61. Coronation (3)
61. Coronation (3)
The dais at the top of the stairs.
Emperor Brigitte sat on the imperial throne upon the dais.
The presiding official below the dais shouted loudly.
"All rise!"
Yuma's investiture ceremony for the title of Grand Duke (大公) signaled its start.
The dais he stood on now was not the one before the <Crossroads of Glory>.
It was the Imperial Palace, now Emperor Brigitte's residence.
The grand banquet hall before the Imperial Palace.
The nobles were lined up in rows.
All were high-ranking nobles.
Members of the imperial family were also gathered in a cluster on the left side.
First Prince Schubertche now wore a face of sheer ease. The look of a man who had finally set down a crushing burden and found peace.
This time, it was a situation with only nobles and no commoners, but this was an official schedule that had been set since she became emperor.
Step─
Yuma ascended the dais.
He stepped upon the stairs laid with a red carpet.
The white-haired emperor, Brigitte, approached Yuma.
"Yuma, as our trusted confidant, has performed countless deeds for the benefit of the Empire."
Brigitte looked at the nobles and continued speaking.
"He is the former Grand Marshal of the battlefield who led the war against the Pyneton Kingdom to victory, and the being who saved this empire by annihilating the Black Dragon."
Other achievements and the feats of deicide were omitted.
The feats of deicide had no choice but to be omitted. They were still a secret known only to those who had been present there.
Even if word did leak out, there was likely no one who would easily believe it.
"I appoint Yuma as the Grand Duke of this Astes Empire."
Yuma knelt on his left knee.
This time, the <Nobility> trait did not instinctively obstruct him either.
As if knowing that kneeling in this current situation was the more exalted thing.
"I look forward to your continued service. Yuma."
Yuma, who had been kneeling on his left knee for a while, slowly rose to his feet.
And facing Brigitte, he answered.
"Of cour-rse."
Yuma turned his body forward.
Countless nobles filled Yuma's vision.
"I am Yuma, appointed Grand Duke. I look forward to working with you."
It was the birth of the second most powerful person in this vast Astes Empire, next only to the Emperor.
All the nobles' gazes converged on Yuma.
Those gazes contained awe. And fear.
Awe for having accomplished feats no human should be capable of.
And the fear felt by those who had originally supported First Prince Schubertche.
"I will do what I have to do. And among those things, there will be nothing that harms the Empire."
That was all.
With a speech so short it made the Imperial Palace's preparations seem pointless, Yuma descended the dais and walked straight ahead.
Arrayed thickly before him were the knights of the Empire.
A thousand knights of the Empire.
Ku──woong!!
A thousand knights knelt in unison to pay their respects to Yuma.
"Salute the hero of the Empire!"
"Salute His Excellency, Grand Duke Yuma!!"
Yuma passed by the knights shouting thus and moved forward.
All the nobles bowed their heads toward Yuma, the newly elevated Grand Duke.
And from one group at the far left, a passionate cry burst forth.
"Martial God Yuma! Long live Martial God Yuma!"
It was Hestia of the Cat Tribe, now proudly displaying her scarlet ears, which she no longer even needed to hide as part of Grand Duke Yuma's entourage.
"Mu...mmph!"
And next to her were Cloné and Bel, desperately trying to stop Hestia's impulsive outburst.
Though in truth, Bel was also barely suppressing the urge to shout along with her.
Emperor Brigitte looked at Yuma and the knights behind him and slowly opened her mouth.
From those fine lips, the Emperor's Song, its verses began to flow.
Yuma listened closely to the imperial song, where Brigitte's low, beautiful voice stood out.
"The glory above the crown embraces the warriors beneath it."
A subtle golden aura began to flow from Brigitte's body.
"O warriors of the Empire, may the glory of Astes protect you."
The eyes of the nobles and knights widened.
"─Raise your swords."
The subtle aura burst forth so brightly it momentarily lit up the entire banquet hall.
"Raise your swords!!!"
The thousand knights of the Empire raised their swords in unison.
Yuma scanned several knights with his Searching Eye.
He mainly targeted those who seemed to feel some change.
"Ooh...! I feel strength welling up!"
"It is His Majesty the Emperor's grace!"
[Lv.72]
Their levels had risen.
[Lv.73]
It was only by 1, but it had definitely risen.
'For an authority granted by the Emperor's bloodline, you can't exactly call it weak.'
About 50 people felt the change.
All of them had experienced a slight increase in Strength. And a slight increase in Agility.
'If you time it right, this alone could turn the tide of a war.'
Yuma opened his Status Window. He could confirm that some of his own stats had risen.
His Strength, which had been 90, was now 95. His Agility, which had been 110, was now 120.
'It doesn't seem like it could possibly affect a skill like Absolute Counter, though.'
For Yuma himself, the increase was negligible, but for other knights or soldiers, it was clearly a significant buff.
What Brigitte had awakened literally seemed to be a power to fortify her own troops.
The experiment with the <Song of the Emperor> was successfully concluded.
"Truly, His Majesty the Emperor is a chosen being!!"
"O great Astes!"
This time, Yuma examined Emperor Brigitte with his Searching Eye.
[Lv.82] Brigitte von Astes
Race: Human
Class: Emperor, Swordsman
Realm: Sword Expert (Low)
Innate Traits: King's Blood (王血), Pressure (威壓), Special Sense (特感)
Awakened Trait: Imperial Blood of Astes (帝王血)
-You have awakened the greatness dwelling within the Astes bloodline. Immense fortune dwells within you. You obtain a vessel capable of achieving a highly robust physique and an exalted mental strength.
Awakened Authority: Song of the Emperor.
-Song of the Emperor (帝王歌). Can be activated by reciting a verse of the imperial song with firm resolve.
Can cast a stat-boosting buff on multiple allies treading upon the land of the Astes Empire. It not only enhances physical abilities but also fortifies mental strength and courage.
Can also be cast intensively on a small number of individuals rather than as a wide-area effect.
Its duration depends on the mental strength and willpower of the caster 'Brigitte von Astes'.
The reason her level far surpassed her realm as a swordsman must be thanks to the powers gained by awakening the Imperial Blood of Astes.
It seemed like proof of just how difficult an achievement it was to alter the lines of fate and awaken the Imperial Blood.
Yuma passed by the nobles.
He came to an abrupt halt in front of one man.
It was before First Prince Schubertche.
"Schubertche, didn't you say that to me before? That when I became Grand Duke, you would pick out the land I'd receive."
The golden-haired prince, somewhat flustered, broke into a cold sweat and nodded.
"Right, I did say that."
"Pick one out for me now."
Schubertche stared at Yuma with a blank expression.
"...Fine, I'll do that."
After a moment of very deep thought, Schubertche continued.
"Wilbeserk. It's the territory next to the Astes Temple. It's a land where no one has ruled because it's attached to the temple and considered a sanctuary, but, for you, it would suit."
I see.
Yuma could grasp what Schubertche was implying.
Since the Astes Temple is clearly useless now, isn't it fine to just swallow up the temple along with it?
Schubertche hid that inner thought and spoke in a very roundabout way.
After all, none of the other nobles knew even in their dreams that Yuma standing right before them had killed God Inkrinu.
Yuma slowly walked back up to the dais.
And he approached Brigitte, who was resting behind the dais.
"You worked hard. Brigitte."
"...I will have to build up my stamina and willpower."
Mental strength.
Brigitte now understood that it wasn't something that ended just by singing a few verses. The awakening of the Imperial Blood.
That awakening granted Brigitte mental strength far surpassing her physical achievements. But she realized that ultimately, physical achievement had to support it to sustain the Emperor's Song for the maximum possible duration.
"No matter how hard I try, it seems I won't be able to exceed 30 minutes."
"That's enough."
Enhance the physical and mental abilities of a certain number of troops for 30 minutes?
This would have an extraordinary effect in combat scenarios excluding knights.
An effect that could deliver overwhelming victory.
And that 30-minute time limit could likely be gradually extended depending on Brigitte's efforts.
"Experiment with various things. Whether you can only provide support to those under your light, or if you can select just three or four individuals, or even one or two, and give a higher-density buff even if the number of targets is limited."
Brigitte's eyes widened.
There was a point that aligned exactly between what was written in the Imperial Blood Scriptures, accessible only to Emperors, and what Yuma had just said.
"You truly know everything, don't you."
Yuma slowly shook his head.
"It was just a sufficient prediction based on watching the ability you displayed."
Yuma turned his body. It was time to return to the Princess Palace.
***
"Now, do you intend to go find the marine non-human races you spoke of before?"
At Brigitte's words, Yuma nodded slowly.
"I have to."
Demon Realm Army.
I had to keep searching for methods to deal with those bastards.
From now on, Brigitte had to reside not in the Princess Palace but in the Imperial Palace.
However, she granted a grace period of one week.
It was to perfectly prepare the luggage for Yuma's party's journey.
Head Attendant Roian approached Brigitte, who was seated in the Princess Palace office.
Roian bowed politely to Brigitte.
"His Majesty Emperor Brigitte, I have a message to convey."
"What is it."
Roian held out a sheet of paper.
"It is said to be an urgent report delivered through the Imperial Information Guild."
Brigitte read aloud the paper written in the continental common language.
"...A great crisis has befallen us, the Fishmen Tribe of Mulren. Having heard that a figure named Grand Marshal Yuma vanquished the Black Dragon, we have come to request aid. Please, save our tribe. A crisis of a completely different dimension from anything we've faced before has come."
Brigitte continued to read that single sheet of paper with a stiffened face.
"It is a war between races. They are races we have never seen before─."
Brigitte was forced to pause for a moment. It was because a word quite sensitive to Yuma and herself was written there.
"They are races bearing such ominousness, as if they were servants of an Evil God (惡神). If you save our tribe from this crisis, we will grant you any single favor, no matter what it is."
Brigitte stared at Yuma.
"It seems a matter more urgent than our own business has befallen them."
"Is that so."
Yuma ran the calculations in his head.
'Experience.'
While numerical, mathematical experience points wouldn't enter his companions' bodies, combat experience, both physical and mental, would enter them and achieve level increases.
And actual combat was the ultimate stage for growth.
Yuma thought it wasn't a bad opportunity for Cloné and Bel's growth.
'If it's a matter of saving the entire race.'
Providing significant help this once could earn them a lot.
Because if magical civilization was this advanced here, there was a strong possibility that the undersea civilization was also quite developed.
In many ways, it would be a great help for the battle against the Demon Realm Army.
"The northern sea. It's the sea that the Fishmen Tribe, Mulren, dominates with Atlantis as its central point."
Brigitte held out the continental map to Yuma.
"Though it seems that hegemony is currently being invaded."
"I'll go and come back."
Yuma decided to accept the Fishmen Tribe's request.
The journey he had originally intended to make.
From Yuma's perspective, the only thing added was a rather bothersome keyword: 'Evil God (惡神).'
"What about the troops needed for the journey?"
Brigitte asked.
"No separate troops are needed."
Any ordinary enemies would be handled at Bel's line of defense.
And Cloné was also growing rapidly.
If additional forces were ever needed, it seemed better to borrow the White Night Clan's strength.
"I'll depart in two days."
"Alright, understood."
Brigitte accepted Yuma's words without any particular change of expression.
"I'm sorry. It seems I won't be of much help this time either."
Brigitte added, in a tone of renewed self-reproach.
Yuma slowly shook his head.
"You are the person who represents this Astes Empire. The fact that such a person shares my will is help in itself. And if we rescue Mulren, concluding a national alliance will also be your role."
As Yuma's words for her sake continued, Brigitte instead felt a tinge of wretchedness.
'I will accomplish it.'
She had to use her current wretchedness as a stepping stone.
Brigitte approached Yuma.
"Be careful, Yuma."
"Yeah. If anything happens in the kingdom, send the Dawn Revolutionary Group to inform me immediately."
Yuma's party began preparations to head for the northern sea.