CHAPTER 538: -49- ENFEOFFMENT CEREMONY

The melodious music rose, solemn yet lively.

The royal orchestra, dressed in blue and white uniforms, stood straight to one side, playing their instruments under the direction of the conductor.

Today was the day when Charlotte formally received her ennoblement as a direct vassal to the King, and it was also the day the Royal Authority Contract with the Castel family was to be renewed.

Inside the Royal Palace, nobles had gathered early to attend the ceremony, densely filling the entire great hall.

In theory, the enfeoffment ceremony for an Earl’s vassal would not cause such a commotion.

But perhaps it was due to the various incidents that had occurred in the previous days that Charlotte suddenly became famous among the nobles, or perhaps it was because both the Royal Family and the Church wanted to divert the attention of the nobles and priests from their respective purges, in any case... what was merely an ennoblement ceremony for an Earl’s vassal eventually attracted the curiosity and attendance of a large number of nobles.

Many were intrigued by Charlotte, the legendary living Saintess.

Especially since this Saintess had caused the Royal Family to lose a Prince not long ago, and then rejected a position offered by the Church, even leading the Church to undertake an internal cleansing to avoid the wrath of the deity.

Despite having offended both major powers of the New Moon, the Royal Family and the Church’s attitude toward this young Earl remained surprisingly gentle, and could even be described as friendly.

Naturally, this further piqued the curiosity of the nobles.

Especially those without the power to participate in the Central Council, mainly direct members of the Great Noble families, nearly all who could attend did so.

The music continually flowed, growing ever more uplifting.

Amid the attention of the crowd, Charlotte entered the silk-carpeted Royal Palace hall, accompanied by Royal Knights.

Today, she was dressed in her finest, a white lace noblewoman’s gown adorned with golden patterns and the Castel family’s crest, splendid and dignified.

Her movements were graceful, her posture proud. The figure-hugging gown accentuated her slightly green figure to just the right degree, revealing a curving allure.

The youthfulness in her innocence, the vitality in her youth, and the nobility and elegance within her vitality made it difficult for onlookers to divert their gaze from her.

In the great hall, the magical crystal lights shimmered, casting dreamy splendor that made Charlotte even more dazzling.

The moment she made her entrance, the entire hall fell silent, with women looking on in amazement and men with heated gazes.

"Is that Charlotte de Castel? The last descendant of the Castel family?"

"She truly is favored by the Beauty God to have such an outstanding appearance. Once she’s grown, she’s bound to be the kind of figure who could stir the whole Kingdom’s politics with just a smile..."

"Grown? No... in fact, she has already come of age."

"Hmm? Already of age? Are you sure? She looks even younger..."

"Of course, her coming-of-age ceremony two years ago made quite a stir in Bold, all the nobles of Bold know about it."

"The one rumored to have lit the Divine Statue of the Divine Lord?"

"Yes, they say that even the Divine Statue in Lutecia lit up at that time."

"Is this the power of the Saintess?"

"Her personal abilities are also strong, they say. When she ascended to her position, the former Bold Duke tried to force a marriage to seize the lands of the Northern Land, and the nobles of the Northern Land wouldn’t heed her commands. Yet, she cleverly diffused Bold’s pressure, and within less than half a year, she successfully consolidated the powers within the Northern Land and even defeated an incursion of a hundred thousand troops from the Violet and Bold Duchies!"

"Hiss... a hundred thousand troops? By the Divine Lord, that is truly formidable! Compared to her, the younger generation of the Central Nobles are all worthless!"

"Indeed, her Transcendent power is strong too, I heard she’s only awakened her Bloodline Power for two years, and already she’s approaching the strength of Silver Moon Rank."

"Damn! Only two years since her awakening? Given her Transcendent Aura, I thought she had awakened her Bloodline Power since childhood! Could it be... another Legendary figure like King Louis V is about to emerge from the New Moon?"

"After all, she is the chosen Saintess of the Main God. If not for exceptional bloodline and aptitude, how would she have gained the deity’s favor?"

"That’s not necessarily the case, perhaps it’s the Divine Lord’s favor that granted her such powerful talent..."

"Hmph, I’ve heard some families aim to secure marriage alliances with the Castels, but even if she hadn’t made a vow of chastity, how could one control a person who, at a young age, defeated two Duchies?"

"They are just coveting the beauty, wealth, and lands of the Castels."

"..."

The nobles whispered amongst themselves, curiously watching the girl in the great hall.

In their eyes, there was surprise, gossip, longing, and also admiration.

Louis V wasn’t a weak or incapable Monarch, and the New Moon Diocese wasn’t a mere decoration. Gaining the recognition of both indicated a lot of things.

Even if Charlotte’s appearance seemed much more youthful than her actual age, very few nobles in the hall dared to underestimate the young noblewoman, nor would they forget that beneath that angelically pure and unblemished exterior lay a strong and formidable spirit.

"Charlotte de Castel, do you renounce your pledge to offer your lands, uphold the noble codes of the New Moon, maintain the glory and legacy of the nobility, and become a true noble?"