As the sun rose high, early in the morning, the Royal Palace represented Princess Luoqi—and in essence, the entire Kingdom—broadcasting a message to all under heaven.
That message was Princess Luoqi had decided to end the suitor-selection ceremony, which could not be considered short in duration, yet was certainly not long.
"After extensive contemplation and choice, Princess Luosilusti has personally decided she will marry Viscount Beizut."
"Effective immediately, Viscount Beizut shall become the fiancé of Princess Luosilusti and a betrothal feast will be held in three days’ time, inviting dignitaries from various countries to attend."
"In view of the exceptional performance of Viscount Beizut, His Majesty shall also elevate his nobility on the day of the betrothal feast."
When such news spread throughout the Royal Capital, the sensation it caused was second only to the series of incidents stirred by the Lucica Family.
"Indeed, it has come to this..."
A portion of the more astute individuals had already anticipated this outcome, and each one sighed silently in their hearts.
"No! This can’t be possible!"
The majority of the nobles’ offspring could hardly believe the news.
"Is it really settled just like that?"
"Isn’t...isn’t this too sudden?"
Even the commoners of the Royal Capital were unable to digest this astonishing news in real-time, feeling bewildered and unreal.
For this reason, on this day, Lake Heart Island was once again filled with an assortment of people, leading to droves gathering in front of the Royal Palace, creating a significant stir.
People hoped to confirm the truth of this news.
Many still clung to a sliver of hope that it was merely a rumor.
And so, they needed a declaration from the Kingdom, a proclamation from the Royal Family before they would accept it all.
But the result was not a high-ranking official of the Kingdom, nor was it King Anxi of the Kingdom, appearing before everyone. Instead, it was Princess Luoqi—who usually only appeared during noon rituals.
Princess Luoqi herself made a personal appearance.
Moreover, Princess Luoqi verbally affirmed the matter.
"Viscount Beizut is a truly exceptional individual."
"And even I hold a deep admiration for such a distinguished hero."
"Therefore, we hope everyone will , recognize us, as that would be the greatest blessing you could bestow upon us."
With these words, Princess Luoqi left them behind, paying no mind to the stunned crowd, and returned to the Royal Palace.
What would happen next could be largely foreseen.
The resigned had accepted their fate.
Those who were unconvinced were destined to cause further disturbances.
The populace had mixed reactions; some approved, some objected, some were calm, and others were impassioned—the responses varied greatly.
Against this backdrop, Shane’s elevation to an Earl seemed lukewarm by comparison, with nobody making much of it.
You must understand that if this were a regular occurrence, it would certainly be a hot topic of discussion.
The reason, as said before, is that although there is only one rank separating an Earl from a Viscount, their statuses are entirely different.
Barons and Viscounts are the very foundation of the noble hierarchy, the truest minor nobility, designated for adventurers with notable achievements and the common folk as a reflection of their purpose.
But the rank of an Earl is distinct.
Marquises and Earls are part of the upper echelon of the noble hierarchy, the genuine upper-level nobility.
Once someone becomes an Earl, it signifies that their entire family has made sufficient contributions to the Kingdom to be acknowledged, truly entering the upper echelons of the Kingdom.
At this level, one is qualified to become the liege to many Barons and Viscounts, to become a patriarch, to start factions and establish a noble circle, a power.
And only at this level does it become possible to enter the Kingdom’s decision-making layers, aiming for the center of power, to become a decisive entity in shaping the Kingdom’s future.
At least, Barons and Viscounts cannot simply enter the Royal Palace or attend significant events. When Shane first met the royal court, only the Guard Knight Order and nobility above the rank of Earl appeared in the Royal Hall.
Therefore, within the circles of nobility, the gap between an Earl and a Viscount is as vast as the difference between heaven and earth, even broader than the gap between a Duke and an Earl.
This is a demarcation line.
Crossing this line is when one truly rises to prominence, honors the family legacy, ensuring that one’s family name endures in the history of the Kingdom, continuing as a great house.
Given this, typical Barons and Viscounts spend decades, even centuries, accumulating renown, wealth, connections, and merit, contributing to the Kingdom continuously, before they can be successfully elevated, becoming upper-level nobility.
Shane’s rise from a mere Adventurer to an Earl, a member of the upper-level nobility, took just a few months, a completely unprecedented event in the history of the Kingdom.
The level of fervent discussion this would have incited is readily apparent.
But now, because of Shane’s engagement to Princess Luoqi, this matter was overshadowed, indicating Princess Luoqi’s significant standing in the hearts of the Kingdom’s people and the considerable impact of the situation.
All in all, the Royal Capital was once again filled with unrest.
Contrasting with the increasingly tumultuous and noisy Royal Capital, the atmosphere was altogether different within the Beizut Family residence at this moment.
"Congratulations on becoming the official fiancé of Princess Luoqi, Shane."
Under Vivian’s gratified congratulations, everyone presented their well-wishes to Shane.