Chapter 500: Birth of the Honorary Viscount

The Prime Minister continued.

“Furthermore, Viscount Tauro Giro Sugar shall be granted territory from the royal demesne. As for the location—”

Tauro had been listening in a daze, but at those words he abruptly came back to his senses. Knowing it might be rude, he interrupted the Prime Minister.

“P-Please wait, Your Excellency! The title of viscount is far beyond what I deserve. Besides, I have no intention of becoming a landholding noble! I believe I already told Viscount Musai that.”

“…”

The Prime Minister listened in silence. After a short pause, he turned back toward the King.

“Your Majesty, as I said, this young man has very little interest in honors. Prince Fleue was right: he’s an adventurer by nature. Moreover, he’s only fourteen years old. Binding him to one place at such an age would be cruel.”

The King remained silent for a moment.

Then he began to laugh.

“Heh… Hahahaha!”

“Forgive me, Tauro Graunewald. I was the one who forced this peerage through by putting pressure on Gret—Prime Minister Gret Barriera. Giro Sugar’s contributions to this kingdom have exceeded anything I imagined. I wanted to give him a noble title, even somewhat forcefully, in the hope that he’d continue to serve the kingdom. But I take it that arrangement won’t do?”

“Thank you very much for Your Majesty’s generous words. I’m truly honored and humbled, but I still want to travel the world with my companions. I want to keep adventuring and experience the world.”

Tauro didn’t reject the King’s goodwill outright, but he gently declined the landholding viscountcy.

“Hmm… A young person shouldn’t be bound down. I remember what happened several years ago, when you were falsely accused and imprisoned by Viscount Saissi. Many people came to me then and pleaded for your life. I was astonished that such a young boy could move so many nobles, including many who were usually concerned only with themselves. You possess a virtue that draws people to you. You have also contributed greatly to the cultural development of this kingdom. And I owe you thanks for helping my son. As King and as a father, I must thank you. Tauro Graunewald, I’m grateful.”

The King bowed deeply to Tauro, one of his own subjects and the adopted son of a noble house.

The Prime Minister, the Royal Guards, and the officials all politely looked away, pretending not to have witnessed it.

When the King raised his head, he called to the Prime Minister.

“Gret!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Tauro Graunewald, you’re hereby ennobled as an Honorary Viscount. You shall have unrestricted access to and use of facilities within the royal demesne. As stated before, your family name shall be Giro Sugar.”

Prime Minister Duke Barriera smiled knowingly as he announced the compromise.

“I humbly accept!”

Tauro no longer had the courage to refuse.

The silent pressure from the Prime Minister, the Royal Guards, and the assembled officials made further resistance impossible.

Tauro had actually thought that even something like an honorary knighthood would be useful for his future adventures. Although the result was far more dramatic than expected, he decided to regard it as a bonus that would make adventuring easier.

After leaving the audience chamber, the party returned to the waiting room and finally let out their breath.

“Phew… Even I thought it was pretty dangerous when you refused the viscountcy, Leader. Hahaha!”

Ankh laughed as he teased Tauro.

“But if I accepted land, I wouldn’t be able to keep adventuring with everyone. I’m trying my best too, you know.”

Tauro answered with a childlike complaint—which was understandable, considering that he really was still a child.

“But that was incredible. I never thought you’d suddenly be offered the rank of viscount. And even an Honorary Viscount is still a viscount. More importantly, you now have unrestricted access to facilities under direct royal control. I’ve never heard of anyone receiving that privilege before. Normally, you have to apply for permission every time.”

Aeris seemed even more impressed by Tauro’s freedom within the royal demesne than by the noble title itself.

“So that means we can enter state-managed dungeons now? Then we can invite our dragonfolk friends too!”

Ragune immediately connected Aeris’s explanation to their earlier discussion.

“Tauro-sama, I was granted the title of Honorary Priest of the Kingdom, but what exactly does that mean?”

Zion tilted her head, still not fully understanding what had happened.

“You can think of it as an honorary rank or title just below honorary nobility. It should protect you from a lot of minor trouble in the future. It’s a genuine honor.”

Aeris explained it simply in Tauro’s place.

“I see… I never imagined I’d be given something like that…”

Zion stared at her hands, still unable to fully grasp the reality of it.

“I never thought I’d become an Honorary Knight of the Kingdom either. Hahaha! For someone who used to be nothing more than a mercenary, it’s unbelievable. What a surprise.”

Ankh laughed happily and lightly patted Zion on the shoulder.

“I never thought I’d be named an Honorary Mage of the Kingdom either. Well, it’s not like being a [Saint] or anything, but… this is fine.”

Aeris smiled wryly, though she was clearly pleased.

“I’m an Honorary Knight of the Kingdom too… I’m happy, but I would’ve preferred ‘Dragon Knight.’”

Ragune was delighted with her title, even if she wished the nonexistent title of her imagination had been available.

“Hahaha. I’m glad everyone found something to be happy about.”

Tauro decided not to complain when his companions were all so pleased.

He still felt that his own reward was excessive, however.

“Oh, excuse me. If Tauro had simply accepted the ordinary viscountcy, what territory would he have received?”

Aeris suddenly became curious and asked an official waiting in the corner of the room.

“I heard that the plan was to grant him the former Saissi territory. Since the town of Saisi is Honorary Viscount Giro Sugar’s birthplace, Prime Minister Duke Barriera recommended it to His Majesty as an appropriate choice.”

“Eh?!”

Tauro, rather than Aeris, was the first to react.

“I see… That’s actually a little disappointing, I suppose… Ah, no. Hahaha, I’m only joking!”

Tauro laughed awkwardly, making it impossible to tell how much of the remark had been sincere.