Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 150: Arc 2 Epilogue (1)

A week after the fall of the Creep Giant, a grand banquet was held in the open-air courtyard of the Royal Palace.

The air now carried the scent of roasted meats and fresh bread.

Long tables were laden with simple, hearty fare—a testament to the ongoing famine, yet the sheer abundance was a defiant symbol of hope and recovery.

Nobles, knights, and merchants mingled, their relieved laughter echoing off the palace walls. At the head table, King Harius III sat flanked by the heroes of the hour: the newly minted Marquis Charles Hummer and his family, the Lord Arnold, and High Archon Seraphina, looking regal but weary in her formal vestments.

In a place of special honor sat a handful of other Dwarves and Half Orcs from the Underbelly, their gruff faces filled with a pride and wonder they rarely showed.

The one person missing from the table was the Whisper Healer himself. No one knew where he was, and the Hummers politely deflected all inquiries.

Finally, the King rose, and a respectful silence fell over the courtyard.

"People of Luxia! Knights of the realm!" his voice boomed, amplified by magic. "We gather tonight not to forget our suffering, but to honor the strength that saw us through it. We faced a shadow that sought to rot our kingdom from within. We faced traitors in the highest echelons of power."

His gaze swept the crowd. "But we endured!"

A cheer went up, strong and heartfelt.

"The darkness was purged by the bravery of our soldiers, and by the unyielding faith of one woman." The King turned, his gaze falling upon Seraphina. "She faced down the traitor Albus, and she stood as the last bastion of light against the monster that threatened our walls. For her courage, for her devotion, I hereby appoint High Archon Seraphina as the acting Grand Luminar of the Church in Luxia!"

This time, the cheer was a deafening roar. Soldiers, commoners, and even the Underbelly dwarves raised their goblets. "To the Grand Luminar!" they bellowed. Seraphina stood, overwhelmed but resolute, and accepted the ceremonial white-and-gold robes brought forth by the attendants.

She turned to the crowd, her voice clear and strong. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I, Seraphina, accept this duty with a heavy heart, due to circumstances none of us could have foreseen. " Her gaze swept across the courtyard, meeting the eyes of soldiers, nobles, and commoners alike.

"But I cannot accept the title of ’Saviour’," she declared, her voice ringing with sincerity. "That honor belongs to many. It belongs to the brave soldiers of the Royal Guard and the knights of the Church who stood on the front lines and held back the darkness with their own lives!"

A roar of approval went up from the soldiers’ tables.

"It belongs to the noble House of Hummer," she continued, gesturing to the Marquis, "who showed true courage by distributing a cure when others peddled false hope!"

The merchants and nobles clapped politely, their eyes on the new Marquis.

"And it belongs to the master craftsmen of the Underbelly, whose skilled hands forged the very hope that now hangs around our necks!"

The Dwarves at their table pounded their chests, their faces beaming with pride at this public recognition.

"Finally," Seraphina’s voice softened slightly, "this victory belongs to a man who seeks no credit. A ’Whisper Healer’ who appeared in our darkest hour. Wherever he is, he has the eternal gratitude of the Church and this city." freewёbnoνel-com

She raised her chin, her eyes burning with a new fire.

"For today on, let us start working towards a new Luxia. Together, we will build and make our light so strong that it will never bow down to darkness ever again."

"Long live the Holy Light."

"Long live the Holy Light."

Another huge round of applause rang out as Seraphina stepped off the stage.

The King waited for the applause to subside before raising a hand again. "But the work is not done! For too long, a proud and noble people have lived in the shadows beneath our feet. No more!"

His voice rang with royal authority. "I hereby decree the establishment of a new district within the city! Lands will be granted, and homes will be built for the people of the Underbelly, who will be welcomed as full citizens of Luxia!"

Another massive cheer erupted, this one most fervent from the table of Dwarves, where the half orcs and dwarves were seen openly weeping with joy.

However, at a table in the corner, a portly marquis with a sneer on his face leaned over to his companion—a priest in fine robes that Riku would have recognized as Vestarch Marius.

"Citizenship? For them?" Marius muttered, his voice dripping with contempt. "The King’s sentimentality will be the ruin of us all. Giving land and titles to sewer rats and brutes... it invites chaos."

The marquis nodded, taking a large gulp of wine. "And this ’Whisper Healer’ she praises... the one who humiliated you at the church? It’s clear the Hummers are using him to gain influence. This is a power play, nothing more."

Marius’s eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking towards the head table. "Mark my words, Marquis. This new order will not last. Power given to the rabble is easily taken away."

They would have lots of time later.

"Now, let the banquet begin."

As the banquet officially began, Seraphina’s gaze swept the crowd, searching for one familiar, infuriatingly clever face. She had hoped he would be here. Seeing no sign of him, a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of disappointment crossed her features.

"Grand Luminar Seraphina!" a cheerful voice boomed beside her. An old, portly Duke, his face red with wine, raised his glass. "A toast to the Saviour of Luxia! Your battle was a thing of legend! You have the eternal gratitude of House Grisham!"

Seraphina was immediately swept away by a throng of nobles, all eager to offer their congratulations and curry favor with the city’s new saviour.

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om