Chapter 196: The parade

Several days later, a parade of carriages entered the main street of the main city of the empire. The street was animated with curious people.

As it was the start of a day, and the sun was as young as the newborn baby, there weren't as many people roaming the street. Well, that was supposedly the case, however.

It was different today.

Few students from the Magical Academy took a detour and watched the parade of carriages, asking the people beside them about these groups of soldiers, and from which mission they belong.

Many people were noisily gathering at the roadside, whispering and glancing at the parade of carriages. Some were excitedly waving their hands towards the soldiers who were gallantly marching.

Some of the soldiers were proudly puffing their chests while cheerfully returning the waving of hands to the people around them. Some even shouted someone's name, probably the name of someone they have known. It was the first time that they marched here with a proud face. 

Most of the time, when they came back from a mission, everyone had a solemn face. They could not even put up a fake smile on their faces as more of their comrades lost their lives from the mission.

But this time, it was different. Each of them was plastered with cheerful expressions on their faces.

When the onlooker's eyes landed on the person at the front, leading the group, they started asking the people around them for his identity. But no one of them was able to recognize him. Especially that he was wearing an unusual mask to hide his face.

Riding a horse beside him was a female soldier from a well-known noble family. The daughter of the Gallant General Krug Gestalt, Kanna Gestalt!

Seeing her, everyone understood that it was a mission directed by the palace. After all, this daughter of the gallant general was part of the elite squad of the royal army.

Suddenly, they heard a rumor coming from someone among the crowd. The rumor originated from the common folks who were living nearby. They said that several days ago, there were a hundred soldiers dispatched for a sudden mission.

The next moment, everyone was talking about it. However, all of them were astonished by what they heard.

Seeing that there were about a hundred of them marching today, the townspeople understood what it meant.

"Almost no casualty?!" They exclaimed. What kind of super-elite group are these soldiers!?

Maybe they were sent to an easy mission with the lowest difficulty rate.

"I heard, they were sent to reclaim the fallen Sunville Village," said a random folk.

"Wait, Sunville Village? That old mining village that was overrun by thousands of bandits?" Asked one of the folks who had heard about it.

"Yes, yes!"

Just then, everyone was all wide eyes and agape.

Those who didn't know about it asked the person who knew. After hearing their reply, their mouths were left hanging.

Aside from the townspeople, there were also some royal guards among them. They were standing at every corner of the roadside, guarding the street.

Everyone's eyes were on the mysterious person leading the group. His identity was still puzzling them. Though, they believed that he was the commander of the group.

In the palace, a soldier rushed inside the throne room.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"The soldiers from the Reclamation Mission have now entered the city!" Reported the soldier who intruded the solitude of the room.

Upon hearing it, "What! Really?" The excited emperor stood up from his seat.

"Yes, your majesty!" Respectfully replied the kneeling soldier.

"Faster! Welcome them to the castle courtyard!" Ordered the emperor.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The soldier ran to relay his order.

Many royal guards and soldiers were standing in attention when Eman and the others passed the castle gate.

They were instructed to proceed to the castle courtyard to where they first gathered before departing for the mission.

It was a long mission. It took them almost a month to come back to the main city.

Most of them were excited, excited to see their friends, families, and loved ones.

It didn't take long for the emperor along with his royal guards led by the Royal Knight-Captain to arrive at the terrace of the castle. They came along with some ministers.

The news from the two messengers was already known by most of the people in the upper echelon.

Below them was the courtyard, where the soldiers were gathered.

"His majesty the emperor and his loyal royal guards have arrived!" Announced the guard who was assigned for the job.

Upon hearing him, all the soldiers knelt. Even Eman knelt also. He had to do it for personal reasons.

The emperor was stunned for a moment when he saw the person at the front of the group. The emperor wondered what kind of gimmick he was pulling off.

But he pushed it at the back of his mind. Perhaps the young man just wanted to hide his identity. 

Regardless, the emperor and the others widened their eyes when they saw their number.

It was truly the exact number of them!

Before giving his welcoming speech, the emperor stared at the young man who was hiding his face with an unusual mask that seemed like a grinning phantom.

Beside him, the ministers were already murmuring while whispering to each other.

"Is that person in the mask the commander?"

"Probably."

"Wait, I know that soldier beside him."

"Isn't she the daughter of the Gallant General Gestalt?"

"Oh, you're right. No wonder. This group is composed of elite soldiers," Said the ministers in their perspective.

After the emperor gave the speech, a luxurious meal was served to the soldiers inside the castle's great hall.

Eman, on the other hand, was invited for a private talk with the emperor.

Now, they were facing inside the throne room. No ministers were allowed. Not even his royal guards were there, though they insisted on staying beside the emperor. After all, it was their duty to always stay by his side. But the emperor remained resolute in his decision. Therefore, the royal guards had no way but to obey.

Eman understood what it meant. He understood what the emperor wanted to convey.

Eman was quite surprised that he was sitting at the same table as the emperor.

At the moment, they were facing each other, sitting on the opposite end of a long rectangular table.

"First, congratulations," opened up the emperor to break the silence.

"Thank you, your majesty."

"Fufu, that's a surprising accomplishment, young man. First in the history of the Whitestone Empire that such a mission with a low success rate was accomplished outstandingly."