Chapter 193

Chapter 193

Two Soldier guards entered, their faces expressionless, seized Tracy by the arms, and dragged him outside.

“Maria, you’ve gone too far!” Tracy stared at Maria in disbelief and shouted furiously, “How dare you treat me like this? I will tell my father!”

“I am sure your nation’s King will understand me.” Maria looked at him coldly. “You have been staying here for quite some time. You must miss home terribly. Perhaps it is time you went back for a visit.”

Tracy had already been dragged to the doorway. He looked up at Maria and asked through gritted teeth, “Are you trying to drive me away?”

“Or would you prefer to stay and watch my accession ceremony?” Maria rose and walked over to him, giving a faint smile. “You are more than welcome.”

“Let go of me!” Tracy wrenched himself free from the two Soldier guards’ grip, straightened up, and smoothed down his rumpled clothes. Looking at Maria, he said coldly, “No need. I will leave at once.”

He gave Maria one last meaningful look. “We will meet again.”

Maria said nothing.

Tracy turned and left.

Tu Nan walked to Maria’s side and watched Tracy’s departing back. In a low voice, she said, “Once he goes back, he will probably embellish the whole thing when he tells the King.”

Maria returned to the room, her expression calm. “Since I chose this path, this is something I expected long ago.”

Tu Nan thought for a moment. “In that case, why not get rid of him halfway there? Then we won’t have to worry about him going back and running his mouth.”

Maria gave her a look that was almost a smile, then lightly changed the subject. “When are you planning to hold the Wedding with Dennis?”

That was one question Tu Nan truly had not considered.

“I don’t need a Wedding,” Tu Nan said. “I just need my father to know I married a Prince. That will be enough.”

Maria looked at her strangely.

“He is my family, after all,” Tu Nan said with a beaming smile.
—
The former King had only just passed away, and with everything arranged in such a hurry, Maria’s succession ceremony was not especially grand.

She set out from the Royal Palace, rode in a Carriage around the Royal Capital, and finally arrived at the Church.

Not long ago, word of what had happened at the Church had spread from mouth to mouth. By now, there was no one in the Royal Capital who had not heard of it. Countless people lined the streets to watch, and some even threw flowers toward Maria’s Carriage.

Tu Nan spotted Nemesis in the crowd.

Maria had invited her to stay in the Royal Palace, but Nemesis had refused. She still preferred the forest, though she had given Maria a way to contact her at any time.

Nemesis’s fiery red hair stood out far too much in the crowd. Maria had clearly seen her as well and waved in her direction, drawing delighted screams from the people.

Tu Nan noticed that Nemesis seemed tired. She nodded to Maria, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

The final coronation ceremony was officiated by the Queen.

Wearing a ceremonial gown the Tailor had rushed to finish overnight, Maria stepped into the cathedral under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Standing in the front row, Xu Duoyi leaned close to Tu Nan’s ear and whispered, “Why do I feel so emotional watching this?”

Tu Nan nodded in deep agreement. “After all, the two of us had a hand in putting her in that position.”

Xu Duoyi laughed, then could not help joking, “Actually, I think this scene looks a lot like a Wedding too.”

If they had failed, Maria would have held her Wedding with Tracy here as well.
“But from this moment on, Maria is the only protagonist.”

They joined the crowd in applauding.

Maria finally walked up to the Queen.

The Queen gazed deeply at the very young girl before her, momentarily dazed.

When she had first met Aphro, Aphro had been about the same age. For an instant, Aphro’s face seemed to overlap with Maria’s before her eyes.

Tears welled in her eyes.

The bishop expressionlessly reminded her to recite the words.

The Queen came back to herself and asked solemnly, “Are you willing to make a sacred vow to devote your life to your country and its people? To rule your subjects, govern their lands, and, with a heart of mercy, do all in your power to uphold fairness and justice?”

“I am,” Maria said devoutly. “I solemnly vow that for the rest of my life, I will do everything in my power to fulfill my duties and give my all to them, until the moment of my death.”

The Queen lifted the crown that symbolized power.

Maria lowered her head slightly. A moment later, she felt a heavy weight settle atop it.

From the moment she understood what this crown represented, she had yearned for it every second of every day.

“In the name of the gods, I grant you the Throne,” the Queen said.

Maria turned around to face the crowd gathered in the church for the ceremony.

At this moment, no matter what they were truly thinking, everywhere her gaze fell, every face wore a bright, beaming smile as they clapped with all their might, terrified they might not look enthusiastic enough.

This was what power tasted like.

[Congratulations, you have completed the Main Quest. Complete the Side Quest, and you may leave the Instance!]

Tu Nan froze for a moment at the sudden notification that rang out in her mind.

“My mission is complete,” Xu Duoyi suddenly said beside her. “I can leave the Instance now.”

Tu Nan turned to look at her and nodded with a smile. “I heard it too.”

“It was a pleasure working with you.” Xu Duoyi gave her a hug. “I hope you’ll be my Teammate again next time.”

Tu Nan hugged her back.

The next second, Xu Duoyi vanished from her arms.

The crowd around her was still applauding, as if no one had noticed that someone beside them had suddenly disappeared.

“On this occasion today, I would like to announce something,” Maria said from the stage.

The crowd below immediately fell silent.

“My elder brother, Prince Dennis, has reached marriageable age, and this has been weighing on my mind. I have chosen an outstanding young noblewoman for him-Judy Carter. I hope they will be happy together.”

When Old Carter heard this from below, his eyes widened in disbelief. A moment later, he was so excited that he grabbed his son’s hand beside him. “Did you hear that? Your sister is going to marry a Prince! The Carter Family is going to rise again!”

[Congratulations, you have completed the Side Quest. You may leave the Instance at any time!]

When Tu Nan heard the notification, she looked up at Maria on the stage.

Maria smiled at her.

Tu Nan smiled back and mouthed, “Goodbye,” to Maria.

The distance was a little too great, and Maria did not make out what she said. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see what Tu Nan was saying, when a sudden haze came over her.

She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the spot she had been looking at was empty.

Maria froze for a moment, then could not help sighing inwardly.

Honestly. She had not even said goodbye.