Chapter 281

Volume 2 Ch 24: Augustus

It was as if a single drop of water had fallen into boiling oil. The square, already feverish with excitement, ignited in an instant.

The cheers and cries of the crowd surged together into a thunderous roar, striking the stone foundations beneath the reviewing platform like a tangible force.

Countless arms waved in the air. Countless faces were flushed red with excitement. Every gaze fixed itself upon the few figures standing high above.

Emperor Augustus III walked at the very front, facing the mountain-shaking roar and the blazing heat of the crowd’s devotion. He was not a horseback emperor like Augustus I, who had established his authority through war and iron-blooded rule, nor was he a cautious preserver like the late emperor, who had placed greater emphasis on civil governance and internal affairs.

During his reign, he had held back Orc incursions from the north while improving the people’s livelihood and refining the Empire’s laws. He embodied both martial achievement and civil rule. In the hearts of the people, he was precisely the sort of wise sovereign who could carry the Empire forward and bring it stability and strength.

At this moment, he raised his hand to acknowledge all sides, steady and composed. Every step he took was firm and measured, fully displaying both the dignity and the accessibility expected of the ruler of an Empire.

This was the weight carried by the name Augustus.

More than a century ago, when the Empire had stood on the brink of disintegration, that second prince who had turned the tide and restored order was honored as Augustus the Great. From then on, the title had ceased to be merely a personal name. It became a symbol of the Empire’s highest authority and its spirit of renewal.

Every later sovereign, regardless of his birth name, took the title Augustus upon ascending the throne, adding the generation number to it as a declaration of legitimacy and a pledge to continue the legacy of restoration.

The First ruled by force and founded the state. The Second ruled by culture and secured the realm. And in the Third, the people saw a monarch who could both send great armies north to resist foreign threats and issue decrees that improved their daily lives.

That image of wisdom and benevolence, forged over years, had already sunk deep into the hearts of the people. It was what created the overwhelming support filling the square now.

The Emperor and his princes and princess reached the foremost edge of the reviewing platform, with the golden banners of the royal house snapping above them in the wind.

The cheering continued for quite some time. Only when the Emperor raised his hand in a calming gesture, while the Royal Knights standing along the edge of the platform also imposed order with their gaze and the faint pressure they radiated, did the boiling clamor gradually subside like a receding tide.

Yet the anticipation in the air only grew thicker.

A servant stepped forward respectfully, presenting with both hands an exquisite crystal Magic Tool engraved with intricate amplification and stabilization runes. The Emperor accepted it and infused a thread of Mana into it with his fingertips. A gleam of light passed over its surface, accompanied by a low hum.

The next moment, the Emperor’s steady, clear, forceful voice was magnified several times over, ringing out across the entire sky above Triumph Square like an oracle, reaching the ears of every single person present:

“People of the Empire, today the sun shines upon us, and the Empire rejoices as one!”

“We gather here today not for the triumph of some war, but for another victory no less great, no less vital to the Empire’s future—the conquest of ancient wisdom, the opening of the unknown!”

“The Starfall Ruins, that legendary place sealed away through long ages, a symbol of the Elves’ endless wisdom and power, have recently been successfully explored by the brave and fearless children of our Empire, and from them has been brought back a dawning light of hope!”

“What they faced was the fog of history, lost Magic, and unknown danger. Yet through courage, wisdom, and loyalty to the Empire, they overcame every peril and lifted a corner of that ancient veil! This is not the glory of only a few. This glory belongs to all who labor for the Empire’s strength. It belongs to every one of you here, and to the countless millions of the Empire!”

“Their achievements shall be inscribed in the Empire’s history like stars themselves! Their harvest shall become for our Empire a stronger shield and a sharper sword, protecting our homeland and forging an even more glorious future!”

“Today, we gather not merely to crown heroes, but to show the world the unceasing spirit of exploration and striving that runs in the blood of our Empire! Through the united efforts of myself and all of you, the Empire’s tomorrow shall be yet more prosperous and powerful!”

“Now then, let us greet our heroes with the warmest reverence and the loudest acclaim—”

The Emperor’s voice suddenly rose, charged with stirring force:

“Let the heroes appear!”

The instant those words fell, there was a brief stillness.

Then came an eruption of cheers and applause even more violent, more blazing, than before—as if a volcano had burst. The sound shot straight into the heavens, as if it might scatter the clouds above the imperial city.

People waved their arms, leapt in place, shouted until their throats were raw, their faces glowing with excitement and pride. The strength of the Empire was the guarantee of their own peace and prosperity, and the conquest of the Elven ruins was without question the most splendid proof of Imperial power.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The salute cannons fired in orderly, thunderous succession, and plumes of white smoke rose around the square like clouds sent to celebrate the occasion.

The Royal Orchestra, already in position, struck up the majestic and solemn March of Imperial Glory. The brass blazed with resplendent notes, the strings surged like rolling waves, and the drums beat directly against the pulse of every listener’s heart.

Within that grand music, and amid the fading echo of the cannon salute, a formation of Royal Ceremonial Knights dressed in pure white ceremonial armor edged with gold and draped in dark crimson cloaks marched forward in perfect step from both sides of the passage beneath the reviewing platform.

They held aloft banners embroidered with golden griffins, dazzling in the sun, and finally came to a halt along both sides of the red carpet leading from the passage exit to the foot of the reviewing platform, like two rows of silent statues of honor.

The music softened slightly. An elderly man dressed in the robes of the Court’s Chief Master of Ceremonies, his hair groomed with perfect precision, stepped to the designated speaking place at the front of the platform. In his hands he carried a gold-edged parchment scroll.

He opened it and, in a ringing voice strengthened by special Magic so that it carried clearly to every corner of the square, began to read:

“In the name of His Majesty Augustus III, upholding the glory of the Empire’s ancestors, we hereby honor the heroes who, in the exploration of the Starfall Ruins, rendered outstanding service to the Empire and displayed fearless courage and exceptional wisdom!”

“They entered the unknown and faced the dangers of antiquity! They carried loyalty in their hearts and brought back for the Empire the dawn of hope and power! The Empire remembers their devotion, and glory belongs to their names!”

The Master of Ceremonies’ voice was rich with emotion and wonderfully stirring. Each time he spoke a name, a fresh wave of cheers rose from the square.

“Lady Lillian Rosedale, daughter of Count Rosedale!”

“Rex Holton, loyal guardian of House Holton!”

“Vera Sebastian, favored by the wind of House Sebastian!”

“Ilis Michel, representative of House Michel!”

As he read their names aloud, every eye turned toward the entrance of the passage lined with deep crimson carpet.