Chapter 89: Title

Ian kicked open the doors to the audience chamber and strode inside, his voice booming as he announced his arrival.  

“Emperor! Your representative has returned!”  

His voice echoed through the vast chamber. 

The emperor, startled by Ian’s uncharacteristic entrance, looked at him in surprise.  

“… Hey, what’s with you?”  

“Ah, apologies, Your Majesty. I was so excited to have completed the mission you assigned me that I couldn’t help myself…”  

The emperor had always known Ian to be meticulous and composed—a man as cunning as a snake, waiting for the right moment to strike. But now, standing before him, was not a snake but a bear.  

It wasn’t a bad change in the emperor’s eyes. After all, bears were far easier to handle than snakes.  

“Well, if that’s the case…”  

He dismissed Ian’s behavior as youthful exuberance. A teenager who devoured challenges like steel and grew stronger with every passing day—what mattered wasn’t how he had changed, but why he was here.  

“Have you already completed your mission?”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“That was not something that could be resolved so quickly.”  

As the emperor eyed him suspiciously, Ian quickly grabbed Noah and pulled her forward, lifting her arm high.  

“It’s all thanks to this girl here, Your Majesty!”  

“… Because of that child?”  

“Yes!”  

The emperor glanced at Noah, his gaze scrutinizing. He recalled the last time he had seen them—when they had been granted entry to the empire’s treasure vault.  

Back then, Artia had called Noah special, while she had dismissed Ian as unremarkable. Since then, Ian had proven himself to be extraordinary, while Noah had appeared ordinary in contrast.  

Now, however, the emperor wondered if Noah had finally begun to show her true worth.  

“Is that true?” he asked.  

“Y-your Majesty, that’s not…!”  

“So, are you saying Ian lied?”  

“N-No! I don’t know if it’s true or not!”  

“You don’t know?”  

Panicked by the emperor’s interrogation, Noah began rambling.  

“Ian says I have some special power…! But I don’t know what it is. To me, Ian seems far more amazing than I am… So, um…”  

“Enough, enough.”  

The emperor watched her fumble over her words, and an inexplicable sense of amusement stirred within him.  

Had he continued, he might have ended up pushing the child too far, so he decided to stop. Instead, he turned his gaze to Ian.  

From their brief conversation, it was clear that Ian—not Noah—was the one he needed to speak with.  

“Ian Clark. I’m willing to listen, so convince me.”  

“… Understood, Your Majesty.”  

Ian lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with confidence.  

It was time to persuade the emperor.  

***

“Your Majesty, how much do you know about heroes?”  

“… Heroes? I know the first emperor was one.”  

“In other words, you don’t truly understand what a hero is.”  

The emperor nodded silently. That was only natural. The first emperor had died centuries ago, and those who had once fought alongside him had long since faded into obscurity.  

Only a handful remained who still remembered the age of heroes.  

‘Except for me.’  

Ian had the empress—one who is said to have lived in the same era as the first emperor.  

She once told him that she had met him personally. If her words held any truth, then few could afford to ignore what Ian was about to say.  

“A hero is someone loved by the world,” Ian declared.  

Noah was cute—so overwhelmingly cute that she could captivate an entire kingdom.  

But could a mere commoner, the daughter of a farmer toiling under harsh conditions, truly have been born with such beauty?  

No. It was impossible.  

“Look at Noah. She’s a commoner, yet she possesses a charm that could outshine any noble.”  

“Ian…!” Noah’s ears turned red in embarrassment.  

But Ian paid no mind and continued his praise.  

“No, in fact, no noble can compare to her beauty! Noah is the best! Noah is the greatest!”  

“… So, what exactly are you trying to say?” the emperor asked, unimpressed.  

“Do you think her appearance is a coincidence?”  

Again, Ian circled back to his point.  

Heroes were loved by all.  

People are naturally drawn to beauty.  

Therefore, a hero’s appearance is superior to others.  

But the emperor merely snorted.  

“You can’t claim someone is special just because they look good. If that were the case, wouldn’t that apply to both you and me as well?”  

It was a reasonable argument. There were plenty of people blessed with good looks.  

However, true greatness wasn’t just about appearance—it was about something far beyond that.  

“Your Majesty, to be precise, her appearance reflects the form of her vessel.”  

“Her vessel?”  

“Just as fine pottery possesses both a water-retaining function and aesthetic beauty, the talent she was born with is expressed through her appearance.”  

This was also a line from the game. How could the protagonist, who was just a commoner, win the favor of 5-star summons and gain their assistance?  

It was because the main characters were all born exceptionally blessed.  

“Noah was born with the ability to be loved by the world.”  

“Is that truly the strength of a hero?”  

“Yes, that’s right. The saying goes that the ugly one gets an extra rice cake out of pity, but in reality, a handsome one receives an extra rice cake for free.”  

“Hmm… Fine. It’s hard to believe, but I’ll accept that she’s a hero. Still, what does that have to do with her being the main character in this case?”  

“With her help, I pleaded with God.”  

The moment those words were spoken, the entire audience chamber fell silent. The emperor, the nobility, the bishops, and the academy officials—everyone was stunned.  

“Nonsense! Are you saying God granted the request of a single child!?”  

“Are you mocking God or the Church?”  

Ian scanned the room, taking note of the faces of those who reacted particularly harshly. There was only one reason they would respond so violently.  

‘Did they bully Noah?’  

They must have hated the idea that the commoner they had mistreated possessed such power. In truth, Noah had no such power.  

“You should listen before jumping to conclusions. To be precise… I sought the help of a 5-star summon.”  

“… A 5-star summon?”  

“Yes, a being equal to the Artia possessed by His Majesty the Emperor.”  

Artia, the Yellow Dragon. The first emperor had served her and ascended to the throne. If someone had gained the favor of a being of the same caliber, it was akin to the birth of a new prince.  

That was a thorn in the side of those with vested interests—people who would rather eliminate such a threat, even if it meant dooming humanity.  

“Your Majesty, get rid of that fraud immediately!”  

“The Yellow Dragon? Such a thing is impossible.”  

“Even if it were true, it would be a threat to the empire—”  

“Silence.”  

The emperor’s voice cut through the room, his overwhelming presence forcing the vassals to shut their mouths. After a moment of silence, he turned to me and extended his hand cautiously.  

“… Artia.”  

At his summons, Artia appeared. Having listened to the conversation, she nodded as soon as she emerged.  

“Yes, a being like me… If it were one that could slaughter all demons lurking beneath the ground, it would be the White Tiger.”  

“You know of it?”  

“Of course. That energy… It was the White Tiger.”  

Artia leaned in and whispered something to the emperor. I couldn’t hear what she said, but after listening to her words, the emperor gave a slight nod.  

“Ian Clark.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“And Noah.”  

“Em—”  

“For your achievements, I grant you the titles of marquis and count, respectively.”  

“Your Majesty—! They are still cadets!”  

Naturally, the officials erupted in protest. The idea of academy cadets receiving noble titles before graduation was shocking.  

However, the emperor ignored their objections and continued.  

“I will not grant you lands. The reason for your titles is simple—to ensure no one interferes with your mission. Consider carefully why I have given you this honor and act accordingly.”  

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”  

“Oh… It’s an honor…”  

I knelt before him as I was officially granted my title. From my generation onward, the Clark family would be a marquisate.  

Noah was given a new family name—Noah Mellie. She had become a noble in her own right.  

As soon as I received my title, I turned toward the nobles, who were still staring at us in shock. I took off my gloves and threw them at their feet.  

“I hereby challenge all of you who have insulted Countess Mellie to a duel.”  

“… Marquis Clark, what is the meaning of this—”  

“If you have grievances, fight me. If not, apologize to her.”  

“Hey, Ian!?”  

My reason for this was simple. By making a scene in front of the emperor, I ensured that he would understand exactly what they had done to Noah.  

After all, the emperor did not tolerate discrimination against commoners or merit-based ability. The empire itself was founded on those very principles by the first emperor.  

“Well? What will you do now?”  

They had no choice but to apologize to Noah.  

The unexpected turn of events piqued the emperor’s interest.  

Ian had a gut feeling that their path was now blocked.  

No, seriously—who told them to mess with Noah?