The Gratia Hall of Tane Palace was a grand banquet hall that boasted its majesty within the Arkan continent. When all 99 narrow arched doors were opened, the interior of the hall could be clearly seen from the outside.
Patricia walked along the corridor, escorted by Harchen. The people gathered outside the Gratia Hall flocked like foam to see Patricia, the Empress of the Karsic Empire and the Shadow Princess.
Patricia and Harchen sat at the same round table as Empress Dowager Diana and Alesia.
Alesia decided to stay in Tane instead of returning to Riswan after the wedding. She was granted admission to the Tane Academy.
Although it wasn’t admission season, she came with her luggage packed, determined to monopolize the Tane library in advance.
Patricia looked around the grand and splendid hall.
Hundreds of magnificent chandeliers reflected light in all directions under the ceiling painting depicting Tane’s founding myth and history.
Regularly placed marble columns and statues, portraits of past imperial families hanging on the walls, hundreds of round tables set with crystal and silver tableware.
Born as a princess but non-existent and a shadow princess, she entered the Gratia Hall for the first time.
Indeed, one couldn’t sit at this table unless invited as a noble. But it was said that at the last Tane Imperial Assembly, even commoners sat at these tables alongside nobles.
Here, her father Emperor Kazan and her husband Harchen had a sword duel. Calip described the situation to Patricia in vivid detail as if it were happening before her eyes.
“Look, Your Majesty the Empress. Like this… Clang, like this, clash clash clash!”
Calip, whose build and age didn’t match, always tried to make Patricia laugh, even imitating her swordsmanship using his body. Bern chimed in.
“We can laugh about it now, but it was breathtaking then. Everyone who knew the Empress’s sword recognized it.”
“That’s right. It felt like Your Majesty’s sword was overlaid with the Empress’s sword, it was strange.”
“But he was pushed back. Emperor Kazan’s sword was terribly fierce and wielded furiously. Your Majesty kept countering with the Empress’s sword, but couldn’t overcome Kazan’s sword. After being pushed back until his blood nearly ran dry, at some point, as if coming to his senses, Your Majesty’s sword emerged.”
They said the vile Emperor Kazan begged for his life, offering to give up the throne. And then he acted despicably, and a swordsman stabbed Emperor Kazan’s lung with a dagger.
Patricia frowned. Come to think of it, they didn’t reveal Eden’s name even then.
As if trying to erase Eden’s name.
Before that, Lord Calip had boasted about crossing swords with Eden on the night of Patricia and Harchen’s imperial wedding.
Of course, he lost two consecutive matches and the outcome was quickly decided, but he said it was a mesmerizing sword duel.
Calip and Lean respected Eden and his sword like that, and often spoke of Eden.
Patricia suddenly realized that at some point, they had stopped talking about Eden.
*
For the emperor’s ascension and wedding at the Grand Temple of Hesperos, a 95-year-old high priest and an 89-year-old high priestess came down.
They were old and small in stature, but wearing white robes with wavy silk mantles, they conveyed the solemnity and divine power of the temple.
The emperor’s ascension procedure, conducted by the priest, priestess, and representatives of the Imperial Assembly, was completed.
The priest of the Grand Temple, with his trembling arm of only bones left, grasped the pedestal held by the priestess standing beside him.
He lifted the emperor’s golden crown placed on the glass pedestal and placed it on Patrick’s head.
The priest received items one by one handed by the priestess standing next to him.
Only after hearing the priestess’s explanation did he slowly nod and attach medals, shoulder epaulettes, emblems, and gold cords to the emperor’s white ceremonial dress according to protocol.
He placed the scepter in his hand and draped a splendid red cape embroidered with gold patterns over him.
The priest slowly turned around, put on the monocle wiped by the priestess, and unfolded the declaration wrapped in red cloth.
After tucking his weak, curling white hair behind his ear, he declared in a small but clear voice:
“On the 17th day of November, 773 of the Tane Imperial Calendar, at 2 PM, His Majesty Emperor Patrick Calian Evas, the 27th Emperor.”
Cheers of “Waaah” and voices chanting the emperor’s name were heard.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
The bell rang to signify that a new emperor was ushering in a new era. The bell rang three times in succession, paused briefly, then rang three times again.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
The bell continued to ring repeatedly until the emperor, dressed in ceremonial robes, made his oath declaration before the God Hesperos and the imperial people to lead the Tane Empire as a wise and benevolent emperor.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
The sound of the bell echoed throughout the entire Tane Palace.
Kazan, lying in Empress Pamila’s bedroom in the Pyropegung, gritted his teeth as he heard the bell.
He wanted nothing more than to get up right away and ruin the coronation ceremony.
How dare a living emperor still exist, yet without permission, with the approval of two senile old people, that feeble Patrick becomes emperor?
He had no intention of handing over the throne to Patrick. He wanted to be emperor until his last breath, when his eyes closed and life left him. He wanted to die as emperor.
But, that bell sound!!
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
In the Nyx prison, the old Heun woman Hairin, leaning against the damp wall covered with green moss, smiled faintly as she heard the bell.
Finally, Prince Patrick has become emperor.
She would have liked to see Kazan die, but well. That sight would hardly be considered living even if he was alive. Kazan would never be able to accept that his son had rebelled and become emperor while he was still alive.
He would be alive but only with his eyes open, filled with resentment.
Hairin felt vindicated. All her wishes had been fulfilled. Now she had no regrets.
Two days ago, her son Bark, the leader of the Heun hunters, had visited. When her son in white clothes entered the prison with a flock of white birds, the prison instantly brightened.
Bark looked at his mother and smiled with the corners of his mouth.
Hairin knew Bark was coming through her father Chen, who visited every three or four days.
She asked Chen to bring her a white dress and a hairbrush. Hairin changed into the white dress and combed her silver hair neatly.
“You’re beautiful, mother.”
Bark whistled, whee-ik.
The white bird on his shoulder entered through the latticed iron bars. The white bird perched on Hairin’s shoulder and dropped a transparent white round piece into her palm.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
Hairin rolled her tongue and took out the round piece wrapped in resin from under her tongue. It was given to her by her son, Bark, two days ago.
For the Heun people, death was the disappearance of the body. They believed that even after death, their souls could still touch each other, so when Hairin requested poison wrapped in resin through her father Chen, Bark readily agreed.
The valley in front of Mount Roche would be a much more comfortable place than the damp Nyx prison.
I’ll escort you well to Roche, mother.
Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!
Hairin bit the transparent and soft resin.
*
Patrick read his speech. His speech was long and boring. The nobles who had been sitting upright began to slouch due to his lengthy and detailed explanations.
“The speech is long.”
The man who was particularly interested, looking up and observing the expressions of those at the same table, was the boss of Bienen from Luken Alley.
He had already experienced Patrick’s marathon speech, so he laughed, thinking this was nothing. Also, as he listened repeatedly, there were phrases that stuck in his ears.
“He says that now we should do politics through dialogue and right policies, not war and swords.”
He looked around the table and then scratched his nose awkwardly.
Patricia saw an unfamiliar man standing to the right behind Patrick as he spoke. It was Eden Patterson’s place. Just looking at that spot made her eyes turn red.
Three days ago, after arriving in Tane and briefly reuniting with Carolina, holding hands, she turned to Patrick.
“Patrick, can I go to Nyx?”
“Why Nyx?”
“To meet Eden, isn’t he there?”
“Patricia…”
“Yes?”
“By the decision of the Imperial Assembly, he was executed.”
It was unbelievable. She couldn’t believe it.
“…Why? Father, the Emperor is still alive. Why did you carry it out so quickly, Patrick?”
“That’s how it turned out, it was for the best.”
“The best… you say? How can death be the best?”
Patricia examined her twin’s expression. There was no sadness.
“Where is his grave? I want to at least place flowers on it.”
No one answered, no one could answer.
“Lord Calip, won’t you go to Eden’s grave with me?”
Calip didn’t answer.
“Lord Lean, let’s go to Eden’s grave together.”
Lean didn’t answer either.
“Patricia, I’d like you to go to the West Tower.”
Harchen changed the subject, and everyone looked relieved, telling her to go to the West Tower. Patricia thought there was something she didn’t know.
*
Following the 99 arched doors, the last hundredth large arch was the entrance to the Gratia Hall. The Gratia golden door, meaning grace and mercy, was the beginning of the virgin road where the bride takes her first step.
Harchen was to walk the virgin road holding Carolina’s hand and hand over the bride, the held hand, to Patrick.
Harchen approached Carolina’s side and tilted his head, saying,
“Crow, you’re quite pretty.”
As Harchen walked towards the golden arched door, Patricia stared blankly at Carolina in her white wedding dress, then shook her head in surprise.
She recalled what Carolina had said while brushing her black hair.
“This black hair, I wish I could change its color completely. Oh, I heard you can change hair color in Osbon, but they say you can change light colors to dark, but can’t change black hair to blonde.”
And she remembered the man in tacky purple clothes she had seen in Harchen’s office.
Patricia moved to Alesia’s seat, Harchen’s place.
“Princess Alesia. I have a question.”
“If the Warrior of the Sun asks, I will find out even if I have to stay up all night for something I don’t know.”
“Is there a country that changes hair color?”
“Yes, Osbon on the Asor continent.”
“By any chance, there… I mean, can they change faces too?”
“Yes, that city is excellent in medicine and beauty techniques.”
“Ah, I see, thank you.”
Patricia glared at Harchen, who was smiling after saying something to Carolina with his head bowed.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
