Late that night, the Grand Imperial Palace stood quiet, its vast halls mostly empty except for a few stationed guards and flickering lanterns casting long shadows.
With the completion of a simple coronation ceremony earlier that evening, the occupation of the Empire was officially finalized. Aengus, now formally recognized as Emperor Zero, declared the region under the banner of the Liberation Empire.
The news of the regime change spread like wildfire, reaching hundreds of millions of citizens and surrendered nobles alike. Surprisingly, the Imperial Capital—a city housing nearly two billion people—accepted the transition with little resistance.
In some districts, the streets lit up with fireworks as ordinary citizens celebrated the end of the former oppressive rule. Others quietly welcomed the promise of change, hopeful yet wary of the new order.