Before the Ascension
The four sisters wanted to go out to play more; they even wanted to come back for a holiday. Unfortunately for them, Miss Vera refused them. Taking into account the incident, Ying and the youngster were also against the four sisters going out to play. As a result, this adventure of theirs quickly turned into being grounded in the imperial palace. Life in the imperial palace was initially quite fun, but it was soon boring as they had spent several days there.
The four sisters were aware of how dangerous life outside the palace was. They had a lingering fear after the last incident, but they didn’t need to worry for long for something worse was coming: the coronation ceremony. The coronation ceremony was two days away. The entire imperial city was at its most tense moments. Entry into the palace was forbidden. The trustworthy guards took care of gifts delivered to the palace. The soldiers on the streets would kill anyone who did anything that crossed the line.
The last comb had, indeed, cleared out lots of armed special agents and spies. Regardless, Miss Vera kept up the strict safety regulations. Miss Vera knew full well that spies and special agents were weeds she could never be completely rid of. She witnessed group after group killed off, while others were locked up. Nevertheless, it was enough to put a dent in Ikana’s plan, thereby making it a lot safer on the coronation ceremony day.
Miss Vera didn’t want to witness violence. Howbeit, she understood that, if she didn’t give Ikana a bit of disciplining, Ikana would continue acting audaciously and fearlessly. She couldn’t eliminate all of the spies and special agents. At the very least, lots of Ikana’s plans should go down the drain. As for Ikana’s backup plans, Vera had to cross that bridge when she came to it. She didn’t know what Ikana was thinking. Perhaps Ikana might behave herself on the coronation ceremony day.
“You will have excellent positions for the coronation ceremony. You will be able to be behind her to see her wear on the crown. I believe it will be the most grandeur ceremony you will witness in your lifetime. We will receive the blessings of the pope in the imperial palace’s largest hall,” informed the youngster, excited.
The hall was the most resplendent edifice in the palace. Even the four sisters from the North would, presumably, be astounded. There was a huge and tall dome overhead. There was colourful glass at the very top. The light shining down bathed them in the holy light. The huge saint and angel stone statues were extravagant and majestic. The statues prayed in silence next to the huge windows. Though they were in the palace, the hall had a religious vibe. It was a fitting place to be crowned.
The Imperial Palace in the North was a larger in size, but the latter’s design wasn’t as spacious since there were buildings on either sides of the palace. To the rear was a snowy mountain, which restricted the area available to the palace. That explained why the Imperial Palace in the North focused on building upwards. There were lots of rooms, but they weren’t as big.
“You can come here in the future. Mm, this is where the throne will be. This is where you will be. You can stand on the steps if you want to get a better view.”
The group walked to the end of the statue. Walking from the entrance of the room to the rear was enough to tire and annoy them, bearing in mind that was just one room. The throne was situated beneath the statue of the goddess that the nation worshipped. Eyes shut, their goddess wore a long robe and cloak, a gentle and friendly smile. She had her hands supinated and open. On one hand was a long sword, on the other, a scale. It was supposed to signify that fairness, justice and military might coexisted.
There were three steps below the throne. Those who could stand there were those who held important statuses around the Queen. Standing on the stands beside the throne would allow one to see the entire scene down below. That was the position next to the Queen – the spot all vassals of the nation craved to stand on.
“Nice, nice, we can see everything here, right?”
Nona couldn’t her excitement. She loved the design of the hall. Smiling as she looked at the throne, she asked, “Can I have a sit on it to have a feel for it? I honestly want to know how it feels.”
“Ah…”
The youngster found himself in a dilemma. The throne wasn’t the throne in the North; it was Miss Vera’s throne. While he was cognisant of the fact that Nona meant no ill will or held any ulterior motive, it wasn’t something anyone could sit on as they pleased. It would cause awkwardness and potential trouble if she did sit on it. With that said, he couldn’t bear to refuse her when he saw her innocent and cute look.
The youngster checked the surroundings then awkwardly tried to change the subject, but Liu Yue sighed. She grabbed Nona’s collar: “Don’t be wilful, Nona. The throne is a symbol of Miss Vera’s authority. You can’t just sit on there because you want to. This is not our home, and Miss Vera isn’t Dad, either. She will not make compromises for everything.”
“Oh, you’re right…” Nona pouted then backed off two steps while sadly looking at the throne.
Relieved, the youngster expressed his attitude to Liu Yue with a glance, while Liu Yue furtively smiled.
Vera inquired, “It’ll be held here in two days, right? It should go smoothly, right?”
“Not here, no. The people who are permitted to enter this place are trustworthy. The important part is after the coronation. Once the coronation is complete, Miss Vera will have to make a lap around the imperial city in a horse carriage. That’s when she’s most susceptible to peril. There are plenty of high locations and streets in the city. Countless, people have entered the city. It’ll be hard to fend off any threats during that time. In addition, due to there being so many people around, it’s going to be even more troublesome for us to move around.”
The four sisters nodded. They’d seen situations where there was an ocean for a crowd. That was how things were whenever their father went on his once-a-year tour. In saying that, their father never feared assassins.
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Present time at Abner’s side.
“You’re a maid I trust. I’ve had you by our sides for a long time now. I know Ikana trusts you, and I know she’s plotting something behind my back. I’m not angry, but I’d like you to help me find out what she’s doing.”
“Understood.” The maid nodded then left.
Abner continued moving his hands along the keys of his instrument. Ikana, who was in the adjacent room, probably only heard her husband was a man who was fond of music and art. However, his fondness for music and the arts didn’t prevent him from having his own “antennas”. Abner didn’t want to get together with Vera again; but nonetheless, he didn’t want the girl to just leave, either. He did have a bright chapter with her in his past, after all.
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