Chapter 261: Coronation Ceremony (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 261: Coronation Ceremony (3)
Snowflakes drifted down in delicate strands.
We arrived in Lufenheim, the capital of Düpfendorf, a kingdom of eternal white.
A grand festival was already underway. Citizens clad in thick furs gathered at the castle gates to welcome me—the first Ice Sovereign to appear in a thousand years.
We entered the city along a path of light forged from ice mana. Even from within the carriage, the cheers and applause of the people were deafening.
The people of Düpfendorf all possessed fair, pale skin, likely an adaptation to their frigid environment. They had developed a unique architectural style, all sheltered beneath a beautiful barrier that protected the kingdom from the worst of the biting cold.
In the heart of Lufenheim stood a towering castle. Our carriage naturally made its way toward it.
"Isaac, aren't you happy? Everyone is here to welcome you," Dorothy said, peering out the window.
I didn't exactly feel happy. "It just feels... unfamiliar."
The people and various ice-type magic beasts cheered for me. It didn't truly feel like I was the one they were welcoming, yet a whirlwind of emotions stirred within me.
Upon reaching the grand palace, a host of waiting servants greeted us. They were dressed in navy uniforms adorned with white fur.
"Welcome, my lord. You have traveled far; we are honored by your arrival."
Following the lead of a middle-aged butler with a neatly groomed beard, the servants echoed in unison, "We are honored by your arrival!"
This is a bit much...
I maintained a calm facade.
"I will guide you directly to your chambers, my lord."
"Not yet. First, summon the Legion Commanders to the meeting room."
"The Legion Commanders...? Yes, as you wish."
The servants took charge of our luggage. I told Dorothy, Alice, and Hilde to rest in their rooms while I headed to the round-table meeting room with the Ice Knight, Morcan. The interior was even more luxurious than I had imagined.
Four figures were already seated around the table. The moment I entered, they stood.
With the exception of one woman who was swaying with drunken lethargy, the atmosphere was solemn.
"Welcome, my lord. We have been expecting you."
A hulking, muscular white tiger demibeast stepped forward and saluted. This was the First Legion Commander, Dorhan Versio—a level 179 powerhouse of the ice element.
Dorhan kept his expression disciplined, but I could tell he found it hard to believe that someone as young as me was the Ice Sovereign. Following his lead, the other commanders saluted as well. The drunken female commander let out a stray hiccup.
The commanders weren't necessarily the strongest individual combatants in Düpfendorf; they were chosen for their leadership as much as their skill. The kingdom's truly monstrous forces were kept separate. Nevertheless, they were the undisputed leaders of their respective Legions.
I hadn't yet confirmed if the commanders—aside from Isabel—were truly on my side. I had called this meeting to find out. There were things that needed to be said immediately.
I took my place at the head of the table. "Please, sit."
The commanders lowered their salutes and took their seats. The air was thick with awkwardness. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me to speak first.
I offered a gentle smile. "I called you here the moment I arrived because there is something we must discuss."
I drew the Blade of Frost Flowers and placed it on the table. It was the dagger entrusted to me by the Frost Spirit, Merphil. The commanders’ eyes immediately locked onto the blade.
"Isaac. That is my name. I received the Blade of Frost Flowers from Merphil and formed a contract. I apologize for the abruptness, but I have something important to disclose. I must return to the Empire immediately after the coronation ceremony."
"..."
"I plan to remain in the Zelver Empire at least until next year."
I had to assist Aria with her secret research, absorb White’s mana to gain unique traits, ensure Ian’s safety, protect the academy, and clear various scenarios. Most importantly, I had to prevent the resurrection of the Evil God next year. That was the primary objective.
"We have already been informed of this," Dorhan, the white tiger demibeast, appealed. "However, we ask that you reconsider. Your departure so soon after the coronation will cause immense confusion among the citizens."
He was right; it wasn't a good look to leave the moment I arrived.
"My presence in the Empire is crucial for the very survival of Düpfendorf. I cannot explain the details yet, but I ask that you trust me for now."
"And how are we supposed to trust that?"
Another commander spoke up, his tone laced with challenge. The air grew heavy. The other three commanders and I turned our gaze toward the dissenter.
Second Legion Commander, Karius Alsav. Level 177. Ice and water elements.
He was a man of considerable build, much like the First Commander, but he wore a solid black steel mask over his mouth. His smooth, bald head reflected the bright overhead lights. His voice came out muffled through the mask, sounding like he was speaking through a respirator.
It was clear he hadn't been pleased about a youngster like me becoming the Ice Sovereign from the start, and my "arbitrary" declaration had finally pushed him over the edge.
"Hey, Karius. Watch your manners in front of our lord," the Third Legion Commander, Isabel Silverwolf, barked.
Isabel, a woman with short, light-blue hair and a long scar across her face, was level 178 and a pure ice element user. She was the first of the four to truly put her faith in me.
Karius ignored her.
"Hic... Hehe, Karius has a point, doesn't he? How can we just take his word for it?"
"Hey, Erich."
The Fourth Legion Commander, Erich Leverins, chimed in with a giggle. Her cheeks were flushed red from drink, and her slurred voice was deceptively charming. Compared to the others, she was smaller, though still possessed the build of a fit adult woman.
According to Morcan, Erich suffered from a unique curse. Apparently, the effects were less severe when she was intoxicated, which explained her current state. She was level 176, wielding ice and lightning. Like Karius, she was clearly skeptical of my role.
I looked at the bald Second Legion Commander. "You are the Second Legion Commander, correct?"
"I am, my lord."
"If you have grievances, speak them honestly. I won't hold it against you."
I spoke calmly. Since he was now my subordinate, I wanted to handle this properly. But even my composure seemed to irritate him. Karius narrowed his eyes.
"...Forgive me. This is our first meeting with our new Ice Sovereign. We know nothing of your character. The fact that you intend to abandon the kingdom for the Empire immediately after your coronation is incomprehensible to me. How does that ensure our survival? And why is it so difficult to explain?"
"Exactly! Our new lord is just so cute, it makes it even harder to believe...!" Erich added, her self-control completely dissolved by the alcohol.
I haven't even built a foundation of trust yet. How can I possibly bring up the resurrection of the Evil God?
Once information leaves my control, it becomes impossible to manage. I had to be cautious.
Isabel, the Third Legion Commander, bared her teeth and growled at Karius and Erich. A vein throbbed on her forehead.
"How dare you speak such nonsense to our lord the moment he arrives...?" she muttered, her protective anger actually quite reassuring.
"I have my reasons," I said. "It may be frustrating, but trust me."
"In that case, I must make a request, despite the impropriety." Karius stood up and approached me. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. I squinted slightly; the light reflecting off his scalp was genuinely distracting. "Please duel me, my lord."
The room went silent with shock.
"My lord is the Ice Sovereign. You must know that in this land, authority is derived from strength. Grant me the opportunity to experience your power firsthand. If you do, I will follow your will without further question."
Karius clearly couldn't stomach the idea of serving someone who looked younger and weaker than himself. Even if he was isolated from the world, he should have heard the reports from Morcan.
So he's the type who only believes what he sees.
In Düpfendorf, it wasn't the commanders who first recognized the Sovereign's emergence, but the Religious Authority known as the Ice Dragon Maiden. It was likely the commanders didn't truly grasp who they were dealing with yet.
Dorhan, the First Commander, watched silently. Isabel growled, "Are you doubting our lord's divinity?" while Erich just giggled. "Hehe, this sounds fun."
"If that's what it takes... I accept."
I adjusted my glasses and smiled thinly. He wanted me to prove my qualifications through raw strength. It was a simple, straightforward test. I liked that.
*
Isaac, Morcan, and the commanders moved to the dueling grounds within the palace, a space decorated with ornate ice sculptures.
Isaac and Karius stood at opposite ends of the arena, while Dorhan took his place as the referee. The other commanders watched from the sidelines. Erich was still grinning, while Isabel leaned against the wall, her silver double-headed axe, Farahon, resting on her shoulder.
"Watch your tone, Erich," Isabel muttered. "It's a good thing our lord is patient, or I would have cracked your skull myself."
"Hehe. Come on, Isabel, aren't you dying to see what he can do?"
To Isabel, Isaac was a figure of immense reverence. Just hearing his exploits gave her chills. "...I admit, I am curious."
She knew Isaac wouldn't need his full power here, but she wanted to see him fight with her own eyes.
"The duel continues until one side surrenders or is incapacitated," Dorhan announced solemnly. "Are both parties ready?"
"Ready," Isaac replied, stretching his limbs.
"My lord," Karius called out. "Are you intending to face me barehanded? Without a weapon?"
"And if I am?"
"No matter how great your title, you underestimate me..." Karius slammed his long spear into the ground. Light glinted off the blade and his head simultaneously. "You will regret this."
"I've been thinking this for a while now," Isaac said, removing his glasses with a smirk. "Why are you so unaware of your place?"
"..."
"Come at me with everything you have. Don't disappoint me any further."
"...Understood."
With a heavy thud, Karius leveled his spear and dropped into a combat stance.
"Begin!" Dorhan shouted, leaping back.
In that instant, Karius exploded forward.
His movements were incredibly swift for his size. His frost-covered spear spun in a blur, tracing intricate arcs of ice mana that left shimmering afterimages in the air. Simultaneously, he deployed an ice shield around his body that froze anything it touched. Anyone who got close would find their feet rooted to the ground, leaving them vulnerable to a lethal strike. This was Karius’s signature style.
However, Isaac merely tracked the movements with his eyes, not even bothering to release his mana yet.
"You're too relaxed!" Karius roared.
Whoosh!
Clang!!
Karius swung his spear with terrifying velocity, unleashing a wave of bone-chilling cold toward Isaac. But the strike passed harmlessly through Isaac’s form.
"What...?" Isabel gasped. Erich’s smile faltered, and Dorhan’s eyes sharpened.
In the blink of an eye, Isaac had vanished.
"Where are you looking?"
"...!"
Isaac’s calm voice drifted from directly behind Karius. The commander’s eyes widened in shock. Isaac had moved behind him in a fraction of a second—a movement so fast that even Dorhan, Isabel, and Erich couldn't track it.
Shadow Step.
With his stats bolstered by [vs. Human Combat Power], Isaac’s execution of the technique he’d learned from Gerald was flawless.
Suddenly, a crushing pressure of mana enveloped Karius.
"That was just my afterimage."
As Karius spun around to counterattack, the ice mana condensed in Isaac’s right hand detonated.
K-Boom!!
5-star ice spell: [Frost Explosion].
The erupting mana and cascading ice mercilessly swallowed the Second Legion Commander whole.