Chapter 34: The Emperor and the Feast

In front of the palace’s grand banquet hall, hundreds of carriages were lined up in a queue.

It was because not only the nobles of the capital but also those stationed in far-off provinces had all gathered here.

Inside the banquet hall, a strange tension flowed among the nobles.

"Is it really possible for the Second Prince to become Crown Prince? Hmph, I doubt it. Would the Marquis Fabian just sit idly by?"

"Didn’t you say you met His Highness the Second Prince recently? How was he?"

"Well, that is..."

Naturally, at the center of all the chatter was Rohan.

Not long ago, the Emperor’s unprecedented declaration of his successor had sent waves through the capital.

"His Highness, the Second Prince, is here!"

"Prince Rohan has arrived."

The moment Rohan appeared in the banquet hall, the entire crowd began to buzz.

"That presence..."

"It’s impossible to think of him as a prince of common birth."

Rohan carried himself with pride.

His attire gleamed, and every movement and gesture exuded the dignity of the imperial family.

‘How hard I worked in the past to possess all this.’

He had received strict training to learn the manners and poise befitting an Emperor.

If there was anything to thank Marquis Fabian for, perhaps it was this.

It may have been just appearances, but at least he was taught exactly what attitude was suitable for an Emperor.

It wasn’t only the ordinary nobles who were surprised by his bearing.

‘Since when did that child...?’

A woman watched Rohan from the main seat.

Emilia Schubert was also greatly astonished.

She had heard the recent rumors.

That Rohan had changed, that he seemed to be an entirely different person, and so on.

Yet, she had always dismissed him, thinking he was fundamentally different from her son, Elliot, from the very beginning.

No matter how much he changed, how different could he really be, she’d thought.

But seeing him in person, her impression was different.

She hadn’t noticed this change when she’d briefly seen him in the Empress’s quarters before.

She hadn’t realized he’d changed this much.

"……You must be Lady of the Hevinci family. I heard of you from the Baron previously."

"Ah, Count, how is the livestock business you were conducting going? From what I heard…"

A gentle face, a soft voice, and even eloquent speech.

Crumple.

Emilia’s hand wrinkled the hem of her skirt.

"Prince Elliot is truly born noble, isn’t he?"

"Your Highness! What do you think of my accessory?"

Her son Elliot was not a child to be taken lightly either.

He was just finishing his fifth year, could already read, and there was nothing he couldn’t say.

He was a prodigy, even reading thick political treatises on his own.

Before Rohan had come to the forefront.

No one had ever doubted that Elliot would become Crown Prince and, in time, Emperor Schubert.

"……."

Emilia’s lips tightened.

Tonight’s main figure was not her son, but the Second Prince Rohan, whose very origins were lowly and common.

"Excuse me."

Rohan brushed aside the nobles approaching him and walked toward Emilia.

Emilia quickly masked her expression.

"I greet Your Majesty the Empress and Your Highness Consort Emilia."

At Rohan’s greeting, the Empress nodded in approval, and Emilia also gave a reluctant nod.

"It feels as if it’s been a while since I greeted you, Consort Emilia. I apologize for not visiting sooner."

"…No need. You’ve grown a lot, Rohan."

"Your health must be delicate these days. It can’t have been easy to come here."

"Spare your worry. I bear the Emperor’s noble descendant—what should I fear, or what could trouble me?"

Her belly was more swollen than before.

Now, anyone could see that she was with child.

"The prince in my womb will grow strong and healthy."

Emilia lifted her lips in a smile as she stroked her belly.

She was already convinced that the child inside was a son.

"We can’t know yet whether it’ll be a prince or princess, can we?"

"I had a dream. Of a valiant lion roaring atop a rock. Isn’t that heaven’s sign that I carry a prince?"

Rohan’s eyes curved slightly at Emilia’s words.

‘That child will be a daughter who holds you back.’

She had little time left before her due date.

No doubt, she awaited the birth with great expectations.

However…

"I think a lovely princess would be nice too."

At Rohan’s soft chuckle, Emilia’s eyes turned sharp.

"Oh my, are you already wary of competition?"

"How could that be? It’s just that, given your exceptional beauty, if she resembles you, she’ll be very beautiful indeed."

"…Well, my beauty is rather exceptional, isn’t it?"

As Emilia smoothed her hair with a subtle smile, the Empress Sherilda could be seen quietly laughing beside her.

"It’s been a while since we’ve all gathered. Enough idle chatter—why don’t you check on your brother for a bit?"

Emilia tipped her chin with a haughty expression.

It meant: the protagonist is Elliot, so don’t get carried away.

"I was just about to do that. I should go see Elliot—it’s been a while."

Elliot had been glancing this way for a while now.

Elliot, who adored his older brother, wanted to run over immediately, but couldn’t because he was mindful of his mother.

Rohan bowed again and immediately descended the stairs.

There, Elliot stood in his adorable tailcoat, cheeks flushed.

"Have you been well, Elliot?"

"Brother!"

Elliot’s violet eyes sparkled.

He sneaked a peek at Consort Emilia beyond Rohan.

"No need to worry. Her Highness told me to look after you a bit."

"Really?"

Elliot beamed.

If it weren’t for all the familial tension, Rohan would have grown close to Elliot long ago.

Such an innocent and adorable child—he’d been subjected to strict training by the Fabian family since he could walk.

"Oh, there you both are!"

Just then, a voice as clear as jade and a swish of a lavish dress brushed Elliot’s cheek.

"Isabel."

The Empire’s only princess and daughter of Empress Sherilda, Isabel Schubert.

"It’s been a while, Rohan. Since that day you left for the Gerald territory to take your exams, isn’t it?"

She crossed her arms and studied Rohan.

No doubt, she was harboring all sorts of odd thoughts.

"Be careful, Elliot. The brother you know might not be the brother you remember."

"Huh?"

"Sometimes, strange and mysterious things happen in this world, you know?"

"…?"

Elliot looked bewildered, but Isabel remained serious.

"Seeing you and sister together, I’m so, so happy!"

Elliot, being a five-year-old, was simply full of joy.

"Oh, brother. I heard you went to Loktercia while in Gerald territory! How was it? Did you really meet Dwarves?"

Like a curious child, Elliot seemed fascinated by other races.

"Do they really speak human language and dress like us? What do they eat?"

He had endless questions.

"The Dwarves, huh. When I saw them for myself, they weren’t much different from us. The only difference was their appearance and the innate talents of their race, I suppose."

"Wow, I want to see them too! Next time, can you take me with you?"

"Oh my? Elliot, that’s not somewhere you can go just because you want to. The main thing would be convincing Consort Emilia. Do you think you can do it?"

Isabel teased him with a mischievous face, and Elliot’s face quickly fell.

Perhaps Rohan’s heart softened at the sight.

Rohan patted Elliot’s head.

"If we get the chance, let’s definitely go together. I’ll introduce you to my friends there."

"Really? I’m so happy!"

Elliot clasped his little hands, trembling with excitement.

He looked genuinely delighted.

‘Come to think of it, this child probably has never left the Imperial City since birth.’

The Fabian family kept such close watch over him.

He’d even heard that Elliot’s time in the sunlight was scheduled.

He understood now—how stifling life in the palace must be for a child.

"Geez, then what about me?"

"Hm?"

"If he goes, I should go too."

Isabel cut in with a brazen face.

Perhaps she was so excited because it had been a long time since all the siblings were together.

"You… well, that depends on the situation."

At Rohan’s words, Isabel looked incredulous.

"What? Why? Why can he go and I can’t?"

"Who knows what the situation will be then? Girls sometimes get married off early, after all."

"……."

Isabel pursed her lips in frustration.

It wasn’t wrong, actually.

Usually, after their coming-of-age ceremony, princesses were sent to other countries by custom.

It was at that moment.

"They’re here!"

The banquet hall buzzed once more.

The one who always drew attention and stood above all the nobles.

Not the Emperor, but…

"Looks like Marquis Fabian has arrived," Isabel snorted.

Just as she said.

The one who entered the hall was none other than Kazin Fabian.

"To arrive last, just before His Majesty comes in… Isn’t that blatantly flaunting his power?"

At Isabel’s disgruntled words, Rohan’s eyes darkened.

‘He’s been quiet all this time.’

Marquis Fabian, whom Rohan expected to make some kind of move before the birthday celebration, had been strangely silent.

He’d even asked Lucretia to investigate, but it was true: the Marquis had stayed at his residence, recuperating.

He’d even refused all visitors.

At first glance, it might have seemed like a good thing, but for that very reason, Rohan was even more wary.

‘He must have some scheme planned.’

Rohan’s eyes tracked Marquis Fabian.

With a smile, the Marquis greeted the nobles approaching him.

"Grandfather!"

Unaware of everything, Elliot waved excitedly at his maternal grandfather.

"Oh, Prince Elliot."

Turning at the voice, Marquis Fabian strode straight toward them.

"Prince Rohan, Princess Isabel—you’re all together?"

"Yes! I’m having so much fun talking with my brother and sister, it’s been so long!"

Elliot, who spoke more fluently than other children his age, began chattering away like a lark.

"Hoho, our Prince Elliot must be very happy to see his brother and sister."

I want to kill him.

Rohan barely held back the murderous urge, forcing a smile.

"It’d be nice if we could see each other more, but Elliot is always so busy."

"Ah, yes. With Prince Elliot’s cleverness, your mother must be anxious, isn’t she? Isn’t that right, Prince?"

"Grandfather, I wish I could have fewer lessons. It’s too hard."

At Elliot’s complaint, Marquis Fabian laughed heartily.

"I’ll have a word with Consort Emilia about it."

"Really? Grandfather, you’re the best!"

His act of being the kindly grandfather was sickening.

‘I know all too well how harshly you treated Elliot after this.’

Crack.

Rohan’s teeth ground together.

He played the kind, good grandfather, leaving all the scolding and severity to Consort Emilia.

That was what Marquis Fabian did behind the scenes to Elliot.

He was terrifyingly calculating and insincere.

Later, Rohan would see with his own eyes the marks of that brutal training—no, violence—etched onto Elliot’s body.

"By the way, Prince Rohan…?"

Marquis Fabian was just turning his gaze to Rohan when—

"His Majesty the Emperor enters!"

A loud voice announcing the Emperor’s arrival rang throughout the banquet hall.

And for just an instant, before he could hide it—

Marquis Fabian’s eyes narrowed as he caught the blazing look in Rohan’s eyes.