The carriage carrying the imperial letter circled around Julius Territory, visiting noble families and delivering the imperial invitations. Around that time, all the nobles of the empire received the long-awaited news. It was the announcement of the glorious enthronement ceremony and the invitation to the debutante ball, which would resume after a hiatus of five years.

The news spread rapidly. Even though it was a noble event, the residents of Julius Territory were all excited, filled with anticipation. The fact that Arthur and Christina of Julius were mentioned as the main figures in the two largest and oldest events in the empire filled the residents of Julius with pride. They already loved Arthur and Christina as if they were their own family. Arthur’s popularity in Julius soared to new heights.

“But we have Prince Kyle. Can Arthur be the protagonist at the enthronement ceremony?”

Excitement rose among those who worried about it.

“No, who is the hero who led us to victory in the war? Of course, it’s Arthur!”

People gathered in the tavern were excited as if their family had been insulted.

“You never know. I’m worried that Arthur might be pushed out by Prince Kyle. He might lose the protagonist position.”

A voice full of concern expressed worry. They were allies.

“Hehe. That won’t happen! Even Queen Maria appreciates him.”

Queen Maria was highly popular among the public. However, overshadowed by the Prince’s weakness and the explosive popularity of Arthur, her popularity had somewhat waned.

“Arthur saved Prince Kyle’s life. The Queen is grateful.”

“How do we know if it’s sincere or not? She’s a noble among nobles.”

“Then it’s more likely. Imagine what rumors nobles might spread.”

Even people at other tables chimed in, joining the conversation.

“Honestly, Arthur might decline out of courtesy. But won’t Queen Maria accept it? If not, it’s obvious that the imperial reputation will plummet.”

Even seemingly polite people expressed their opinions.

“That’s right. The imperial pretend to acknowledge Arthur, but honestly, he has been mistreated for a long time. To avoid hearing negative rumors, the imperial family will undoubtedly treat Arthur exceptionally well in this enthronement ceremony.”

Similar hints were also present in the critiques of the newspapers.

Even commoners unfamiliar with noble affairs were so confident that it seemed like public opinion was firm.

It wasn’t just the sentiment of Julius; it was the public opinion of the entire empire, and the residents of Julius were more acutely aware of it.

“But still… doesn’t Arthur seem a bit cautious in front of the Queen? He’s a neglected illegitimate child for a long time…”

Occasionally, worries like these surfaced from those who were concerned about Arthur.
“Don’t worry. With Julius Marquis, who is standing behind, taking a proactive stance, would the imperial family treat Arthur recklessly as before?”

The residents of the territory soon found the answer with content smiles.

“Well, if they get along so well? Miss Christina will be a reliable support. Arthur made a good choice in marriage!”

Then, cheers erupted from the bar area.

“Tonight, the owner treats everyone!”

A large tray full of beer glasses was brought out.

“Cheers~!”

“For Arthur’s enthronement ceremony and our son’s return!”

The tavern owner cheered as he poured free beer.

“Congratulations on the return of the war hero!”

“Thank you. Cheers, everyone!”

Amidst the cheerful jokes and congratulatory words, exchanged glances replaced the expressions.

The owner raised his glass and shouted a toast.

“For Arthur’s enthronement ceremony and Miss Christina’s debutante ball!”

He hit the glass with a spoon instead of a bell.

“For the occasion!”

On some days, the tavern owner, on other days, one of the happy customers, bought drinks for the entire tavern.

It was happening all over Julius Territory.

With plenty of money circulating in the territory, people’s generosity increased.

The lavish street festival organized by the marquis and generous compensation that didn’t exclude soldiers played a significant role in fostering benevolent sentiment.

A downpour of money was pouring into the territory.

It was a money shower accompanied by honor.

The atmosphere in Julius Territory was at its peak.

The war heroes who returned home after the victory cherished and respected Commander Arthur.

After witnessing the beautiful Christina shedding tears as she followed Arthur visiting the bereaved families,

News that she used her own savings as condolence money for the bereaved families spread like wildfire, turning the atmosphere towards the Marquis of Julius.

People in Julius not only enjoyed their share of luck but also consoled their neighbors who lost family members in the war.

The commoners were happy yet humble.

Rumors also openly circulated that Arthur greatly cherished Christina, and the intimate relationship between the two was talked about.