Chapter 49: Owner and dog

"They're coming! Our mighty king is coming!"

At the end of winter, as the trees greened again, the army of the Asina kingdom proudly returned home. King Richard and his army had arrived at the capital. With a glorious victory under their belt, the soldiers' morale was high, and this victory lifted the spirits of the people as well.

Moreover, because of his outstanding performance in the war, Prince Ethan had become the favorite prince. Undoubtedly, Ethan had gained much more than he had expected in this war. When they entered the capital, a grand celebration greeted them. Having witnessed such celebrations many times before, Ethan had grown accustomed to it. But this time, being loved by his own people in this way felt good.

King Richard's triumphant return filled the capital with great joy. The streets were filled with flags, and the people had gathered to join in the celebrations. Ethan felt quite important amidst this enthusiastic crowd. He was no longer just a member of the royal family, but had also become a beloved figure among the people.

As Ethan made his way towards the throne room of the palace, thoughts flooded his mind. Alongside the victory brought by the war, the love of his people gave him courage. However, he knew that hidden dangers could exist behind this jubilant atmosphere. Mindful of the royal intrigues and lurking enemies, he was determined to remain vigilant.

Upon entering the throne room, all eyes turned to him. He couldn't help but feel somewhat akin to the famous figures of his previous world. However, there was no doubt that some people here wished for Ethan's demise. Ethan walked towards a certain corner and sat at the table where his mother was. Immediately, several important nobles tried to sit close to him. Since the table Ethan sat at was large, a few chairs were still empty. Duchess Theodora, Anna's mother, took a seat in one of the vacant chairs. After courteously greeting Ethan, Duchess Theodora began conversing with the other people at the table.

Before long, the conversation became lively, and Ethan occasionally joined in, expressing himself. Despite his concerns about royal intrigues, Ethan felt somewhat at ease amidst the sincerity and enthusiasm of those around him. However, a voice inside him reminded him to remain cautious. As the conversation progressed, Ethan tried to understand the intentions of those around him. Some seemed genuine, but among them were those with hidden agendas. Duchess Theodora's gentle and graceful demeanor caught Ethan's attention. Perhaps by speaking with her more closely, he could learn more about the power dynamics within the palace.

However, just then, King Richard, seated on the throne, began to speak. His words silenced the room immediately.

"As you know, we have endured a great war and emerged victorious through our efforts. With this victory, there is no doubt that we are one of the most powerful states in the world. In this war, I have learned and experienced many things personally. It is evident that many individuals have undoubtedly fulfilled their duty to our country in this war. One of them is my young son, Ethan, who has achieved outstanding success in this battle. Therefore, I proudly announce that Ethan will receive an award at the traditional award ceremony."

With these words, applause filled the room. Ethan rose from his seat and walked towards the throne. As he climbed a few steps of the throne's stairs, he stopped and knelt down.

"Then, accept your reward. I hope you will continue to serve the Lenistark house and the Asina kingdom for many years to come."

With these words, Richard handed over what he held to his personal guard standing nearby. The guard handed Ethan three high-quality papers and a golden seal. Accepting his award, Ethan said loudly, "It is a great honor for me, Your Majesty."

"The award I have given you consist of three royal decisions. These three papers are documents and seals for decisions that only I can make. So you can make a royal decision three times and my soldiers will fulfill it no matter what. Of course, there will be some limitations, and it must be something I will approve of."

Realizing the value of the papers in his hand, Ethan began to think about how to use them.

"Then, I would like to make my first decision, Your Majesty."

"Do you want to announce it here?"

"It doesn't matter to me, Your Majesty."

"Well, you can still announce it here."

"My first request is for a viscountcy belonging to Duke Eddart to be returned to its rightful owner."

With these words, everyone in the throne room began to whisper among themselves. Duke Eddart, who was present there, quickly stood up and walked a few steps before speaking.

"What does this mean, Prince Ethan?"

"What I've said is quite clear. You unjustly occupied the Silverthorn viscounty with insufficient evidence and barbarically seized the house's land. It was a primitive method that was clearly not right." Ethan said. The Silverthorn viscounty was Ulric's old home, the land where his parents had died. Now, it was forbidden for Ulric to enter those lands.

"The Silverthorn family was a traitor to our country, and I fulfilled my duty by punishing them with the king's permis-..."

"Do you have evidence, Duke? But no, I'm not talking about fake evidence even a child could fabricate," Ethan said calmly.

"As you know, Your Majesty, I destroyed the Silverthorn house after obtaining your permission," Duke Eddart said.

"At this point, this argument is meaningless and futile. Ethan has made a decision, and the Silverthorn house will be given to the person Ethan desires." Said Richard.

"I want to return the Silverthorn house to its rightful owner, Ulric Silverthorn."

Duke Eddart was heading back to his chair in defeat when Ethan started talking again.

"Furthermore, as compensation to the Silverthorn house, we should give a city and four villages that belong to Duke Eddart."

"What!? This is impossible!"

"Unfortunately, you are not the one making decisions here, Eddart."

Everyone in the throne room watched this event with curious eyes. Duke Eddart tried to calm down as he looked at Ethan.

"With what you just said, you're granting two favors. Are you sure about this!? Perhaps you could reconsider, Prince Ethan."

"You are mistaken, Duke Eddart. I do not have three rights, I have the power to make three royal decrees. One royal paper and one royal stamp allows me to do all these things," said Ethan.

With these words, Duke Eddart's face began to redden with anger. At that moment, Duke Eddart looked at the king as a last resort.

"Giving such great power to someone so young and inexperienced leads to injustices. I request you to stop this," the duke said.

"My decision is final and the prize has already been delivered. To give a well-deserved prize and then take it back is an outrage." Said Richard.

"I understand, Your Majesty. As always, you are right."

Duke Eddart had no choice but to accept the situation. King Richard was at the peak of his power, and he had no power to exert pressure on him. "Before a royal decree, all heads bow and all bodies kneel. This includes me, Duke Eddart," he said as he kneeled, accepting his fate silently.

"So be it. The decision has been made. I'm writing the decree in front of all of you," Ethan said. After writing down the decisions on the royal paper he received from Richard, he folded it and stamped it with the royal seal. He handed the paper to Duke Eddart and whispered in his ear"Even a dog does not have the right to choose its bone. It is the owner who gives the bone to the dog." Hearing Ethan's words, Duke Eddart's eyes began to moisten with anger.

After receiving the paper with the royal seal, Duke Eddart went to his chair and helplessly accepted his situation. All the nobles who witnessed these events looked at Ethan with a mixture of fear and admiration. Ethan had made the second most powerful person in the Asina kingdom kneel and humiliated him. Undoubtedly, from this day forth, Duke Eddart's power diminished, and he had lost the title of the second most powerful person in the Asina kingdom, after the king.

In fact, Ethan had several reasons for doing this. First, he wanted to strike a blow to Eddart by assessing the reward he received. Second, he wanted to show the other nobles present here which side was powerful. The third reason was probably to help his future mother-in-law, Duchess Theodora, and increase her power. Thus, in the future, Duchess Theodora would owe Ethan a debt. The ultimate reason was to strengthen the loyalty of his trustworthy friend, Ulric, for years to come. Ethan had undoubtedly removed one of the biggest obstacles on the path to the throne for now.