My Celestial Ascension

Chapter 520: Everyone's Doubts

King Richard stood on the stage, his voice resonating through the grand ballroom. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am deeply honored by your presence today at this grand banquet, which I have prepared to celebrate our victory against the vile corrupted creatures."

He paused, letting the significance of his words sink in. "Not only did we eliminate the threat to every living being in this world, but we also made history by returning from the Forest of Never Return, something that has never happened before."

The crowd murmured in awe as King Richard continued. "This alone is a great achievement worth celebrating. In thousands of years, we may be the only people who entered the Forest of Never Return and came out alive. Those of us who survived should be proud of this extraordinary feat."

Raising his glass high, a proud grin spread across his face. "And so, I raise my glass to making history and achieving victory against evil!"

The room erupted in cheers as everyone followed suit, raising their glasses.

"To the King!" they shouted.

"For making history!"

The sound of clinking glasses and celebratory toasts filled the air as everyone drank to the success of the expedition. The mood in the ballroom was jubilant, with everyone celebrating not just the triumph over the corrupted creatures, but also the unprecedented return from the Forest of Never Return.

After a brief moment, King Richard resumed his speech. "Additionally, I would like to introduce the people who contributed the most to the expedition. Without their efforts, we would not have survived, nor would we have succeeded in eliminating the corrupted monsters."

He gestured toward three individuals in the crowd. "First, I would like to introduce Crown Prince Daniel Lionheart, Archmage Isadora, and Archmage Eldrick, who greatly contributed to our mission by ensuring everyone's safety and leading the troops."

The King's voice was filled with gratitude as he spoke. "I am deeply thankful for their contributions. Please, join me in applauding these remarkable individuals."

The ballroom erupted in applause as everyone turned to acknowledge the three figures. Archmage Isadora, Archmage Eldrick, and Crown Prince Daniel nodded in acknowledgment, smiles on their faces as they received the ovation.

Duchess Evelina, standing nearby, smiled at Daniel. "Congratulations, Your Highness. With this, your name will be known throughout the continent. I wonder how your royal father will react to this news."

Daniel smiled in return. "Thank you for your praise, Duchess Evelina. Though I suspect he won't be as shocked as when he learns that his elder sister married a young man around twenty years old."

A cold look from Valeria made Daniel chuckle, while Duchess Evelina giggled softly. "Very true indeed. I hope he doesn't suffer a heart attack when he hears the news… fufu~"

Valeria shrugged off the comment with a nonchalant smile, clearly unbothered by what others might say.

'From what I know, the Emperor greatly fears Lady Valeria, despite being the ruler of the empire. I wonder how he'll take this news,' Duchess Evelina mused silently.

King Richard's voice cut through the room once again. "The next person I'd like to introduce is someone everyone in the continent knows, none other than the elder sister of the current Emperor of the Lionheart Empire—War General Valeria Lionheart!"

All eyes turned to Valeria, who stood beside Yuan, holding a wine glass and wearing a beautiful smile.

"She has contributed immensely, participating in countless battles against monsters and saving hundreds of lives during the expedition," King Richard continued, his voice full of admiration.

"I, Richard Windfall, King of the Windfall Kingdom, thank War General Valeria for her contribution. Without her, we would have lost many more lives before the final battle against the corrupted monsters."

Once again, the ballroom filled with applause, the sound of cheers echoing from all sides. The women, especially, cheered loudly for Valeria, seeing her as a role model and inspiration.

Valeria stepped forward, her demeanor humble. "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. However, I believe I do not deserve such high praise, as my contribution was but a small part of the whole. It is not worthy of such recognition."

Her words left many aristocrats surprised, but King Richard smiled, understanding her humility. "Lady Valeria, do not diminish your role. Your contribution is indeed worthy of praise. You have done so much for the people during the expedition, and you embody the spirit of a true warrior."

"Then I shall thank you for your praise, Your Majesty," Valeria replied, her face calm as she stood beside Yuan, a smile gracing her lips.

Many in the room began to envy Yuan, wondering how he could be accompanied by such an important figure as Valeria. They felt that Yuan did not deserve to stand beside her.

King Richard then turned his gaze to Yuan and his wives, before sweeping his eyes over the prominent figures in the ballroom, all of whom were filled with anticipation.

"Lastly, I'd like to introduce everyone to a group—or rather, a Hunter Party—that has recently gained quite a reputation for its uniqueness," King Richard continued. "It would not be an exaggeration to say that without them, we would not be alive today. Thanks to them, we were able to eliminate the threat of the corrupted creatures."

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, wondering which Hunter Party the King was referring to. These days, many Hunter parties were gaining fame across the continent.

"I'm talking about the renowned Hunter Party—The Celestial Blades," King Richard announced, a proud look on his face as he noticed the confusion among the guests. "They are the reason we're alive today, and they were instrumental in eradicating every last corrupted monster from this continent."

Fixing his gaze on Yuan, King Richard continued, "I want to extend a special thanks to the leader of the Celestial Blades—Yuan. He was the highest contributor to the expedition, having single-handedly killed millions of corrupted monsters."

"Without him, we would all be dead by now," King Richard added after a moment.

The crowd was shocked, staring at Yuan in disbelief. Killing millions of corrupted monsters all by himself? Surely, the King must be joking. Such a feat seemed beyond human capability.

Sensing the doubt in the room, King Richard reassured them, "Do not judge him by his appearance. He is strong, very strong. Perhaps the most powerful individual among us."

"What?!" The guests were stunned, their curiosity piqued as they eyed Yuan. How could such a handsome young man with a slim figure be so powerful? It seemed absurd, yet they were inclined to believe the King, especially when they saw War General Valeria nodding in agreement.

"Moreover, Yuan was not alone in his efforts. His wives contributed equally to the destruction of those vile creatures," King Richard continued. "Each of them possesses terrifying strength, making them extremely formidable. And they are all stronger than War General Valeria, who can personally attest to this."

"Indeed," Valeria confirmed, nodding with a proud smile as she looked at Yuan and his wives. "Each of my sisters is stronger than I am. I can't even hold a candle to them, to be honest."

The crowd was even more shocked by Valeria's words. They scrutinized Yuan and his wives, trying to determine if they truly possessed such strength. Yet, they could sense nothing from them—not even a trace of mana. It was as if they had not awakened their mana at all, or worse, they had no mana in their bodies.

Given this, it was difficult for them to believe King Richard and Valeria's claims about Yuan and his wives' strength. They simply did not seem strong.

"What?! Impossible! How could those weak-looking women be stronger than Lady Valeria?"

"It doesn't make any sense… Is Lady Valeria covering for them?"

"But from what I know of Lady Valeria, she isn't the type to lie. She's known for her fierce demeanor and honesty."

"I never would have guessed they were the famous Hunter Party—The Celestial Blades. No wonder Yuan is surrounded by so many otherworldly beauties."

"Even if they are the Celestial Blades, it doesn't explain this absurd claim. It must be false."

The doubtful murmurs filled the air, irritating Lily. Her expression turned cold as she listened to the ridicule from the arrogant nobles.

'That's why I hate associating with nobles. They act so high and mighty, refusing to believe anything they haven't seen with their own eyes. Hmph! A bunch of hypocrites!' Lily muttered inwardly, her fury at the nobles evident.

However, unlike the others, Lady Natasha and Duchess Evelina began to see Yuan and his wives in a new light. They were surprised to learn of their true identities and were particularly astonished by this revelation.

'I never imagined they'd be the famous Hunter Party—The Celestial Blades! This is incredible!' Lady Natasha thought, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at Mireya.

Lady Natasha suddenly remembered the Blood Fang Boar meat she had eaten at Mireya's restaurant. She had wondered where Yuan had obtained such a rare ingredient, and now she could make an educated guess about its origins.

As for Duchess Evelina, she couldn't help but feel a strong desire to know more about them and to befriend them before any other Duke families did. She couldn't let such talented individuals slip through her fingers.

After all, they were still young and had plenty of room to grow. Recruiting them into her family would be a win-win situation, and it would also significantly bolster her standing in the empire.

Due to her being a woman, her family's situation wasn't as strong as that of the other Duke families. She needed to strengthen her position before the other Dukes could take advantage of her perceived weakness.

'I won't let the other Dukes have them, not on my watch!' Duchess Evelina resolved, her determination unwavering.

A few moments later, Crown Prince Daniel stepped forward, clearing everyone's doubts about Yuan and his wives' strength. Archmage Isadora and Archmage Eldrick also elaborated on what had occurred inside the forest, convincing everyone of King Richard's words.

"Now that the introductions are over, let us enjoy the banquet and share a pleasant evening together!" King Richard declared, concluding the introduction of the expedition's greatest contributors.

Shortly thereafter, many nobles began to gather around Yuan and his wives, attempting to engage them in conversation. Yuan was surprised by their sudden change in behavior. Just moments ago, they had doubted their strength, and now they were eager to get close.

'Nobles can be truly shameless sometimes… Unbelievable!' Yuan sighed inwardly.

A few minutes later, music began to play. Talented musicians skillfully played their instruments, and the sound of calm and relaxing music reverberated throughout the ballroom.