The throne room of the Erthland Imperial Palace was filled with dozens of nobles wearing their best regalia. The atmosphere inside the room felt so sacred and full of anticipation.
At the end of the room, on a raised stage covered with a thick red carpet, the power handover procession was taking place.
On the highest throne, Rodaz sat with a very imposing posture, radiating the absolute authority of a ruler. Meanwhile, right in front of him, there was Elara kneeling gracefully, bowing her head preparing to receive the emperor's crown that she would soon wear.
The emperor slowly stood up from his throne. He took a step closer to his older sister who was kneeling. Total silence enveloped every corner of the throne room. Not a single noble dared to let out even the slightest sound of a cough.
"I, Rodazero Wallfend Zien Da Erthland, starting from today will hand over the emperor's throne to Esdelara Wallfend Zien Da Erthland!" Rodaz's baritone voice echoed strongly, bouncing off the walls of the throne room. "Hopefully with you serving as the emperor, you can carry out the duty as a good and wise leader for the welfare of all the people of the Erthland Empire."
With a slow and respectful movement, Emperor Rodaz raised both of his hands, took off the gold crown studded with ruby gems from his head, and placed it very carefully onto Elara's head. After that, he took off the heavy, long-trailing emperor's regalia cloak from his shoulders, then draped it onto the body of the new emperor.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
The sound of applause instantly roared breaking the silence in that room, followed by a loud exclamation that echoed from all corners of the throne room.
"Long live Emperor Esdelara!"
The new emperor, Esdelara Wallfend Zien Da Erthland, stood up. Her regalia cloak swept gracefully across the carpet. She looked at the entire line of nobles who had taken the time to attend her coronation as the highest leader in the Erthland Empire with a sharp yet nurturing gaze.
"Let us together bring security and peace throughout all regions to this Erthland Empire that we love!" exclaimed Elara with a highly authoritative tone.
That brief yet firm exclamation Elara had just spoken was immediately welcomed back with the roaring sound of applause echoing from everyone in the throne room.
In the very front row, Wolvin stood with bright sparkling golden eyes. The Night Wolf youth was very enthusiastic and applauded proudly as he saw his mother-in-law had now officially become an emperor.
However, that enthusiasm did not spread to Calian.
The purple-haired youth standing right next to Wolvin was instead silent. His gaze looked blank, his thoughts drifting thinking about many things much darker than the glamour of this throne room.
Starting fifteen days from now, my hands will begin to be covered in blood. thought Calian, his eyes slowly sweeping the rows of nobles who were smiling and applauding before him. Among these faces of nobles smiling respectfully, who exactly are secretly the dirty masterminds of that slave trade?
Calian was thinking about himself who would soon become an assassin to carry out the secret duty of the state, as well as to protect the beastfolk from kidnapping and slavery perpetrated by greedy imperial noble elements.
In the midst of the bustling atmosphere, an old noble in silk-layered clothing took a step forward from his row and bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty..." greeted the noble with a polite tone yet implying a curiosity that represented everyone in that room. "...do you not have a biological son as the rightful heir to this throne? Where is he?"
Elara smiled faintly hearing that. She turned her head toward the special row on the right side of the stage, exactly to the place where her son was standing.
"Come here Calian, and bring Wolvin with you!" commanded Elara with her loud voice.
Hearing his name called suddenly, coupled with Wolvin gently poking the back of his right hand, Calian instantly snapped out of his long daydream.
"Mother is calling the two of us!" whispered Wolvin with a slightly nervous tone because now hundreds of pairs of eyes began searching for their figures.
Calian immediately regained his composure. He looked at Wolvin, then very naturally and without hesitation, he gripped Wolvin's hand tightly. The two of them stepped together cutting through the red carpet, walking toward the place where his mother was now.
The presence of a purple-haired youth who had a sturdy posture and above-average handsomeness instantly seized the attention of all the nobles present in the throne room. The calm and cold aura radiated by Calian made him look very fit to be a crown prince.
However, the thing that made those nobles hold their breath was the sight of the throne heir's hand intertwined tightly with a man. The presence of a beastfolk from the Night Wolf clan with a cute yet exotic face by the youth's side, had made the nobles confused, shocked, as well as very curious at the same time.
Once Calian and Wolvin arrived and stood beside her, Elara immediately introduced her son to all the nobles present.
"This is my biological son, as well as the sole heir to this throne. His name is Calian Wallfend Zien Da Erthland!" said Elara loudly, her voice filled with pride.
She then extended one of her hands toward Wolvin. "And the beastfolk from the Night Wolf clan beside him is a youth whose existence has been very precious in my son's life for a long time! His name is Wolvin Wallfend Zien Da Erthland, my son's one and only spouse!"
That absolute statement was like a large stone dropped into a calm lake. Knowing the fact that an imperial prince had a male wife, and even came from the Night Wolf clan beastfolk race, had caused an uproar among all the nobles present.
Even though they did not dare to protest blatantly, whispers and suppressed murmurs about the spouse of an imperial prince being a man continued to fly around among the nobles.
Seeing the unpleasant reaction he had already expected from those nobles, Rodaz stepped forward and stood by Elara's side.
"If you all want to know the reason the two of them are so inseparable, I will tell it to you all!" said Rodaz suddenly with his loud baritone voice, instantly making all the nobles fall silent and turn their heads toward the former emperor.
And then, the man turned his head toward the row of palace guardian knights. "Billy Daglen, come here and attack my nephew with your full power!"
That highly unexpected command made all the nobles jolt in shock. However, not for the General.
Billy, the burly palace General, immediately stepped forward to the center of the throne room. He bowed respectfully to Rodaz and Elara, then without further ado, he immediately drew his greatsword.
Whoosh!
Billy darted toward Calian and Wolvin. His movement was very fast, almost invisible to the ordinary eyes of the nobles who lacked combat ability. The greatsword swung cleaving the air, aiming straight at Calian's chest.
Wolvin with his wild instinct immediately preparing to block the swing of that greatsword with his dagger that were suddenly already in his hands.
However, in the midst of that tense situation, Calian's lips moved voicing something.
"Sluggish..."