* * *
“I’m jealous…”
[Affinity: Siwoo]
35%
Why is it going up now?
I have no idea.
Just as I was baffled, a strange sensation passed through my mind.
Not knowing what it was, I blinked.
It felt as if a sudden spotlight had flashed through my head.
What was that?
A precursor to a brain hemorrhage?
No, no.
That’s ridiculous.
And even if it were, my body would heal itself.
I shook my head slightly to dispel the absurd thoughts.
Was it because Siwoo’s Affinity had increased?
But if it was Siwoo’s Affinity that went up, why was I the one feeling this way?
Just in case, I asked him.
“Did you just feel something weird?”
“A weird feeling? Like what…? I don’t really know.”
“No, never mind.”
Even to me, it sounded completely out of nowhere.
The Affinity didn’t rise any further, and my encounter with Siwoo wrapped up neatly.
I wanted to visit him a few more times to quickly raise his Affinity, but I was too busy with the preparations for Ateol’s coronation.
Before I knew it, the day of the ceremony had arrived.
The grand avenue was showered with colorful petals all day long, and thousands of fully bloomed roses and peonies lined the streets.
Gold coins bearing the new emperor’s face were scattered amongst the crowd.
Ateol and I were each seated in separate, ornately decorated carriages.
The procession was set to travel in a straight line from the Sun Gate—the main entrance of the inner capital walls—to the imperial palace.
At noon, when the sun god shone at its highest, the coronation began.
The vanguard was a dazzling sea of golden-clad guards that nearly hurt the eyes.
Eight white horses led Ateol’s carriage forward, signaling the start of the procession.
Since today was the emperor’s coronation, I followed behind him.
Ateol, with his hair perfectly slicked back and dressed in full imperial regalia, was truly as radiant as the sun.
A crimson cape symbolizing victory, gold ornaments signifying prosperity, and a black ceremonial uniform embodying authority.
Each piece of clothing was embroidered and adorned in matching colors with meticulous detail—so extravagant that it was almost overwhelming.
And yet, Ateol’s appearance did not pale in comparison.
He had shed the reckless image of a rogue prince and now stood as a young emperor with an unshakable, commanding gaze.
The sheer force of his presence alone would be enough to silence those who had once worried, “The fourth prince…?”
Meanwhile, I, as always, was draped in a hooded robe, my face hidden in its shadows.
It was almost impressive how I managed to remain so ominous even amidst all this splendor.
I waved casually at the crowd.
Among the expected cheers of “Long live His Majesty the Emperor!” were some more… forward remarks like, “Congratulations on your union.”
I chose to discreetly ignore those.
After the long march, the coronation procession finally arrived at the imperial palace.
That alone had drained me.
My stamina had already dropped to 8.
I barely managed to recover by ordering Cloden to bring me something sweet to drink the moment we arrived.
Ateol took his place, and the guests began to enter.
First came the imperial princes, led by Caleus.
Caleus looked composed, while Leona and Arist… not so much.
Still, in the face of power, they had no choice but to force a smile.
Next was someone who drew even more attention than the princes.
A grand duke—one of the most renowned figures from the novel itself.
A tall woman with long black hair stood at the entrance, wearing a slate-gray cloak over a deep navy uniform.
“Presenting Her Grace, Grand Duke Roanes of Naxabel!”
Grand Duke Roanes. Neia Yui Roanes. Thirty-two years old.
The iron-willed guardian of the northern borders and a seasoned war hero.
Her hand rested on her ceremonial sword as she stood there, exuding an air of frigid authority, as if she had carried the very cold of Naxabel with her.
My eyes were naturally drawn to her.
Anyone’s would be.
Every member of the imperial bloodline was striking in appearance.
She had inherited the beauty of her lineage, but her black hair and eyes from her northern kin gave her an enigmatic aura.
And the countless battles she had endured only added to her steel-like resilience, making it impossible to look away.
I was staring at her when I suddenly felt a gaze on me.
Turning my head, I saw Ateol, who, instead of focusing on his coronation, was staring straight at me.
Huh. Looking at him, my eyes ended up getting locked on him instead.
Ateol and Grand Duke Roanes carried entirely different auras.
Both were warriors, that much was evident.
But if I had to describe it… Roanes was the ruler of a barren, frozen land, while Ateol was a conqueror of new territories.
Their age gap only made the contrast starker.
Though they shared a resemblance, they were fundamentally different.
Roanes unfolded her cloak with practiced precision and knelt on one knee.
“Grand Duke Roanes of Naxabel greets His Majesty, the new Emperor. May your reign be glorious.”
“Rise, Grand Duke.”
She then took her seat.
Not being of a high enough rank to personally greet the emperor, Siwoo had arrived earlier as the Grand Duke’s escort. He welcomed her warmly.
I had been watching them without much thought—until my eyes caught something unexpected.
The Grand Duke… had smiled at Siwoo.
Unbelievable.
In six years, I had only seen her a handful of times.
I had heard countless stories about her, yet I had never seen her smile.
So, she’s a warmhearted northern protector when it comes to my nephew?
Fascinating.
I kept glancing at them, but that single smile was all there was.
The seemingly endless procession and ceremonial blessings passed.
I, too, was included among those who had to offer congratulations.
When I stepped onto the platform, a murmur rippled through the crowd.
I knew exactly why. Ignoring it, I said what I needed to and stepped down.
From then on, until the moon rose high in the sky—signaling the end of the sun god’s vigil and the beginning of the peaceful night—I found myself meeting Ateol’s gaze multiple times.
I could feel people whispering more and more as they looked our way, so I eventually tried to avoid his gaze altogether.
Then, at last, midnight arrived.
At the peak of the night, marking the start of a new day, Ateol approached me.
He had changed into a long, flowing ceremonial cloak.
That thing must weigh at least several dozen kilograms, yet he walked without the slightest waver.
His crimson eyes gleamed as he strode toward me—to receive the crown.
A solemn melody echoed through the grand hall’s towering ceilings.
Step by step, Ateol advanced, then knelt before me.
Slowly, I lifted the crown and placed it upon his head.
It wasn’t difficult—I had done this once before when Caleus was crowned crown prince.
Since my actions differed from my past life, my status gauge had dropped, but I didn’t care.
The priority now was completing Ateol’s coronation flawlessly.
I could deal with being sick for a few days.
After handing him the scepter and the incense vessel, I pressed a kiss to his forehead.
Unlike the first time he had served me, this time… it felt entirely different.
My heart was pounding strangely.
Ateol, now emperor, slowly rose to his feet.
* * *
