Leon

Several hours later

I narrow my eyes at the mirror in front of me. In it shows my reflection with my blood-red eyes, short and clean black hair, and for the first time in quite some time, my half-Elven ears pointing outwards without being covered by any sort of helmet.

Also for the first time in a while, I see myself in something other than my black, leather armor. Instead, I’m in a fancy looking outfit fit for nobility.

It consists of a long black coat, with padding over one shoulder sticking out to a point and a silken black scarf hanging around my neck. Beneath the coat is a half leather armor, half tuxedo with my personal crest imprinted on the right breast of the outfit.

The crest itself has hints of the Raizel family crest and my own personal crest, which I had made up recently. It has the signature glowing red eyes found at the center of the Raizel family crest, but instead of two glowing red Elven eyes, I had it made into a black wolf’s head with two glowing red eyes. It also takes on the same black flames of the Raizel crest but with them looking a little bit more like the black flames used in this dungeon. Mostly as a way to honor the dungeon for all of the lovely benefits it’s given me.

I frown slightly at the discomfort of the outfit, which while it’s a lot easier to move in than a regular tuxedo, is still less maneuverable than I’d like.

If it weren’t for Aidan, I wouldn’t be wearing this thing. I mean, I get that I should look nice when publicly signing a trade alliance pact with a King, but still…

I just wish they were doing things more like the Kingdom of Brimstone, which just did it without much fuss. But then again, the Demonic Races tend to care a lot less about fanfare and all that than the Angelic ones…

At that thought, I wipe the frown from my face, turn around, and open the door, revealing the members of my party along with several other familiar faces and a couple of servants on the other side – most of whom all already know about my identity. The few that didn’t though – including the servants and one random individual that I recognize as the leader of the Silver Knights party – look rather shocked at the sight of my ears.

Pallus grins at me and gives me a thumbs up at my appearance while Kat just smiles and mouths, ‘Nice’. The others all seem to be more interested in the reactions of those few who didn’t already know about my identity, but I don’t give them much time to think about it and instead begin making my way through the hall.

“Let’s go,” I announce on the way.

At least I won’t have to wear that stupid helmet all the time anymore. Because wearing that twenty-four-seven has gotten extremely annoying by now.

The moment we step onto the balcony, the voices of the thousands of people gathered outside of my mansion begin to dim down. But despite that, I keep my eyes glued to the odd stairway made out of a strange golden light sticking out of the end of the balcony, where I also notice the railing having mysteriously disappeared.

Did they really transform my balcony for this…?

I blink at that thought just to move it out of my head and focus on walking up the stairs amongst the now silent stares of the audience.

For the first time ever since Wolfdenn was established, practically every citizen and guest to the city are all gathered to watch this spectacle, amounting to tens of thousands of people scattered about the streets just staring up at the floating staircase leading to the also floating platform.

Once I reach the top of the stairs, I quickly find the king standing on the other side of a high table with all four of his Lords standing behind him, along with some other guy who if I remember correctly should be his direct assistant. Meanwhile, behind me are all of my party members, the Guildmaster of the Mercenary Guild branch here, Aidan, the leader of the Silver Knights – who is acting as Damien’s assistant for this – and several other representatives from other groups in the city such as the Dwarven head smith of the Frost Forge.

The King’s eyes first go to my ears, then to my crest where his lips quirk upwards just a tiny bit, then finally they rest on my own eyes where he exclaims, “Leon! I’m glad we could meet like this!”

I open my mouth to speak, but right as I do so, a notification appears in my vision startling me and making me pause for a moment. And not just myself either, because it looks like everyone around me can see it too considering how they’re all looking at the space in front of me now with surprise visible on their faces.

System Notification:

Congratulations!

The System has determined a suitable surname for you.

From this day forth, you shall be known as Leon Raizel Vetra!

It decided already? That was fast.

Normally Knights get a new surname after reaching Tier 2, but it’s a little random on how long it’ll take for you to get it. Although it does often tend to happen at important events, so it makes some sense that it’d happen here.

“Vetra, eh?” I hear Damian mutter, only for Kat to say, “It means storm, right? How fitting.”

I glance at her with a raised eyebrow before focusing on the King again as I say, “How about we get to the signing?”

He chuckles at that and waves me over, so I walk over to him before stopping on the other side of the table from him. We then both look over the document, checking that everything is correct before slicing open our palms with a pair of knives placed next to the contract and placing them over the blood contract.

“I, Drezar Snow, King of the Drezar Kingdom, wish to enter a trade alliance with the nation of Wolfmoore,” he declares as the blood contract begins to take effect and makes its way into our bodies through the cuts.

I quickly respond as is tradition, “And I, Leon Raizel Vetra, the ruler of Wolfmoore and the son of Jake Raizel, the Emperor of the Raizel Empire, agree to enter into a trade alliance with the Drezar Kingdom.”

My declaration has whispers going up from all around the city thanks to the enchantment around us amplifying our voice, but they quickly cut off and turn into cheers after both the King and I finish, “May this bond never be broken.”

Fenrir

Loud cheering suddenly begins to echo from outside of the dungeon, making my suspicion of what’s happening out there grow even larger.

“What do you think is happening?” I mutter to Dawn while staring at the empty entrance.

No one has entered the dungeon for hours, and now there’s suddenly an incredibly loud wave of cheers coming from outside?

“Probably some sort of ceremony,” Dawn answers without much actual interest in her voice as she continues playing with Fang, “I doubt it’ll affect us, so just go back to your cultivation.”

I glance at her with a bit of surprise, only to decide that she’s right.

They’ll probably come back soon anyways, if that cheering is anything to go by.

With that thought in mind, I return to my cultivation, putting the odd antics of the intruders behind me.