One Piece: Tainted Throne

Romantis glanced at the crowd below but paid them no mind. The most important quality of a god was mystery—humans could only revere what they could not understand and never hope to surpass.

Distance created awe.

"An angel! Mama, can I make a wish to the angel?"

Across the Heim Kingdom, the coronation ceremony was being broadcast through projection Den Den Mushi, allowing every village and town to witness the event.

Outside the royal capital, commoners watched in awe as Romantis appeared in his six-winged angelic form.

Inside a merchant's home, a family sat before the projection, watching intently. Upon seeing Romantis descend with six radiant wings, a young child turned to his mother with innocent excitement.

"Of course, little Ael," the mother replied warmly.

Hearing her answer, Ael cheered, clapping his hands in joy.

Romantis strode through the sky, one step at a time, approaching the royal palace. He did not possess the ability to walk on air, but by skillfully using the wings behind him, he created the illusion of doing so.

Below, the people of Heim Kingdom fell to their knees, overwhelmed by the sight of him.

Within the palace, nobles heard the commotion and peered outside. The moment they saw Romantis, they too knelt in submission.

Even the proud nobles of Heim Kingdom bowed their heads this time—they had been thoroughly subdued.

Romantis was pleased. Everything he had done thus far was to establish an image of absolute supremacy.

To become a god, one must first establish divine authority. Only by creating an image of inviolable, supreme power could true worship be attained.

The purpose of crowning Princess Audrey was to set a precedent—that divine authority stood above royal authority.

But this was only the beginning.

"Rise."

"Yes, Saint."

At Romantis' command, the people slowly stood.

Stepping through the crowd, Romantis made his way to the palace's grand hall. Standing at the center, he gave his decree.

"Let the coronation ceremony begin. Princess Taro Audrey, step forward."

"St. Romantis…"

Princess Audrey stepped forth alone, kneeling before him.

"Taro Audrey, sole heir to the Heim Kingdom's royal bloodline, I now bestow upon you the title of Queen in the name of the divine. Do you accept?"

"It is my greatest honor."

"By divine will, I grant you the crown and the throne. From this moment forth, all people and lands of the Heim Kingdom shall be under your rule."

Romantis removed Audrey's tiara and took a resplendent crown from a tray held by an attendant. With reverence, he placed it upon her head.

The crown was crafted from pure gold, adorned with a large ruby the size of a dove's egg at its peak. Surrounding it were 108 gemstones, 360 flawless pearls, and 2,600 dazzling diamonds—a masterpiece of opulence. The sheer cost of its creation had exceeded 500 million beri.

A crown bestowed in the name of a god had to be the finest in existence.

As he settled the crown upon her head, Romantis spoke once more.

"To wear the crown is to bear its weight. From the moment you don this crown, you become the sovereign of Heim Kingdom, responsible for its governance and the well-being of its people.

May you rule with wisdom, bringing peace, prosperity, and stability to your kingdom."

"I will remember your teachings."

"Now, I grant you the Sword of Kings. This is both a sword of protection and a sword of judgment. Use it to defend Heim Kingdom from all who threaten it, and wield it to uphold justice and order."

Princess Audrey extended both hands, accepting the sacred blade. She fastened it to her side with solemn reverence.

"By the will of the people, I enact a sacred covenant. With the light of wisdom, I bestow the seed of radiance. Heim Kingdom's new ruler, I grant you my blessing—may you be free from calamity, immune to sickness, and blessed with longevity."

"Holy Light—Blessing."

Romantis gathered the power of the Holy Light, forming a radiant seed that merged into Audrey's body.

Holy Light Blessing was an ability Romantis had developed through the Six-Winged Angel Fruit.

Alongside the Holy Light Purification, it was part of a series of divine abilities: the Holy Light series for support, the Sacred Protection series for defense, and the Divine Judgment series for offense.

If Holy Light Purification could cleanse negative effects with pure radiance, then Holy Light Blessing condensed that power to nourish the blessed, strengthening their constitution and extending their lifespan as long as the energy remained.

It was a highly practical ability—at least for ordinary humans.

Perhaps, if Audrey were lucky, she might live to a hundred. Such longevity would surely be recorded as a divine miracle.

As the radiant energy seeped into her being, Audrey felt a soothing warmth coursing through her.

Romantis extended his hand, gently lifting the newly crowned queen. "Go. Take your throne and accept the allegiance of your subjects."

"Yes, my lord."

Obediently, Audrey ascended the steps and took her place upon the royal throne.

"Holy Light—Illumination."

A pillar of light erupted, and in an instant, Romantis vanished, transforming into a streak of brilliance.

Though Mythical Zoans were formidable, they lacked the ability to become intangible like Logia types.

To maintain his mystique, Romantis had developed the Holy Light Illumination ability, allowing him to vanish into radiant energy, further enhancing his divine aura.

Back aboard his ship, Romantis no longer concerned himself with the rest of the ceremony. The subsequent events were for Queen Audrey to handle.

As planned, the coronation ceremony followed a strict order. Romantis, acting as the divine authority, had bestowed the crown and the Sword of Kings.

Next, Audrey would receive the allegiance of Heim's noble houses, followed by a grand procession through the royal capital, where she would be celebrated by the common folk.

That night, a lavish banquet with the kingdom's influential figures would take place. In the following days, the new queen would travel throughout Heim Kingdom, visiting every village and town to strengthen ties with her people.

Despite only having seven days to prepare, the coronation proceeded flawlessly.

Seated on her throne, Queen Audrey received the pledges of loyalty from the remaining nobles.

After the war with the Germa Kingdom and the battle for the throne, the noble class had been purged twice, leaving fewer than a hundred aristocrats in the kingdom.

Even so, receiving the oath of nearly a hundred nobles was no small task, though Queen Audrey relished every moment of it.

She savored the intoxicating power of authority—power greater than her father had ever wielded.

The concept of divine-right monarchy existed because it worked. By leveraging god-given authority, a new ruler could swiftly cement their position, consolidate power, and secure the loyalty of their subjects.

Of course, it would have been even better if Romantis weren't standing over her as a living god.

For now, Audrey only felt the intoxicating high of divinely ordained power. She had yet to experience the constraints that divine authority would impose upon her.

After the nobles' pledges, she embarked on a grand procession through the royal capital, receiving cheers from the gathered crowds.

"Did you get the shot of Queen Audrey?"

As her carriage passed, a journalist turned eagerly to the photographer behind him.

"We've worked together for so long—do you still doubt me?"

"Don't slack off. When the Celestial Dragons descended, you missed the perfect shot! Do you have any idea how valuable that news was?"

"Idiot! Photographing the Celestial Dragons is a death sentence. Do you want me to get executed by the World Government?"

"For the sake of delivering firsthand news to the world, a little sacrifice is—"

"Then why don't you do it yourself?"

"I… didn't have time to react."

"Forget it. Just send this story to the newspaper immediately. This is going to be huge—I can feel it. A new era is beginning."

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