The Extra of The Lunerra

Chapter 375 Volume VI - Chapter 8: Nobility Ceremony

Three days. Today was the third day since I arrived in Cevilian. I had already met and talked to most of my friends.

I still hadn't spoken to Sue, though. Julian and Lucia weren't at the academy either, so there hadn't been a face-to-face meeting, but they were aware that I had woken up.

Everyone was aware, actually. After all, the whole world now knew that I was awake... knew what had happened to me.

And that I would become a noble.

The ceremony was only a few minutes away, after all. And where I was now was at the back of a very large, very large indeed, auditorium.

Hundreds of Cevilian nobles, 'guests' from the Holar Republic, maybe hundreds of cameras... and more.

They were all waiting for me, for my appearance on stage.

I took a deep breath, let myself be silent for a moment... preparing.

And amidst all this silence, a woman's voice echoed both in the huge auditorium where I was about to step on stage and backstage where I was waiting.

"With your permission, I invite Aiden Tenebra to the stage!"

And an applause loud enough to make my ears ring.

I opened my eyes, straightened my expression, and gave a small smile. I slowly walked on stage with my cane.

It was just as I expected. More cameras than I could count with their lenses on me, hundreds of nobles whose faces I recognized and whose faces I didn't...

And me in the spotlight.

I tore my eyes away from the spectators and turned my gaze to the person standing on the stage with me. It was someone I knew, with jet-black hair and green eyes... Prince Lucas. He had a broad smile on his face.

Though... he looks like he hasn't slept a bit? He must have been working a lot, huh...

"Ahem..."

I cleared my throat with a slight cough and went back into the hall. They were all waiting for me, for a... speech.

"I would like to thank all the nobles of Cevilian, the diplomats of the Holar Republic, and all those who have come to watch and listen to this ceremony and speech organized on my behalf."

As at all ceremonies, my words were followed by an intense applause.

"The reason I went to Holar half a year ago was quite simple, it was a step I wanted to take as I was preparing for my future... but I found something completely different. When the city I was staying in went up in flames, I had to fight, I had to flee. I... personally saw how disgusting, destructive, and exhausting a war can be."

I didn't want to make my speech too long, but I wanted it to be effective.

"I was captured, spent weeks on a ship called the Caleuche... as a captive. Somehow, I managed to escape, I returned to the North Holar with many wounds, and... I was told I could go back."

I paused for dramatic effect, sighing slightly as I closed my eyes.

"But I... wanted to fight. Instead of going back, instead of being able to continue my life normally. Why, then?"

I moved my eyes around the hall, looking into the eyes of all the people.

"Not for any noble reason, to be honest. Not because I believed I could make the war end... but because I had experienced what 'war' was like, I had seen how helpless I was in the face of it. I... wanted to be strong."

I raised my cane slightly, curling my lips up as I showed it to everyone.

"Yes, the war took a lot from me. But... it also gave a lot. And even though I didn't believe at the beginning that I could have any effect on this war... I managed to be the one to end it myself."

I calmly lowered my cane and widened my smile.

"I had many doubts about whether I was doing the right thing at the beginning, leaving my friends and my sister behind just to fight... to be 'stronger'... it was not easy. But here I am, I made it. So... if I had another choice... I would make the same choice again. I have no doubt."

I leaned slightly towards the crowd.

"This... is all I want to say. Thank you for listening to me."

And again I was met with thunderous applause, this time longer than the others, though it didn't last forever.

As a brief silence fell over the hall... a hand slowly raised across the room caught my attention.

With my eyebrows slightly raised, I looked at it curiously. Because... this was someone I knew.

Not someone I had met during my time as Aiden Tenebra, but... from the game called The Lands of The Lunerra.

He was Duke Laehera himself, the head of one of the five Duke Families, considered the pillars of the kingdom.

Despite his age, he had blond hair and bright blue eyes. And... although he normally had a rather soft temperament and posture, now he looked a bit... stern and serious.

"I have a question, Mr. Aiden."

I nodded my head slightly up and down, I was really curious about his question.

And Duke Laehera didn't keep me and everyone else in the hall waiting, wondering what his question was.

"I don't know when you woke up from your coma, but... You must have heard of the terrorist organization called Saligia."

Oh...

I see... how could I not have guessed?

"The day they announced themselves to the world, all the figures that appeared on the screens had one thing in common. Eyes that glowed purple, an energy of the same color that felt ominous... sinister. And... in a video of the war, which I think everyone has seen at least once, you have the same eye color and wield the same energy."

The silence in the hall slowly began to fill with whispers as he continued.

"With all due respect, I'm not trying to hint at anything... but can you explain this?"

And after he finished his question, all these whispers grew louder.

I tapped my cane rhythmically three times on the stage, especially to attract attention. And... I took a deep breath.

"You saw it right. I can use that purple, ominous energy that most members of the Saligian terrorist organization can use. But!"

I raised my voice abruptly to prevent any further murmurs, making sure that all focus was on me.

"Do you remember, a few seconds ago... I mentioned that I spent weeks in Caleuche as a 'captive'. Do you know what I went through there, what they did to me, how I escaped? No, I guess... and also believe."

I ran my eyes through all the cameras that turned toward me, one by one.

"The South Holar was not alone. Saligia was working with them even before they revealed themselves to the world. How do you think they brought a technological pinnacle like the Caleuche to this world? Only the extraordinary mind of the dwarves cannot design such a thing. Even if it could, it could not produce it."

As my vision slowly turned purple, the caora enveloped over my body, patching every part of my body, a little pale in color and density. I saw everyone in the hall looking at me with different expressions, some of interest, some of fear, some of curiosity...

I put my cane in the inventory ring on my finger and took steps on stage without any difficulty despite my crippled body.

"It is this power that allows me to walk without my cane. This power is what allows me to fight even though I am a cripple now. Maybe it feels ominous, maybe it looks more... chaotic and sinister than anything you've ever seen in your life. But that's exactly the point. I have this 'evil' power, but I am not against you... I am with you. And I am giving everything I know without hesitation."

I materialized my cane again and dispersed the caora. I stood again where I had made my speech a few seconds before, this time keeping my eyes on Duke Laehera. But my next words were for everyone.

"Are there any more questions? I will answer all of them without exception. Feel free to do so."

But... there were not. The auditorium was silent.

"Then let us continue, please."

I turned my eyes to the right, in the direction of Prince Lucas, who had watched everything that had happened and had not moved an inch. In fact... it was as if he liked it. He had a big smile on his face.

He approached me with slow steps, never taking his smile off his face. He slowly unsheathed the long, gold-embroidered great sword at his waist, just like his steps.

When he was in front of me, he paused.

"I am Lucas Cevilian, Crown Prince of the Cevilian Kingdom."

"I am Aiden Tenebra, an ordinary citizen of the Cevilian Kingdom. I salute the Crown Prince."

After my words, I knelt slowly, bowing my head to him. The Prince raised the sword gradually, placing it first on my left shoulder.

"An ordinary citizen of the Cevilian Kingdom, Aiden Tenebra... The Cevilian Kingdom gladly acknowledges you for all that you have accomplished."

He raised the sword, this time placing it on my right shoulder.

"And also rewards you."

He pulled the sword back, placing it softly and upright on the ground between us.

"Stand up, Aiden Tenebra."

It was a little difficult to get up without the support of my cane, but I stood up perfectly, resisting the pain in my right leg.

"From this moment on, the Tenebra Family rises above the ordinary and enters the Cevilian nobility as a family of counts. As the eldest living member of this family, do you accept the position of family leader?"

"I do."

"Do you accept to work as the leader of the Tenebra Family, as a count, to protect the prosperity of Cevilian, to protect its lands, and to always honor the name of the kingdom?"

"I do."

"Do you accept that as a count, you will not abuse your authority over the lands of Cevilian, and that if you are found to have done so, you will be properly punished and stripped of your nobility?"

"I do."

"Do you agree to adopt the Cevilian constitution and accept your obligations under it?"

"I do."

The prince slowly pushed the sword toward me, letting it fall between my fingers. The sword was heavy... but not so much that I found it difficult to lift.

"This sword will henceforth be in your custody as a token of your family's nobility. I congratulate you, Aiden Tenebra, on your entry into Cevilian nobility. And I wish you success and glory for your future."

I heard more applause than I had ever heard before, so much so that my ears hurt. Still, I kept a smile on my face and kept my head down.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness."

I turned my gaze to the people in the hall, looked at the cameras, even waved slightly.

Maybe it was a simple ceremony, maybe it didn't have much purpose... but it was important to me. To know that I was in front of everyone like this, in front of the whole world... and to become someone 'important' in front of all these people. To become a 'noble'...

That's why I went to Holar, at least that was one of my goals. And now... I had succeeded.

All that was left... was to keep moving. And become so much more.

*(A/N: This chapter was a bit... uneventful, like a filler. I know. And I'm sorry. But I had to write this as it is an important thing for the story. Ethan is a count now, after all. Anyway, thanks for reading as always.)*