35. The Succession Ceremony and the Amended Offer

The hall was decked with the finest decorations money could buy, and Lady Erenia had an elaborately high quality robe made just for her. Made of the finest thick wool, she had a longstaff embedded with gems and jewelry, and there was a small 'throne' made of the finest wood from the province. The King had no issues with 'thrones', as long as it was clear this was not a royal throne.

"Glad you could make it, Chancellor Emmet." Lady Erenia was first to greet the King's representative. The Chancellor shook her hand gently.

"Pleased. It is an unfortunate thing, what happened to your husband."

Erenia's face was serene, as she nodded. "It is. I mourned his passing for months, but the Goddesses has their own plans for him. The living, must move on."

"This must be your daughter?" Chancellor Emmet was an old bearded man with a stern appearance. Fierce and intellectual, he was once a high-ranked knight, but soon found himself excelling in the art of administering and corralling the various provinces of the kingdom. Edmund knew from a single glance, that Chancellor Emmet could not be enthralled. There was just power coming from him that made Edmund feel a little wary.

Which sucked.

Erenia nodded, and introduced Kiara, fully-dressed for the occasion. Ceremonial armor, ribbons, a new sword, necklaces and earrings. Everything. Kiara nodded, and felt a little high already. The tentacles were gentle, and they kneaded her lightly, but surely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Chancellor Emmet."

"Indeed. I heard of your tales with the hero. Admirable. If I was a young knight, I would've joined him." Chancellor Emmet said.

Kiara bowed, impressed. "Thank you for your compliment, Chancellor."

He smiled. "The young must do foolish things. I was young once, and I didn't regret the foolish things I've done. Fighting demons is an admirable thing, and the hardship experienced during the journey would be a great character building experience."

Lady Erenia nodded. "And I believe she has grown from it. I must go and greet the others, have a good day, Chancellor."

Chancellor Emmet smiled. "Gladly. I'll help myself to the fine whiskeys."

***

Kiara felt exhausted, and it was just all the fake-smiles she had to put on as her mother introduced her to each and every noble that came for the succession ceremony. The hall itself was big enough for three hundred, maybe more, but at that moment, she felt thankful that only a hundred nobles or their representatives came.

Her mother though, looked like she brimmed with energy, and seemed to gain more energy with each interaction with the nobles. The way she walked, they way she talked, Kiara remembered her mother loved talking to people, and she didn't.

Eventually, they were done with the introductions, and her mother smiled to her. "You must be tired from that, darling. Thanks for bearing with that, you can have a seat now."

Lady Erenia proceeded to socialise with the ladies who came for the event. Kiara knew, at least from what her mother told her the night before, that some of these ladies hated her, but they all put up a fake face. You never knew who you needed when you were in trouble, after all.

At that moment, Edmund approached her, and smiled. "Here, you're old enough to drink, right?" Edmund offered her a glass of light rose wine. The same one that Aida had.

She glanced at the Count, a little suspicious.

"I didn't put anything in your drink." Edmund said, he didn't need to. His tentacles were working overtime, pleasuring her down below. Her face was flushed, which she mistook as exhaustion from the socialising. She eventually relented and sipped it.

"Oh... thanks. You... you're not socializing?"

"I'll have another session for that tiresome noble-engagement. This is your mother's event, and it is her stage, so she should own it. I'm but a guest, today."

Kiara was taken aback at how thoughtful the Count was, and began to see why her mother could agree to deal with him.

"I prefer more intimate discussions, anyway." He smiled, and Kiara almost choked at what he implied.

"You promiscous-"

"Eh. Nothing like that. Look at the other ladies. Are any of them as attractive as your mother?" Kiara stared, and noticed Count Edmund had a point. Most of them were moderately attractive, but compared to her mother, who seemed to glow today, they were just fireflies, comparing themselves to the brightness of the sun.

"Duchess Annerose Of Selinar?" Kiara did notice a woman who's actually in the same league of beauty. She sat quietly, next to her husband, Duke Mediva of Selinar.

"Ah. Duchess Annerose." Count smiled. "But her husband would have my head if I tried anything like that."

Kiara smiled. "I see."

"There is one else, actually?"

Kiara looked around-

"You."

The knight blushed, and at that moment felt her body tingle with intense pleasure. It was so sudden she couldn't react to it, and felt her knees turn weak. Count Edmund immediately stepped closer to support her. It would be embarrassing if she fell, especially during her mother's event.

She regained her strength after a short second, and stood back up. "I'm sorry." Count Edmund smirked, and her face was as red as a potato.

Kiara stared at the Count, and she felt her heart beat so quickly she didn't know what to say.

Count Edmund decided to change the topic. "So, when are you planning to return to the hero?" He offered her another glass of rose wine, as a waiter passed by.

She sipped the second glass, feeling a little tipsy. "I... I don't know, actually. I- I want to help my mother."

"Your mother has things perfectly under control, don't you think? The Kenarias reconstruction is already happening. She don't need your help."

"Not in that aspect." Kiara said.

"Oh." Edmund smiled. "Actually, come to think of it, why not both?"

"Huh?"

"Erenia tells me that you feel you still have a chance with the hero." Kiara blushed, but realistically, Kiara knew Aman was just single-mindedly focused against the demons. She didn't understand how he felt. "So. How about this? You rejoin the hero for the next two to three months, and get a sense whether he likes you or not. If you feel that it has a realistic chance, then you go for it."

Kiara was stunned, she expected that the Count would pounce on her the moment he got his chance. "But-"

"I'll naturally demand payment from you, from your earnings as a member of the hero party. 3,000 gold a month repayment scheme, which increases as time went on. It'll take 10-15 years under this scheme."

Kiara stared, and realised, 3,000 was a lot, but doable as a hero party. Demons and monsters dropped valuable loot, and if she kept killing monsters- She looked back at him, and imagined what he'll do her mother, and she didn't know why, her body burned as her mind imagined the lewd things. "How about my mother?"

"Your mother's my collateral, darlin'. What if you run off and never pay back?" A bubble emerged around them.

"I..."

Edmund smirked. "If you can't pay for that month, then we'll arrange a place to meet up where we can get down to it. Not difficult for me to travel and meet you along the path of the hero."

It was a risk for Edmund, of course, but if he wanted to get his tentacles into the other heroines, he had to play it aggressively. He couldn't avoid it forever, especially since the heroines' are his way out.

Kiara gulped. "I'll... I'll think about it."

Edmund nodded, and noticed one of the Goddess's Church Priests had entered. "Alright, the actual succession ceremony is starting."

The priest, naturally, started with a typical prayer and blessing. Edmund churned a little, the effects of the low-level holy magic was still nauseating. Everyone sat, and Edmund ensured that his tentacles hid within the armor. If a direct blessing hit the armor, it's likely to weaken the tentacle, but he had the blacksmith create a hiding spot within the armor, with a holy-resistant gem. That way, the tentacles could still endure a blessing.

After that, the priest gave a speech, Chancellor Emmet gave a speech, and lastly, it was Lady Erenia's turn to give a speech. Then, a toast, led by Chancellor Emmet, congratulating Lady Erenia. Kiara, as the one in the ceremonial armor, had to do a special combat performance, as is the norm for 'martial' houses. Normally a performance like this would have at least multiple knights, but the house had no combat force to speak of. So Kiara had to do it alone.

Count Edmund smiled, as he felt her try her best to maintain her composure during the performance, his tentacles took the chance to fondle and stimulate her.

Eventually though, her torture came to an end.

The ceremony was over, and Lady Erenia was formally the head of the Kenarias house.