「Three days later, in the Royal Capital's grand cathedral.」
Morning light pierced the stained-glass windows, illuminating a mural on the opposite wall. The Lord of Eternal Radiance sat upon a throne of clouds, draped in a sunlit robe. In one hand, He gently held a radiant sphere symbolizing the world, while the other reached down toward humanity.
The Choir of the Eternal Radiance Church chanted a solemn hymn, their ethereal harmonies echoing beneath the cathedral's dome, cleansing the souls of all who entered.
Nearly all the great nobles of the Duchy who held true power were present. Dressed in their most formal attire, they were seated on either side according to their titles and their families' seniority. The atmosphere was solemn; no one spoke. Marquis Marcus, the Iron Wall, sat impassively in the front row, and the core members of the Imperial Faction beside him all maintained the last vestiges of noble decorum.
