NOVEL NEXT B1 | Chapter 33
Aria
“We welcome to our Grand Court, the Predator Division of the First Army!! The heroes of the War of the Great Divide!!” a loud voice calls out the moment me and the others of the division enter the grand throne room within the Imperial Palace. And mere seconds later, cheers of joy begin echoing out through the throne room from the people allowed to stand on the sides of the room, behind the dividers that form small little bleachers of sorts, along with the people in the balconies above.
The team and I all walk down the throne room until we reach the raised dais at the end of it, where we all then kneel down with both the emperor seated on a large throne at the back of the dais, and the nine generals standing in an arc in front of him, practically blocking the guy from view.
“To celebrate the magnificent achievements of these individuals, they will all be granted the Wings of the Azure!” that same voice echoes out from before. Not sure from where.
It’s hard to focus when I’m trying as hard as I am not to give the emperor a death glare. Because this thing is recorded, and who knows how many people are watching.
Best not to be seen giving the emperor a look that could kill during this.
“As the supervising General over these six officers, the First General will be the one to hand out the medals,” the voice continues right when the First General – the one standing front and center amongst the generals – begins slowly stepping down from the dais. Meanwhile a soldier walks around the dais holding a fancy looking pillow with six even fancier – albeit rather small – medals on it.
Unlike the last time I saw her, the First General is currently wearing a long and flowing black and gold dress. The colors of the first general position.
Her long black hair is currently in a braid going over her shoulder while her face is completely neutral without showing any signs of any kind. But despite the dress, I can still clearly tell that every single one of her movements is precise, and that she can still battle incredibly well even with that dress on.
The other generals are also wearing formal attire rather than their uniforms, with the emperor himself wearing the formal attire meant for his position. Not that he matters. Considering how the generals are all ignoring his existence and literally blocking him out of sight, mostly at least.
The First General starts by taking one of the medals – a medal that’s more like a pin with two azure dragon wings and a dragon’s head surrounded by azure flames – and bringing it over to the major before pinning it on his uniform’s shoulder, alongside his other pins. Then she stands up and declares, “Major Leonardo Striker, for your excellent leadership of the Predator Team through the snows of the Southern Pass and bringing the Invasion General into our trap with your own lives on the line, you will hereby be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and granted the Ability Holder title of ‘Twilight Huntsman.’”
All of the applause within the throne room instantly shoots up as cheering echoes for all to hear.
Then the First General moves on to Captain Harvey, pinning a medal on her shoulder as well as she says, “Captain Hannah Harvey, for your bravery in watching over and defending your allies, the fortress, and all of the soldiers during the General’s Assault, as well as blocking off the enemy soldiers’ escape with your barriers, you will hereby be promoted to Major, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and granted the Ability Holder title of ‘Mystic Warden.’”
And after her, she moves on to Captain Rogers, “Captain Frank Rogers, for your exemplary support of your team members and the rest of the soldiers at the fortress and the assault, you will hereby be promoted to Major, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and granted the Ability Holder title of ‘Overdrive.’”
The applause just continues coming, filling the throne room to the brim. Meanwhile the First General moves on, stopping in front of the first lieutenant before pinning his medal next and declaring, “First Lieutenant Adrian Snow, for your extraordinary combat skills and the defeat of numerous enemies during the Capture and Decoy operation, along with the General’s Assault and the defense of the fortress, you will hereby be promoted to Captain, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and granted the Ability Holder title of the ‘Arctic Edge.’”
Wait a second, I already have an Ability Holder title. What is she going to be giving me then?
I refrain from frowning as I think, keeping my head held parallel with the ground.
The First General continues on, passing right by me to my surprise to stop in front of the second lieutenant who she quickly pins the medal on and says, “Second Lieutenant Jason Vargas, for your crucial work pulling the intel from the mind of an invader legate, giving the Republic all of the intel we needed on the enemy, you will hereby be promoted to First Lieutenant, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and granted the Ability Holder title of ‘Psionic Inquisitor.’”
Then she moves over to me, stopping in front of me and actually cracking a smile. One that sends a slight shiver down my spine.
“And last but certainly not least,” she starts while grabbing the medal and pinning it to my shoulder as the cheering quiets down ever so slightly in order for the people to hear her, “First Lieutenant Aria Crimson. As you already have an Ability Holder title as the Crimson Blade, you will instead be given a slightly different reward from the others.” The woman’s grin grows slightly wider. “First Lieutenant Aria Crimson, for successfully sabotaging the Northern Fortress of the Invaders, personally capturing the legate at the Al Fortress, and killing the enemy General, you will hereby be promoted to Major, given the Wings of the Azure designation, and will have your Ability Holder title updated to,” she pauses for a second, her grin growing even wider, “Crimson Eternal.”
The applause immediately breaks out at the stating of the little nickname the invaders gave me.
This time I can’t help but raise a brow at the general.
She’s a sly one.
To my surprise, she leans in closer and whispers into my ear, without anyone else being able to hear, “If you keep this up, after the war, we generals may just overlook it if your blade happened to slip near a certain person.”
My eyes widen in shock, but the woman just stands up straight again, still grinning, only for that grin to vanish in an instant as she ascends the dais again.
An incredibly sly one.
I glance at the emperor, feeling a wave of anger fill me the moment my eyes meet his. But that anger fades a little when I find him looking rather pissed off himself. Probably because of my promotion.
Since I skipped a rank again, and he has absolutely no authority over a major.
I’m completely out of his control.
Once the First General returns to her spot in the lineup of generals, the announcer guy who I still haven’t bothered to look for raises his voice again, “As with tradition, the holders of the Wings of the Azure are given special privileges within the Republic. These privileges include an immunity to all taxes, the ability to take emergency command from any officer below major general rank should the situation absolutely necessitate it, and the right to claim or have built a single manor by the state!”
Oh, right. I almost forgot about that ‘Wings of the Azure’ thing.
That’ll be nice.
Doubt I’ll ever use the emergency command thing, but not having to pay taxes and getting a nice home out of this will always be nice.
“Today we celebrate the end of the First Invasion War,” the First General suddenly declares while stepping forwards once more. “However, we are not finished yet, for the otherworlders who dared invade our world are still out there. And we must remain diligent as our System protection will not last forever. Once it runs out, the Grand Roan Empire will be able to enter our world with their full force, and we will not be able to defend ourselves against them at our level.” She clenches her fist in front of her. “We must grow stronger! Every last one of us! And to do that, we must learn more about the System, about the invaders, and about our own classes! Raise your levels! Grow stronger! And we will live through this! We will survive!”
The whispers and discussion among the spectators slowly grows to a loud cheer as she raises her voice louder and louder.
And the moment she shoots her fist up into the air above her, the audience’s cheers rise to a literal roar, the First General’s voice only barely standing above the rest as she shouts, “For the Empire!”
Everyone else immediately repeats her, filling the throne room with that rather ironic iconic line, considering that we’re not an empire anymore.
But tradition’s tradition.
Now that everyone’s attention is on the First General, I can’t help but shoot the emperor a sharp grin.
Because the First General’s words are still fresh in my mind.
Revenge may not be so far off after all.