Chapter 429: The Twelve Knights of Lion’s Spring

The second name called by the Emperor was, unsurprisingly, Antonio!

He was officially bestowed the title of Earl of Bretagne, granting him the territory of the Bretagne family.

As the twelve knights who had sworn their loyalty were each honored in turn...

Prince Alfrey Axel stepped forward with a cheerful expression. He declared loudly, “When the Fars Empire was in its darkest hour, His Majesty Maclaine Bretagne himself grew weary. Yet, there were twelve knights who stood unwaveringly by the Emperor's side, helping him accomplish countless great deeds.”

“They bathed in the hot springs of Lion’s Spring, shedding their armor and cloaks to wash away the past. There, they swore allegiance to His Majesty Maclaine Bretagne, ushering in a new dynasty.”

“On behalf of the royal family, I hereby announce that Lion’s Spring will be a symbol of the Empire’s prosperity. A palace will be built there, designated as a royal residence. Only the royal family and the descendants of the Twelve Knights of Lion’s Spring will be permitted to enter and pay homage.”

Charlot Mecklenburg was slightly stunned. He had never imagined that the dirt pit of yore could earn such an illustrious title as Lion’s Spring.

In any nation of the Old Continent, Lion’s Spring held a special meaning. The lion symbolized the Emperor’s most loyal warriors, whose bravery and faithfulness were immortalized in history.

Indeed, even the Robin family once boasted a Grand Duke of Lion’s Spring.

However, unlike King Axel of old, who founded his empire through conquest, His Majesty Maclaine Bretagne achieved his through a coup. Thus, the highest rank among the Twelve Knights was only an Earl, falling short of the prestige once enjoyed by the Seven Dukes of Lion’s Spring under King Axel’s reign.

As the honors continued, Charlot found himself losing interest—until the Emperor called out Annie Mecklenburg’s name. He immediately perked up.

Annie was bestowed the title of Princess, which was not surprising. What shocked Charlot was that her fiefdom encompassed the former Duchy of Mossred, along with the lands of seven nobles who had rebelled alongside Mossred.

In terms of sheer territory, Princess Annie Bretagne held the largest fief in the Empire.

When combined with the Duchy of Moldova, she became the most powerful woman on the Old Continent—without equal.

She even far surpassed Duchess Mesu, who had defected to Byron.

The Duchy of Mossred bordered the southern Seraph territory. In other words, Charlot’s lands and Annie’s were now directly connected, forming a unified region once they were wed.

By evening, the coronation ceremony concluded, giving way to a night-long court banquet filled with revelry.

Charlot, Antonio, and Annie became the focal points of the gathering. Even Charlot, who disliked such occasions, found himself mingling for quite some time. Just as he sought a quiet corner to catch his breath, Prince Alfrey approached him.

The Prince raised his glass slightly and said, “Thank you for what you did for my two daughters.”

“From now on, we will be steadfast allies.”

Charlot nodded slightly. Prince Alfrey, smiling faintly, moved on to engage with other nobles.

Charlot hadn’t expected the affair with the two Axel sisters to have such a lasting impact, earning him the Prince’s goodwill. As for the alliance...

Well, that was not something to be openly discussed.

Charlot exchanged pleasantries with an unfamiliar noble and finally seized an opportunity to slip out of the palace banquet hall unnoticed.

He glanced up at the night sky. The divine radiance emanating from the nine sacred structures illuminated Strasbourg, casting a glow so bright it was like daylight—a unique beauty.

Suddenly, Charlot felt an overwhelming sense of unreality. Step by step, he had reached this point, but much of it was due to fortuitous events and luck. Effort had played only a minor role.

Even his personal strength had not come purely from hard work.

Without facing the Evil God and encountering the True Gods, receiving multiple spiritual awakenings, he could never have reached the seventeenth rank.

Charlot muttered to himself, “Life and fate are truly mysterious. Some rise as waves in the grand tide of history, while others capsize and fall from their lofty heights.”

“I wonder, years from now or decades later, what will become of me?”

“But I still hope this war ends soon.”

“After all, in a peaceful Old Continent, the nobles are much safer.”

On Earth, although people often spoke of entrenched social hierarchies, social mobility was actually quite robust. Genuine century-old enterprises were rare, and billion-dollar companies could collapse or change hands overnight. Even the highest-ranking officials were frequently replaced.

A president serving only four years was a common occurrence, but on the Old Continent, an Emperor ruled for decades—sometimes over a century if they were a high-ranking Transcendent.

The nobility, in turn, passed down wealth and power for centuries, ensuring their enduring legacy.

If not for this war and the failed rebellion, top aristocrats like Prince Redmir Axel and Duke Mossred could have continued their lineages for a thousand years alongside the Fars Empire.

But war changed everything. Fars lost countless great nobles—Grand Duke Ferdinand, Duke Joseph, Baron Feller of Silver Dove Castle—the list was endless.

Other nations fared no better. Byron and the Black Phoenix suffered just as many noble casualties as Fars. Only Ingrima, isolated as an island nation with limited naval engagements, saw fewer losses among its aristocracy.

Once the war ended, Charlot could finally lead a peaceful life free from danger.

Of course, there was still the Evil God to deal with.

Suddenly, Charlot spotted a streak of light across the sky—undoubtedly a Saint-rank figure. However, with Strasbourg bathed in divine light from the True Gods’ sacred structures, even a Saint could not easily descend. Charlot called softly, “Herolf! Go see who’s come to Strasbourg.”

“But don’t engage. No fighting.”

“And don’t fly directly out of the palace—it’s too conspicuous. Walk a distance away first before taking to the air.”

The Golden Ram Herolf, as a housekeeper, was permitted inside the palace but excluded from the court banquet. He left quietly, feeling an almost liberating relief.

The Golden Ram Herolf had watched Charlot rise step by step, from an ordinary Transcendent to his current standing. Though Charlot was not yet Saint-rank, he was only a step away. But did it even matter? Charlot already had seven Saint-rank subordinates...

This left Herolf feeling deeply vexed.

He had once considered breaking free from Charlot’s magical contract, but given the current situation, even if he had the chance to dissolve it, he would likely pretend otherwise.

After all, he feared being besieged by those Saint-rank followers under the pretext of punishing a traitor—beaten to death.

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