Cornelia was busy quelling the unrest in Ishikawa and would not be back anytime soon, so Euphemia took matters into her own hands and, for once, put her foot down. The next day, she had Earl Lloyd sign the mountain of paperwork, and within three days, she held the knight's investiture ceremony.
As Suzaku Kururugi walked down the red carpet, both the nobles in attendance and the public watching the live broadcast erupted in incredulous murmurs and expressions of contempt.
"An Honorary Britannian?"
"Since it's Princess Euphemia, choosing an Honorary Britannian would be one thing, but an Eleven..."
"They even authorized a television broadcast. How did that get approved?"
"It must be that, of course. Princess Euphemia is at that age, after all."
"But Suzaku Kururugi is only a major. Isn't his rank a little too low to justify this?"
"Appointing a knight is an imperial prerogative. Even the governor-general can't interfere. Princess Cornelia probably used that rule to tacitly approve her sister's actions. Really, she spoils her sister far too much."
"Speaking of which, didn't Princess Cornelia go to Ishikawa? Prince Ask is the only one left in the settlement with any authority to speak, isn't he?"
"Princess Cornelia won't join either the Radical Faction or the Pureblood Faction, so Prince Ask intends to stand by and watch. After all, only the governor-general and deputy governor-general officially have administrative and command authority. If there really are any negative repercussions, they won't implicate him."
"Then wasn't that interview the day before yesterday, where they tried to draw closer, a wasted effort?"
"Who knows?"
"Prince Ask didn't even attend this investiture ceremony. He's already made his stance clear."
The hubbub of conversation was not loud, but it was just loud enough to reach Suzaku Kururugi's ears.
Still, he had long since