299 – Maria’s Coronation (1)
With the war over, Maria moved to Verde, the capital of the Rhine Palatinate Empire.
As the civil war had come to a complete end, only the minimum number of troops marched along with Maria, and the remaining soldiers were allowed to return to their hometowns and returned home.
Those who, like her, were commanded to follow her to her capital, are now all gathered in the Plaza de Verde, eagerly awaiting the coronation of her Mary.
“Your Majesty has finally ascended to the throne of the Rhine-Palatinate Empire. “It feels like I’m dreaming as something I’ve been longing for so desperately unfolds before my eyes.”
It’s only been 10 years since I started living in this world, and I’ve made a crazy succession of successes to get to this point.
The things I have experienced since coming to live here pass by like a flash of light.
After being possessed and being targeted for the remarriage of a large widow, I left my position as a knight without any hesitation.
In order to avoid starving, he went to Dalton and proclaimed himself a meat shield mercenary. Thanks to the coexistence of jobs in this world and the other world, he was able to continue his active career from the first battle and rise higher.
I led the war to victory even under that rotten man, Baron Pappenheim, a lord of the same rank as Won Gyun.
Knowing that a civil war would break out, I tried hard not to miss the opportunity to rise to the top and prepared everything I could.
In the process, I had to face the risk of death several times to raise my ransom.
Really, if I had to do that process again, I don’t think I could do it.
‘I lived life with endless intensity.’
As I was lost in thought, Dalton next to me laughed and made fun of me.
“Why are you thinking so much? “Viscount, you are a noble person who will soon become the Empress’s husband. Should I call you Your Majesty?”
Wherever there is an emperor, there is an empress, and the empress is given the honorific title of Majesty, equal to the emperor.
So, if Maria becomes a female emperor or empress and I become her husband, I will also be called her majesty…
When Dalton asks this question, he is clearly trying to make fun of me.
No, given that guy’s personality, I’m 99.99% Sure he’s making fun of me.
“There is still a long time left. You haven’t even had a wedding, what kind of majesty are you? “For the next few months, I will have to be called by my title.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
That gentleman must have decided to make fun of me because he was tired of waiting until the coronation ceremony began in earnest.
Seeing that shameless smile on his face that makes me feel like he’s dying because he’s having so much fun making fun of me, I become determined to get revenge by seizing the mood and pouring him plenty of strong alcohol when I get the chance.
‘I’m an expert anyway, so I’m not going to die from a hangover, so I’m just suffering like a dog.’
But this is the center of politics, a place where cutting off noses while laughing is everyday life.
The other nobles around us had serious expressions as they listened to our conversation and started talking quietly.
“Baron Maurer would be nice. “I’m holding on very tightly to that strong rope.”
“Oh my, Count. So, you’re just a baron and you don’t even want to join our faction?”
“I’m so sad about this world that I can’t live. “Maybe we should send gifts to Baron Maurer too, just in case in the future.”
“They say that a stone that rolled in from outside is being removed from a long time ago, and that’s exactly what happened in this case.”
Hearing things like this makes me realize that the civil war is truly over.
‘It wasn’t like this in the past because everyone was focused on external enemies.’
With the cheerful sound of a trumpet, a path was opened in the center of the square for people to pass.
“Please give us the great, honorable, and merciful Princess Maria von Rhine-Palatinate, the first princess of the Rhine-Palatinate Empire!”
At the same time as she said that, everyone straightened their posture and stood and bowed until Maria sat down on the emperor’s chair.
If she lost her posture here, she would get all kinds of insults, so no one made a move until Maria, who deliberately walked slowly, sat down in her seat.
When I was serving in the military or as a mercenary in Korea, I was so scolded when my superiors lowered their hands before accepting the salute. This scene reminds me of that time.
As I was thinking about random things, the governor shouted in a loud voice.
“Raise your head!”
As soon as he said that, everyone looked at Maria.
Maria began her speech in a loud voice to meet the expectations.
“The civil war is now completely over, and the chaos in the empire has calmed down.”
Everyone cheered loudly at those words.
“Hurray, Your Majesty!”
“Thank you for giving us the gift of peace!”
“No more war!”
Just because Mary ascended the throne does not mean that all problems were solved.
There is a very high possibility that other countries, including Montmartre, will invade us, thinking that they can easily take anything from us if they start a war and harass us, who have lost all their strength due to the civil war.
A war will probably break out soon. Because they won’t stay still.
‘Still, it would be better than a civil war that was always at war.’
“In the process, the innocent people of the empire were forced to make difficult sacrifices, and the soldiers were also driven to death by traitors seeking to take power. “The past five years of civil war were like darkness for our Rhine-Palatinate Empire.”
While Maria was speaking, sobbing sounds could be heard from various places.
These are probably people who lost family or friends in this civil war.
“However, noble nobles and mercenaries have raised their swords and brave soldiers have followed suit and established the order of the empire, so there will only be a hopeful future for the people of the empire, including everyone gathered here.”
As soon as Maria stopped speaking, windbreakers everywhere began to clap their hands with loud cheers.
“Long live Her Majesty Maria! Long live the Rhine-Palatinate Empire!”
“Long live the empire!”
“God bless the Empress!”
Then everyone here gave thunderous shouts and applause.
Maria raised her hand and made a calming gesture with her hand.
“And here, I will hold the foolish person responsible for bringing about the darkness of the empire. “Bring in the sinner, Third Prince Matthias!”
In fact, Matthias is strictly speaking just a guy who was greedy for the power of the emperor and went on a rampage to try it out at this opportunity, but he is actually far from being a violent criminal…
As a result, tens of thousands of people lost their lives and property, so we must take responsibility for that.
As Mathias was dragged to the center of the square, those around him began throwing all kinds of miscellaneous objects at him.
“What a piece of human trash!”
“Die, you royal bastard who is no better than a dog!”
“Someone like you is not worth living at all!”
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Rotten tomatoes, eggs, rotten potatoes, and unidentifiable food flew towards Mathias.
“Ugh.”
Mathias, unlike Otto, seemed to have accepted his fate and walked out silently without saying anything or responding.
When he arrived at the very center of the square, those assisting the execution made him kneel.
After seeing this, Maria began to recite Matthias’ sins.
“Matthias von Rheinfalz, you took advantage of the chaos created by the death of the Emperor to personally instigate the nobles and start a civil war that would bring bloodshed to the empire. Because of this, many people died and the village burned down. Do you admit guilt?”
There is no such thing as what if in history, but if Maria had been defeated, the person kneeling there right now would have been Maria, not Matthias.
She would also have been guilty of the same crime.
However, history is written only by the victors, so Maria will forever be praised as the emperor of the empire, and the loser will be recorded as a traitor to the empire for a long time.
‘If you’re wronged, you have to win, right?’
Mathias didn’t struggle, but he also didn’t nod his head obediently.
“I admit my sin. But I wasn’t the only one who drove the people to death! Maria, weren’t you also with us? “This is my sister Maria!”
There was only one intention felt in the look in her eyes at Maria.
Even if you beg for her life, there is no way she will survive anyway, and if you ask her to treat her family better, it is obvious that they will not listen anyway.
Just thinking about making Maria feel uncomfortable even a little bit before she dies.
“It is so disgusting that you then shamelessly talk about it as if it is a symbol of peace. “You hypocrite, cheating b*tch!”
After saying that, Matthias spat on the ground.
The execution assistant soldiers rushed in and grabbed Matthias by his hair and pinned him to the ground.
Then the hall became quiet, and the atmosphere of the coronation ceremony completely died.
However, the emperor is the emperor, and even in the midst of this, Maria calmly gave orders with unwavering confidence.
“Viscount Cologne, carry out your sentence.”
It is customary for the knight with the greatest sword skills to strike the head of the royal family in a situation like this, so it is natural for me, the sword master, to step forward.
I held the sword and walked to where Mathias was.
Then I said.
“Is there a wizard here?”
At those words, a wizard came running out with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Her Highness Maria is someone who knows honor. Even if she was guilty of treason, she was a noble prince of the imperial family, so she couldn’t let him die in such a sinister manner. Wash her face with water magic and dry her hair with wind magic.”
The wizard followed my command and made Mathias’ face and head clean in an instant.
When I did him the favor of washing me clean before he died, Mathias exploded with even greater anger towards me.
“Viscount Cologne, you wicked bastard! “How much more do you plan to insult me!”
From today onwards, rumors will spread throughout the Empire about this now-dead traitor, and in the process, Maria’s generosity will also spread.
The traitor insulted Maria to the end, but Maria guaranteed at least some honor to her traitor.
‘A monarch who knows how to be generous even to his enemies. ‘How charming.’
I whispered in his ear.
“So, isn’t the one who sent the assassin defeated and forced to kneel like this? “I will send the rest of the family to you on time, so don’t worry.”
Even though she said this, Maria will not go out of her way to kill Matthias’s wife and children.
Because there is no reason for that.
But this is enough to scratch Matthias’ insides.
‘Before killing someone, you have to inflict mental pain on them.’
“Die!”
Then I cut off Matthias’ head.