In the sisters’ abandoned castle.
Facing Nightmare Moon’s pressure and interrogation, Ye Ziji did not shrink back or panic in the slightest.
He took a slow, deep breath, drawing the cold air of the hall into his lungs.
He sought to convert Nightmare Moon’s suspicion and doubt into the power of his words, turning them into something that would win her over.
Then, the respectful expression on his face transformed into a gentle, purely genuine smile with a touch of warmth.
This smile merged with his mysterious air as an Eastern visitor, creating a unique and elusive aura.
It was completely out of place with the freezing atmosphere around him.
Braving the overwhelming pressure that bore down upon a pony, he took another step forward.
This step brought him significantly closer to the throne, leaving him almost entirely exposed within her strike range.
Then, he performed a gesture that caught even Nightmare Moon off guard.
With utmost respect, he offered her on the throne another immaculate, elegant Eastern greeting.
The movement was meticulous, filled with profound respect for her.
This sign of respect was entirely unlike the bows or curtsies common in Equestria, carrying an ancient, solemn grace.
Only after finishing the salute did he raise his head once more.
His eyes were clear as he looked straight into her still-chilly slit pupils, speaking in a calm yet unwavering voice:
“In the presence of your charm, any explanation in words rings hollow.”
His voice was not loud, yet it possessed a calm persuasion that echoed through the cavernous hall.
“Whether you believe it or not, I truly came here to accept your invitation. To accept—”
He paused deliberately here, emphasizing his tone, “—the invitation of my future Queen.”
*Future Queen.*
Those two words exploded inside Nightmare Moon’s mind.
How long had it been?
How long had it been since she had heard flattery or recognition from a pony?
To hear such sincere validation, addressing her as…
Queen.
The first pony in a thousand years to acknowledge her and call her Queen.
Not one of her former subjects, but an extraordinary “foreign pony” whose power she genuinely acknowledged in her heart.
This was a powerful entity who dared to face her directly, someone whose strength almost rivaled her own.
Coming from such a being, the title “Queen” was no mere flattery, but a true recognition—an acknowledgement of her power, her status, her future, and above all, her very self.
Nightmare Moon’s perpetually tense body relaxed ever so imperceptibly in that moment.
The scrutiny in her eyes quietly melted away a bit, revealing a trace of confusion and wavering.
She did not speak.
She simply stared at Ye Ziji, gazing into his honest, deep black eyes that seemed free of any impurity.
And Ye Ziji, having delivered that earth-shattering statement, fell silent.
He stood quietly in place, maintaining his respectful posture and placing himself entirely at her judgment.
Like a true subject of a Queen, he offered his reverence before her, awaiting her ultimate sentence.
At the same time, he knew he had played the most crucial card in his hand.
From here on, whether it meant life or death, trust or destruction, depended entirely on a single thought from the Queen atop the throne, who had been lonely for a thousand years.
The silence in the hall was stretched to its absolute limit by Ye Ziji’s phrase “future Queen.”
Though the dark pressure swirling around him had receded, Nightmare Moon’s sharp eyes still swept back and forth over him like searchlights, refusing to miss the smallest detail.
A moment later, she finally seemed to recover from the massive psychological shock.
She slowly rose from the throne, her nebula-like mane flowing behind her.
She paced down to the steps before the throne and looked down at Ye Ziji, her voice carrying a final trace of suspicion.
“On this reason alone?” she asked suspiciously.
Facing this final test, Ye Ziji showed no nervousness whatsoever.
He knew this was the last struggle of her inner defense.
The warm smile on his face did not change; if anything, it grew more genuine, as if born from a pure appreciation deep within his heart for the being standing before him.
He raised his head, meeting Nightmare Moon’s gaze openly, and countered in a tone that was almost admiring, as if it went without saying:
“Does submitting to and serving you require any reason at all?”
The question left Nightmare Moon slightly stunned.
“If you truly require a reason, then— …you yourself are the best reason!”
He took another half-step forward, the “sincerity” in his eyes practically overflowing.
“No reason is more persuasive than your own charm. Is it not so?”
…
This time, the hall sank into a prolonged, true silence.
Nightmare Moon was completely frozen.
Her heart—wrapped in jealousy, solitude, and resentment for a thousand years—had its protective shell utterly shattered by these simple yet extraordinarily precise words.
A reason?
Yes, she had always been searching for reasons for her actions.
Because the ponies did not know how to appreciate her night, she would bring eternal night.
Because her sister stole all the glory, she had to prove she was stronger than her sister and far more deserving of admiration and recognition.
These reasons had sustained her through a thousand years of imprisonment, sustaining her revenge upon her return.
Yet no pony had ever told her that she herself was the reason.
Her existence, her charm, her everything were enough to make another powerful pony willingly submit to her.
This was a soul-deep validation that thrilled her far more than any conquest by raw power.
“Heh…”
A brief, somewhat rusty chuckle escaped Nightmare Moon’s throat.
Even to her, the sound felt strangely unfamiliar.
It was not a villainous cackle, nor the declaration of a victor, but a complex, deeply genuine sigh of relief.
She slowly turned her back to Ye Ziji, seemingly unwilling to let him see her expression right now.
She walked over to the hall window, gazing at the quiet, eternal night sky she had created with her own hands.
“Thou…”
She spoke, the frost in her voice softening a bit, carrying a complex majesty tinted with subtle self-deprecation.
“Thou art the most silver-tongued pony I have encountered in a thousand years.”
Nightmare Moon’s line—tinged with self-deprecation and relief—acted like a key that unlocked the door to trust completely.
Hearing this, a surge of wild joy welled up inside Ye Ziji.
*The gamble paid off!*
*As expected, this lady just needed company!
A thousand years of solitude made her crave validation even more desperately!*
Even though he was ecstatic inside, Ye Ziji kept his expression calm and solemn, as if his shock-inducing speech from earlier was just an ordinary part of his daily conversation.
He carefully controlled his micro-expressions, preventing even the slightest hint of glee from showing.
Looking at Nightmare Moon’s back—still turned away and looking somewhat forlorn—he decided to strike while the iron was hot, cementing this hard-won trust once and for all.
He took half a step back, his voice filled with just the right mix of sincerity and reverence as he continued his flawless performance.
“I am merely following the voice of my heart, My Queen.”
He bowed slightly and continued, “It is you who showed me what true charm is. Compared to you, every being I have ever met seems so… ordinary.”
He paused, gathering his thoughts.
“You are the most charming pony I have met since arriving in Equestria.”
Ye Ziji said this firmly, filled with unquestionable conviction.
Of course, he added silently in his mind: *Granted, I only got here two days ago and haven’t met many ponies, but so far, you really are the most “charming” (in every sense of the word).*
Having said that, he did not wait for her response, but instead assumed an even more respectful posture.
He stepped forward and slowly dropped to one knee, lowering his pride.
This gesture was far more symbolic than any bow before, signifying loyalty and devotion.
“Therefore, I beg once more: please allow me to become your subject.”
His voice rose from the floor, sounding profoundly sincere, playing the part of a subject eager to follow his Queen to perfection.
“Please allow me to serve you.”
“To serve my… Queen.”
He displayed his “loyalty” to her without reservation, awaiting the final verdict.
Hearing this, Nightmare Moon’s back, which had relaxed slightly, gave a small quiver.
She slowly turned around.
The previous sorrow and alertness were gone from her face, replaced by an expression blending pride and a touch of satisfaction.
She looked down at the unicorn kneeling before her on one knee.
Looking at his bowed head and posture of devotion.
An unprecedented sense of fulfillment rushed into her heart, which had been empty for a thousand years.
For a thousand years, every pony had feared her, dreaded her, hated her, and—resisted her.
But today, for the first time, a pony willingly knelt before her, begging to serve her.
And this was no ordinary pony—it was a pony possessing strength almost rivaling her own.
“Raise thy head.”
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
Her voice carried an irrepressible joy that even she had failed to realize.
Ye Ziji’s declaration—a seamless blend of flattery and loyalty—became the final straw that dissolved Nightmare Moon’s thousand-year guard.
She said no more, giving Ye Ziji a deep, lingering look laden with countless emotions.
She slowly turned, her hooves clicking crisp and clear.
Step by step, she walked back toward the stone throne that stood alone atop the dais.
Her gait was regal and elegant, every step imbued with royal cadence.
This was entirely different from her sorrowful sitting or her oppressive pacing earlier.
In this moment, she seemed no longer a nightmare driven by resentment, but a true Queen preparing to ascend her throne.
Though ruined walls and cobwebs surrounded them, her figure cast a sacred and solemn aura over the ruins.
Once seated upon the throne again, she set her gaze upon Ye Ziji, who remained on one knee awaiting his final sentence.
“Approach Us, Ye Ziji.”
She invoked the traditional Royal Canterlot Voice that had echoed through Canterlot for a millennium.
Her voice was no longer cold, but filled with majesty, resounding through the empty hall.
Ye Ziji rose as commanded, his expression solemn, without the slightest slackness.
He straightened his slightly disheveled mane and walked up the steps with measured strides, finally coming to a stop before the throne, just a few hoof-steps away from her.
He lowered his head once more, awaiting the start of the ceremony.
Nightmare Moon looked down at the pony before her, taking satisfaction in his genuine acknowledgment and respect for her existence.
She cleared her throat, recalling memories buried for a thousand years.
*How to bestow honors upon one’s followers…*
Then, a simple yet profoundly solemn ceremony—belonging to the Realm of Eternal Night and to her, the Queen of the Moon—officially began.
“With Eternal Night and the Moon as witness, and the starlit sky as thy crown!”
“We—Queen of Eternal Night, Ruler of the Moon, Sovereign of Equestria—hereby accept thy loyalty!”
As she spoke, the horn on her forehead lit up with a ghostly blue glow.
A slender thread of magic extended from the tip of her horn, floating down like a gentle feather to rest softly on Ye Ziji’s forehead.
The magic was cool to the touch, yet entirely devoid of malice.
It was more like a mark, a covenant, a testament.
“From this moment forth, thou shalt be the first subject of Our Realm of Eternal Night! Thy presence shall serve as the first cornerstone of Our eternal reign!”
Feeling the pure magic settling upon his forehead, Ye Ziji did not resist, accepting it entirely.
He slowly raised his head, his eyes locking with Nightmare Moon’s, filled with firm devotion.
In a voice just as earnest, he answered the bestowal.
“My honor… My Queen.”
When he finished, the magic at the tip of Nightmare Moon’s horn slowly receded.
The ceremony was complete.
Ye Ziji kept his head bowed, while Nightmare Moon sat quietly upon the throne, gazing at him—her first and only subject in a thousand years.
She gazed at this kingdom that was no longer empty, at a self that was no longer alone.
Without even realizing it herself, once the ceremony concluded, she let out a long, long breath.
In that breath, it was as if she exhaled a thousand years of accumulated solitude, a thousand years of resentment, and a thousand years of loneliness.
Her whole being seemed to lighten just a little.