Reward

"Today, I'm here to announce our triumph of victory against the monster that can destroy our kingdom! A monster that can kill every one of us! However, because of our valiant warrior, we successfully defeated that monster! And throw it back to the void they come from!"

I gritted my teeth when I heard the king's speech. Right now, we are sitting in front of the podium where the king gave his speech.

Anyway, I gritted my teeth when I heard him saying that he had a contribution to the fight against the monster wave and the S-class monster. He said that as if he sent his troops to the north and helped us. He says as if he is on the frontline leading the troops.

"There are many heroes in the fight against the monster! However, there is an Eight Lord who shines among them! They are the defenders of the north! The Northern Lord! The first one will be Lord Byron! The baron of Gyan Pass!"

My vassal walks toward the podium with a stoic face. When he arrived in front of the king, he knelt down, and the king continued his speech.

"For your contribution in the battle against the monster, I give you the title of Viscount and give you a piece of land for you to rule!"

The king then places his sword on top of Daniel Byron, and then the king advisor walks next to the king, and he is holding a scroll parchment the king takes and presents it to Daniel.

I want to go home. I don't want to participate in this so-called ceremony.

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|Valerie Gideon von Vulux POV|

I look at my son with all the disappointment I have. I never thought that I would give birth to a moron. What my son does will only make the northerner hate the crown even more. Not only did he not help them, but he also decided to take their triumph over the monster wave by saying that he participated in the battle.

Not only did he decide to betray their loyalty, but he also decided to steal their glory by saying that he would participate in the battle.

I don't know how I gave birth to this oaf that did not think about all the consequences of all his actions. He thinks that he will get away from whatever he does because he is the king. I really regret leaving him to be educated by another noble.

My son continues to give his so-called speech and calls another northern noble. Each of the nobles that get called by him has an expression that shows a cold rage. A rage that promises pain and long dead.

He continued to give the northern lord a promotion. The baron becomes a Viscount, the Viscount becomes a Count, and the Count becomes a Marquiss. Each of the lords also get a new land on the southern side of the Bloody Gate, the lawless place, because that bastard Frederick decided the place is not important enough for him to rule.

After a few minutes, it is time for the ceremony's main stars, the man that summoned the First Grim Reaper. The man that single-handedly defeated the S-class monster. The man that has a magic knowledge that makes the Grandmaster Magician bleed in envy.

Isaac Lionheart.

The Silver Lion

The Hero of the North

The Shield of the North

"... Isaac Lionheart! He is the Lord who has the most contribution in the fight. The one who defeats the S-class monster after it was weakened by the other…"

I wince a little when I feel a quick outburst of killing intent from the northern lord who hears what my son says. I flinch even harder when I see the young lord walk toward my son with that expression. While I'm not a magician, I have a sensitive sense of magic, and right now, I can 'see' the magic around the Silver Lion roaring like a flame ready to burn us all.

"Let's give a round of applause to the Silver Lion, Isaac Lionheart!"

I can see the young lord give a strained smile to the people around us before hesitantly kneel down. I'm not blaming myself for hesitating to kneel in front of a man that he hates.

"In the name of Vulux, I declare you, Isaac Lionheart, as the Duke of the North. I give you the authority as the protector and the ruler of the north in my name! From now on, you are the one who governs the north in my name. All of the other nobles in the north will be under your wing, they will give their taxes to you, and you will give the crown fifty percent of the total taxes you place into them."

I can hear the cursing of the southern noble. They think that the north did not deserve the reward. They still think that the north is still a barbarian place where the plant did not grow. What an idiot, all of them.

On the other hand, the northern lord nods their head and gives the young lord all their respect and loyalty. Even though he is a young lord, not even his twenty years old, they give their absolute loyalty.

This loyalty should be toward the crown, but because of my son's idiocy, they give their loyalty to the young lord, who gives them a new chance. He who gives them a new way to survive the harsh environment of the north. He is the one that helps them in their time of need. Not my son.

"And! I will give you my Daughter! Elizabeth Ainsworth von Vulux! You can do anything you want to her, as long as she becomes your mistress."

What?!?

I can hear the gasp coming from the people around me. What is he thinking?!? Giving away his blood and flesh to become a mistress?!? If he does it in private, then I have no problem with it, but by doing it in public, he says that he doesn't care about his daughter, but he also says that his daughter is not even worth becoming a Wife.

There is also the wording of him. If what he says is true, he just sold his daughter, my granddaughter, to become a slave. A slave in all but name!

"Pardon me, your highness. Can you repeat your word?"

"Of course! From now on, you will have my daughter as your mistress! You can do anything to her as much as you want! This is my decree as Royalty!"

"Can't I reject your…. generous… reward? I already have a wife after all."

"Nay! From now on, you will have my daughter as your mistress. This is the Royal Order!"

".... Very Well"

I can see the tears in my granddaughter's eyes falling from her eyes. I know that my son has a twisted plan, but I never know that he will sell his own daughter. His own flesh and blood to become a slave to the other lord.

I look at the young lord, who has an expression like a snarling lion ready to use his claw to kill the man in front of him.

It is known across the kingdom that the north has a hatred for all kinds of slavery. Is this what my son wants to do? Is he thinking that giving a slave in all but name to the young lord will break the loyalty the northern lord has to the young lord? Or is it his so-called plan to chain up the northern lord?

"Now, it is time to celebrate! Play the music! It is festival time!"

After he said that, all the northern people sneaked away from the festival. I want to follow them away from this farce festival, but the Grand Marshal stops me. I can only grit my teeth and glare at my so-called son and hope that Isaac Lionheart can fix the broken heart of my beloved Granddaughter.

I already swear that I will protect her and make her my successor, and I will follow through with my oath. Even if I cannot make her a queen that governs all the kingdom, I will make her the happiest mistress in the world.

That is my oath. The oath I take when I see the brilliance she releases. The kindness that many people don't have. The wise young girl has so many ideas that she wants to make it into reality.

The only individual in the capital that thinks about the commoner. The one that feeds them provides them with work and provides them with a future.

I want to make her a shining star in the corrupted city, and when my son decides he does not want that star, then I will be the one who becomes the stepping stone to that star.

For now, I will stay in this snake pit before I go with my lady to the north, where I will make the star shine even more.