The Martial Unity

“Is this really necessary?” Rui muttered as his own fair share of court ladies applied make-up to his face. “I’m a man, you know?”

They applied strange creams and powders to his face, only to discover that those substances stood out a lot due to his body being translucent. It required them to drastically cut down the amount to less than a tenth of what they would apply, and even that was more than anything Rui had ever been accustomed to.

“Your gender does not mean anything,” Secretary Claris simply shook her head. “Your appearance will be recorded and will go down in history. You cannot look anything other than your absolute best. This is quite normal for men of great status. Even your father took his appearance quite seriously, for he understood that the first thing that people judge you on is your appearance, whether we like it or not.”

“Mmm…” Rui simply allowed himself to be groomed by professional groomers. He mourned the fact that he could simply wear his regular Martial attire, but ultimately gave in to the insistence of his royal secretary.

It wasn’t long before he found himself in an elaborate multi-layered attire that glimmered with its own faint light, before donning the royal cloak that his father wore as Emperor.

He gazed at his own reflection as the full weight of his decision to ascend the throne began pushing down on his shoulders.

“This is it, I suppose.”

He heaved a deep breath, steeling his resolve before turning to Secretary Claris with a nod.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ve just been informed that Her Sagehood will also soon be ready.

He walked with several Martial Sages behind him as he made his way across the Royal Palace to the front, where Amare waited for him. His ethereal eyes widened as his gaze fell on her refined and groomed appearance.

For just a moment, he didn’t recognize her. Her bronze skin was just a shade lighter, while her skin was smooth, devoid of any of the signs of battle. Her hair was smooth, soft, and silky, swaying with just the lightest of breezes.

Her clothes magnified her charm and her splendor tremendously.

He had always thought that such extravagance didn’t suit her, that her natural appearance was charming and attractive, but in that moment, he had to admit that they had done a good job of enhancing her qualities.

“How do I look…?” she asked with a hint of discomfort, walking unsteadily.

“Beautiful, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” he admitted with a serious expression, before stretching his hand to her.

She simply smiled at him warmly before placing her hand in his as they walked out of the opening doors together. The moment they set foot outside the royal palace, a band of trumpets began playing while the petals of cherry flowers began falling from the heavens across the entire area.

An enormous crowd of people, stationed behind an erected fence, began cheering and applauding with thundering excitement.

“Go Prince Rui!”

“All hail the Dawnbringer!”

“All hail the Kandrian Empire!”

“All hail the Kandrian Empire!”

“All hail the Kandrian Empire!”

Their voices boomed in unison as the air grew charged with their passion and energy. The atmosphere grew electric with excitement, tingling at their nerves, while the air grew saturated with the weight of the momentous occasion.

Rui waved at the enormous crowd gathered behind the erected fences with a smile of confidence and certainty, holding his head high. As the soon-to-be Emperor, he couldn’t afford to project pride and power in the eyes of the people anymore. Gone were the days when he could remain humble in the way he carried himself, for he represented the most powerful nation in the Panama Continent.

He took his seat in the royal carriage after Amare as the two set off for the Royal Throne Hall, where the royal coronation was to take place, a location that was within the Royal Palace.

He didn’t understand why they couldn’t just enter the Royal Throne Hall internally using the back door, but Secretary Claris had scolded him for even thinking of that option.

“This is so unnerving,” Amare muttered with a nervous tone, heaving a shaky breath. “I’m going to be the Empress…”

He squeezed her hand affectionately. “You faced the Suneater and held him off one-on-one. Something like this is of no consequence.”

“It’s different, I can fight any opponent fearlessly, but these kinds of things are more of a burden than any battle.” Amare heaved a deep breath, directing a knowing glance at him. “I’m sure you’re the same.”

He could deny that. Even he felt tingling nerves, something he hadn’t felt since the battle against the Eldritch Chimera, and against Sage Asmodeous before that.

She rested her head against his shoulder. “…we’ll be fine together.”

Rui smiled at her. “Together indeed.”

He gazed at the cheering and applauding crowd, waving at them from within the carriage until they arrived at the Royal Throne Hall.

CLACK

The door opened as he stepped out first, before escorting Amare out as she carefully took each step, mindful of her alien, uncomfortable attire, before the two of them quickly climbed the many steps leading to the throne hall.

They arrived at two massive gates of impractical height and area.

RUMBLE

The ground quivered as the giant doors slowly opened to reveal a distant and empty throne.

Rui’s eyes grew hazy as he recalled the first time he had set foot in this place. It was when he met his father for the first time during the previous throne war after waking up from his coma. He hadn’t set foot in this place too many times since then, but it certainly left a lasting impression.

A large number of people occupied the massive throne hall, separated into two columns on either side of the gold-red carpet that stretched from the entrance all the way to the steps leading to the royal throne at the other end.