We were in the throne room right now, and the atmosphere felt heavier than usual, like the air itself knew something important was about to happen.

There were a lot of people in attendance. Way more than I would have preferred, honestly. Nobles filled the space, their presence layered in quiet conversations, subtle glances, and the kind of tension that didn’t need to be spoken out loud. Some of them were clearly in support of Myrcella, standing with a certain confidence, while others were just as clearly against her coronation, watching with eyes that looked like they were waiting for something to go wrong.

One of the more noticeable groups was Hereon’s family.

After his mother became the head of their noble house, everything about their position had shifted. The former head, her husband, had died, and from what I knew, he had already been useless long before that. A deadbeat who carried the title without the responsibility. Once he was gone, she stepped in and took control properly, and now she held the reins as the true representative of their house.

She wasn’t physically imposing. She didn’t need to be. There was something else about her that made people pay attention. It wasn’t loud or exaggerated, just a quiet kind of pressure that sat in the air around her. The kind that made you straighten your posture without realizing it. I could feel it clearly just by looking at her. She carried herself in a way that made it obvious she wasn’t someone you could brush aside.

At the same time, it felt a bit strange that she wasn’t supporting this whole thing, especially considering she was a woman who had already taken a leadership role herself.

Thinking about it more, the reason probably came down to how she saw things. She likely believed a man would be more efficient as a king. It didn’t even come off as emotional or biased. It felt practical, almost calculated. Considering how things had gone with the previous Queen and her administration, it made sense why she would be doubtful.

Her perspective wasn’t exactly reassuring either. If anything, it added to the tension. Her own leadership didn’t necessarily prove that a woman ruling would lead to success, so seeing another woman step forward for the throne naturally made people hesitate.

Still, Myrcella was different.

That much was obvious to anyone who actually paid attention. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

She wasn’t just stepping up because she could. There was something in her, and it was something genuine. A desire to lead not for status or power, but for the sake of the people. With Milham’s blood running through her veins, it felt like that intent was deeply rooted. She wanted to preserve the kingdom, keep it standing, and keep it safe from anything that could threaten it. That kind of determination wasn’t easy to fake.

With Myrcella’s own abilities and Lilia backing her up with her command, it didn’t feel like they were heading toward failure.

That was why there were people supporting her so strongly.

Still, Hereon’s mother wasn’t here to stop any of this. She wasn’t making moves behind the scenes or trying to sabotage anything. Her presence felt more like someone observing, someone measuring things for herself. She wanted to see if the Princess was truly worthy of the throne.

If she decided Myrcella wasn’t fit, she would oppose her, but not in a reckless or hostile way. It wouldn’t turn into open conflict. It would be more controlled than that. She would follow what needed to be followed, but she wouldn’t fully commit to supporting decisions she didn’t believe in. It was the kind of stance that sat in the middle, neither ally nor enemy.

Anyway, Hereon stood beside her, and next to him was someone who had to be his sister.

The resemblance between them and their mother was hard to ignore. It wasn’t just similar features. It felt almost too exact, like looking at variations of the same person. The similarity was strong enough to be a little unsettling if you stared too long. Both the mother and the sister had their hair styled in drills, which honestly felt like a strange choice. It worked, somehow, but it still made me pause for a second.

While I was watching them, Hereon suddenly turned his head and looked straight at me.

Thinking about it, he had changed a lot recently.

Ever since Shredica was appointed as a magic knight even though she hadn’t graduated yet, something in him shifted. He stopped bothering people the way he used to. The attitude he had before, the casual arrogance, the way he carried himself, it all faded. What replaced it was something more serious.

There was a point where he started putting everything into what he was doing with no half effort and even no shortcuts. It was the kind of change that made you question if you were even looking at the same person.

Our eyes met for a brief moment, but it didn’t last.

The moment was cut off by a sound that echoed across the room.

The sharp, steady clicking of heels against the floor.

Each step was clear, and it was carried just enough weight to draw attention. It wasn’t loud in an overwhelming way, but it didn’t need to be. The rhythm alone was enough to pull people in. It had this strange charm to it, something that made you want to look, even if you didn’t realize you were doing it.

One by one, people turned their heads toward the source of the sound.

And then, she appeared.

Myrcella stepped into view, and just like that, the room shifted.

People went quiet without being told to. Conversations stopped mid sentence. Even the ones who opposed her couldn’t hide their reaction completely. There was a kind of awe spreading through the crowd.

Even I felt it.

I had seen her earlier during her preparation. I was there while they were getting everything ready, but before they could fully finish, I was asked to leave. At the time, it felt a little inconvenient, but now it made sense.

This was why.

Seeing her like this, fully prepared, standing in front of everyone, it hit differently.

Her presence filled the space in a way that was hard to ignore. There was a kind of radiance to her, something that didn’t just come from appearance but from how she carried herself. It made sense that they wanted this to be the first time I saw her like this.

Part of me wished I could have seen it without anyone else around. Just being able to take it in without distractions. Still, that kind of presence probably wouldn’t feel the same without a crowd reacting to it.

Right now, the entire room was caught in that moment.

At the front, a high priest stood on the stage, holding a crown that rested carefully on top of a cushion.

The coronation was about to begin.