Chapter 215: THE CROWN OF STEEL
A week passed. Iron Hearth had transformed into a giant beehive—every corner of the city was buzzing with preparation for something unprecedented.
Blue banners bearing the Sudrath Wolf emblem fluttered from every lamppost. The markets were more crowded than usual. Merchants from across Northreach—and even some from beyond—filled the inns. They had come not just to trade, but to witness history in the making.
In the Town Square, workers erected a wooden stage large enough to accommodate the entire Sudrath family and the city lords. Around it, rows of wooden chairs were arranged—enough for thousands, though the vast majority of the people would be standing. The largest banner, ten meters wide, hung between two towers: "KINGDOM OF NORTHREACH — DAY OF BIRTH."
Aurelia Sudrath stood in the midst of the chaos. She wore a simple work dress—dark blue, without excessive ornamentation—and held a wooden clipboard with a list so long it nearly reached her knees. Her hair, beginning to silver at the temples, was tied neatly back.
"The banner on the left is too low! Raise it half a meter!" she shouted at two workers dangling from a scaffold.
They hurriedly pulled the ropes.
"The flowers! Snow Seruni! Place them along the path to the stage, not beside the chairs! I’ve told you three times!"
A young servant ran past carrying flower pots, his face pale with panic. He tripped over his own feet, nearly dropping a pot. Aurelia rolled her eyes. "Careful! Those flowers weren’t free!"
Grimm appeared at Aurelia’s side, his black suit as crisp as ever. "My Lady, Count Eddard has arrived. He is waiting in the Main Hall."
Aurelia exhaled, handing her clipboard to the servant beside her. "Handle the rest. Don’t let anything go wrong." She began walking toward the castle, then paused and turned back. "And coffee for Count Eddard. Don’t forget. Bitter. He doesn’t like it sweet."
In the Alpha Building workshop, Rianor Sudrath stood before his workbench. Resting upon a black velvet cloth was a crown.
It was not gold. Nor silver. Nor encrusted with jewels.
It was titanium steel—the same metal that armored the Wolf-Tusk tanks. Its surface was polished until it gleamed like a dark mirror. At the front, the Sudrath Wolf emblem was engraved—not with gold, but with deep grooves filled with a thin layer of silver. Simple. Solid. Indestructible.
Elara sat in her wheelchair beside Rianor. "You didn’t sleep all night."
"I couldn’t." Rianor lifted the crown, inspecting it under the lamp’s light. "It has to be perfect."
"It already is."
Rianor set it back down. "Father will be the one wearing it. Not me. That’s why it has to be more than perfect."
Elara smiled. "In my opinion, it’s more than enough."
Rianor didn’t answer. He simply stared at the crown—the crown he had forged with his own hands, from metal tempered in the factory he had built. Perhaps this wasn’t how most sons showed love for their fathers. But this was Rianor’s way.
The door opened. Riven entered without knocking. He wore a formal military uniform—a black suit with the Wolf emblem on the chest. "Father sent me to make sure you didn’t lose track of time."
"I was just finishing."
"Good." Riven stared at the crown on the table. "Is that it?"
"Yes."
Riven picked up the crown—his movements unusually careful. He weighed it in his hand. "It’s heavy."
"Steel is meant to be heavy."
Riven set it back down. He looked at Rianor. "You made this yourself?"
Rianor nodded.
Riven patted his brother’s shoulder—hard enough to make Rianor stumble slightly. "Good. Father will be proud."
That was all. Riven turned and walked out.
Elara let out a soft laugh. "Your brother... is unique."
"That’s just how he is." Rianor rubbed his shoulder, which still felt the phantom sting of the pat. "But he’s still my brother."
The morning of the ceremony arrived. The sky was grey—but the snow had stopped falling. It was as if nature itself was granting them space.
The square was a sea of people. Thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—stood shoulder to shoulder, filling every inch of available space. They came from all over Northreach: factory workers in their leather jackets, sun-burned farmers from Hollowford, dust-covered miners from Qaqortoq, and vibrant merchants from East-Port. Children sat atop their fathers’ shoulders. Elders leaned on their canes.
In the front row stood the city lords: Eddard Torsen, Hektor Torricelli, Lionel Andreas, Mira Frost, Aldric Varn, Gerold Holloway, Corvin Salt, Alden Oak, Roderick Qan, and Merrick East. Every single one of them was present.
On the stage, the Sudrath family stood together. Riven in his military uniform, hands behind his back, occasionally glancing at his younger siblings to ensure they were alright. Rianor stood beside him, his face calm as ever. Roland in his diplomatic suit, a thin smile on his lips. Rhea cradled Ana—the baby was sound asleep, oblivious to the history unfolding around her. Rumina stood with her ledger in hand—even today, she couldn’t let go of the numbers. Raveena and Raphael stood side by side; Raveena held her brother’s hand tight. Raphael tried to look composed, but his eyes sparkled with excitement.
Aurelia stood beside the simple wooden throne erected in the center of the stage. Her eyes were misty, but she didn’t cry. Not yet.
Count Eddard Torsen stepped forward. His advanced age and upright posture gave him an authority that required no shouting. He wore the ceremonial robes of Torshavn—dark blue with silver embroidery. In his hands was a parchment scroll containing the ceremony’s script.
He stopped before the microphone—an odd device to most of the people, but they had grown used to Northreach’s eccentricities.
"Today," his voice echoed, deep and heavy, "we witness the birth of a kingdom."
The thousands fell silent. Even the children stopped fidgeting.
"Not a kingdom built upon noble blood or ancestral inheritance. Not a kingdom that claims its throne in the name of gods or destiny." Eddard looked out at the sea of humanity. "This kingdom was built by your own hands. By the sweat of the factory workers. By the blood of the soldiers. By the dreams of children who dared to imagine a better future."
He turned, facing Lucian.
"And it is led by a man who never asked for this crown. But who accepts it because his people need him."
Lucian stepped forward. He wore a simple suit—black, unadorned, save for the Wolf emblem on his collar. His silver-streaked hair was neatly combed. His face was steady, but his eyes—his eyes spoke volumes more than words ever could.
He knelt before Eddard.
Rianor stepped forward, carrying the crown on a velvet pillow. He handed it to Eddard.
Eddard took the crown. His hands trembled slightly—not from age, but from the weight of the moment. He raised it high, showing it to the entire populace.
"This crown is not made of gold," he declared. "Nor of jewels. But of steel—the same metal that protects you, that supports your lives, and that serves as the foundation of your existence. This crown... is you."
He lowered it. He placed it upon Lucian’s head.
"Arise, King Lucian Sudrath. Leader of the Kingdom of Northreach."
Lucian stood. The steel crown sat upon his head—simple, solid, and unassuming. But somehow, everyone who saw it felt that it was the most fitting crown in existence.
Lucian stepped to the microphone. He looked at his people. His people looked back.
"I will not give a long speech," he said. His voice was calm, yet every word rang clear to the very back rows. "You have heard enough empty promises from nobles to last a lifetime."
A few people chuckled softly.
"I will only say one thing." Lucian gazed at them all. "This kingdom does not belong to me. This kingdom belongs to you. I only stand here because you chose to stand behind me. And as long as you continue to stand... I will continue to lead."
He paused for a moment.
"That is my oath."
Cheers erupted. Not a formal, rehearsed cheer—but a spontaneous roar from tens of thousands of throats. "LONG LIVE KING LUCIAN! LONG LIVE THE KINGDOM OF NORTHREACH!" The sound shook the square, bounced off the stone walls, and soared into the grey sky.
On the stage, Riven patted Rianor’s shoulder—gentler this time. "You hear that?"
Rianor nodded. "Father... is incredible."
Roland wiped the corner of his eye quickly—hoping no one noticed. Rhea looked at her father, then at Ana in her lap. "Your grandfather just became a king," she whispered to the sleeping baby. "Don’t you forget it."
Rumina closed her ledger. For the first time that day, she wasn’t thinking about numbers. Raveena hugged Raphael. Raphael hugged her back—tighter than usual.
Aurelia finally let her tears fall. She didn’t wipe them away.
Lucian turned and walked toward her. He took his wife’s hand. "We did it."
Aurelia squeezed his hand firmly. "We always do."
They stood there—the king and queen of a kingdom they never requested, leading a people they never imagined, in a world they never chose. But here they were. And here they would stay.
Lucian looked ahead. The steel crown on his head felt light—perhaps because it was perfectly made, perhaps because he was already used to carrying burdens far heavier.
Beyond the square, the snow began to fall again. But no one cared. Today, Northreach had been born. And no one would take it back.