The ceremony attended by nobles from the royal capital and ambassadors from various nations concluded without incident.
This event, comparable to a coronation and perhaps even more significant from a religious standpoint, was flawlessly executed.
Under normal circumstances, it would not have been unusual for the King to escort Gloria himself. However, His Majesty, as one of the hosts, stood alongside the Church. Instead, the royal family assigned Crown Prince Edward to accompany Gloria.
The arrangement seemed to aim at solidifying Edward's position as Crown Prince by presenting him as Gloria's fiancé at such a high-profile event. From a strategic perspective, it made sense. As Gloria's fiancé, his role was justified.
Yet, Edward's visibly dissatisfied demeanor made it a resounding failure.
The sequence was straightforward: escort Gloria into the grand hall of the church where the ceremony took place, receive the ceremonial robe from the bishop, drape it over Gloria's shoulders, bow, and then escort her out.
For such a minimal role, Edward seemed displeased. Whether it was due to annoyance at being summoned for this task alone, or jealousy over the attention showered upon Gloria, was unclear. What was certain, however, was his reaction. Upon returning to the waiting room, he grumbled and complained to Kate in Gloria's presence before leaving.
To cleanse the space Edward had tainted with his attitude, Kate sharply narrowed her eyes and began scattering salt around.
Salt, even in this world, is believed to ward off evil. She hurled it with such force onto the floor that one could tell her arm strength was surprisingly formidable.
As Gloria watched Kate's back, she reflected on what had been gained from this ceremony.
It was the royal family, who had sent Edward, that ended up humiliated. Meanwhile, Edward himself had earned the disdain of the Church and devout believers alike.
If Edward's authority as Crown Prince diminished and his incompetence as an individual became apparent, it would serve as a deterrent—even within the academy, which was a microcosm of noble society.
In her previous life, the hierarchy and status of nobles held sway even within the academy. Despite being sheltered by that system, the Saint and the Crown Prince, preaching love and equality, had denounced it. They turned Gloria, who upheld rank and status as a duke's daughter, into the shared enemy of the entire student body.
Gloria had merely asserted her natural rights as a duke's daughter to the lower-ranked noble students, yet the Crown Prince had reacted as though she had directly attacked the Saint. The Saint, of course, had played her part, shedding tears for effect.
Using public opinion as their weapon, the Saint and her allies had tarnished Gloria's reputation. The more Gloria's standing fell, the higher theirs rose, until they ruled the academy as absolute authorities under the guise of love and equality. What hypocrites.
This time, Gloria vowed not to make the same mistakes.
Gloria had earned the public's high regard. Just as a former orphaned baron's daughter had risen to prominence as the "Saint," cast Gloria aside, and became the Crown Prince's "true love," Gloria's title as the "Purple Guide" carried greater weight than mere popularity in the academy's cloistered world.
And Gloria was diligent.
Though the rights to develop and distribute the sacred liquor had been entrusted to the Church, it was inconceivable that they would ever disregard Gloria. Even without her asking, part of the profits was returned to her, amassing a considerable fortune.
Additionally, the wine produced in the Caldwell territory, where "God's Tears" was first crafted, had gained immense popularity. Paul's well-managed domain was now recognized as a sacred land for winemaking, soon to be formally declared so by the Church.
Recognizing the territory's growing significance, Gloria sent Kyla there.
Kyla, who owed her life and her daughter's rise to nobility to Gloria, would never defy her. Gloria trusted her to report on the region's affairs without embellishment.
Using her wealth and renown, Gloria invested in public projects, such as hospitals affiliated with the Church, research institutes studying illnesses and medicine, and facilities for protecting flora and fauna.
These were initiatives that should have been funded by the royal family. However, due to their low urgency and the time required to see results, they were consistently underfunded. Gloria took it upon herself to address this gap.
For the royal family, the fact that Gloria, the Crown Prince's fiancée, was more highly regarded than the Prince himself must have been a source of frustration. Yet they knew better than to obstruct her. The Church, devout nobles, and the populace would not remain silent if they tried.
The royal family seemed content to let Gloria continue, reasoning that her achievements could be claimed as the future queen's legacy. However, while the royal family might take credit for the accomplishments, Gloria's personal reputation remained hers alone.
At just fourteen, Gloria had already earned the Church's recognition and made significant contributions to society, whereas Edward, despite being the same age, had no achievements to his name. Worse, he had failed even the simple ceremonial duties expected of him.
How would the world perceive this contrast?
Unlike her previous life, where Gloria's reputation fell as the Saint's rose, this time, Gloria's rising stature would only serve to diminish Edward's standing further.