1885, I came to save Greece

Chapter 341 The Most Grand Ceremony

The cheers at Panathinaikos Stadium lasted for a long time.

A grand and solemn awards ceremony was officially held on the temporary podium erected in the center of the stadium, witnessed by all the spectators.

There were no complicated procedures; everything proceeded quickly yet with a sense of ritual.

Amid thunderous applause, Henry Ford, the oil-stained American engineer, walked onto the champion's podium, symbolizing the highest honor, guided by Greek soldiers.

He seemed a little flustered, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.

At that moment, Crown Princess Sofia gracefully walked towards the podium.

Today she wore a pure white Grecian-style long dress, and her long golden hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, secured with a simple silver hairpin.

She wore no luxurious jewelry, and her whole being radiated a holy and gentle glow, like moonlight.

In her hands, she held a tray covered with dark blue velvet.

On the tray, a laurel wreath lay quietly.

The laurel wreath, crafted from pure gold, features olive leaves meticulously hand-carved by master artisans, each one shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. Designed personally by Sofia, it is a fusion of ancient Greek glory and modern craftsmanship.

Sofia walked up to Ford with a gentle and sincere smile on her face.

She did not flinch at all because of the dust and oil stains on Ford.

She stood on tiptoe and personally placed the pure gold olive branch laurel wreath, symbolizing the highest honor of an Olympic champion, on the head of this American engineer from the common people.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Amidst the throng of reporters, camera flashes went off wildly, capturing this dramatic, symbolic, and historic moment forever.

A noble Prussian princess, the future Queen of Greece, crowns a commoner inventor from Detroit, USA, covered in oil stains.

This scene itself is the gentlest yet most thorough subversion of the old class order.

Then, Constantine himself went up on stage.

Behind him, two tall royal guards carried a heavy oak chest.

Constantine opened the box himself.

A whole box of neatly stacked, gleaming gold franc coins shone brightly in the sunlight, dazzling everyone's eyes.

Fifty thousand gold francs!

Real gold and silver!

Constantine personally handed the heavy money box to Ford.

Ford, clutching the money box that weighed almost half his body, was still somewhat dazed by its astonishing weight. He had never seen so much money in his entire life.

He won.

In a corner of the stadium, the previously arrogant and overbearing observers from the major European companies were now silent, mingling in the crowd, their faces increasingly grim.

Schmidt, the Mercedes representative, subconsciously took out his silk handkerchief again and wiped away non-existent sweat from his forehead.

His fingers were unconsciously twisting the brim of his expensive Panama hat, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His gaze was incredibly complex as he looked at the unassuming American on the podium, surrounded by flowers and applause.

Schmidt's lips were pressed tightly together, and the sense of superiority that belonged to a European industrial magnate had long since vanished from his face. In its place was a complex emotion mixed with annoyance, jealousy, and a deep sense of vigilance.

He knew he was wrong.

That's completely wrong.

What they missed was not just a victory in a game, nor just the 50,000 gold francs prize money.

What they missed was a completely new and invaluable insight into the future direction of the automotive industry.

The "cheap" and "reliable" principles that the American insisted on proved to be the most powerful weapon to defeat all fancy designs in this competition.

Schmidt could already foresee the earthquake that would be triggered when this news reached Stuttgart.

The awards ceremony has ended, but Constantine's astonishing feat is far from over.

He did not let Ford walk off the podium by himself.

He made a decision that left everyone, including Ford himself, speechless.

He invited Ford to ride in his open royal carriage, adorned with the royal double-headed eagle emblem and pulled by four pure white horses.

Ford hesitated for a moment, glancing at his dirty clothes.

Constantine, however, patted him on the shoulder without a second thought and gestured for him to get into the carriage with an unyielding gesture.

So, amidst the deafening cheers of tens of thousands of people in the stadium, a peculiar scene unfolded at Panathinaikos Stadium.

The Greek Crown Prince, alongside an American civilian in overalls, sat side-by-side in a magnificent royal carriage, like triumphant heroes, as they circled the arena, receiving the salutes of everyone present.

This is an unprecedented and highest-level honor bestowed upon an ordinary inventor.

The carriage moved slowly, and Constantine turned his head to look at the still somewhat reserved American beside him.

In the sunlight, the golden olive wreath on Ford's head contrasted strangely yet harmoniously with the black grime on his face.

"Mr. Ford," Constantine's voice wasn't loud, but it reached Ford's ears clearly, "I really like your race car."

"It's not perfect, but it's honest."

Ford turned his head and looked at the young crown prince's sincere profile, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

"Your Highness, thank you." That was all he could say.

"Tonight," Constantine's gaze fell upon the distant silhouette of Athens, upon the Parthenon bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, "please come to the palace."

Constantine withdrew his gaze and looked back at Ford, his eyes carrying an irresistible invitation.

"We don't talk about business, we don't talk about contracts."

"Let's only talk about dreams."

Looking at the Crown Prince before him, who was completely unpretentious and whose eyes were more sincere than the sunshine of the Aegean Sea, Ford's last trace of unease and doubt completely vanished.

He nodded solemnly.

He knew that the real reward for him at this grand event—a reward that could change his life and even the entire world's industrial landscape—was only just beginning.