Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 269: Chapter : 268 First empress in the history.[2]

From the gate connected to the royal palace’s grand corridor, countless eyes turned toward the same direction and remained fixed there in anticipation.

The enormous plaza, which had been buzzing with conversation only moments ago, had gradually fallen into silence as everyone waited for the arrival of the man whose influence now overshadowed even the imperial throne itself.

Nobles seated upon the elevated platform adjusted their posture and directed their attention toward the palace entrance, while the common citizens gathered below stood on tiptoe, hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary Saint the moment he appeared.

Among the gathered guests, Elizabeth also found herself watching the corridor with unusual focus.

A small sigh escaped her lips.

’Perhaps I should have brought Kat with me.’

The thought carried a hint of genuine regret.

Although Katherine was currently occupied elsewhere, Elizabeth knew her sister would have enjoyed witnessing this moment with her own eyes.

After all, Uriel was Julius’s avatar and he was also the one who, right now, was the most important figure in the holy empire.

As absurd as the situation sounded, Elizabeth could not help feeling a strange sense of pride whenever she looked at what Uriel had accomplished.

The entire Holy Empire now moved according to his will. Princes had fallen because of him. Nobles obeyed him. Even the future empress owed her position largely to his support.

How many people in the world could claim their son had indirectly become one of the most powerful figures on an entire continent?

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

’Kat would have been proud seeing this.’

The thought amused her.

Katherine had always treated Julius as though he were her own child.

Sometimes Elizabeth suspected her sister worried about him even more than she did herself.

If Katherine were present today, she would undoubtedly be staring at Uriel with the same ridiculous expression she always wore whenever Julius did something impressive.

The image appeared so vividly in her mind that Elizabeth almost laughed.

Instead, she merely wiped away an exaggerated imaginary tear while pretending to look emotional.

Then, in the profound silence that had settled over the gathering, a sound echoed through the corridor.

Footsteps.

The noise was neither hurried nor slow.

Each step carried a natural rhythm that somehow drew everyone’s attention even further.

Elizabeth instinctively lifted her gaze. Others did the same.

Thousands upon thousands of eyes focused upon the palace entrance.

Then a figure emerged, for a brief moment, the entire plaza seemed frozen.

The man who stepped from the corridor possessed a presence that immediately commanded attention without making any effort to do so.

His long golden hair flowed behind him like liquid sunlight, swaying gently with each movement.

The ceremonial robes he wore seemed almost radiant beneath the morning light, while the golden blindfold covering his eyes only enhanced the otherworldly image he presented.

It was not merely beauty, many people were beautiful, many nobles possessed handsome features.

Many saints throughout history had inspired admiration.

Yet the moment Uriel appeared, comparisons became meaningless.

It felt as though.....as though...someone had taken every quality people associated with elegance, grace, and divinity and gathered them into a single figure.

Everyone stared....even seasoned bishops who had spent decades within the Church found themselves momentarily distracted.

Elizabeth stared as well.

After several long seconds, she blinked repeatedly before finally emerging from her daze.

Only then did she realize she had been staring with the same expression a child wore after receiving a long-awaited toy.

A trace of embarrassment appeared on her face.

’Tsk....Wasn’t my appearance already good enough?’ She clicked her tongue inwardly.

The boy could have adjusted a few features and nobody would have recognized him.

There had been absolutely no need to make himself look like some heavenly being descended directly from the Goddess herself.

Both she and Katherine had always been proud of their appearance.

And rightfully so.

Throughout their lives, very few women could compare to either of them.

Elizabeth had always believed Julius inherited the best parts of her appearance.

It was a fact she took great pride in and one she occasionally reminded others about whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Her son had been handsome...Ridiculously handsome.

The sort of handsome that made noble daughters suddenly discover reasons to attend every social gathering he happened to be attending.

Yet looking at Uriel now, even Elizabeth was forced to admit something.

Her supposedly heavenly genes had somehow become insufficient.

The difference was almost unfair.

’Ah, whatever.’

Maybe he simply wanted to silence everyone from the beginning.

That explanation made enough sense.

After all, it was difficult to argue against a saint when merely looking at him made people question whether the Goddess herself had personally sculpted him.

Suppressing the amusement threatening to show on her face, Elizabeth quickly returned her expression to a neutral state before anyone noticed the change in her behavior.

Meanwhile, Uriel stepped fully onto the platform. The moment he did, a deafening cheer exploded throughout the plaza.

The roar of countless voices surged toward the heavens like a tidal wave.

Yet Uriel himself remained calm.

Unlike many public appearances in the past, he was not being guided by attendants today. Instead, he carried a simple staff in one hand, using it to navigate the platform.

The tip occasionally tapped against the polished stone floor as he moved forward, searching for the exact position prepared for him.

The contrast was strangely striking.

Before him stood one of the most influential individuals on the continent.

A man capable of determining the fate of nations.

A saint revered by millions.

Yet he still walked with the assistance of a staff, patiently locating his destination like any ordinary blind man.

Eventually, the tapping ceased. Uriel had found the place he was searching for.

The crowd gradually quieted down,slipping into a heavy stillness.

Throughout the enormous plaza, thousands of expectant people waited in absolute silence, their eyes fixed ahead.

Then Uriel cleared his throat.

The simple, quiet sound somehow carried perfectly throughout every single corner of the vast, open space.

When he finally spoke, his voice spread across the entire gathering with truly astonishing clarity.

”Children of the Goddess.”

His deep words rolled across the city like the sound of distant, echoing thunder.

For a long moment, nobody spoke a word.

Nobody interrupted his speech. Absolutely everyone listened intently.

”For the past few months, we have lost many things. Among those heavy losses was our beloved Emperor Baek Donaven Evander, who faithfully guided this great empire for many long years.”

A somber, heavy mood immediately settled over the listening crowd.

Many people slowly lowered their heads in sorrow.

Others clenched their fists tightly.

The late emperor remained deeply and truly respected among his people.

”As all of you well know, because of Sebastian Evander’s ultimate betrayal, our emperor is no longer here with us. Worse still, clear evidence has now revealed direct connections between that traitor and the bitter enemies of our nation.”

The atmosphere in the plaza immediately changed. Grief transformed rapidly into burning anger.

Faces hardened across the crowd.Expressions darkened instantly.

Uriel’s powerful voice continued to echo clearly across the wide plaza.

”And now, while our entire empire mourns this loss, the Thorne Clan continues its constant provocations. Even now, tensions rise rapidly across our borders. The grim possibility of war grows closer with every single passing day.”

The crowd became increasingly restless.

The deep hatred ran incredibly deep.

Uriel raised his voice even louder.

”And war it shall be if it is necessary.”

The sharp declaration struck the restless crowd like a single spark falling directly into dry grass.

”No enemy insults the Goddess and escapes her judgment.” His strong voice rang loudly throughout the capital.

”They shall surely answer for their crimes.”

The entire plaza erupted into chaos.

The response came instantly from the people.

”Saint!” ”Saint!” ”Saint!” ”Saint!”

The loud chant spread like wildfire through the masses.

Thousands joined together until individual voices completely vanished beneath the overwhelming, deafening roar of the crowd.

Deep reverence filled their hearts. Pride swelled within them. Yet above absolutely all else, there was anger.

A burning, intense anger directed entirely toward the empire’s enemies. Uriel patiently waited for them. Only after the loud chants gradually subsided did he continue speaking.

”But before we deal with those who stand directly against us, there is another critical matter that must be addressed first.”

The crowd immediately quieted down once more.

Every single gaze returned to the platform.

Every ear strained intently to hear his very next words.

Uriel inclined his head slightly.

Though he was completely blindfolded, the small movement created the perfect illusion that he was looking directly at the countless citizens gathered there before him.

”We must choose the leader who will guide this empire into its next era.”

A sudden ripple of anticipation swept through the plaza. Everyone knew exactly what was coming next.

Everyone had gathered here for this exact moment....after all.

Uriel paused deliberately, allowing the heavy tension to build up even further.

Then, with a calm yet thoroughly commanding voice, he spoke the words that would mark the official beginning of a brand new Chapter in the Holy Empire’s history.

”Our next Empress.”

The entire plaza held its breath in unison.

”Please welcome Her Majesty, Cecilia Donaven Evander.”