CHAPTER 240: A PIECE OF PAPER

The banquet continued, and finally the fourth Duke arrived. Finally, the king was announced: King Andrew Vermilion and his wife, Elizabeth Vermilion.

The king walked in, dressed in red royal robes that screamed royalty. His wife, the Queen, was dressed elegantly. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was stunning, her every step screamed perfection.

She looked like Chloe, but grown, and dressed in an elegant black dress. They reached the end of the stairs, and then several royal guards popped into the hall, creating a path with their swords for the king and queen.

No one was allowed to come close at all; if they did, they risked being killed on the spot. Immediately, a red carpet was rolled from the top of the hall, ending right before the feet of the king and queen.

After that, both of them walked hand in hand until they got to the end, where two exquisite chairs were placed for them.

They sat down on the chairs, and everyone turned to look at them and then bowed, hands on their chest as a sign of respect and reverence.

"Enough of the greetings, this is a celebration, a banquet. Be free and enjoy yourselves." King Andrew spoke, his words resonating through the hall.

Everyone raised their heads, but no one dared speak anymore, because the king was here and that meant the real part of the banquet had begun.

The king got on his feet, he looked around and then clapped once. His hand echoed all through the hall.

"Thank you all for coming, for honoring the invitation of the crown," he said.

Riven looked at him and smirked. ’Like anyone could actually refuse coming,’ he thought.

"Today, we are here for two main reasons, but a few more reasons have also followed suit, and we will be handling that today.

First is the recognition of every knight and mage that has risked their life for the sake of the kingdom.

The war against the demonized and the demons has been a relentless one. Fathers go to war, their children grow and join them there.

It may seem like there are no real changes, no matter how much we push, but there are changes. Because if it wasn’t for the people that fought, the demonized would have run through this kingdom.

We stand not only to protect ourselves, but also as the wall that refuses to allow the demons to get to the other kingdoms and races.

Our stance on the border and beyond is what has kept the continent in place for so long. Many warriors have died, and many are still there giving their lives this very moment, and we owe all of them our gratitude," the king said.

"Is that all?" Suddenly a voice reached the ears of everyone. Someone had interrupted the king, who would have such audacity?

They all looked around and all eyes fell on Riven. He stood there, his eyes defiant. He walked out and got on the red carpet, looking the king eye to eye.

The room went silent, and then one count yelled, "How dare you interrupt the king!"

His voice was the igniter that caused everyone to start speaking, raining insults upon Riven. But he stood there unfazed, looking right at the king whom he had seen for the first time.

His classmates, along with every young person from different academies, looked at him in shock. He was only fourteen, what led him to do what he was doing now?

The king raised his hand and everyone kept quiet. He looked at Riven. "You are Riven Grave, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," Riven replied. He gave a slight bow as a sign of respect.

"So what do you want to say?" the king asked.

"Liam," Riven said, then paused. "That was the name of the first person to guide me in the sword. A knight, and a low-level one.

None of you know him. In this entire hall only my family can remember his face. Some of you met him, but you can never remember him.

He also fought for you, my king," Riven said. "You don’t remember him, you don’t recall anything about him, and that’s definitely not your fault, my king.

You had more important matters to deal with, but even then, you are the one that stamped the paper that called him to war. You called him to be a knight for you.

And when he died, all that he got was a name on paper," Riven said. He pulled out the letter and showed the king.

"This is all that remains of Liam, the knight that died on the battlefield for the kingdom of Vermilion.

If this is all a warrior gets after his death, then what is the point of going to war? We celebrate those that kill hundreds of demonized, we celebrate those who have the most impact.

But for all of you who have fought at wars, tell me this: would you have been able to stand out if it wasn’t for the low-level knights that fought beside you?

If it wasn’t for them, your bravado would never have been seen. Yet we forget them, leaving only a piece of paper. If I burn this paper now—" he said, and the paper engulfed in flame, shocking everyone. The ashes fell to the ground.

"Now, the memories of all those men written here are gone. No one will remember them, or remember their sacrifice," he said. His point had slowly started getting across.

"Some of you sent your best knights to fight and they never returned. They deserve better than a piece of paper.

Liam might not be known by all of you, but he was known by me, so he deserves a better honor than a simple name on paper," Riven finished. His words invited murmuring, people speaking their minds in low tones, some agreeing, while some refusing.

The king walked forward. Everyone watched, and fear gripped their hearts. Riven’s parents were already panicking, but his grandfather watched with a smile on his face.