Inside the grand and magnificent temple at the very center of the imperial capital, hundreds of heavily armored temple knights and nearly as many nobles dressed in luxurious robes stood neatly and silently beneath the high platform.
Though the two groups together numbered over a thousand, they occupied only a small portion of the vast, towering temple.
The enormous stone pillars—hundreds of meters tall and thick enough that several people would be needed to encircle them—and the colossal relief murals covering the entire walls, so large that even straining one's neck couldn't reveal their full form, all made the assembled crowd acutely aware of their insignificance. The massive black-stone platform before them—tens of meters tall, nearly a hundred meters wide, connected by dozens of broad steps—only deepened that feeling.
Before the god seated upon the divine throne high above, they were nothing but ants—lowly, insignificant.
After all… the one seated on that throne was a true deity. And they were merely mortals.
Chen Mo had summoned all his subjects to this temple—one he had never personally set foot in since its completion—for one reason: he had an important announcement to make.
Looking down at the crowd standing with bowed heads, Chen Mo spoke from the throne in a solemn voice tinged with reminiscence.
"Since the day I descended into this world… eight years have passed."
His majestic voice echoed throughout the temple. Everyone present—every one of the thousand standing below—heard each word with perfect clarity.
"The werewolves are no more. The continent is unified. My people live in peace."
"And now… it is time for me to return."
The faces below, once filled with reverence and nostalgia, suddenly transformed into shock the moment Chen Mo spoke of leaving.
"My lord!"
"Your Majesty!"
Chen Mo was their faith, their master, the one who had always led them forward and shown them the path. To hear him say he would leave—they instantly fell into panic and confusion.
Chen Mo's brows knit slightly. He lifted his right hand and pressed down gently. Instantly, all chaos vanished, and silence fell over the hall. The crowd looked up at him in helpless fear.
Their god… their emperor… was going to leave them?
But some gradually came to understand.
Their Emperor was not an ordinary man, but a true god who had descended from the heavens. A god could not remain in the mortal world forever.
Europe had unified, the werewolves were destroyed, and war, famine, and poverty were things of the past. The days of terror and despair were gone.
God had rescued His people from darkness and granted them prosperity and peace. Naturally, He should return to the heavenly realm—His true kingdom.
Ignoring the uneasy murmurs below, Chen Mo raised his head and looked toward the temple's great doors.
"Selina."
His voice was vast and majestic.
As his words fell, the enormous doors thundered open. Brilliant light poured in from outside, turning the entrance into a radiant golden gateway—holy and dazzling.
Under the gaze of a thousand people, a small figure slowly stepped out from the sacred light.
Selina walked in wearing an elegant, pure-white gown. Her soft golden hair cascaded down her back as she took light, graceful steps forward.
The two rows of enormous stone pillars created a wide pathway for her. She passed between the knights and officials, making her way toward the great platform.
Many on both sides looked at Selina in confusion, unable to guess why Chen Mo had summoned her.
Only the four standing at the front—Andrew, Viktor, Amelia, and Marcus—remained perfectly calm, watching the tiny girl with her stern little face as she walked past them and ascended the steps.
Selina lifted her dress lightly and climbed the steps one by one, stopping before Chen Mo.
Looking at the small and beautiful Selina standing before him, Chen Mo's stern expression softened. He rose from the divine throne and placed his right hand gently on her head.
Under the puzzled gazes of the crowd, Chen Mo's deep, commanding voice echoed once more.
"In my name, I hereby appoint Selina as the Holy Maiden of the Temple—ruler of the Temple and my apostle in the mortal realm."
The crowd—still reeling from the news of Chen Mo's departure—was not particularly surprised by this.
Chen Mo had never shown much interest in religious matters. The temple was built under Andrew's supervision, not his. With Chen Mo about to leave, selecting a devout believer to serve as Holy Maiden and spread his faith seemed reasonable.
But what Chen Mo said next sent shockwaves through the hall.
"The imperial throne shall be held by the Holy Maiden. From this day forth, I crown Selina as Empress of the Empire."
His majestic voice echoed through the temple as Chen Mo raised his hands. From the void, he drew forth a diamond-studded crown and gently placed it upon Selina's head.
Many of the nobles below watched the coronation with complex expressions. When Chen Mo himself ruled, they feared him deeply—so deeply that no rebellious thought could take root.
Their noble titles were modest, granted strictly based on merit. And with no authority to raise troops, they had obediently served him.
But now Chen Mo was leaving—and had bestowed the throne on a girl barely ten years old. Those who had feared Chen Mo's power—but not necessarily believed in his divine identity—could not help but feel their hearts stir.
They had willingly submitted to Chen Mo, even admired him. But a child as their Empress? That was harder to accept.
Yet before their thoughts could fully form, Andrew, Viktor, Amelia, and Marcus suddenly dropped to one knee in unison and shouted:
"Long live Her Majesty the Empress!"
Behind them, hundreds of temple knights, whose loyalty to Chen Mo was absolute, knelt as one and roared:
"Long live the Holy Maiden!"
"Long live Her Majesty!"
Their thunderous voices shook the entire hall, sending tremors through the hearts of the nobles. A suffocating pressure filled the air.
Many nobles who had just begun to entertain dangerous thoughts instantly crushed them.
Facing hundreds of terrifying knights who had conquered all of Europe—invincible, unstoppable—and with the four Grand Dukes standing beside Selina… who could possibly shake the rule of this little girl?
If resistance meant certain death, why not live well instead? Their current lives were already more than satisfactory. More power was not something they had the ability to control anyway.
And so, following the temple knights, the city lords and officials also knelt and cried out:
"Long live Her Majesty the Empress!"
Chen Mo observed all of this calmly. The nobles and officials did not concern him.
Whether they had once been barons, viscounts, or marquises, now they were simply administrative officers—useful for managing territories until they could be replaced.
The highest noble title among them was merely viscount. Many held no title at all—everything they had was granted by Chen Mo based on merit.
Those with exceptional talent and loyalty could have risen higher—perhaps even been turned into vampires. But aside from Viktor, none were worthy.
For now, they were useful. And that was enough.
Rebellion? Impossible. They had no power. No control over the military. Even their administrative authority was heavily monitored and balanced.
Their only path was to perform their duties well and earn rewards—money, titles, land. That was all they could realistically pursue.
Moreover, Chen Mo already had future plans.
With the war over, the loyal temple knights no longer needed to fight. For three years, aside from training new troops, they had been studying literacy, governance, and administration—most of them had never governed anything before; many had been illiterate.
But vampires had one thing in abundance: time.
Slowly but surely, they would grow capable of governing cities. When the time came, they would replace the current officials and take full control of the Empire.
The officials, based on their performance, would receive appropriate rewards and then retire to their estates—or choose to become vampires and join the ruling class for real.
To die peacefully on a luxurious bed… or to grasp power and gain eternal life.
The choice would be theirs.