Even if each person's name was merely read aloud along with a single sentence, the investiture ceremony for the viscounts still lasted a full two hours.
Adding the earlier knightly parade through the streets, dragon display ceremony, and king's speech, it was already ten in the morning by the time the proceedings for the founding ceremony at the palace square had all concluded. The ceremony then moved into Sun Moon Stars Palace for the subsequent investiture of counts and marquises.
There was not much difference from the ceremony for investing viscounts, barons, and knights.
It was simply that each count and marquis received a great deal more individual fanfare. Thus, all twenty-one marquises and sixty-four counts completed their investiture ceremonies successfully before noon.
"The Flame Kingdom has only just been founded. The founding nobles include not only knights, barons, viscounts, counts, and marquises, but also three dukes: William Tulip, Duke of Tulip Island; Piero Grayiron, Duke of Parasol Tree Island; and Bluposi, Duke of the Saltwater Sea, who was unable to attend the ceremony."
After presiding over the investitures all morning, Liszt's mouth was dry and his mind in turmoil. The little excitement and exhilaration he had felt earlier had long since been worn away.
Still, he forced himself to stay alert and completed the final part of the ceremony. "Separate investiture ceremonies will be held for the three dukes on another day. And now, it is time for the luncheon. Please join me."
The luncheon was held in the palace's grand hall.
All the nobles attended the feast together, but the high nobles and envoys from various nations gathered in one place, the middle nobles in another, and the low nobles in yet another. There was no such thing as equality for all. Under the knightly system, the hierarchy