The moment Ceres stepped out of the canopy, the commoners knelt.
Heads bowed in deep reverence.
Ceres froze in surprise.
The women, especially the non-fighters, began to cry, their voices trembling with gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"Thank you for saving us."
Some could barely speak through their sobs.
Even the roughest, most hardened adventurers fell to their knees, their heads lowered in respect.
Ceres didn't know how to react.
Even in her previous life on Earth, she never did things to be thanked.
She helped people without letting them know.
She was known as a spoiled brat heiress, someone who lived without a care for others.
She never wanted, nor needed, this kind of gratitude.
The weight of it felt suffocating.
"Please, stand up."
Her voice was firm, yet gentle.
"I am very uncomfortable with this level of gratitude… or respect… or whatever you call it."
She exhaled sharply.
"A bow will be enough for me. Truly."
There was hesitation.
But Captain Hugo's team was the first to rise.
The rest followed.
Yet, before Ceres could relax,
An old woman, likely in her fifties, suddenly rushed forward.
Before anyone could stop her, she embraced the Empress.
A sudden hush fell over the crowd.
Aurelian stood up so fast that his chair almost toppled over.
The noble knights followed suit, their hands instinctively reaching for their swords.
They were ready to pull the filthy commoner away from the Empress.
But Ceres didn't push her away.
The old woman sobbed into her arms.
Ceres had never been the type to hug someone out of empathy.
But after a moment of hesitation, she slowly wrapped her arms around the old woman.
Gasps filled the air.
It was an unspoken rule that nobles never touched commoners.
For an Empress to hold a commoner this way…
Was unprecedented.
"My son…" the woman choked out between sobs. "Please… I beg you, Your Highness… allow me to retrieve his body and bury him properly."
A deep frown creased Ceres's brow.
"The bodies haven't been buried yet?"
Her gaze snapped toward Captain Hugo.
The older man hesitated before stepping forward.
"There was… nowhere to bury them, Your Highness," he admitted. "I apologize for speaking without permission."
"It's alright, Guild Master Hugo."
Ceres's voice was calm, but her words sent a ripple of shock through the captain.
She… knew his name?
Hugo quickly masked his surprise, assuming Legion and Delphine must have told the Empress about him.
"And do not worry, Lara."
Ceres spoke the woman's name without hesitation.
The old woman stiffened in shock.
"We will give your son and the rest a warrior's farewell."
Lara's sobs halted.
Her eyes widened as she looked up at the Empress.
"You… You know my name?"
Ceres blinked.
"Ah, sorry," she said awkwardly. "Morgana scolds me whenever I call her 'Madame.' If I offended you for calling you by your name— "
"No, Your Highness!" Lara quickly wiped her tears. "You did not offend me… I'm just surprised you knew it."
A low chuckle broke through the moment.
"You seem to forget, Your Highness."
Seiryu smirked, watching the shocked expressions around them.
"No one has introduced themselves to you yet."
His eyes gleamed with amusement.
"So of course, they're shocked when you suddenly call them by name."
Ceres rolled her eyes.
Seiryu grinned wider.
"But, Your Highness," Seiryu continued, voice turning serious.
"To properly give them a warrior's farewell, we must set their bodies on a wooden raft, send them adrift to sea, and set them ablaze."
His lips pressed into a thin line.
"But the previous camp is in the middle of the Frozen Sea. And, " he exhaled. "the sea is frozen."
Ceres tilted her head.
"Then unfreeze it."
She crossed her arms.
"At least that way, you'll finally be useful, you useless reptile."
The air turned dead silent.
Every noble knight, holy knight, mage, and priest stared in horror.
Did she just…
Call the Holy Beast…
A reptile?
Seiryu gasped dramatically.
"I am not a reptile!" he protested, though his eyes gleamed with laughter.
"Yes, you are."
"And I am not useless."
"Yes. You. Are."
Seiryu let out an exaggerated sigh.
Then his smirk returned.
"Look at them." He gestured toward the horrified nobles. "They're shocked because you called me that."
Ceres only raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever, Lizard."
More gasps.
Seiryu burst out laughing.
"Fine, fine," he relented, still chuckling. "I can unfreeze the sea. But… I'm worried about you if I do that now."
He folded his arms.
"To return to the shore, we'll have to teleport. And knowing you, " he smirked, "you'll just end up vomiting your guts out."
Ceres narrowed her eyes.
"Hey, Reptile," she warned. "Did you forget that I am your master?"
Seiryu blinked innocently.
"Did I offend you, Master?"
His voice dripped with mock innocence.
Ceres gave him a sweet smile.
Then, without breaking eye contact, she slowly lifted her hand to her cheek, and subtly flipped him off.
"Of course not."
Seiryu snorted.
Ceres ignored him and turned back to Lara.
"Can you wait until tomorrow?" Ceres's voice was calm. "Let's all return to the shore first. I will have Seiryu preserve the bodies to ensure nothing happens to them."
Lara nodded, tears streaming down her face.
But before she could even say thank you,
Count Revan stepped forward.
His embroidered cloak billowed as he moved, his chin held high, an air of arrogance surrounding him.
"Your Highness," his voice rang with confidence, "those commoners do not deserve a warrior's farewell. A warrior's farewell is only for knights."
Murmurs rippled across the camp.
The count had been stationed on one of the other islets earlier, meaning he hadn't seen the events firsthand.
And despite the whispers, the ones saying the Empress had shattered a barrier even the Celestial Dragon could not break, he did not believe them.
Had Duke Aurelian not confirmed her identity, he would have thought this woman was a fraud.
Ceres slowly turned her gaze toward him.
Her golden eyes gleamed with sharp amusement.
"Count Revan Orland."
The count stiffened.
He had not introduced himself.
And yet, she knew exactly who he was.
"You are a Knight Commander, correct?"
A beat of silence.
Then the count nodded.
"Yes."
"So I would assume this is not the first time you've joined this expedition?"
"No, it is not."
"Then please tell me, Count, how do you bury the commoners who die in these expeditions?"
Silence.
For the first time, the count did not have an answer.
Ceres's gaze swept across the other knights, her eyes skipping past Duke Aurelian before settling on Lady Layla.
The Lady Knight Commander swallowed hard.
"They… They are left where they fall, Your Highness."
Her voice wavered with shame.
The air grew heavier.
Ceres let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"And here I thought chivalry was the most basic characteristic of a knight."
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Did any knight die in the camp earlier?"
No one answered.
Because the answer was none.
"I see."
A slow, dangerous smile formed on her lips.
She turned back to Count Revan.
"The purpose of this expedition was to subjugate the Holy Beast, which, by the way, the commoners did not even know about."
She tilted her head.
"So I have an idea."
A chill ran through the knights.
Ceres's tone was casual, almost playful.
"Since I was the one who successfully subjugated the Holy Beast… I will command him to follow the house of the Knight Commander who is willing to sacrifice himself and die now."
Her voice never wavered.
"And with your glorious death, we shall give you a warrior's farewell, alongside the commoners who have fallen today."
A heavy silence followed.
The noble knights froze.
Count Revan paled.
"Empress!" Duke Aurelian's voice rang with disbelief and anger as he strode toward her. "You would surrender your claim over the Holy Beast just for these commoners?!"
He stepped closer.
Too close.
Leaning toward her, his piercing gaze bore into hers.
"Have you truly gone insane?"
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
But Ceres's expression did not change.
She met his gaze.
And in her golden eyes, Aurelian saw nothing but raw hatred.
She stepped back.
Not out of fear.
Out of disgust.
"Do not come near me."
Her voice was quiet, but sharp as a blade.
And Aurelian hated it.
Hated the way she looked at him.
Hated the distance she placed between them.
"And yes."
Her next words made the knights hold their breath.
"I will surrender Seiryu. He's useless to me anyway."
Murmurs spread among the knights.
Her words were bait.
And some of them were thinking about taking it.
They glanced at each other.
The Holy Beast was bound to his master.
But if his master willingly gave him up…
Wouldn't that mean his new master could command him?
Ceres smirked.
"Oh, and just in case, " Her voice cut through the air like a blade. "Just in case any of you think that once you die and the Holy Beast belongs to your house, they can ask him to bring you back to life, " she paused. A slow, dangerous smile curled on her lips. "That's not going to happen."
She tilted her head.
"He can grant immortality."
Her next words sent a chill down their spines.
"But he cannot raise the dead."
Her eyes glinted with amusement.
"If he could…" She smiled. "I would have already asked him to raise the dead."
A beat of silence.
Then, Seiryu laughed.
Loud.
Rich.
Pleased.
"You surprise me, Your Highness." His deep blue eyes gleamed with pride. "I never told you that."
His smirk widened.
"But tell me…" He leaned in slightly. "How did you know?"
"Because I'm good," Ceres answered.
Ceres crossed her arms as she looked at the silent knights before her.
She waited.
For one of them to step forward.
For anyone to have the courage to sacrifice themselves, the way they forced thousands of commoners to do without hesitation.
But not a single one moved.
Not even a flicker of bravery in their expressions.
Ceres let out a harsh, mocking laugh.
"Hah!"
Her golden eyes gleamed with pure disgust.
"You were all so eager to sacrifice innocent people based on nothing but unreliable information from your stupid, incompetent Holy Church, despite having no guarantee of success."
She let her words sink in.
"But now, "
She tilted her head, her expression turning mockingly sweet.
"None of you are willing to sacrifice yourselves for your own families to gain a Holy Beast?"
Her lips curled into a cold smirk.
She let out a slow breath.
"Pathetic."
Silence.
Uncomfortable. Tense. Suffocating.
Then, her smirk vanished.
"Cowards."
"Enough, Empress!"
Aurelian's sharp voice cut through the air, filled with frustration.
He stepped closer, locking eyes with her in defiance.
"We did what we had to do."
His jaw clenched.
"This winter will be the harshest in history."
His hands tightened into fists.
"Our kingdom would not have survived. This was necessary."
Ceres did not flinch.
Instead, she narrowed her eyes.
"Then why lie to the people?"
Her voice was calm.
But deadly.
"You could have at least told them the truth."
Aurelian's entire body stiffened.
Ceres didn't stop.
"They fought. They struggled to survive. And you discarded them like disposable pawns."
Her words hit deep.
"You should have at least given them a choice."
"Choice?!"
Aurelian's voice rose.
His violet eyes burned with anger.
"You think they would have chosen to die?"
Ceres did not hesitate.
"Yes, they would have!"
Her voice rang with conviction.
Aurelian let out a sharp, mocking laugh.
"And how would you know that?"
He took another challenging step toward her.
"You, " His voice was taunting.
"The eldest princess of Vaelundis. The girl who was cast aside because she had no magic. The princess who was still fed, clothed, and protected despite being ignored. The Empress who, despite being discarded by Aquilonis, was still given a palace, servants, and security."
His gaze was sharp.
"How can you possibly understand?"
Ceres stared back.
Then she smiled.
Soft.
But not kind.
"I do not need to be a princess…"
She took a slow, measured step forward.
"Or an Empress…"
Another step.
"…To know what it means to be human."
Aurelian's breath caught.
Ceres's voice was calm.
Steady.
But undeniable.
"They would have sacrificed themselves."
Her voice did not waver.
"Because they have already been sacrificing themselves."
Aurelian's fingers twitched.
"For a single sack of barley, that wouldn't even last them four months."
Her hands clenched.
"Children, women, elders, they have already chosen to sacrifice themselves for an expedition built on lies."
Her breath was steady.
"If they were willing to do that… Do you really think they wouldn't have done the same, if it meant their families would truly live a better life?"
Aurelian stared.
Something in his chest tightened.
Hated the way she looked at him now.
With no anger.
Not even hatred.
Just, disappointment.
And for Aurelian, that was worse.
"You could have at least…"
Her voice softened.
"Given them time."
She shook her head.
"Time to prepare their families. Time to leave behind a better memory."
She let out a sharp, bitter breath.
"But no. Not a single one of you even considered that maybe… just maybe…"
She met Aurelian's gaze one last time.
"They, too, deserved to die with dignity."
Aurelian's chest felt heavy.
"They deserved to know that their deaths had purpose. That they would not die for nothing."
Then, she turned her gaze toward the knights.
Toward Count Revan.
And her golden eyes hardened.
"And now you tell me…That those fallen commoners do not deserve a warrior's farewell?"
Her lips curled.
"Because they are not knights?"
Her next words shook them all.
"You and your noble people are the ones who do not deserve a warrior's farewell. Because you are cowards."
The knights stiffened.
Aurelian's fists clenched.
"But if giving these people a warrior's farewell will kill you, "
She mocked.
"If the definition of a warrior is you, then you are right. They do not deserve a warrior's farewell. "
The knights let out a breath of relief.
Until she spoke again.
"They deserve better. I will give them something greater. I will give them an Empress's farewell."