CHAPTER 73 #6
"But-"
Napatigil si Megan, maging ang lahat nang tuluyang bumukas ang malaking entrance at nasilayan nila ang loob ng throne hall.
Bumungad sa kanila ang nakapangingilabot na tanawin-ang mga duguang katawan ng Imperial at Holy Knights na pawang wala nang malay at nag-aagaw-buhay sa sahig. Pinalilibutan ng dugo ang buong sahig ng throne hall.
Habang sa dalawang panig ng throne hall, nakatayo ang panibagong hukbo ng mga kawal na nakahilera sa magkabilang gilid, tahimik lamang na nakatayo.
Ngunit higit sa lahat, there was one sight that completely silenced everyone.
A woman was sitting upon the Emperor's throne.
Tahimik lamang siyang nakaupo roon, her black hair falling over her shoulders while her dark eyes calmly stared toward the people who had just entered.
The scythe rested beside her, while Anastacio, Lucy Pearl, Katarina, Agarus, and the other powerful beings stood beside her.
The Mysarea Knights remained in formation throughout the throne hall.
Hindi agad nakapagsalita si Megan. Her eyes remained fixed on Rassia, as though her mind was refusing to accept what she was seeing.
The woman they believed had disappeared was now sitting comfortably upon the Imperial Throne, surrounded by an army that had somehow entered the palace without their knowledge.
"You stand in the presence of Rassia Saint of House Quentin, known as Madame Rische, the Child of Fire, the Orythea, the Ancient Goddess of the Moon, the Rightful Ruler of the Grand Empire of Erenhal Sartorias, the Rightful Empress of Vermeleyon, the Red Queen, and the Queen of Mysarea."
Halos lahat ay nagulat sa narinig mula kay Katarina.
The titles alone were enough to silence the throne hall, especially the revelation that Rassia was the mysterious Madame Rische they had heard about.
Napanga ang labi ni Megan nang tuluyang makilala si Katarina.
Lagi niya itong nakikita whenever she visited R Atelier Café, yet she had never imagined that the woman she had casually encountered there was actually one of Rassia's closest allies.
"My, my, Megan..." bahagyang ngumiti si Rassia habang nakatingin sa kaniya. "It seems you are quite surprised that I am Madame Rische. Reports say you are quite fond of the drinks I make... Hmm, thanks to you, the R Atelier Café now has branches across Vermeleyon."
Bahagya niyang inikot ang kanyang buhok habang pinagmamasdan ang reaksiyon ni Megan. "I suppose I should thank you. You were quite my loyal customer without even realizing. And now, after all these years, you finally get to meet the woman behind the name."
"Impossible... you are the Queen of Mysarea?!" gulat na sambit ni Solomon.
So the rumors were true... a woman really defeated the Lords of Mysarea, especially Lord Aryo.
The Red Queen... it was none other than Rassia Saint Quentin!
No wonder she was able to defeat them. She has a sovereign spirit... and a demon!
"Uh-huh, you're correct. I am the one who defeated those stupid bastards," sagot ni Rassia, completely unfazed by Solomon's reaction.
"Ikinagagalak kong marinig na nakarating sa'yo ang mga balita tungkol sa akin."
Bahagya siyang ngumiti bago napatigil.
"Wait... what was your name again?"
Natahimik at napakunot ang noo ni Solomon. Tila isang insulto para sa kaniya ang paraan ng pagsagot ni Rassia, lalo na nang tila wala man lamang itong pakialam na hindi niya maalala ang kaniyang pangalan.
"W-wala akong pakialam kung ikaw si Madame Rische! We were told that you were dead! We saw the reports! The entire empire believed you had perished, so how are you standing here now?!" sigaw ni Megan, nangingibabaw ang gulat at galit sa kaniyang tinig.
"How dare you sit upon the Emperor's throne!" sigaw naman ng isang konseho, his expression immediately turning furious. "That throne belongs to the Emperor of Erenhal Sartorias! You have no authority to place yourself upon it! What you're doing is an act of high treason!"
"Not even a noble of the highest rank has the right to claim the Imperial Throne without the emperor's authority. Get away from the throne immediately." Solomon spoke again.
"She has invaded the Imperial Palace!" sigaw ng isang Imperial Knight. "She's brought foreign soldiers into the capital, entered the throne hall by force, and now she's sitting upon the Emperor's throne! This is an attack against the Empire itself!"
"How did that knights get inside?! there are too many of them! They couldn't have entered through the main gates without us knowing! Someone explain how an entire army managed to appear inside the palace!" muling sumigaw si Megan, kita na ang kaniyang ugat sa kaniyang noo sa galit.
Samantala, parehong natigilan sina Caspian at Dazro habang nakatingin kay Rassia. Neither of them had expected to see her there, alive and completely composed, surrounded by the Mysarea Knights and powerful beings they could barely comprehend.
Napatingin si Dazro kina Agarus at Katarina.
That's why I haven't been able to see them for several days... ngunit paano... paano nilang nalaman na buhay pa si Lady Rassia?
Muli siyang napatingin kay Rassia, only to find her already looking directly at him. Their eyes met, and Dazro's eyes slowly softened.
No, I don't think that's the proper way to address Lady Rassia anymore. Her presence... it's no longer the presence of a lady. She is now the Queen of Mysarea.
Her presence carries more than the authority of a queen. She is indeed the rightful empress of Erenhal Sartorias.
I'm glad... I'm glad she's alive. This is... this is surprising. I knew it... noong oras na naramdaman ko ang malakas na presensiyang iyon, naramdaman kong sakaniya iyon. But this time... she's much stronger.
Tila napanganga naman si Caspian habang patuloy na pinagmamasdan si Rassia.
Gago! she's alive! sinasabi ko na nga ba...
I can't even grieve her death because I couldn't accept it.
Rassia's my friend, and I've memorized her presence since we were young.
Noong dineklara na siyang patay, that presence never completely disappeared.
I could still sense her breathing through one of my abilities.
I knew it... she's a powerful woman. She will survive...
Bahagya siyang napatingin kina Anastacio at Lucy Pearl, then slowly returned his gaze to Rassia sitting upon the throne.
Rassia became so powerful that she's the summoner of the Eternal Phoenix, and she even managed to summon the demon inside of her... isa na rin siyang reyna ngayon...
This time, I guess no one can stop her if she decides to declare war against the Holy Cathedral and the crown for revenge...
Lurtheron stared at the white banner burning above the Imperial Throne. The sacred symbol of the Empire, once displayed proudly above the seat of the Emperor, was now slowly being consumed by flames.
She's not simply sitting on my throne.
She's declaring that this throne no longer belongs to me.
How is she still alive? the reports from Fenrath said that she was dead... that she fell into the sea. There should have been no way for her to survive.
Bumaba ang kaniyang tingin sa dalawang presensiyang matalim na nakatingin sakanya.
It seems that's the demon inside her... she's able to summon it now, even if it's connected to her own life force. And she's also the summoner of the Eternal Phoenix...
How annoying... that massive power doesn't deserve to be in her hands.
Perhaps... perhaps she is the threat the black figure in my dreams warned me about? In my dreams, the figure said that an ancient power had awakened...
Could it be the Eternal Phoenix?
Unti-unting nagsimulang maglakad sina Lurtheron, Caspian, Dazro, Megan at ang iba pa patungo sa loob. Mabilis namang inilabas nina Raja, Lazlo, at Stain ang kanilang espada. Ngunit sinenyasan sila ni Rassia na huwag umatake.
"That's my throne you are sitting on, Rassia Saint Quentin. Your actions constitute high treason, considering what you have done to my soldiers. And now, you are sitting upon the Imperial Throne as though you have the authority to claim it as your own."
malamig ang tinig ni Lurtheron habang patuloy siyang naglalakad palapit kay Rassia, his eyes never leaving hers.
"You entered my palace with an armed force, challenged the authority of the Empire, and took control of my throne hall. You have already committed acts that cannot simply be ignored."
Isang mahinang tawa ang kumawala kay Rassia, echoing throughout the vast throne hall.
"Your throne?" bahagya siyang ngumiti. "Oh, Lurtheron... this is my husband's throne. The throne you fucking stole."
Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti sa kaniyang mukha.
"You were never the rightful heir. You were never crowned Crown Prince, and you were never meant to inherit this throne." her voice remained calm, but every word carried unmistakable anger.
"So basically, Lurtheron, you're a usurper."
Umigting ang panga ni Lurtheron nang marinig iyon.
"... and you killed my husband."
Saglit na natahimik ang buong throne hall.
"I am here as his wife. I am the one who has the right to stand before this throne and claim what belongs to him."
Bahagya niyang hinawakan ni Rassia ang armrest ng trono.
"So basically... this throne is mine."
Malamig siyang ngumiti.
"Never yours."
Bahagyang napangisi si Anastacio habang nakatingin sa lahat. There was no hesitation in his expression as he finally stepped forward, his voice carrying throughout the throne hall.
"The throne was never meant to belong to the Vacardi bloodline. The Quentin bloodline was supposed to sit upon this throne. But my previous master, Aurelius Archimedes Quentin, never wanted the throne. He willingly passed it to Beaumont Stavros Vacardi."
Sandaling natahimik si Anastacio, allowing his words to settle as he watched the shocked expressions of the councils and the Guardians.
Some exchanged uncertain glances, while others looked toward Lurtheron as though waiting for him to deny what they had just heard. Anastacio simply remained composed.