Chapter 285 Reward Ceremony 3

Beyond them lay a magnificent scene.

However, the sight didn’t surprise any of the five winners. Given the occasion and the prestige of the Imperial Family, they had already expected something of this grandeur.

As they entered the Throne Hall, the five winners were greeted by a magnificent sight.

The hall was enormous, at least twice the size of the one Nova had seen in Vaunis. Its walls and pillars were constructed from the same beautiful white stone, adorned with intricate golden carvings that gleamed brilliantly under the light.

However, unlike the other halls in the Imperial Castle, this one had been decorated even more lavishly for the reward ceremony, reflecting the importance of the occasion.

The moment the five winners entered, every eye in the hall turned toward them.

Nova noticed numerous nobles and distinguished figures seated in orderly rows on both sides of a long, spacious pathway. Each of them possessed an air of authority, and their elegant attire and dignified bearing made it clear that they were important figures within the Empire.

The pathway stretched toward an elevated platform at the far end of the hall, where a magnificent throne stood. Seated upon it was the most powerful individual in the entire Human Empire—and, indeed, the Human Continent.

Caelan Everhart.

The Human Emperor wore luxurious imperial attire befitting his status, his dignified presence radiating authority. Interestingly, he wore no crown upon his head.

That was because Racial Emperors didn’t need crowns to demonstrate their supremacy. Their overwhelming strength was the greatest symbol of their authority, and no crown could possibly represent it better.

Caelan’s gaze settled upon Nova and the others as they entered. Everyone in the hall was already watching the newcomers, and an announcer soon stepped forward to formally introduce the five winners.

"NOW ARRIVING, THE FIVE WINNERS OF THE EMPIRE’S GRAND YOUTH TOURNAMENT!"

The announcer’s powerful voice echoed throughout the Throne Hall.

"THE CHAMPION, LORD NOVA VALENCREST!"

"THE SECOND-PLACE HOLDER, LORD LIAM EVERHART!"

"THE THIRD-PLACE HOLDER, LADY ASIA FROST!"

"THE FOURTH-PLACE HOLDER, LADY RIEKA VARGIRTH!"

"AND FINALLY, THE FIFTH-PLACE HOLDER, PRINCESS CELINE VARKHESS!"

The moment their names were announced, thunderous applause erupted throughout the Throne Hall.

The cheers weren’t limited to those present inside the Imperial Castle. Across the entire Human Continent, countless people watching the live broadcast erupted into cheers of their own, celebrating their favourite contestants.

Among the five winners, Nova’s name received the loudest cheers, followed by Liam’s. Many others enthusiastically called out the names of the three beautiful women, Asia, Rieka, and Celine, expressing their admiration for their achievements and beauty.

The atmosphere throughout the Throne Hall and across the continent was filled with excitement as everyone celebrated the accomplishments of the Empire’s finest young talents.

Although many people still had doubts about Nova being the Slaughter Monarch, King Leonis had already publicly declared him innocent.

According to the official announcement, Nova was a human with no connection to the Slaughter Monarch, and everyone had been warned against spreading baseless rumours.

Many people had supported Nova from the beginning, as the accusation had never made much sense to them.

After all, how could a being capable of killing a Sovereign be connected to a young man who was supposedly only a low-level King Realm expert? Even if their names and ages were similar, the difference in their strength was simply too enormous.

Nevertheless, there were still people who disliked Nova and continued spreading rumours about him.

However, with no action being taken against him by the powerful figures of the continent, and his humanity having already been verified, most people no longer took such accusations seriously.

Meanwhile, Nova and the other winners walked toward the middle of the Throne Hall. Upon reaching their designated positions, they bowed and greeted Caelan.

Nova, however, didn’t particularly like bowing his head to others. Therefore, he merely lowered his head slightly in acknowledgment of the Human Emperor.

Naturally, many people noticed his behaviour, but no one dared to criticize him openly. After all, this ceremony was being held to reward Nova and the other winners for their achievements.

Furthermore, Caelan himself didn’t seem displeased. Instead, he appeared somewhat amused by Nova’s behaviour.

Liam, on the other hand, snorted coldly when he noticed Nova’s actions. In his eyes, Nova was still nothing more than a commoner who lacked proper etiquette.

Finally, Caelan spoke.

"I congratulate all of you on your achievements. You have made the entire Human Continent proud, and I hope you will continue to grow stronger and bring honour to humanity."

The moment the Human Emperor began speaking, the entire hall fell silent. Everyone listened attentively, unwilling to miss a single word from the most powerful individual on the continent.

"Unfortunately, you couldn’t receive this honour on the originally designated day because of the attack launched by the Eclipse Order and Demon Lord Kharos against our Eastern Kingdom."

Caelan paused briefly before continuing.

"Nevertheless, we wouldn’t want to disappoint our young talents, especially those who will be entering the Secret Realm in ten days. Therefore, all five of you will receive your rewards today."

He then announced the person who would be presenting them. "Your rewards will be presented by my precious granddaughter, the High Priestess, Maria Everhart!"

As Caelan finished speaking, applause and cheers erupted throughout the Throne Hall.

The Light Temple Order held immense prestige across the Human Continent, and countless people worshipped the Goddess of Light.

Although many had already seen Maira during the tournament, witnessing the woman chosen by the Goddess of Light herself was always considered a blessing.

For the five tournament winners, receiving their rewards directly from High Priestess Maria Everhart would undoubtedly be a great honour.

Soon, a beautiful woman entered the Throne Hall.

She wore a white nun’s outfit, though her head remained uncovered, allowing her silky blonde hair to cascade gracefully over her shoulders.

Her attire differed slightly from her usual robes, with intricate golden patterns decorating the borders and adding an extra touch of elegance to her appearance.

The design around her thighs was also somewhat daring, lending her an alluring charm that contrasted beautifully with the purity traditionally associated with her position.

Like Asia and Rieka, Maria wore no veil to conceal her face. Her beauty was simply too enchanting to go unnoticed, and her graceful figure only enhanced her overwhelming charm.

For a moment, many people found themselves wondering whether the woman approaching them was truly the High Priestess or the Goddess of Light herself, having descended into the mortal world.

A gentle smile rested on Maria’s face as she walked forward. Countless people momentarily forgot what they had been doing or even where they were, completely captivated by her appearance.

Such was the charm of High Priestess Maria Everhart.

**

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