Chapter 331

"For heroic military merit, I bestow upon you the title of Baron, rewarding your loyalty and courage; never forget this moment."

The elaborate and convoluted praise made even the speaker frown.

But this Faner gave the overly young noble even more dignity—at least, in the eyes of onlookers: the young princess spoke with seasoned precision, her expression solemn, every frown and smile radiating royal bearing.

The words rang above his head; Li En knelt halfway, and began to lose his composure.

He had assumed this investiture would be as brief as the last one.

But this time, it was not merely an investiture—it was a proclamation of victory.

"Will this ever end?"

The autumn harvest festival usually involved the common folk, farmers, and dwarves (who loved to drink themselves silly during festivals); this was likely the first time the state had officially organized an autumn harvest celebration.

And this, too, was a proclamation of Victory Day—under the organizers’ guidance, harvest and victory gradually became synonymous.

"Your fief shall be the Watchers Below, the pioneers of the front line."

Li En’s title was not granted in isolation, but as part of a series of speeches and accolades.

He was not the only one being invested; the Huiguang Guard’s “Red-Haired Demon” received his viscount title at the same time—but he was inevitably the center of attention, forcing him to stand passively on stage under everyone’s gaze.

Some might see this as honor, but Li En did not.

The knights beside Li En were flushed with excitement, their expressions almost grotesque with fervor.

For them, this might be the greatest moment of their lives—a tale to tell their grandchildren when they retired.

A city guard medal, or even one of the rare noble title medals, was already the ultimate goal for countless warriors who risked everything.

"Too insignificant."

A sudden thought flashed through his mind.

It was not arrogance, nor even much emotion—merely a statement of fact.

He was lamenting that these people saw too narrowly, blinded by fame and gain, unable to perceive what truly mattered.

"Hmph. The perspective of the ancestral spirits?"

Li En knew this was not his own emotion; perhaps it was the lament of the ancestral spirit from that dreamland.

He, It, seemed to scorn the honors of mortals?

No, it was not that simple. It was an unnervingly detached emotion—he did not scorn them, but was "indifferent," even felt these mortals wasted their lives.

"The indifference of the ancient ones?"

The investiture continued on stage; the inner drama passed in a flash, and Li En’s restless heart grew calm.

"The battlefield shall be your fief; its name shall be—"

Dainya placed her sword upon Li En’s shoulder; around them, envious glances abounded, and cheers rose from the crowd.

The princess, while investing the Heroine, was also granting a fief.

"A fief! A fief that can be inherited by descendants!"

True, it was small, and risky—but still a fief. A lord could collect rents while lying down, and do as he pleased.

She was asking for the name of Li En’s fief—the frontline town had a provisional name, but no official one.

"Dainya Town."

Li En spoke; the princess instantly showed surprise—though the act was so phony, the expressions of the nobles on stage grew peculiar.

Some struggled to suppress laughter; others, to quell fury. To laugh or shout now would mean the end of their lives.

"Has this favoritism stopped pretending?"

The name itself mattered little—or it didn’t. A meaningless name was trivial, but some names, by their very existence, were a statement.

"I commemorate this war’s victory as stemming from the wisdom of its decision-makers and leaders."

Li En gritted his teeth and recited the royal script.