Chapter 396 - 144: The Royal Reward
Chapter 396: Chapter 144: The Royal Reward
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Prince has returned!"
The news of Prince Noah’s return quickly spread throughout the entire Royal Palace.
Upon receiving the news, the officials in the palace scrambled over each other to be the first to report the good news to Louis III.
At this moment, Louis III was standing on a high tower of the Crystal Palace with a group of the Kingdom’s most powerful figures, looking down at the surroundings.
The entire city’s populace was cheering wildly, so Louis III had naturally heard the commotion outside.
"Mm, I know," Louis III replied indifferently.
"Oscillate, this grandson-in-law of yours is not bad, not bad at all!
As expected of a key minister of the Kingdom!"
With Prince Noah’s crisis over, Louis III had returned to his previous composed and confident demeanor, as if everything was under his control.
Someone had already relayed the specific details of the situation outside to Louis III’s ears.
Robson’s handling of the situation had greatly pleased Louis III.
The political capital Prince Noah gained from this was immense.
It was a pity that once a magical beast signed a contract, it was very difficult to change. Otherwise, Louis III would have been willing to pay a high price to buy Robson’s dragon as well.
The Marquis just smiled. He was all too familiar with Louis III.
"It is his duty to dedicate himself to the Kingdom.
When the Kingdom loves its people, the people will love their Kingdom," Oscillate said.
"Hah! You old fox!
He’s done me such a huge favor, do you think I’d treat him unfairly?"
The king and his subject had known each other for many years. Louis III didn’t spare the Marquis’s feelings in the slightest, directly exposing his underlying thoughts.
In response, the Marquis still answered with a smile.
"Alright, the young people have had enough fun. Have them come back."
...
Robson landed in the square with the Prince and Princess. Before long, Cavalry cleared a path, and Griffin Knights flew overhead.
"The Royal Guard!"
"They must be here to escort the Prince back."
...
The Soldiers immediately came before the three of them.
The three jumped off the dragon’s back and began heading toward the Royal Capital.
"Damn it! Soldier, you should be more courteous to the Franks!"
Robson had to admire it; Prince Noah truly had a talent for this.
Even now, he was still seizing the opportunity to put on a show.
...
After making an appearance before the citizens of the Royal Capital, the three immediately spurred their horses toward the Royal Palace.
They took a special route, so their speed was naturally fast.
Before long, the carriage arrived in front of the Crystal Palace.
At this time, many nobles had gathered at the entrance of the Crystal Palace, ready to welcome the Prince and Princess.
"Look! It’s Prince Noah!"
"Who’s that next to him? Is that Princess Yifulei? So beautiful!"
"A talented man and a beautiful woman. Their reputation is well-deserved."
Prince Noah and Princess Yifulei walked into the Crystal Palace arm in arm, their faces wreathed in smiles.
Only after the two of them had entered the Crystal Palace and all eyes were off the entrance did Robson step out of the carriage.
"What were you doing just now? That dragon couldn’t have been..."
Seeing Robson emerge, Valentino, who had been waiting for quite some time, finally let out a sigh of relief and came over to ask.
"Ha! I went to rescue the great hero of the Kingdom!" Robson laughed.
Valentino took his arm.
"You’re a hero too...
Next time something like this happens, you should discuss it with me."
Robson looked at Valentino in surprise. ’The little lady is getting better and better at this.’
"I think so too," Robson said with a nod.
"Robson! Viscount Robertson!"
Just as the two were having their tender moment, a Knight stepped forward.
"His Majesty summons you both."
"Let’s go. We should head inside too."
...
Inside the Crystal Palace, with the arrival of Prince Noah, the banquet’s atmosphere reached a climax.
Prince Noah, with Princess Yifulei, moved effortlessly among the great nobles, chatting and laughing with ease.
Suddenly, the climactic buzz of the banquet fell silent.
Accompanied by a grand musical piece, Louis III, Oscillate, George, William...
’??? Who are those two trailing behind them?’
A procession of the Kingdom’s most powerful figures appeared in the hall, but at the very end of the line was a young man and woman.
Although no one understood what was happening, with so many powerful figures present, they all observed the proper etiquette and bowed to the procession.
Louis III ascended the high platform at the front, his face beaming as he looked out at the crowd.
"Today, we gather here to jointly witness the engagement ceremony of our Kingdom’s pride, Noah, and Princess Yifulei of the Algeria Kingdom, here in the Frank Kingdom."
The hall was silent as a tomb; everyone listened intently to Louis III’s speech.
The beginning of the speech was perfectly normal, but what Louis III said next was rather unusual.
"But, before that, there is someone I must introduce to you all."
As he spoke, Louis III smiled and looked toward Robson.
"Go on. Be presentable," said Marquis Oscillate.
Robson now understood Louis III’s intentions.
Among the great nobles, Prince Noah’s prestige was already sufficient; his position was basically the popular choice.
However, he still lacked a certain something among the common people.
Now that Robson had helped Prince Noah win the support of the people, Louis III was returning the favor, helping to elevate Robson’s own status in the Kingdom’s political arena.
After all, could someone who stood beside the King, someone the King took the time to introduce, be a minor figure?
Louis III had personally gone out of the city to welcome him before, but at that time, those present were mostly from the southern factions. Today’s banquet had hundreds of guests from all factions!
Thinking this, even a man like Robson couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
This could definitely be called a transformation! Especially for Robson himself.
Before, when Robson moved in the circles of the great nobles, he relied on the Fengman Clan and Marquis Oscillate.
Now, with Louis III’s endorsement, he, Lord Robson, would rely on himself to navigate the political world from now on! Such was the power of a King’s endorsement!
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Robson stepped forward and performed the bow of a subject to his king before Louis III.
"Good, come stand by my side," Louis III said with a smile.
Robson nodded and came to Louis III’s side.
Then, the sound of footsteps was heard as several Soldiers carried in a suit of armor.
The armor was enormous and covered in bloodstains.
As the nobles watched on with curiosity, Louis III spoke.
"Everyone! Our Frank Kingdom has stood for hundreds of years, and countless benevolent and ambitious patriots have shed their hot blood on the front lines!
Today, I will introduce one such person to you all—the rising star general of our Frank Kingdom, Viscount Robertson, who has fought dozens of battles, large and small, without a single defeat!"
"This suit of armor is what Viscount Robertson seized from a Beastman Prince on the front lines.
Viscount Robertson fought valiantly on the front lines, crushing an army of 100,000 Beastmen with just three thousand Armored Warriors!"
Hearing Louis III’s words, the nobles present couldn’t help but gasp.
Some were so stunned they wondered if Louis III had gone senile.
’Three thousand against one hundred thousand? And they routed the Beastmen so badly they fled, leaving their armor behind? Are the Beastmen really that pathetic?’
Fortunately, not everyone was unfamiliar with Robson. Many recalled what had happened on the eastern front earlier and immediately cried out in astonishment.
When the great nobles heard this, their minds reeled. ’Could it actually be true?’
"We Franks have been able to stand as a nation for hundreds of years precisely because we reward merit and punish fault!
Viscount Robertson has rendered outstanding service to my Frank Kingdom. I hereby announce that the royal holdings in Xiaoye Town and Oli Town of Widder County, and in Slavic County the..."
Louis III rattled off a long list of names, as if reading from a menu.
Even Robson himself was dumbfounded as he listened.
With these actions, Louis III had granted Robson a small Viscount’s Domain at the very least!
Moreover, while the places Louis III mentioned weren’t exactly bustling centers, they were definitely a thousand times better than Affleck.
Forget the land itself; the population in those places alone was more than enough to keep Robson well-fed.
’Is he trying to poach me?’ Robson wondered.
It wasn’t impossible. With a package like this, if not for the Fengman Clan, Valentino, and that treasure beyond the pass, Robson didn’t think he could have resisted.
"In addition, in my capacity as King, I ennoble Viscount Robertson as a Kingdom General and reward him with ten thousand Gold Coins."