vstars Chapter 728 Conferment
Chapter 728 Conferment
Inside the inner fortress hall of Rona, the kingdom's officials lined up on both sides according to their rank, and the members of the Band of the Eagle also stood in their designated areas as arranged, all participating in the knighthood investiture ceremony held by King Midland for Griffith.
In stark contrast to the excitement surging in the eyes of the members of the Band of the Hawk, the nobles and officials present had varying expressions, with most of them having somber faces and inscrutable expressions.
In their minds, mercenaries were battlefield consumables who only cared about gold coins, and their status was lowly. They never imagined that such people would one day stand in this hall, on the same level as them, hereditary nobles and court officials.
"It's really unpleasant that a mercenary could receive a personal investiture from His Majesty the King."
A nobleman spoke in a low voice, his tone full of resistance.
"There's nothing we can do. He's accumulated too many merits. The Midland army has undergone reforms and its strength has indeed improved, but its victories on key battlefields can never compare to those of the Band of the Hawk."
The nobleman beside him also lowered his voice, his tone revealing helplessness.
“If it weren’t for the intense fighting, they would just be roving thieves and bandits.”
The nobleman who had spoken earlier added another sentence, his disdain hidden in his throat.
"But war merits are war merits, and their performance is too conspicuous. If we are not careful, these mercenaries will take our place sooner or later."
The other person chimed in, his brow furrowed, pondering how to counterbalance this suddenly rising mercenary force.
At the far end of the hall, Griffith knelt on one knee, while the King of Midland, holding a longsword with its blade lightly touching Griffith's shoulder, began to recite the oath of investiture.
"Brave and fearless, humble and loyal..."
The words of the oath echoed in the hall, and the emotions of the members of the Band of the Hawk rose even higher.
They knew that as Griffith rose to the ranks of the nobility, they, the mercenaries, would be stripped of their status as independent soldiers and incorporated into the regular army of the Kingdom of Midland, becoming part of the new military structure.
This recognition was earned through their bloody battles, and the glory they felt at this moment made everyone feel that all their past suffering had found its purpose.
Gorkas's lips curled into a wide smile as he turned his head to look at Rickett beside him, his voice hushed.
"We have won battle after battle, and they have no choice but to take us seriously."
"From this day forward, we are no longer lowly mercenaries at the mercy of others, but members of the Midland regular army."
Casca's voice came from the side, her gaze fixed on Griffith in front of her, her brows slightly furrowed.
“If you understand this, then watch your words, Gorcas.”
She knew in her heart that this ceremony was about Griffith's future, and even more so about the future of everyone in the Band of the Hawk.
Those nobles were already hostile towards them, and any slight disrespect would become a pretext for them to attack Griffiths. The casual manners he had developed during his mercenary days must not be brought to this formal occasion.
"Understood, Captain Casca," Gorcas replied casually, his tone full of indifference.
"He's even more long-winded than my mom."
"What did you say?"
Casca immediately turned her head, her voice becoming even more strained and stern.
Gorkas hurriedly waved his hand and also lowered his voice to remind him.
"Don't forget we're still in the investiture ceremony."
Casca suppressed her anger, turned back to Griffith, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. She suddenly remembered that Gus had disappeared again.
At such an important moment as the ceremony, he was not in the procession. Casca frowned even more, a hint of worry rising in her heart, mixed with a sense of helplessness towards Guts's capricious nature.
Count Yuris, standing beside the king, witnessed the entire scene, a disdainful smirk playing on his lips as he muttered his displeasure.
"A mercenary is still a mercenary. Even in such a formal setting, he can't shake his rude and uncouth nature."
At the same time, in the open space of the Band of the Hawk's base in Rona City, Guts was wielding the giant longsword in one hand, repeatedly swinging it. The sound of the sword cutting through the air rang out continuously, and he was calling out numbers at a steady pace.
"One hundred and ninety-five, one hundred and ninety-six, one hundred and ninety-seven..."
He did not go to the hall to participate in the ceremony, and he had no attachment to things like titles or status.
For him, wielding his sword, growing stronger, and keeping up with Griffith's pace were the only things that mattered. The honor bestowed upon him was irrelevant; only the sword in his hand could give him a foothold and keep him by Griffith's side.
Every swing of his sword solidifies his strength, and every number reflects his rigorous self-discipline.
In the inner fortress hall, King Midland finally finished reciting all the oaths of the investiture ceremony. Griffith raised his hand and gently kissed the blade of the sword in the king's hand.
Even though the surrounding nobles were full of resistance and displeasure, they could only raise their hands and clap according to etiquette. The applause was sparse and interspersed with an undisguised perfunctory attitude.
They were unwilling to acknowledge the rise of mercenaries, but with the investiture of the king preceding them, they could only submit to the rules. Their fear and hostility grew stronger amidst the applause.
……
"Place the equipment in Zone 5."
Stephen stood beside the portal, directing the dwarves who emerged from it to carry various instruments.
His voice was clear, guiding the dwarves in the right direction. His gaze swept over the stacked instruments, making sure each one was handled securely to prevent damage during transport.
These instruments are the core of the subsequent rune experiments, and no mistakes can be tolerated. He must keep a close eye on the entire transportation process to ensure that all equipment arrives at its designated location precisely.
In another room, John was talking to Codd, inquiring about the progress of various matters.
When the conversation turned to the contract with the dwarves, John took the text and quickly flipped through it. After reviewing the entire document, he confirmed that there were no omissions or clauses that would be detrimental to him.
He knew in his heart that if the moment of merging with the Netherworld truly arrived in the future, the human race would face a crisis of near extinction. At that time, the constraints of the contract would have long lost their meaning, and whether the current terms were perfect would be completely irrelevant.
As John was thinking, a gust of air suddenly swept past behind him. He turned around and met Codd's panicked expression.
Codd's gaze passed over him and landed on the figure behind him, clearly startled by the sudden appearance of the person.
John turned his head, and there stood the skeleton knight, who had appeared in the room at some point, standing there silently.
Kod had never seen a skeleton knight before. He instinctively reached for the pistol at his waist, convinced that it was an alien creature that had sprung out of the Netherworld, and wanted to defend himself immediately.
"Need not."
John raised his hand, stopping Codd's movement.
He looked at the skeleton knight and asked:
"Long time no see, what have you been up to lately?"
"Several apostles were killed."
The skeleton knight spoke, his tone indifferent.
He paused, then added.
"Also, a formidable old rival I know has recently reappeared."