Inside Beloburg's grand cathedral, the empress's funeral is underway.
The atmosphere on site is somber and oppressive, with all the attendees bearing heavy expressions, and the air within the cathedral seems to congeal with their unresolved worries.
Twelve Steam Knights draped in black veils guard around the altar, where the empress's body lies.
She looks as if she is merely asleep, her demeanor still kind and gentle.
However, she will never wake again, can no longer lead the Empire forward, nor prevent everything that is about to happen.
In front of the altar, Perfikot, dressed in a black gown with a black hat, her face hidden by the draped veil, stands where no one can see the indissoluble sadness on her face.
It is not only grief for the empress's passing but also a lament for the Empire and humanity's future.
In a world seemingly at the edge of apocalypse, where everyone struggles on the brink of death, why are there still those who seek to vie for power at such a time?
