Chapter 62: Rewards

His gaze swept across the room first. The young man noticed that this structure, originally designed for observing the enemy and launching attacks, had been renovated into an exquisite detached residence. The arched windows surrounding the tower had also been expanded into spacious balconies. Through those ornate window frames, one could see the endless plains, the forested wilderness, the vast sky and earth—it was all refreshing to behold. Looking downward, the entire view of Hayton was laid out before him. The streets and alleys of the city, which still retained their traditional ancient charm, seemed to lie right beneath his feet.

It seemed… to carry a kind of arrogance that looked down upon everything… the arrogance of a monarch.

Unlike the luxurious and extravagant style of the castle below, the furnishings of this private study occupying the top floor were surprisingly simple. Aside from rows of books and scrolls on the shelves lining the four walls, the remaining furniture was only a comfortable high-backed chair and a massive desk at the room’s center. A dark green carpet embroidered with light green patterns lay in the very middle of the floor. Beyond that, there were no unnecessary decorations.

“Constantine di Friedrich Connarivis, son of George di Friedrich Connarivis, pays his respects to Your Majesty the Emperor. May divine blessings forever accompany you.”

Constantine stopped ten feet before the emperor, went down on one knee, and saluted the Supreme One. However, being a modern person at heart, he clearly did not like nor wish to use this kind of etiquette. So, even though his body knelt, his gaze stubbornly lifted from beneath his lowered eyelids and swept toward the person behind the beechwood desk. At that moment, the king of the most powerful nation on the Western Continent was raising his head from being buried in a document, maintaining a proper posture.

He was full of imposing presence.

This emperor was also over fifty years old. Although the maximum lifespan of people in this world might be longer than in Constantine’s original plane, according to general principles, people of this age should still begin to show signs of aging, just like that Chancellor… But clearly, the emperor was well-preserved. He had sunshine-golden hair, and his amiable face showed not a single wrinkle. His bright blue eyes, though not smiling, were not the legendary coldness unique to emperors either. They were gentle and reserved. Only the curve of his mouth displayed his majesty.

But in fact, this Supreme One did not give Constantine a stronger impression than Chancellor Golden Marmot. Although perhaps his refined face could still be considered charming, which surprised the youth a little, that was all there was to it. Between men, if there were no special preferences in orientation, then handsomeness wasn’t all that important. Or rather, handsome fellows easily attracted certain resentful feelings?

“Hmph!”

A slight, dissatisfied snort suddenly came from behind the emperor, from within the shadow of the high-backed chair. So Constantine’s gaze, which had lingered on the Supreme One for only a moment, was abruptly pulled over by this new line of sight!

At the end of that line of sight, a mass of dark red flame was burning—a tall figure stood silently within that shadow. A dark red hooded robe moved without wind. Although his body was shrouded within that voluminous red robe, it remained upright. The long hood hung loosely over his head. The face beneath the shadow wasn’t clear, but it seemed to possess a fearsome aura. Even with Constantine’s special eyesight, he couldn’t pierce through that darkness covering the other’s face. He could only barely make out those strange eyes.

As his gaze crossed with the youth’s, those purple eyes shot out unusual sparks, seemingly perpetually shrouded in raging passion.

In reality, the other’s gaze also only lingered on him for a moment… But Constantine could feel that gaze sweep over every inch of his body. And the next moment, a strange, scorching heat arose with that gaze, spreading across his body, then… heating up to an intolerable degree! That burning sensation, as if by fire, almost made Constantine have the impulse to jump up! But all the muscles in his body seemed disobedient, completely unable to move.

The youth opened his mouth, as if about to be unable to suppress a wild scream. But before this thought could become reality, everything returned to normal. That bizarre feeling vanished without a trace like an illusion. To outsiders, Constantine had merely trembled slightly under the Supreme One’s gaze.

Constantine deeply bowed his head again, adjusting his rapid breathing. He knew this feeling wasn’t the pressure from a person, but some supernatural effect—for safety’s sake, the Soul Amulet of the Lich had been left by Constantine at the Duke’s Mansion. But because of that, Constantine also had no way to ask what that bizarre feeling was. He could only infer from common sense that it was an effect caused by magic. As for whether it was merely some simple resonance or a profound probing, that wasn’t something this sorcerer who had just stepped over the apprentice threshold could know.

He didn’t know what identity this red-robed figure held, but clearly, he must be an unfathomable spellcaster. Moreover, perhaps his ability was at least equal to, or even surpassed, that of the master of the Mage Tower, Archmage Nikolai!

Was it tens of seconds, or as long as tens of minutes? Just as Constantine was starting to feel unable to hold on, a gentle voice suddenly spoke: “Constantine of the Connellyvis Family, you may rise.”

The moment this voice sounded, the youth felt as if a large stone had suddenly been lifted from his heart. That invisible pressure dissipated like smoke. His breathing also became much smoother. He hurriedly stood up straight, but still kept his head bowed respectfully.

“Lift your head… No need to be so formal. This is not the council chamber.” His Majesty the Emperor waved his pale hand.

Unlike his gentle voice, his gaze carried an icy coldness and aggressiveness not typical of ordinary people. After lingering on Constantine’s face for a moment, this Supreme One spoke faintly: “I heard you recently encountered some trouble? Has the matter been completely resolved?”

“Here it comes…” Constantine’s eyebrow twitched. Although the vampire incident was also one of the reasons leading to this postponed meeting, it clearly wasn’t suitable as an opening topic. This emperor clearly didn’t have the mood to banter with him… The youth imperceptibly took a deep breath, carefully keeping any fluctuations out of his voice, then answered according to the prepared response:

“They were merely the schemes of some creatures who cannot be exposed to sunlight, attempting to assassinate my father. Fortunately, with the protection of the Three Gods and Your Majesty’s might, our family turned danger into safety. It’s just that the handling wasn’t entirely satisfactory, leading to groundless rumors spreading, causing adverse effects on Hayton’s populace and stirring up quite a mess. I am truly ashamed beyond words.”

“Is that so? In the parts I heard, it was due to your outstanding performance that those filthy existences were repelled…”

This speech obviously pleased His Majesty the Emperor quite a bit. He offered a small praise: “For a child your age, to be neither arrogant nor impatient is rare… But remember, steadiness is something needed by people my age… If one is too steady, one loses some courage. Young people should embrace dreams, go out and adventure, make mistakes. Otherwise, with the world’s difficulties, relying on steadiness alone won’t accomplish anything.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Thank you for your advice. I will strive!”

“Your luck is quite good…” This Supreme One’s tone suddenly shifted. With a motion familiar to Constantine, his gaze wandered over him once more, then he gave a somewhat dissatisfied grunt: “Miya is the most beautiful flower of our royal family. We worked hard to nurture her growth, but in the end, we have to deliver her into your hands…”

“Thank you for your concern! Respected Emperor! I am even more grateful for the honor you have bestowed upon me. No one is more merciful than you.” This time, Constantine’s reply came extremely fast… How was one supposed to answer such words? Whether in his past life or this one, Constantine had no similar experience.

As for the emperor’s complaint, the youth chose to ignore it—this kind of matchmaking talk wasn’t very credible. In the plane he was familiar with, which marriage ad in the newspaper wasn’t described most splendidly? Things like ‘healthy and good-looking, has a house and car’—then upon meeting, ‘healthy’ turned out to mean short, ‘good-looking’ meant dark-skinned, the house was shared with others, and as for the car, having an electric scooter was considered doing right by the audience; otherwise, having a mule pulling two tires could count. Moreover, the speaker was her grandfather—the emotional bias was maxed out… If this princess was praised so extravagantly in your words, just don’t give me an opportunity to play Ultraman when we finally meet, and I’ll be saying ‘Amitabha Buddha’!

Grumbling aside, Constantine still squeezed out an overjoyed expression on his face. He understood in his heart that political marriage alliances weren’t like a vegetable market where you could pick and choose as you pleased.

What he should pay more attention to now was the emperor’s form of address for him and himself—in these few sentences, this Supreme One of Phoenix used ‘you’ and ‘I,’ seemingly having long since tossed aside his title as the legitimate eldest son of Duke Connalyvis, treating him instead like a junior on the level of his own grandson.

The gaze of Godfrey Gordon Ralphe VII receded somewhat. He felt this child didn’t match the information the intelligence officers had sent from the distant Western Frontier. Although he did appear somewhat dull-witted, right now he wore that palm-sized metal plaque on his chest. That dragon-shaped ornament proudly displayed its wings, as well as its owner’s identity as a sorcerer. And according to recent news, this little fellow had even obtained permission to freely enter the laboratories of the two archmages in the Mage Tower. This wasn’t an honor the idiot child from the rumors could attain.

And that flying magical artifact… The emperor felt a slight contempt in his heart. Although those mages maintained their usual tight-lipped attitude about it, their secrecy didn’t affect his intelligence network at all. The role this little brat played in it was also the main reason for summoning him today. Some said fools and geniuses were often separated by only a thin line… So was this little fellow before him perhaps that kind of genius?

Regarding these answers, the emperor was quite satisfied. Of course, according to plan, Constantine would and must say this, allowing the subsequent conversation to proceed.

“It is good that you are so aware… Then, in recognition of your outstanding performance in exterminating the undead and defending the imperial capital’s safety previously, I, in the name of the Emperor of Phoenix, confer upon you…” This emperor slowly rose from his seat and walked to the side of the youth who kept his head bowed. The latter trembled slightly when he heard the words ‘confer upon,’ then promptly went down on one knee.

So the emperor nodded satisfactorily: “Constantine di Friedrich Connarivis… as an Imperial Second-Class Viscount.”

Constantine quietly bowed his head to receive the conferment… The youth clearly knew all that talk about performance and such was just a high-sounding statement. Even if he had no performance at all, before marrying his daughter to him, Ralphe VII would fabricate some reason to give him a title… No matter how humble a princess’s husband was, he needed a fitting title… But just as he prepared to perform the salutation to conclude this routine ceremony, the words that followed from the king left him baffled and shocked: “Additionally, in recognition of your merit in protecting a member of the royal family during a certain previous disturbance, you are promoted one rank to First-Class Viscount. As for your territory, it is temporarily set in Wyka, within the Province of Tour…”

“Your Majesty, isn’t this somewhat premature? Lord Constantine is indeed… a talented young man, but he hasn’t even undergone his coming-of-age ceremony. Granting him the authority of a First-Class Viscount and granting him a territory is too hasty. Moreover, Wyka borders the Western Frontier, where conditions are harsh. Does Lord Constantine possess the experience…”

While Constantine was still in shock, someone had already reacted… The Chancellor, who hadn’t had a chance to speak until now, interrupted His Majesty’s conferment at this point. The old man took two trembling steps forward, bending at the waist as he spoke in a shaky voice. His originally amiable face was somewhat distorted by shock.

Compared to Constantine, who didn’t know the inside story and was only shocked by the title, the Chancellor thought of more… For a newly conferred noble, whether the Second-Class Viscount title was too high or whether the recipient wasn’t yet of age were merely minor matters. But the Province of Tour bordered right next to the Province of Tulad, right beside Griffin territory—this decision was tantamount to indirectly increasing the Connellyvis Family’s fief! And what was up with that reason so ambiguous it was extreme? Rescuing a royal family member? The Chancellor stole a glance at His Majesty’s displeased face, wondering in his heart if his master had poured too much of his essence into some lover last night, damaging his brains in the process.

“Mind your decorum, Marquis.” The emperor’s voice lowered slightly, giving his words a somewhat cold tone: “If you believe this title is not fitting, then my Chancellor, I could consider letting you decide…”

The Chancellor trembled slightly. The emperor’s statement somewhat exceeded the considerations of his wrinkled brain. But he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, unable to voice any further opposition—deciding noble titles was a right only the emperor could exercise. Not even the Noble Senate could interfere with this right. If His Majesty insisted, he simply couldn’t refuse.

“However, what you said does have some merit. Of course, this problem isn’t significant… We just need to have him complete his coming-of-age ceremony. Coupled with a suitable assistant, a small place like Wyka shouldn’t be a problem. This matter will be handed to you to handle, Lord Merry… Issue the decree as soon as possible.” The Duke’s subtle persuasion had no effect whatsoever. The emperor seemed determined to carry his foolishness to the end at this point. He waved his hand, pushing the matter to an irreversible level: “Alright! This matter is decided!”

The old Marquis was choked by this overly decisive decision, letting out a heavy gasp. But the hint of coldness in the emperor’s gaze as he looked at him prevented him from raising any further questions.

“Oh, there’s one more thing… Constantine, well, you are now Viscount Constantine.” His Majesty’s attention seemed to have shifted back to the documents on his desk. His quill danced, signing a beautiful signature on a crisp piece of parchment, then he swept a satisfied glance over it and stamped his seal upon it.

After a pause, he seemed to recall another trivial matter and lifted his head: “The Magic Tower reported that Lord Constantine seems to have achieved something recently, regarding the legendary airship?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Some insignificant achievements. A few of my ideas gave Mage Christine’s project some inspiration.” The youth who had just become a proper noble in name blinked, answering carefully.

He felt something wasn’t quite right. Although he had never met Rafael VII, judging from previous fragmentary rumors and his understanding of emperors from another plane’s history, this old fellow wasn’t someone who acted on whims. And clearly, this decision was definitely not a simple spur-of-the-moment thing.

“Mmm… Very good. It seems every member of the Connellyvis Family has a special obsession with flight… This is good. I appoint you as the overall director of the Imperial Airship Project. Within one month, I wish to see a complete, finished airship.”

The emperor’s voice cooled down. The slight excitement brought by the earlier conferment seemed to have dissipated by now. He rolled up the parchment in his hand, handed it to the attendant standing by his side, who passed it to Constantine.

“But Your Majesty, the main construction part of the airship wasn’t completed by me. It hasn’t succeeded yet. The first flight test has already failed…”

The youth was stupefied. The surprise in his heart even made him forget to receive the parchment that should represent his new identity—had this Emperor of Phoenix gone mad today, or was he always like this? These two successive orders, both difficult and inexplicable—were they targeting him, or something else?

“According to my knowledge, yesterday’s flight was already a successful test flight. If it’s a funding issue, then don’t worry…” The emperor’s voice was flat, but the meaning it carried made Constantine’s heartbeat involuntarily speed up: “I will notify the Minister of Finance to allocate two hundred thousand gold coins to you from the internal affairs subsidy… Also, I will inform Archmage Nikolai, asking him to dispatch mages to assist you.”

“What you need to consider is giving me a satisfactory answer within one month…”