"Eren Pendragon, please come up on the stage and receive your rightful rewards," Dooth declared solemnly after Professor Lloyd stepped down from the stage where the Emperor's throne was laid.
The atmosphere in the festive palace intensified as the anticipation grew, and Eren felt a mix of pride and nervousness coursing through him. Chants of "Glory to the Pendragons!" and "Sleeping Pendragon!" echoed in unison, a proof to the admiration and respect Eren had garnered through his heroic actions.
As if keeping the best for last, the award ceremony for Eren began at the end after everyone else had been rewarded. It was a strategic move to give due importance to his valor and save the one who had accomplished the most for the final moments. Although it was professor Lloyd who had the most achievements in the terror attack, his accomplishments were actually pushed down to glorify Eren, it was all the plan of the emperor. And even though everyone was aware of that fact, no one spoke up.
Anyway, the surroundings seemed to glow with the aura of gratitude as Eren climbed up the steps of the stage. The royal guards, standing throughout the festive palace, saluted as a mark of respect to the one who had minimized the damage to the royal museum and saved numerous lives that could have been lost.
'I remember my days as a Soldier.'
Eren's heart swelled with a sense of humility and pride. His past life as a soldier had not been commendable, but seeing the royal guards salute him brought back memories of camaraderie and service, evoking a newfound gratitude towards his former soldier colleagues.
With each step, Eren displayed an upright posture, his movements exuding elegance and confidence. The Emperor, seated on the throne, raised his eyes in surprise, witnessing such poise and dignity from a young individual. Even the nobles gasped at his demeanor, impressed by the grace with which he carried himself.
It was a surprise even for Hubert and Sears, who had never taught any etiquette to Eren. For some this may seem weird, as normally all the nobles would undergo proper etiquette classes but the Pendragon family was a little….different.
Nevertheless, envious eyes from the students of the Freljord academy fell upon him. Eren's actions and achievements had placed him in the limelight, earning the respect and recognition of both the royals and the common people.
As he knelt before the Emperor, Eren listened attentively to the gratitude expressed through the messenger. He maintained a wait-and-see attitude, knowing he currently held the upper hand in this exchange. His actions had not only prevented further loss of life but also saved the Emperor's beloved daughter, the princess herself.
"Thank you, Once again."
The Emperor continued to shower praise and appreciation upon Eren, acknowledging the significance of his actions.
"If it wasn't for you, many lives would have been lost"
Eren, however, remained composed, calculating his response carefully.
"I hope your majesty will show me generosity, not only in words," Eren finally spoke, surprising many with his boldness. It was a risky comment, one that could easily offend the Emperor and the nobles, but Eren was confident in his position as the hero who had thwarted the terror attack.
It wouldn't have been a surprise if Eren's head went flying normally. However, Eren was the princess's savior and had become a hero who stopped the terror attack, and this matter was further glorified by the emperor himself since he had spread rumors as such to divert the attention of the citizens towards the 'hero' and divert their thinking about the negligence of royals.
Though some nobles were taken aback by Eren's audacity, they chose to remain silent, aware that his deeds had granted him some leeway in this situation.
"Sir Lucas," the Emperor called out, dismissing Eren's comment for the moment and turning his attention to the prime minister of the great Mauryan.
In this moment of heightened tension, the festive palace held its breath, unsure of what further revelations and surprises the ceremony might bring forth.
The sage of wisdom got up from his seat and gave a meaningful smile to Eren, acknowledging the young hero's valor and courage in the face of a formidable adversary.
"Eren Pendragon, you have shown what it means to be a citizen of the great Mauryan, proudly displaying your courage in front of an adversary much stronger than yourself. Your achievements can't be denied. You will be praised as the Mauryan empire's Hero…"
"Let me continue it myself…."
The Emperor rose from the throne, adding his congratulations to Eren's remarkable feat.
"Hero Eren will be given 5 platinum coins, along with 100,000 gilds and a 100 km radius of land around the Pendragon Barony. In addition, the Pendragon family will be awarded the title of Earl, and your tale will be recorded in the imperial history, keeping you alive to the next generation."
The announcement sent ripples of astonishment throughout the royal hall, as murmurs and whispers spread among the gathered nobles and guests. The magnitude of the reward, the wealth, and the land bestowed upon Eren were unprecedented, catching even the most seasoned nobles by surprise.
Some of the nobles, who were originally the owners of the land granted to the Pendragon family, displayed displeasure at losing their estates. However, they knew there was nothing they could do, as it was the Emperor's judgment itself that decided the redistribution of land.
But what surprised the nobles the most was the fact that the Pendragon family was elevated to the prestigious title of Earl. It was a significant leap from Baron to Earl, bypassing the rank of Viscount, which was traditionally in between.
While the power of the Pendragons was known to surpass even that of the Marquise family, the Emperor's sudden decision to bestow the title of Earl left the nobles in awe.
Yet, there was more to Eren's intentions than just amassing wealth or accumulating land. The Pendragon family had always upheld the values of simplicity and humility, and Eren's response to the generous rewards reflected these teachings.
"I am thankful for your generosity, your majesty. But luxury doesn't suit us Pendragons."
The Emperor raised his eyebrows in response to Eren's unexpected refusal, and the nobles began to murmur in confusion and surprise. Eren's demeanor and rejection of the extravagant rewards were contrary to what they had come to expect from the nobility.
"Is he for real?" "He is going too far.."
The nobles started to murmur among themselves while Hubert wore a satisfied smile on his face, recognizing that Eren was staying true to the principles and teachings of the Pendragon family.
The Pendragons were humble people, they didn't like luxury and stayed away from any kind of power struggle. The actions of the Pendragon's ancestor who refused the title of duke from the first emperor was a proof to their simplicity and humbleness.
The Pendragon's continued to teach that to the future genrations too. Before their successor could even weild a sword they taught them to live a simple and content life that is void of desires for wealth and materialistic things.
Hubert also had instilled in Eren the importance of contentment and not being driven by greed, and seeing his son embody those values filled him with pride.
Little did Hubert know that Eren had an even more significant goal in mind, far beyond the allure of wealth or land.
Eren had long forgotten what his father had taught him, since he had very few memories of his life as a child, it was normal for Eren to not to remember the boring things that his father had told him to remember.
Furthermore, after experiencing the life of an ordinary mercenary, Eren had learned the importance of money. If it wasn't for the fact that the thing he wanted had high priority to ensure his survival in the upcoming disasters, then he would have happily accepted the rewards that the emperor bestowed upon him. But currently, Eren was in need of something which is far more valuable than any land, title or money.
"Instead of all those rewards, please grant me the Satan's rifle."
Murmurs of confusion and curiosity once again echoed through the hall due to Eren's unexpected request and the atmosphere of the festive palace crackled with anticipation.
—***---
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