Chapter 26
Clip-clop.
Clip-clop.
Clip-clop.
A long procession of carriages.
Carriages displaying the prestige of their respective nations entered the Imperial Palace.
“An imperial banquet. How long has it been?”
“Going by the records alone, it’s been over fifty years.”
“I don’t even know if this can be called a banquet. Throwing a celebratory party right after a bloodbath is truly…”
Unlike the older generation who remembered the days when the Empire was feared, the princes and princesses did not know of the Empire’s past.
They harbored dissatisfaction at attending a party they felt dragged to against their will.
“I only came because father told me to, but why do I have to act as a prop here?”
What did the Empire throwing a grand banquet have to do with their coming here?
This was especially true for an Empire that had recently been evaluated as having grown weak.
Not only did they have to bow their heads and enter, but they also had to empty their national treasuries to prepare gifts.
[Isn’t the Empire being terrifying a story from father’s generation? The times have changed now… So why?]
They had even heard that the host of this banquet wasn’t the Emperor, but the Crown Prince.
It would have been unpleasant enough if it were the Emperor’s order, but the Crown Prince? It was truly absurd.
Rumor had it that he was a good-natured fool.
What on earth was he thinking?
Even as their dissatisfaction steadily piled up.
The procession of carriages entering the Imperial Palace knew no end.
“Welcome to the heart of the Empire. Please have an enjoyable time.”
“…”
Those who stepped out of their carriages found the notion of an “enjoyable time” vanish from their minds upon seeing the fierce Aura of the Knights.
The weaker a Kingdom’s power, the stronger this tendency became.
Conversely, there were also those who entered the Imperial Palace without a single thought.
“Hmm, so this is the heart of the Bellos Empire.”
The Saint of the Romper Holy Nation, Balleryan.
He wanted to meet the Crown Prince as soon as possible.
[Just how much has the Crown Prince changed, and why did he eliminate two of my competitors?]
What on earth was his intention?
He was lost in a swirl of thoughts.
The Empire continued to receive the procession of carriages arriving from each nation.
They meticulously sorted the gifts and guided the royal guests one by one to the Annex Palace.
Of course, among them.
“Why am I not in a palace, but…!”
“We apologize. Please understand that it cannot be helped due to the large number of people.”
There were those who harbored dissatisfaction with the guidance.
But they immediately tucked their tails between their legs at the Aura of the Knights following behind them.
Sword Masters, who were considered precious in a typical Kingdom, seemed to be commonplace in the Empire.
They had come to the conclusion that throwing a tantrum for no reason would only result in their meeting an ugly end.
Perhaps that was why.
Even though Esteemed Guests from various countries had gathered, not a single complaint was heard.
And finally, the day of the banquet arrived.
The Esteemed Guests from each nation began to gather one by one in the Grand Banquet Hall.
“From the Land Kingdom…!”
The order of entry for the banquet was, quite naturally, the lower the status, the earlier, and the higher the status, the later.
It proceeded according to the strict rules of the Entrance Order, and naturally, the one who set that standard was the Empire.
[Hah, this is driving me crazy. Is this not a banquet, but the Empire trying to reestablish the order of the Continent?]
[Why are we entering before them? Is there something we don’t know?]
[Even though we should be the first to enter for superficial reasons… we’re in the back? Does the Empire perhaps know of our Kingdom’s hidden military strength?]
[How on earth does the Empire, which recently carved out its own flesh… know these facts…]
And those invited felt great confusion at those standards.
Because no matter how much they thought about it, they couldn’t understand the meaning behind the entry order set by the Empire.
Especially.
“From the Maselin Kingdom…”
Everyone was astonished when the Maselin Kingdom entered in the middle of the order.
Technically speaking, they should have been the second or third to enter from the very front.
How could the Crown Princess of the Maselin Kingdom enter in the middle?
[Just how much has changed?]
[What exactly does the Empire know, and to what extent?]
Those thoughts were brief.
The Esteemed Guests of each nation entered the Grand Banquet Hall one by one.
And finally, at the very end.
“The Noble bloodline of the Bellos Empire!”
The one everyone had been eagerly awaiting.
“Second Prince! His Highness Bedin Bellos is entering!”
It wasn’t the Crown Prince.
Second Prince Bedin revealed himself in the Grand Banquet Hall.
Although Bedin was evaluated by the public as being frivolous.
His current appearance seemed somehow incredibly withdrawn.
He was withdrawn, yet his Aura was composed, one might say.
It would be accurate to evaluate him as looking passive.
“Thank you for gathering like this to celebrate the Empire’s changes.”
As soon as the Second Prince appeared in the Grand Banquet Hall like that, everyone shut their mouths.
In the instantly settled atmosphere, the Second Prince walked to The Center of the banquet hall and raised his glass.
“For the eternal glory of the Empire.”
“For the eternal glory of the Empire!”
And immediately following that, it happened.
“I shall begin the Empire’s banquet.”
A toast was made, and the Official declaration of the banquet’s start followed.
As soon as the Second Prince’s words fell, the music began playing in earnest.
Those who had been stiffly frozen began to move to enjoy the banquet.
However, even as they moved, they continued to glance upwards.
[Why didn’t the Second Prince step up onto the dais?]
[Then who is supposed to sit in that seat of honor that looks down on the banquet hall?]
The Second Prince did not sit on the Throne and hosted the banquet from The Center.
[Does his not sitting on the Throne mean the Crown Prince is coming late?]
[Why didn’t the Crown Prince come right away?]
[Because of what? Is there a reason for him to come this late?]
Haha, hoho.
Laughing and chatting amidst the Esteemed Guests of each nation.
The sound of their eyes shifting and their minds racing could practically be heard.
Of course, even with such sounds.
“Mirne, it’s nice to see you here like this.”
“Your Highness the Second Prince, is it alright for you to come straight to me like this?”
“Hehe, what does it matter? A banquet is a place to relax and enjoy, isn’t it?”
As soon as the Second Prince saw Mirne, his expression completely relaxed, and he invited her to dance.
“But do you know why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince isn’t attending, by any chance?”
Mirne immediately accepted the dance invitation and threw a question at the Second Prince in a subtle whisper.
“Ah, my brother… He said he was going to the Northern Region, but it seems there’s more work there than expected, so he’s running a bit late.”
She was able to receive the answer that the Crown Prince was in the Northern Region.
Did the Crown Prince go to fill the void left after killing the Northern Grand Duke?
He emptied the Imperial Palace simply for that reason? Did he do this even after throwing a banquet?
[Does that mean… he’s impulsive enough to leave his seat empty for such a reason?]
What on earth was going on?
Then, in the end, was he really just going to simply invite everyone to play and eat, and leave it at that?
Wasn’t it too bland to throw a banquet for such a reason?
Was the purpose of this banquet really to celebrate the Empire’s changes and make the others act as props?
[It’s not completely nonsensical.]
Since the Empire was shaking, in order not to show this instability.
It could be seen as making other countries act as props and showing off their prestige.
But it felt somewhat strange that they would throw such a grand banquet purely for that reason.
Gathering everyone together must have been to imprint something properly on them.
Yet the Protagonist himself wasn’t even attending. Good grief.
Even as various thoughts went back and forth like that.
The banquet continued on.
From the songs to the food,
a feast meant to show that the Empire was still going strong poured out.
“It truly is amazing.”
“How is His Highness the Second Prince so handsome?”
“But has he been friendly with the Maselin Kingdom since the past? Seeing him go straight to her as soon as the banquet started…”
“This spinning toy recently made in the Maselin Kingdom is truly useful…”
As the banquet continued unabated.
Everyone began to relax their tension slowly, getting acquainted with one another in a comfortable atmosphere.
A place without the Protagonist known as the Crown Prince.
The one who filled the void left by that Protagonist was none other than Mirne.
Starting with the Second Prince of the Bellos Empire and Balleryan, the Saint of the Romper Holy Nation.
People who made others wonder why they were even acquainted conversed with Mirne.
It was visible that everyone was bloodshot-eyed trying to get Mirne’s attention.
Just what kind of charm did she have?
As such thoughts arose and the atmosphere of the banquet hall began to relax.
Thud!
Suddenly, the music in the Grand Banquet Hall cut off.
Ahem.
The Herald, who had been keeping his position, cleared his throat.
“The Sun of the Empire of Bellos! The Noble one who has inherited the will of the Great Prophet! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is entering!”
Along with the words that immediately followed.
BANG!
The doors of the banquet hall opened without hesitation.
“Everyone, observe proper etiquette!”
The Crown Prince slowly revealed himself.
“H-Huh…”
Someone grew terrified the moment he or she saw the Crown Prince’s appearance.
Thump.
Someone’s legs gave out, causing the person to collapse to the floor.
“H-Hiiiiek…!”
Someone forgot their etiquette and let out a cry of terror.
But no one thought of such sights as a disgrace.
Rather, they fully understood.
“…”
A banquet setting for playing and eating happily.
The Crown Prince revealed himself, covered in blood.
A fierce Aura contrasted with his indifferent eyes.
As if he had just fought a war all by himself, a faint heat lingered on the Zweihänder held in the Crown Prince’s hand.
Who would come to a banquet hall looking like that?
No one dared to point that out.
Slide.
The Crown Prince, who moved his steps slowly, sheathed his sword.
“I arrived too late. My apologies, everyone.”
Spitting out those words, he slowly headed toward the empty Throne.
A seat no one dared to covet.
The Crown Prince calmly sat on that Throne, looking down at everyone.
“Mirne of the Maselin Kingdom.”
Calmly.
“Do you have any intention of entering into a marriage engagement with me?”
He dropped a bomb.
It was the beginning of full-scale chaos.