The knights lined up on both sides drew their swords in unison, before pulling the hilts to their chests. The white blades pointed straight up in front of their forehead. It was the highest form of sword salute that a knight could offer.
Then I could hear the sound of silk clothes brushing against the floor. It was also proof that the surroundings had become quieter.
The herald who announced the emperor's arrival with a booming voice and the knights who had drawn their swords remained motionless, as if they were puppets. Naturally, those of us who were kneeling didn't raise our heads either.
A few moments later, we felt the subtle presence of someone sitting on the throne.
The sound of the knights sheathing their swords followed.
Then I felt a piercing gaze on my back and the back of my head. In any case, I was in the middle of the three people. This meant I was forced to speak as the representative.
"I humbly greet Your Majesty."
My greeting was a bit lacking in honorifics, but I maintained the minimum etiquette. In the first place, I didn't know much about court etiquette. This was the best I could do.
Hector would've done a better job. If he had been here, he would've said something with the exact same meaning as my greeting but three times longer and more formal.
Annoyance suddenly flared up inside me. At the same time, there was a fresh surge of anger toward Morbius. Maybe I should've dealt one more blow back then, even if Lena had barged in.
"Raise your head."
A voice cut off my silly thoughts. It was a voice that seemed to whisper in my ear, but it was strong. It was like lava, still yet explosive.
I slowly raised my head and became overwhelmed. This was my first time seeing the emperor's face. I had certainly heard rumors about the current emperor, who was known as the Lotus Jade Emperor. He was a ruler famous for being good and wise.
I had heard he was a typical example of a person with a weak body but a strong spirit.
The jewels and ornaments hanging all over his body, and the silk robe embroidered with gold thread didn't look excessive at all. Even I, who usually disliked luxury, couldn't help feeling this way.
He was draped in several layers of loose red robes and lounged casually on the throne. His beauty seemed to be carved from jade, and he had red hair that symbolized the imperial family.
The color stood out vividly due to his pale white skin, which was so white that the veins could almost be seen.
I had already seen members of the imperial family. It was two of them. Perist was a strange person who dyed her hair black. In the end, the only one I could compare him to was Glenn, the boy who hid his dark red hair. Now that the prince didn't hesitate to reveal himself, he exuded a unique presence. Yet even his impressive aura would pale in comparison if he stood in this room.
"Congratulations should come first," the Lotus Jade Emperor said in a gentle tone. "Badniker, Goodspring, and Rubieta. Your deeds in the present day are no less than the great achievements of the ancestors who once defended the empire. I sincerely commend your actions in protecting the academy, and the capital itself, from those wicked evil forces. I am very grateful."
The Lotus Jade Emperor smiled slightly. "One of the imperial virtues that I learned from the late emperor when I was young is the principle of reward and punishment. Do the young people who saved the empire have any requests of me?"
He is coming out like this?
I was a bit confused. Of course, we couldn't just list out our wishes in front of the emperor.
He wouldn't have called us here just to speak empty words, right?
I felt a bit uneasy. My original purpose hadn't been to gain unexpected benefits, but I was human and was naturally curious about what the emperor would reward me. I had even looked forward to it.
Of course, I couldn't reveal these thoughts. No matter how shameless I was, I knew better than to let it show.
I reluctantly sighed inwardly before speaking. "Your praise is too much. I merely fulfill my duties as a noble of the empire, so I ask for your understanding."
The Lotus Jade Emperor's eyes curved in a smile. I could feel the people on either side of me looking at me in surprise. It was proof that I was showing an inappropriate attitude right now.
The Lotus Jade Emperor gently clapped his hands. "You have humility at this age. Behold, the pillars of the empire. The future of the empire is so bright."
The ministers standing one level lower than the throne responded with applause. It was like watching Peking opera.
Once the applause became quieter, the Lotus Jade Emperor spoke again. "However, I can't do that. Without you, the situation would've unfolded according to the wishes of that disgusting church. The empire's greatest and largest educational institution would have become a terrible place to train the enemy."
What was this person's true meaning?
It was difficult to guess the intentions of the Lotus Jade Emperor because I couldn't read his energy or mood. Apart from that, I had to accept that I was being overwhelmed to some extent by his presence.
This was a strange experience for me. It was the first time I realized that a highly incompetent person in martial arts could exert such a presence. This was truly the vessel of a ruler.
The eyes of the Lotus Jade Emperor moved. "Charles Rubieta."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I know that the Rubietas have been troubled by the fishing rights of the Hablu estate. There will be good news soon."
"Ah! I am deeply honored, Your Majesty!"
A look of confusion flashed across Charles' face. There was also some joy. Hablu was a city that I had heard of before. It was a famous port city, but the nearby sea overlapped with the territorial waters of a nearby city. Therefore, there was a serious dispute over fishing rights. This was probably a conflict that lasted for generations, but as expected of the emperor, he guaranteed to resolve this conflict with just one sentence.
Apart from that... I felt a bit uncomfortable with the emperor's words and attitude.
This feeling became stronger in the next moment.
"Seren Goodspring."
"Y-yes!"
"Along with Barter Goodspring and Butterfly Goodspring, you have all shown remarkable feats in this incident. In particular, you stood out. Lord Hatem will be pleased."
"Y-you're overpraising me."
"Hmm. I also know Lord Hatem's wish." The Lotus Jade Emperor smiled and continued, "Tell this to Lord Hatem. I will leave the position of Great Master of the imperial family vacant."
These short sentences caused ripples.
I couldn't help looking at the Lotus Jade Emperor with surprised eyes. The Grand Master of the imperial family was literally a person who could teach the imperial family—in other words, a teacher. This was the highest honor that a master in one field could achieve. It was an opportunity that only came once in a lifetime for a noble.
Naturally, the position of the imperial family's teacher also held immense political significance. In essence, it meant that most political enemies would disappear.
The Goodsprings didn't have many political opponents, but what would the Badnikers, one of the few political opponents, think about this?
The Lotus Jade Emperor continued with a smile, "There is a saying that a child is the most transparent student. This is because they naturally encounter their parents' teachings in their daily lives and absorb them without any distortion. In this case, the performances of the three Goodsprings show a glimpse of Lord Hatem's usual character. He is worthy of becoming the Grand Master."
"I-I am deeply honored, Your Majesty!"
Seren also bowed. Unlike Charles before her, she didn't seem particularly pleased, but she looked twice as surprised.
Come to think of it, Barter could've been here. His performance wasn't light either. He was originally the Goodsprings' elder son, so he should be ahead of Seren in terms of justification.
Is it on purpose? What's the reason for calling Seren instead of Barter?
"In addition, Luan Badniker."
"Yes."
Without a second to think, it was finally my turn. I lowered my expectations and waited for the words of the Lotus Jade Emperor. I was now certain of the manner in which he intended to bestow rewards.
The reward is given to the family, not the individual.
In a way, it should be seen as the tactic of a true royal. If stopping the descent of a demon king was to be rewarded on an individual level, the chances were high that the form of that reward would simply be monetary. If the imperial family wanted to bestow a monetary reward without tarnishing their dignity, it would require them to open the national treasury.
It is only good for the Badnikers.
I didn't have a sense of belonging to my family, so it was a bitter situation. Of course, if the Iron-Blooded Lord found out about this, then he would probably prepare an extra reward on his own.
Was it because I became a priest? For some reason, I didn't like being involved with the Iron-Blooded Lord.
"I will give you the middle name Q."
The emperor's words rang in my ears like a thunderbolt.
The air shook. It was a far greater ripple than when the Grand Master was mentioned. It was like the difference between a gentle breeze and a strong wind. If the emperor hadn't been present, cries of shock might've erupted from all sides like a typhoon.
"Y-Your Majesty!" In the end, one of the old ministers spoke up. "Luan Badniker's performance is certainly brilliant, but it is too early for him to be given a middle name!"
"Yes! Even the Iron-Blooded Lord didn't receive it so fast!"
"I beg for Your Majesty's understanding!"
"Stop, stop." The Lotus Jade Emperor waved his hands with an annoyed expression, and the ministers closed their mouths.
He looked at the ministers, who had pleading expressions on their faces, and said, "I'm fully aware of your concerns. Wasn't the Middle Name system established for such a time? Let me ask you one thing. Has there ever been a person who personally prevented the demon king's descent in recent years?"
The smile faded from the Lotus Jade Emperor's face. "There hasn't been anyone among the seasoned elders, let alone this age. Appearance, age, career, race, and status. In my empire, these things shouldn't be a barrier for judgment. Merit should be judged only through merit."
At that moment, a chill ran down my spine. It was the moment when the strange feeling of discomfort turned into conviction.
First of all, I realized one thing. The emperor spoke and congratulated us on our achievements in a fair manner, yet throughout it all, there was one word he never uttered. It was a word used by people outside the imperial palace to praise the protagonists of this incident. It was the most representative pronoun for those who accomplished great feats—hero .
The Lotus Jade Emperor seemed reluctant to use the word itself, and this was probably true. I believed I knew why. It is due to the Hero Society.
The Lotus Jade Emperor was clearly aware of the Hero Society and was keeping them in check. So what he was saying now, at first glance, they were words of praise directed at me, but I knew better.
At that moment, the Royal Knights and Middle Names, as well as Alderson's words that there was movement to fill the vacant seat in the Seven Colors, flashed through my mind. The criteria was based solely on ability.
Is this the nature of the Lotus Jade Emperor? A fanatical obsession and desire for talent.
The moment I realized this, the being in front of me no longer resembled a lotus or a jade figure. He was like a gigantic hand, gripping me tightly and intending to imprison me for a long time, like literal purgatory.
I was still on my knees with my head lowered. However, the gaze of the Lotus Jade Emperor on the top of my head felt scorching.
Won't it be a real disaster if I accept this without resistance?
It was different from the Iron-Blooded Lord or other Middle Names. It was obvious why the emperor was making such an unconventional proposal at this point. It was to completely claim me as his own. If I accepted the emperor's proposal now, my fate would be tied to the imperial family in the future. Instead of going to Spirit Mountain, I would become a member of the imperial family, never able to escape the capital for the rest of my life.
The problem is... how dare I refuse the title that the emperor personally bestowed? I thought so hard that my head seemed to be steaming, but I couldn't think of a clever solution.
"What will you do, Luan Badniker?" The Lotus Jade Emperor smiled. "Of course, you will do as I command, right?"
Shit. What should I do?