Reina: LunarWarrior16 inspired this chapter.

Chapter 1. The New Empress of Beelzenia

A hour after Li woke you up, you were sitting on your bed, talking to Yoshi and Li.

"Do my sisters know yet?" You asked.

Yoshi shakes his head. "No. I told Ares and Clara not tell. It's your duty."

You nod sadly. "Yeah...."

"We're going to have to announce this," Li added. "Although I don't know how exactly news like this is announced."

Yoshi put a finger on his chin as he began to think. "Well.... If I remember correctly, pamphlets are posted around the empire by messengers. This happened with (Y/N)'s great grandfather - he died, leaving his young son behind as emperor. Pamphlets and posters were hung in every town. I know this because Ares was showing me one - his own grandfather saved one."

Li nodded. "Alright then. We announce the Emperor's Death and that (Y/N) will be Empress. Anything else?"

You stand up. "Yes... We declare war on Lucifenia."

"Hell yeah!" Yoshi yelled.

"No, we are NOT declaring war on Lucifenia, especially considering that we just lost a major war against them," Li hissed. "It's suicide."

"But they killed my father," you insisted. "They need to pay."

Li sighed and stood in front of you, holding a hand out gently, as if to make you back away. "Listen, Princess (Y/N). I know that you are grieving, and that I cannot bring your father back. But your father was not the only one killed by this Gula epidemic."

"Epi... demic?" Yoshi asked incredulously.

Li nodded. "Yes... It seems that the entire building where the peace talks were held was infected by Gula. The Emperor, King Arth, Queen Anne, and the servants there were killed by Gula."

You blinked. "What?"

Li nodded solemnly. "Princess Riliane was at home - making her the new ruler of Lucifenia."

"Geez..." Yoshi muttered.

"Something about that bothers me," the butler added.

The blond frowned. "Why?"

"Gula... It doesn't normally kill everyone instantly - unless they hadn't been eating or they ate silverware. Or something like poison," Li explained. 'Yet everyone in there died instantly..."

"How you know this?" You ask.

Li headed to your bookshelf and moved past all of your sketchbooks. "I was reading about Gula out of curiosity one day...." He grabbed a book and held it up to you. "Here. It mentions the Gula epidemic from 296 in the Conchita mansion. It says that the only person not afflicted was Banico Conchita."

Yoshi scrunched his face in confusion. "Um, Li?"

Li ignored him. "Banico Conchita ended up succeeding his father. Sometime later, Gula appeared again near his mansion, and he was not affected as well - although he ran off."

You smile when you noticed Li's mistake. "So Prince Carlos of Marlon nearly married a man? Neat."

"What? Banica was- F*CK!" Li swore.

"Language," Yoshi teased. "Honestly, Li, you had ONE job."

Li scowled at Yoshi. "Forgive me for speaking another language before coming here."

Sensing that he had crossed a line, the bodyguard patted the butler's shoulders. "I was teasing. I understand your struggles."

Li nodded. "Thank you, Yoshi."

You look at your servants. "Alright.... So when is my coronation? I'm not trying to be selfish.... I just want it over with."

"Within the week," Li replied. "We still have to mourn your father."

You nodded solemnly. "Alright...."

Li looked at Yoshi. "Gather the princesses and bring them here... I need to inform the nobles."

------

Genevieve tackled you, bawling her eyes out. While you were attempting to calm her down, Kat (Katarina) hugged you as well, nearly toppling you over.

"Daddy!" They both sobbed.

Tears streamed down your face once more. "I know... I miss him too."

Clara and Ares stood to the side solemnly. They knew better than to interfere.

The three of you stood there, sobbing.

And of course this had to happen exactly two years after your mother's death.

"What happens now?" Kat sniffed.

You stopped crying. "I.... I become Empress of the Beelzenian empire."

Li kicked the doors open and stormed into the room with Yoshi. Li was fuming, and Yoshi was trying to pacify him. It was strange, because it's normally the other way around with those two.

"Those Beelzenian nobles have no respect for the dead," Li muttered. "Princess (Y/N), I'm sorry to interrupt, but I bring more bad news."

"What is it?" You ask as you let go of your sisters and turn to face him.

"There will not be a period of mourning the Emperor. They want your coronation to be tonight."

The blood drains from your face. "No..."

Li wrings his hands. "I tried to talk to them, but they wouldn't listen."

"Something about how neither of us were nobility or born in Beelzenia," Yoshi added on as well with a hint of bitterness. "How strange that the country is accepting, but the nobles are not."

"Li, Yoshi... I'm sorry," you whisper.

"It's not your fault," Yoshi assures you. "If anything, we owe a debt to you."

Li nods. "The dress is ready.... Empress. I would recommend getting ready."

You nod. "Alright. I'll get ready. After tonight.... the mourning begins. That shall be my first order as Empress."

Reina: So here's chapter 1! What do you guys think?

Normally, Li is calm and Yoshi is not, but Li's nerves are frayed, and Yoshi's trying to not rage at everyone.