Ch.3433. Conferment Ceremony (6)

# 33. Conferment Ceremony (6)

“Today’s protagonists are us…”

Contradictorily, the princess who spoke those words looked like the true protagonist herself.

Dressed in a white gown that perfectly complemented her hair color, she resembled an angel without wings.

‘If Michael had been a woman, would he have looked like that?’

Her beauty made me think such thoughts.

I stared at her blankly.

Then Elin poked me in the side.

“Stop staring.”

“I’m sorry.”

The princess hid her face as she spoke.

“It’s okay…”

Even the way she shyly hid her face was incredibly beautiful.

I finally managed to tear my gaze away from her jewel-like appearance.

“You look even prettier like this.”

“Thank you…”

She was embarrassed by the compliment.

Elin, seemingly annoyed by our interaction, changed the subject.

“So when do we go out?”

“In about 20 minutes? I’ll contact you when it’s time. Just come then.”

After saying that, she returned to the banquet hall.

***

This conferment ceremony proceeded with a natural atmosphere quite different from usual.

In the banquet hall, numerous people were enjoying the naturally flowing banquet.

Of course, there were also those who couldn’t enjoy it.

This situation.

‘Boring.’

Leo, thinking this, looked at his sister.

He sighed as he observed her—smiling on the outside but clearly annoyed inside.

She was surrounded by many people, engaging in meaningless conversations.

The people trying to curry favor with her for personal gain were pathetic, and her position of having to talk with such people was pitiful.

‘What a tiring way to live.’

Leo didn’t approve of her attitude or the fact that she pretended to be a commoner.

He thought all those actions were meaningless.

‘Where is she going?’

Leo watched as she suddenly headed somewhere.

Normally he wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but her expression now made him curious.

Her face was bright like sunshine, completely different from when she was talking with those people earlier.

‘Could it be…’

Leo thought the cause of that expression must be today’s protagonist.

She was probably heading to the waiting room where Albert would be.

The Emperor, who was also watching her from nearby, spoke.

“Leo, have you ever seen Elly with that expression before?”

“Yes, I’ve seen it a few times.”

She usually had that expression when she was with Albert.

Of course, the Emperor knew nothing about this.

“When?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

The cause of that expression would be coming here soon anyway.

She returned to the banquet hall shortly after heading to the waiting room.

However, her expression had changed again in that short time.

‘Why is she blushing?’

The Emperor was thinking the same thing as Leo.

“Who did she meet?”

“Probably the person who will be coming soon.”

The Emperor recalled the young man he had seen before.

The grateful being who had saved his wife.

“Is she close with that boy?”

“Yes, extremely close. They seem like they’re dating.”

The Emperor’s body trembled slightly at the words “seem like they’re dating.”

“Didn’t you know?”

The Emperor knew that she would bring someone to him before graduating from the academy.

And he thought she would date someone to prevent a political marriage.

Purely to achieve that purpose.

However, her expression after meeting him now didn’t seem like that.

“How do you think Elly feels about that boy?”

“I can only guess since it’s the first time I’ve seen her like this.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“She seems to like him.”

Hearing this, the Emperor clenched his fist.

“And the boy?”

“He definitely likes her too.”

Leo recalled what Albert had said that day.

-We’re not anything yet. Not yet.-

He also thought that those words could become reality.

Of course, it would be difficult.

Gaining his father’s approval would be as hard as catching a star from the sky.

His father would be even more demanding when it came to matters related to her.

Leo looked at his father, who seemed somewhat displeased.

And at that moment, someone opened the door to the banquet hall.

***

When we entered the banquet hall, almost everyone there turned their attention to us.

Some gazes were warm, others were sharp.

And someone was sending a particularly fierce look.

I unconsciously looked at the owner of that gaze.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

The brave figure of the Empire’s Emperor, Reinhardt Michael, caught my eye.

He approached me with the Empress.

When he came right up to me, he exuded killing intent.

I countered by using [Killing Intent Release].

“You’re holding back.”

If he had properly released his killing intent, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stand.

The Empress, watching us from the side, spoke.

“Dear, stop it.”

The Emperor reluctantly withdrew his killing intent at her words.

“I apologize.”

“It’s fine.”

“Follow me.”

Elin and I followed them onto the platform.

From the platform, I could see her and my parents.

The Empress took the microphone on the platform.

“Everyone, please look at these siblings standing on the platform now.”

At that moment, all eyes in the banquet hall turned to us.

It was a bit burdensome, but unavoidable.

“These siblings protected my life from an assassin from the Babylon Kingdom. In particular, the older brother, Albert, was in a life-threatening situation.”

Hearing those words made me feel proud again.

“They surely knew that protecting me from that assassin meant being prepared to lose their lives.”

That was true.

“They must have been scared, must have wanted to run away. But they didn’t. Even though their lives were in danger, they protected me until the end.”

The eyes of those who heard these words softened.

The Empress looked at us and continued.

“Albert Veros, Elin Veros. In recognition of the bravery of these siblings, I confer the titles of Count and Baroness respectively.”

As she finished speaking, all those people were applauding us.

I looked at the princess who was applauding in the front row.

I felt a sharp gaze on my back, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.

“We will need many talented individuals in the future.”

That statement was probably deeply related to the coming wars.

“These siblings will be particularly shining examples among those talents. I hope you all will support their future.”

It seems I’m receiving quite a lot of expectations from places I don’t even know about.

I wasn’t particularly bothered, but Elin seemed a bit pressured.

The Empress finished her speech and came down from the platform, and we followed her.

“Congratulations, and to you too, Elin.”

As soon as we came down, the princess approached us first.

The Emperor, watching from behind, asked me.

“What’s your relationship with my daughter?”

“We’re nothing yet.”

“Yet?”

“Yes, yet.”

Everyone present was surprised by my bold statement.

“Oh my.”

“Interesting fellow.”

The Empress had an intrigued look, while the Emperor had quite a fierce gaze despite his casual words.

To be honest, I was a bit scared, but I maintained a calm exterior.

“He’s quite gutsy.”

“Indeed. He reminds me of you when you were younger.”

The Emperor questioned the Empress’s words.

“I resemble him?”

“Yes, the atmosphere is very similar.”

“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”

“At least this one knows when to bow.”

The other one apparently didn’t.

There were certainly many unfavorable rumors about the Emperor’s past.

Rumors that he was disrespectful, that he was an emperor who relied only on brute force, and so on.

Those rumors weren’t entirely false, but he seemed to have improved somewhat with age.

‘They really look alike.’

I looked back and forth between the Empress and the princess.

They resembled each other so much that anyone would think they were mother and daughter.

When I looked at the princess, the Empress said with a pleased expression.

“Elly, if you get a boyfriend, shouldn’t you introduce him to us first?”

She was flustered by the Empress’s playful tone.

“What!? Mother, it’s not like that…”

“I’m joking, but if it does happen, please introduce him to us properly.”

While the mother and daughter were having such a conversation, the Emperor and I were staring intently at each other.

My parents were watching us from a distance, holding their breath.

Then, the Emperor said in a voice only I could hear.

“Do you think you can earn my approval?”

“Of course.”

“May I ask what makes you say that?”

I said to him, who was looking at me like a tiger eyeing its prey.

“I believe my feelings for the princess are no less than Your Majesty’s.”

Perhaps my sincerity reached him, as the Emperor smiled for the first time and said.

“Well, do your best, though it will be difficult.”

“Thank you.”

Earning his approval would be very difficult, but not impossible.

If I put in my utmost effort like last time, it should be possible.