Chapter 224: The Guard and the Triumphal Ceremony (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 224: The Guard and the Triumphal Ceremony (4)
Special magic fireworks unique to this fantasy world exploded, embroidering the sky. A feast of multicolored lights blessed the army as they marched proudly through the city gates.
"Goddess Dite..."
"Lord Heras..."
"Lord Jeseidon..."
Even the high priests of the most influential temples in Promin flocked out to bless the victorious army. As the light of the fireworks faded, a white radiance draped over the kingdom's forces.
The residents of Promin watched the march of the blessed army, almost forgetting to breathe. The armor, polished to a mirror sheen for the victory ceremony, reflected the light brilliantly.
The earth thundered as horses and men stepped in perfect unison. The rhythmic stomping of tens of thousands of soldiers made the hearts of the Promin residents throb in sync.
Finally, the vanguard of the army entered. Crown Prince Nero sat atop a horse a head taller than the rest, followed closely by the Second Prince, Rominas, and the Commander-in-Chief of the army.
To people living in a medieval fantasy world, royalty was an object of longing, deserving of the utmost respect. Even the residents of Promin, who had high standards due to developed commerce and culture, were no exception.
"Waaaaah!!!"
"Long live Crown Prince Nero!"
"Long live Prince Rominas!!"
The residents let out cheers that came from the bottom of their hearts. Thousands of maidens scattered flower petals, and as the lead knights passed and the regular soldiers began to enter, some women even went as far as throwing their panties.
Some of the soldiers, receiving such goodwill for the first time in their lives, bit their lips to hold back tears. When a few couldn't hold it in and let the tears fall, exclamations of "How cute!" erupted from the crowd.
"Honey!"
"Leorio!"
"Ellie! I'm back! Let's get married just like I promised!"
Those who were already married or in a relationship engaged in public displays of affection the moment they spotted their lovers in the crowd. A few brave women pushed their way through the ranks of soldiers, but no one stopped them.
Instead, people sincerely congratulated the couples on their future. A knight who had been striking a pose next to me muttered under his breath.
"Couples should just go to he—"
The knight cut himself off and glanced at me. Why is he acting like that? While we were having a brief staring contest, Prince Rominas, who had been riding ahead, backed up his horse to join me.
"How are you feeling right now?"
"I'm wondering if I should even be here. It was the Crown Prince's and your army that won the victory, not me."
"You are as humble as I've heard."
The Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom's army, who had been following the Crown Prince, also approached me. What was this guy's name again? I probably won't see him again after today, so let's just keep calling him Commander-in-Chief.
But me, humble?
"Who told you such non... sense?"
"It was Prince Rominas."
"Ah."
I almost called it bullshit, but I'm glad I corrected myself quickly. I had a feeling something was off.
"The Prince evaluates me far too highly. I'm not quite at that level."
"Haha! You are certainly different from other Sword Masters! Even those who become Aura Users at that age are incredibly arrogant, yet Lord Sma, a Sword Master no less, shows such modesty! You are truly a paragon for the kingdom's army! If only the youngsters these days were even half like you!"
I didn't take this Commander-in-Chief for the type, but he sure talks a lot. Suddenly, Bucom appeared beside me. The man who had been in command when the Empire's detached force attacked the capital nodded in agreement.
"Mm. He is indeed a paragon of our kingdom. I've thought so ever since I heard the rumors that he disciplined that troublemaker who used to be Rainie's disciple."
"Sir Bucom. Are you feeling alright?"
"There is no need for such formalities. Is Lord Sma not a fellow Sword Master and the savior of my life?"
The Commander-in-Chief called me "Sir," but Bucom called me "Lord." Bucom is definitely a better person than that chatterbox. He clearly recognized that I refused the knighthood and chose his title accordingly.
"Besides, aren't you scheduled to receive a title similar to or even higher than mine soon?"
Jasmine told me to look forward to it, but I might get a title higher than Bucom's? That would mean at least a Count. Come to think of it, it made sense.
A Sword Master is a strategic weapon of the fantasy world. With a bit of exaggeration, they are a force comparable to modern nuclear weapons.
On top of that, I'm the man who will become Jasmine's husband. Even if a country bumpkin became the royal son-in-law, they would have given him a decent title—but that man is a Sword Master? And he even achieved great military merit?
Naturally, I'd receive a title higher than Count. Unfortunately, I don't know if it'll be Duke or Marquis. Jasmine just told me to look forward to it and didn't give me the details.
"That's right. You've become my sister's husband, after all. When is the wedding?"
"I'm trying to hold a joint wedding, but it's not easy to find a venue."
"A joint wedding? I heard Lord Sma has many wives, but exactly how many are there? If you'd like, I can look into a venue for you."
The Commander-in-Chief was looking at Rominas's reaction more than mine. He's trying to gain favor by providing a wedding venue for the Princess.
But what can you do? I've already looked into every place the Commander-in-Chief would know. Once I got the title of "Hero of the Capital," there wasn't a place I couldn't go except the royal palace.
"There are quite a few. For starters, there's Iruna, Mehya, Serika, Rena, Elizabeth, Tanya, Greystar, Izumi, Tiarushi, Rainie, Rebecca, Akiko, Akisa, Mimiril, Mimirun, Mimiram..."
"Y-you can stop now!"
"There are still more."
"I don't have a space that can accommodate dozens of brides..."
The Commander-in-Chief staggered as if he had been struck. Even Bucom, who only guessed I had many women but didn't know the exact number, clicked his tongue in amazement.
"It seems you aren't just skilled with a sword."
It was a dirty joke, the likes of which I hadn't heard in a long time since being reincarnated into this world. I didn't have any friends I could have this kind of conversation with other than Bruce or Geum Taeyang.
I felt like I could get a bit closer to Bucom.
"I am rather impressive."
I bragged, but a worry arose. Where am I actually going to hold the wedding? Since Rominas is here, I should ask him. It's his sister's wedding, so he'll take good care of it.
"Does the Prince happen to have a place in mind?"
"We are about to become relatives, so why speak so formally? Be at ease."
He's going to regret saying that.
"Sure thing, brother-in-law."
"Ah... As expected of my sister's husband, you certainly are decisive."
"Decisive, huh?"
"Yes, decisive."
I felt like I was hearing an old jingle in my head. Putting aside the CM songs that no one in 21st-century Korea would know unless they were old, Rominas was speaking more politely than I expected.
He must be up to something.
"For now, let us enjoy the triumphal ceremony."
"Yes."
Perhaps because it was an era where war occurred frequently, the ceremony was grand and well-organized. Once the speech by King Popoong of the Hugo Kingdom ended, gryphon riders flew through the sky, scattering various riches.
The gathered citizens cheered as they scrambled to pick up the money. Looking at the gryphons, I recalled a topic that had been a point of debate on the internet back on Earth.
Does gryphon meat taste like chicken? Or does it taste like lion? Since it's a monster with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, wouldn't it taste different depending on the part?
As I turned my gaze back to the crowd while lost in useless thoughts, I saw the guards desperately trying to control the masses. Ah, I made eye contact with Ohwan.
What is he saying? 'Must be nice to have it easy?' Of course it's nice. It's great.
Next was the procession of chariots. Crown Prince Nero, Second Prince Rominas, the Third Prince, and many other commanders and knights raced around the track in chariots pulled by fine horses managed directly by the royal family.
As the horses' hooves thundered and the iron wheels scraped the ground, I felt like the "Star of the Prairie" sleeping deep within my soul was being awakened.
Suddenly, I really want a Cyber Burger. When I get home, I should ask Iruna to make me a sandwich with fried chicken breast, bread, and various vegetables.
I'll have to tell her not to use useless parts like the legs or wings. The texture is too slippery and gross.
After that, several more performances to heat up the atmosphere took place. It felt short, but when I checked the time, over an hour had already flown by.
I shouldn't have looked down on this place just because it's a medieval theme park. The events, combined with the unique magic of fantasy, were not lacking at all compared to an Olympic opening ceremony on Earth.
In fact, there was much more to see than the opening ceremonies of some countries that had received poor reviews. Once the ceremony ended, the distribution of rewards began.
"Crown Prince Nero, listen."
The King lowered his voice solemnly. He was blathering about something, but honestly, it didn't really register. It was because of Jasmine, who had come to my side and was slyly rubbing her breasts against my arm.
"Brother Nero has secured his position as the next King."
"And our marriage is secured too. Sma, aren't you sad you can't go out there?"
This reward ceremony was a show put on for the citizens. It was meant to solidify the Crown Prince's position while building favor with the public, and since they couldn't just take care of the Crown Prince, they included the Commander-in-Chief and other nobles as well.
The detailed matters were to be handled after entering the royal palace. I was also scheduled to receive my rewards inside.
"My husband looks so good in these clothes."
Jasmine toyed with my outfit. It was similar to the guard uniform I usually wore, but the details were completely different. Not only was the fabric high-quality, but it was also enchanted with various spells, making it much sturdier than most knights' armor.
The fact that the design was much more sophisticated was a bonus. Compared to my old uniform, the difference was like a multi-thousand-dollar luxury brand outfit versus a ten-dollar piece of generic clothing.
The triumphal ceremony ended with the brief reward presentation. I wonder what kind of reward I'll get? I entered the royal palace with high expectations.
The atmosphere was so heavy that one would never guess it was the conference room of a nation that had just won a war. King Popoong opened his mouth.
"The Demon King has appeared."