I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

"Hey, Master, do you think this little princess has taken a liking to you? She's being so attentive, a princess coming over to apologize on her own initiative—royal etiquette officials never taught her to do this."

Ji Tian remained expressionless and responded with telepathy in return:

[It's only human nature. After all, the higher one's cultivation level, the closer one's form becomes to perfection. Your master's wife had a similar reaction when she first saw me.]

After transmitting the message, Ji Tian stood up, straightened his clothes, bowed slightly to Sonia, and said sternly:

"Your Highness is too kind. If I had noticed the abnormality before the ceremony began and acted in time, the assassin would not have disturbed the awarding ceremony and caused you all such a fright. I also bear some responsibility for this matter."

Sonia stood there, her lips moved, but the polite words she had prepared were swallowed back.

"Wasn't this something you orchestrated? How come you're suddenly portraying yourself as the victim after just a few words?"

She inwardly grumbled, but outwardly maintained the demeanor of a princess, nodding slightly.

"Your noble valor is truly admirable; I will convey it to my brother, the king."

Ji Tian responded with the same polite expression.

Shirley leaned back in her chair, watching her master and the little princess exchange official pleasantries, and added another sentence in her telepathic message:

Master, what you just said was so powerful; she couldn't even respond.

Speak less, listen more, and learn more.

【Oh~】

Sonia did not linger long in front of the Pompeii family seats. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she turned and walked back to the royal seats, followed closely by two female knights.

Less than half a quarter of an hour after Sonia left, the side door of the main hall was pushed open, and a soldier of the Imperial Guard strode in and whispered a few words in the commander's ear.

After listening, the commander walked towards Viktor and whispered a few words to him, who then announced loudly:

"Gentlemen, the commotion just now has been investigated. The assassin has been captured by the Royal Guard and is being interrogated. The Royal Family will thoroughly investigate the matter of my uncle's assassination and will not tolerate it."

But the investiture ceremony cannot be interrupted. The conspirators want to use this method to prevent the kingdom from bestowing honors, but we will not let them succeed. I will carry out the rest of the ceremony on their behalf.

As soon as the words were spoken, a count in a dark gray military uniform in the front row stood up first and said loudly:

"Your Highness is absolutely right! We cannot allow such villains to succeed!"

Then came the second and third, with echoes pouring in from the rows of seats.

The nobles who had been whispering were now infected by the atmosphere and straightened their backs to join in.

Shirley leaned closer and whispered:

Master, this guy is much better than George; he calmed the situation down with just a few words.

[Keep reading.]

Victor raised his hand in a gesture of cessation, and the hall gradually quieted down. He turned and nodded to the master of ceremonies.

The official in charge of ceremonies walked up the steps with the list of conferred titles, unfurled the parchment scroll, and began to read out the names of the recipients one by one.

Viscount Pompeii was the first to step forward.

Victor handed him the decree of investiture and then personally pinned the silver badge representing the hereditary earlhood on his head, his movements precise and his expression solemn.

"The Pompeii family has been loyal for generations, making outstanding contributions to the stability and prosperity of trade in the southern border of the kingdom. They are hereby granted the title of hereditary earl, and it is hoped that the Pompeii family will continue to serve the kingdom."

Viscount Pompey took the document, bowed again, stepped back two paces, and turned to face the crowd in the hall.

The applause rang out again, even more enthusiastic than before.

Next, three wealthy merchants stepped forward in turn to receive their titles.

The ceremony procedures were largely the same; Victor pinned badges on each of them and read out the imperial edicts.

After the three men received their knighthoods, Victor closed the register and announced the official end of the awarding ceremony.

People inside the hall began to leave their seats; some walked towards the hall door, while others stayed in their places to chat with acquaintances.

Victor's gaze then fell on his beloved sister, Sonia.

Sonia was walking towards Pompeii's house.

She walked up to Elena and smiled:

"Sister Elena, it's been a long time. I haven't had a chance to talk to you earlier, you don't mind, do you?"

In fact, when Sonia was a child, she lacked playmates in the palace, so she often acted spoiled and asked her father to summon girls from noble families in the capital to play with her.

Of course, it was ostensibly a series of tea parties and similar events, and Alice and Elena were also on the invitation list.

Unfortunately, as they grew a little older, the ladies at the tea parties got engaged one after another, making it inconvenient to invite them.

Elena rose and returned the greeting: "Your Highness is too kind."

Sonia sat down in the empty seat next to Elena, while the two female knights stepped back a few paces and stood still.

"How have you been these past few years, sister? I heard you went to the fiefdom and then went to college."

"It's good; life at the academy is freer than at the palace."

Sonia sighed:

"I envy you. I stay in this palace every day and I can recognize almost all the flowers in the back garden."

Elena smiled but didn't reply.

Sonia chatted for a few more minutes about the academy, asking about courses and classmates, which Elena answered one by one.

As the two got into conversation, Sonia suddenly lowered her voice and asked:

"By the way, I heard you might be heading to the Demon Realm next?"

Elena glanced at Ji Tian, ​​and seeing that he didn't object, she nodded: "I'm thinking of doing that."

Sonia reached up and tidied the stray hairs by her ear, trying to appear more carefree.

"If military coordination or a formal title is needed, just mention my name. As long as it's not something particularly difficult, the military will give you some leeway."

As for why a little princess who has lived in the palace for so long and has hardly ever left the palace could have influence in the legion.

This was entirely thanks to Sonia's maternal grandfather, Rhein Kleist, the marshal of the First Legion and the most powerful military figure in the Empire.

Although Elena didn't think the army could help Ji Tian, ​​Lilith had said she wanted to take revenge herself, so agreeing might be useful. She smiled and said:

"Then thank you in advance, Your Highness."

Sonia waved her hand, raised her head slightly, and wore a proud expression that said, "It's no big deal."

Shirley sat on the other side of Ji Tian and listened to their entire conversation.

She sent a telepathic message to Ji Tian: "Master, was that little princess showing off just now?"

Yes, but more than anything, they wanted to prove to me that they were useful.

Shirley nodded thoughtfully.

Sonia and Elena's conversation continued.

The two chatted about everything from their school life to the trivialities of the aristocratic circles, and then from those trivialities to the latest news from the capital.

As they chatted, Sonia brought up the recent situation of Prime Minister Augustus's family:

"Prime Minister Augustus has been extremely busy lately and couldn't even attend today's ceremony. His youngest daughter, Tyrol, ran away from home last week and hasn't been found yet."

Elena frowned slightly upon hearing this:

"Tyrol Augustus? That little girl who was even more boisterous than Alice at the tea party?"