In the last two days of their journey back to the capital, Ceres unveiled something no one, especially not the mages, had anticipated.
She introduced Rune Spells.
At first, even High Court Magician Celion found it hard to believe, until he saw it with his own eyes. But it didn't come easy. To use the Empress's Rune Spells, each mage had to manually draw the runes over and over again until their minds committed the intricate patterns to memory. Only then were they able to activate them.
What Ceres didn't tell them was that the Runes only worked because she allowed it. And the moment someone tried to abuse it, access to the spell would immediately be revoked.
The Rune magic she provided included spells for Teleportation, Levitation, and Telepathy. Additionally, she created a Rune Crystal and handed it personally to Celion. The crystal allowed any qualified mage to create their own personal rune spell, one that only they could use. But to ensure it wouldn't be exploited, only mages with a minimum of 200 MP could craft a rune using the crystal, and each activation would consume 10 MP.
Before dismissing them, she issued a clear warning.
"You are not to disclose that these runes or the crystal came from me. Not to anyone."
Next, she summoned the Holy Order, including the Holy Knight Commanders and the still-terrified Saintess Xul, who had not dared speak a word in Ceres's presence since their last encounter. Each time their eyes met, Xul trembled.
"Saintess, I haven't even done anything to you, and you're already pale," Ceres said with a sharp smile. "Am I really that scary?"
Xul shook her head quickly but didn't speak. She knew better, Ceres had told her once before that she disliked her voice.
The Empress's smile deepened as she turned to Seiryu.
"Give it to her."
In a blink, a golden choker inlaid with a glowing cross materialized before Xul.
"Your Highness, that's a slave choker!" Lady Layla exclaimed, horrified.
"Yes. Because starting today, she'll be my slave," Ceres said calmly.
Gasps filled the tent.
"This choker will enable your charm ability to work again, even if people already know about it. If their mind isn't strong enough, they'll fall to your voice regardless. And speaking of your voice, this little gift will make it angelic." Ceres smirked. "Poor thing, you've been so silent. I wouldn't want your tongue to rot."
Ceres stood slowly and began circling the room, letting her words settle.
"But that's not all it does. You'll also gain access to Delphine's healing ability. Use it well. It'll cost you 5 MP per cast, so you better manage your energy wisely. Oh, and before you get any ideas, your charm won't work on anyone loyal to me."
Her gaze locked on Xul, unblinking.
Then Ceres turned to the three Holy Knight Commanders.
"Saintess Xul will retain her status as the official Saintess of Aquilonis," she declared.
Sir Deon and Sir Cedric visibly tensed, clearly wanting to object, but they remained silent under her gaze.
"In exchange, every knight in the Holy Order will receive a gift."
As if on cue, a basket of deep red apples appeared in front of them.
"Wait, is that… Malvera?" Sir Deon asked, squinting. "Why is the color different?"
"No. It's just apples," Ceres replied. "Each knight is to take one. And the seeds inside, each of you will plant them in the Holy Church's garden."
"While planting, each of you will recite a soul-binding spell that I'll personally provide," Ceres said calmly, her voice carrying both grace and finality. "From that moment on, your tree will reflect your actions. It will flourish if you walk the path of righteousness, or wither if you stray. And no one, not even the Holy Church, will be able to harm that tree, except for the knight who planted it."
The tent was completely silent. And yet, her words echoed like an invisible brand burning into each listener's chest.
She hadn't bound the Holy Knights with contracts, blood oaths, or threats.
No.
She bound them with something far more dangerous, accountability.
"And this," Ceres continued, her expression unreadable but firm, "will be your gift… Valkyrie."
The word rang through the air like a spell, and as soon as it left her lips, ten ethereal beings appeared.
They stood before the knights, angelic warriors cloaked in radiant armor, each with glowing halos above their heads and wings that shimmered with celestial light. Their faces were obscured by elegant silver masks. Each one wielded a different divine weapon: a sword, a spear, a bow, a war hammer, a shield, a scythe… instruments of judgment, power, and protection.
The knights inside the tent were frozen in awe.
They could feel it.
Celestial power.
It rolled off the summoned Valkyries like waves of light, pure and commanding, and it had come, not from the heavens, but from the Empress herself.
"A knight will only be able to summon their Valkyrie," Ceres explained, "once their tree has borne thirty fruits for the first time. They must give those fruits to those in need, freely, with no expectation of reward. Only then will their Valkyrie appear. And know this, the strength of your Valkyrie will be tied not to your rank or name, but to your deeds. How you choose to serve the people will be your test."
Then, Ceres conjured a glowing seedling into her palm. Its roots curled in the air like ribbons of light, and its leaves shimmered with faint pulses of mana.
She handed it carefully to Lady Layla.
"This must be planted by a priest or priestess of Aquilonis," she said. "No matter their rank or status, the seedling will only accept one whose spirit it deems worthy. You'll know who it is, the tree will glow when touched by the right guardian."
Ceres's voice turned quiet, but every word carried authority.
"This tree will provide you with more Holy Knight apples in the future, should the Order require them. But hear this clearly, no one is allowed to simply take a fruit. A knight-to-be must touch the trunk. And only if the tree deems them worthy, a single fruit will fall into their hand."
She paused, letting the weight of her next words sink in.
"Once in a full blue moon, the tree will release a light mana. This blessing can only be absorbed by the priests and priestesses of the Holy Order, but only if the tree deems them worthy. And should the priest-guardian of the tree die… or become corrupted, the tree will choose a new guardian."
A rare smile touched her lips.
They stood in stunned silence, trying to grasp the magnitude of what they had just been given.
The Empress had changed everything.
She had rewritten the foundation of the Holy Church, no longer would position be earned through bloodline or inherited power. From now on, it would be merit that defined one's worth.
The old system, where light magic level dictated status, was over. The new system demanded action, proof, sacrifice. If they wanted to be called Holy Knights or servants of the Church, they had to prove it, to the people, and to the land itself.
Unbeknownst to them, Ceres had given them not just power, but purpose.
She had made them champions of the people.
And quietly, she had changed a kingdom.
With her mind already turning to what would come next, Ceres made another decision.
The children.
They could not remain in the Empress Palace forever, especially since she planned to leave Aquilonis soon to travel to the other kingdoms. They needed a place of their own.
A grand orphanage would be built near the Holy Church temple, a sanctuary for the children who had no one else.
It would be protected and nurtured by the very knights who now bore the burden of proving themselves through action.
Ceres was confident the Holy Order would care for them. After all, caring for the innocent was the truest good deed of all.
She turned once more to look at Xul.
"You too, Saintess," Ceres said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "With that choker, you can replenish your MP through good deeds. It's about time you live up to your title, Saintess Xul."
Without waiting for a response, Ceres exited the tent, accompanied by Seiryu, Delphine, and Legion.
Her next destination was long overdue, Captain Hugo.
As soon as she stepped into the tent of the Adventurer's Guild, Captain Hugo and his men stood up quickly in respect.
"Your Highness," the captain greeted her.
Ceres didn't waste time. She went straight to the point and laid out her intentions for the guild master.
She handed him detailed instructions on how to produce salt using the local methods she developed. She explained how to roast Moondust beans into coffee, how to plant and harvest black pepper and sugarcane, and how to process and preserve them for trade.
"I want you to oversee the production and trade of these resources," she said, her tone direct. "But more importantly, I want you to give jobs to the common people."
She then handed him a stack of employee contracts, thoroughly written with fair wages, detailed benefits, and workers' rights clearly defined.
Captain Hugo held the papers carefully, as if they were sacred texts. His eyes reflected his disbelief and growing gratitude.
"This will change lives, Your Highness. I don't know how to thank you. That you would trust me with this…"
"Of course, Captain," Ceres replied. "There's no one else I can think of who's both respected by the people and trustworthy enough to handle something this important."
A smile formed on Hugo's face, but it quickly faded into concern.
"My only worry… is the nobles," he admitted. "The moment they hear about this, they'll try to claim it or suppress the guild."
Ceres didn't even blink.
"If the nobles want a copy of these trade blueprints, sell it to them for fifty thousand gold each. And for each crop, one hundred gold per plant. We're not hoarding the market, we're creating competition."
She paused, watching the realization dawn on Hugo.
"If they want in, let them buy in. This way, they can no longer use their noble status to exploit or discriminate. They'll have to compete like everyone else."
Ceres's eyes sharpened with cunning.
"And even so, you must continue managing your own operations. If you can improve the contracts I've given you, do it. Believe me, Captain, workers won't care whether their employer is noble or commoner. They will go to the one who treats them best. Take care of your people, because your workforce will always be your greatest asset."
Captain Hugo was speechless, but his heart brimmed with resolve.
"And if any noble still dares to cause you trouble," Ceres added, "tell them they need to bring you three letters of recommendation, one from the Guardian Priest or Priestess of the Holy Church, one from the High Magician of the Magic Tower, and one from Duke Aurelian himself. All three letters must be presented together, and verified."
Captain Hugo let out a breathless chuckle, filled with admiration and awe.
Underneath the formality of her words, he could feel it, Empress Ceres was not just protecting the people. She was shifting the balance of power.
And for the first time in generations, the commoners would have a chance to fight back, not with swords or spells, but with fairness, structure, and opportunity.