Chapter 86
“We can book a hotel ourselves.”
“Why bother? Just stay with us.”
“But wouldn’t it be rude to the young master and Sir Luciard?”
“The young master specifically asked to stay together.”
After spending a few days in Byron, Winston and the Frost family traveled to the capital to discuss accommodation for the upcoming festivities. Winston had a townhouse in the capital, but the Frosts usually stayed in hotels.
However, with the big Empire-wide event, the Milky Way Festival, finding decent lodging was nearly impossible.
For the Frosts, securing a place might still be manageable.
“Hestia, are others staying here too?”
Thanks to Leonhard’s strong insistence, the Frost family was invited to stay at Winston’s mansion for the Milky Way Festival.
For the Frosts, this was perfect. It was their first time coming to the capital together, and Winston’s townhouse was conveniently located near the Imperial Palace.
Though there was a nagging feeling that they might be taking advantage of their daughter for personal gain,
“Baron, if you leave now, Leon will be disappointed. The kids would also prefer staying together here rather than at a hotel.”
With Luciard backing Leonhard, Derrick finally gave in.
“I suppose we’ll have to rely on your hospitality, Sir Luciard.”
“The pleasure is ours. Leon seems to enjoy Eric and Annie’s company even more than ours lately.”
During their stay in Byron, Leonhard had quickly bonded with the Frost siblings and spent all his time with them.
Even when traveling, he insisted on riding in the Frost carriage instead of with Hestia and Luciard.
Because of the large group, they had to travel in separate carriages, and Hestia and Luciard had planned to take Leonhard with them, only to hear,
“I’ll ride with Eric. You two ride together!”
It left them speechless.
“Who would’ve thought the young master would blend so seamlessly into our family?”
Seeing Leonhard so at ease with the Frost family brought a smile to Hestia’s face.
“Well, as long as they’re happy.”
“I’m glad to see him getting along well. At least he’s made friends,” Anna said with a smile.
“I’m just worried he might be taking after us in the wrong ways…”
Anna chuckled. “Now you understand how hard it was to raise you four.”
“You must be tired from the journey. Get some rest. Tomorrow’s schedule is packed.”
“Thank goodness we’re staying here. Just the thought of managing those little rascals in a hotel exhausts me.”
With the staff here, Anna’s burden of watching over the children was lightened.
While looking around, Hestia noticed members of the Blaze Mercenary Group unloading their luggage.
“This time, you’ll stay here, right? I felt bad last time when you stayed elsewhere.”
“We’ve already received a lot from you; we don’t want to impose anymore…”
“Impose? We’ve been grateful for all your help,” Hestia said.
The mercenaries had assisted the knights and played with Leonhard during their stay in Byron, making them invaluable.
“Please make yourselves comfortable. There’s plenty of room.”
Hestia instructed the staff to take their belongings to their rooms, hoping they wouldn’t go off looking for accommodation again.
“If I treat them well now, they might become valuable allies in the future.”
Blaze Mercenaries would soon make a name for themselves. Having such skilled individuals in the knights would be a huge advantage.
“Captain, may I have a word…”
As Hestia pondered, Lavio called Luciard aside for a private conversation.
The Milky Way Festival is held during the brightest and hottest summer, when all fruits are ripening, it’s the best time to see the Milky Way. It also serves as a time to check the stars and predict whether the second half of the year will be safe.
For some, though, it was the perfect chance to mingle and find a match.
“This is the perfect opportunity! If we miss it, we’ll have to wait months!”
“Make sure to bring a proper lady this time. Is the heat really your concern right now? Your marriage is the priority!”
“For once, the man of your dreams will appear right before your eyes. Don’t give up just yet, my daughter!”
The festival, organized by the Imperial Family, has become a social season for many young nobles.
Naturally, with so many aristocrats gathering, the event turned into a grand social gathering.
However, even those who were not of marriageable age could still enjoy the Milky Way Festival.
“Wow, look at all these people!”
“Aren’t they hot in those outfits?”
“Hey, what’s going on over there?”
Hestia arrived at the Imperial Palace with her parents and children to attend the opening ceremony of the festival.
They were in the newly opened Imperial Garden, right next to the forest and a large lake, offering a stunning view.
The children were as excited as ever and were about to run off.
“Elvin, Annie, Eric!”
“Young Master Leon!”
Anna and Hestia quickly called them back.
“Yes, mother?”
“Not yet, wait a moment.”
“What did you say in the carriage?”
“We’ll first greet His Majesty.”
“Yes, His Majesty will soon announce the start of the festival, so we just need to wait a little longer.”
Hestia reassured Leonhard and the others, and though they were disappointed, they nodded and calmed down.
“Do I have to greet the Emperor too?” Leonhard asked.
“Of course. It would be rude not to, especially after coming this far. Plus, it’s a good opportunity to make an impression.”
“Impression?”
“It’s to show that Winston is still strong.”
Since the death of the Duke and Duchess, everyone knew a young child now led the Everyone knew Winston’s family had recently lost both parents, leaving a young heir.
Though they might not know that Hystia was chosen as the guardian,
‘Everyone will likely see Winston as weak because of the loss of his parents.’
There were even those who would try to take advantage of the orphaned child.
‘People will underestimate him, thinking it’s easy to handle a child without a guardian.’
“They’ll regret underestimating us.”
Hestia scanned the crowd, already noting those eyeing Leonhard. His striking red hair and eyes, a hallmark of the Southern ducal family, made him easily recognizable.
But their gazes didn’t stop at Leonhard—they lingered on Luciard as well.
“They must be wondering why he’s here.”
Luciard’s resemblance to Leonhard was unmistakable. Though their eye colors were different, they could easily be mistaken as siblings.
It wasn’t just curiosity in the crowd’s eyes. Among them were young noblewomen, blushing and subtly fixing their hair as they glanced at Luciard.
Luciard’s striking looks and his fine attire made him stand out even more.
“This festival is going to be lively in more ways than one.”
“Hey, Hestia.”
“Yes, young master?”
“Have you ever met the Emperor?”
“Yes, a few times when I accompanied my father to the capital.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but I don’t know much about him. I just stood quietly beside my father.”
“Uncle, what about you? Have you seen the Emperor?” Hestia asked Luciard.
“Once or twice, back in my academy days. I even received a prize from him during a swordsmanship competition.”
“Didn’t you mention a rumor about the Emperor joining the academy?”
“Yeah. But I guess it was just a rumor. He never enrolled.”
“Ah…”
“His Majesty could’ve enrolled as the Crown Prince, but as Emperor, it would have been complicated,” Derrick interjected.
Luciard and Hestia nodded, deep in thought.
Suddenly, a trumpet fanfare silenced the crowd.
“The radiant sun of the Empire! His Majesty the Emperor enters!”
Everyone, including Hystia, bowed their heads and showed respect.
The younger children stumbled a bit, but with help from their parents, they managed to keep their heads down until the Emperor reached his throne.
“All of you, rise.”
His voice, somewhat husky, was heard clearly.
When they looked up, the Emperor stood before them, smiling proudly, his golden hair shining brightly under the crown, and his violet eyes glowing with intelligence.
With a beaming smile, the Emperor began his speech,
“After a harsh winter and a vibrant spring, summer has finally arrived. Let us celebrate the abundance ahead…”
Though his speech was ceremonious and lengthy, Leonhard whispered,
“Hestia, how old is the Emperor this year?”
Hestia studied the Emperor’s face thoughtfully.
With round, gentle eyes, a well-defined nose, and lips that moved with the speech, the emperor had the kind of beautiful appearance that women would admire and cheer for. While Luciard had a cold and stoic look, the emperor had a warm, sunny smile that fit him perfectly.
However, despite his looks, there were still signs of youth—his chubby cheeks, a slightly husky voice, a sign of adolescence, and… a somewhat shorter stature that indicated he was still growing. Even compared to Gabriel, who stood in the front, the emperor appeared younger.
In fact, it was clear at a glance, even when compared to Hestia, that the emperor was younger.
Was it because the emperor looked youthful? No, that wasn’t it.
Leaning slightly toward Leonhard, Hestia whispered in a quiet voice only he could hear:
“This year, he turns fifteen.”
The truth was simple—the emperor was still a teenager, not yet an adult.
