The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 289: The Coronation Day

Chapter 289: The Coronation Day

Asterella’s royal palace shone bright like the sun in the middle of the capital.

A crowd of thousands filled the streets even before dawn. People danced or hummed along to the bards’ songs despite the early hours.

Vendors and shops opened their businesses to accommodate the early risers.

Talks and whispers about the new king’s heroics filled the crowd. Minstrels and storytellers sat in corners to recount the deeds of their king-to-be.

"When the Cursed One attacked the monolith and destroyed the Ceremony of Luck, Prince Solos stood beside his father."

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"The Cursed One released the Spawns. The Royals sealed the inner city away to keep those Heartless inside. But the black-haired one destroyed the walls and gates."

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"The King fell, the Fate of the Kingdom on the brink of poverty when Prince Solos stepped up. He defended our Fate, the Fate of our dear ones, yet lost most of those he held dear. Our Prince, no, our King, choose us above his. Let’s never forget that."

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"But," asked one beggar in the corner, "why did the King hold the ritual in the ruin? And how could a young man cause so much destruction?"

The crowd near him fell silent. They glanced at each other. One person who sneaked around, listening to conversations, caught the beggar’s words.

He hurried toward the spot and stood beside the group of young people, who looked uncomfortable by the questions.

"Hahaha," the man laughed. His stage theatrics training helped him to sound genuine. "Would you look at that? A beggar wants to discuss matters of Fate. I assumed someone like you, someone at the end of his rope, would be the most grateful. Without the King, you would be worse off. I don’t know what that would entail. Perhaps you would be dead. Or sleeping in the sewers."

The man spoke calmly, even sounding and looking concerned at the beggar’s plight. He didn’t give anyone a chance to interrupt. His speech highlighted the king’s deeds. According to him, anyone who doubted such a selfless character should be ashamed. By the end of his speech, he pulled the beggar up.

"Do you see this man? This is how we all would end up without our king. So forgive me if I am being harsh toward this poor soul. I just can’t stand someone questioning the sacrifices our king made for us."

The shudders, cries, and cheers echoed through the street. People marched on. The beggar became the symbol of bad Fate. No one wished to even look at him. Seeing no Sterren, he changed his tune. He was poor, not insane. His rational brain asked those questions. The same rationality told him he would starve if he didn’t join the crowd.

"Come with me," the beggar heard the man say. With nothing to lose, he followed. In an empty alley, he received a Ster and a sack.

"Wear this. Find people who question the tales told and do what I did. You seem wise. I assume you know what to do, right?"

The beggar stared at the Ster. The thought of the food he could buy with it, made him nod. He thanked the man for being generous.

"No need to thank me. I, too, was a beggar."

Similar scenes played out in different areas and different groups. By the time the sun was at its zenith, the tales had become facts for the people of Asterella.

...

The opulent halls of the palace contrasted with the outside. Silence reigned. Sentries stood straight and seemed like part of the decoration. Servants and maids worked so synced that they appeared as part of the natural order within the palace.

Everyone prepared for the coronation in the evening. No one spoke, as their voice would disturb the harmony of the palace.

The ones who spoke as part of the palace’s harmonious ambiance were inside the king’s chamber.

"How did they manage to kill an Enlightened Knight?"

The Chief of Court failed to hide his astonishment. He stared at the people in the room. No one replied. Their faces suggested they struggled to understand it too. Only one, the young man at the head of their court, took the news with a smile.

The Sand Burial Monarch is the weakest of the Seven. He lacks courage and remains hidden in the sand. He only sneaks on those he is certain to overpower. A person like that can’t measure up against someone like Perl.

"But Grandpa Perl suffered grave injuries against the king. Even if he managed to recover a little, he wouldn’t be fit to kill an Overlord," Ella said. She didn’t look at the Divine Lord but everyone understood she spoke to Him.

Perl lived through poverty, wars, and even the pursuit of a Taboo. His age is the best indication of his might. He survived a millennium in this world, stepping from a slave to his current level. A person with a Will like his can’t be overpowered by a coward. No amount of injuries will diminish his pettiness to settle a score.

"So, what do we do next?"

Solos spoke. He sat closest to the Divine Lord. His reverence for the Lord didn’t know a limit. He would die for the Lord. Or he already did.

No need to pursue them. The wanted posters are spread all over the place. Sooner or later, someone will succumb to greed. They don’t matter. Our focus is the preparation for the upcoming war.

Solos nodded. But some of the people present shifted uncomfortably in their seats. They glanced at each other, nudging the other to speak. In the end, the Chief of Court spoke.

"I have heard about the War but I don’t understand. Are we waging a war against our neighbors?"

Asterella had two neighbors: Edune and Pontiffe. Neither were weak. Even if they managed to beat Edune, Pontiffe was the headquarters of the Templars – the mighties faction in the world. Their High Altar alone could decimate their forces on her own.

We aren’t waging war against our neighbors. War will embroil the entire world. The end of the Ages is upon us.

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