Chapter 66: Blood-Soaked Coronation (3)
Everyone was restless in the capital while the coronation ceremony was taking place at the palace. All the gates were suddenly sealed. Even the normally bustling ‘Black Square’ was quiet that day.
It was like the calm before the storm. The first unusual event occurred at the cathedral, the headquarters of the Western Church.
The cathedral was built at the same time as the capital and faced the ‘Black Square’.
Devote believers were visiting the cathedral to pray on this day as well. However, the ‘Cardinal’, a clergyman belonging to the Holy One Teachings, and a higher-ranking ‘Deacon’ appeared and the devoted believers were driven out of the cathedral.
A short while later, screams and shots could be heard coming from inside the cathedral, and the citizens sensed that something unusual was going on. This happened just as the coronation ceremony began at the palace.
Silence followed. The gates of the capital were tightly shut and the old city (the original Cardinal) and the new city (the old ‘Sadie’ and ‘Duede’ cities), which were normally accessible, were sealed off, but some time after noon, about 100 citizens were suddenly escorted by guards from the new city and brought to the Black Square.
News had spread that the newly enthroned Emperor was to appear in the cathedral. Those who wished to have an audience with him were told to gather in the square.
By this time, the citizens had sensed that something unusual had happened at the palace and knew that some kind of political change had occurred, but they didn’t know what had happened or even who ascended to the throne. There were even rumours that the young emperor had been deposed and that either Lord Raul or Lord Aquicurl had ascended to the throne.
Many citizens crowded around the square to find out the truth.