RLAAQ - Chapter 21
Refusing Love As A Queen
The protagonist who made His Highness the Prince "bewitched" is accepting the cheers of the crowd.
"Her Majesty the Queen!"
"Her Majesty the Queen!"
"..."
Amid waves of shouts, the Queen's coronation celebration came as scheduled on August 23.
At dawn, people gathered early in the square of the Summer Palace. This is the front of the main room of the castle. It has a curved balcony where important members of the royal family will appear in public during festival celebrations.
When Queen Adele Laurent appeared, the voice reached its peak.
The young ruler of the Empire wore a long taffeta dress with jacquard embroidery intertwined with silver and gold threads, and a short cloak as white as snow on his shoulders, with pearls inlaid on the edges.
The beads are round and soft in the sunshine. Kelly's long hair was half rolled up and tied behind her head and then fixed together with a thin silver veil with twelve shining diamond hairpins. The translucent veil is studded with tiny diamonds - a gift from her mother.
Under the sun, her face was illuminated by the brilliance of stars, and the corners of her eyes were dotted with the light of angels.
There is no doubt that God sent her to the world.
No matter what attitudes people had towards the Queen in the past, at least at this moment, they firmly believed this. When the Queen waved to them, they cheered loudly and willingly.
"God save the Queen!"
Soon she will appear on the steps of the Summer Palace gate, from where the much-anticipated celebratory procession will begin.
Adele walked down the corridor accompanied by everyone.
Thousands of dignitaries were waiting outside the east gate of the Summer Palace. They were all wearing luxurious clothes. It could be vaguely seen that these people were divided into several factions, large or small.
Heinrich stood in front of the House of Representatives, wearing a bronze two-headed snake badge on his left shoulder. The snake's eyes were inlaid with emeralds, reflecting the light in the sunlight. Dalton stood on the other side, still dressed as he was when he was knighted by the Queen that day, but with an eye-catching gold rose on his shoulder.
Dalton nodded slightly to the Queen.
After that day, he disappeared from the Queen's presence for a while, only to appear when she summoned him. Despite this, he did a very good job at what he was supposed to do, the Queen scanned the crowd and could only intuitively identify which ones were disguised musketeers.
As the Archbishop of the Empire, Rodri must appear today. He stood at the exit of the stairs. When the Queen passed by him, his lips moved very quickly, and whispered.
"Be careful".
Adele was smiling, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Of course, she would be careful.
The church bells in the distance echoed over the city, and thousands of white doves were released simultaneously. In the shadow of the fluttering wings of the white doves, she saw the shadow of a group of crows.
This is the anniversary of her coronation and the day of her trial in her previous life.
"Article 1: The National Assembly declares that Adele Rolland has shamefully stolen power that does not belong to her and brought harm to the empire as a heretic."
The voice of the clerk announcing the verdict rang in their ears, and they crowned her Queen. This day was designated as the day of judgment for her.
Adele walked down the steps step by step, her skirt scraping against the rough rocks.
"Article 2: The National Assembly declares that Adele Rolland will be sentenced to death."
Her eyes passed over those familiar faces. They were dressed in black and stood like crows, standing like ghosts. They stripped her of her crown, stripped her of her glory, and imposed upon her shame and guilt.
Adele walked to the bottom step, where the majestic shadow of the palace ended.
"Being a woman wearing a crown is my only original sin."
No, it's not her original sin, it's theirs.
Adele moved forward, breaking away from the long darkness.
The noisy crowd suddenly fell silent at this moment. They stretched their necks and widened their eyes, shocked by an inexplicable force.
Behind the Queen is the summer palace shrouded in shadow. The window lattice, thin columns, and spiers rise vertically like iron spears, piercing the sky, and the zigzag wall sweeps across like the Great Wall of Beacon. In front of the Queen were nearly a thousand MPs, monks, and guards standing in solemn silence, and hundreds of horses draped in platinum satin were waiting with their heads lowered.
She took one step forward, stepping on the dividing line between light and darkness.
The wind lifted the Queen's veil, and the last white dove fluttered across the sky. The organ, trumpets, and bells played together, majestic as if the world was about to end.
After a brief, strange silence, the crowd, as if summoned by the Holy Spirit, burst into louder cheers than ever before
"God save the Queen!"
"Long live the Queen!"
"God save the Queen!"
An overwhelming response. Amidst the noise, the Queen raised her arms high and responded with the same voice.
"God bless our people!"
"God bless our people!"
Her beauty will forever remain in the hearts of everyone present. Whether they hate her or admire her, whether they are her enemies or her friends, they are all conquered by her beauty at that moment.
"That moment It is a kind of breathtaking and shuddering beauty that cannot be compared to, cannot be looked at directly, and can only be surrendered... It seems to be an omen."
Many years later, a historian who witnessed this scene said in his memoirs wrote.
Prince Arthur didn't know how many letters, biographies, and documents that later historians had traced to restore this scene. He only knew that at this moment he lost his language, his thinking, and his senses.
He watched the Queen walking towards him covered in brilliance, his heart beating like thunder.
Every nerve, every blood vessel, every living signal left him.
The moment the Queen reached out her hand to him, he knelt down on one knee without hesitation and kissed the back of her hand devoutly.
Strictly speaking, he now represents the Emperor of the Root Empire, and his status is equal to Queen Roland. It is undignified to be the first to make such a move in public. But no one criticized him harshly, and no one laughed at him, not even the Root envoys who should have been dissatisfied with this.
Wherever the Queen passed, all the accompanying officials bowed deeply.
"Let's go."
Adele, with the support of Prince Arthur, got into the open carriage with crimson leather fixed with gold-plated nails. Prince Arthur sat next to her in place of her fiancé, Orsis.
The procession began to move forward.
***
The parade route of the celebration starts from the east gate of the Summer Palace and ends at the Cathedral of St. Mary, taking the famous Royal Avenue. Unable to change the Queen's decision to insist on the procession, Heinrich could only shorten the distance from the palace to the church as much as possible and choose a route as straight and spacious as possible.
Dalton, as the knight commander, followed the Queen on his horse.
Under the black cloak outside his crimson short coat, a flintlock gun was held close to his waist. Except for the moment in front of the palace, he tried his best to avoid his eyes falling on the Queen and Prince Arthur.
This is what you deserve.
The Queen's voice and the Queen's face standing in front of the Summer Palace intertwined in his mind pass by.
He pushed those down with amazing perseverance.
Now is not the time to think about that.
Dalton's eyes scanned the crowds on both sides of the parade avenue like a hawk, occasionally making one or two hidden gestures quickly. And with every gesture he made, one or two people in the Queen's huge entourage would secretly disappear into the crowd. Then, one or two figures in the crowd on the street had their mouths covered and dragged down silently.
Those who resist will have their throats slit without hesitation.
Every section, every street is a battlefield.
Neither Heinrich nor Dalton could tell whether there would be a crossbow quietly set up behind a certain window, waiting for a fatal blow when the Queen passed by. Therefore, spies from the Heinrich family took control of all the street-facing windows. They were also unable to tell whether there would be some crazy Old God believer carrying a sawed-off shotgun, disguised as a happy crowd, and shooting at close range.
Snakes and wolves move at the same time. When the Queen responds to people's calls with a smile, blood and death threaten her life in the shadows at the same time.
This march is actually a war hidden under the sun.
The Queen, the Empire, their war against the Old God die-hards, against all enemies who want to fish in troubled waters.
Among the people taken away from the window by the Heinrich family, one-third of the Old God believers had contacts with spies from the Kingdom of Yager, and one-third of the believers knelt down and kissed the fire paint from the Papal State. Believe me, only one-third of the population are true religious fanatics.
This is why the Queen is determined to use the most ruthless means to complete this purge.
The Roland Empire was so close to the Pope that after its decline, those with crowns and robes, like the Yager Kingdom, set their coveted eyes on this ancient Empire, trying to reduce it to a subsidiary city like the "Free City-State".
The Old God Sect has existed in the empire for too long, and it has long been in decay, falling into the mud day after day.
"...This group of Old God believers is like carrion in the Empire's wound. Applying ointment cannot heal it, it can only cut it off completely, and then add good medicine to help it recover."
These are the Queen's original words.
When she said these words, she sat on the throne, closed the scriptures respected by the Old God Sect, and her face was covered with a bloody veil under the twilight.
That was the first time he saw her since the quarrel that day.
Years of experience on the battlefield allowed him to hear the sound of the trumpet hidden behind the Queen's soft words, which was the signal to declare war. The Queen at that moment, like all kings, was not only a ruler handling government affairs but also an invincible general on the battlefield.
"Robert Dalton."
The Queen spoke his name slowly, placing her hands on either side of the throne.
"In the name of the Queen of the Empire, I ask you, are you willing to fight for me with your sword? Are you willing to guard me with your shield?"
Their eyes collided in the air. She did not mention those words that day, and he still had something in his pocket. Holding the letter of appointment as Imperial Marshal signed on July 15th.
This is the last chance.
Dalton knew what she meant.
The bloody sun sank on the western horizon. He slowly knelt down on one knee, raised his hand and tapped his heart.
My sword is your sword, and my shield is your shield.
The Queen touched his shoulder.
There is no priest, no sword, and no witnesses, but that is the real investiture.
The sun was scorching his eyes. Dalton pursed his lips tightly and followed the Queen's carriage with an expressionless expression. His eyes patrolled non-stop, like a falcon hovering in the sky.
The Queen has used her extraordinary courage to place herself as bait in the most dangerous place, and her ministers and generals should fight on the remaining battlefield.
If you can't even do the remaining things well, what qualifications do you have to call yourself a knight?
***
When the spire of Santa Maria Cathedral appeared in sight, Dalton couldn’t remember how many times he had made the gesture, but… by the gods, this was the first time he was so grateful when he saw the church. This means that the Queen will win her first war.
However, the smile on his face quickly faded, and he subconsciously placed his hand on the handle of the gun.
"Dalton."
The Queen was looking sideways, greeting the welcoming citizens on the left side of the street, Heinrich had always disapproved of her being too friendly to the common people and believed that rulers should always maintain dignity to maintain the people of fear.
But the Queen cares more about what the people want.
At this moment, she just caught a glimpse of Dalton's movement from the corner of her eye, and immediately lowered her voice to stop him.
Dalton slowly removed his hand from the handle of the gun.
Adele stopped smiling and stared straight ahead. On the last section of the stone road leading to Santa Maria Cathedral, three figures stood quietly.
Three old priests. They were dressed similarly to Archbishop Rodri, wearing dark blouses, rough hemp ropes tied around their waists, and straw sandals on their feet.
Dressed like the legendary Saint who asked the tyrant where his authority came from.
Adele mused.
"Your Majesty."
Heinrich rode his horse to the queen's side and asked in a low voice.
"I will drive them away."
Adele shook her head slightly.
The people of the Old God Sect were not without merit, at least their last move was precise and ruthless. Three old priests were far better than three thousand brave temple knights in front of the people.
"Keep going, then stop,"
She ordered.
The carriage approached and stopped in front of the three priests. Dalton calmly stepped forward.
He is a priest who has been trained by the Knights of the Temple. Even if he looks old and dry, he may not be without the power of a single blow.
The noise died down and the crowd watched the scene in silence, watching the Young Queen.
Not only did she not get angry, but she also extended her hand to the three priests according to etiquette and asked them to salute:
"Gentlemen, you are waiting under the scorching sun. If you have anything to say, I am willing to listen with my greatest sincerity. ."
The Queen's friendly and humble attitude made people smile, but soon their smiles turned uneasy.
Because the leading priest did not bend down to salute.
At the same time, Heinrich recognized the two priests behind him.
Known as "Brother John," they were the spiritual leaders of the Northern Dervishes. It is said that they were called by God to the place where the saint appeared, and they felt that people always deceive each other with lies. The tongue evolved from a snake and was the root of sin, so they pulled out their own tongues and started preaching through actions.
People believed that they had received divine favor and that their eyes could see omens that others could not see.
Unexpectedly, they were also members of the Temple Knights.
Heinrich's expression changed slightly, and he wanted to step forward to stop the leading priest from speaking.
But it's too late.
"God took man's rib and made him his wife. She was bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh, and blood of his blood. Women instigated men to commit original sin. In order to wash away that sin, she should submit to her spirit and flesh. Master."
The old priest said, his voice hoarse like a night owl,
"And God gives authority to His incarnation on earth, and gives the crown to the kings He chooses, and they rule the world. This is the natural order, God's will of the Queen."
The Queen retracted her hand and her eyes gradually became colder.
"God gave me the crown. This is the right and status I was born with."
"You stole that! Women governing goes against the laws of nature and God. The will of the Lord. Write this clearly in the doctrine! God’s wrath came early, for this reason, the drought started because of you! This is God’s judgment and punishment!”
Brother John behind him stood up silently and took a step forward. Amid people's exclamations, two lines of blood and tears rolled down their faces.
"You are a heretic who inherited the eyes of the witch. You are blaspheming God's law. You are not worthy of being the king of Roland. You have defiled the throne. You have brought disaster to the Empire. You have blasphemed the gods! What face do you have to continue to wear? That crown? What reason do you have for continuing to sit on that throne?"
Shouted the old priest, spreading his arms.
"Don't you know it yet?! Aren't those eyes a symbol of hell and evil?! Aren't the wrath of God already upon us! After heretics and witches occupy the throne, Roland will struggle in disaster. Day! Are you going to continue on the path of angering God?"
He was old and withered, and when he roared, it was so shrill that it pierced people's hearts.
Several Old God believers hidden in the crowd followed and shouted.
"Heretics are not worthy of governing Roland!"
"Witches!"
"Evil eyes"
The sound became louder. Dalton made a gesture, and the guards on the Queen's left and right drew their muskets. The assassins of the Heinrich family quickly grabbed the instigators in the crowd and dragged them towards the darkness.
The old priest was still roaring, and Dalton drew his gun without hesitation and pointed it at him.
A hand held down his gun.
The Queen didn't know when she stood up.
She stared at the old priest coldly, her voice still steady and strong despite the confusion and accusations.
"You are wrong."
She said,
"My mother is not a witch, she is the King of Gloria and the Rose of Gloria."
The old priest spat heavily on the ground and stared at the Queen.
"Witch !"
"I will judge you, but not for me, but for insulting the honor of a respectable deceased."
It was as if there was an iron mask covering the Queen's face, and her voice contained unshakable majesty.
"At the same time, I am determined to refute you. I will prove to you and all the people who support me. God gave me the crown, and I deserve it!"
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