Chapter 116: Childhood Friend – Banquet
A banquet was held at Nevis Palace.
It was rare for a banquet to take place at the palace, but this time it was particularly grand.
As it was hosted by the king of the Orun Kingdom to celebrate the new year, all the palace staff were mobilized, and invitations were sent to all the nobles.
The banquet hall chosen was the innermost hall, which was also the king’s office and the most secluded.
Nevis Palace had narrow corridors leading to slightly smaller halls, so there was no other suitable location for a large banquet.
Although the five steps interspersed throughout the hall might have been slightly inconvenient, the distance between each step was sufficiently far (twenty steps), so it was not a significant issue.
Instead, it served as a sort of boundary.
At the highest first step of the hall, the royal family, including the king, queen, and princes, gathered.
On the next step, the nobles serving the first prince were crowded, on the third step, the nobles serving the second prince gathered.
The fourth step, with a wide space in the center and attendants positioned around the perimeter, became the dance floor where young nobles danced and engaged in social activities, while on the fifth step, neutral nobles (or outcasts) lingered awkwardly without belonging to any faction.
Of course, there were also figures like Count Ogerton and Lord Drageen present, so it was not a place of mere insignificance.
Finally, several tables were set up in the sixth compartment in front of the grand bronze gate.
This space was not intended for the nobles’ use, as there were already enough tables and chairs set up on each step for the nobles, so there was no reason for them to come down here for a break. Here, the palace maids had prepared various drinks and food items and used this area as a workspace to serve them.
Well, the distinction was loosely defined, as there were no strict rules about moving beyond each step.
As the maids served up and down, and the young nobles, even the knights, roamed around for dances, the whole place buzzed like a market street.
It was simply a matter of the key figures representing each faction’s positions.
Drageen stood with his back to the wall on one side of the fifth step, leaning against the long curtains hanging from the high ceiling.
“Could it really not be something you’re involved in?”
The diminutive figure looked up skeptically at Harvey, a count of Guidan , who was sipping his drink beside him.
The two major gangster families in Nevis are said to have disappeared. According to the few surviving witnesses, some crazed knight indiscriminately slaughtered them.
It would not have been a big deal for thugs like them to live or die, but unfortunately, all the families sponsored by nobles serving the princes were targeted, and Drageen suspected a friend who mentioned ‘rebellion’.
“No. It’s none of my business.”
Guidan, while feeling a pang of guilt, pretended to be indifferent.
Drageen’s probing continued.
“Is it really? You’re not still planning that…ridiculous thing, are you?”
“…No. Don’t worry.”
Sorry to have to respond to his friend’s earnest question this way, but he could not go against his lord’s command. Behind his pupils, a strange shadow flickered.
‘How do I convince him…’
The lord had told Drageen to persuade Ebeny to join the rebellion.
But before he could say anything, each time Drageen asked, “You’re not still thinking about irrelevant things, right?” and took the initiative, so there was no room to say anything.
“…Hmm. You seem to be hiding something from me…eh! Finally, you’ve appeared.”
The Marquis Drageen, who was about to say something, pushed off the wall with his back and walked at a stride.
He had been waiting for someone to appear while gazing at the bronze gate.
“Viscount Ogerton! It’s been a long time. I can’t remember how many years it has been. Have you been traveling well?”
A scholarly-looking man with a refined demeanor casually nodded his head.
“It’s really been a long time. Lord Drageen. Yes, I’ve been well-traveled. The results were not very satisfying, though.”
Sorrel Demetri Ogerton, Viscount Ogerton.
He was a man with a smooth jawline as if he had never experienced the harsh storms of the world.
Although he was relatively young to have experienced storms, he was now in his early thirties, looking at his thirties coming closer, compared to Drageen, who was in his forties.
But in this world, being in your late twenties was not a young age, and to exemplify this, Ogerton had depth in his calm expression.
His deep pink eyes, dark enough to be mistaken for purple, gazed down at the world with a dry look.
Adding to that gaze, because of his unique position as a nobleman and a magician, one might misunderstand him as arrogant and dismissive of all things, but the reality was quite the opposite.
He was humble and thirsty for knowledge.
He simply looked at things objectively, which gave him that dry gaze.
“You came back from Marsden and started traveling right away… Wasn’t your father worried about you?”
Drageen received a glass of wine from a passing maid and handed it over. However, Ogerton politely declined it and chose a lukewarm juice, sipping a gulp.
“Even so, my father was angry. He abandoned the family and went abroad. That’s why I didn’t want to inherit the family.”
The count honestly said.
He manifested his talents as a wizard at a very young age and spent a long time in the wizard’s tower, growing up in a manner not typical of nobles.
However, because of his noble birth, he was not as closed-off as other wizards, making it quite difficult to categorize him based on the group.
Marquis Drageen sighed with a smile of sympathy. Perhaps it would be better for him to be more direct than to engage in noble conversation.
“Come to think of it, you probably just saw your son now, Count.”
“Oh… that’s embarrassing.”
Demetri, who had just finished his studies at the wizard’s tower, inherited the family and got married. In his early twenties, much later than Demetri, he hastily married the young writer Vocalli, who was six years younger. When he returned from a long journey, he found that they had a son.
A son who was already five years old.
Demetri sighed lightly.
“Phew… I think I’m going to be a really bad father. No, I’m already a useless father…”
“Haha, don’t blame yourself too much. You should get closer now. Besides, I’m sure it’s still awkward for you and your son… Should I bring my granddaughter to visit once? She just started walking, so she’s still a tot, but children like playing with their peers. That way, the count can spend some time getting closer to his son, right?”
“Oh! That sounds like a good idea. I’m really grateful. I’m not sure if I’m causing inconvenience.”
“No inconvenience at all. I just need time to play with my granddaughter. Oh, I apologize. I had other plans. I was supposed to greet the father-in-law first, but I got carried away by joy.”
Lord Drageen gestured towards Vocalli, who was sitting at a distance. Count Ogerton promised to have a simple gathering at the mansion with Marquis Drageen next time and left the room.
Marquis Harvey Guidan asked the bewildered friend who had just returned.
“I couldn’t ask before because of the lack of experience, but can you persuade that Ogerton Count? He’s a wizard after all. Wizards tend to be so obsessed with their research that they neglect other things.”
“That’s right. But the count will probably focus on family matters for a while.”
“How can he be so confident?”
“Haha.”
Before Marquis could speak, he laughed. Guidan Marquis quickly realized that he was about to boast and act arrogant.
“Besides his son’s issues… I know why Count Ogerton left on a journey, where he went, and what he did. He went to study the ‘Mana Overlap Theory’ with the swordmasters…”
At that moment, the cheerful music flowing from the hall took a sharp turn downhill.
The heavy and majestic tones caught the attention of the nobles who were chatting.
As the singing gradually subsided and the rustling sounds ceased, the king spoke.
His voice resounded loudly throughout the hall with the help of magic.
[- The day of the coronation forty years ago is upon us. On that day, the heads of all the kingdoms pledged their allegiance to me, and despite the passing of many years, your oaths have remained unwavering. I am grateful for your honor.]
The old king looked around and met the eyes of the leaders of each family.
Tension spread amidst the slowness.
The king did not usually start his speeches in this manner. Usually, he would say something like “Dear lords of the kingdom, welcome.” The use of formal language was a sign of an impending important announcement.
And indeed, a bombshell dropped.
[- But I have grown old.]
Many seemed to already know or expect it, as they showed no change in expression, but many nobles looked at each other in surprise. His words meant only one thing.
The king continued speaking. He turned to look at his proud twin sons in the middle.
[- Our kingdom needs a young and capable ruler. That is why… I hereby declare my eldest son, Aeton de Lognum, as the successor to the throne. The ‘Akine’ will be held on an auspicious day, and I believe that the noble lords of the dear kingdom will bless this decision without any doubt. Now, let us raise a toast to- Lognum’s glory!]
As the king raised his glass, everyone followed suit with a cheer of “Long live Lognum!”
As the king sat back down, the hall became noisy. The nobles hurriedly discussed what had just happened, some quick-witted ones running to congratulate Aeton de Lognum. However, because Algeo de Lognum, the second prince, was with him, they could only give discreet glances… Algeo’s reaction was cool.
“Brother! Congratulations!”
“Thank you. I’m going to greet the lords now, will you come with me?”
“Of course.”
The twin princes walked down the stairs side by side, exchanging greetings such as “I appreciate your support” and “Please bless my brother.” The nobles returned the princes’ greetings with all due courtesies, but what was peculiar was that the second prince seemed happier than the first prince, who had been chosen as the successor.
After some time, the princes also approached the successors of Guidan and Drageen. Drageen spoke first. “Congratulations on becoming the protagonist of Akine.” ‘Akine’ was a term for the succession ceremony of the royal family, derived from the name of Tordler Akiunen who founded the Achaean Kingdom. This term had been used since the Achaean Empire. The coronation ceremony was called ‘Akinen.’
“Thank you. I promise to do my best despite my shortcomings. I believe that Guidan will also be of great help.”
“Is that so?”
“And…”
Aeton de Lognum’s eyes turned to Marquis Guidan.
Marquis Guidan, standing rather stiffly compared to the well-mannered Drageen, responded, “…Of course. Congratulations.” A strange atmosphere lingered. It might have been for various reasons. It could have been due to the stiff attitude of Marquis Guidan, or perhaps because he had not yet proposed to marry Harriet. Or maybe it was because of ‘Viscount Tardine Amuse’ and ‘Baron Geogis Jermin’ who followed the two princes…
They looked at Marquis Guidan with suspicious eyes. It might be considered a coincidence, but they were nobles who had supported the Dorf family in slave trading and the Theovic family in weapon trading.
The twin princes passed by him indifferently. Though they had been urging him to marry Harriet whenever they saw Guidan, they did not mention it this time. “Baron Ogerton, it has been a long time…” As the princes approached Baron Ogerton to talk, Harriet Guidan closed his eyes tightly. He had an unbearable dizziness and a laughter that seemed to be coming from somewhere rang in his ears. Like the sound of his lord’s laughter…
Ebeny Drageen glanced at his long-time friend for a moment before subconsciously stepping back, and the banquet came to a grand end.
