12 THE CROWN PRINCESS'S OATH

Outside the palace of Grinia, the people of Grinia gathered to witness a sacred procession where they would witness their Crown Princess receiving the title and crown of the Crown Princess today.

People had happy expressions on their faces. They had been waiting for this day since eighteen years ago when the Moon God descended to tell them about the Crown Princess, and today they would finally have a Crown Princess who would lead them to a better life in the future.

Some people looked impatient waiting for the procession to start, but big smiles remained on their faces.

Old, young, male, female, rich, and poor, all looked equal as they gathered in the same place in front of one of the fortresses of Grinia's palace. It wasn't just an ordinary fort as there was a large balcony above the fort, and on the balcony, the ceremony would be held today.

The King of Grinia usually met his people while he was standing on the balcony. His people would gather under him, and he would greet them when he was about to make some announcements.

The situation was similar today. The King was already on the balcony with other Kings from other kingdoms, and they chatted happily while waiting for the Crown Princess to come up to the balcony.

This era was peaceful, and the rulers who came from various kingdoms could chat in a friendly manner without thinking about war.

True, some kingdoms still treated each other as rivals, but they would only compete fairly and not fight with swords like the situation in the past. Hence, they could chat with relaxed expressions while waiting for the arrival of the Princess.

Finally, one of the guards blew a trumpet to signal that the procession was about to begin, and that was true because the beautiful Princess of Grinia had finally appeared in front of the people.

Appearing together with the High Priestess, the people of Grinia greeted the Princess with cheerful cheers that filled the entire kingdom of Grinia. They screamed and cheered, they praised and hoped. All expressions and voices were directed at only one person, and that person was Princess Elennora.

Meanwhile, the Princess remained calm on the balcony. Wearing the navy-golden dress prepared by the royal tailor, his appearance looked glorious today. His pink hair was pulled back in a bun, giving off the mature impression of someone who would receive the royal title of Crown Princess today.

With such a magnificent appearance, even the Kings of other kingdoms who were standing on the balcony couldn't help but gape their mouths. Princess Elennora's beauty could be heard in their kingdom, but seeing the Princess this close, they still couldn't hide their amazed expressions.

"With the blessing of the Moon God, the people of Grinia will have their first Crown Princess today," the High Priestess, who was standing next to the Princess, began to speak.

The High Priestess was the one who would lead today's procession. She was also the one who was possessed by the Moon God eighteen years ago, and through her lips, the Moon God conveyed the good news of the Crown Princess.

In the eyes of the Grinia people, the High Priestess was also chosen by the Moon God. Thus, the people also respected the High Priestess just like how they respected the Grinia royal family.

"With all the people of Grinia as witnesses, I will let Her Highness Princess Elennora take the oath before she officially becomes the Crown Princess of Grinia," the High Priestess spoke again.

It was an important part of the procession. Before she could become the Crown Princess of Grinia, Princess Elennora had to swear an oath. The King's Secretary was the one who gave him the old decree containing the oath, and the secretary was also the one who watched over him when he tried to memorize the oath in the past few days.

It was the same oath that the Crown Princes of Grinia had previously used, but since Elennora would be the first Crown Princess now, some words needed to be changed. Therefore, the secretary helped Elennora prepare each new word in the oath.

After receiving the decree, Princess Elennora did not immediately open his mouth to speak. Instead, he looked at his people with a pair of somber eyes. A pair of brown eyes had lost their radiance from several years ago, and today, the beautiful eyes seemed even dimmer.

Seeing how people wore big smiles as they waited for their Crown Princess, Elennora's heart skipped a beat. They were waiting for their Crown Princess, but he was a Prince, not a Princess.

He imagined if he suddenly revealed his identity now in front of everyone. He could see the smile turning into a frown, and they were staring at him with hatred. Not only that, but he could also see some people starting to cry as their years of waiting ended in vain.

That was a frightening imagination, and Elennora shook his head slightly. At that moment, he caught a glimpse of his father, and his father smiled at him before nodding his head as if telling him to immediately take the oath.

Of course, King Gerold wouldn't let him change his mind when everyone in Grinia as well as other Kings from other kingdoms were present in that place. The King wouldn't let Elennora tarnish his clean image.

Elennora was in a position where he had no right to choose, so he decided to make everyone's wish come true.

"I, Princess Elennora of Grinia, will take on the royal title of Crown Princess with great responsibility. With the acceptance of my people, and with the blessings of the Moon God, my heart will love my people, my hands will help my people to get up when they fall, and my feet will move towards my people who need my help. I, Princess Elennora of Grinia, will take the royal title of Crown Princess solely for the sake of my people. I hope we will all receive the Moon God's blessings."