The grand hall went completely quiet. The musicians in the back actually stopped playing, which was annoying because he kind of liked the music.

He took a slow step forward, his shoes clicking against the floor. He didn’t even try to target anyone, he just let his bloodlust leak out a little more, making the air in the room feel so heavy it was hard to breathe.

The nobles around them started backing up fast, some of them looking like they were about to pass out from the pressure.

He stopped right in front of the duke and looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"Repeat what you just said," he said, keeping his voice completely flat.

He wasn’t yelling or trying to be dramatic, he just didn’t care enough to sound angry.

The old man tried to say something but his throat just made a weird clicking sound. His knees were shaking so bad it looked like he was about to fall over, which was pretty funny considering he was acting so high and mighty just a second ago.

Juna stood behind him, completely calm now. She just lowered her ears a bit, letting him handle the idiot. Vella was just watching with her arms crossed while Loccy had her eyes glued to the chocolate fountain again.

"I-I am Duke Vahn," the old man finally choked out, trying to puff out his chest like his title would somehow save him. "You are just a commoner! You dare—"

"I didn’t ask for your name," he cut him off, his voice dropping a bit. "I told you to repeat what you said about them."

He let out a little more bloodlust and a wine glass on one of the tables cracked loudly, making a bunch of nobles flinch.

The duke actually took a step back, his face turning pale. He finally realized that all his money and titles meant absolutely nothing right now because Hajin could just snap his neck and walk out.

[ CringeSlayer91: ] that old fart is rethinking his whole life rn

[ xX_Dragon_Xx: ] bro is actually sweating bullets

[ TeaTime: ] Hajin just doesn’t care lmao

[ LoneWolf: ] rip bozo

Before the duke could embarrass himself more, someone pushed through the crowd.

"Stop!" Princess Didi yelled, running up to them in her shiny silver dress. She looked between the shaking duke and Hajin, her eyes going wide when she felt how heavy the air was.

"Hajin, please," Didi said, stepping in between them. She wasn’t commanding him, she actually sounded like she was begging. "There is no need for this. You are an honored guest."

’I just wanted to get paid,’ he thought, looking at her and feeling annoyed, ’but these people really know how to ruin a mood.’

He stared at her for a second before sighing. He pulled his bloodlust back, making the room feel normal again, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Princess," he nodded at her lazily. "I was just talking to the duke here. He seemed to loving talking a lot."

The duke gasped for air like he was drowning, his face turning red from embarrassment but he kept his mouth shut.

"Duke Vahn," Didi turned to him, her voice turning completely cold. "Hajin is a personal guest of the King. Insulting him is insulting the crown, do you understand?"

The old man grinded his teeth but he just bowed stiffly. "My apologies, Your Highness," he muttered, turning around and speed-walking away while the crowd moved to let him pass.

Didi sighed like she had a massive headache and turned back to Hajin with an apologetic look.

"I am sorry about him," she said. "Some council members are just... stubborn."

"Whatever," he shrugged, noticing that the nobles were looking at him like he was a monster now, "can we just get the reward now or do I have to stand here all night?"

Before she could answer, the doors at the top of the grand staircase banged open.

"The King has arrived!" a royal guard shouted.

Everyone immediately dropped into a deep bow. Hajin lowered his head, placing a hand over his chest in a standard, polite greeting, making sure the girls quickly copied his movement. He wasn’t stupid enough to disrespect the King in his own palace.

The King walked down the stairs, completely ignoring the bowing nobles, and walked straight up to Hajin with a huge smile. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Hajin," his voice boomed over the dead silent hall. "I apologize for the wait. It is good to see you again."

The entire hall collectively stopped breathing as the King had just greeted a ’commoner’ like an old friend.

The King turned to the crowd, his smile dropping into a cold, stern glare.

"For those unaware," he announced loudly, "while most of you were sitting comfortably in your estates, this young man fought and defeated a Beast King on his own. A monster that would have wiped the capital off the map, and he killed it without asking for glory or recognition. He achieved what entire platoons of royal knights and elite squads from the Great Families could not."

The duke choked on his own spit, his eyes going wide with pure horror. The other nobles who had been whispering about Hajin just a minute ago suddenly looked like they wanted the ground to swallow them whole.

’National savior?’ he thought, keeping his face completely blank, ’I was literally just trying not to die.’

"The crown does not forget its debts," the King continued, turning back to him, his booming voice carrying a weight that forced everyone to listen. "A standard reward for such an unprecedented service is insulting. Therefore, I am granting you unrestricted access to the Royal Vault. You may choose any three items you desire."

The hall erupted into a frenzy of shocked gasps. Unrestricted access to the vault was basically a myth, and the King was letting a ’commoner’ just walk in.

"Furthermore," the King raised a hand, instantly silencing the room again. "As your personal sponsor, I am adding an additional reward to this royal decree."

Even the council members standing near the stairs exchanged confused looks. This wasn’t in the official paperwork, what the hell was the King doing?

"Effective immediately," he declared, his voice cutting through the silence. "I am granting you a formal noble title and a territory of your own. Welcome to the high court, Lord Hajin."

The silence lasted for exactly one second before the entire hall completely lost its mind.

"WHAT?!"

The duke looked like he was actually going to have a heart attack right there on the carpet. Giving a commoner vault access was one thing, but making him a noble with his own land? That completely shattered the hierarchy of the Great Families.

’A title?’ Hajin thought, staring blankly at the King while the nobles around them went into full meltdown mode. ’I just wanted the loot, what am I supposed to do with a piece of land?’

"I am... honored, Your Majesty," he said, forcing a polite bow despite his complete confusion.

[ ashley (Mod): ] Hajin, congratulations!! A noble title and land? You actually did it!

[ SystemAbuser: ] LMAOOOO BRO JUST BECAME A NOBLE

[ Mark23: ] the king really said "hold my beer" to the duke

[ StarryNight: ] looking at the duke’s face is my new favorite hobby

[ GachaGod: ] the ultimate faceslap WWWWWW