The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!
Chapter 68 - 03: Welcome Ceremony (Second Update)

Chapter 68: Chapter 03: Welcome Ceremony (Second Update)

The day Gray arrived in Lion King City, it was snowing. A blanket of white covered the entire city, immersing it completely in whiteness.

However, nothing could dampen the people’s enthusiasm for the Holy Knight.

The companions traveling with him were utterly stunned.

The resonant chimes of the church bells echoed through every corner of Lion King City.

Despite the snowy weather, the streets were busier than ever. The scene was truly...

Passionate residents packed the streets on both sides, lining up to welcome him.

A large number of soldiers had to be dispatched to maintain order.

Young girls, the elderly, children—all were cheering for Gray. Countless hands stretched out toward him in fervor, jostling and pushing, tiring out the soldiers struggling to keep order. Meanwhile, Yilin—who ought to have been one of the protagonists—was largely ignored. Though, Yilin did not mind.

Even more astonishing, people were sprinkling petals from the rooftops along the path.

This was truly extraordinary.

It was winter, and snow was falling. Which meant these flowers must have been harvested in spring or summer, preserved until now as dried petals. Such treatment was typically reserved for occasions when the King personally returned victorious.

Watching the petals float into his hand, Count Gruglu was stunned.

"How much must this have cost?"

"Cost? Shouldn’t this be organized voluntarily by the residents?" Pas asked.

"Who casually stockpiles flower petals at home? The flower petals in Lion King City are all hoarded by merchants, with the royal family as their primary customer. Years ago, I even invested a little money in that business. Though profitable, most years saw losses." Saying this, Count Gruglu tossed away the petals in his hand and quickened his pace, catching up to Yilin’s horse.

"The royal family?" Pas froze for a moment.

Once beside Yilin, Count Gruglu lowered his voice and said, "I had thought the royal family would cause trouble for us, especially after we just dethroned the King. But looking at this... it seems quite the opposite. Still, it’s best to remain cautious. This invitation surely isn’t just about a coronation. The new King definitely has other agendas. You must keep an eye out. Best to consult with me about everything."

"Understood, Uncle Gruglu." Yilin replied softly.

Walking at the forefront, Gray was already overwhelmed by the scenes unfolding before him.

After visiting White City, Lion King City now stood as the largest city Gray had ever been to. Of course, White City couldn’t hold a candle to Lion King City. It was said the population difference alone was tenfold, and the scale naturally tenfold as well.

Here, the roads were wider, the buildings taller, the architecture older, the sculptures more intricate. Even people’s clothing seemed brighter and more lavish.

"Be cautious—the enemy could be anyone," Catherine warned softly into Gray’s ear.

"Anyone?"

"Yes, anyone. According to the covenant, neither angels nor demons can directly intervene in human affairs. Not just humans—even the affairs of elves, dwarves, or beastmen are off-limits to interference. So if someone wants to target you, it’ll surely be through a Demon Envoy. A Demon Envoy will be a human. You won’t sense any darkness from them, since they themselves possess no magic power."

"Understood!" Gray nodded firmly, raising his vigilance.

At the end of the long street stood Lion King Palace, a sprawling and grand structure in blue and white. Yes, a palace—not a castle. Even its external walls consisted of four-story tall buildings forming a palace. Row upon row of windows and columns from afar resembled the meticulously arranged scales of a soldier’s armor. At the center stood a majestic and imposing white gate and stairs. Through towering gatehouses, one could glimpse the lofty spires inside.

The entirety of Lion King Palace truly resembled a lion reigning in Lion King City, while everything else was like sheep in comparison.

The Sharp Family, the royal family, held power markedly greater than the Beisher Family, far beyond what could be discerned from troop strength alone.

From afar, they could already see a welcoming group lined neatly at the entrance to Lion King Palace.

Yilin and Gray both froze simultaneously, though for different reasons.

Yilin froze because the grandeur of this arrangement... far surpassed what a duke should ever expect.

With just one glance, she spotted the King standing squarely in the center.

A tall figure donned a crimson cape with white-spotted fur collar, a white inner robe trimmed with gold, and black pointed boots spurred with polished metal. Even without a crown, Yilin immediately recognized this as the distinctive attire of a King of the Isaac Kingdom. Not to mention his striking golden curls, which bore a striking resemblance to Baird VI.

And the characteristic goatee—a man in his early forties. There was no doubt this was Benedict II—Benedict Sharp.

Standing to the King’s left was Lord Bishop Anthony III, clad in a white robe and tall gold-trimmed mitre, someone Yilin and Gray had already encountered during the battle for White City.

To his right, a dignified-looking woman in her thirties, draped in a cape matching the King’s, was unmistakably this nation’s new Queen.

Behind the three figures was a sea of opulently dressed nobles.

Further out, knights in heavy armor lined up on the right side, majestic with their fine steeds. These knights were at least of baronial rank, possessing their own fiefdoms and manors. Yet here, they were mere background adornments.

To the left was a gathering of white-robed ecclesiastics representing the church.

Dozens upon dozens of flags fluttered in the wind—a hundred in total. This meant a hundred families had sent their representatives here to welcome them...

The King, Lord Bishop, and the Queen coming out simultaneously... this level of reception was mind-boggling to Yilin. Perhaps only during a Papal visit would such a scene occur. Though, the Pope hadn’t visited Isaac Kingdom for centuries. The last time had been to mediate between Isaac Kingdom and the neighboring Allen Kingdom when tensions had risen unbearably.

At this moment, Yilin was utterly dumbfounded.

Gray was also stunned, though his awe stemmed solely from the sheer spectacle before him. He did not understand the significance behind it.

"Yilin..." Count Gruglu murmured softly beside her in wonder. "I suspect every noble in Lion King City is here. Perhaps even those from surrounding areas. I’ve never seen such a reception before."

Yilin said blankly, "Neither have I."

"Could it be that this was originally set up for Baird VI’s triumphant return but repurposed for us?" Gray asked in a low voice.

Yilin couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him.

The procession continued forward slowly.

The cheers of the citizens echoed around them, petals danced overhead, hands extended from all directions, and the soldiers fought desperately to hold back the crowd.

When they walked out of the streets and reached the wide square before Lion King Palace, the snow stopped. The sky seemed to open up suddenly, and sunlight poured straight down, illuminating Yilin, Gray, and the rest of the entourage.

A horn sounded, and flocks of white doves soared into the sky.

The King, Benedict II, spread his arms and smiled, descending the steps toward them. The Lord Bishop, Queen, and nobles followed closely behind.

The companions, including Gray and Yilin, promptly dismounted and knelt on one knee.

"Duke Beisher, Yilin. Beabella. Beisher and her subordinates, pay respects to His Majesty the King!"

"Rise, all of you! Rise!" the King said kindly. "I’m not King yet. Not until the coronation in a few days. You see, I’m not wearing a crown—Lord Bishop hasn’t given it to me yet. Hahaha."

Speaking, the King glanced toward the Lord Bishop, who gave a pleased smile.

Turning his gaze aside, the King’s eyes landed on Gray. "And this must certainly be Count Gray, the Holy Knight."

Yilin said softly, "Actually, Gray has adopted the surname Gruglu. So he’s now known as Count Gruglu. He’s the second Count Gruglu of our Beisher Duchy."

"Oh, is that so?" the King replied meaningfully. "But with two Count Gruglus, wouldn’t it be easy to confuse them? I think one is enough. And Gray is much more straightforward than the awkward surname Gruglu. Of course, I’m merely voicing my thoughts. Count Gruglu wouldn’t mind, right?"

As he spoke, the King aimed his comment at Count Gruglu and Shelley trailing behind the group.

"Certainly, Gray is indeed an excellent name," Count Gruglu replied with a smile.

"Good, it seems old Count Gruglu shares my aesthetic sense," the King said with a smile, already turning to invite Yilin forward. He gave Gray an extra smile before glancing back.

The nobles behind hurriedly stepped aside to clear a path.

As soon as the King turned away, the faces of Count Gruglu and Shelley grew visibly tense.

Gray asked in a whisper, "Is my name really that good?"

"You fool, that’s his way of expressing dissatisfaction with your engagement to Shelley," Black Cat muttered.

"Why? My engagement with Shelley is our own affair. Why would he object to it?"

"How would I know? In any case, his attitude couldn’t be more clear. I suspect this new King intends to stir up trouble."

"Could he be the Demon Envoy? Should I take him down now?"

"Ahem!" Before Gray could act, Catherine coughed twice to interrupt him. "Gray, a Demon Envoy is certainly a villain, but not all villains are Demon Envoys. In fact, most villains don’t even need the temptation of demons—they’re bad enough on their own. That’s precisely why we face such headaches. Moreover, from now on, you must learn to discern the identity and status of your targets."

"Why?"

"Because you’re a Holy Knight now, and your actions represent the Church’s stance," Catherine said helplessly. "If you were to act disrespectfully toward the King, the people of this country would question the Church’s motives. This could potentially trigger unimaginable consequences. Not just with the King, but with dukes, counts, everyone—you must tread carefully. Even if the target truly is a Demon Envoy, you cannot act without evidence. After all, this isn’t White City. People here don’t know you like they did there."

"Oh, I understand." Gray reluctantly held back.

Black Cat exhaled slowly and secretly felt relieved. With Catherine around, at least Gray could still be restrained. If it were just Black Cat, who knew what kind of turmoil might erupt right now.

Standing atop the platform, the King turned around, gripping Yilin’s wrist in one hand and Gray’s wrist in the other. He spoke loudly, "My people, today we gather here to welcome our heroes. My father, Baird VI, was once a wise monarch. However, in his old age, he unfortunately fell under the influence of dark forces and committed actions that violated knightly spirit, church laws, and morality. This caused me great distress."

"Fortunately, at the most critical moment, our heroes emerged. Our Duke Beisher and our Holy Knight Count Gray stepped forward to stop my father in time, saving this kingdom, staving off the dark powers, and preventing every one of us from falling into the abyss. Please allow me, on behalf of every citizen of Isaac Kingdom, to thank them!"

With that, the King raised Yilin’s and Gray’s hands high.

In an instant, the gathered crowd erupted in cheers, their voices booming like an explosion, reverberating throughout Lion King City.

"Gray! Gray! Gray! Gray! Gray!"

Yes, it was only Gray.

The King smiled awkwardly, nodding slightly toward both Yilin and Gray.

Lying within Gray’s stomach, Black Cat whispered, "I thought he was merely being magnanimous. But I didn’t expect him to so thoroughly own up to his father’s mistakes. This sounds... even more suspicious now!"