Chapter 2: Promotion Ball.

First things first, why is so bright? I get it, it's the Palace of the Empress, but tone it down a notch.

Arthur sighed as he leaned on the corner of the lavish ballroom, sipping on a glass of fine red wine.

"It's the son of a lowly baron from the sticks!"

"How revolting."

If one could taste the sigh rolling off their mouth, Arthur definitely did.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Just ignore it. Reacting to provocation of such immaturity would only excalate the situation.

"As expected of the son of a common woman."

Arthur turn to the long nosed asshole. Did he call Mother, lowly?!

The bastard in question was quite plump and ugly.

"Finally you hear me, I thought you were daft like your mother."

Arthur craned his neck in annoyance. "Who the **** are you?"

"How uncouth! I am the Youngest son of the Ashley Family, Edward Ashley."

Cathy approached the two boys hastily. "Hello Young Master Edward, Arthur, meet your half broth–

A wine glass flew directly into Mother's temple. Arthur's eyes widened.

"How dare mere concubine introduce me."

Half-brother huh? First time seeing him. The Ashley's were pricks after all. They got father to do the deed with their oldest daughter, the abomination before me is the result.

Holy ****, he's ugly. I'm pretty sure that's the Ashley genetics kicking in. Poor bastard.

"Edward, refrein from throwing wineglasses in the Empress's ballroom." Arthur seethe as politely as he could. "Mother, Are you alright?"

"How dare you refer to me with out formality!" Edward threw another glass, this time, it was full of wine.

The wine splattered over Arthur's clothes as he shielded Cathy.

"As a lowly Baron," Arthur emphasized lowly. "I was tought more manners than the ohhh so greatt~ Ashley Family." He scoffed sarcastically. "Half-brother, did your mother not teach you manners? Or were the Ashley's such a pig pen that you ended up looking like one."

The guests overlooking the situation seemed entertained by the turn of events.

Edward was red with fury. God he is ugly.

"Duel me half-wit!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. He threw his glove at Arthur.

Arthur stared at the glove on the red carpet. Walking over it, crushing and grinding his heel against it, he gave a short laugh.

"As much as I want to, it's a Promotion Ball held by Her majesty. Wouldn't want your corpse to ruin the atmosphere–

"We greet Her Majesty the Empress! All hail Empress Helena Rosegold IX!" every one greeted her majesty.

She wore an incredibly long, yellow silk dress. Gold clearly was used too. Age was captivating to day the least. Her eyes were green and her hair was golden blonde.

Wait– Helena Rosegold?! The Empress? How could I not know who see is at one glance? Gold-like hair and green eyes. She the mother of Nathaniel Rosegold, one *of the love interests in the Otome video game known for the hundreds of hours required to see the ending– "Romance trépidante–

Oh my God. I reincarnated into Romance trépidante, not as either of the love interests but as a side character! I can't be any happier!

What year is it? In the novel's time, the Main character, Evangeline, a commoner would enroll into St.Cleveland Academy and after seven years of In game time, she would end up in either six routes.

Rosegold Route, Gregory Route, Miller Route, Wright Route, Sullivan Route– or the legendary Reverse Harem Route.

"Romance trépidante" or Hectic Romance, is known as a incredibly difficult game. The developers poured their souls into it creating the greatest Otome game of in history.

A route could be cleared in about a year, at the fastest. The Legendary harem route has never been achieved, ever, and before I died, I was so close! **** you Russian Syndicate!

Anyway, I can't believe I reincarnated into the game as a irrelevant character. Praise God, Jesus, Allah, Zeus or Hades! Whichever is the God here. I love you*!

Arthur internally celebrated with a straight face.

The Empress finished her speech. "I shall call upon all the individuals who have distinguished themselves in this generation."

If I remembered the skippable intro, multiple people were promoted and were irrelevant except Evangalie's family. On the ceremony, her family was promoted last and given the last name of–

"Evangeline of Rivia, come forth to receive your promotion." the announcer proclaimed with a loud voice.

*Oh my God. She is quite beautiful. Not my cup of tea though. Its understandable on how the five male leads had fallen for her.

Large chest, kind-hearted, cute personality and quite clumsy. Yep adorable. Then again, not my type*.

"Evangeline of Riva, For your bravery and valor displayed in the skirmish of Otto, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Baron."

Evangeline beamed brightly is happiness and surprise. The announcer rolled the scroll and handed it to a scribe guarded by four knigtts.

"Rise, Baroness Evangalie" the Empress commanded.

She nervously complied. "As a former commoner without a last name, you are today hereby, Nobility. You will be granted the last name of Nightingale."

Everyone started to clap loudly and celebratory whistles and cheers erupted here and there.

Yep, this is where the intro clip ended. The next second was the start of the school year. Welp that all–

"Baron August and Baroness Catherine, please come forward." The Empress commanded.

The Empress herself called Mom and Dad. What the hell.

"I believe you two have received my letter?" the Empress asked.

Mother and Father nodded nervously. "Y-Yes, your majesty."

Also I've been meaning to ask, were nobility yet we don't have a last name?

"Baron August, Two generations ago, your great-grandfather committed a grave sin against the Empire. He tampered with Black Magic.

Pfttt–B-Black Magic?! As in Demon magic? Gread grandfather broke the greatest taboo? Tampering with life and death?

He's batshit crazy!

"He may have broken that one taboo for the sake of his people and the empire, but the law must be upheld, he was stripped of his title and last name."

"Today, Baron August, you have redeemed your predecessor's mistake and your last name shall be returned to you."

"For the discovery of the Great Cavern and offering it to me, I shall reward your honesty and loyalty, with the mining rights to belong to you and your pure bloodline."

"Rise, Viscount August Haile."

The Empress descended her throne and gave Father a shoulder pat. "I'm truly relieved, that the loyal Haile Family, has been revived."

Mother and father arose and returned to their table with hands interlocked. There were incredibly loud cheers.

I'm betting father is holding back tears. Anyway, I'm clearly missing something in our family history. I'll ask him about that later–

"Arthur Haile, Son of August Haile and Catherine Haile, come forward." The announcer proclaimed again.

Wha– Why?!?

Arthur calmed his mind and breathing as he walked froward to her majesty. He kneeled like His father August.

"Arthur Haile, For your merits, achievements, and Charismatic Leadership displayed in the Battle of Otto– you are rewarded with the official title of Knight."

"Rise, Knight Arthur Haile."

Oh. That's what I was called for. I thought I did something wrong.

Wait— knight?!?

After the ball, many nobles approached us to form connections. Father, being the smart and intuitive man he is, formed connections with only the good people. Good men can tell other good men. It was not all fun and games. The carriage ride home was rather tense.

Mom had the gaze capable of making a a dragon kneel. "So~ What~ was~ my~ dear~ Artie~ up~ too~ for~ the~ past~ five~ years." she asked in a sing-song voice.

Arthur bristled up and cowered under her gaze. "That is going to be a long story."

To sum up the last five years in a few paragraphs:

In the first year, Arthur left home and registered as an adventurer. He dound talent in the sword.

For two years He then trained in both diligently and intensely as, he continued adventuring.

On the fourth year he joined the Battle of Otto after the small skirmish got way out of hand and turned into a small territory war. During the battle, the commander was fatality wounded by an assasin archer. The side Arthur was on started to cascade as they lost battle after battle.

The last ditch effort of turning the tide of war, Arthur gathered the remaining soldiers. They were outnumbered four to one.

Their scouts found the enemy encampment in a forest.

Arthur quickly formulated a plan and gave Half of his army a sealed jar of tar oil, a torch and a horn. The other half was the supply lines and emergency unit.

It was barely dawn when the attack commenced. The soldiers and mercenaries lit their jars on fire before throwing it on the enemy's encampment, severing their retreat and laying down the ground work for the trap.

To seal the illusion of a large fighting force, they all blew their horns simultaneously causing great panic among the enemy soldiers.

Viscount Otto Von Vyrus fled in fear through a gap purposefully made by Arthur, leading him directly into an ambush.

After killing the enemy General, Arthur's troops kept the fires going in the Forest killing most of the enemy soldiers by suffocation and selling the survivors as war slaves.

In the fifth year, Arthur spent the reward money by investigating the Ashley Family's hidden crimes. All of the evidence and witnesses were brought to her majesty for a private hearing.

When all of it was over, He returned home withe the Empress's letter.

Cathrine and August were awestruck with pride and worry. "To think our son did that... Sniff... For us! We don't deserve such a son~" Catherine wept happily.

August gave his son an appreciative look. "To think you went through all that, for us. We can't be happier."

August gave Arthur a short summary of what his great-grandfather did.

About ninety years ago, Count Liam Von Haile reluctantly sacrificed his willing siblings to a demon. He learned necromancy from said demon and used it to use on the Southern Principality.

He used necromancy to rejuvenate the Southern Principality's dead soldiers to end the way and raid their capital.

However, he left the innocent alive and unscathed. That war was the closest the Empire could have fallen, in two centuries.

After the war, Count Liam and his Wife, willingly surrendered themselves to the previous empress.

Technically speaking, they did nothing wrong as it was times of war. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Empress tried to pardon them but they themselves begged her to kill them, but leave their son alone as he was still an infant.

He must've been so guilty of sacrificing his siblings.

The Empress reluctantly complied and executed them. She stripped their only son of his last name and demoted him to Baron.

Today's events proved to the current Empress out family's unwavering generational Loyalty. I was born into a great family this time, I'm glad.

"Young Master, You're sixteenth birthday will be in two weeks time, is there anything you desire?"

Sixteenth Birthday?! My coming of age is in two weeks?! I completely forgot!

Back in Japan, when someone hits the age of eighteen, they're recognized as an adult. It's two years earlier here.

Arthur mentally face-palmed himself.

Arthur hummed deep in thought while August and Catherine watched intensely. Reuben would be lying if he wasn't trying to eavesdrop.

"I want a sword, if possible to would like to give specific instructions in making the sword."

August leaned back and gave a small sigh. "That is doable, however, it's your sixteenth birthday. Don't you want anything grand?"

"No. A sword is what I want."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

To be continued.

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