Ch.78Chapter 78 – What Happened at the Founding Festival (4)

Time flowed on, and finally the morning of the first day of the Empire’s Foundation Festival dawned.

Before departing for the Imperial Palace, I checked my attire one last time.

“Phew.”

The clothes I was wearing now were the tailcoat that the Prime Minister had gifted me.

[Here’s the tailcoat I promised. Make sure to wear it to your title conferment ceremony.]

There was a note from the Prime Minister in the tailcoat pocket.

With the help of the servants residing at the Prime Minister’s villa, I put on the tailcoat, and there stood someone who looked quite presentable.

“You seem quite nervous?”

After I had fully dressed in the tailcoat, Eterna, who had been waiting outside, opened the door and entered.

She wasn’t wearing her usual clothes but the formal uniform of a high priest of the Sun Order. Even with such formal attire, her enormous pouch of divine power couldn’t be properly concealed.

“It would be a lie to say I’m not nervous.”

As Eterna said, I am extremely nervous right now.

The last memory I have of doing something in front of many people was an elementary school performance.

Retreat? School trip? I was originally such a boring person that I was never called to the front during school trips or retreats.

On top of that, I rarely received any awards.

I’ve never even received one of those common participation awards…

Damn, why am I about to cry?

“Oh? Why are you suddenly tearing up?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because this is my first time receiving a title, I feel a bit pressured.”

It’s not just an award, but a title that I can pass down to the next generation, so the nervousness is naturally beyond words.

“It’s okay. I was also very nervous when I was appointed as an Inquisitor.”

Eterna was also nervous when she became an Inquisitor?

Perhaps she was afraid of stepping into a new domain like me.

“I was getting the authority to legally beat down heretics, so I was trembling with joy.”

…Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.

That’s a completely different kind of trembling from mine!

“Lord Pathos. The carriage is ready.”

“I understand.”

A servant working at the villa informs me that the carriage is prepared.

When I came out of the villa, a carriage bearing the emblem of the Steiler family was waiting at the main gate.

Naturally, it was a two-horse carriage.

After boarding the carriage prepared by the Prime Minister, Eterna followed and got on as well.

“We will depart now.”

As soon as Eterna and I boarded, the coachman began to drive the carriage.

Just a few minutes ahead lies the Imperial Palace.

“Sigh.”

I’m feeling nervous, trembling, and a rush of complex emotions that are hard to put into words.

“We have arrived.”

While I was still tense, we had already arrived at the Imperial Palace.

As I got out of the carriage, I noticed knights lined up along the path leading into the palace.

And the person standing at the very front was…

“Prime Minister?”

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”

The second-in-command of the Gelebrio Empire, which would soon become my homeland.

Prime Minister Bergen Steiler had been waiting for me.

“How did you know to wait for me?”

“I’m the one who sent the carriage, so it wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t know.”

Come to think of it, the emblem painted on the carriage was the symbol of the Steiler family.

It would have been strange if the Prime Minister didn’t know.

“It seems the ceremony is about to begin, so let’s go inside. Would the Inquisitor like to join us as well?”

Seemingly uncomfortable with standing at the palace entrance for too long, the Prime Minister invited Eterna and me to enter the palace.

“Understood.”

“Though I am inadequate, I am tasked with Lord Pathos’s protection, so I shall accompany him.”

Eterna bowed respectfully, accepting the Prime Minister’s invitation, and thus we were able to enter the palace.

Since I had visited once before, the Imperial Palace wasn’t unfamiliar to me, but Eterna also didn’t show any signs of surprise at seeing the palace.

“Have you been to the Imperial Palace before?”

“Yes. As the Chief Inquisitor, I need to visit the palace at least twice a year to recharge the magical energy in the Inquisitor’s identification. Besides that, I frequently visit the palace for various matters, so I’m more familiar with it than most people.”

From Eterna’s words, it seemed she had visited the palace more often than I had.

“Here we are. This is the Grand Ballroom, the largest space in the Imperial Palace. Today, your title will be conferred here.”

While I was conversing with Eterna, we had arrived at the Imperial Palace’s Grand Ballroom.

Two massive golden doors, with two knights standing beside them.

“It seems the banquet has started with His Majesty’s speech. But the protagonist always makes the latest entrance.”

Seeing that the doors were closed, the Prime Minister mentioned that the banquet had already begun.

“Is it alright to arrive later than His Majesty?”

I was concerned that I might be late since the banquet had started with His Majesty’s speech.

“Don’t worry. His Majesty specifically instructed to let you in later to highlight your entrance.”

But it seemed my concern was unfounded.

The Prime Minister patted my shoulder reassuringly and approached the knights standing by the doors.

“I am Bergen Steiler, Prime Minister of the Gelebrio Empire. Please announce that I am accompanied by ‘Demon Sword Destroyer’ Pathos and Chief Inquisitor Eterna of the Sun Order.”

“Understood. The head of the Steiler family and Prime Minister of the Gelebrio Empire, Bergen Steiler, is entering!”

“Following him are ‘Demon Sword Destroyer’ Pathos and Chief Inquisitor Eterna of the Sun Order!”

The knights announced our entrance and opened the massive golden doors.

As the enormous doors slowly opened to both sides, the sight of the Imperial Grand Ballroom began to come into view.

Numerous nobles dressed in splendid gowns and tailcoats.

And seated in the highest position were His Majesty the Emperor, the Empress, the Imperial Consort, the Imperial Princess, and someone presumed to be the Imperial Prince.

Everyone’s gaze was directed at us.

“Your Majesty. I, Bergen Steiler, have brought ‘Demon Sword Destroyer’ Pathos as per Your Majesty’s command.”

The Prime Minister stepped forward a couple of paces, bowed his head, and announced my arrival at the banquet hall.

Then, people’s gazes began to focus on me.

“Welcome, Prime Minister. Demon Sword Destroyer. Come forward to me.”

His Majesty the Emperor stood up and beckoned me to come forward.

Following His Majesty’s words, I stepped forward and stood in the center of the Grand Ballroom.

Then, according to the etiquette of the Gelebrio Empire, I knelt on one knee, bowed my head, and showed the utmost respect.

I heard the footsteps of the figure presumed to be His Majesty approaching me.

“Demon Sword Destroyer Pathos, raise your head.”

I raised my head as His Majesty commanded.

“Bring forth the Imperial Sword.”

His Majesty called for the Imperial Sword, and a figure who appeared to be the head chamberlain presented an ornately decorated sword to His Majesty’s hand.

His Majesty extended his hand and drew the sword, revealing a ceremonial blade with a blunt edge.

“Demon Sword Destroyer Pathos. You have achieved a great feat by fully utilizing the ability bestowed upon you by the Great Goddess to destroy the evil demon sword.”

What His Majesty was referring to was the incident in the basement of the Imperial Palace.

While I was already familiar with the details, the nobles gathered here seemed less informed, as they focused intently on His Majesty’s words with gleaming eyes.

“For your great achievement of destroying the evil demon sword that threatened not only the Empire but the peace of this world, I shall bestow upon you the title of Count.”

His Majesty approached me and placed the sword on both of my shoulders.

“I, Decatro IV, hereby declare in this place that I confer the rank of Count upon ‘Demon Sword Destroyer’ Pathos for his great achievement, and simultaneously bestow upon him the surname ‘Severio’.”

As His Majesty finished speaking, the Prime Minister approached with a jewel box.

“Count Pathos Severio, rise from your position.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

His Majesty called me by my new name and title, commanding me to rise.

As I stood up, the Prime Minister opened the jewel box, and His Majesty took something out of it.

“This is a ring symbolizing your status as a Count of this Empire. While wearing this ring, no one will dare disrespect you.”

With that, His Majesty placed the ring on my right index finger.

As the ring was placed on my right index finger, the people around began to applaud in unison.

“Count Pathos Severio. I look forward to your service.”

His Majesty spoke while smoothly brushing back his hair.

“I am at your service, Your Majesty.”

I realized that this was His Majesty’s way of showing that his baldness had been completely cured.

His Majesty and I looked at each other with smiles.

“Now! Let the true banquet begin!”

And finally, the Foundation Festival’s grand banquet commenced.