“Grand Duke Evans asks for an audience with His Majesty.”
“Let him come.”
The Emperor’s voice sank. Since the prince appeared splendidly, it was only natural that Archduke Evans’ buttocks, which did not show his face as an excuse for his senile and diseased body, became lighter. Archduke Evans’ plan was clear. He postponed the sudden call asking for an audience on the pretext of health, and then postponed it, thinking that if he delayed it further, rumors would spread that the Emperor was lying down. However, it was delayed by ten days.
The Emperor sighed and watched as the door to the audience room opened. A stout old man stepped in between them. On the face of Archduke Evans, who was not even seen in the imperial castle on the pretext of his sick body, there was a vitality that the emperor did not have. The difference between the vitality of the two old men was the difference between the one who had the ambition to take everything away and the one who stayed up all night struggling to not be taken away.
“Greeting the sun of the empire.”
Archduke Evans, who bent his knees and bowed his head slightly in awe, raised his head and stood upright.
“It’s been a while, Archduke. Your face looks very good.”
The Emperor threw down his bony horse. He couldn’t even see his nose because he was sick for 5 years, and then suddenly came to visit him, but he had a good face? Was he kidding him?
“Yes. Recently, I was feeling better, so I was able to ask for an audience. I’m so glad. After all, I was finally able to see His Majesty.”
Archduke Evans lied without batting an eye. He had been sick so far, but he was going to have a good time now. He lied to the Emperor like that.
“Okay? Jim hasn’t been feeling well lately either, and I’d like to know the secret to getting so well.”
The Emperor asked with a sneer.
“I just prayed to God and prayed for the well-being of His Majesty the Emperor, so I think the heavens honored me and bestowed blessings on me. If my prayers work, I believe that His Majesty will get better soon.”
“Thank you.”
“You are not feeling well, but thank you for allowing me to visit you.”
He had only thought of cutting his breath while sharpening his sword behind him, but now Archduke Evans looked as if he had prayed for the Emperor.
“As I get older, my body inevitably breaks down. Please kindly forgive me for not being able to see you often due to my poor health.”
Archduke Evans bowed his head. Normally, he would have stood up straight and turned around to avoid saying sorry, but for some reason he apologized meekly. It seemed that he had come to talk about the prince more boldly than he thought. So he must be obedient to the Emperor, which is not the purpose of the day.
“In a situation where we are growing old together, what can we do other than forgive? I will raise my head.”
“Thank you for the grace, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor smiled benevolently, anticipating the old serpent’s next words.
“In the meantime, I only kept my seat, but when I went out after a long time and came to the palace and looked around the capital, the world had changed a lot. To the point that it is difficult for an old man to follow.”
“Is it? It seems that the Archduke is not good at adapting.”
“Haha. Shame on me, but yes. It took me a while to accept the fact that His Highness the Prince had already grown up and returned to the capital. In my memory, he was a very small child.”
Needless to say, the main point seemed to come right away. it was better The Emperor was very averse to haggling with the Archduke. If the Archduke was a little careless, he would catch the victory himself. The Emperor answered politely.
“Yes. He has grown up a lot too.”
“I am very happy to hear that His Highness returned from studying abroad safely. He left about five years ago, right?”
The story of studying abroad had just been made up, but Archduke Evans pretended that Leone’s studying abroad was real and that it had already been known five years ago.
“Rumor has it that His Highness the Prince on the march has grown up very beautifully. My conviction also made me want to see His Highness the Prince. How is His Highness the Prince?”
“He is doing well.”
“If he does, since he is the one who will become the owner of the empire, shouldn’t he start interacting with me in social circles? Since he studied abroad for a long time, you probably don’t know the physiology of this place.”
The question the Emperor expected came out. He wouldn’t ask about the beast prince, the 5-year hiatus, or anything else. First of all, he wanted Leone to be brought in front of him. He would like to see the status. It was like that.
“He has to come out to the social world in order to prepare to ascend the throne.”
The justification was also very flimsy. Didn’t it seem like a loyal subject’s remonstrance for the imperial family? However, the Emperor did not panic at the words of the Archduke as before. It was possible to guess how much Leone had changed recently just by looking at Adler’s report and the atmosphere in the imperial palace. The moment he hadn’t seen him in a while, he was again in despair at the sight of his nephew making animal noises, but the Emperor was also excited by Adler’s voice, which became brighter day by day. It occurred to him that the first seizure was a mere coincidence and accident. However, the time the Emperor had been able to earn from Archduke Evans had only been ten days, and Leone had not yet fully mastered manners.
‘It’s already unsettling to be sent out to the social world.’
It was obvious that if he hid the Prince instead of sending him out, various rumors would spread. Starting with the nickname “beast prince,” which would flow from the mouths of nobles who remembered Leone five years ago, rumors that he was ill could circulate. If rumors circulated that he was ill, suspicions could have been raised that the 5-year hiatus was not to study abroad, but to treat a chronic disease. The Emperor even thought about whether he would rather lie down and pretend to be seriously ill to create an atmosphere where the empire would refrain from holding banquets. However, even if the word that the Emperor was lying down came out, only the imperial authority would be weakened.
It’s been a while since he came back and he was adjusting, so even if the Emperor said that he couldn’t go out into the social world right now, there would be a deadline. By the time he would think his adaptation was complete, he would eventually have to step out in front of people.
“Don’t you usually hold a banquet to celebrate your return as soon as you return? Ten days have passed and there has been no news, so everyone is curious. Is there a reason why he can’t show himself in front of others…”
Archduke Evans was right in every word. Even the nobility throws a party to celebrate or welcome them when they return home from far away. But the prince came back after 5 years and didn’t do anything. It was unacceptable in the social world, and it was a loss of prestige.
“It’s been a while since he returned to Atarta, so the prince is also adjusting. There is a plan to hold a banquet soon after the prince’s travel poisoning has subsided sufficiently. Will the Archduke attend?”
‘Yes, let’s trust Leone.’
When he thought of his nephew in the past, the current nephew has grown up to be ridiculous. So he decided to buy some more time as an excuse to adapt.
“It will be my pleasure.”
“At that time, I hope I don’t hear about the Archduke’s illness.”
“Yes. I will definitely keep my body healthy. I will pray for His Majesty to get better soon.”
Archduke Evans smiled with satisfaction.
“Please stay healthy, Archduke. Having lived this long since the time of the former Emperor until now, isn’t the Archduke truly an imperial history book? Endure until you see the prince ascend to the throne.”
The emperor said, ‘You live a really dirty long life’ and sniped at him, saying, ‘To the Emperor you’re a beggar anyway. I’m confident in the prince,’ and even showed off advanced techniques.
“Yes. As Your Majesty has said, I believe that this is my mission. Then, I will just leave, your majesty.”
The Archduke bowed his head without changing a single expression. Contrary to how he had been in a hurry to hide the prince so far, he could have been a little agitated because of the Emperor who seemed to be full of confidence, but his poker face was clear. Until the moment Archduke Evans greeted him and turned around and walked away, the Emperor did not respond.
After the Archduke left the audience room, the Emperor clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. You always look like an old man like a poisonous snake. Butler.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Summon Sir Adler. Say we’re having a banquet- Oh, no. Asking busy people to come is a waste of time. You deliver the words and come.”
“Yes.”
“Tell them that next week we will hold a small banquet with only my aides to practice for the prince to enter the social world. And after that, we will prepare for the return banquet.”
“Yes, your majesty.”
The Emperor ordered the chief chamberlain, Butler. The Butler left the audience room without delay.
* * *
“A banquet? It’s too soon.”
The Emperor’s chamberlain went there. It’s a banquet. She was surprised by the sudden drop of a large bomb and said worriedly, but the three men seemed unconcerned.
“Trixie. I’m okay. I should do something like a banquet.”
“Lord Leone says it’s okay. Hasn’t he even mastered the waltz these days?”
“Trixie. It looks fine to me.”
From Leone to Adler to Benjamin. She was the only one concerned here. Adler and Benjamin were like that, but even Leone kept saying he was okay, so he had nothing to say. Somehow she felt betrayed… Did he really grow up alone without her knowing, or did he keep enduring things he didn’t like? She wished she could say it was cool. Were wolves really that reticent?
“I need to get dressed. The Imperial Tailor said that her hands are very fast. One suit should be available within a week. I also need to decide on the clothes to make for the return banquet this time.”
“Yes, knight. At that time – what did you say?”
“Ah. Well worked out. Leone. You have a really good eye.”
“Huh.”
Now Adler seemed closer to Leone than to her. She kept her mouth shut and took a step back to watch the three friendly men.
‘I’m not sad, I’m not sad…’
She was trying to get rid of the sadness that kept accumulating from the other day. In the meantime, Leone’s gaze turned to her. She was a little surprised.
“Trixie.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Gradually, words of respect came to her lips. Because he was respectful, Leone really felt like an employer rather than a younger brother. It felt like it would be difficult to stroke his hair like before. Leone stretched out his long legs and in an instant he stood in front of her.
“It is far away.”
It’s only a step or two, but it’s far away.
‘Surprised, really.’
It seemed that the ghost approaching in an instant in the hallway would not be faster than this.
“It wasn’t too far. It was just a step back.”
“Why did you back off?”
“That is. I think the three of you have something to talk about.”
“Ah.”
Leone let out a short sound as if he knew, then turned around.
“Knight. teacher.”
“Yes, Lord Leone.”
“Get out.”
“…yes?”
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Translator Note:
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