Chapter 117
Spotting Franz’s group inside the banquet hall, Yuna hurried her steps. The time she had spent with the emperor had been more exhausting than she expected, making her all the more glad to see them.
However, perhaps her eagerness had gotten the better of her. As she moved forward, her red hair and dress fluttering, she suddenly lost her balance and began to stumble.
Wearing shoes with quite a bit of a heel was the root of the problem. Having only worn them a few times in her life, she wasn’t used to them.
She was about to fall.
A hand appeared from out of nowhere and caught her.
The owner of the hand was none other than Franz. In what could only be described as a split second, he arrived in front of her using teleport.
Franz helped her up and said,
“Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah. I’m fine.”
Flustered by Franz’s sudden appearance, Yuna still nodded her head.
In truth, even if Franz hadn’t helped her, she wouldn’t have fallen. With the physical abilities of a hero, she would have regained her balance somehow.
But she decided not to voice that fact. She had once heard from her younger sister, Yuri-ah, that strong women weren’t popular.
'I don’t really know why that is, but…'
Since Franz had taken care of her for now, wasn’t that enough?
Yuna was inwardly rejoicing.
Yusti-ah, who had approached at some point, spoke up.
“Yuna, are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for worrying. More importantly, are your clothes different from usual today?”
“It’s quite an important occasion, after all. Of course, I didn’t wear this for a certain idiot somewhere.”
“Really…? I don’t quite get it, but anyway, it looks good on you.”
With that as a start, the four of them began to converse, from asking how they had been to discussing their outfits for the day.
Franz thought, listening to their conversation from the side.
'I’m glad the atmosphere seems good.'
Actually, things had been quite serious before Yuna arrived.
Hera, wearing an unfamiliar outfit and even exposing her ears, had been incredibly tense, while Yusti-ah and Arian were busy bickering with each other.
Of course, he had tried to pay it as little mind as possible. At the end of the day, they were people capable of distinguishing right from wrong. He figured they wouldn’t cause any accidents.
But when did the human heart ever work so easily? Naturally, he had been inwardly concerned.
Though he hadn’t expected that worry to be resolved all at once by Yuna’s appearance.
It was then.
“Magic Tower lord?”
Franz snapped out of his thoughts at the sudden sound of Arian’s voice.
Turning his head, he saw all four women looking at him.
Judging by the situation, it seemed they had called him several times but he hadn’t heard.
“Did you call me?”
“Yes, we called you several times but you didn’t answer. What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Nothing important, just random thoughts. More importantly, why did you call me?”
“It looks like it’s about to start soon.”
Franz could easily tell what she meant by 'start'.
Because everyone else’s gazes were already directed toward one place.
At the end of their gazes, the emperor, having finished his preparations, was about to make his appearance.
“That was almost a disaster.”
If he had been just a little later, wouldn’t he have been the only one standing stiffly while everyone else bowed their heads?
He absolutely refused to be seen as challenging the emperor’s authority in addition to becoming a duke.
In his old age, he wanted to live basking in the warm sunlight, not on a freezing prison floor.
Well, if he got locked up, he’d manage to escape somehow, but it was better not to end up in that situation in the first place.
While Franz was worrying about his happy retirement, the emperor, fully prepared, stood before everyone.
Everyone simultaneously dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.
The same went for Franz and his group, except for one person, Hera. She expressed her respect by bowing her head in greeting.
Checking her actions out of the corner of his eye, Franz let out an inward sigh of relief.
“That went smoothly.”
Lately, Hera had been getting along with Humans without any particular issues, but she was still an elf by birth, wasn’t she? There was a possibility that feelings of dislike and hatred toward Humans still lingered.
So he had wondered if she might do something to disrespect the emperor, but it seemed his worries were unfounded.
The emperor, receiving her greeting, didn’t seem to want to make an issue out of it either.
Just then, the emperor’s voice echoed through the banquet hall.
“Everyone, raise your heads.”
Everyone in the banquet hall raised their heads in unison.
Reflected in Franz’s eyes, the emperor’s face was quite different from usual.
Usually, he showed a human side - worrying as a father with a daughter, laughing heartily, and, to exaggerate a bit, acting like a friendly neighborhood uncle.
But not right now. Befitting the title of the sun of the empire, he wore a solemn expression. An alpha lion leading its pride would probably give off exactly this kind of feeling.
“Those of you under the sun, who spare no effort for the empire, because you, who can be called the pillars of the empire, are here, the citizens can smile, and…”
The emperor’s speech began.
He could have had someone else read it for him, but the fact that he read it himself offered a glimpse into his character. He had probably written the speech himself as well.
He didn’t know what other emperors were like, but at the very least, this one didn’t seem like a bad emperor.
Of course, that was judged objectively.
'To me, he’s just a bothersome person.'
Hadn’t he done so much work that he could practically be called the emperor’s exclusive errand boy? There was even an ongoing task. A massive one, at that - catching every single cultist executive.
He was compensated accordingly, so he didn’t really have anything to say, but…
Thinking about other things, Franz let the emperor’s speech go in one ear and out the other. It felt exactly like listening to a school principal’s lecture, so he simply couldn’t bring himself to focus.
Well, it was probably just a bunch of nice words anyway, things like “you are the future of the empire” or “the empire exists because of you.”
It was at that moment.
“Even at this moment, there are entities casting dark clouds over the bright future of the empire. And not long ago, those dark clouds attempted to obscure the sun of the empire.”
Franz felt a chill at the words coming from the emperor’s mouth, a premonition that something was about to begin.
And that premonition was spot on.
“However, the Magic Tower lord cleared away those dark clouds. Deeply moved by that action protecting the future of the empire, I shall share my name with you in this place.”
Ultimately, all titles originated from the emperor and returned to the emperor, so he was offering to share one of them.
To put it simply, it meant: I’ll give you a title, but in exchange, you’re bound for life.
Thinking about it like that made it seem a bit horrifying.
“Esteban, I permit you to use the ducal title 'Esteban'. Furthermore, I hereby change the Ishtar Dukedom to the Esteban Dukedom and grant you the right to govern it.”
With that, the emperor’s words ceased.
His intention was clear. He was waiting for Franz’s answer.
The person in question, Franz, was panicking.
“What the hell am I supposed to answer…?”
He never imagined a moment would come when he’d have to reply to the emperor’s speech.
If he had to describe it, it felt like skipping through an NPC’s dialogue script without reading it, only for a dialogue choice to suddenly pop up out of nowhere.
It was a choice that would heavily impact the ending, so he couldn’t just pick easily, and with a time limit ticking down, he didn’t have the luxury to think it over.
Having tasted hell in that split second, Franz squeezed and wrung out his thoughts to reach a conclusion.
“…I shall dedicate everything to the empire.”
It was a phrase he absolutely hated to say.
Because it was literally no different from stamping his seal on a lifetime contract.
If the emperor later asked, “Did you swear a false oath to me?”, he would have nothing to say.
But in this moment, he couldn’t think of a more appropriate answer.
Fortunately, that answer seemed to please the emperor.
“Good. Now, everyone, please do not hold back and enjoy the banquet. These are preparations made for all of you.”
With that, the emperor’s speech concluded.
Everyone in the banquet hall exchanged glances before slowly rising to their feet.
Franz also stood up along with them, thinking that the end had been truly dizzying.
At this time, Franz did not know.
What the birth of a new duke meant to the noble society, and that the real problem hadn’t even begun yet, were clear.
“Duke Esteban? Magic Tower lord? What should I call you? Ah, perhaps the Veteran mage would be better?”
“Oho, were you not recognized as a saint this time? We mustn’t forget that.”
“Duke, Magic Tower lord, the mage who subjugated the Demon Lord, saint, you truly lack nothing.”
With the banquet officially starting, he thought he could finally take a breather. But what was this? All sorts of nobles were rushing over, itching to greet him.
“Magic Tower lord is still more comfortable for me. Becoming a saint was truly just luck. I am still lacking in many ways.”
Franz collected his thoughts and continued to answer as kindly as possible.
No matter what, he couldn’t make enemies with others on the very first day he received his title.
However, the conversations going back and forth weren’t just simple greetings.
“Come to think of it, I heard the Magic Tower lord is not yet married. If you don’t mind, would you consider meeting my daughter…”
“Ah, is that so. Then how about my eldest daughter…”
“What are you talking about right now? My second daughter is much prettier. Please consider…”
Franz offered an awkward smile.
'Ah, I think I’m going to lose my mind.'
I was praying that this moment would pass quickly.
There were four gazes directed at him, and quite unfortunately, they were not very pleasant ones.