On the day of the coronation, the crown placed over the head of the new Emperor Rosenberg was used only once that day, and then it was designated as a national treasure and passed down from generation to generation.
The crown on the day of the coronation was itself a history of Rosenberg, symbolizing the power of the ascending emperor and the majesty of the imperial family.
The crown in front of her right now was also encrusted with 805 jewels centered on a huge red diamond cut with cushion cuts, the number meant to commemorate Wilhelmâs birthday.
Anastasia had a shocked expression in front of the crown she had seen for the first and last time at Wilhelmâs coronation. Now, through this act, it was clear what he was trying to say.
To acknowledge Anastasia as his only Empress before and in the future.
Not surprisingly, owning the crown was the same as holding the emperorâs seal, representing all emperorsâ powers in case of emergency.
In times of emergency, the Emperor often delegated all powers to someone other than the Empress, so this was not to be taken lightly.
âSo itâs absurd that I, who will soon be deposed, would receive this.â
Anastasia pulled back in haste to say no.
âYour Majesty, IâŠâ
âOf course, my Empress will say that she canât take it.â
He cut off Anastasia naturally, and Anastasia looked at Wilhelm with a look in her eyes telling him not to do it.
But Wilhelm continued to speak with a calm smile.
âYou are such a humble person. I knew you would refuse. But I want you to know this.â
ââŠâ
âHaving you as my companion is the most blessed thing in my life.â
Wilhelm handed the box containing the coronation crown back to Colton, then grabbed Anastasiaâs wrist and pulled it towards him.
Then he kissed Anastasiaâs empty left ring finger softly.
From where the wedding ring should have been to the top of her fingernails, Wilhelmâs lips rode with a smooth movement.
ââŠâ
At that moment when her body trembled at the tickling sensation, Wilhelm lifted his head slightly and met her own eyes.
As soon as she saw the mischievous smile that showed that things seemed to go as planned, Anastasia knew something was seriously wrong.
Starting with the Vislante delegation case, she had an ominous feeling that she would be caught in his trap and would not be able to move.
~~~~
Eventually, Anastasia refused the coronation crown, but that alone attracted the partyâs keen attention.
Most excited of all were her supporters.
âOh, Your Majesty is so humble, too. You donât have to refuse such a gift!â
Not to mention that Mrs. Rochester looked the most excited among them.
âWhy didnât you just take it? It was not unprecedented for the Emperors to present a coronation crown to the Empress.â
âMrs. Rochester.â
âWhy, I didnât say anything wrong.â
How can a person who was usually gentle look so excited?
She must have been greatly encouraged by Wilhelmâs blunt move. Anastasia gave her a brief sigh and then shook her head.
âI canât go back because Wilhelm isnât hereâŠâ
If she left now, ridiculous rumors such as âYour Majesty must have already left to spend the night together!â would have circulated.
âHow can you go back right after youâve done that?â
It was obvious. She guessed he was trying to avoid her nagging.
âCause youâre quick to read the room.â
It was time for Anastasia to sigh once again briefly. Suddenly, the buzz around her became much bigger.
âYour Majesty the Empress.â
At the unfamiliar voice that followed, Anastasia turned her head quickly to look at her opponent.
âGreetings to the Imperial Moon.â
Oh, thatâs why it was suddenly noisy.
Anastasia looked at Avelin in front of her with an awkward expression.
Without a hint of discomfort, Avelin was just looking at her with a lovely smile on her lips.
âI was going to say hello earlier, but the Emperor suddenly appeared⊠Iâm saying hello now. Congratulations on your wedding anniversary.â
âThank you, Lady.â
It was more uncomfortable to hear the greeting from Avelin than anyone else, but Anastasia was greeted with a smile on her face.
âHis Majesty seems to love you with all his heart.â
Subsequently, Avelin spoke to Anastasia in a gentle voice.
âOtherwise, he wouldnât have been willing to give you the coronation crown. I can see for sure why His Majesty the Emperor canât let you go.â
At first glance, it sounded like there was a bone thrown with the words, but Avelinâs expression and voice saying it were innocent without anything impure.
The attitude of cheering and rejoicing for their love seemed the same as before their return.
âI envy you. That you can get that kind of love from someone else. I wonder how I can get such a love.â
It was around the time Anastasia was silently smiling awkwardly at the question that was difficult to answer.
âYour Majesty!â
A cheerful voice penetrated between the two nearby.
As the two turned their heads at the same time, Louis, well-dressed in a green tailcoat, was running toward Anastasia with a bright smile.
Anastasia quickly hugged Louis, who was about to fall in front of her with an expression that brightened in an instant.
âLouis!â
âEmpress, I greet the beautiful moon.â
Louis cried, looking at Anastasia with glittering eyes.
âYouâre so pretty today! Even the Goddess Rosenia will be so sad that she lost when she sees Your Majesty today!â
âLouis, that sounds like blasphemy.â
Anastasia burst into a small laugh and pinched Louisâs cheek painlessly.
âMore than that, you shouldnât run at the party, Louis. What if you get hurt?â
âBut Your Majesty caught me like this so itâs okay!â
âBut you shouldnât get hurt when Iâm away, so go around carefully from now on. Got it?â
âYes!â
Louis, who answered bravely, soon saw Avelin, who was next to Anastasia, and asked.
âBut who is this personâŠâ
âOh, say hello to Lady Hazel.â
âLady Hazel? If itâs Lady Haze-âŠâ
Louis, who was frowning and making a thoughtful expression, soon made a face that he realized, âAh!â
At the same time, it was the moment when Avelin was about to bend her knees toward Louis to meet her eye level and say hello.
âNice to meet you, Prince Louis. IâŠâ
âOh, right!â
Louis suddenly stopped talking to Avelin with the loud exclamation, and Avelin and Anastasia both looked bewildered.
However, Louis went on to say what he had to say, regardless of the reaction of the two.
âHappy 3rd anniversary, auntie. Please continue to live happily with my uncle for a long time!â
It wasnât difficult for Anastasia to guess his true intentions by cutting off other peopleâs greetings and saying only what he had to say, or freely using friendly names such as âauntâ and âmy uncle,â which were not usually spoken.
âAre you keeping her in check?â
Looking at Avelinâs expression, she seemed to be thinking the same thing herself.
It was when Anastasia gently tried to encourage Louis to say hello to Avelin first.
âAnd thereâs a present I prepared for your wedding anniversary.â
Before she could even ask, âA gift?â Louis winked at the maid, and soon she brought a large canvas.
It was about the size of an adult womanâs arm in both width and length, but it was wrapped in light brown paper, so she couldnât figure out what kind of painting it was.
âTry to solve it!â
But as soon as she touched the light brown wrapper again, Anastasia somehow seemed to know what the painting was.
ââŠâ
As Anastasia tore the wrapper with a trembling heartâŠ
âI completed the portrait I drew last time!â
As expected, it contained a couple portrait of her and Wilhelm.
Everyone who was watching from the side burst into exclamations at the same time at the excellent workmanship that was not like a 6-year-old child.
âOh my, youâre really good at it, arenât you? Did the Prince really draw this?â
âYou have already perfected your skills. Isnât the painting as good as the work of a court painter?â
âWhat a portrait of such a sweet couple! We should try to draw from this position from now on.â
Compliments poured in from all sides, and Anastasia was busy responding to the compliments around her.
Louis blushed as if he was still embarrassed of such a compliment, then asked Anastasia after a while.
âDo you like it, Your Majesty?â
âOf course, Louis. Itâs a really great picture.â
But it was a portrait of a couple, so she couldnât relax her mind.
Even if you put it aside, the portrait that Louis had painted was quite high-quality.
The nobles, who had their eyes on the works of many painters, were able to truly admire them.
âIâll draw it for you next year, too. I practiced harder than I did this year.â
It sounded like a silent pressure to stay at the palace next year, so Anastasia just smiled awkwardly this time.