Chapter 231: 231 [Light of the Celestial Pillar]
Reiger, the royal palace.
This was a chalk-white palace located in the heart of the capital.
The chalk palace was more majestic and taller than any building Reiger had ever seen, and it had a solemn feel, somewhat at odds with the impressions he had of the royal palace.
In Reiger’s mind, the so-called royal palace should have been a resplendent and glamorous construction. The current palace before him felt more inorganic than ornate, somewhat similar to a steel fortress.
Sitting in the Fransel family’s carriage, Reiger observed the palace through the coach window while chatting intermittently with Yuri.
"Oh, this is for you."
At that moment, Yuri suddenly handed Reiger an object.
It was a medal.
The medal, which seemed designed to be worn on the chest, bore the image of a sword and was made not of ordinary metal, but of a rather rare type of magic metal.
"What is this?"
Reiger turned the medal over and asked aloud.
"This is the True Knight Medal,"
Yuri answered Reiger’s question.
"True Knight Medal?" Reiger paused, then expressed in surprise, "This is the True Knight Medal? You’re giving it to me directly?"
The True Knight Medal was a proof of a True Knight’s identity, an honor pursued by countless swordsmen.
Apart from the Sword Saint, the True Knight was the most revered and admired swordsman in the world.
Most magicians aspired to have a True Knight as their top-quality attendant. Even the knights of the kingdoms and various noble families treated True Knights as senior talents and core combat strengths. Many factions even desired to recruit a True Knight but failed to do so.
Looking at Yuri proved this point. As a tactical level magician, only three of her attendants, Marilyn, Ai En, and Ian, were True Knights. It was already quite impressive to have even one among the others.
Therefore, many novice swordsmen aimed first to become True Knights, with numerous swordsmen adopting this as their life goal, diligently training their sword skills in hopes of being honored.
In the life experiences of people like Saint Nidor and Solok, an important page was titled "When I received the True Knight Medal and became a True Knight," underscoring the preciousness of this distinction.
Beneath the Sword Saint, the highest honor for swordsman was to be a True Knight.
The number of Sword Saints naturally could not be large; hence, becoming a True Knight was the ultimate goal for many.
Now, Yuri was giving this medal directly to Reiger.
"Is this alright?"
Reiger voiced his concern.
"What would be the problem?" Yuri said calmly, "You are already recognized as a senior True Knight, so it is only natural that I confer this medal on you."
The True Knight Medal was an accolade only the lords of major territories could bestow.
As long as one was recognized by a lord to truly possess the capabilities of a True Knight, that lord could confer the medal, granting the designation of True Knight.
As Yuri was the Marquis of Fransel, and the lord of the Fransel territory, she naturally had the rights to issue the True Knight Medal.
Of course, this was not something that could be given out indiscriminately. If it turned out that the recipient did not have the requisite strengths, not only would the recipient be punished, but the lord would also be held accountable.
But Reiger was already recognized as having the strength of a senior True Knight, so Yuri could freely bestow this distinction upon him.
"Put it on for now," Yuri suggested. "The first and foremost requirement to become a Sword Saint is to possess the True Knight Medal and have the title of True Knight. This medal is proof, a symbol of honor. There are no other complications; just wear it to shut up many detractors."
Hearing Yuri’s words, Reiger thought for a moment and finally nodded, then put on the medal.
Then Yuri continued talking.
"His Majesty the King himself has summoned us this time. His goals are simple: first, to assess my condition, and secondly, to confer a nobility to you, making you a noble of the Ginath Kingdom." Yuri spoke very seriously, "I know you want to decline. In a public setting, His Majesty would not do anything to you for it, and considering various factors, he might even choose to step back."
With Yuri present, the King would definitely not confront Reiger directly.
Plus, with the Duke faction eyeing his throne, the King also had to worry about pushing Reiger too hard, lest he directly throw his weight behind the Duke faction to oppose the royal family.
Moreover, considering Reiger’s value as both a senior True Knight and a tactical level magician, the King would definitely not want to alienate such a talent.
So...
"In case you persist in your refusal, the King will likely compromise by offering you the status of a titular noble, nominally affiliated with the Ginath Kingdom."
What Yuri referred to as a titular noble was a type of nobility that had the title without the authority.
On the Akasha Continent, the nobles of various nations could be roughly divided into four types.
The first type was the territorial nobles, who owned their territories within their kingdoms and primarily governed these lands, much like a marquis.
The second type is the local nobility, who assist the lord in governing their territories and are generally vassals to the lord, acting as local government officials.
The third type is the court nobility, who hold positions in the royal palace and are mainly responsible for managing the affairs of the palace and the capital, acting as central government officials.
The fourth type is honorary nobility. They do not hold any position within the kingdom, but nominally belong to the kingdom’s nobility and have certain privileges. Their obligation is to respond to the kingdom’s summons in emergency situations and resolve incidents that have a detrimental impact on the kingdom.
Compared to the first three types of nobles, honorary nobles may have less power but they enjoy more freedom, aiming to rally those who dislike serving in the kingdom, engaging in the circle of nobles, or being restricted.
"Currently, in the Kingdom of Jinas, there are a total of six recognized Sword Saints, one of whom is an honorary noble. He travels freely within and outside the kingdom without any constraints and only answers the summons of the kingdom when it is in trouble to eliminate the source of some disastrous events," Yuri told Reiger.
"Once you insist on refusing, the king will certainly offer you the position of honorary noble as a compromise, allowing you to retain your freedom under the condition that you nominally belong to the kingdom and cannot be poached by other countries."
"Of course, this so-called unlimited freedom is relative. If you lack the requisite strength, the kingdom will still summon you frequently to handle various incidents."
"Only by becoming a Sword Saint, the highest level of swordsmen on the continent of Akasha with unmatched individual combat capabilities, can you prevent the kingdom from utilizing you frequently and achieve the greatest degree of freedom."
Yuri looked at Reiger and smiled gently.
"Of course, the choice is up to you. I just want to say that whatever you choose, I support you."
Hearing this, Reiger also smiled, exchanging a glance with Yuri, where everything was understood without words.
At that moment, the Franzer family’s carriage also entered the royal palace, allowed entry by the guards stationed at the gate.
"Hmm?"
Reiger sensed something was amiss and murmured in doubt.
"Did you notice?" Yuri saw the change in Reiger’s expression and asked, "Do you feel oppressed, like you can’t use magic anymore?"
Reiger nodded.
After entering the royal palace, Reiger immediately felt an invisible restraint that seemed to press down on him, as if he was unable to use magic.
"This is the permanent anti-magic system in effect within the palace. Unless someone is specifically permitted and exempted, nobody can use magic here," Yuri explained. "The palace also has a strategic-level protective barrier that activates immediately if it detects any external magic targeting the palace."
Yuri gestured towards the sky, signaling Reiger to look up.
Reiger looked up and immediately saw a layer of faint ripples, like water, moving about.
"That is the Light of the Celestial Pillar, the highest level of defensive magic barrier in the Kingdom of Jinas."
Yuri’s voice slowly reached Reiger’s ears.
"Most royal palaces in major kingdoms are similarly equipped with the most advanced protective systems their capabilities allow. The Light of the Celestial Pillar of Jinas is renowned across the continent of Akasha for hundreds of years, and any magician facing this barrier can only sigh in despair," Yuri explained.
Yuri smiled at Reiger as she spoke.
"Now you understand why I said that a Sword Saint has a higher deterrent effect in front of the royalty than a tactical level magician?"
Yuri’s smile seemed somewhat self-deprecating.
It couldn’t be helped.
"No matter how high-level a magician is, once they enter the royal palace, they become as ordinary as one can get."
"Magic completely loses its effect here, only swordsmen are unaffected."
"Those who use special-grade sword techniques might still be impacted somewhat. At least, they can’t use the power of special-grade sword techniques to manifest a force equivalent to magic externally."
"Other than that, swordsmen are largely unrestricted and can still demonstrate their strength through their physical prowess."
Especially the Sword Saints, being the highest level swordsmen on the continent with superior individual combat abilities, almost invincible in one-on-one combat. In a Forbidden Magic Domain like the royal palace, they are sure to still display enough deterrence.
The kingdom cannot tie up a person’s body, preventing them from taking action, can it?
Therefore, to those nobles with high-level protective systems in their residences capable of guarding against most powerful magic, a Sword Saint who can move freely and strike at will undoubtedly poses a greater threat than a magician.
"If you want the kingdom to stop targeting you and achieve the greatest degree of freedom, becoming a Sword Saint is undoubtedly the best choice."
After stating this, Yuri shifted her tone.
"Alright, we’ve arrived."
The Franzer family’s carriage slowly came to a stop before a palace.
Reiger, Yuri, and Marilyn got off the carriage one after another.
"Let’s go, we are going to see His Majesty."
Yuri’s tone became somewhat detached as she led Reiger and Marilyn into the palace.