Amid the young man's muttered complaints, the staff member's impassioned voice rang out.
"Without further ado, let us welcome Fred Alster!"
"Our hero of Copernicus!"
As the words from the recently popular female idol serving as host on stage faded, the crowd quickly erupted into cheers.
"These Naturals are so noisy. Have they never seen the world before?" the young man grumbled, pretending nonchalance as he lifted his head without any intention of looking toward the stage.
The crowd seemed divided into two groups—one side applauding enthusiastically while the other remained noticeably cooler. Clearly, the young man belonged to the latter group.
However, his aloof demeanor was soon interrupted by the girl gripping his arm tightly. Both being Coordinators, he had no time to feel pleased about his childhood friend holding his hand before he winced in pain.
"Hero!" the girl exclaimed loudly before he could ask, her voice blending into the distant cheers, slightly muffled.
"I know he's a hero, but why are you squeezing so hard?" the young man retorted irritably, as if criticizing her for behaving like an uncultured Natural. He turned to look, and his remaining words died in his throat.
"Holy... how is this possible?"
They exchanged glances, mutual astonishment reflected in their eyes. The boy on stage looked exactly like the one who had kicked away that pervert back then. Didn't that mean... he was a Natural?
Beyond their shock, many others were captivated by the boy's strikingly handsome appearance. A Natural, yet with looks rivaling a Coordinator's. And abilities surpassing a Coordinator's. Truly, he must be the chosen one!
Amid the crowd's awe, the young man maintained his composure—outwardly, at least. Facing a crowd larger than any he had performed for during company galas, with every pair of eyes fixed intently on him, Fred felt slightly dizzy. He gets dizzy around crowds.
Fortunately, his experience of awkwardly dancing at corporate events had left him with at least a calm facade. Fred suspected, however, that his growing mental fortitude—thanks to his Golden Finger—played the bigger role.
Regardless, Fred steadily approached Copernicus Mayor, who stood waiting on the stage. The mayor was a middle-aged man, but his well-proportioned build, crisp suit, and meticulously styled hair gave him the air of an elite. Or perhaps he was one all along.
This wasn't their first meeting; they had met during the rehearsal. Still, the mayor was somewhat surprised to see Fred remain so composed before tens of thousands of people. Of course, that surprise paled in comparison to the astonishment he had felt upon learning the full story behind the events.
This medal ceremony served not only to boost public morale but also to grant Fred a favor—or rather, a mark in the public media. To link Fred with Copernicus. So that in the future, as Fred's fame grew, Copernicus would continue to thrive alongside him.
At least that was his plan.
Thinking this, Mayor Copernicus bowed deeply to the young man before him and said sincerely,
"Mr. Fred, thank you for your contributions to Copernicus."
These words were genuine, because if not for Fred, while he might not have died, his position as Mayor of Copernicus would certainly have been lost.
After all, Copernicus itself would have been gone.
Upon hearing this, Fred showed no arrogance, instead bending at the same depth in return.
"It was my duty!"
"Well said."
Hearing Fred's words, the mayor's lips curved upward as he straightened up, firmly patting the young man's shoulder.
He knew he hadn't misjudged the person.
Look, what a fine young man.
He would surely lead Copernicus to new glories in the future.
If the Atlantic Federation hadn't reached the point where they absolutely needed him, he truly would have wanted the young man to stay.
He'd be a sure successor as mayor someday.
Though considering the young man's current prospects,
it wasn't impossible for him to become a planetary governor in the future. Then Copernicus would be the city where a planetary governor once trained.
That would still bring fame.
Come to think of it, where was his residence again?
He should cordon it off now and establish it as Fred's former residence later.
While Mayor Copernicus was busy with these business thoughts, he was simultaneously pinning a medal to Fred's chest.
The medal depicted a moon, above which stood a magnificent city, the entire piece radiating dazzling colors.
It wasn't made of gold, yet was worth many times more than the gold of this era.
Rumored to be made from some unknown lunar metal, extremely scarce.
They'd accidentally dug up a small piece while constructing Copernicus in this giant natural crater, likely some mineral left by an asteroid that impacted the lunar surface.
Too small for any practical use, they decided to make it into a medal.
Fred was only the second person to receive this highest-level honor.
The first had been Copernicus's founding mayor.
In any case, it was indeed the highest possible recognition.
As the award ceremony concluded, the crowd's cheers showed no signs of dying down.
The sound waves truly crashed over him like surging sea waves.
"Mr. Fred, please say a few words."
The host approached with a beaming smile.
As Copernicus's top female idol, she looked at Fred with a mix of flattery and radiance.
Celebrities might appear lofty, but compared to Fred's status, they were nothing special.
This was a perfect opportunity to connect.
Pity he was so young and still unaware of romantic hints—she'd tried several times without any response.
"Certainly."
Fred smiled modestly and walked to the center of the stage.
The noisy sounds gradually quieted down.
"Thank you everyone, and thank you for the mayor's generous appreciation."
"But standing here, my first thought isn't of honor, but of those who fell beside me that day. Their faces, I will never forget."
Fred's voice carried a note of sorrow.
"I am a 'hero' because I prevented the attack. But I was merely someone who happened to be there by coincidence."
"Behind me at that time were my family, my friends, the aunt from next door. I simply didn't want the smiling faces I knew to disappear, that's all."
"Put in the same position, I believe every one of you here could have become this 'hero'."
Before Fred had even finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue the moment his words fell.
Clearly, with just the opening remarks, Fred had already successfully resonated with everyone present.
Watching this scene unfold were not only the residents of Copernicus, but also the entire world through live broadcasts.
This included Lacus during her class break, Siegel in his Councilor's office, and everyone in Washington.
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "TLGod" on Patreon!"
Thanks!