler, as always, was his life partner, Marilin, watching him with a smiling face.
"You are always like this. You never change, Marilin."
Marilin smiled and walked right up to Ricardo.
"Would you want me to change?"
Ricardo hugged Marilin tightly.
"Never."
After the couple kissed for a while, they parted.
"Why have we aged so quickly, Ricardo? Couldn't we have stayed a little younger?"
Ricardo smiled and replied.
"You know that's not something within our control, Marilin. But think of it this way: with all its ups and downs, its bittersweet moments, we have lived a long life together."
"And we will continue to live it together," Marilin added, then kissed her husband's lips.
"Now we must go. Everyone is waiting for us," said Ricardo.
"I know. Let's go. Today will be the fourth most important day of your life, my love."
Ricardo wondered about the other days and asked.
"What were my top three most important days?"
Marilin replied.
"The day you became the Dynasty Heir, the day you became the Dynasty Lord, and most importantly, the day you married me."
Ricardo laughed.
"Hahaha! You're right, my love. No matter how many important days I have, the most important was the day I married you."
Ricardo and Marilin kissed one last time.
"Very well, enough. Now we really must go."
Marilin reluctantly pulled back.
"Alright. But when this day is over, you won't escape my arms."
Ricardo laughed again and wanted to join in the joke.
"You already have more of me than my other wives, Marilin."
Marilin burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha! You're right. That's why they're always complaining."
Ricardo was hearing this for the first time.
"Really?"
"Yes," Marilin replied.
"Because I always keep you to myself, my other wives and concubines keep begging me to give you to them."
Ricardo was hearing such a thing for the first time.
"How many things go on in my palace and my harem without my knowledge?"
Marilin replied mockingly.
"Many things."
Although Ricardo wondered what those "many things" were, he didn't ask. They had talked enough, and that was sufficient. Now he had to go to the Coronation Ceremony.
Accompanied by his guards, he walked through the palace corridors. After a while, when he reached the palace gate, he stopped.
"Open the gates," Ricardo commanded.
The guards bowed their heads and obeyed. When they opened the gates, an enthusiastic crowd began to greet Ricardo.
"HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR!"
"THE EMPEROR HAS LEFT THE PALACE!"
"LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!"
Ricardo had not yet declared himself Emperor, but his people had already begun to see him as their Emperor.
Normally, coronation ceremonies were held in the Throne Hall of the palace. But Ricardo wanted all his people to witness this historic moment.
"It would be a shame to keep them waiting any longer. Let us begin."
When Ricardo raised one hand, the people fell silent. When he raised the other, the drums began to beat. The common people and nobles knelt and bowed their heads.
When Ricardo lowered his hands, the common people and nobles stood up again, and Ricardo began his speech.
"OH, MY PEOPLE! OH, MY VASSALS! I, RICARDO KISLAVEIN, THE 66TH DYNASTY LORD OF THE KISLAVEIN DYNASTY, THE UNIFIER OF THE FIVE LANDS AND THE ARCHIPELAGO, WISH TO WELCOME EVERYONE WHO HAS COME HERE. FOR CENTURIES, WE FOUGHT. WE SHED EACH OTHER'S BLOOD. BUT NOW, OUR BLOODY HISTORY REMAINS IN THE PAST. TODAY, AFTER A THOUSAND LONG YEARS, WE ARE FINALLY UNITED AGAIN. A NEW ERA AND A NEW EMPIRE ARE BEING BORN. AND YOU WILL BE THE WITNESSES OF THIS HISTORIC MOMENT."
When Ricardo finished his speech, the drums began to beat again. A guard brought Ricardo's crown.
The crown had five layers, each layer representing one of the Lands.
The top layer, made of Blood Stones, represented the Western Lands.
The second layer, made of Sun Stones, represented the Eastern Lands.
The third layer, made of Jade Stone, the historical legacy of the Costin Dynasty, represented the Central Lands.
The fourth layer, made of Ice Stones, represented the Northern Lands.
The bottom layer, made of Sand Stones, represented the Southern Lands.
Around the crown, it was decorated with beads made of Demon Stones. These beads represented the Sapharos Archipelago.
The order of the layers also showed the order in which the Lands had come under Kislavein's protection.
The reason for representing the Sapharos with beads was that they thought it was the best way to represent the Archipelago where the Sapharos lived.
Ricardo extended his hands to the crown, grasped it, raised it high, and declared his new title to his people and vassals.
"I, RICARDO KISLAVEIN, ON THIS DAY, HERE, FOUND THE ETERNAL EMPIRE AND DECLARE MYSELF THE ETERNAL EMPEROR. MY PEOPLE, MY NOBLES, HAIL ME, ACCEPT ME, OBEY ME!"
The people and nobles began to cheer.
"ALL HAIL ETERNAL EMPEROR!"
"ALL HAIL ETERNAL EMPEROR!"
"ALL HAIL ETERNAL EMPEROR!"
"ALL HAIL ETERNAL EMPEROR!"
"ALL HAIL ETERNAL EMPEROR!"
That day, history was reset. A new era began. This era would be known as the Eternal Empire Era, and all races had set foot on an irreversible path.
The cultural and technological developments that had stalled for millennia would restart.
Technology and culture would develop ceaselessly.
All races would develop non-stop during the 10,000-year reign of the Eternal Emperor.
The Kislavein Dynasty had ended. Now, the Eternal Emperor had begun.
A new era, a new story.