Chapter 142 : Chapter 142
Chapter 142
“Give me a Caramel Macchiato.”
“Oh, yes! I’ll do my best!”
Turning my head at the arrival of another, I saw Elisha. Dressed in a red dress, she was a hot topic, drawing every gaze as she passed.
She took a sip of her Caramel Macchiato, then tilted her head.
“…Is this right?”
“Yes, it’s correct, but… is something wrong?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Elisha, looking somewhat dissatisfied, scanned for a place to sit and soon spotted me, approaching with a face that clearly had something to say. But then, noticing what I held, she spoke.
“Cadet Martin.”
“Lord.”
“…Lord Martin.”
“Speak.”
“What’s that? Is it good?”
That didn’t seem like her original question.
“No. It’s not to my taste.”
A polite way of saying the barista’s skill was lacking.
Elisha took another sip of her Caramel Macchiato, cleared her throat with a fist to her mouth as if making a point, and spoke up.
“Hey, Lord Martin.”
“Yes.”
“Want to dance with me?”
“…?”
Didn’t she just dance with Bord earlier?
Glancing over, I saw Bord dancing with an unfamiliar middle-aged woman. Even without using Know-It-All, I could tell it was his mother.
“Out of the blue?”
“Well, you’ve helped me a lot, I have things to say, and there’s something I want to apologize for…”
Dancing? I’d pass. I’d just been through a rough experience.
More importantly, what would people say if I danced with Elisha? A Martin, synonymous with ‘rude and arrogant’ among nobles, dancing with the legitimate daughter of a ducal family?
Ridiculous.
“No.”
Perhaps unprepared for rejection, or maybe just embarrassed, Elisha puffed out her cheeks and countered.
“…A gentleman doesn’t refuse a lady’s invitation!”
“I’m more of a villain than a gentleman. I hope you find a gentleman. There seem to be plenty, so it shouldn’t be hard.”
Even now, dozens of eyes were watching us. Among them was Elisha’s grandfather, Patriarch of Harmadun, Wilhelm…
“Hmph! You’ll regret passing up such a great opportunity!”
“Dancing was enough in the underground ruins during the shootout.”
That was about the time we faced Nelson, who had given himself to a demon, at the place where we obtained the Desert Hierophant. Elisha overcame her trauma then.
“Ugh!”
It was undeniable that my sacrifice played a huge part in that.
“If you don’t want to, fine!”
Elisha spun around and stormed off somewhere.
Just then, ding—someone lightly tapped a glass, drawing attention. Turning, I saw the Emperor’s spokesperson, the Imperial Head Butler.
“We will now begin the award ceremony.”
The ceremony started, and a solemn atmosphere settled over the grand banquet hall.
Our Fog Island conquest team of twelve returned to the Emperor’s round table and took our seats. The world’s dignitaries paused their enjoyment, looking up at the Fog Island conquest heroes with reverence.
“First, we will present a plaque and medal to Lord Gilbert, a cadet of the Academy. Cadet, step forward.”
At the Imperial Head Butler’s call, Gilbert rose and descended the platform. His gallant and confident demeanor made the hearts of many young ladies flutter.
The Imperial Head Butler stood beside Gilbert.
“…Lord Gilbert, together with his comrades, vanquished the venomous demon, making a tremendous contribution to the liberation of Fog Island. Is there anyone who wishes to present the plaque and medal to this cadet?”
Behind the butler, two attendants held a plaque and a medal.
“Please raise your hand quietly.”
As if reaching for the sun, hands rose from various corners. The Imperial Head Butler identified the most powerful among them at a glance.
“We humbly request Chairman Haijin of the Southern Sea Peace Conference.”
The Southern Sea Peace Conference is an international organization overseeing the entire southern ocean of the continent. Once a rival to the Elidore Marquisate, it was also the group most delighted by the Fog Island conquest due to its leadership in global trade.
Chairman Haijin, with a smiling face, stepped forward, took the plaque, and handed it to Gilbert. The Imperial Head Butler explained.
“This plaque, crafted exclusively for the twelve heroes of the Fog Island Time Chaos conquest, is inscribed with dozens of privileges its owner may enjoy.”
Next, Chairman Haijin pinned the medal on Gilbert’s cadet uniform, depicting the frontal profile of a helmeted human.
“This is the Humanity Alliance Valor Medal. Its bearer will receive various benefits across the continent and be granted a solo dive license for Time Chaos Dungeons at any time.”
Chairman Haijin spoke to Gilbert.
“Thank you for fulfilling the long-cherished wish of the Southern Sea Peace Conference.”
“I only did what needed to be done. Thank you for the honor.”
The hero awarded the Humanity Alliance Valor Medal earns the privilege of being greeted first, even by nobles.
“Please give a big round of applause to congratulate Lord Gilbert.”
Amid applause and cheers, Gilbert returned to his seat.
Next, Lina stepped forward and received the same plaque and medal. The order seemed to mirror our passage through the Emperor’s Gate. Then came Anette. That meant I was next.
“Next, we will present a plaque and medal to Lord Martin von Targon Ulvhadin, a cadet of the Academy and the Black Knight of the Princess.”
I rose from the round table and slowly descended the platform. The spotlight focused on me. As I walked down, no one in the hall spoke.
“Those who wish to present, please raise your hand.”
And no one… truly, no one raised their hand.
‘Well, I expected this.’
Publicly, my master, Adela, was also a recipient of this ceremony. Even the relatively friendly Marquis Arnold would be presenting to Luri, so he couldn’t step up for me.
As if waiting for it, the hall began to stir.
“No presenters?”
“Hah! It’s that trash, Martin.”
“Black Knight… the Madwoman’s Knight, that doesn’t change.”
I smirked.
‘Interesting. What happens if there’s no presenter?’
Would I care about the attention of those who hate me? Hardly. This was amusing. Let’s see how entertaining their antics could be.
“Excuse me.”
Was it time for our circus troupe’s ringmaster to appear?
An old man with gray hair and a monocle stepped forward. The surrounding nobles bowed in respect. His name, his status—he was one of the greatest nobles.
“Frohadin von Eti Deminiyan will speak.”
Mary and Shuga’s grandfather. Patriarch of the Deminiyan Family.
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) senses something ominous. It is certain that Duke Frohadin did not step forward with good intentions.
“Proceed.”
With the Imperial Head Butler’s permission, he addressed the entire hall.
“Martin von Targon Ulvhadin. There’s no need to speak further of his infamy.”
Duke Frohadin’s incitement was skillful.
“Though he bears the title of the Princess’s Black Knight, strip away the veil, and it’s merely deception, sneaking into the Imperial Family with a hidden identity.”
It was persuasive.
“The fact that not a single person desires to honor him is proof.”
As if he’d rehearsed it countless times.
“Of course, it’s true he rode on the coattails of the young heroes who achieved great deeds, but what he did remains unclear. No one knows where he was or what he did.”
True. While the others gathered to defeat the venomous demon, I was alone tending to the World Tree. I never spoke of it, so no one would know.
“With infamy unfit for honor and unclear contributions to the deed…”
Frohadin drove the point home.
“If there’s no presenter, isn’t it only right not to award him?”
After his speech, a brief silence fell over the hall.
“Exactly!”
It began with someone’s shout.
“Stop Martin’s award ceremony!”
“That guy assaulted my son!”
“He’s ruined dozens of lives!”
“That little demon!”
“He doesn’t deserve honor!”
Frohadin turned to me with a smug grin.
This was a plot possible only amidst the succession struggle. As the Black Knight of the Princess, I was entangled in the extension of that struggle. By Imperial tradition, the Emperor couldn’t easily intervene.
‘As expected of one of the Four Great Dukes.’
The level of political maneuvering was high.
“Drag Martin out!”
“He’s not honorable!”
“What Black Knight!”
The incitement reached its peak. Turning back, I saw the Emperor’s face darken, and the others at the round table looked confused. Especially Elisha, Bord, and Mary, who knew Duke Frohadin, seemed deeply shaken.
‘Tch.’
Frohadin wore a victorious expression, and the crowd was swept up in the incitement. I could also see Duke Wilhelm smirking at me from the back.
“I will.”
That was when it happened.
“I will present.”
The uproar ceased instantly, as if an unscripted line had been thrown out.
“Make way.”
The crowd parted, and a man emerged.
“Oh…”
Even I was stunned by his identity.
He strode forward, unyielding under countless gazes, his neck and back stiff with dignity.
The Imperial Head Butler asked,
“You, sir?”
“Yes.”
He turned to Frohadin.
“No problem, I assume, Your Grace?”
“…”
Frohadin’s eyes twitched.
“You… weren’t you disowned?”
“I’m still on the family register.”
With a short reply, he brushed past Frohadin, a high noble.
“…Count, I wasn’t finished.”
“I know.”
“How dare…!”
At the word “dare,” he growled.
“No one… can stand above me in front of my son.”
Frohadin’s face contorted.
“Hah! Calling a stray hunting dog your son? How noble!”
“…”
William, heading toward Martin, stopped dead in his tracks. Turning back, he glared at Frohadin.
“…”
“…”
An aura rose from both Frohadin and William.
“What, you think staring will do anything, Count?”
Frohadin’s aura, as a Platinum Knight, was as grand as a massive elephant, but William, a Gold Knight, was no less formidable.
“Your words just now weren’t something to say lightly.”
Though his mana was lesser, it was like a ferocious hunting dog ready to tear out an elephant’s throat—savage and arrogant.
“…”
“…”
Everyone in the hall knew how much disrespect they were showing each other, but no one dared intervene.
One was Frohadin, of the Four Great Dukes. The other, William, Count of Ulvhadin, feared by frontier tribes.
“You haven’t shown your face in central politics for a while, and now you’ve lost your nerve, Count! Have you forgotten who I am?”
The elephant flaunted its massive size, threatening the hunting dog.
“How could I not know, Platinum Knight, Duke of Raincloud?”
The giant hunting dog leaped.
“A man with two wives, who killed one of them, isn’t that right?”
It tore into the elephant’s throat. The illusion of flesh being ripped and blood spraying was vivid.
Mary and Shuga’s faces turned pale.
The crowd in the banquet hall held their breath.
Frohadin, the political giant elephant, was livid.
“You, you…!”
His face flushed red and blue, as if about to explode with rage.
“Shut up, you lowly hunting dog!”
As Frohadin reached out, a staff appeared in his hand.
“You’re quick to anger.”
Not to be outdone, William had already drawn a hunting rifle.
Though their weapons didn’t clash, their auras collided, fiercely vying for dominance.
“Kyaa!”
“R-Run!”
“It’s a battle between the Duke of Raincloud and the Hunting Dog Count!”
As the banquet hall’s guests screamed and retreated, knights and soldiers moved frantically. Just as the staff and rifle aimed at each other—
“Enough!”
A sun rose.