Chapter 27: A New Title"

Winter had come, and the imperial capital of Muchen was blanketed in pure white snow. Cold gusts of wind blew the snow across the streets. It was so cold that people didn’t want to step outside. The bustling, lively atmosphere of the capital had faded, replaced by a rare sense of tranquility. Most people stayed inside, warming themselves by the fire, watching the snow fall, and enjoying the cozy warmth of being with their families. On the main roads, only a few figures could be seen—none other than mercenaries. Mercenaries don’t get days off. Like diligent bees, they continued taking on missions to earn their livelihood.

But the Bonaparte residence was different. The place was bustling with people coming and going, and brightly lit. Everywhere you looked, nobles dressed in splendid garments filled the scene. Even the servants were dressed in their finest clothes. Today was the coming-of-age ceremony for the Bonaparte family’s eldest son—Franz Bonaparte.

According to the traditions of the Lion Continent, when a young man turns sixteen, he is considered an adult, meaning he is of age to marry and establish a career. This could be seen as a significant milestone in one’s life. For an ordinary family, a simple party would be held to invite neighbors to witness their child’s coming of age. How much more so for the eldest son of the Bonaparte family! At the party, there were fewer members of the Bonaparte family than there were officials and nobles. After all, this was a prime opportunity to curry favor with one of the grand families of the Ala Empire. Who wouldn’t want to attend?

In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere outside, inside his room, Franz was filled with frustration. It had been nearly six months, and he had only just reached level 43, which was equivalent to the early stage of a Grand Sword Master. His progress was far too slow. If anyone knew he had only been cultivating for about a year, advancing from being a complete failure to becoming a Grand Sword Master, and still thought it was slow, they might drown him in a flood of spit.

Franz had no interest in the coming-of-age ceremony; the endless formalities wore him out. He only performed the necessary rituals half-heartedly before retreating to hide in his room. Even Leona couldn’t come back to visit him this time—she was said to be taking exams at the academy and couldn’t return. Geoffrey was busy with military affairs in the north, sending a letter full of nonsense about how he couldn’t come back either because of his duties and promising to introduce Franz to some "strapping men" next time. Franz was so furious he almost spat blood, vowing to teach Geoffrey a lesson the next time they met.

"Young master, the family head has summoned you."

Emon entered and announced. Franz nodded.

"Tell him I’ll be there shortly."

The Bonaparte family's grand hall was enormous—large enough to hold a thousand people without feeling cramped. Although it was winter, the walls were inlaid with red, fire-element magic stones that radiated warmth, making the atmosphere inside incredibly cozy. Just from this, one could see the grandeur of the Bonaparte family.

"Boy, why do you look so gloomy? You’ve grown up now—are you already thinking about getting a wife?"

An old man clapped Franz on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. This was the third elder of the family, a Saint-level Sword Master with a bold and cheerful personality. Although referred to as an old man, the third elder's body was more robust than that of an average young man. Unlike the aloof elders, he was approachable and often visited the family’s training grounds to instruct younger members, sometimes even sparring with the family’s guards. Because of this, he was highly respected within the family.

"Granduncle," Franz laughed, "I’m not really thinking about getting married. I’ve just hit a bottleneck in my cultivation, so my progress has been slow, and that’s been bothering me."

The third elder was the younger brother of Heter, so Franz addressed him as “granduncle.” The third elder nodded.

"Cultivation cannot be rushed; caution is key. Remember, haste makes waste. If your progress is slow but your foundation becomes more solid, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Come on, let’s go inside—I heard someone from the imperial palace is here."

Franz acknowledged and followed the third elder. Inside the grand hall, aside from the family head and the council of elders, there was also Heter and two people Franz had never met before. One was an old man dressed in black robes, with slightly graying hair, tanned skin, and a slender frame. Despite his frail appearance, Franz could sense a powerful aura emanating from him—an aura even stronger than the third elder’s. The other was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes, handsome and serious, with the regal air of royalty. Franz silently nodded in approval—this was the very image of a perfect prince.

"So this is Franz! You’ve grown so quickly. I remember when I first saw you, you were still in swaddling clothes. I can hardly believe you’ve already become such a handsome young man."

As soon as Franz entered, the old man praised him.

"Hmph, old man, did you forget whose grandson this is? I remember back in the day, I was quite the looker myself—so much so that every girl in the capital was infatuated with me," Heter boasted, then turned to Franz.

"Well, aren’t you going to greet Lord Philip?"

Franz hurriedly bowed in respect. So this was Luis Philip, the head of the Philip family—a powerful figure in the court and a close confidant of Emperor Nikolai.

"Heter, you haven’t changed a bit. Always exaggerating," Luis chuckled softly, waving a hand. Franz immediately felt an invisible force lift him up, and he couldn’t help but be impressed—this old man was a powerful mage. Luis, still smiling, gestured toward the young man beside him.

"This is Percival, the second prince of the empire. You two are about the same age, and I hope you’ll become good friends."

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Franz bowed to Percival. In the Ala Empire, the customs didn’t require kneeling as on Earth; a bow was enough to show respect. After all, this was a prince, and Franz figured there was no harm in showing a little respect.

Percival stepped forward and helped Franz up with a soft smile.

"There’s no need to be so formal. We’re close in age, so if you don’t mind, how about calling me 'big brother'?"

Franz mentally sighed in realization—so that’s why Luis had brought the second prince here. It wasn’t really for Franz’s sake, but for the benefit of the Bonaparte family. While Franz didn’t fully understand the intricacies of court politics, he’d seen enough TV dramas in his past life to get the gist. Glancing at Heter, who remained expressionless, Franz understood the situation. Not wanting to embarrass the prince, he gripped Percival’s hand and smiled.

"If that’s the case, I’ll gladly obey, big brother."

"Good, good," Luis laughed heartily. "Now, let’s not delay any further. I also have an imperial decree from the Emperor. Franz Bonaparte, come forward to receive it."

Luis’s hand produced a scroll. Everyone in the room, except for the second prince and Heter, knelt down as Luis began to read the decree:

"The Bonaparte family has been loyal to the empire for a thousand years, achieving great merits and shedding the blood of its descendants for the sake of the empire. The empire shall forever remember its service. Now that Franz Bonaparte has come of age, I hereby bestow upon him the title of Viscount of Skyflare, along with a reward of ten thousand gold coins and the governance of a thousand households. Issued by Emperor Nikolai V of the Ala Empire."