Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points! Chapter 169: • The Name That Binds Fate

At those words, a figure in red and gold robes stepped forward from where the clergy stood gathered.

High Priestess Isode.

Her robes, which were usually a pure white trimd with gold—the colors of divine wisdom—were today woven in crimson and gold as she carried a ceremonial black obsidian blade in her hands while walking forward.

The hall, already silent, sohow grew even more solemn.

Stopping before the raised dais where the Emperor sat, Isode turned slightly to address the entire court.

"As per tradition," she began, her voice clear and steady, "I will ask the gods to cast their gaze upon this day and bless the newborn prince, that his path may be guided by divine will, that his spirit may remain unshaken, and that his destiny may be fulfilled."

She then turned towards the Emperor directly.

Isode held the blade by its golden handle and used it to slightly cut her right palm, causing her blood to seep to the surface, but she kept a composed expression through it.

"Your Majesty, with your permission, may the gods bear witness. But before we proceed, I must ask—what is the na of the prince?"

Emperor Arkanos gave a slow nod, then cast his gaze upon his little one. "His na is Vale Bloodbane."

Vale Bloodbane.

A murmur passed through the gathered nobility.

"Vale Bloodbane..."

The na echoed through the grand hall, carrying with it a weight that few had expected.

"Vale? A Valebright na? But he is a Bloodbane..."

"A bold choice," another murmured, stroking his beard. "A na of warriors, yet bound to an empire steeped in conquest. What ssage does His Majesty intend?"

"Does he an to forge a new legacy?"

"Or to honor an old one?"

"A prince nad for the empire's sword... and yet born to wear the crown."

The na—Vale—was familiar, yet not. It carried echoes of another legacy, one bound to the empire's very foundations.

Valebright.

That was the na of the family that had served as the Crown's Sword for generations.

A house of warriors, forged in battle, tempered by duty. It was said that when the first Emperor seized his throne, it was Valebright steel that carved the path through his enemies.

They were the ones who stood at the forefront, the ones who bled so the empire could rise.

Strength. Valor. An unyielding spirit.

That was what the na Vale should have evoked.

And yet—Bloodbane.

With that surna, the na took on sothing else entirely. Sothing darker. Heavier.

Not just a knight's blade, but a conqueror's sword.

Not rely a warrior's honor, but a ruler's burden.

The legacy of the Bloodbane line was one of power, yes, but it was also one of ruthlessness, of an empire that had torn through history like a wildfire.

The na was no longer just a banner for those who walked at the pinnacle of strength and valor.

Now, it carried the weight of one who would one day wear the crown.

A na with weight. A na that would one day be etched into history, whether in triumph or tragedy.

High Priestess Isode gave a slow nod, her expression unreadable. If she had any thoughts on the na, she did not voice them. Instead, Isode extended her cut palm and let her blood drip onto the infant's forehead.

A single crimson drop.

As the blood touched him, little Vale, swaddled in rich silks embroidered with the sigil of the Bloodbane empire, stirred but did not cry, looking up at the High Priestess curiously.

Whether it was an early sign of resilience or simply the blissful ignorance of infancy, none could say.

Ralph, standing among the knights, watched in fascination, his usual wit failing him for once. He had never witnessed this part of the tradition up close, and sothing about it felt almost surreal.

Blood on the forehead of a newborn—so much for the tender innocence of childhood.

The blood did not run; it remained a perfect circle on the child's skin, almost as though it had been seared there instead of rely spilled.

A sign.

A blessing? A warning?

It did not matter. The gods had witnessed.

Isode stepped back, lowering her bloodied hand.

"The gods have seen."

A pause.

"The gods have answered."

Isode turned to little Ralph and gestured for him to step forward.

"Now, let the Empire hear the oath."

Ralph stood frozen for a brief mont, nerves gripping him. Isode spoke again.

"Young knight, step forward."

He found it hard to move. A firm hand landed on his back. It was Garik, who leaned in with a smirk.

"That's your cue, boy. Go beco a real knight. Don't go getting cold feet now. Do you want to bring sha to your family?"

"But... what if I ss up?"

Seraphine smiled as she placed a firm hand on his shoulder, a silent reminder that she was there, watching, guiding. But even her steady presence couldn't stop the rapid pounding of his heart.

She leaned in and told him, "You'll be fine. You just need to keep a straight face while you make the oath."

"Easier said than done..." he let out a sigh.

Taking a deep breath, Ralph steadied himself and stepped forward, his boots echoing against the polished stone floor. He knelt before the Emperor, the prince, and the virtuous gods as the priestess continued the ritual.

There was a reason it was the fourth youngest son of House Valebright who knelt before the Emperor today, rather than one of the elder three.

A reason steeped in tradition, in beliefs that had shaped the empire since its very foundation.

The first Emperor, the man who had forged the Bloodbane dynasty with fire and steel, had not done so alone.

At his side had been his most trusted knight—Valebright, the first of his na, the sword that had carved through the empire's enemies like a reaper's scythe.

Their bond had been more than re duty; they had been brothers in all but blood, bound not only by oath but by sothing far deeper.