“Yuder.”

His voice was distinctly clear, unlike the other blurred, indistinct voices around. It was as if Yuder was encountering a real, living being among drifting ghosts. He furrowed his brow, feeling a strange sensation like heat spreading through his fingertips as if hot water had been poured over them. Slowly, he turned his eyes.

‘...’

However, there was no one where he turned his head. He thought he had heard a familiar voice, but perhaps it was a mistake.

“The door will open soon. We can't delay any longer.”

The chief attendant, unable to wait, urged again. Yuder exhaled deeply and straightened his back. With his limbs aligned and his chin tucked, he assumed the perfect posture he had been taught time and again.

The chief attendant began to say something more, but stopped as he met Yuder’s piercing black gaze from a higher vantage point. He momentarily closed his lips, but then frowned, seemingly embarrassed to feel intimidated while facing someone of common birth.

“…Go ahead.”

The massive door began to open silently. Yuder started to stride confidently along the red carpet laid before him.

Brilliant light flowed in from the open door. Figures from various holy paintings and angel sculptures on the high ceiling looked down with smiling faces at Yuder entering alone.

Yuder, with an impassive face, scanned the young Emperor Katchian seated on the throne and a few others standing around him. It was his own inauguration ceremony, but none of those faces were familiar to Yuder. The nobles, in their refined attire, were only assessing the worth of the new Cavalry Commander, not offering congratulations or smiles.

Usually, an inauguration in the Hall of Glory was an honor reserved for positions like the Commander of the Imperial Knights, the Chief Court Mage, or an Imperial Army General, attracting a large crowd.

However, only a few attended Yuder's ceremony, most of whom were there just to impress the Emperor. The absence of fellow Cavalry members left the hall emptier than usual. Minimal decorations made the setting appear even more bleak and unremarkable.

But none of that mattered to Yuder. He wasn’t bothered.

Instead, what captured Yuder's attention was a person standing inconspicuously at the end of the red path. Although everyone seemed to ignore his presence, maintaining a distance, Yuder felt strongly aware of him. The tall figure, head and shoulders above the others, couldn’t be overlooked by pretending not to see.

Kishiar La Orr.

The last surviving descendant of the previous imperial family wore a not-so-flashy dark-colored outfit today. While it suited him well, Yuder found it odd, being used to seeing him in white ceremonial robes.

Yuder checked only up to that point, turning his head so as not to meet Kishiar's gaze. He continued to walk along the red path.

“Kneel, you who have reached this place.”

Finally, at the end of the long path, Yuder reached the steps in front of the throne.

As instructed, Yuder knelt on one knee to pay respect. The young, almost boyish-looking Emperor Katchian, with a splendid crown atop his head, looked down at Yuder and then narrowed his eyes, lifting the corners of his mouth.

His expression, too, was not much different from the other nobles who seemed to be assessing Yuder's worth. The only difference was a faint glimmer of mild curiosity, caution, and an indiscernible satisfaction in his eyes.

Whatever reason he had for looking at Yuder like that, Yuder was in no position to ask or be curious about it. He silently bowed his head, listening to the voice coming from above.

The Emperor spoke at length, expressing his hope that the Cavalry would become a stronger pillar for the safety and future of the Orr Empire with its new Commander. Yuder's achievements as a Deputy Commander were hardly mentioned. The speech was filled with noble and elegant language, but its underlying meaning was clear.

“Therefore, the new Commander must be like a mountain that supports the rising sun every morning, like the sea that paves the way for fish to swim, sincerely responding to the needs of the Empire.”

The Emperor symbolizes the sun, and the people, the fish. In other words, the Emperor was saying to dedicate oneself unconditionally and prove loyalty to him and the Empire.

Don't forget that the excessive treatment you've received so far comes with corresponding responsibilities and costs. If you want to maintain the name of the Cavalry, you must show a completely different image. The Emperor's intention was very clear.

After the lengthy speech, Emperor Katchian stood up from his throne and received a ceremonial sword from the chief attendant. He placed the sword twice on Yuder's shoulder and recited words of blessing. Yuder responded by pressing his lips to the hem of the Emperor's robe, a vow of eternal service and loyalty.

Emperor Katchian nodded and gestured.

“I accept your loyalty. Yudrain Aile.”

For the first time, the Emperor called the appointee by name, announcing it to everyone.

The moment he did, the watching nobles were slightly surprised, exchanging glances at the unfamiliar name.

“What's this? I didn't hear about bestowing a name.”

It was an undeniably old-fashioned name, similar to his real name, as if carefully chosen. It was the highest honor the Emperor could bestow on a new retainer at such an event. But the Emperor's demeanor didn't seem to suggest that; what was going on?

However, the surprises didn't end there.

“Furthermore, I bestow upon you the title of Count. From now on, you shall stand here as Count Yudrain Aile.”

“A Count?”

“Count? I thought at most he would receive a courtesy title.”

“Maybe a Baron at best, but a Count all at once…”

“This is unbelievable.”

But since everyone present was there to impress the young Emperor, their voices weren’t loud. Despite their shocked and dissatisfied expressions, they only whispered among themselves.

Was the young Emperor and the Diarca Ducal Family, standing behind him, actually placing great expectations on the new Cavalry? Was the seemingly modest inauguration ceremony a ruse to deceive onlookers before bestowing a major reward?

Political implications were rampant in the silent exchange of meaningful looks and signals.

Yuder, unaware of all these signals, simply stood there calmly. He didn't know that when the Emperor calls someone by a new name at such an event, it usually means he personally chose the name. Hence, he was oblivious to any misunderstandings brewing around him. Even if he had known, he likely wouldn't have bothered to correct them.

After all, the new name given by the former Commander meant nothing to Yuder.

A formal name that would hardly be used, what did it matter who coined it or bestowed it? He was somewhat surprised to receive the Count title, as he hadn't anticipated that, but it was nearly the same to him.

Receiving a title didn't suddenly change where he lived or what he had to do. It was more meaningful to show his abilities and make a difference with his changed attitude than to rely on the weight of a title.

However, just because he felt that way didn't mean others did.

Emperor Katchian, who had bestowed the name and title upon Yuder, turned his eyes away with a faintly crooked smile. Duke Peletta, who stood quietly in the shadows, bowed his head very slowly as his eyes met the Emperor's.

His gesture seemed like a show of gratitude, or perhaps an acknowledgment of his defeat. The Emperor's smile deepened significantly as he watched Duke Peletta, who seemed ready to leave. Suddenly, the Emperor spoke out loud.

“By the way, we should have had a retirement ceremony for the former Commander… The country has been in turmoil, and we never found the time. What a pity.”

At the young Emperor's words, everyone's eyes turned to Kishiar La Orr. The man who was about to leave stopped in his tracks. A brief silence followed, and then the man turned his head back.

In that momentary pause, the surrounding nobles tensed up without realizing it, but the man who showed his face was smiling like a fool, as if oblivious to the insult.

“I think I’ve worked long enough... Aren’t retirement ceremonies for older people with too much time on their hands? After standing so long today, I just want to go back and drink some 70-year-old Kulavang wine that came in yesterday.”

His expression was so foolishly relaxed that even the nobles, who had no loyalty to the former imperial family, felt oddly stirred.

Was this foolish man really aware of the situation? Did he understand that he was the only direct descendant of the first Emperor left, and the attention and burden that would follow?

He had even let go of his only real weapon, the position of the Cavalry Commander. Duke Peletta seemed indifferent even to his rumored successor. Looking at his carefree face, full of thoughts of eating, drinking, and playing, it was hard to believe the rumors that he had toyed with the new Commander.

“Ha... Haha.”

Emperor Katchian laughed with a similar sentiment in his eyes.

As the Emperor laughed, the nobles also started to chuckle awkwardly and quietly, looking around. The laughter gradually grew more widespread.

“Still, it would be a shame to send you off like this without greeting the new Commander, wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose... I don’t really know.”

The man, looking at Yuder, tilted his head and then smiled again.

“Well, if a greeting is necessary, then it must be done.”

Yuder watched the man walking towards him. With no emotion, the man lifted the corners of his mouth in an exaggerated manner, bowed before Yuder, and before he could say anything, grabbed his hand.

Then he slid his lips down from the back of Yuder’s hand to the fingertips, kissing it smoothly.