As the banquet continued, Rica and Dani moved through the crowd, clinking glasses and exchanging polite greeting. They were fulfilling their roles as the nation representatives and council members of Memoria.
"Ah… when will this banquet end? Must we greet every single guest? I am already exhausted from overseeing the preparations," sighed Rica, fanning herself slightly.
"Don't worry, Rica. We must keep our spirits up. We are simply doing our part to help Melania. She bears far more stress than we do — it is only right that we ease her burden," Dani said, smiling gently.
"Very well… come along, Dani. Let us go meet Lord Deux."
Amidst the cheerful celebration, a subtle air of jealousy lingered. At the center of the banquet hall, a figure snickered openly about the Queen. "I thought the elven queen would have a real coronation ceremony. What's with a queen without her crown? How are we supposed to obey her commands when she refuses even this symbol of authority?" said Lord Deux to a group of men.
One of them responded with steady earnestness, "With all due respect, Lord Deux, I must disagree. A crown does not measure the place she holds in our hearts. Were it not for her courage, we would have already lost our world to the Cruelmancers,"
"I agree with you, Sir Casper… the knight commander. Thank you for standing up and defending our Queen!" said Dani.
"It's nothing much, Saintess Dani," replied the knight humbly, bowing his head.
Everyone fell silent as Lord Deux's face turned red with anger at the knight's words. He thought they were ganging up on him just because he belonged to the demon faction and had entered a peace treaty with Melania.
To their surprise, an eloquent voice responded,"I believe Lord Deux was merely expressing his opinion — as is his right."
Dani slightly tapped Rica, her eyes wide and a flustered, silently asking, What are you saying?
Rica continued, "Allow me to correct you, Lord Deux. It is not 'the Elven Queen Melania' — it is simply Queen Melania. She regards each of us as she would her own kin."
Proud of Rica's words, Dani patted her back and added, "Lord Deux, gentlemen… we trust you will enjoy the banquet,"
They left giggling, pleased by the embarrassed expression on Lord Deux's face.
Meanwhile, Melania moved among other officials, greeting them with calm poise. She wasn't exactly enjoying herself — rather, she quietly observed the proceedings. By chance, she overheard the earlier exchange and felt a quiet pride in Rica. "I wish we could turn back time and savor the days when we were children, Rica," Melania thought to herself with a soft smile.
The banquet went on with laughter and chatter. On the other side, Danver the dwarf clinked his glass with Rica. "Look at you, Rica! You seem positively delighted on your friend's happiest day," Danver said, his tone gruff but warm.
"She may be my friend, but she is my Queen — the Queen of this new world," said Rica in a slightly displeased tone.
Danver chuckled. "Do not worry, Rica. You shall be even more delighted when you see the surprise I have prepared."
As the banquet neared its end, Melania took her seat on the throne, with Rica and Dani standing to her left and right. Lord Danver stepped forward, holding a mysterious box in both hands. It looked quite heavy.
He gestured for the band to stop the music, drawing the attention of all the citizens of Memoria.
"Citizens of Memoria," he announced, "I present to you the finest creation of my craft — forged by my own hands. Behold, the Sword of Unity!"
A brilliant golden light radiated from the long sword, illuminating the entire banquet hall. Everyone gasped in awe at its majestic beauty.
He then stepped forward, chest upright, to present the sword to Melania.
"I, your humble servant, present this to you, my Queen. You are the rightful master of this blade. May it strengthen your gift as a wielder of both magic and steel — a true magic swordswoman!"
The garden echoed with applause from the citizens, cheering for their beloved Queen.
Melania accepted the sword gracefully and said, "Thank you, Sir Danver. May the light of this sword bring everlasting prosperity to Memoria."
She handed the sword to Rica for safekeeping in the royal treasury.
The ceremony concluded with a dazzling display of fireworks. Deuxa, one of Lord Deux's subordinates, had been entrusted with this duty.
The night sky burst into colors — but behind that breathtaking beauty, the shadows of a darker hue began to stir.