Chapter 326.1. The Marchioness Enfeoffment Ceremony

-Masatoshi’s POV-
Suddenly, Nobunaga ascended to the throne as Emperor to quell the chaos. Counting from the  Grand Martial Arts Tournament, this happened in just two short weeks. 
Naturally, due to the haste of his coronation, there was no time to invite dignitaries from various countries, and only ambassadors attended.
Due to the short preparation time, they had to use force. 
In terms of security, they were not prepared in time, so instead of using the police or samurai, they lined up armed guards like a military parade and held a procession.
Furthermore, to make matters worse, the coronation was special, and for those 2 days, it was a national holiday where the citizens could enjoy a festive banquet with wine and food provided by the Emperor. However, Emperor Nobunaga, due to budget constraints, did not offer any wine or food.
The new Emperor had a bad reputation because he no longer had parades like the military review and the once-in-a-lifetime coronation banquet.
Emperor Nobunaga had gotten off with a very bad start, and the future looked bleak.
On the other hand, it was Takano County that gained fame. When they heard that the Emperor wouldn’t provide food at the banquet, the gray-haired girl and others, including herself, proposed to the nobles that they should provide the food. All the nobles accepted the proposal, and they served wine and food.
As a result, more wine and food were provided than during the reign of Emperor Touya, and the citizens enjoyed the banquet to the fullest. Countess Takano’s reputation for his success at the  Grand Martial Arts Tournament and moved the nobles to show concern for the commoners, gained a tremendous reputation.
Everyone felt Takano County had risen to the top, and rumors spread that the Emperor’s power was waning.
And now, the present.
Summer in the  Grand Martial Arts Tournament has ended, and the pleasant autumn has passed, coming to the end of November. It’s almost time to talk about how people will spend the year-end and New Year holidays.
Gray-haired girl, or rather, Marchioness Takano Miu’s enfeoffment ceremony was now beginning right in front of them.
The floating castle had crashed into the sea, becoming a new tourist attraction and a perfect nesting ground for fish, so the enfeoffment ceremony was held in an aboveground castle.
In the audience chamber, Emperor Nobunaga sat on the throne, trying to display his dignity, but his youthful face revealed signs of fatigue. He must have been struggling to deal with the punishment of the nobles who had joined the rebellion of Duke Kanna and to resolve the political turmoil.
A fiery-haired young boy, Aguni Masatoshi, looked at the Emperor with pity. Some nobles also cast similar pitying looks. However, their number was small, and the rest of the nobles’ gazes were filled with amazement, dissatisfaction, and contempt.
That was not the attitude they should have toward their leader. Despite all the nobles attending, the new Emperor was making a big mistake trying to show his dignity.
The reason all the nobles were present was not out of loyalty to the Emperor. It was because it was the enfeoffment ceremony of Marchioness Takano Miu. That was clear in the respect and fear they held for the gray-haired girl. The audience chamber filled with silence, and the atmosphere turned solemn.
“We will now begin the enfeoffment ceremony for Marchioness Takano.”
As proof of this, when the Prime Minister speaks of beginning the ceremony, the nobles who were whispering and chattering shut their mouths.
It was an understandable attitude because of their respect and awe for the gray-haired girl. The audience room becomes quiet and solemn.
The air is appropriate for a knighthood ceremony, but the new Emperor’s face is slightly distorted with irritation. He’s not happy with the blatant difference in attitude toward him.
Masatoshi remembers that everyone used to underestimate the gray-haired girl. It was an incredible change in just a few years.
“In addition, there will be a ceremony to bestow the vacant title of Count to Takano Houretsu, as Marquis Takano is being enfeoffed.”
The nobles were aware of this, but they gulped and exchanged astonished glances. 
No one had expected the man who had fallen from nobility due to his lack of mana awakening to suddenly awaken his mana, and return to being a Count. It was beyond anyone’s imagination.
The era of mistreatment for those who didn’t awaken their mana was long gone. Undoubtedly, the nobles were now frantically going to retrieve the children they had quietly banished as branch family members or commoners.
As the grand doors opened, Takano Houretsu and the gray-haired girl entered. The gray-haired girl walked confidently, escorted by her father Houretsu.
“Isn’t an escort usually when you link arms with the other person?” 
I muttered involuntarily, feeling uneasy as the gray-haired girl clung to Houretsu’s arm like a koala while walking.
“Or is it that she’s grown too much during her growth period and has a stunning figure?” 
The gray-haired girl had grown when I hadn’t seen her. She now stood well over 170 centimeters, her chest as plump as if she had melon bread.
Her dress was a light shade of blue, sophisticated, adorned with gemstones that sparkled like stars in the night sky. Her necklace and tiara gleamed with the light of mana, giving her a divine presence.
Gray-haired girl, now a mature woman I could call a goddess. Well, I’d like to think of it that way.
No, I know the truth. I’m only pretending not to know, but I can’t help but stare at the gray-haired girl in disbelief. After all, this is the enfeoffment ceremony from the Emperor, right? Shouldn’t she have come in a more conventional style?
“Ouch!”
Oh, she fell. She staggered and somehow managed to make her way to the designated spot, but she must have relaxed too much and tripped. She fell backward, and it looked painful. She couldn’t get up, and she waved her legs around. Finally, she kicked off her high heels, which had heels as long as spears, in pain.