(Eri's POV)
For years, I had waited for this moment. Years of patience. Years of silence. Years of pretending not to notice the dangers surrounding me. There were times when death came very close—one memory still clear in my mind: a deep wound near my chest, the blade almost reaching my heart. I remembered hiding in the Forbidden Forest, cleaning the wound beside the lake, the cold water helping stop the bleeding, staying there for days until it closed. I could not return to the palace like that—not weak, not wounded. I would never allow the court to see me like I was about to die. If they saw weakness, they would strike again.
So I endured.
I waited.
And now—the day had finally come.
I stood alone inside a quiet chamber within the palace of Kazunaga while, beyond its walls, the entire kingdom had gathered. Lourice stood beside the door. "All the kingdoms have arrived, Your Majesty," she said softly.
"That many?" I asked.
She nodded. "It shows their respect."
If so many rulers had come, it meant something important. They were not just witnessing a coronation. They were acknowledging a new power. A new ruler.
After a moment, Lourice bowed slightly. "Your Majesty… it is time."
I stood, my robe moving softly with the motion. The royal garment was deep blue, almost like the night sky, fine silver threads running across the fabric like stars. The robe was long and layered, designed in the style of Kazunaga's royal kimonos, and light caught the silk in strange ways. Even though the color was blue, the cloth seemed to glow around me.
Many people once said the royal robes of Kazunaga made their rulers look like spirits.
Tonight, I finally understood why.
Outside the chamber, the palace had been transformed. The capital city had prepared for weeks. Banners filled the streets, golden lanterns hung from the palace walls, nobles from across the world had arrived. Inside the great throne hall, every royal guest wore the traditional robes of their kingdoms. Kazunaga's nobles wore elegant kimonos decorated with jewels, embroidery, and precious metals, silk and gold reflecting the light of hundreds of chandeliers, the entire hall looking like a sea of colors.
Then the great doors opened.
Slowly.
The moment I stepped forward, the entire hall fell silent. Gasps spread across the chamber. Some nobles whispered to each other.
"Is that…?"
"She's the queen?"
"So the future queen was already moving among us?"
For years, many people believed Prince Haru would take the throne. They did not know the truth. Some of them had even spoken with me before, without realizing who I was.
I walked slowly through the center of the hall, my gaze moving across the crowd—kings, queens, ambassadors, ministers—all watching, waiting, until I reached the center platform.
The High Priest stepped forward, holding the crown of Kazunaga in both hands.
Ancient words filled the hall.
Sacred vows echoed through the chamber.
The crown was placed upon my head—cold metal, heavy with history, with power.
"With the blessing of the heavens," the High Priest declared, "I present our rightful ruler. Our Majesty, Queen Eri of Kazunaga. Long live the Queen."
The entire hall bowed, voices rising together.
"Long live the Queen!"
I slowly lifted my gaze and saw familiar faces across the hall—Prince Haru, the Han family, my aunt Sato, ministers who once tried to block my path. Some looked unhappy. Some forced smiles. Some could not hide their fear.
Inside my mind, only one thought appeared.
Payback time.
Then my gaze moved again—and stopped.
Elara.
Princess of Vesperia.
The girl from the forest.
The one searching for flowers beside the waterfall.
I would never forget that face.
For a moment, our eyes met—then she quickly looked away.
The coronation ceremony ended, and the throne hall slowly returned to life. Music rose softly as nobles, kings, and queens approached one by one to greet the new ruler of Kazunaga. I stood near the throne, entertaining them with formal greetings, polite conversations, political promises—the usual rituals of power.
Outside the palace walls, thousands of citizens had gathered in the capital courtyard, waiting to see their new queen. I stepped onto the balcony, and a wave of cheers rose from the crowd below, people shouting my name as banners moved in the wind.
"Long live the Queen!"
I raised my hand and waved while Lourice stood slightly behind me, whispering, "Smile, Your Majesty."
I tried, but the muscles of my face barely moved.
I do not know how to smile properly.
Lourice had tried teaching me many times, but it never felt natural. The expression always felt… strange. I wondered what the people saw when they looked at me. Did I look cold? Or simply unfamiliar with happiness?
When I returned inside, more rulers were waiting. Among them was my uncle, King Arthur of Aryanda, and beside him stood King Ivan of Vesperia. I greeted them with proper courtesy, but my attention shifted—to her.
Princess Elara.
The woman from the forest.
The one who searched for flowers.
The one who stood too close behind the tree that night.
My eyes settled on her, and for a moment, the voices around me faded. Ministers were speaking, nobles offering congratulations, but I barely heard any of it.
She could not look at me.
Every time her eyes moved in my direction, she quickly looked away.
Strange.
The last time I saw her, we were standing inches apart behind a tree, our bodies pressed close while bandits searched the forest. There had been no hesitation then. Only tension.
And now—
she looked almost… shy.
Does she remember that night?
Of course she does.
The way she keeps glancing at me proves it—those quick looks, those stolen glances when she thinks I am not watching.
Yes.
I know that behavior well.
People do that when they are trying to understand something.
Or someone.
So I continued watching her, quietly, patiently, saying nothing, letting the silence stretch between us even across a crowded hall.
Because one thing was already clear to me.
Princess Elara of Vesperia remembered the forest.
Just like I did.