Fated to Die to the Player, I'll Live Freely with My SSS-Class Ship!-Chapter 117: Royal Honors and Romantic Misfires

"Considering it's a rushed job, this is barely passable."

"The primary reason is that the base is good, making it acceptable."

"Now, hold this and hang this on your waist..."

After finishing the process of dressing me up and evaluating my appearance with blunt honesty, they attached a sword to my waist and handed me some sort of metallic orb. The sword looked more decorative than practical—ceremonial, with a dulled blade. I guess that's to be expected...?

"But what's this orb supposed to be?"

Looking closer, it wasn't entirely spherical. The base was a golden globe, with silver inlays encrusted with multicolored gems aligned along its axes. Perched on top stood a cross pattée, made of the same ornate metal.

I vaguely remembered seeing something like it in historical paintings or royal portraits. Globus... something. Globus Cruciger, maybe?

Anyway, with this outfit combined with the sword and orb, don't I look kind of like a prince? Or... a king, even?

Still, hearing the maids repeatedly call my appearance "barely acceptable" did some damage to my self-esteem. I felt like I was hemorrhaging confidence with every passing second.

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As I spaced out from the pressure, the maids unceremoniously dragged me out of the room and led me down an endless stretch of lavish corridors.

The walls, the carved pillars, the hanging decorations... even the thick crimson carpet lining our path. Lifeless suits of armor stood along the way like silent sentinels. Every detail screamed out cliché—like a textbook representation of a royal palace.

After what felt like a dozen turns or more, we finally arrived at a pair of colossal doors that likely led into the audience hall. Two guards stood flanking it, wearing armor so bright and gaudy it made my eyes hurt.

"Please wait here until you are called," said the head maid, bowing politely before disappearing along with the others.

"..."

They really just... left me standing here alone!

I stood awkwardly, painfully aware of my regal getup and the fact that I looked like I was trying too hard at a historical cosplay convention. My nerves were screaming as I tried to make sense of why I was even here.

Fortunately, I didn't have to stew in that confusion for long. The guards slammed the butts of their halberds onto the floor, then stepped aside. The heavy doors creaked open slowly, revealing the hall beyond.

It was massive—far larger than I imagined. The crimson carpet extended inward, through the threshold, all the way to a slightly elevated platform where a grand throne stood tall. Seated upon it was a figure I recognized instantly.

Golden-blonde hair, curled into perfection, crowned by a shining tiara of authority. Her sapphire eyes glimmered with wisdom and determination, and her regal attire was so commanding it took my breath away.

"Cassandra...?"

I honestly thought I was hallucinating for a second. But no, it really was her. The sheer difference in her aura from usual made me question my senses.

"Sir Arthur Grail, please step forward!"

Lost in thought, the herald's booming voice jolted me back to reality. I stood upright, still utterly confused, but moved forward as instructed. One step after another, I advanced without looking away.

From both sides of the carpet, I felt countless eyes drilling into me. The judging stares of an audience I didn't know, yet instinctively feared.

This pressure... it was unlike anything I'd experienced. Not even during high-stakes corporate sales pitches back on Earth did I feel this tense.

Judging by their robes, jewels, and overall air of superiority, these must be the current nobles of the Meyers Star System. I had no clue what I did to deserve their death glares, though.

Roughly a hundred paces later, I arrived at the midpoint between Cassandra's throne and the audience seating. From what I knew from books and movies on noble etiquette, this should be the respectful stopping point.

Naturally, I couldn't just stop blandly.

With a dramatic flourish, I swung the cape hanging on my back as I knelt down on one knee, holding the orb in both hands as if presenting it to Cassandra. I wasn't sure if this was the right way to hold it... I just improvised.

*MUTTER!*

Suddenly, the entire chamber erupted in murmurs. So many voices mixed at once that I couldn't make out what anyone was saying. Did I screw something up?

"(Psst! Arthur, bastard! Put that orb down!)"

A familiar voice hissed through the chaotic muttering, somehow reaching me. I quickly obeyed, gently lowering the orb to the floor. Then, glancing upward, I caught sight of her—not Cassandra, but the figure standing slightly behind and to the side of her.

'Eva...?'

I'd completely forgotten about her. And what in the world was she wearing?

Head-to-toe plate armor, clearly custom-fitted to highlight her curves... Whoever designed it absolutely knew what they were doing. No doubt about that.

It looked like she'd taken on the role of Cassandra's personal bodyguard while I was unconscious.

"Sir Arthur Grail, raise your head."

"...!"

Cassandra's voice rang out clearly. My body moved on its own, lifting my head and meeting her gaze directly.

Wait—did she just use her ability on me? Or was that... something else entirely?

Anyway, I'm still confused as to what's happening. Though if I were to guess, it seems like some sort of conferring ceremony.

Maybe a formal event to praise and reward our efforts for saving and protecting her from King Meyers?

"Sir Arthur Grail, leader of the Knights of Camelot Mercenary Group. During Queen Cassandra Meyers's kidnapping, he was the first to leap into danger to assist her escape, and..."

The herald began speaking, narrating the sequence of events that had taken place so far. Though it was heavily dramatized and honestly strayed quite far from the actual events. In truth, it was Eva who fearlessly threw herself into the middle of Cassandra's kidnapping. I merely followed her lead.

Regardless, the "beautified" version of the story continued on, stretching for nearly half an hour.

Just as I was starting to lose feeling in my leg, the herald finally brought the tale to a close. He ended the story with a flourish, stopping at the final moment where we crushed King Meyers's ambitions.

They say the victors are the ones who write history—and now, I understand exactly what that means.

"Sir Arthur Grail," Cassandra spoke again, her voice calm yet commanding. She even rose from her throne and slowly stepped forward. "In recognition of your valor, I have decided to confer upon you a peerage and grant you governance over land."

"...Huh?"

Ah... So that's what this whole event was for. I'm getting turned into a noble? As I stood there in stunned silence, Eva's angry whisper once again cut through the noise and reached my ears.

"(Idiot! Take the sword—with the sheath!—and present it to Casey with both hands!)"

"..."

Calling me an idiot feels a little harsh. It's not exactly fair when no one told me what I was supposed to do, or when I was supposed to do it.

Still, following her instructions, I gingerly removed the decorative sword from my waist, making sure to hold it along with the sheath, and presented it to Cassandra with both hands.

Her expression remained serious. She smoothly shifted the scepter she held into her left hand and gripped the sword by the hilt with her right.

*SHING!*

With a sharp motion, she unsheathed the blade and swung it downward. For a split second, I panicked—thinking she was about to execute me on the spot—only to remember that the blade's edge was blunted. It was a ceremonial blade, not a real one.

She tapped the flat side of the blade against my shoulder in a knighting gesture, continuing her declaration.

"Sir Arthur Grail. I, Cassandra Meyers, as the 1,791,688th sovereign ruler of the Meyers Star System, hereby grant you the peerage of Duke. Furthermore, I assign you to oversee and govern the entirety of Planet Mithra."

*MUTTER!* *MUTTER!*

The entire audience chamber erupted in a tidal wave of hushed whispers. The gathered nobles looked visibly stunned, some confused, others seething with silent fury. It seemed I wasn't the only one who had no prior knowledge of this decision.

"...Wait, what?"

Did she really say Duke?

What happened to starting from the bottom—like knight, or baronet, or even viscount? I just jumped the entire queue and landed on the second-highest rank below royalty!

While I was still internally spiraling from being made a Duke, I caught sight of Cassandra's lips curling upward into a gentle smile. "With the power I have entrusted to you, I hope you shall serve faithfully in making our Meyers Star System flourish."

I didn't know the proper way to respond. So, I winged it. I straightened up, bowed my head respectfully, and said in a clear voice, quoting lines I'd read in old novels:

"This life, I offer to the Crown—not merely in service, but in devotion. I am, and shall ever remain, Her Majesty's most loyal subject."

It was simple, dramatic, and sounded appropriate. I figured it should be enough to pass as a "standard" reply in this type of setting, right?

Of course, I had no idea just how wrong I was.

*MUTTER!* *MUTTER!* *MUTTER!* *MUTTER!*

For the third time, the chamber broke into a loud chorus of whispers—except this time, they were bordering on panic. The nobles seemed as though they wanted to scream but were holding back out of fear of Cassandra's power.

Still... did I mess up again?

Even Eva, who had remained stoic behind the throne, looked like she had seen a ghost. Her face turned pale, lips parting and closing wordlessly like a fish out of water.

"D-Duke Arthur, you..."

Even Cassandra appeared rattled, her regal atmosphere vanishing. Her cheeks burned a vivid crimson, and she briefly averted her gaze. Raising the arm holding her scepter to partially cover her face, she seemed to be trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I'm honored to hear you say that but... T-To propose to me in such a setting, not once, but twice in a row... This is a bit unexpected."

Hearing her words, I stiffened up.

"...Propose?"

It was in that moment that I knew. I fucked up.