Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Informing the Two Women of Lance’s Death

With a hiss of high-pressure steam, the gangway slowly lowered.

To the surprise of everyone present,

the delegation from the Royal Capital did not include any members of the Royal Guard.

However, this only meant that the people accompanying the delegation were powerful enough on their own.

The first to step off the gangway

was the Elder Sword Saint, Reinhardt.

When this Legendary Powerhouse appeared,

the officials from White River City’s administration, who had long been waiting below in the docking yard, all subconsciously straightened their backs.

But the moment their eyes met the Elder Sword Saint’s, they gave an almost imperceptible dip of their heads to show their respect.

The reason for their reverence was twofold.

On one hand, it was because of his martial prowess; on the other, it was due to a secret that circulated within their circles.

Everyone knew that the Elder Sword Saint had studied under the Instant Sword Court in his youth and had long since cultivated a "Sword Heart," which allowed him to perceive the hearts of others.

These officials were terrified that even the slightest disrespectful thought would be caught by the Elder Sword Saint and interpreted as a provocation against the Royal Family’s authority.

Following closely behind the Elder Sword Saint

were the Palace Chief Steward from the Royal Capital and several other stewards.

These were all professional civil officials specifically responsible for arranging the Princess’s itinerary and preparing for the selection ceremony.

Princess Elvira’s personal visit to White River Province also came with another mission.

The Royal Family was taking the lead by holding a public selection in White River Province for members of the Princess’s Crimson Crown Knight Order.

This was to demonstrate to the entire continent the Royal Capital’s concern for the recent disaster in White River Province, thereby rallying the hearts of the people once more.

Although her itinerary was set in stone,

at the Princess’s request, her living arrangements during her stay in White River Province would be handled by Violet Academy and the Rosenthal Clan, granting her a small measure of freedom during her downtime.

Accompanied by the sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps,

a contingent of the Royal Maid Corps, dressed in black and white uniforms, emerged from the ship’s cabin and lined up on both sides of the gangway.

Immediately after,

Elvira and Cecilia, two young women of noble status, descended from the Floating Ship arm in arm, smiles on their faces.

The two maidens were dressed in red and pale green off-the-shoulder summer skirts, respectively,

which perfectly showcased their youthful vitality.

Professor Gideon, who had been waiting for some time, saw them and immediately went to greet them.

He did not bow to the Princess first.

Instead, he walked up to the Elder Sword Saint and gave a slight bow in greeting.

"Mr. Reinhardt, it has been a long time."

Gideon’s tone was filled with sincere respect.

Although Gideon’s current Professional Level was as high as Level 15, which already made him a top-tier powerhouse,

on the surface, he seemed to be only one final step away from the Legendary Tier.

But everyone at their level knew very well

that this seemingly small step was often a chasm.

One that might be impossible to cross in a lifetime.

Therefore, it was only natural to show reverence in the face of a true Legendary.

The Elder Sword Saint nodded slightly.

"Necros, how is his condition now?"

Hearing the Elder Sword Saint ask about his dear friend, the smile on Gideon’s face faded slightly.

He shook his head gently and sighed.

"His life was saved. But he can only live like an Ordinary person now."

"That’s a good thing."

Unexpectedly, after hearing this bad news, the Elder Sword Saint’s reply was nonchalant.

The Elder Sword Saint and Necros had actually known each other for many years.

They had interacted quite a bit back when Necros was working in the center of power in the Royal Capital.

The Elder Sword Saint was well aware of Necros’s stubborn, even somewhat arrogant, nature.

For someone like Necros, being stripped of his Extraordinary Power and freed from the shackles of responsibility might actually allow him to live the rest of his life more freely and contentedly.

After the brief pleasantries,

the accompanying Royal Maid Corps, led by the Chief of Internal Affairs, headed to Violet Academy to await further orders.

Meanwhile, Professor Gideon personally acted as a guide, taking the Princess, the Elder Sword Saint, and Cecilia on a tour of Violet Academy.

Finally,

the group arrived at an elegant VIP room at the highest point of the academy to rest for a moment.

Gideon planned to tell Cecilia the news of Lance’s "death in battle" here, and also discuss the funeral tomorrow.

At the same time, he wanted to use this opportunity to make a formal request to Elvira:

He hoped the Princess would represent the Royal Family, personally attend the funeral tomorrow, deliver the eulogy, and, in the name of the Royal Family, drape their flag over the hero’s coffin.

Gideon felt that this honor might somewhat soothe Cecilia’s grief upon hearing the news.

Gideon personally prepared red tea for his distinguished guests.

Seeing this, Cecilia started to stand up to help, but Gideon stopped her with a smile and a gesture.

He placed a cup of tea before each of them.

"Your Highness."

After he had done this, Gideon began to speak to Elvira.

"Actually, regarding your schedule for tomorrow, there is something I would like to request of the Royal Family."

"Professor, please speak freely."

Elvira replied gracefully, lifting her teacup.

In his early years, Gideon had served as a court tutor for the Royal Family and had taught Elvira’s older sister.

Thus, out of respect for an elder, Elvira’s attitude toward him was very courteous.

"Your Highness, before your arrival in White River City, White River Province experienced an Underground City rampage,"

Gideon said slowly, choosing his words with care.

"And in this disaster, a commoner hero was born."

"In order to cover the safe retreat of tens of thousands of trapped Adventurers and townspeople, he resolutely chose to single-handedly hold back the Heroic Spirit Species from the Underground City."

"In the end... he and the Heroic Spirit Species perished together."

Upon hearing this story,

of all the people present, it was the Elder Sword Saint who reacted first.

An expression of approval was already on his face.

"Of common birth, yet able to slay a Heroic Spirit Species. Such Talent is rare indeed."

The Elder Sword Saint himself was a peerless genius who had clawed his way up from the common folk.

He was born with a Talent that ordinary people could scarcely hope to match:

as long as he kept swinging his sword and fighting, his Swordsmanship would advance rapidly, unhindered by any bottleneck.

It was because of this Talent that he received the full support of the Royal Family at the time and was sent to the then-declining and reclusive Instant Sword Court for advanced training, ultimately reaching the pinnacle.

’What a pity...’

the Elder Sword Saint lamented inwardly.

’Such a selfless character, on top of the Talent to slay a Heroic Spirit.’

’If the young man were still alive, he might have been truly tempted to take him in,’ the Elder Sword Saint thought.

Gideon glanced at the Elder Sword Saint and continued speaking.

"This hero was an orphan; his family has already passed away. Therefore, to honor his deeds, the Provincial General Administration Office has decided to hold a high-profile public funeral for him tomorrow."

Having set the mood,

Gideon felt it was the right time to state his true intentions.

"I wish to implore you, Your Highness, to represent the Royal Family tomorrow, attend this funeral, and personally drape the Royal Family’s flag over his coffin."

The reason Gideon was so actively pushing for this

was not only to comfort Cecilia.

He also wanted to use this solemn honor to offer some small comfort to his old friend, Necros, who was lying in a hospital bed.

He could see how much of a blow Lance’s death had been to the old man.

Furthermore, with the Royal Family’s personal endorsement tomorrow,

the application for "Preparatory Heroic Spirit" status at the Provincial Veterans’ Hospital would be all but settled.

’My old friend should be able to rest easy then,’ he thought.

"This is the Royal Family’s duty to a hero, and it would also be my honor."

After hearing Gideon’s request,

Elvira agreed immediately with a nod, showing no hesitation.

This sort of affair, which could both demonstrate the Royal Family’s grace and power and rally the people’s hearts, was part of her duties as the crown prince.

"This hero, what is his name?"

Elvira asked, setting down her teacup.

Gideon didn’t answer right away. Instead, he cast a worried glance at Cecilia, who was seated beside them.

At that moment, the Half-Elf Maiden was holding a steaming cup of tea in both hands, about to lower her head to take a sip.

"His name is... Lance Lot."

Gideon said the name in a heavy voice.

Just as he expected his student to be overwhelmed by the news,

Cecilia, holding her tea, showed not the slightest hint of sadness.

She simply tilted her head slightly, her beautiful ruby eyes filled with immense confusion.

Instead, from beside Cecilia...

BOOM!

A terrifying wave of heat erupted without warning!

[Five Rings Spell: Inert Realm]

Gideon’s reaction was lightning-fast.

He had instantly cast the Defense Spell at the very same moment the heat erupted.

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