The coronation ceremony took place in the large battleball stadium in Doneiks.
Mom stepped in front of a kneeling Ryuunie and said, “On this day, I, Airia Lutt Aindorf, cede my seat as Demon Lord. With the blessings of the Demon Empress Gomoviroa and the Meraldian Commonwealth Council, I hereby appoint Ryuunie Bolshevik Doneiks as the fourth Demon Lord.”
As part of the imperial family, Ryuunie’s full name was technically Ryuunie Bolshevik Rolmund Doneiks, but he’d dropped the Rolmund since his exile.
Mom took the ceremonial crown off her head and placed it on Ryuunie’s.
“The crown suits you, Ryuunie,” she said. “You have the air of a true king.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Lady Airia. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.”
Mom smiled gently at Ryuunie, causing him to blush and look away. Huh, she really is kind of like a mom to him. Mom didn’t really look that old though, so if you didn’t know her age, you might think she was younger than Ryuunie. Apparently, her aging had slowed because she’d temporarily become a Valkaan when she was younger.
All the important members of the Demon Army and the Commonwealth Council were seated in the stadium’s stands. There were guests from Rolmund and Kuwol as well, so security was tight. Normally, I would have been part of the security detail, but right now I was Othilie Aindorf’s bodyguard. In other words, I was babysitting my newborn sister. Man, your cheeks are so puffy and cute. Unfortunately, she pooped a lot, so no matter how many diapers we brought, it was never enough.
Ryuunie got to his feet, turned to dad, and bowed.
“Lord Veight, thank you for allowing me to appoint Lady Friede as my vice-commander.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Your Majesty. It was what Friede wanted after all.”
Ryuunie frowned. “Your Majesty, is it? I never thought I’d be called by that title...”
As an exiled prince, Ryuunie probably expected never to wear a foreign nation’s crown. And now I was that exiled-prince-turned-Demon-Lord’s Vice-Commander. You really couldn’t predict where life would take you.
As I nodded to myself, someone poked me in the back.
“Friede, now’s not the time to be spacing out. You remember what’s supposed to happen next in this ceremony, right?”
I turned around to see Micha looking at me with a worried expression, though she also appeared to be pouting a little.
“Long time no see, Micha. Thanks for coming!” I said.
“There’s no way I’d miss seeing you become the Demon Lord’s Vice-Commander— Uh, I mean, I just came here to congratulate the new Demon Lord. I’m only here as an official ambassador. Don’t get the wrong idea!”
“What are you getting mad for?”
“Because a certain someone spent the last few weeks cooped up at home or in the greenhouse messing with plants!”
Oh, she was worried about me, I thought. “Sorry for making you worry. Ehehe.”
“Just so you know, I’ll be crowned empress next year! As the Demon Lord’s Vice-Commander, you better come to deliver a speech!”
“Sure! I bet everyone will be happy to have you as empress, Micha!”
“You really can’t read the mood at all, can you? But thank you.” Micha grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight. “We’ll both have our counties’ affairs to deal with after this, so this might be the last time we can have an open conversation. Just remember, no matter what happens, I’m your friend. I’ll love you forever, Friede.”
“Me too, Micha. If you get ousted in a rebellion, I’ll come save you no matter what.”
“Why do you assume a rebellion is going to happen at all...”
Aren’t rebellions like an everyday thing in Rolmund?
Micha smiled at Othilie and said, “It’s nice to meet you, Othilie. I’m your big sister’s best friend. You can think of me like your big sister too. Here, don’t you want a hug?”
“Don’t blame me if she vomits on your dress...”
Thankfully, Othilie seemed to enjoy being in Micha’s arms, and she behaved herself. If anything, she looked even happier than when I was holding her. Does this mean I’m a failure as an older sister? Mrgrgr... Oh wait, Ryuunie’s speech is about to start.
“Sorry, Micha, can you look after Othilie for a bit?” I asked.
“Sure, just leave her to me. Look, it’s your big sister Micha-Wicha.”
So that’s how she acts with babies... It was funny seeing this new side of her.
I then walked over to the new Demon Lord and said loudly, “Demon Lord, a few words, if you please.”
“Of course.” Ryuunie looked over at the gathered crowd and said, “On this sunny and peaceful day, I can distinctly feel the weight of the crown Lady Airia has bestowed upon me.”
Are you emphasizing peace here as a way of getting back at Rolmund? I’d heard that until Eleora took the throne, there was constant fighting between the imperial families for the crown. Knowing Ryuunie, I could see him taking this once in a lifetime moment and turning it into an opportunity to make digs at Rolmund.
“It’s an honor to know I was chosen not because of my lineage or my deeds, but because of the faith you have in my leadership. I swear to serve Meraldia until my dying breath. I will dedicate my life to ensuring everyone can live happily and in peace, regardless of their race, religion, or creed.”
That’s a good speech. At the same time, you could tell from his words that he’d gone through many hardships in the past. Unsurprisingly, everyone broke out into applause.
In the months leading up to Ryuunie’s coronation, he’d gradually taken over all of mom’s duties and responsibilities. Everyone approved of how he had been handling things, and he truly seemed like the perfect fit to lead Meraldia into an era of peace. It also helped that everyone liked Ryuunie as a person. Of course, I suspected part of the reason everyone was clapping so loudly was to curry favor with him.
After Ryuunie’s speech, dad stepped up to give his own.
Normally, a vice-commander wouldn’t be deemed important enough to make a speech. However, dad had single-handedly elevated the role of vice-commander, making it almost more significant than that of the Demon Lord. I understood why everyone wanted him to speak.