I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 128: Unexpected rise

As the Viscount and Viscountess stood before the door to the kingʼs chamber, their heart raced with an uncertainty.

The Viscount cleared his throat and called out, ”Your Majesty, it is the Viscount of Azazel.”

A deep, commanding voice resonated from the other side, ”You may enter.”

With heavy steps, they pushed open the door and entered the grand chamber with the dead maidʼs lifeless body, just as instructed by Julian.

The room fell silent as the dukes exchanged surprised glances. Their eyes widened at the sight of the lifeless body.

The king spoke first, ”Explain yourselves.”

The Viscount bowed low, his voice low and respectful. ”Your Majesty, we found the maid who was stationed outside Your Majestyʼs room. We discovered that she was attempting to flee the city and somehow managed to capture her and began interrogating her”

”And?”, The kingʼs cold voice filled the room.

”It turns out that she was a spy who was sent with the intent to kill Your Majesty. But just as we were on the brink of discovering who was the mastermind, someone invisible suddenly attacked us and killed her before we could get any further information.”

The room was filled with tension as the Dukes exchanged shock glances. The king, however appeared to be deep in thought.

”An invisible attacker,” the king muttered, his tone thoughtful.

The Viscount continued, ”Yes, Your Majesty. It was as though they were a shadow, and they took her life with swift precision and left just as swiftly. We have no further answers.”

Julian leaned against the wall with a smug grin on his face as he watched the entire scene unfold with satisfaction. His plan was falling into place, and now the king would be forced to believe the story, no matter how suspicious it may seem to the dukes.

Just as he expected, Duke of Ethwerʼs voice echoed in the chamber, ”Invisible man? Are you trying to hide the story, Viscount?” His tone was filled with disbelief.

The Viscount visibly flinched and he said ”No, Your Grace, that is exactly what happened. We have told you the truth and have nothing to say further.”

Before the situation could escalate, the kingʼs voice boomed through the chamber.

”Enough, Ethwer!” His tone was commanding, ensuring the room fell silent.

”The Viscount speaks the truth. If even I, with all my power, could not detect the presence of this invisible attacker, then it is no surprise the Viscount was unable to.”

The Duke of Ethwer looked unsatisfied and wanted to argue further but held his tongue as the kingʼs command was absolute.

The Viscountess who was standing silently by her husbandʼs side, could not help but glance over at Julian. Her heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with him, seeing the sinister grin that played on his lips. Everything was unfolding exactly as he had planned.

Just then, Julianʼs voice broke through the tension. ”Yes, Your Majesty. It appears we nearly framed the Azazel family wrongly, despite their unending loyalty to the crown.”

The Viscount and Viscountess, though still shaken by the events, breathed a sigh of relief. They were momentarily freed from the crushing weight of their predicament.

The king chuckled with a deep and satisfied laugh that echoed in the room. ”Well, I guess I owe you an apology, Viscount.”

The Viscount and Viscountess immediately dropped to their knees, their heads bowing low in submission.

”Your Majesty, please do not jest,” the Viscount pleaded, his voice filled with humility and gratitude. ”Your forgiveness is enough of a blessing for us.”

The king seeing their loyalty was genuinely moved. He nodded approvingly as his expression softened.

”You have shown great loyalty, even after such an unfortunate misunderstanding. I commend you for that.”

The Duke of Alden with his voice heavy with guilt also spoke up. ”Forgive me too, Viscount. But the situation was so urgent and dangerous that we had to do what we had to do. We acted out of necessity.”

The Viscount who was still kneeling before the king, bowed his head even lower in acknowledgment. ”Your Grace, we understand,” he replied.

The other dukes too, seemed to realize the wrong doing of their actions and gave their apologies.

The King then spoke up. ”Viscount Azazel and Viscountess Azazel, from this moment on, you are promoted to the rank of Count and Countess. Your territory will be expanded, and you will no longer need to report to any other family except for the Royal Family.”

The words were like a thunder to them. The Viscount and Viscountess Azazel were utterly shocked. Their mouths parted in disbelief as they both struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what had just been declared.

The promotion they had longed for, one that had been delayed after the war, was now granted without warning.

But it wasnʼt just the promotion that stunned them, it was the expansion of their territory, something that was rarely offered, especially to families that had not proved their loyalty in such a grand fashion.

The King was rewarding them generously. And the most astonishing part was the statement that they would not need to report to any other family.

Every lower ranking noble family had to submit their administrative and financial report to higher ranking families annually. It was not just the way of governing but also the way to maintain the hierarchy of the nobles.

This meant they were granted autonomy (independence from hierarchy) , directly under the protection of the Royal Family. Their power and influence would now rival that of many noble houses, with no other families to answer to.

The Viscountess glanced at her husband. Her eyes were wide with shock and awe. The weight of their situation had shifted dramatically. What they had expected to be a complete downfall had turned into an unexpected rise.

The Viscount who was equally dumbfounded, tried to find the words to respond, but his throat tightened. His family was now in a far more secure position than ever before.

”Your Majesty,” he said, his voice shaking with both gratitude and disbelief, ”We… we donʼt know how to thank you enough. This honor… it is beyond anything we could have ever hoped for.”

The King gave a slight nod. ”You have served the crown loyally, even when misjudged. Your familyʼs actions has been recognized, and this is the reward for your toughness. However, remember that your loyalty to the crown will always come first, and that loyalty will be tested again. Do not forget that.”