Chapter 203: Succession Ceremony (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 203: Succession Ceremony (5)
More than any personal greed, I valued keeping a low profile.
I wanted to live quietly, leisurely doing whatever I pleased.
But some inscrutable force seemed unwilling to grant me such a simple life.
Seeing how it was trying to place an incredibly heavy crown on my head—on someone who had lived entirely devoid of ambition or greed.
*
A spacious dressing room lined with mirrors like folding screens.
"Oh my, our Geomma! Maybe it's because you're so tall, but you look absolutely stunning in whatever you wear!"
Medea observed me from various angles. Then, rubbing some wax between her palms, she began applying it to my hair.
An excited smile naturally spread across her lips.
"With your hair styled so sleekly like this, you look just like an idol... trainee who decided to quit at the last second!"
The Sage, Medea, never lied. That setting suddenly occurred to me.
What exactly does an 'idol trainee who quit at the last second' look like?
It was an ambiguous comparison, sounding like a compliment but not quite.
Medea stepped back and then leaned in close, checking for any disheveled spots. If she found one, she would step up to my feet, pat and smooth it out, and check again.
She repeated this process for two hours. For two hours, I was her mannequin.
"How's the pants length? Does it fit right? If the inseam is too short for a guy, it pinches the crotch and makes it hard to walk."
Medea asked, kneeling on one knee as she folded my hem. The angle reflected in the mirror was highly precarious.
"I-I'm fine."
"Well, if you say so, Geomma. But don't keep quiet just because you're embarrassed! If you look awkward in front of tens of thousands of spectators later, it'll be a total embarrassment."
"It's really fine."
Medea seemed genuinely worried. I waved my hands to emphasize that I was perfectly fine.
Why is Medea even helping me get dressed in the first place?
It looked like an aunt who had taken her nephew to a department store to buy him clothes. The problem was that this "aunt" looked incredibly young, despite being nearly seventy years old.
Even though I always tried not to be fooled by appearances, Medea's beauty was lethal to any man.
Damn it. Being nearly seventy with a face like that is just too unfair.
While I was inwardly groaning, the dressing room door opened.
"How can you spend two hours just putting on a single outfit?"
The one who entered was the Sword Emperor. He was dressed in the same formal uniform as Medea and me, but with an additional white coat draped over his shoulders.
"There are only two hours left until the Succession Ceremony begins, Medea. And we have other schedules to attend to before that."
"That's exactly why we need to spend more time grooming him! We have to make our Geomma look like the most handsome man in the world in two hours!"
Medea argued, placing both hands on her slender waist. The Sword Emperor pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Dignitaries from all over the world are waiting outside right now. Kang Geomma has a duty to show his face to them at least once before the ceremony."
"Since they're already waiting, tell them to wait just one more hour."
"Wrap it up in thirty minutes. No more than that."
The Sword Emperor turned his gaze to me. He swept his eyes over me as if inspecting my condition. The next moment, the fatigue etched into his deep wrinkles cleared away. He spoke.
"How are you feeling?"
"Honestly, it doesn't feel real. It still feels like a dream."
"I know that feeling well. It was forty years ago for me. This outfit was also bestowed upon me back then."
The Sword Emperor turned his body slightly to show me. The two characters for 'Sword Emperor' (劍帝) were embroidered in large gold thread on his White Robe.
"A hero's epithet is embroidered in gold, symbolizing brilliance, upon white, which symbolizes nobility. That fellow Myura is supposed to bring yours shortly."
Come to think of it, I still didn't know what my epithet would be. I heard Manager Seong had personally named it.
When I asked him via text, he replied that it was top-secret. Manager Seong had only added a cryptic remark, telling me I could look forward to it.
I had pulled several all-nighters back then, so I hadn't paid much attention, but now that the day had arrived, I was curious. At the same time, I felt anxious. According to the Sword Emperor, the character for 'Sword' (劍) would definitely be included.
But if that was the case, the options were extremely limited. The sword is the most common weapon. Consequently, many heroes used swords or blades as their armaments. That was why there were exceptionally many hero epithets containing the character 'Sword'. It was already a saturated market.
Within that narrow range of choices, what epithet could Manager Seong have come up with? Since epithets were officially codified to be two characters, it wouldn't be 'Sashimi Sword Saint'. Surely, it wouldn't be my actual name, 'Geomma' (Sword Demon), either.
If it were, my first schedule as one of the Seven Stars would be visiting Manager Seong in the hospital. I mean, really. Unless he had taken the wrong medication, there was no way he would come up with such an idea.
The epithet of a new Seven Stars hero being 'Sword Demon'? People would surely find that trustworthy. It did sound reassuring—as long as it wasn't my epithet.
"……."
Suddenly, my chest felt stuffy. Was it because the custom-tailored suit clung so tightly to my skin? I took a deep breath and watched the bickering between Medea and the Sword Emperor.
After a fierce war of words, the Sword Emperor emerged victorious. Medea's personal greed could not overcome the Sword Emperor's sound logic.
"Ahem!"
Just as a victorious smile was about to form, the Sword Emperor brought his fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. Medea was glaring at him while biting her thumbnail. The Sword Emperor was clearly afraid of the aftermath.
"Well, let us head out. There are many people waiting. The White Robe should arrive right before the ceremony, so let's go out in just our uniforms for now."
The Sword Emperor led the way. Medea and I followed behind him.
Then, he came to a sudden halt in front of the door. The Sword Emperor slowly turned around and looked at me. His eye level, which used to be higher than mine, had somehow become lower.
"There's some dust on your clothes."
The Sword Emperor said, brushing my shoulders. However, since Medea had just finished grooming me, there wasn't a single speck of dust.
"It feels like just yesterday when I first saw you, yet somehow you've made it all the way here."
"Indeed."
"Let me give you a word of advice out of concern. The people beyond this door are those who harbor hidden daggers. They will pretend to be on your side on the surface, but they are the type to bite you from behind."
"I see."
"Once I hand over the Seven Stars to you, I won't be able to help you as much as before. In short, I'll be nothing but an old man relegated to the back room. From now on, you, as a young man, must forge your own path. Of course, Medea will be by your side, but ultimately, you must prove yourself. Do you understand what I mean?"
His hand, which had been brushing away non-existent dust, now gripped my shoulder. His heavy, solemn gaze stared into me.
I scratched my forehead. I couldn't think of a proper response. So, I just nodded quietly. At that, the Sword Emperor's smile deepened.
"Yes, a man is indeed better off being taciturn rather than speaking a hundred words. Haha, it seems I was the only one worrying. You are so resolute."
The Sword Emperor lowered his hand from my shoulder and grabbed the doorknob again. Then, he pushed it open with all his might. The gap in the doorway gradually widened.
Creak—
The narrow view of the scene beyond began to unfold before our eyes. We could see the people waiting for us. At a glance, they were clearly nobles or high-ranking officials.
It was a gathering of high-ranking dignitaries from all over the world. They were so busy chatting among themselves that they didn't even realize the door had opened.
Only one person noticed our entrance, perhaps because Gaines, the President of Switzerland, had been keeping his eyes fixed on the door.
Gaines started to wave his hand in welcome. But he stopped himself. Instead, he placed his raised hand over his chest, near his heart. Then, he called my name.
"Lord Geomma."
The bustling noise that filled the hall instantly vanished. Belatedly, dozens of gazes converged into one and swept toward us.
A gathering of political monsters. Their eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating light.
Gaines spoke once more.
"I, Gaines, offer my greetings to the new Seven Stars."
Gaines bowed deeply. His sudden action threw the crowd into confusion.
They rolled their eyes, scanning the room to gauge the reaction. They quietly nodded to one another, as if agreeing not to bend their stiff necks.
Just then, a voice rang out from a corner of the hall.
"Mao Rang of the Iron King Family, offers her heartfelt congratulations to Lord Kang Geomma on his ascension to the Seven Stars."
Mao Rang instantly captured everyone's attention. Gazes mixed with bewilderment and shock turned toward her.
She paid no heed to the surrounding stares. Gently lifting and lowering the hem of her skirt, she paid her respects with aristocratic grace.
Beside her, All Mute, Kahn Elizabeth, offered a salute. The edge of her hand, pressed firmly against her brow, was perfectly angled.
"On behalf of the United States of America, I, Kahn Elizabeth, extend my congratulations."
Murmurs broke out. The atmosphere grew chaotic. Cold sweat began to bead on the foreheads of the politicians. Their eyes rolled around like marbles that had lost their direction. A rift had formed in the unspoken rule they had agreed upon.
A young man bit his lip slightly. Closing his eyes tightly, he finally spoke.
"I am Beharn, the eldest son of the Orland Family. May endless glory be upon the new Seven Stars."
"……!"
The pride surrendered by a single young noble swept a new wind through the hall. Not wanting to be outdone, someone thumped their chest and stepped forward to make their presence known.
"I am Doyoyef Kurin, the Prime Minister of Russia. Russia promises our active cooperation to Lord Geomma."
"I-I-I am the second daughter of the Buona family of Italy! We also..."
Just like that, it turned into an impromptu self-introduction session for everyone. Since things had come to this, they chose to swallow their pride rather than risk getting on my bad side.
The Sword Emperor whispered softly to me as I watched quietly.
"How do you feel now?"
"……."
Before indulging in sentimentality, I looked around at those gathered. Then, I answered with absolute sincerity.
"Not bad."
* * *
...By the time the self-introductions had nearly filled up two hours.
The marble floor vibrated with heavy, stomping footsteps that sounded like a horse's huffing. At that slight tremor, the Sword Emperor's brow furrowed.
"He certainly knows how to keep a schedule. Arriving exactly five minutes before the Succession Ceremony."
The Spear Saint approached, shoving his way through the crowd with his shoulders. Those who collided with him fell flat on their faces, while those he merely brushed against were sent flying.
Yet, not a single complaint was uttered. If anyone dared to open their mouth to that beast of a man, they would surely have their teeth knocked out.
The Spear Saint bared his teeth like a bandit and spoke.
"Bwahahaha! As long as I'm not late, it's fine, isn't it? Don't be so uptight, Nibelung."
"I assume you brought the most important thing?"
"Of course."
The Spear Saint stood before me. He held out a white bundle in his hand.
"Here is your White Robe. I hate to brag about my subordinate, but it seems Manager Seong really used his brain. Your eyes will pop when you see the writing on it."
I accepted the White Robe with a dubious expression. The rough texture of the fabric seeped into my palms.
After swallowing hard, I unfolded the White Robe, worrying about what on earth could be written on it.
"Uh..."
I stared blankly at the two large Hanja characters. Medea, standing beside me, chimed in.
"Wow! This is actually great! Right? Our Geomma deserves an epithet of this caliber. What do you think, Mr. Sword Emperor?"
"It is decent."
"Could you not say that with such a dissatisfied look on your face? Be honest. You're just jealous because his epithet is too cool, aren't you?"
"Do I look that narrow-minded to you?"
"Yes."
"……."
The Sword Emperor let out a sigh. Just then, the Archery Saint also entered the hall.
"It is time. Let us go, everyone."
As the Sword Emperor gestured with his chin, the crowd parted to make a path. Every single one of them was a noble or a high-ranking official.
Boom, boom. The sound of drums echoing from outside reached all the way here. For a moment, it sounded like a heartbeat.
The Sword Emperor stepped back and draped the White Robe over my shoulders. The weight of the epaulets pressed down lightly on my shoulders.
Everyone's gaze focused on me. People were looking directly at me, not behind me. The Sword Emperor said to me:
"Lead the way."
His quiet voice echoed once more in the brief silence.
"I shall follow."