At that moment, as Jano looked on, Fiona's eyes flickered for an instant, but quickly dulled again.
The sun hung high in the sky, yet Fiona felt as though she were trapped in the dead of winter. But nothing would stop the coronation ceremony of Amigul.
Amigul walked down the coronation path, made of red fox pelts. Goblin soldiers, armed with long spears, stood tall, holding their weapons above Amigul's head. This unique form of a coronation ceremony caused every race on the continent to gasp in astonishment, as the Goblins had truly made it their own. It was a display of their distinctive civilization.
Ironically, it was Fiona herself who had proposed this idea.
The bright red carpet reached its end. Amigul glanced at his wife, nodded, and then ascended the nine hundred steps alone. The Goblin Empress, accompanied by three hundred concubines, followed behind and took their place on a small platform on the side.
As the sunlight bathed each step, Amigul slowly climbed, eventually reaching the top of the steps. With his back to the citizens and allies in the plaza, he took a deep breath and turned to face them, as if confronting the world itself.
At that moment, the High Goblin Priest stepped forward, holding a magnificent golden crown adorned with jewels. He loudly proclaimed:
"Many years ago, the world was ruled by Titans and Dragons, who enslaved all the races on this continent. The two races fought continuously, causing the earth to crack, the skies to shatter, and rivers to run backward!"
"Until our King Amigul emerged, leading the army to victory without fail. His talent is unparalleled, becoming a demi-god! After years of hardship, he finally drove out the Titans, killed the Thunder Titan, and ended the reign of both Titans and Dragons!"
"Now, under the rule of the born king, Amigul, all races live in harmony, and peace reigns across the continent!"
"Today, on behalf of the Goblin race, as well as the leaders and kings of all races, I implore the great Amigul to establish the Goblin Empire."
"May Amigul be crowned as the Emperor of this grand empire under the witness of the mountains, and in the light of the sun, moon, and stars!"
After the High Priest finished speaking, all the Goblin officials and nobles on the left side of the plaza knelt down in unison and shouted:
"We beseech Amigul to be crowned as Emperor of the Empire!"
On the right side of the plaza, thousands of leaders from various races looked at each other, startled by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the Goblins. Soon, one by one, the leaders from the different races kneeled and called out:
"I, the Dwarves, beseech Amigul to be crowned as Emperor!"
"We, the Elves, beseech Amigul to be crowned as Emperor!"
"We, the Trolls, beseech Amigul to be crowned as Emperor!"
The leaders of the various races knew the importance of the moment, and naturally, Jano was no exception.
"We, the Winged Ones, beseech Amigul to be crowned as Emperor!"
However, when Jano looked up and saw Amigul high above, the phrase "He takes the throne in my stead" suddenly crossed his mind again.
At the top of the steps, Amigul looked down at the Goblins and the other races who had bowed before him, a look of satisfaction on his face.
"So, this is what it feels like to be an emperor?" he mused. "When that Titan King sat on the throne at Proadas, he must have felt the same way."
Jano, calling out for the second time, finally heard Amigul's voice, now imbued with even more authority.
"Since you all plead, I, Amigul, from this day forth, am the Emperor of the Goblins!"
As Amigul finished speaking, the High Priest ascended the stairs and stood before him.
"Please, Your Majesty, bow your head once more, so that I may place the crown of the Empire's royalty upon you! From this moment on, no one shall make you bow again!"
"Very well," Amigul replied, slightly bowing his head, allowing the High Priest to place the brilliant golden crown upon his head.
The moment the crown was placed, a loud cheer erupted from the masses.
Amigul was officially crowned!
His first words after donning the crown were:
"I, Amigul, the Goblin Emperor!"
"Everyone, rise! Your emperor has granted you the right to raise your heads!"