What piqued his interest was that in Eleanor’s tone, there seemed to be something beyond gratitude.
Could it be... respect?
A duke showing respect to an earl?!
The Moon Guardian Duke felt like he might be going mad, but with years of experience, he was pretty sure he wasn’t mistaken.
Could it be... because of Count Castel’s status as the "Saintess"?
The Moon Guardian Duke was curious, while on the other side, Charlotte had already finished greeting Eleanor.
After nodding slightly to the other two dukes, Eleanor entered the Council Hall. Watching her back, the Moon Guardian Duke curiously asked,
"Count, your relationship with Bold Duke is quite surprising."
Charlotte smiled and said,
"Bold is Bold, and the Third Prince is the Third Prince. My personal relations with Lady Eleanor are quite good, but politics should not involve personal feelings."
The Moon Guardian Duke listened thoughtfully.
Charlotte did not elaborate further but glanced at the hall and said,
"Duke, let’s go in too."
The Moon Guardian Duke nodded slightly, entering the Central Council Hall together with Duke Prutz and Charlotte.
The Kingdom’s Central Council Hall was also a well-known landmark building in Lutecia, a Gothic palace with a very large interior space.
Upon first entering the Council Hall, Charlotte was reminded of the opulent classical auditoriums from Western literature from her past life. The entire hall was semi-circular. The space was so vast that accommodating a thousand people would probably not be a problem.
Inside the Council Hall, nearly two-thirds of the nobles had already taken their seats. As Charlotte entered, a server promptly guided her to her designated seat.
There was a system to the seating in the Council.
At the very front on the raised platform, the King’s throne was placed in the center. To the left of the throne was the Queen’s seat, and to the right was the seat of the Great Priest.
Below the platform were the noble’s seats, numerous in number, with the most eye-catching being the twelve more elaborate seats, separated at the very front.
Those were for the lords of the twelve Public Domains of the Kingdom, including the nine dukes and the three Chief Priests from the Divine Authority Domains.
The Moon Guardian Duke, Eleanor, and others were quickly led to one of those twelve seats, with the Moon Guardian Duke taking the second seat, Duke Prutz the seventh, and Eleanor the twelfth.
As for Charlotte, she was led to the first seat amongst the remaining noble seats, below the twelve Public Domain Lords.
"Count, this is your seat."
The server said respectfully.
Charlotte felt a motion in her heart and nodded as she sat down.
The seating at the Kingdom’s Central Council itself symbolized status and position; the higher one’s status, the closer to the front they were seated.
Without a doubt, Charlotte, having defeated the Bold Duchy and owning vast prosperous lands, was now regarded as the foremost personage below the rank of duke.
Although the Castel family was new to the Kingdom’s nobility, their foundation and strength had received recognition from the nobility and the Royal Family.
The nobles continued to take their seats, and one by one, the leaders of the twelve Public Domains claimed their chairs, with each duke and Chief Priest finding their place.
Except for the first, the fifth, and the ninth seats, which remained empty.
These belonged to the dispossessed Duke Gaston, another duke who had been imprisoned and disposed of, and a Public Domain Chief Priest who had been replaced by the Holy Royal Council.
Among them, Duke Gaston, who held the first seat, had even had his title revoked, and his seat might even be permanently removed in the near future. The Chief Priest of the fifth seat and the other duke of the ninth seat were unable to attend because the newly appointed dukes and Chief Priests had not yet been officially confirmed.
After all the nobles were seated, melodious music began to play, and the resplendent Royal Knights escorted several elegantly dressed nobles and clergy to the platform.
Leading the way were two individuals, one crowned and holding a scepter, draped in a dark blue shawl embroidered with New Moon patterns, and the other clad in a white and gold-trimmed Divine Robe, clutching the Holy Book.
It was King Louis V and the New Moon Great Priest who had arrived.