The Crown of Rutile Quartz: Volume 1 [Parts 1 to 4] by Surume Enoki

Author:Surume Enoki
Language: eng
Format: epub

After the garland ceremony, Slaine no longer felt so anxious about the funeral.

The pallbearers were to carry the caskets out of the cathedral to parade through the main streets of the royal capital. Then the procession would enter the royal palace, where the urns would be removed from the caskets and laid to rest in the mausoleum.

The soldiers of the Royal Guard would take up the burden of carrying the caskets, and all that would be required of Slaine was to walk behind them. Monica and the Nobles of the Robe would surround Slaine, and in turn be surrounded by soldiers of the Royal Army.

So long as Slaine did not wander astray, mistake the words of the funerary hymns, or forget how to walk, it would be difficult for him to go wrong.

As he made his way through the royal capital, his vassals and soldiers shielded him from view of the people gathered along the city streets.

He simply moved forward mindlessly. He entered the royal palace, reached the mausoleum, and watched in silence as the urns were interred in their final resting places.

And with that, the state funeral was over.

The ceremony was sure to be described as grand and magnificent for generations to come, but Slaine had not the luxury to take it all in. The truly difficult part would come after.

As Slaine and his attendants worked to inter the urns, the other mourners proceeded to the ballroom of the palace to begin socializing. As it was a solemn occasion, the banquet was not a lively one. But with wine and hors d’oeuvres in hand, they greeted one another and exchanged pleasantries.

It was not every day that the lords and nobles of the kingdom, let alone foreign kings and dignitaries, had the opportunity to all gather in one place. With their duty of attending the state funeral fulfilled, they could take advantage of this time to gather information, as well as broaden and deepen their personal connections. A social battlefield of royals and aristocrats.

There, Slaine would be the star of the day—no matter how the thought rankled.

Slaine entered the ballroom, having changed from his funerary vestments into his formal attire. A Royal Guard posted at the entrance called out in a sonorous voice. “Enter His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Slaine of Hasenvalia!”

The bustling crowd immediately fell quiet.

All eyes turned to Slaine. Unlike during the funeral procession, he had no choice but to face it head-on. He found himself shrinking back a step.

The silence soon lifted as the attendees returned to their pleasantries. But it was clear enough that their attentions remained focused squarely on Slaine.

The boy felt the anxiety rising in his chest. Every glance seemed to be filled with scorn, each laugh with ridicule.

“At ease, my lord. I am here to aid you,” said Elena, Countess of Estergren and minister of foreign affairs. “So long as you carry out the standard greetings and take care not to mispronounce any names, you’ll not have any trouble.”

“I am at your side as well, my liege,” said Monica, standing alongside him.

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