Chapter 49 - 049: Promotion

There is a loud of cheers when everyone knows Arthur is already awake and he is fine now.

To everyone who participates in the battle against the white whale knew, if not for Kise and Ludwig, Arthur's spirit, they will suffer a lot of casualties.

Crusch also announced the one who launched the lightning magic is Arthur who at that time in the midst of a battle with the witch cult archbishop, Betelgeuse.

And the battle with two sin of archbishop before, where he covers their back from the enemies is bringing his place in everyone hearts to the highest place.

Arthur, Emilia, and Crusch currently are in the one of Roswaal's guests' room discussing their next steps.

"Arthur, honestly I want you to have more time for recovery but I think we need to discuss our next step"

"You're right, people will suspicious of the expeditionary force didn't come back after this long and there is no news to the capital. But even if we said we're fine and successfully killed the white whale they will not believe it because there is no proof"

"That's what I worried about too"

"Then let's head to the capital with the white whale head as a souvenir"

"But your health condition, even if you seem fine now. What if..."

"You mustn't worry about the witch cult archbishop, they move according to their bible. And I throw him to the faraway place, I must admit it, it was futile to attempt because the enemy is Regulus. But I doubt he will come back here because he didn't have a reason for it"

"Are you sure?"

"I will not play with my own life, let's set out as fast as possible so we can make a grand entrance to the capital. Inform Anastasia to join from outside of the capital so we will declare it was combined efforts from the three camp that make it possible to slay the white whale"

"Arthur, I can understand what you are trying to achieve, but I will warn you to not put your hope too much"

"You know something will happen?"

"No, but from my own understanding about the guy in the capital, they will not change their way to look at Emilia easily. They will just say, the one who approved Emilia is Bordeaux, not them"

"I really regret it now, because I didn't kill all of them before"

"But you didn't need to worry, slain the white whale is not a small matter so they must give you something in return to your service saving this country face. We put the end to unfinished great expedition fourteen years ago"

"Arthur, we need to move now, there is no benefit if we just stay here because of something that will happen in the future, don't make it hard for everyone. There is must be many things that Crusch need to do when comeback to her home, we can't let her waste time more than this"

"If you already said it what can I do, Emi?" Replied Arthur with a forceful smile.

The one who he is worried about is worrying about other people.

Arthur wondering in his head, what if Emilia born with different appearance? With her personality, there will be a lot of people support her right?

But this idea is dismiss by Arthur because there will be different people with the same name. Her experience and her appearance is the one that shaped her personality.

When everyone makes preparation for comebacks to the capital, Arthur makes his way to the kitchen where a certain blue hair maid is cooking.

"Look like your cooking skills is improved again, Rem"

Rem stop what she currently doing and facing Arthur

"You're a really terrible maid, Rem. You exposed me when I didn't want it" said Arthur while he takes several steps to approach Rem who has her face looking downward.

"I'm sorry..." Rem wants to say another word but stops because there is a hand that gently ċȧrėssing her hair

"You didn't need to apologize, you're worried about me that's why you did it right? You're fine right? You didn't have injury anywhere?"

"Mm, Rem is fine..."

"And that is good, I will go to the capital. You and Subaru need to stay here, for now, I will leave Baal, Sezan, Ludwig and Kise here just in case something happens you need to leave everything to them and focus protecting yourself"

"I hope you return victorious"

"What is that for... well, you can cheer up your Subaru-Kun but make sure he didn't make anymore problem"

The expeditionary force is leaving the mansion and head back to the capital with Crusch leading at the front in her white land dragon followed by Emilia in the dragon carriage drive by Charles and Cecilia sit with her inside the carriage.

This time Arthur chooses to blend with the other people in the middle of the convoy.

He wants people more aware about Emilia rather than him, so after Considering her safety too, Arthur chooses Cecilia and Charles for the one responsible for her safety.

Guard and the citizens that get notified beforehand about the victorious return of the expeditionary forces are crowding the main road with full of enthusiasm.

They also watching the severed head of the white whale haul at the back.

This is the beast who spreading the fear, despair, and calamity to every place it visits for more than four hundred years.

This is also the very beast that defeats the great expedition of fourteen years ago.

But now this beast just will become a decoration for everyone to spectate.

In the future, when someone sees this head they will remember this beast is slain with combined efforts of the three candidates of the queen.

Crusch Karsten, Anastasia Hosin, and Emilia.

The city held a festival

Food is brought out of the castle and everyone can take apart.

But in the Roswaal residence at the capital, the same atmosphere can't be felt.

"Read it again" with cold voice Arthur command the one who bring a decree from the castle to read it content again.

"Because of your great contribution for the safety of the kingdom and your huge contribution in the expedition to slain the white whale and your personal achievements for killed two Archbishop of the witch-cult that terrorize the kingdom for many years. The Elder Council, after weighing over your achievement and your personal power decide to award you with the title of Marquis with the territory near the Elior forest. This decree made after seeing it from several points, with increasing of dangerous activity in the Marquis Roswaal territory Elder Council decide to share his burdens with you who have the capability to do it. With this decree they also grant you the permission for expanding your territory to the east or west, next time there will be someone from castle send to help you mark your territory and tell you where you can't expand your territory because of that will be a part of other territories. May the dragon bless you." The messenger from the castle read it with trembling but because of his experience as a royal messenger, he can read it completely.

"Arthur, he is just messenger, you can't mad at him. Let him go, he just doing his work" Emilia put her hand on top of Arthur's shoulder and speak gently.

"Get lost from my sight, and tell that old fool in the castle. Be grateful Emilia stop me for storming my way to castle for have a warm and healthy conversation with all of you"

"Yes! Yes! I will tell it to them, thank you Emilia-sama! Arthur-sama!"

The messenger thank them loudly and leave the room with hasty steps but when the door is closed, there is another person who enters the room.

"This is what you mean when we still in the mansion, Crusch?" Arthur asks the one who just enter the room, Crusch Karsten, who have more experience with the way of capital and noble.

"Even if Emilia show her capability and her demands of fairness, there is no way they will change their stance overnight. The same applies to the territory you receive, we all know this is the territory that Roswaal hand over to Emilia but the majority of people in the castle didn't approve it. Even if it eas under Roswaal name, in the end, it was kingdom property. So they decided to rope you, who have the same combat abilities as a sword saint with this decision" Crusch speak carefully so Arthur and Emilia can understand it. "But in my opinion, you're more valuable than the sword saint, because, in the end, he is just a person. Different with you who have many spirits with high combat abilities" Crusch end her speech with a smile to Emilia and Arthur.

"Crusch, I know you're here for mediating between our side and the Elder Council, so I will make demands here. Give me Elior forest as a part of my territory, I think that clown will not have objections"

"I will tell them about it, I think they will not against it. From my perspective as a duchess of this kingdom, the decision of the Elder Council is right. If you are given the title of Marquis it not just as a way to reward you for your achievements but also make the kingdom have another capable people for defending the kingdom territory. Also from here onward you will need to think twice before act because you do not see as Emilia's knight but one of her supporters in this royal election. The good side is, this will make you the second Marquis decide to support Emilia, you must remember your current noble title just below duke and duchess. Well granting you this title also didn't happen without contradiction but with the Karsten house and Astrea House supporting this decision make it possible for you to have this title"

"That's out of expectation for me, you and Reinhard house decide to support my promotion as a Marquis"

"Because as like what you said before. even if we are a political enemy, for now, we didn't want to inherit a broken kingdom, right? So when I won the election I will have a dependable person that can guard the border for me. That's also what Astrea house think"

With Crusch explanations, Arthur decides to accept this promotion with the condition of including the Elior forest as a part of his territory and a right to refuse to attend summon to the capital and he will put Emilia safety as a top priority rather than the kingdom safety.

And with this, from today onward Kingdom of Lugunica have additional Marquis.