Let Him Enjoy life!
Lance squinted at the ornate scroll once more, disbelieving. Each word seemed to mock him as he silently recited them, confirming that, indeed, he had inexplicably been elevated to an earl in the human kingdom.
"Oh, what a twist of fate!" he mumbled to himself, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Accused of treason, too? Truly, fortune descends like a rain from the heavens, unexpected and sometimes unwelcome." Lance, ever the model of purity and honesty, could hardly fathom being labeled a "traitor."
He pondered deeply. Not once had he sent directives to the Viscount's Mansion during his lengthy absence. Having been away from the Red Maple Kingdom for nearly six years, he had anticipated that his absence might lead the more ambitious nobles to strip him of his title.
Yet, against all odds, not only had his title survived the machinations of lesser nobles, but it had also been elevated. The whole scenario bordered on the absurd.