I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire - Chapter 162



Only Noblemtl

“Before the coronation ceremony begins, we will have a short lunch break.”

The Prime Minister declared a recess.

I too, but since the abdication ceremony was held in a solemn atmosphere for four hours, everyone will need some rest.

Citizens who came to see the sights ate packed lunches they had brought in advance or visited nearby restaurants, and domestic and foreign VIPs followed the instructions of the event staff to the nearby ‘Solis Hotel’ where lunch was prepared.

“Wow. Going up on a machine? That’s amazing.”

“There’s something called an elevator.”

“I see. That’s really convenient.”

The Solis Hotel, the first luxury hotel in Korea and one of the best in the world in terms of appearance, interior, and service, has become a must-visit place for the country’s wealthy and diplomats.

The scene of foreign dignitaries coming for the first time saying a word or two every time they got on the elevator and diplomats from the embassy responding was repeated.

While the domestic and foreign dignitaries dined in a large banquet hall, I and the royal family ate lunch separately.

Bbambaam-

Just as we were starting to eat lunch, the military band began to play as scheduled. It was a kind of entertainment to keep the break from being boring.

After lunch, the Prime Minister declared the event open for business.

“Phew···.”

“Are you nervous?”

As I sighed, Cecilia asked.

“No, it’s too long.”

“···You’re probably the only one who says your coronation is too long.”

“I’m kidding.”

I threw out a silly joke to ease the tension and walked out into the center of the cathedral.

The first part of the coronation ceremony was the coronation ceremony where my father placed the crown on me.

I knelt before my father.

In the center stood the father, on the left and right stood the archbishops.

In front of the central altar of Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral, the 1 p.m. sunlight streamed through the stained glass, brightening everyone’s view.

When Father Agustin I carefully lifted the crown in his hand, everyone present held their breath, and in silence the crown slowly lowered itself over my head.

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-

At that moment, the magnificent sound of the cathedral’s organ rang out, and the Prime Minister began to applaud first.

Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-

As it was a solemn ceremony, there was no cheering, but everyone clapped their hands with great enthusiasm.

I felt the weight of the crown upon my head amidst the thunderous applause and the sound of the magnificent pipe organ echoing through the cathedral.

The crown was not the end. In addition to the crown (Corona), there were other symbols of royal authority called regalia, such as the scepter (Cetro), the sword (Espada), and the orb (Orbe).

My father handed me all of those things, one by one, and I accepted them carefully.

After receiving all the items, I thanked my father and went up to the podium of the cathedral. My father returned to his seat, and the archbishops remained standing on either side of me.

As the applause died down, the Archbishop of Mexico walked up to the stage. He was Bishop Garza y ​​Ballesteros of Sonora, acting as Archbishop of Mexico, which was now vacant.

‘I thought the rolling stone would take over the event, but it looks like they defended it diligently.’

Archbishop Ballesteros faced me and held out a Bible.

When I put my hand on the Bible, he asked,

“Do you swear, Your Majesty, to protect the country and its people?”

The solemn voice of Archbishop Ballesteros echoed through the ceiling of the Metropolitan Cathedral. I answered in a firm voice.

“I swear.”

“Do you swear, Your Majesty, to uphold the Constitution and protect justice?”

“I swear.”

“Do you, Your Majesty, swear to uphold the laws of God and the true Gospel, and to maintain the doctrine, worship, and order of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the Mexican Empire?”

“I swear.”

After all the vows were said, I declared:

“I will do my best to fulfill and keep all the promises I have made here. God, help me.”

I kissed the Bible and signed the pledge.

Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte.

Now, I am the emperor. It has been 26 years since the Ice Age.

Following my father’s example, I crowned my wife, Cecilia, myself. And this morning, I sat on the throne where my father had sat.

As I nodded slightly towards my eldest son, Carlos, he stood in front of me.

“I, Carlos Iturbide, as subject and Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire, swear allegiance to His Majesty the Great Emperor of our Empire.”

Today, it was Carlos’s official oath of allegiance to become Crown Prince.

Carlos, who had memorized the lines and said them without hesitation, came up to me and kissed my cheek as I nodded.

He was followed by the oath of allegiance of the Archbishop of Mexico (acting bishop) and the Prime Minister.

“By the grace of God, I pledge my fidelity to His Imperial Majesty as Archbishop of the Mexican Empire, in the name of God, for the spiritual prosperity of the Empire and the faith of our people, and I pray for His Imperial Majesty and for the well-being of the Empire.”

“As Prime Minister of the Mexican Empire, I pledge undying loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor and to the Empire. All my actions and decisions will be dedicated to the stability and prosperity of the Empire and to the advancement of the welfare of my people.”

After all the ceremonies were over, it was time for him to make his first speech as Emperor.

“Dear citizens of the Mexican Empire,

Today, we are all turning a new chapter in history together. I stand before you on the platform of this sacred cathedral, deeply aware of the weight I bear as Emperor of the Mexican Empire, and I offer my promise for a bright future for our country.

Our empire has faced many trials and challenges since its independence. But our history is full of stories of courage and hope. As Emperor, I will do everything I can to strengthen this hope we all share and to protect our empire and its people.

Whatever trials or challenges may come our way, I promise you that we will overcome them together and win. The strength of our empire comes from our unity and courage. Solidarity is the most powerful force that can lead us to victory without giving in to any trials or challenges. When each region, each culture, each individual of our empire is united under the one umbrella of the Mexican Empire, no difficulty can defeat us.

I also promise to make more available to all the people of our empire. This is not just material prosperity, but the opportunity for a better life for all under the principles of justice and equality. I will make equality before the law and the dignity of all people my top priority.

Dear citizens, let us create our future together, just as we are doing today. I will not stop until the day when our Mexican Empire becomes more prosperous and all of our people are happy, together with all of you.

As your Emperor, I deeply appreciate your trust and support, and I stand ready to lead you on this path that we all walk together.

thank you.”

As soon as the short speech ended, a thunderous round of applause broke out for what may have been the umpteenth time today. I was a little worried about the palms of the attendees’ hands.

Afterwards, there was a prayer for the blessing of the Archbishop of Mexico, and the final part of the event, the parade, began.

My father, I, and our family left the Metropolitan Cathedral and boarded a carriage waiting in the center of the Zocalo Square.

This carriage, with the grandiose name of the ‘Golden Eagle (Carroza del Águila Real)’, symbolized the majesty and pride of the Mexican Empire. It was elaborately crafted from glossy black wood, and its sides and back were delicately engraved with a gold eagle and the coat of arms of the Mexican Empire.

Today, the top was open and cool as it was made for the parade.

As soon as my family got on board and I raised my hand, eight horses began to pull the carriage. The guards and the military band also set off together.

“Wow!”

“Long live the Iturbide Imperial Family! Long live!”

“Long live the Iturbide Imperial Family! Long live!”

It was almost 5pm, but everyone seemed to have been waiting for this moment all day, cheering at the top of their lungs.

“It’s getting a bit difficult to even keep waving my hand these days. It was a good thing I gave up my seat.”

“ha ha ha..”

My father, standing next to me, made a joke. He was wearing unusually uncomfortable clothes and a thick cloak around his shoulders, so he felt heavy.

Originally, we planned to just do a short loop around the Zocalo Square, but with so many people flocking from all over the Mexican Empire, we had no choice but to change the course to a loop around Mexico City.

The royal guards that filled the carriage carrying the imperial family rode on horseback, but the military band that followed behind was marching, so it was no different from walking around the entire city.

“Waaaaaaaaaah!”

So many people gathered to see my face. At some point, my arms started to hurt so much that I thought they would fall off, but I couldn’t stop when I saw that the faces of the people were filled with anticipation and joy, not worry and doubt.

After an hour-long parade, the coronation officially ended. The citizens gathered in the city enjoyed a lively festival atmosphere.

“Your Majesty, I think it would be best to proceed to the banquet hall.”

“okay.”

The domestic and foreign dignitaries moved to the banquet hall, and I had to attend and talk to them.

My father and mother said they were tired and went back to their rooms in the palace, and I went to the banquet hall.

Diplomatic envoys from numerous countries sat at a long table.

Each country had a designated seat, and the seat closest to me was better.

At the head of the table sat I, on either side of me the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of our Empire, and among the foreign powers the envoy from our blood ally, the Kingdom of Prussia, was the closest.

‘I’d like to have a conversation with someone from Joseon, but it seems like it’d be difficult.’

Since no intelligence agents had been dispatched to Joseon yet, there was no way to know what was going on.

In any case, the Kingdom of Prussia was followed by the British Empire, the Russian Empire, the French Republic, and the Austrian Empire in that order of national power, making it virtually impossible for countries such as Qing, Haiti, Joseon, and Japan to engage in dialogue.

I sat down and looked around, and there was a person who caught my eye. I had heard that he was coming, but this was my first time seeing him.

‘Clement von Metternich.’

I heard that he went to England as a diplomat, even though he was old, and surprisingly, he crossed the Atlantic and came all the way to the Mexican Empire.

When I looked at him, he happened to be looking at me. Of course, most of the people in the banquet hall were looking at me, but there was something different about his eyes.

‘···Your eyes are judging.’

The snowball fight with him soon ended, and the foreign envoys began to offer their congratulations one after another. The congratulations were also given in order of proximity. Wilhelm I, who was to become my brother-in-law, was the first to offer his congratulations.

“It is a true honor for me to be present today on this solemn occasion of enthronement. I convey to His Majesty the new Emperor of the Mexican Empire, who will soon be his family, the congratulations of the Kingdom of Prussia and of myself.

I look forward to a future where we can move forward together, and I hope that our union will further strengthen the peace and prosperity between our two countries and provide a solid foundation for overcoming all the challenges that lie ahead. I sincerely hope that under Your Majesty’s rule, the Mexican Empire will have an even more brilliant future.”

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Prussia for its warm congratulations and deep friendship. I too have great expectations for the bright future we will pursue together. I hope that our union will become a solid foundation for peace and prosperity between our two countries, and I am confident that whatever challenges may arise, we will overcome them through our strong friendship and cooperation.”

Next was the British Empire.

He had been watching the friendly conversation between me and Wilhelm I with a blank expression, but when it was his turn, his face changed completely. On the outside, his expression was truly one of congratulations.

‘···It’s going to be a very long day.’

The food I had prepared with great care was getting cold.