Chapter 61: Baptism Ceremony (4)
The baptism ceremony had concluded, and the nobles had gathered in the castles lobby.
The butlers and pages, prepared in advance, slowly wandered around holding trays of wine.
During the baptism ceremony, a festive atmosphere akin to a festival had prevailed.
The common folk had shared the sentiment. The three-day national festival had drawn spectators even from neighboring kingdoms.
The baptism ceremony itself had been a festival and a sacred day.
The main character of the baptism ceremony, Ray, was not in the lobby.
Euclid had taken him somewhere and had handed him a well-fitted suit.
Bowing her head, she closed the door and spoke.
Please put this on. It was made especially for the saint.
Made for me?
As soon as you arrived, we estimated your measurements and began tailoring. The craftsmen of the Holy Kingdom are very pleased with the result.
Everything had been meticulously prepared. Even though his measurements had not been taken, the suit fit him perfectly.
He had changed into the suit and looked at himself in the mirror.
The white suit, perfectly tailored to his frame, suited him extremely well.
Since it was made for balls, banquets, and ceremonies, it was quite different from the usual baptismal attire.
The white shirt and black trousers, with the golden emblem of the Holy Kingdom emblazoned on the chest, signified that he was a saint.
Ray had raised his hand slightly and struck a pose, marveling at how comfortable it felt.
The craftsman who had made this was truly extraordinary. The clothing was exceptional, and Euclid had referred to the craftsman as a master.
He opened the door and announced, Im ready.
Then, lets go to the lobby
Euclid, gazing at Ray, was lost for words.
The aura emanating from him was no joke.
His smooth skin, the graceful curve of his nose, and his sharp jawline were enough to make any womans heart flutter.
A mysterious aura seemed to radiate from him.
She couldnt help but be captivated by his charming appearance.
Ray, noticing Euclids speechlessness, looked at her quizzically.
Whats wrong? Arent we going to the lobby?
Ill lead the way.
Swallowing her saliva, she led the way, walking briskly.
Ray followed her diligently.
The lobby bustled with people talking about Ray.
Such an honor to witness the great magic of Meteor in my lifetime.
Shh! What if the saint hears us?
Oh, my apologies. It would be terrible if he didnt like such stories.
Groups of people huddled together, sneaking in these conversations.
By the way you all brought your children.
Count Nephil spoke as if to check on the others.
It was clear what was on his mind.
The parents had introduced their children to the fifteen-year-old saint, hoping he would take a liking to them.
They brought their children with this hope in mind. But the Meteor displayed by the saint during the ceremony set their hearts ablaze.
The saint, a grand sorcerer, was the most desirable match.
Before reaching the lobby, they all strictly admonished their children.
Do not be rude to the saint. Remember, under no circumstances whatsoever.
But father we dont even know what the saint looks like, let alone his face, and yet you tell us not to be rude to him
You do know that the saint is fifteen years old, right? If a young man with white hair speaks, never go against him!
They thoroughly kept the fact that the saint was a grand sorcerer a secret.
After all, blabbering about it might result in sparks flying.
And if the target of those sparks was a 9th circle grand sorcerer, it could turn into a meteor instead.
They didnt want to gamble on anything that might offend him.
Moreover, the ceremonys activities centered around the young generation, somewhat like a social gathering.
Usually, the high-titled nobles would start dancing in order, and it was also considered mannerly to step out.
Of course, they didnt completely vacate the lobby but remained seated in their places, engaging in their gatherings.
Consequently, they reminded each other firmly to prevent any unfortunate incidents from occurring.
No one could ascertain how many had taken such precautions.
Likely, those who didnt want to fall out of his favor had sternly cautioned their children.
The individuals who responded to Count Nephils words with a bitter smile nodded in agreement.
The count understands that there is no other option.
Hahaha. Lets not be overly critical since we are all in the same predicament.
Count Nephil was acutely aware that it was an inescapable circumstance. He wasnt some puppet saint.
On the contrary, he was an unparalleled grand sorcerer with immense power, sufficient to engulf the holy kingdom.
As they began discussing him, music started to permeate the lobby.
The beautiful melody gradually found its rhythm, transforming into a lively tune.
In response, the nobles began congregating in the center of the lobby.
Elderly nobles slowly started dancing with their partners in sync with the music.
Typically, partners were spouses, but there were rare instances of dancing with close friends.
The children of the nobles observed them while enjoying their own gathering.
A young man with golden curly hair surveyed the room.
Thank you, everyone, for gathering here today.
He expressed with a charming smile and a tilt of his glass, appearing to be the focal point of the gathering.
Although he wasnt the host, there were individuals who disapproved of his acting as if he was the proprietor, but they didnt dare express it.
He was the son of a duke. But not just any duke, he was the eldest son of Duke Harolds family.
Duke Harolds family was one of the esteemed duke families in the holy kingdom.
Their power was immense, to the extent that even some duke families couldnt disregard them.
Indeed, despite the presence of other dukes children, it was evident how elevated his prestige was among them.
Furthermore, the daughters of the nobles were drawn to him.
And why wouldnt they be? His golden handsome appearance and the way he controlled the crowd placed him in the center, which was exactly the kind of man the young girls liked.
His words were picked up by the children of Count Greyan.
Hahaha. When Lord Veris called, we ought to participate.
Hahahaha. You flatter me.
They practically gilded each others faces.
No, at this level, it was more like gold-plating.
Yet, despite their conversation, no one tried to stop or say anything.
And why hasnt the hero of this party shown himself yet
A girl with long golden hair, similar to Veris, asked while shaking her glass.
They had never seen what the saint looked like.
Only titled nobles and his servants could enter the baptism.
Although they were children of nobles, it was a realm they couldnt enter without a title.
Thats why they couldnt enter the baptism and held their gathering in the castle.
A large man shook his head.
Father told us to be careful, but telling us not to go against a mere child of fifteen what was he thinking.
As long as we maintained respect for the saint, it should be fine. After all, he seemed to have been a commoner before becoming a saint.
No matter how much of a saint he may be, its a little unpleasant to think that he should be treated on par with the common folk.
These were people who had not received any news from their parents. Of course, they had not experienced the influence that Ray commanded.
If they knew that the saint they had been ignoring was actually a grand sorcerer who could manifest Meteor without showing any signs of difficulty, they would have retracted their words immediately.
Besides, the feelings the citizens had for the saint were no joke.
Through his speeches, he captured the hearts of the people, and with his strength, he subdued the nobles. His position in the holy kingdom was currently one of the top.
Beris smiled pleasantly.
Now, the saint had just recently ascended to the ranks of the nobility. No matter how much of a commoner he might have been, we should have treated him as one of our own.
Lord Beris
As expected of Lord Beris. I felt ashamed in front of your generous heart.
Right, understood.
They nodded in agreement to Beriss words.
Some were even moved by his words.
The daughters, with their dreamy eyes, were drawn to his inclusiveness that embraced even the common folk.
But his true intentions were different.
I couldnt approach Saint Iriel. But if I used the saint, maybe I could have had Saint Iriel in my hands and controlled her.
Beris spoke with a smiling face.
So, I hoped you all would teach him the attitude a noble should have. What did you think?
That was good, but how should I put it?
He had only been in the holy kingdom for a few days. So, how about we guide him in the etiquettes he lacked?
Although he said that, it was no different from telling them to criticize every little action and word of his.
The young lord of the Greyan family spoke.
Are you saying that we should point out any behavior or words that go against etiquettes whenever we see them, Lord Beris?
Yes, Lord Greyan. That would be of great help to the saint in living in the holy kingdom in the future.
Lord Greyan thought for a moment before nodding.
I understood. I too should reflect on my own lack of etiquette while pointing out someone elses.
Lord Greyan didnt fully grasp Beriss true intentions. He only understood that Beris was looking at the saint with disdain.
Looking around, it seemed that a few others had also caught on.
But they were in the minority.
Many showed a favorable reaction to Beriss opinion.
The blonde girl also agreed.
I agree as well.
But that was for her own intentions.
When everyone put the saint in a difficult position, and I comforted him, he would surely come to me. Although he was young, a saint was still a saint.
She felt quite confident in her appearance.
She might not have been the most beautiful in the holy kingdom, but she surely ranked in the top tier.
With her long hair reaching her waist, seemingly cold but charming eyes, and a nose that drew a graceful curve, she considered herself perfection.
There were times when she lost herself in front of the mirror, and the young men there were no different.
In fact, with just a word from her, the young men moved like arrows.
They all agreed with Beriss opinion for their own desires.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺