WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Romance Fantasy’s Pushover Crown Prince Is No More ◈
Chapter 41: Saint Candidate (6)
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“I think White Coronation Ceremony would be a good name.”
“The White Coronation Ceremony would ultimately focus only on the Saintess. How could we use that name?”
“Then do you have a better suggestion?”
“Of course I do! Heavenly Mandate Proclamation! His Highness the Crown Prince declares the will of heaven and, acting in heaven’s stead! No, becoming heaven itself, recognizes the Saintess... A proclamation! I believe that would be fitting.”
The State Council Meeting chamber was incredibly busy because of the Saintess’s investiture ceremony, which was to be held the following week.
“Heavenly Mandate Proclamation is not bad. It is certainly an occasion where the Saintess should stand out, but is His Highness not the one who ultimately recognizes her?”
“That is exactly my point. The Saintess is also under the Empire’s protection. I do not particularly like the word coronation.”
“She will not be wearing a crown in the first place. Did we not decide on a veil?”
“That is right.”
“Then it should all the more be called the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation! It is an occasion where His Highness the Crown Prince announces the Saintess!”
They began by deciding on a name.
“Has the Holy Oil been prepared?”
“I hear the Saintess’s side has it. Even she did not know, but it seems the people who came with her had brought it in advance.”
“Haha, did they bring it because they thought she would become the Saintess? That is one less thing to worry about.”
“Can the veil, ring, and scepter be ready in time? Can those really be made in a week?”
“And if they cannot? Will you tell His Highness the Crown Prince that it cannot be done? Can you do that?”
“That is not what I mean. Realistically speaking...”
“I am saying it is realistic. It can be done, so do not worry.”
They were crafting symbols that would further reinforce her legitimacy.
“What did we decide on for the procedure?”
“His Highness said he wanted as many imperial citizens as possible to see it, so we decided to hold it outside the Imperial Palace. The Central Grand Square would not be a bad choice.”
“It would be nice if she began at the lowest point and walked toward the sun as though climbing a staircase.”
They also discussed how to arrange the stage for the Saintess’s investiture ceremony.
While all sorts of discussions took place, the most crucial issue was this.
“What shall we do about the emblem?”
“The question is whether to include the sun.”
“We cannot make it exactly the same as Romper’s existing emblem.”
“That is obvious. But if we include the sun... it may be mistaken for a state religion.”
“Still, the Empire’s first Saintess is being born, and His Highness the Crown Prince himself is celebrating the occasion. The sun should be included.”
“Hmm...”
It was a matter of how to create a new emblem.
They wanted to put one huge sun on it, but it could easily be mistaken for a state religion.
As everyone struggled to come up with a proper idea for the emblem...
“Then why not make it equal for everyone? From now on, if a religion wants to practice in the Empire, it must put a sun on its emblem.”
Someone continued as though proposing a brilliant idea.
“There is no need to give the sun to only one church. If we bestow it upon every church... would that not mean they all exist under the Velos Empire’s protection?”
“...If they want to practice religion on imperial land, they must place the sun above their emblem?”
“That is right. Those arrogant people in the southern region crossed the line in the name of donations and all sorts of other things, did they not?”
The key figures in the State Council Meeting chamber were all people who loved the Empire deeply.
They were satisfied with their current positions, wished for the Empire to last forever, and had sworn unbreakable loyalty.
They were an elite group that had survived the first Great Central Purge.
That was why they took the matter more seriously than anyone.
“If a sun had been placed above them from the beginning, we would have overlooked it even if they crossed the line. It would mean they acknowledged that they existed under the Empire’s protection.”
“Now that you mention it, that is true.”
“It is hard to deny.”
Everyone added a word or two in response to the unexpected proposal.
Yes, how dare a religion try to place itself above the Empire?
“...Then would the Empire officially be saying that religion stands beneath humanity?”
“Not humanity. It would stand beneath the Great Empire and the sun. Who could possibly stand above the sun in the first place?”
“That is not wrong. Then let us decide that the sun will be placed above the new emblems and have His Highness the Crown Prince confirm it.”
Let them know that even gods had no choice but to exist beneath the sun on imperial land.
To make that clear to every religion, the sun would henceforth sit above every religious emblem and symbol.
++++++
Time passed incredibly quickly.
Perhaps it was because there was so much to do.
“It seems I will have to complete the Saintess’s investiture ceremony... no, the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation before heading to the western region.”
By the time I came to my senses, the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation was right around the corner.
Six days was a short period, depending on how one looked at it.
During that time, the Empire had been preparing for a major change.
“Empire Status Window.”
How was the Empire changing?
Ding!
[ Empire Status Window ]
Displays the Empire’s current condition.
As this is the initial stage, the areas that can be checked are limited.
Administration: Excellent
Imperial Treasury: Adequate (↑)
Military Strength: Intact (↑)
Diplomacy: Worst (↑)
Corruption: Decent (↑)
*Major upheavals have occurred in the eastern region, the northern region, and the Mage Tower.
As a result, simple reports on the eastern region, northern region, and Mage Tower will temporarily be displayed.
[ Simple Eastern Region Report ]
The current East Grand Duke, Javiren Marin, is recovering in many respects.
There are also signs that a new successor will emerge.
[ Simple Northern Region Report ]
The unstable front is barely holding for now.
The Northern Barbarians and the forces that have maintained the existing northern front are not blending well.
However, priests dispatched by the Romper Holy Kingdom and mages from the Mage Tower have also joined them.
So although it is creaking, the front has enough stability not to collapse.
[ Simple Mage Tower Report ]
It has disgorged everything it received so far.
It is practically no more than a shell, and a new Mage Tower is planned to be built.
The Mage Towers, which had stood higher than the Imperial Palace, will be lowered.
The concept of floating in the air will remain in place to provide a spectacle for the imperial citizens.
[ Based on the accomplishments so far, the Empire Status Window will evolve soon. ]
[ Along with the Convenient Empire Status Window, a variety of effects will be added when managing the Empire. ]
“I like it.”
It was all very positive.
Aside from administration, which had nowhere left to rise, everything else was steadily improving, and it even had upward arrows next to it.
That went for the eastern region, the northern region, and even the Mage Tower.
There was far less bad news than before.
‘The northern region is the only concern. I should stop by after returning from the western region.’
The worrying part was that the northern forces were not blending together, but I had expected that.
People who had lived in completely different ways were suddenly expected to fight shoulder to shoulder.
There was no way they would blend perfectly from the start.
It was so natural that there was nothing surprising about it.
‘But as the Status Window evolves, will I finally get bonuses for governing the Empire?’
To be honest, I could not help feeling a little cheated.
Should I not receive more transmigration perks than Mirne?
‘She is honestly just the female lead who is supposed to have transmigrated. I am the one who actually transmigrated.’
I had transmigrated into a novel about a protagonist who transmigrated into a novel.
It felt unfair that I was only now receiving bonuses, but I decided not to complain when they were giving them to me.
‘Something is better than nothing.’
Muttering that to myself, I headed to the Detached Palace where Rowena, the woman soon to become the Empire’s Saintess, was staying.
“Your Highness, where are you going?”
“I am going to see Rowena. Do you want to come?”
“This lady would first like a reward for the Mage Tower incident last time, as well as for escorting this Saint Candidate’s large-scale relocation.”
“A reward? What reward do you want?”
After that, Arveda stared at me quietly.
She sat in her chair with her knees drawn up, tilting her head.
“This lady wants a doll! I wish for Your Highness to choose it and design it personally!”
It was a request that could not help making me laugh.
Was this really the request of a dragon who stood at the peak of magic?
‘She is purely adorable.’
It was not a difficult request.
“I shall.”
“Hehe.”
After stroking Arveda’s hair, I set off again.
Saint Candidate Rowena was staying in the Detached Palace with her closest companions in case anything happened.
Imperial Guard Knights strictly guarded the entrance.
“You have all worked hard.”
“Yes, sir!”
“It is an honor!”
After offering the Imperial Guard Knights a word of appreciation...
“Have you arrived, Your Highness?”
“Were you waiting for me?”
“The weather was lovely, so I went for a walk.”
“You were waiting.”
I met the Saintess, who had come outside to greet me.
There was not much to discuss.
The Heavenly Mandate Proclamation to be held the next day would proceed without any complications.
Even so, there was a reason I had come.
“Are you worried?”
“...How could I say I am not?”
It was to reassure the Saintess.
+++++
To repay the people who had believed in her and followed her.
And for the Crown Prince, who had accepted everyone without discrimination.
Rowena had decided to become the Saintess.
Yet anxiety as great as that resolve arose within her at the same time.
Could she truly fulfill such an important role?
When she had been in the Holy Kingdom, she had felt absolute confidence.
Now, she was in the Empire, not the Holy Kingdom.
It was a land where everything was unfamiliar.
How well could she do after suddenly taking on the role of Saintess there?
She also wondered whether the Holy Kingdom might harm them.
As all sorts of thoughts crossed her mind, her body began to tremble.
She had wanted to hide it until the end.
But at the Crown Prince’s words, the emotions she had kept hidden surfaced without resistance.
“I am afraid that others may suffer because of me.”
The emotions that had revealed themselves rose to her tongue and left her lips.
“If that is your concern, then you have nothing to worry about.”
The Crown Prince looked directly at Rowena after hearing those words.
“Pardon? What do you mean...?”
“The others you speak of must be citizens of my Empire.”
“Y-Yes, that is right.”
He looked at her as if asking whether she realized how foolish her words were.
“Within the Empire, who would dare harm imperial citizens?”
The Crown Prince continued with a faint smile.
“...Even so.”
“I know what concerns you. But to worry any further is to doubt the Empire. Do you doubt it?”
At the Crown Prince’s words asking whether she could not trust him...
“I will trust you.”
Only then could Rowena ease her anxiety.
Yes, with the sun there, who could bear ill will?
“Focus only on tomorrow’s Heavenly Mandate Proclamation.”
With that, the Crown Prince seemed to feel he had encouraged her enough and prepared to leave.
“...Crown Prince, Y-Your Highness. Rather than leaving without even entering the palace, would you care for a cup of tea inside?”
“Hmm?”
“This is the only chance you will have to drink the last tea brewed by Saint Candidate Rowena before becoming the Empire’s S-Saintess. Please...”
“Haha, very well.”
Rowena hurriedly stopped the Crown Prince.
And watching that sight...
Screeeech!
Pirande, the Crown Prince’s undisputed number-one female companion, glared at her fiercely.
“Hmm... A mere human dares to flirt.”
Arveda, who shared Pirande’s vision, watched closely.
It was the day before the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation.
Footnotes:
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