Chapter 96: Celebration – Part 1

Chapter 96: Celebration – Part 1

"Wait, there's still the induction ceremony for the knights," Lina reminds us.

"Oh..." Ciel mumbles and purses her lips in embarrassment.

The canvasses covering the Shell are released, revealing our portraits in gold, then the crowd cheers again, and the music grows louder.

"Too late," I comment with a wry smile.

Poosh approaches us from behind and lowers her head respectfully. "I apologize, my Lords, but I've overheard you just now. May I suggest something?" She politely asks.

She's being a bit more formal than usual, which isn't unexpected considering what just happened, so I just let it slide and decide to hear her out, "What is it?"

She raises her head energetically, making the fluffy wool on her collarbones bounce softly, then she unleashes a shining smile upon my heart. "We can make this ceremony into something special with just a little help from the bards."

The musicians finish their song, then shift into something more mild and solemn. It's a softer melody that's energetic enough to make the commoners want to shake their bodies on the spot instead of gluing to one another to dance, allowing them to watch the Ceremony.

Then all the bards chant in sync, their cheeky tone masking the seriousness of the moment, "♪ Enomosa Ludoe, your name calls the freshness of aloe. Your beauty dazzles me, but stay your sword, don't give that glare, for I'm not your enemy~...! ♪"

Enomosa's sexy gaze remains steady on me as she advances along the raised walkway. Having both Yunia and her sit on me would be amazing, but I have to be careful with my predatory instincts when it comes to my subordinates, so I keep the horny dragon in check.

She stops before me and kneels, keeping her head held low in respect.

The music stops for a beat, and only the drums continue, giving me the cue to shout, "Are you ready to serve me?!"

"With all my heart!" She follows on the next beat.

"Another one comes under his tree! Smell the flowers and spread the pollen, bumblebee!"

Enomosa receives the sprout of a silver flower so that she may plant it in her garden to mark her home as a place under my protection. This specific flower is forbidden to be planted at any other home unrelated to our clan since it's part of our heraldry now.

She folds one of her long ears as a show of respect, and stores the sprout in her [Item Box], then she walks back, and the next knight comes in.

"♪ Palo Orir, hear him roar and puff your chest full of air. Your smile is a [Spirit Light], and your cock is a [Thunder Strike], but both sides fear your call, for your sword pierces all~...! ♪"

The annoyingly handsome man comes up to us in his shining armor, and I need Yunia's help to maintain a mask of officiousness on my face so that I don't frown. The dragon inside of me wants to have a literal dick-measuring contest with him, but that would be way too gay for me.

I also don't let the girls talk to him, so I force myself to stand again and ask for the pledge.

"With all my heart!" He shouts right on cue, and my asshole puckers from his grin. He's got a bit of a "gay aura" like Rande, just turned up to eleven.

For the next knights, I let the girls handle it.

"♪ Azador Curol, the evildoers will lick his maul. His beard is bloody, for he has no qualms, he's a man of study, who can squash you against the wall. ♪"

The experienced knight seems composed, but he looks a bit stiffer than usual, so I'm led to believe that he doesn't like too much attention.

"♪ Klein Foerster, you're humble yet you could be the biggest boaster. You're quick and silent, and though nobody thinks you'd be violent, everyone better watch out, because you can easily make an army rout. ♪"

Hana smirks as Klein advances down the walkway with completely robotic movements. Knowing her, she's probably so stressed out right now that she won't even remember this part of the ceremony.

After the rest of the twenty-odd knights give their pledge, each having their own personal verse sung by the bards, we retire to our balcony up on the outside of the Shell and join the rest of the Lords so that the banquet can begin.

The balcony has been greatly elongated to fit four long rectangular tables. The first table has been raised to be slightly higher than the others, and that's where we sit, with everyone lined up on one side of it, Confiel and Fram Varze along with their wives seated at the edges in positions of honor due to their closeness to us, and the subordinate Heart Lords on the other side; the second table holds the rest of the Crown Lords; the third table holds the Root Lords; and the fourth table holds the High Officers and the town's aristocracy, such as the mayor, a few chosen town nobles, Teresina, the captain of the Townsguard, and the General.

The seating arrangements are a game in and of itself that we're fortunately not playing right now, otherwise, our seating would've been much more spread out and complicated. None of us really feel like "making connections," and the mood doesn't allow for it with the seriousness of the Reniandisabis and the divine intervention still clouding our minds.

I feel a modicum of interest in the General, though. He's the one who commands the Buscuadores, and not only do they make up half of the Expeditionary Division, they're also the most well-trained and well-equipped troops we have. He reports directly to the Elder Council, so he's the one person here who has actual power over us, making his reaction to the creation of our dynasty the only one that has any real immediate impact on us.

It's funny that he's been placed at the fourth table, but he isn't nobility, he's just someone with a very high [Battlefield Perception].

As I observe the General, I notice that Teresina keeps glancing at me. Though I'd enjoy it if the gilf was interested in my draconic cock, I know that she wants to speak with me about something else.

The meal is rather quiet in comparison to the lively party going on right now down in the town. Crown Lord Fram actually manages to have a casual conversation with the twins, but everyone else here has a more restrained degree of enthusiasm.

For Lina and me, this is just fine, but Roxanne, Hana, and Osaria won't let the mood continue to wallow in this stiff atmosphere. After a few pointers from Yunia transmitted through [Bind], the girls find plenty of inspiration to draw upon and manage to strike up a conversation with Iril and the Mendecassa sisters.

Ciel decides to help them out and uses her "Charisma" to ease the other Lords and help them relax, then Aoi joins in, her blunt boisterousness still quite noticeable even in her human form, and she helps liven up the mood.

Silvano is loud like Hana, allowing me to hear him from afar, but from the content of his conversation, he enjoys the act of teasing, like Roxanne. It seems that he has a bit of a polarizing personality.

Ira and his wife are quietly sitting near the middle of the table, trying to not draw any attention to themselves. He has removed his armor, but his clothes are still stained red with his own blood.

I calmly eat my own meal, relaxing my muscles and resting my body in my special chair, which has been modified by Almaria to fit my new shape. It even has an adjustable footrest, which is pretty amazing for my heavy legs.

None of us asked her to do that, but she realized that I wanted more comfortable furniture and took up the task on her own initiative. I'm very happy that we hired her.

Krysta's not-spinach quiche is heavenly, though the creamy not-broccoli with cheese curds is a real competitor for the top position. The meat is in a category of its own, though, as it has been cooked in bacon fat, making it deadly both to my heart and stomach.

"I'm impressed that you have such dexterity with your... claws, my Lord," Rador Iqueza comments softly.

I raise my eyes towards the strong-jawed elf and think for a moment, then I snort softly and respond with the same tone, "Indeed, they're very inconvenient, and my draconic side won't even let me sand down the edges, but, fortunately, I have an alternative to them."

I lay my claws on my lap and create two tentacles that I use to grab my knife and fork. The sudden use of a spell draws some worried eyes, but they quickly become confused as they watch the tentacles move.

"What... how...?" Rador mumbles in confusion with a tinge of horror in his tone. It seems that he isn't cultured in the ways of tentacle rape.

A small smile blooms on my face as I explain, "It's a skill I've developed. This is called [Soul Manipulation], and it allows me to 'bend' my soul as I wish, though it needs a [Solidify] spell to make it physical."

His wife suddenly hums out loud in understanding, "Ahh~...! That's what all the commotion with [Spirit Magic] was about," Erpente is a runway-worthy beauty, and it's pleasing to my tired eyes to look at her, and not in a netori-like way.

I raise an eyebrow at her sudden outburst but don't comment on it. "So, the word of it has spread to Ostoum?"

Now Rador is the one who snorts humorously. "To the whole of the empire, no doubt. I'm sure that the sudden rise in magical instant messages is due to the Chimeras," he assuredly states.

"I've heard that a caravan full of mages is approaching Ostoum," Iril suddenly joins in with a casual remark and looks towards Ira.

"Yes... they're currently at Ostodos," Evera meekly adds and immediately goes back to focusing on her meal.

Iril nods and turns his youthful smirk towards me. "There's also another crossing the delta, and I think there are even mages from Sommerinsel. Escanso's mage population will certainly bloom soon." Then he raises his mug in a toast and starts chugging it down.

Hana breaks off from her conversation with the Mendecassa sisters and asks excitedly, "Ooh~, are there merfolk among them?"

Since his mouth is occupied, one of his wives politely answers in his stead, "Certainly. We've seen Sirens, Lamias, and a few Thalanthro." Then the young Lady lets out a tasteful giggle. "I must admit that the Sirens are very good singers, though they lack the correct timbre for elven songs."

"Surprisingly, the Thalanthro can easily sing anything with a near perfect pitch," Yunia suddenly blurts out. The Lords turn a curious look towards her since they don't know of her xenophilia, but Iril's Lady seems to show some reserved approval with her shy nods to her in response.

"Well, the Thalanthro have an even worse timbre since their throats are so different from ours," Iril's second Lady joins in.

"But they can still add some interesting flair to the songs," Yunia retorts.

"Who?" I hum in confusion.

Ciel appears beside Teresina and joins the conversation at the perfect moment, "Ah, that one. Kaka's story is a warning against paranoia. They'd discovered non-aggressive, 'tamable' monsters, but they were shunned by the priests due to fear of heretical magic... and because they were caught having sex..." She cringes softly.

"Yes, the Volnosht Rebellion in Bestiaram of the fifty-third millennium," Lina sagely adds.

Teresina nods, slightly impressed with Lina's precise knowledge. "They say there was something else that was special among Kaka's monsters, a sort of 'intelligence,' but records are vague. Perhaps you did something similar?" She speculates.

"She's a breeder-type, so we didn't have to give her intelligence; just a system," Ciel clarifies.

Teresina thinks for a second, then raises an eyebrow at me, and her tone becomes serious. "The right person, at the right place, at the right time. Now I see why the Gods watch over you... and why the heretics might've attacked."

"I believe there's more to their motivations than just that, but I'd like to be proven wrong," Ciel affirms.

Teresina nods and hums in agreement. "Hm, yes. I expected the Monster King to make a resurgence, not the heretics getting involved." Then she turns to Ciel. "By the way, Lord Ciel, I believe some of your former comrades are in town because of you. A Templar named Kyora."

Ciel nearly chokes on her spit. "What?!" She squeaks.

Announcement

Hall of Fame of Patrons

The patrons who support Rupegia shall have their names sung by the bards for they deserve the glory and honor. Their names are:

Prince PreownedFIN.

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Lord Andrew Meyers.

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