Chapter 495: Riding in the Same Carriage as the Crown Prince!

“Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”

At that moment, the greetings of two dukes echoed from ahead.

As for the Northern Theater Commander, he remained behind to handle numerous lingering matters and did not accompany them to the capital.

“Hah! My two dukes, no need for formalities—this kingdom’s pacification of the north and expulsion of the beast tribes would not have been possible without your immense contributions! By the king’s decree, we have come specifically to welcome you and all our kingdom’s brave warriors home in triumph!”

At that moment, a young man clad in purple silk ceremonial robes and wearing a golden crown responded to the two dukes.

Without needing explanation, this was the Crown Prince of the Griffon.

The crown upon his head was not a royal crown, but the ceremonial headpiece worn by the Crown Prince on formal occasions.

It served to distinguish his status from that of other junior princes.

The Crown Prince exchanged polite pleasantries with the two dukes for a moment.

He then turned with a warm smile toward the assembled nobles of all ranks, greeting them just as warmly.

As the Crown Prince greeted everyone, he gave not the slightest impression of arrogance; instead, he radiated a soothing warmth that made hearts feel at ease.

“Is this the Crown Prince? What a refined young man! We’ve long heard he is wise and enlightened—now it’s clear the rumors are true!”

“Indeed! I feel the Crown Prince has no airs at all—he’s the kingdom’s future heir! Unlike those noble sons, who all seem to have their eyes planted on the sky and refuse to even acknowledge us as human beings!”

Undeniably, the Crown Prince, as the kingdom’s heir, possesses real ability.

Merely a few brief greetings were enough to win over many minor nobles.

For instance, Mil and Ian and others were already discussing how approachable and unpretentious the Crown Prince was.

Whether this manner was deliberately feigned or not, the fact that he could achieve this made him already highly successful.

“By the way, among all your lordships, who is Lord Gervas?” After greeting all the nobles.

The Crown Prince suddenly turned to the crowd and asked aloud.

In an instant, every noble’s gaze turned toward Gervas!

Gervas showed no fear, stepping forward two paces: “Greetings, Your Highness. I am Gervas Gail.”

The Crown Prince sized up Gervas, and upon seeing his calm, composed expression, his eyes flickered with surprise.

Yet he quickly suppressed any extraneous expression, smiling brightly: “Lord Gervas, no need for such formality. Your heroic deeds have already been reported to His Majesty by the Northern Theater Commander—now every minister in the capital knows you are the true hero of our kingdom’s northern campaign!”

“Come, Lord Gervas, step forward! Heroes deserve hero’s treatment—let us enter the capital together!”

Immediately, Gervas—who had been standing among the minor nobles—was called to the very front and led onto a lavish gilded carriage parked before the capital’s main gate.

Of all the nobles present, only Gervas and the two dukes enjoyed such an honor.

“Go!”

Amid the envious gazes of every noble, Gervas rode with the Crown Prince and the two dukes into the capital in the same carriage.

After entering the capital, more commoners lined the streets to watch.

Their carriage had clearly been specially prepared for such an occasion, and thus had no roof.

As such, the occupants were under the full gaze of the crowd.

And indeed, amid the waves of cheers, their emotional value soared to its peak.

Finally, the carriage arrived before the royal palace, where the crowds thinned out.

Yet the carriage did not enter the palace directly, but turned toward the royal guest estate on the left.

For the king’s victory banquet was not to be held tonight.

To meet the king, one must not appear foul and unkempt—that would be disrespectful.

Thus, the king’s victory banquet was set for the evening of the day after tomorrow, giving everyone two full days to rest and refresh.

“Lord Gervas, you will stay here for these two days. Should you need anything, simply instruct the servants—they will fulfill all your needs!”

The carriage halted before a beautiful marble villa.

The villa was entirely white, built entirely of white marble.

Moreover, its surface was adorned with exquisite carvings, resembling a work of art rather than a dwelling.

Inside, white porcelain tiles, ornate gold and silver furnishings, soft luxurious carpets and curtains—all proclaimed its opulence and grandeur.

Such a small manor house alone might cost as much as half of Gervas’s own baronial castle.

Along the way, Gervas had clearly seen that within the royal estate, there were at least hundreds of villas of similar scale.

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Gervas replied respectfully to the Crown Prince’s instructions.

The Crown Prince did not linger long, and promptly took his leave.

Gervas wasted no time; under the servants’ guidance, he bathed, then enjoyed a fine dinner, and finally collapsed into sleep.

Only the next day did he rise, refreshed and full of energy, washed clean of days of travel fatigue.

As soon as he finished breakfast, he received word that a visitor had arrived.

At first, Gervas assumed it was Mil or another high noble.

But when the servant led the guest into the parlor, Gervas realized it was two unexpected visitors.

They were none other than Duke Morys and Deputy Commander Adley.

“Duke Morys, Commander Adley—what brings you here?”

“Hah! Gervas! We heard you’ve achieved another great feat, so we came of our own accord—surely you don’t mind?”

“My lords, you flatter me! My magic fans and telescopes have sold well in the capital thanks entirely to your help!”

“So I had planned to visit you both after the banquet—but you’ve come before me! Please, take your seats!” Gervas hurriedly invited them to sit.

Duke Morys and Commander Adley had helped him greatly before.

Gervas had already intended to visit them, so their arrival delighted him immensely.

Seeing Gervas’s attitude, Duke Morys and Commander Adley exchanged glances, deeply pleased.

Gervas was currently in the spotlight—he had ridden in the same carriage as the Crown Prince and the two dukes just yesterday.

His status now stood in stark contrast to what it had been before.

Even if Gervas now acted haughtily toward them, it would be perfectly understandable.

Yet Gervas remained as respectfully humble as ever—this was truly rare.

Soon, the three engaged in lively conversation within the manor’s parlor.

They began with Gervas’s magic fans and telescopes, then moved on to discuss the northern campaign.

When the talk had nearly run its course, they finally revealed their purpose: to preemptively inform Gervas of a message from the Crown Prince.

That message was that the king’s reward for Gervas would very likely be the title of Count.

Although the king had not yet formally issued the decree, he had already consulted the Crown Prince’s opinion yesterday.

The Crown Prince had no objection whatsoever, stating that Gervas’s achievements were more than sufficient to warrant a countship.

Moreover, only by granting rewards commensurate with merit could other nobles be motivated to fight more vigorously in future campaigns.

The king had approved this.

Thus, barring any unforeseen turn, Gervas’s countship was now assured.