Chapter 167: Noah the Viscount
Shock rippled through the noble families like waves across a disturbed pond. Aristocratic houses whose bloodlines stretched back centuries stared in disbelief at the unprecedented honour being bestowed upon a merchant.
"Impossible, I’ve served the crown for forty years and never received such recognition," whispered the Duchess of Westmarch, her voice barely audible in murmurs of the crowd.
Count Alderton’s face had gone pale as he witnessed honour that exceeded anything granted to his family’s generations of loyal service. "No one receives the king’s hand. No one."
But there it was, happening before the eyes of the entire kingdom, their sovereign treating a shopkeeper with the respect typically reserved for foreign royalty or legendary heroes.
Noah, still processing the magnitude of the moment, reached out and clasped the king’s offered hand.
The simple gesture established a relationship of mutual respect that elevated him far beyond his new noble rank.
"Viscount Noah," King Aldric announced to the stunned assembly, his voice carrying pride as he maintained their handshake. "A man whose service to the kingdom has earned not just our gratitude, but our respect."
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, their voices reflecting awe at witnessing history being made. This wasn’t just the creation of a new viscount; it was the establishment of a relationship between the king and a person whose help wouldn’t only save the kingdom, but elevate it to places that they never dreamed of before.
In the designated seating area, other noble families struggled to process what they had witnessed.
The handshake between the king and the new viscount continued for several long moments, each second emphasising the extraordinary nature of the honour being bestowed. When they finally released their grip, the message had been delivered clearly to every witness present.