Inside the royal castle of the Asteria Kingdom, the atmosphere was filled with the excitement of victory.

The barrier of the lost Great Saintess was restored by human hands and is even stronger than before.

Above all, the great achievement of defeating the Tyranno Behemoth.

That the body was brought into the kingdom was also the first feat in history that no one on the continent had ever accomplished.

Beside the King of Asteria, who sat on the throne, was the King of Aldrian, Kylan.

Although he still looked a bit pale from his illness, he couldn't miss today, so he ignored those around him and attended this event.

In the direction of their gaze, the three sisters, Aria, Luna, and Sofia, were kneeling quietly side by side.

(...Ugh, I'm not really used to places like this.)

Aria was kneeling as she was breathing as quietly as possible.

She has had to attend formal events like this many times, but she has never gotten used to it.

As she fidgeted, her body itching to move, the King of Asteria let out a satisfied voice.

"Raise your heads, heroes. Your achievements this time were truly magnificent!"

With the king's words as the starting point, thunderous applause erupted from the nobles who filled the audience chamber, and although Aria wanted to cover her ears, she held back.

This time, the three of them were gathered here because they had made significant contributions to the battle to reclaim the Aldrian Kingdom.

Also, although Baldus, Aldo, and, of course, the elite knights were also active, the reason the three who turned the tide of that desperate battle situation are being particularly praised here today is because of their outstanding achievements.

Although they each played different roles, it was something they could never have achieved if even one of them had been missing.

Because their achievements were outstanding, far surpassing anyone else's, and the three of them were gathered here today.

The King of Asteria's gaze first turned toward Sofia.

"Sofia. I hear your magic has purified the land. Your ability to recreate the lost deeds of the Great Saintess in the modern era... You are truly worthy of being called the reincarnation of the Great Saintess."

Amidst the sounds of joyous exclamations, Sofia carefully bowed her head once.

Next, the king turned his gaze to Luna.

"Luna, this operation would not have been possible without your wisdom. Your achievements, from deciphering the mechanism of barrier magic to completely sealing the Tyranno Behemoth with that great magic... As someone who seeks the truth of magic, this is the greatest accomplishment imaginable."

Once again, cheers erupted. Luna bowed her head lightly in the same way, and the king's gaze finally turned toward Aria.

Aria straightened her back slightly, and the king's mouth slowly moved.

"And Aria, it seems your swordsmanship was the final blow that brought us victory. I hear that the magic sword you unleashed was truly a legendary strike after seizing the opportunity Luna created."

The king praised each individual's achievements with unstinting praise.

As the venue was once again filled with cheers of joy.

Finally, the king mentioned one more name.

"And there is a man we must not forget... The unsung hero who supported the miracles of these three... He equipped the heroes, repaired the recovery items essential for regenerating the Great Saint's barrier, provided the Crystallium to defeat the Tyranno Behemoth, and even processed it for them... His skill was like divine craftsmanship... The magic blacksmith, Darius. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the greatest contributor this time."

Their father's name was spoken by the King of Asteria with the greatest praise.

Those words carried enough weight to silence the nobles who had previously been skeptical about Darius's existence and had only heard rumors about him.

His name was no longer an uncertain rumor.

He is officially recognized by the kingdom as a true hero and will be etched in the hearts of everyone present.

(Yes...! Darius-sensei, everyone is giving you a huge round of applause...!)

Aria felt a warmth welling up from deep within her chest.

It made her much, much happier than when she was praised herself.

Looking at Luna beside her, she saw that even she, who was usually so calm, was proudly smiling and pursing her lips.

Sofia also had a radiant smile, like a flower in bloom, which she usually didn't show much outside.

For the three sisters, their father being justly recognized was the greatest honor of all, so their reaction was only natural.

"To the three heroes, I shall first bestow rewards upon you. State your desires. And then to the hero Darius as well, I shall grant him as much reward as he desires. Gold, silver, treasures, titles... tell me anything you wish for."

(...We are not that interested, though.)

Aria exchanged glances with Luna and Sofia, and they quietly nodded at each other. Then, as they had decided beforehand, Aria stepped forward as their representative.

"Your Majesty's kind words alone are more than enough reward for us three sisters. However, if we may be so bold as to take advantage of your generosity, there is just one thing... If we could be granted a mansion in a town or village near the edge of the barrier, there would be no greater joy."

The king raised his eyebrows in surprise at Aria's wish.

"...Is that all? Many people desire prime real estate in the royal capital."

"Yes. For us, that's the best place of all."

(...Even if I get a position or title, the workload just increases to match it.)

The king stared at her intently, but then he nodded slowly.

Chapter 58