Saving The Abandoned Empress

98 “New System: Fulfilling Her Dreams”

The whole world looked black and white to Eleanora.

Although the surroundings were very loud with some people celebrating the succession of the new emperor, where the rest was mourning the emperor’s death silently like Duke Dalton.

Eleanora seem to heard nothing. She felt as if she was falling into the endless abyss and standing in a remote place.

As she remembered the time before returning to the past again, how she and the emperor spent their time together in the garden when her father was at the borders.

The emperor had always supported and loved her whole heartly, either it was the past or present.

He might be annoying some times but he has loved her equally at the same time, to the point his own son become jealous of her.

The emperor couldn’t show his love to Cathain completely, so to endure his loneliness, he used to shower Eleanora with that love.

As just like him, Alexander couldn’t show his love to his daughter and protected the crown prince, the young emperor with everything he could.

Even if Eleanora in this life didn’t spend much time with the late emperor, she was still grateful for his support and love from her past life.

.....

‘It’s only a little while ago that the emperor passed away. How can they express joy about the new ruler instead of expressing condolences over his death?’

Eleanora knew the practice reflected the customs of the empire, but she couldn’t accept or understand it.

In the past, she couldn’t make it to the late emperor’s deathbed like this and in this life, she caused him to die earlier then before.

At that time, she was in battlefield, fighting against the Republic Army along with her father as a knight who had yet to take the knight oath.

Eleanora was seventeen at that time, who didn’t celebrated her coming of age ceremony during her sixteen birthday because of the war.

So, Eleanora at that time, just got a piece of paper on which just one line ‘His Excellency, Emperor Valerian De Xavier Valentino has passed away’, was written.

Even if Eleanora was sadden by the fact, she had to focus on ending the battle to return.

If the crown prince has become the emperor, then as the crown princess, she has to return soon to his side and become the empress to support him.

She also had to focus on imperial duties and custom from then on.

When, Eleanora returned, the late emperors one year death anniversary was already near and the new young emperor had become more cold and hard to approach.

According to the customs, she had to celebrate the new emperor’s rise, but Eleanora didn’t have the nerve to open her mouth to congratulate him at this moment of his father’s death.

As she felt her eyes were blurred with tears, Eleanora hastily lowered her head to avoid being caught by the noble faction.

It seemed she saw the crown prince’s bloody red eyes, but she couldn’t clearly see him because of her blurred vision.

‘Was he looking at me?’

After wiping her welled tears, she raised her head while controlling her expression.

Eleanora saw the new emperor standing, escorted by the royal knights including the captain.

Apparently, his poker face was the same as before, but he looked a bit different to Eleanora.

As if it was only her who felt that way, people around her were celebrating the birth of the new sun of the empire.

And the loyal subjects of the empire kept silent.

Everyone except the four dukes and the main captain of the palace royal guard moved to the garden infront of the imperial palace, where even commoners was standing.

The death news of the late emperor has already spread in a short time, so people have came here to confirm the news.

The new emperor moved towards the main balcony, from where one can see the whole imperial garden, as it was the highest place in the whole empire.

Eleanora, who had the right to stay as the crown princess was walking with her father stopped at a distance from their new emperor, as the tradition.

Cathain had to change into a new outfit, as his previous one was full of blood stains.

He had a long red cape on him, as he wore a black suit under it and carried his sword in his left hand.

The new emperor raised his head as his eyes fall on the crowd in the garden and the people had silenced just by his presence.

Eleanora felt a little overwhelmed. His presence had always demanded attention, either in past or present.

After her father, the crown prince was the only person who gave her the feeling of being protected.

His strength was something which Eleanora always liked the most. To her, Cathain looked the best when he was working seriously.

She liked how he ruled over his people, how scary he was when he used to unfairly negotiating with the cruel nobles using his powers.

Eleanora used to like every single details about Cathain, until those traits of him was used upon the innocent her cruelly.

Right then, Cathain’s cold voice bought her back to the present again.

“His Excellency was great. Under his rule, the confused empire regained stability and made remarkable progress.

In addition, His Excellency cherished and loved the people so much that he was called the Sacred Emperor.

Now, I wish him the blessing of lasting peace as he went back to the place to rest forever, and I, Cathain De Valerian Valentino, proclaim that I will lead the empire by taking over and keeping His Excellency’s will.”

In the garden, after a moment of silence because of the emperor’s death, everyone cheered at the same time.

“Hail to the new sun of our empire!!!”

“Long live, the new emperor!!”

And this was how the rule of the 34th emperor and the new sun of the Valentino empire, Emperor Cathain De Valerian Valentino begin again.

Eleanora looked up at the new emperor, who announced the late emperor’s achievements in a calm voice.

Eleanora could read nothing from his red eyes and expressionless face, but she kept staring at his side profile as he spoke.

Apparently, he was calm, but he seemed to be empty somewhere to her.

“Prime Minister!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please give me your order.”

“It does not matter how long it takes, but according to His Majesty’s will, he doesn’t want a grand funeral and want to rest at the same place as thr late empress.”

“W-What? How is this possible, Your Majesty-”

“This is the late emperor’s order in Duke of Dalton’s presence.”

The prime minister, marquise Roselia had no other words to refute and obey to the new emperor.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Tapping Marquise Roselia’s shoulder once, he turned to the crowd again.

Although he was praised by everybody, he looked too lonely as she could sense he was feeling empty.

Suddenly, seeing him like this, Eleanora’s heart began to ache as he spoke again.

“The assassination attack from last night, which eventually lead to the early death of his excellency was from Kingdom Republic.”

Everyone was shocked to hear that. How can a small kingdom like them dares to attack an empire?

But despite the shocked crowd, Cathain continued to speak.

“Therefore, according to the orders of his execellency; I, The new sun of the empire declare the war against the Kingdom Of Republic!!!”

Cathain’s loud majestic voice echoed in the silent crowd and they started to cheer up as the declaration of the war was official.

Duke Raven’s lips curled up as his plan to start the war has been successful.

But he frowned as Cathain opened his mouth to speak again.

“The war will be lead by the first commander of imperial knights squadron, Duke Dalton. And... from now on, woman’s are also allowed to train and become an official knight!!”

‘W-What?!’

Eleanora’s eyes widened in shock. Declearing this right now was a very risky move for Cathain, who have become the emperor for less then six hours!

In her past life, the emperor didn’t agreed right way but she was told to wait for the imperial letter.

So, she never knew how much struggle the past Cathain had to do to make her dreams of being a knight came true.

It was also truth that, the past Cathain told her to prove her worth, but actually he didn’t wanted Eleanora to waste her talent and keep taking empress lessons.

Finally, Eleanora understood the past Cathain’s real intentions. He never wanted to sent her away because he didn’t liked her but he just wanted her to do what she liked.

Eleanora clenched the hem of her dress to suppress her emotions.

‘Why did you never told me this...?’

Finally, Eleanora’s dream to change the system become also true.

[A/N: Reference to the ch 38, where Eleanora wanted to change the system of the world by ending slavery and discrimination ending]

Meanwhile, Everyone was uttered speechless by this. A female, becoming a knight?

Is this possible?

.....

Even Alexander, who thought of using his blood vow to pursue the emperor to let Eleanora be a knight like his last life was shocked.

Above everyone, it was Duke Raven, who disliked this idea the most.

“This- how is it possible, Your Majesty?”

Duke Raven got closer and asked to the new emperor.

In his mind, he was completely furious as he had previously thought, it would be easy to coax a teenage young emperor who never got his father’s love.

He wanted to take this chance and sent Duke Dalton away to the battlefield.

Where he would manipulate the young emperor and provoke him against Eleanora and Duke Dalton.

But Cathain easilt understood Duke Raven’s mind in this life and only cast him a glance as he sarcastically replied with a cold voice...

Which forced Duke Raven from asking anymore questions.

“Because i said so... the new sun of the empire whom you were cheering for so much earlier.”