After finishing work and returning late in the evening, Theo hugged me tightly, as he always did. The moment I saw him, I felt that the birthday party preparations were going well, and my lips twitched against my will. I thought I had managed my expression pretty well, but Theo, who was staring at me, tilted his head and asked.
"Your cheeks are flushed; did something good happen today?"
"Huh? Oh... it's nothing like that... Lia came by earlier. Theo's exclusive designer."
Everyone who officially visits the Imperial Palace has their name, identity, and reason for visiting recorded. Lia would probably be the same.
Theo would find out that Lia had visited anyway, so it was much more effective to reveal some of the truth rather than trying to hide everything.
"She came to get some casual clothes made... but she said it was hard to choose alone, so she'd just get them made next time when Theo was here. Orca told her that Theo was busy today."
"Nothing is more important than Shuian's affairs. I would have come if she had called."
"No, it wasn't urgent..."
Theo seemed to accept it without much suspicion. I had already coordinated with Orca and Lia up to this point, so they would handle it well. Still, I got over one hurdle! I quickly changed the subject before he could ask anything more.
"By the way, Orca was talking about the Imperial banquet?"
I heard that Ariel would be attending the regular monthly banquet at the Imperial Palace where all the Imperial family members gathered, and that Theo wanted me to come with him. Of course, I couldn't miss such an event!
"If Shuian is okay with it, I'd like to go together."
"Of course, we should go!"
"Thank you."
"But does the Emperor come too?"
"Yes. Should I ask him not to come if it makes you uncomfortable?"
It was obviously a joke, but it was tempting. I chuckled and asked.
"What would you do if I really asked you to?"
"Then I would politely ask him to skip this banquet."
Even though he said "politely," the way he asked sounded very impolite, and I burst out laughing again.
"Yeah, that would be nice, but maybe next time. But what do you do there?"
"It's just a dinner, so there's not much to worry about. In the first place, His Majesty has rarely ever brought up any topic."
So, I just have to be careful of the Empress. Theo stared down at me, who was lost in thought, and said as if he was very reluctant.
"Shuian, as you may have heard from Orca, the political situation is not good because monsters are rampant these days. Moreover, artificial traces have been found in the rifts, so it's almost certain that it's the work of the Erebus Order. I may have to go on a monster subjugation campaign soon."
I nodded. I had already expected this since I heard about it. I would have mentioned it first if Theo hadn't.
"Yeah, we have to go punish the monsters. Together."
"Would you be alright?"
"How could I not be when Theo is there? And haven't you seen me catch demonic beasts?"
I deliberately put my hands on my waist and asked as if I was showing off, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere. Only then did Theo laugh like a sigh.
"I have seen it. You were very dignified and reliable."
"We'll subjugate them spectacularly and come back to humble the Empress."
"...I will never let you get hurt."
"Yeah, I believe you. But I won't blame you even if I get hurt. You know that, right?"
"I would feel better if you blamed me instead."
This softy...I pushed him into the bathroom as if I wouldn't listen anymore.
"Go wash up quickly!"
Even though he could resist my strength enough, he obediently let himself be pushed into the bathroom.
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A few days later, the day of the banquet. I tried to calm my mind by sitting and waiting in advance, but the Empress, Ricardo, and Ariel were already waiting in the banquet hall.
Ariel looked happy to see me as soon as she saw me, but she only fidgeted with her fingers because of the grim atmosphere as soon as she saw us.
I didn't greet them particularly and followed Theo to the designated seat. The table, where only six people sat, was as wide as several beds put together, but this was better. If it had been any closer, I probably would have lost my appetite.
Orca and Theo didn't teach me etiquette, saying I didn't need to. I was a little nervous because I was even skipping the etiquette I had learned by glancing, but I reminded myself that I was a divine beast several times.
I don't know etiquette and I don't have to follow it...! Because I'm a very brazen and impudent divine beast!
The Empress, who would normally have offered even a hypocritical greeting with a relaxed attitude, was quiet, so the banquet hall was filled with terrible silence.
Even Ricardo, who would normally have been worried about Ariel, who was awkwardly rolling her eyes, was frozen stiff.
Just when I thought someone might collapse from suffocation, the Emperor, whom we had been waiting for, entered. Only the captain of the Guardian Knights, who was always with the Emperor, was escorting him.
Even if the Emperor and the captain were among the five strongest individuals in the empire, was it really acceptable for them to be so lightly guarded? It was like watching Theo, who disliked relying on people and found them cumbersome, always taking only Orca wherever he went.
The Emperor indifferently looked around and sat down, ordering the food to be brought out. He didn't even glance at me for a moment, as he no longer seemed surprised to see me. Rather, the captain of the knights couldn't hide his curiosity and kept glancing at me.
Even after the meal started, the Emperor didn't say anything, as Theo had said, and Ariel, unable to bear the terrible silence, smiled awkwardly and started the conversation with a pale face.
"I, it's a great honor to be invited to this banquet! Thank you for His Majesty's grace."
"It's not a big deal, so please eat comfortably."
I thought it was admirable that she was trying to speak with courage, but the Emperor's answer, who glanced at Ariel and then took his eyes off her, was extremely indifferent.
Ariel bowed her head again, thanking him, but she couldn't completely hide her face, which looked like she was about to choke. I wonder if she'll need a digestive medicine after the meal. You tried your best...
After that, the silence continued for a long time, and just when I thought the meal was going to end like this, the Empress opened her mouth for the first time after the dessert was set.
"Your Majesty, I heard that monsters are rampant these days."
"That's right."
"As you may have already heard, the First Prince has made a contract with a high-level spirit thanks to the Saintess. His spirit power is stable, so he will soon be able to proceed with a contract with the Spirit King without difficulty. He wants to show everyone his achievements and fulfill his neglected duties as a member of the Imperial family, but since he can't go on a monster subjugation campaign with the Imperial Guard, which is busy taking care of public order, how about assigning another knight order to the First Prince?"
So, this was the Empress's goal. That's why she even brought Ariel. But I was suspicious. Showing Ricardo's power was the best card she could play in this situation, but the problem was that it was uncharacteristically mild for the Empress.
Was she still testing the waters? Or was Ricardo's spirit power not yet stable?
"Impossible."
I didn't think it was a very unreasonable request, but unexpectedly, the Emperor gave a negative answer. He was even very firm.
"As the Empress said, monsters are rampant these days, so all the knight orders are moving busily. Unlike before, more mid-level monsters and above are appearing, and there are many of them, so it doesn't seem like the First Prince, who has no experience, should step in."
"But..."
"The role of the commander is quite important. I can't give the entire knight order to the monsters as food, can I?"
In other words, the First Prince's capabilities were insufficient. Ricardo's face flushed with shame because of the too blatant expression, and the Empress's face was also badly distorted.
"...But you gave the Second Prince command during the Black Forest subjugation."
"It was the Empress's request."
"You permitted it, Your Majesty."
I was startled by the Empress's uncharacteristic aggressive language and raised my head. I was worried that the Emperor would be angry. But unexpectedly, the Emperor didn't seem to have any emotional change at all.
"Yes, I do not permit it now."
The Empress bit her lip and seemed to hold back her anger for a moment, then said.
"You must give the First Prince a chance. If you are so worried about the safety of the knight order, then you can just give him the Chrysos Knight Order."
The Emperor, who had been fixing his gaze on the food throughout the conversation, finally raised his head and looked at the Empress for the first time.
"Are you saying that you will continue to let the most skilled people after the Guardian Knights rot like that?"
The Emperor, who had seemed to have no reaction to the Empress's aggressive language, showed anger for the first time. Although I hadn't seen him many times, it was also the first time he had shown something that could be called emotion.
"Right. I warn you, do not interfere or be interested in it any further. This will be my last warning in words. A clever Empress would understand my words."
I looked at Theo for a moment. He also seemed puzzled, as if he was facing the Emperor's anger for the first time. It was as if he suspected that the Emperor had fabricated his anger with the intention of rejecting the Empress's opinion.
"Then at least grant him the Guardian Knights."
"So be it."
The Empress seemed to have said it out of anger, but the Emperor gave an answer of permission. Everyone who heard his words doubted their ears.
Even the Empress couldn't say anything and just stared blankly at the Emperor. The culprit who detonated a bomb on all of us was calmly devouring his dessert.
"Yo, Your Majesty!"
The captain of the knights was the first to come to his senses. He, who had been quietly guarding his seat, had a shocked face and shouted as if he would grab the Emperor's collar if he could.
"That's absurd!"
"It is done."
"But...!"
"If a knight order's life would fall just because I stepped away for a moment, then it means it only weighed that much."
i shall take my leave first. After leaving a simple greeting, the Emperor got up from his seat and strode out of the banquet hall, and the captain of the knights quickly followed him.
"Just five... no, please leave even just me and the vice-captain by your side! This is really..."
The sight of him desperately chasing after him with an almost crying face overlapped with Orca. The steadfast knight suddenly felt pathetic.
The Empress, who seemed to have complicated thoughts, also got up from her seat, as she no longer felt like eating, and so did Theo and I. I wanted to get out of the strangely finished banquet and return to the bedroom quickly.
At that time, Ariel, who had gotten up following the Empress and Ricardo, seemed to be approaching me. Noticing this, Theo met my gaze in a position that subtly blocked Ariel.
"Shall we go back too?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
I had no choice but to return to the bedroom, holding Theodor's hand, leaving Ariel's regretful face behind.
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