21st Century Archmage

“All units, fall in!”

‘Awesome! Really awesome! A large scale spectacle was unfolding before me, its magnificence unrivaled by anything I had ever seen in movies.

Horns rang loudly from the castle walls, the mighty sound causing vibrations on the ground. Wearing red cloaks and silver armor, helmets, and swords were the empires Imperial Knights. Atop the castle walls stood thousands of Imperial Soldiers wielding swords, spears, and flags. Around me were around a thousand knight cadets wearing newly made uniforms. The entrance ceremony of my dreams was finally happening.

‘Whats wrong with Hyneth?

Hyneth had been staying with a marquis in the capital, so I hadnt seen her for a while.

She was different.

She was wearing the black cloak of the Skyknights, as well as silver armor and a sword at her hip. The pureblooded, innocent manga character I knew was nowhere to be seen. She stood in absolute silence, staring intently at the arena podium where hundreds of nobles were seated, radiating an aura like a well-honed sword.

‘I cant even approach her. Her extremely chilly appearance gave off a wholly different feeling from usual.Everyone is nervous.

The Emperor himself would preside over the Knight Academy entrance ceremony. The stiff-faced escort of the Imperial Knights made the cadets nervous.

Except for one person. The happy-go-lucky me, of course.

‘Hes not doing THAT, right?

Even now, I could recall the countless schoolyard assemblies from my past, starting from my elementary school entrance ceremony. I still couldnt understand why we had to listen to the ramblings of the dry-as-a-textbook principal every single time. Maybe they derived joy from standing kids up in the scorching sun and boasting about all the things they knew, but I still remembered standing there and filtering out the countless words spat out by what seemed like each and every teacher there.

The meeting at the end of the day with the homeroom teacher was already enough. But for whatever reason, they always had so much to say…

In my middle school days, I even thought this: there are three kinds of people in the world.

The first kind of people were men, the second were women, and the third and last were straight-necked principals who loved to hear themselves talk.

Suddenly while everyone was standing in strict single files in the arena, a fanfare a hundred trumpets strong went off around us.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Great Bajran enters!”

These sorts of events were apparently not uncommon, because there was a seat reserved for the emperor in the upper part of the arena among hundreds of nobles. From the gate leading to the platform appeared the emperor wearing a bejeweled crown and the golden cloak. Stepping on the carpet, he slowly walked forward.

‘The Emperor!

The Emperors majesty seemed to subdue even the rustling of the wind.

“Respect to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor!” cried someone with a mana-charged voice.

With a huge clatter, everyone unsheathed their swords. Then they shouted powerfully into the sky, “All hail! Hail! Hail! Hail!”

‘Wow~!

I remembered how cool the honor guard looked on TV whenever foreign dignitaries visited. Compared to the scene before my eyes now, what I saw back then was as pathetic as the dead skin on a pinky toe.

Just think about it. An enormous military arena as big as the Sangam World Cup Stadium filled with thousands of awesome Imperial Knights and Soldiers, all expressing their loyalty. Such a sight would even make a god jealous.

‘So this is the force of an emperor.

The Emperor of the Bajran Empire wasnt even that tall, but his presence alone overwhelmed the thousands of nobles and knights. He exuded an easy grace, like a great lion facing a hundred wolves.

He lightly raised his hand and acknowledged the loyalty of his knights and soldiers.

“Woooooooooo! Long live His Imperial Majesty!”

“Long live the Bajran Empire!!”

Before me was the madness of collective loyalty in full force. The Emperor didnt say a single word yet, but the knights and soldiers were belting out their cheers with every bit of air in their lungs.

‘Theyre no different from religious fanatics.

They may be elite Imperial Knights and Soldiers, but if they werent sincere, then this kind of scene would be impossible. The Emperor of the Bajran Empire, Havitron, received all that adulation with his one hand. This lean 50-year old man was living a truly cool life.

The Emperor raised his hand again and stopped the cheers of his fanatics.

“…..”

In the space of a millisecond, the arena was enveloped in pin drop silence.

“The honor, pride, and shield of the Empire, Our Knights…”

‘Hes using mana? Surprisingly, the emperors voice was filled with a rather robust mana.

“Know that this Empire and Imperial Family rest on your great shoulders, and that the current peace We and all citizens enjoy depend on you.”

The Emperors sincere feelings were put into every word. He was either a naturally talented speaker, or simply a great ruler.

“We were once among you in this arena under the hot sun. That time when Our sweat fell like rain, drenching Our body and clothes and even Our soul, is something We shall never forget. Know that your efforts are the cornerstone supporting the Empire, and that you are the valuable strength forging the future for this Empire.”

Emperor Havitrons words fell with deliberate slowness and gravity. Flames were lit in everyones eyes. They would never forget this address by the Emperor for the rest of their lives. Even I, a mere onlooker, felt my chest tighten, so what the others were feeling was self-explanatory.

‘Ah, even the kiddo is there?

The Imperial Family was seated behind the Emperor. Razcion sat in his seat with a grave solemnity that didnt lose to his father. I saw the two queens sitting next to Razcion.

‘What about Igis?

According to my information, Emperor Havitron had two sons and two daughters. The Crown Prince Poltviran and First Princess Elemia were born to the Queen, while Razcion and Igis were born to the Empress. But behind the Emperor were just the kiddo, the Empress, and a woman with a provocative smile.

“Do your very best. This Empires future is now in your hands. My Knights!”

The emperor unsheathed his formal dress sword while speaking.

‘Hes not a pretentious emperor. I could feel it. The Emperors face was filled with his sincerity.

“We swore here in the past! For the Knights honor and the Empires peace, to never compromise with injustice and to fight for god-given justice!”

I would believe those powerful words came from not the Emperor, but a knight. The faces of the knights and cadets grasping their hilts flushed red with emotion.