Chapter 60: Crown Of Glory
After seeing off the old steward and retainer, Xilutiya and Lining returned to the mansion.
Looking at the small white chess piece on the table, the maiden was somewhat curious.
“Lining, do you know the value of this chess piece?”
“I don’t know, Miss Tiya.” The maid replied indifferently.
“However, compared to those useless 20 gold coins, this chess piece is obviously much rarer.”
Gold coins, or money, were something Madam Fran had plenty of, but this chess piece was rare in her stock. Given Madam Fran’s usual style, she definitely preferred this chess piece more.
“I see.” The maiden nodded slightly, then picked up the small white chess piece, feeling the solidified ‘Castle’ nature power within it.
“Can all nobles make this kind of chess piece?” It was her first time seeing one.
“Only nobles with real power, that is, nobles with territory, can.” Lining answered.
“Ordinary nobles have rank from their territory, but they are not skilled in such extraordinary skills and secret arts. They need scholars by their side to assist in condensing and creating such chess pieces.”
“However, most of the time nobles don’t do this. Usually, they confer directly in person, granting ‘Castle’ nature power, which is simpler and also builds a loyalty contract with subordinates.”
“So, this kind of chess piece is rarely seen on the market.” Lining explained.
“In that case, doesn’t that mean nobles can mass-produce soldiers or knights with ‘Castle’ nature rank?” Xilutiya inquired.
“They can mass-produce, provided the territory is vast enough and their own rank is strong enough.” Lining continued to answer.
“For example, a baron can confer at most ‘Second Order·Castle’ guards, a viscount at most ‘Third Order·Castle’ knights. Each conferral permanently consumes part of their own rank.”
“Currently, Viscount Xue Feng has three knights under him, which is his limit, and there’s even a risk of decline.”
“If a noble is stripped of their nobility title or loses territory, then the knights and soldiers under them will gradually lose the bestowed ‘Castle’ nature.” Hearing this, Xilutiya couldn’t help but think of Iona, the former daughter of Viscount Karen.
“No wonder in history, those nobles were so enthusiastic about territory and population.” Xilutiya recalled the book she had read before.
“So, if a completely mediocre ordinary person ascends to the throne, wouldn’t they directly soar to the heavens, gaining a high rank ‘nature’?” She thought of something.
“Yes, such events have happened several times in history. In fact, the process of such ascension is itself a kind of ‘ritual’.”
『Royal Ritual·Crown of Glory』（Castle·Secret Word·Blood Law）
‘In the Eighth Epoch, the descendants of dragons and fairies decreased, causing them to gradually withdraw from the mortal continent, opening new courtyards in the sky, far from the turbid Twilight Sea. Various weaker races expanded on the continent, engaging in a hundred races’ hegemony. During this time, the human firstborn ‘Swan King’ Moran Sa pioneered the Royal School and promulgated the first mortal code of law, forming the prototype of the state. His process of ascending with the code of law in hand was recorded in countless poems and histories, becoming the origin of the ‘Castle’ nature.’
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Requirements: This ritual requires the crown-wearer to have sufficient population swearing loyalty（Blood Law）, with constructed stone towers, high walls, and castles distributed across the territory, symbolizing control over the territory（Castle）, and proclaiming the implementation of the territory’s laws and rules（Secret Word）. If you are versed in the legendary experiences of ‘Swan King’ Moran Sa, the more the arrangements synchronize with the legends of that time, the stronger the ritual effect-
Notes: This ritual requires territory and loyalty oaths, which are the foundation stones for building rank. During the ritual, the crown-wearer’s name must be inscribed on the stone towers, high walls, and castles distributed across the territory, while sufficient subjects announce their loyalty. The code of law proclaimed during the ritual will form binding force, and the more residents in the territory who recognize and abide by the code of law afterward, the stronger the royal fate.
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Effect: Grants the crown-wearer in the ritual the blessing of royal power, elevating the rank of their ‘Castle’ nature, and granting the ability to bestow and revoke ‘Castle’ class upon those who swore loyalty.（The larger the territory and the more loyal followers, the stronger the blessing.）
After receiving the chess piece and placing it in the underground storage room of the mansion, Xilutiya returned to the backyard to rest and read.
……
The next day, she went to Scholar Heide’s mansion and met her friend after several days apart.
“Oh, Tiya has advanced too.” The group happily congratulated her.
They had expected Xilutiya to advance; they were just curious why this maiden wasn’t in a hurry herself, but now she had finally advanced.
“Yes.” The maiden smiled and accepted everyone’s congratulations, after which the group became curious again.
“How does advancing the ‘Emerald Honey’ nature differ from ‘Blood Law’?”
“Well.” The maiden lightly touched her chin with her finger, recalling the sensation.
“It’s probably not as focused on personal physique and combat power as ‘Blood Law’; it’s more oriented toward nurturing support.” Not all classes focus on combat, but that doesn’t mean they are weak.
For example, for Viscount Xue Feng, if he had a ‘Third Order·Mist Shadow’ wizard under him, the utility and actual help to the viscount would far surpass that of two ‘Third Order·Castle’ knights.
This is because wizards have diverse means and master various secret arts knowledge, able to provide assistance in multiple fields to the viscount, whereas what knights can do is more limited, especially in peacetime.
Following Suolin, Mike, and Lei, Xilutiya was the fourth in the class to advance. Soon after, Baron, Komiya, and others also stepped into First Order, though Baron chose ‘First Order·Castle’, while Komiya chose ‘First Order·Mist Shadow’.
The successive advancements of the students greatly pleased the territory’s master, Viscount Xue Feng, who invited them to dine together in the castle.
That night, Scholar Heide and the many students enjoyed a sumptuous dinner, and Viscount Xue Feng generously had the tailor make a set of winter clothes for each as a gift for the coming winter.
Compared to the light summer clothes, winter clothes use more material and are often more durable, lasting many years. This gift was a timely help for some commoner students.
At night, after the dinner ended, the students dispersed, with only a few staying behind as they lived in the castle.
Iona stood up from her seat, her golden hair refracting a faint glow in the candlelight. Tonight, she wore a red dress, looking quite beautiful.
“I’m going back to rest, uncle.” She and Viscount Xue Feng were relatives.
“Alright, you go ahead, Iona.” Viscount Xue Feng, having drunk some wine, didn’t pay attention and continued talking with Scholar Heide beside him about recent matters.
Leaving the brightly lit dining room, Iona walked alone through the castle’s long corridor. Some areas were unlit, giving a somewhat cold feel under the moonlight.
“They’ve all advanced, huh.” She muttered softly to herself, her gaze turning outside the castle to the students walking below, various thoughts churning in her mind.
Originally, when she first came to Scholar Heide’s side, as a former Royal School student who had already entered ‘First Order·Blazing Sun’, she had a great advantage over her classmates, which soothed her originally somewhat fragile and uncomfortable state of mind.
However, as those youthful students gradually mastered knowledge and caught up, her advantage became less obvious, even making people feel her progress was slow.
Now, just over 17 years old, her extraordinary tier was ‘First Order·Blazing Sun’, and she had mastered【Breathing Technique Lv.3】（Blood Law）, 【Golden Needle Thorn Blade Lv.3】（Blazing Sun）, two three-stage abilities. Even at the Royal School, she was a student with good grades.
Unfortunately, she was ultimately behind schedule. If her father were still around, providing her with ample training resources, she would probably have completed the【Golden Needle Apprentice】 class by now, and her even more distant goal was the ‘Third Order·Blazing Sun’ class【Golden Sun Swordsman】, a class from the Blazing Sun School, exceptionally powerful and often outstanding among peers.
If she could enter ‘Third Order·Blazing Sun’ before thirty, she would be hailed as a genius. Only then could she return to the upper echelons of the kingdom’s nobility circle and gain some social standing. Otherwise, those great nobles wouldn’t even acknowledge her, let alone discuss rescuing her father and restoring the family glory.
Did she have to keep waiting? She felt that if she continued treading water like this, she probably had no chance of winning in the competition in a few months to secure a spot in the Secluded Forest.
Yes, Viscount Xue Feng was her uncle, but in the face of even more excellent and promising students, would he really unwaveringly choose her and reserve the spot for her? Iona was uncertain and didn’t dare guarantee it.
Iona’s steps slowed more and more, finally stopping at the top of a watchtower in the castle, gazing at the night sky.
The silver full moon hung high, but clouds and mist chased around it, causing the moon disc to sometimes sink into them, dim and lightless.
