Chapter 499: The Stonecrack Family

“Gervas Gail, do you swear fealty to King Henryk the Seventh, the Great Lion-Eagle Monarch?”

“I do!”

“Excellent, Lord Gervas Gail. From this moment, you are no longer a viscount, but a glorious and sacred count!”

“Congratulations, Count Gervas!”

Speaking, the Royal Grand Steward summoned several attendants.

The attendants carried trays.

Upon them rested the golden emblem of a count, the count’s sword, and a silk banner embroidered with the count’s crest.

The King stepped forward, took up the emblem, and fastened it himself upon Gervas’s left chest.

Then the King picked up the count’s sword and handed it to Gervas.

Gervas received it with both hands and fastened it at his waist.

Finally, the King handed Gervas the lion-eagle banner embroidered in gold thread, symbolizing his countship.

Thus, the count’s investiture was formally complete.

“Thank Your Majesty for this gift!”

Gervas bowed deeply again to the Lion-Eagle King in gratitude.

“Count Gervas, I hope you continue to strive. Now, you may withdraw.” The Lion-Eagle King nodded in satisfaction and dismissed Gervas.

Amid the envious glances of the nobles, Gervas returned to his original position with head held high.

With Gervas’s new rank, more noble ladies and ladies-in-waiting began sending him covert glances.

Had the reward ceremony not still been ongoing, several noble ladies might have approached him directly.

“Gervas! Congratulations! Now you’re a count—a true high noble!”

“Exactly! Who would’ve thought we’d one day be friends with a count?”

“Gervas, you better promise us—you won’t ignore us now that you’re a count!”

No sooner had Gervas taken his place than Mil and Ian and the others rushed over, excited.

“You lot, am I the kind of man who’d abandon his friends? And don’t just congratulate me—your own investitures are coming soon!” Gervas replied with a smile.

“Gervas, our rewards probably won’t be this big… our contributions were decent, but not outstanding…”

Hearing Gervas say they’d be granted titles, Mil and the others still felt uncertain.

“Don’t worry—I’m certain the King won’t be stingy!” Gervas assured them confidently.

The rewards continued.

But none matched Gervas’s in magnitude.

After all, the northern campaign had merely outmaneuvered the beastmen.

This victory banquet was, frankly, somewhat forced.

Yet as the King’s first major triumph since recovering his health, he would make it grand no matter what.

The King first rewarded the great noble houses.

The Hernade Duke House and the Austin Marquis House each received one barrier lordship nomination.

Other noble houses received baron titles or several non-hereditary knightships.

After the great nobles, the lesser nobles were next.

Among them, unquestionably, Mil and the others had rendered the greatest service.

“Baron Mil, Baron Ian… for your valor in the northern campaign, having slain numerous beastmen heads…”

“The King bestows upon you the title of viscount…”

As the Royal Grand Steward proclaimed the royal decree, Mil and the others flushed with excitement.

Though Gervas had said it, they’d still harbored doubts.

Now, hearing the actual reward, they were stunned to find he’d been right.

They had truly been granted titles—becoming honored viscounts of the kingdom.

“Thank Your Majesty…”

They quickly bowed in fervent thanks.

Soon, they ascended the dais to receive their investitures.

Of course, their ceremony lacked Gervas’s grandeur.

Throughout, the Lion-Eagle King remained seated upon his throne, never rising.

Even the medals and swords had to be taken and fastened by Mil and the others themselves.

Yet even so, Mil and the others were overjoyed.

After all, this was normal.

Often, the investiture of barons or viscounts required only a commission scroll, delivered by a royal envoy.

Personal investiture by the King was a rare honor reserved for great nobles alone.

For lesser nobles like them, being invested before the King’s own eyes was already a rare distinction.

“How’s that? I told you so, didn’t I?”

As they returned to their seats, their smiles still wouldn’t fade. Gervas couldn’t resist teasing them.

“Gervas! You were right! And we owe you thanks—if not for you, we’d never have earned this reward!”

“Exactly, Gervas! Thank you! Without you, we’d never have received this viscountship. And our greatest fortune? Meeting you!”

This time, Mil and the others grew unusually serious.

Each bowed solemnly to Gervas in gratitude.

All knew their own worth—this title came solely because of Gervas.

“Enough! You lot—I’m your comrade, your ally!”

“If you really want to thank me, send me plenty of fine food and wine when we return to our lands!”

“Gervas, not just food and wine—even beauties are no problem!”

“Right! Gervas, as soon as we get back, we’ll send you food, wine, and beauties to your castle…”

Good heavens! Gervas mentally exclaimed.

…

While Gervas joked with Mil and the others, the lesser nobles’ rewards concluded swiftly.

Yet the banquet did not immediately move to the dance.

The Grand Steward produced another royal decree.

“Your Excellencies, the rewards thus far were for nobles who earned merit in the northern campaign.”

“Now, His Majesty has one final award—for a noble who has served the kingdom faithfully for years: the Stonecrack Duke!”

“The Stonecrack Duke already holds the rank of grand duke, so no higher title can be granted. Thus, His Majesty bestows upon his family a countship, with lands in the southern region.”

Gasps erupted.

“Another countship?!”

“Yes! And a countlordship at that—how lavish!”

“Gervas Viscount earned his countship through first merit—what did Stonecrack do?!”

“Even Hernade Duke only received one viscount nomination—yet Stonecrack got a countship? The disparity is outrageous!”

“Shh! Didn’t you hear? The Grand Steward said this is for Stonecrack’s decades of service—not just for this battle!”

“That’s what they say—but didn’t Hernade Duke serve the kingdom faithfully all these years too?”