"My respects to His Majesty the Emperor, His Majesty the Queen, and His Highness the Crown Prince," he said in a calm, yet respectful voice. His right hand was raised slightly, showing high respect.
The Emperor looked at Cedric with a sharp gaze, the atmosphere of the throne room at this time suddenly felt heavier. He then slowly opened his mouth, "So, you are the Knight that was mentioned a few days before?" She said in a voice that sounded loud.
Cedric still lowered his gaze, for him who had been through all this before it was very difficult to pretend for the first time coming to this world. He then raised his gaze, his eyes looking intently at the three people sitting before him.
"That's right, Your Majesty. I may not be worthy of the duties of a Knight, but I will do my best."
The Emperor then leaned his body back slightly, then closed his eyes for a moment as if he was currently thinking about something. Not long after, his eyes reopened and smiling slightly, he looked back at the young man who was bowing respectfully before him at the moment.
"Hoho, just what one would expect from a Knight from another world," he said in a voice that sounded playful, "Humble, but determined. We shall see if your words match your actions."
The Queen, who had been silent, lowered her hand fan that had been covering part of her face. She then closed it, then leaned forward slightly.
"How is your daily life in the palace these days?" she asked, her voice sounding low and soft, but Cedric himself could feel the scrutiny behind those words.
"I hear it is very different from your previous life. We certainly hope you are comfortable with what we are providing."
Cedric maintained his position, he bowed and showed respect. "I am most grateful for your kindness, Your Majesty."
He paused for a moment, then added carefully, "Although everything feels new, I am trying to adjust quickly, I realize, it is not only about personal comfort, but also about the responsibility that has been given to me."
The Queen nodded slowly at Cedric's answer, "I see..." she murmured as she reopened her fan. She glanced at the Crown Prince sitting next to her. "Kaellion, what do you think of the Knight?"
Crown Prince Kaellion, who had been leaning on his throne lazily, after hearing the Queen's words, snorted for a moment and finally straightened his back. He looked at Cedric sharply and smiled slightly at last.
"I don't have much to say," he said in a voice that sounded indifferent, then continued, "I met her a few days ago."
He crossed his arms and grinned a small, thin smile that seemed like a mixture of pride and arrogance. "But, you seem polite and well-spoken, as I expected."
Cedric kept his head down in a respectful manner, but in his heart he thought otherwise, he was already gnashing his teeth because he could not stand the Crown Prince's arrogant and annoying attitude. But of course, his face remained calm, and his smile remained polite.
"Thank you for your judgment, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I will endeavor not to disappoint your expectations."
The Emperor, who had been watching the conversation, finally spoke while leaning forward slightly. His voice could be heard echoing in the room.
"Of course, I hope you stick to those words," he said in a voice that sounded serious, as if warning Cedric not to waste the opportunity given to him.
He then narrowed his eyes slightly, he looked Cedric up and down as if he was trying to judge something from him at the moment.
"I think that, for the sake of your position, the empire should make a decree for official appointment," the Emperor continued firmly. "After all, he is a member of the Imperial Knights."
The atmosphere grew heavier with that statement, as if the entire room was holding its breath, waiting for Cedric's reaction. The Emperor quickly continued, "This decree will give you greater responsibility, and of course, grant you privileges that you should be held accountable for with honor."
The Queen who had been quietly observing this conversation nodded slightly and then the Crown Prince remained seated in his previous nonchalant manner, although his eyes were still watching Cedric closely.
"I think I'll leave this meeting for now," said the Emperor in a firm voice, signaling that their conversation was over. He leaned back in his throne assuming that all that needed to be said had been done. "You may return to your quarters."
Cedric only responded with a nod, he then stood up straight. Surely as the new knight of the current empire, he had to accept the decision, despite the many questions that lingered in his mind.
He then saluted once more before leaving the room, and turned towards the door. For a moment, before he actually stepped out of the room, he muttered slightly in his heart.
"I didn't ask this in the past, so I guess I should say it now," he muttered quietly to himself before finally letting out a clearer voice.
"Your Majesty." Saying this, he then turned back around and looked at the Emperor who was far away from him at the moment, then without hesitation asked the question that had been on his mind since before. "What is the reason I was summoned to this world?"
His voice echoed softly in the majestic throne room. All eyes were now focused on him, including the Emperor who still sat with a more serious expression than before. Cedric waited, hoping to get the answer he had been looking for.
"Doesn't the world look fine to me right now?" he continued without hesitation. "There are no real threats, no obvious dangers to deal with, at least that is what I know." He sharpened his gaze, questioning the logic behind his presence.
The room was instantly more tense, the Emperor and other members of the Imperial family did not respond immediately, making the atmosphere even more tense. Cedric knew that this was a risky question, but he had let those doubts haunt him long enough. There was no point in waiting. He had to know the answer now.
In his memory, in the past he was the one who handled imperial matters, be it internal or external conflicts, as if all the heavy tasks were his responsibility. In fact, it should be the duty of the Emperor and the rulers of this world. An eerie silence hung in the air, until Crown Prince Kallion finally opened his mouth.
"You..." Kaellion looked at Cedric with an expression that was difficult to read. His brow furrowed, his lips curled slightly downward, signaling his displeasure. "Although you are a Knight of honor, you cannot say such things with your mouth."
The Emperor raised one hand calmly, stopping the tension that had begun to rise in the room. "Calm down, Crown Prince." He said with authority.
Kaellion looked displeased, but he restrained himself and bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect to his father. The emperor then turned his gaze back to Cedric. The golden eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing something. Finally, he spoke in a voice that remained calm but full of hidden meaning.
"Knight, you were called to this world because fate chose you. Our world may seem peaceful on the surface, but threats always lurk in the shadows. You are not only called to solve visible problems, but also to prevent destruction before it happens." He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before continuing.
"You are the blessing the world has given us. A hero who will help ensure the glory of the Avandor Empire endures."
Cedric just gritted his teeth slowly and clenched his hands into fists. "So, I still don't have a clear answer... Just the same clichéd excuses as before." Cedric bowed his head politely, but in his heart, he suppressed his growing frustration.
He then held his breath, trying to suppress the feelings that were inside him, he felt that something was wrong, but he knew that speaking too openly could jeopardize his position. However, her curiosity about why she was summoned to this world made her unable to restrain herself.
He stared at the Emperor with a sharp gaze, though without raising his head, with a more serious and slightly stressful tone of voice.
"Your Majesty, I understand that this world has its own problems. However, from my point of view, shouldn't the task of protecting and stabilizing the empire be the responsibility of its leaders? Not leave it to someone who isn't even from this world?"
Kaellion kicked the back of his chair hard, his expression reflecting the anger he could hardly contain. "That's enough, you're completely out of line!" He said in a slightly raised voice.
Cedric only glanced at him briefly, seemingly unfazed by the anger that radiated so clearly from the Crown Prince. In his heart, he was amused and slightly surprised.
"Look at this clown prince," he thought sarcastically. "In the past, how come I could follow all his orders? I was really too innocent back then."
Silence fell over the room for a moment, Kaellion was about to continue, but the Emperor raised one hand, stopping his son. His golden eyes were still piercing, but his voice remained calm and authoritative.
"I will assume this conversation does not exist." His voice sounded firm, "Oh yes, this week, I will be holding a feast for the knighthood, and you will be there. I will formally introduce you to the nobles of the kingdom."
He leaned back slightly, his hands folded on the arms of his throne. "So, prepare yourself well. No matter what happens today, all eyes will be on you then."
Cedric didn't answer anything else. He simply bowed his head deeply as a sign of respect, hiding the look in his now calm but calculating eyes. Without another word, he turned around and stepped out of the throne room.
Inside the room that was now a little less tense, the Queen who had been silent finally let out a long breath. She raised the gold-adorned fan in her hand, as if to cover up the expression that lay behind it. However, as her gaze fell on the closed door, her golden eyes narrowed sharply.
"That person...," she murmured softly, her voice almost a whisper.
He lowered his fan slightly, then raised his eyebrows as if he was thinking at the moment, "I deliberately manipulated the witches by giving false prophecies to summon people from other worlds because of their abilities." she thought.
"I did that to establish Kaellion as the successor to this empire," he continued, his tone full of conviction. However, as she looked back at her son, there was a flash of anger hidden in her eyes. "But I didn't expect him to be so arrogant."
Crack!
Instantly, the fan in her hand broke with a sharp sound. Kallion gave a small gasp at the sight. The queen placed the remaining broken fan on her lap elegantly, her expression returning to calm. However, the aura surrounding her was getting colder.
"If things continue like this, we should consider other measures."