Chapter 428: A Legend Begins

This was Charlot Mecklenburg’s first time dining with the Bretagne family!

Not at 58 Elysée Avenue, but at a far more distinguished location.

Though the Earl of Bretagne wasn’t particularly pleased during the meal, the new Count of Bretagne was in high spirits.

Charlot himself felt quite satisfied. While the dinner was somewhat stiff, and the taste was unremarkable, had this been back on Earth, he would certainly have taken a selfie and posted it across various social media platforms:

"Today I dined at the palace with the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and Princess Annie!"

Such prestige was priceless.

Who needed taste when you had status?

Taste couldn’t be captured in a photo, but prestige certainly could.

After dinner, the Earl didn’t keep them long, as he needed to conserve his energy for the coronation the next day. Charlot cheerfully bid farewell to Antonio and returned to his residence with Annie. After bidding each other goodnight, they went their separate ways.

Charlot tried cultivating for a while but found his heightened spiritual sensitivity somewhat unstable. Rather than refining complex Blood Runes, he chose to focus on constructing a new Flame Dragon’s Hand.

Charlot had previously cultivated seven Flame Dragon’s Hands but had not attempted to refine any additional ones since then.

This ability had proven invaluable, helping him turn the tide in several duels.

Charlot aimed to stabilize his recent spiritual advancements, which had surged excessively due to encounters with an Evil God and a direct gaze from the Lady of the Black Moon, one of the Nine Righteous Gods.

The higher one’s spiritual sensitivity, the faster they could cultivate extraordinary abilities.

Those born with heightened spiritual sensitivity advanced more quickly in the path of transcendence but were also prone to instability during cultivation.

In such situations, practicing simpler spells helped balance and stabilize one’s spiritual sensitivity.

To his surprise, within a few hours, Charlot successfully refined an eighth Flame Dragon’s Hand with remarkable ease, despite expecting the process to require significantly more time and energy.

Once the eighth hand was formed, he practiced manipulating all eight simultaneously. As he anticipated, his combat options became more diverse, allowing for more strategic combinations of attacks.

With the coronation ceremony drawing near, Charlot refrained from sleeping, opting instead to rest his eyes briefly to recharge his energy.

...

An hour later, a palace etiquette officer knocked on the door, calling out,

“Count Mecklenburg, it is time for you to prepare.”

Charlot smiled faintly and emerged from his room, where over a dozen etiquette officers helped him dress in ceremonial attire and equipped him with a purely ornamental Vampiric Rapier.

The rapier was virtually useless in combat—it lacked a blade and was no longer than the palm of a hand when unsheathed. Its real value lay in the jewel-encrusted scabbard, which exuded opulence.

Led by the etiquette officers, Charlot was escorted to his designated position. The palace grounds were already crowded with countless nobles, the new Royal Knights, and ordinary citizens gathered to witness the event.

In the distance, a radiant beam of light shot into the sky!

Charlot recognized its origin as the Gate of Radiance on Elysée Avenue.

Another divine brilliance soon followed, this one emanating from the Lantern Tower, the miracle left by the Lamp Bearer.

One by one, the dozens of miraculous edifices across Strasbourg began to shine, their light converging into a magnificent dome of glass-like brilliance that enveloped the city, as if the gods themselves were blessing and safeguarding the occasion.

Nine High Priests, representing the temples of the Nine Righteous Gods, ascended a platform before the palace. Each recited lengthy divine proclamations, formally acknowledging the Earl of Bretagne as the new Emperor of Fars.

With the appearance of the palace orchestra and ceremonial guards, a procession emerged from outside the palace. Emperor Maclaine Bretagne made his public debut.

The imposing Antonio, riding a white steed, stood guard by his father’s side. Everyone knew this tall and handsome young man to be the new Count of Bretagne and Crown Prince of the Fars Empire.

Trailing slightly behind was the carriage of Princess Annie Bretagne, though she was no longer using her Pumpkin Coach. For this grand ceremony, a new, luxurious carriage had been specially commissioned. The old coach, no longer new, was deemed unworthy of such an occasion.

Following the etiquette officer’s guidance, Charlot urged his meticulously selected Argento Horse forward, joining the procession mid-route. Alongside him rode ten other knights of the Bretagne family.

Charlot maintained impeccable composure, determined to leave no room for error, and patiently endured the step-by-step progression of the ceremony.

By midday, the nine High Priests simultaneously invoked their divine power, channeling it into a crown. The crown floated in the air before descending onto Emperor Maclaine Bretagne’s head, marking the completion of the coronation.

From that moment forward, the Earl of Bretagne was no more. He was now Emperor Maclaine Bretagne, ruler of the Fars Empire.

With the fall of the Axel dynasty, the Bretagne dynasty ushered in a new chapter in history.

Emperor Maclaine Bretagne, accompanied by all present, entered the palace on foot and officially took his place on the imperial throne. Surveying those around him, he declared,

“I, Maclaine Bretagne, represent the Nine Righteous Gods and the people of Fars. I shall wield the empire’s power with unwavering dedication and offer all that I am to this nation.”

What followed were congratulations from envoys of various nations—even those of the enemy Byron Empire sent representatives.

However, no envoy came from the Black Phoenix Dynasty.

...

By the afternoon, as Charlot fought off drowsiness, the Emperor’s calm voice cut through the atmosphere,

“Count Mecklenburg!”

“You have made immeasurable contributions to the empire. On the battlefield, your prowess is unparalleled, and in diplomacy, you have secured powerful allies, earning the empire friendships with both Ingrima and the Lionheart Empire.”

“For these reasons, I hereby name you Charlot Mecklenburg, Count of South Seraph. From this day forward, the South Seraph Free Domain shall be reconstituted as the Mecklenburg County!”

Following courtly protocol, Charlot thanked the Emperor for this honor. Without turning his head, he could feel the countless gazes fixed upon him—some filled with envy, others with jealousy, goodwill, malice, and a myriad of complex emotions.

From a merchant’s son to a Count of the empire, Charlot Mecklenburg’s journey was nothing short of legendary.

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