Prologue Part 16
A few quiet weeks passed after the funeral. Callistea returned to its usual rhythm. The Callistean military had successfully claimed the Island of Baroka, adding a new region to the growing nation, and back at the Dumont mansion the victory sparked constant celebrations. Banquets were held nightly. Music echoed through the halls. The servants, however, were pushed to their limits, working nearly twenty-four hours a day, their faces growing pale from exhaustion.
In the morning, golden light spilled into the grand estate. Outside, laughter and bells rang through the streets but inside, the mood was different.
Sylvia dragged herself up the staircase, stifling a yawn. Her feet ached from days of nonstop work. She rubbed her eyes and walked straight into Matteo's room without knocking like she usually would.
"Lord Matteo, wake up," she muttered. "You need to take a bath and get ready for Founder's Day."
No answer.
She narrowed her eyes. "Lord Matteo, wake up!"
Still nothing. With a frustrated sigh, she yanked the blankets off, only to find him already awake, just laying on the bed with distant eyes.
Her irritation flared. If he's awake, why is he ignoring her?
"Lord Matteo, get up. It's time for you to get ready," she said, voice sharper than intended.
He rose slowly, as if every movement cost him something. No smile. No greeting. Just silence. Sylvia took him gently by the shoulder and guided him to the bathroom.
He bathed, dressed in his formal robes, ate his breakfast without a word, and stood ready to meet Thomas, looking polished, but far from present.
"Alright, let's go." Thomas said as he began heading to the carriage, Matteo followed behind him. They got into the carriage and began a quiet ride to the Burciaga Palace where the event would be taking place.
Once there, all of Callistea from peasants to nobles filled up each part of the large palace, which almost managed to accommodate everybody there. Once Thomas and Matteo stepped out of their carriage and walked along the main entrance, the entire palace erupted in cheers and applause so loudly, it wouldn't be surprising if a window or two shattered.
They made their way inside the palace to one of the higher floor levels where all the other Dukes, Duchesses and even the King and Princess sat. Thomas immediately began exchanging greetings and beginning conversations while Matteo just sat quietly in the corner, spacing out.
"Good day to you, General", greeted a fellow noblewoman with a curtsy, "I just saw you enter and thought it would be appropriate to give you my praises for your quick success in Baroka."
"Ha ha, well thank you. Baroka was honestly the easiest of all my conquests, not even I could believe that the entire thing only took mere weeks." He replied.
He continued chatting with virtually everybody in the room until it became time for the ceremony to officially begin. The king of Callistea, King Olivier, stood at the dais, ordered everybody to quiet down before he began speaking.
"First of all I would like to thank everybody for attending Callistea's 207th annual Founder's Day. For the past 207 years our nation has risen faster than any nation in all of history. I know I say this almost every year but as King I feel it is important to look back on our past so we can properly shape our future.
"We all started as just a bundle of different tribes, who united under oppression over the course of a thousand years. And after the heroics of Aurelien Callistea, we were granted the opportunity to build our own identity from scratch. And for the next 207 years after that, we built an entire nation up from nothing, into one of the mightiest powers in the world."
The crowd erupted in applause, then after a few seconds, King Olivier continued.
"But, as important as it is for us to look back on our past, it is just as important for us to look forward into our future.
"We have successfully acquired the island of Baroka, leaving us with more land and resources to further grow our nation. And as the king and leader of this nation, I would like to personally thank the man responsible for not just the success at Baroka, but for being our nation's sword and shield, and for taking us to heights which would have been unreachable had it not been for his brilliance, General Thomas Dumont, if you would please come to the front."
Applause erupted across the building once again as Thomas stood up and made his way to the dais. King Olivier continued his speech.
"And while we are on the topic of our nation's future, I also have to call up a young boy who has just revolutionized everything we thought we knew about the Spirit Inheritance. Just by existing, this boy has changed the base on which the entire world revolves around and has introduced to us what could possibly be a new seed type. And considering the family to whom this boy belongs, I have no doubt that he will one day be not just the leader of our next generation, but also the single greatest figure the entire world may ever come to know.
"I now call to the stage the future of the world, whom you have chosen to nickname the Golden Boy….. Matteo Dumont!"
Applause erupted once more, this time louder, mixed with whistles, cheers and chants for the Golden Boy. Matteo had completely spaced out since the start of the king's speech and only came back to his senses when he realized the entire palace was cheering and chanting his name.
Seeing his confusion, the princess decided to guide him all the way to the front with General Thomas and the King. Matteo was still confused and also kind of overwhelmed by the weight and volume of all the cheers. "I'm sure you must be nervous." She said with a giggle as she took his hand and walked him to the stage. Matteo didn't answer and fixed his gaze towards the ground once more with the same empty look in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" She asked him after noticing the look on his face. But he didn't answer her and just kept on walking.
As they reached the lower levels of the palace, some people were rather amused by the sight of the princess holding the hand of the General's son.
"Ooh, look at that, could this possibly be the beginning of a real life Princess and Knight romance?!"
"They look so cute together"
"They would make such a perfect couple. Just like in the novels."
They soon reached the dais and Matteo was now standing in front of hundreds of thousands of people, right next to the king. And yet, he wasn't nervous somehow, even as he looked each and every person sitting there in the eyes. Once he had fully settled onto the stage and the cheers and applause died down, the king handed Thomas yet another award for his collection, while Matteo made history by becoming the youngest person in Callistean history to be knighted by the king at only seven years old.
He was now without a doubt, to everybody in the land, Lord Matteo Dumont.