New Year's Banquet (3)
"May the Empire's glory be eternal."
Called forward in their turn, the Evergarden count family knelt before the Emperor. Beginning with the head of the house's greeting, they could finally face His Majesty in earnest.
"The Evergarden count family has once again developed the territory granted by His Imperial Majesty, and as befits the masters of that land—"
"I shall speak from here."
"Ah, yes, Your Majesty."
"Very well… Evergarden count family, raise your heads."
"We are humbled, Your Majesty."
As always, the Emperor cut short the servant who had been reciting praise for the nobles summoned before him.
"Lately, the tales of the count family's good deeds have stirred quite a clamor—reaching even the Imperial Palace beyond the capital."
"They are but meager talents, Your Majesty."
"Haha! Such humility. The achievements you have accomplished are more than worthy of pride."
"We are humbled, Your Majesty."
I'm doing this right… aren't I?
Kneeling before the Emperor and speaking as head of the Evergarden count family, Darian was more than a little nervous.
He had never been particularly well-versed in etiquette, and the rules and speech patterns of the noble world were even further beyond him. Ordinarily, his husband Freyja handled everything for him—but before the Emperor, it was still the head of the house who had to speak first.
So he clung to Freyja's crash course: if ordered to do something, say We are humbled; if praised, say It is but a meager talent; and always, always tack Your Majesty onto the end.
You're doing well, dear.
Whether that rapid education had paid off or not, the Emperor looked down on them with a faint smile—and Freyja, catching that expression, felt a swell of pride and silently praised Darian in return.
"In particular, I hear the achievements of your two children are most outstanding. Eldest son and eldest daughter of the Evergarden count family—raise your heads and show yourselves."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Y-Yes…! Your Majesty…!"
"Oh-ho… rather fine figures, are they not?"
"We are humbled, Your Majesty."
"Humb—!? Ah, we are humbled, Your Majesty."
"Yes… I am told you handled the incidents that arose at the Academy. In particular, I hear that saving the students' lives was largely the young lady's doing."
"You subdued the intruders yourself, did you not? Excellent work."
"I-It is but a meager talent…"
"Do not be so burdened. What have the young people who will lead the future to fear from an old man like me? Truly excellent."
"W-We are humbled! Your Majesty!"
He's a nicer guy than I expected?
The master of this nation. A figure even higher than a division commander dropping in unannounced on a military base—Rosaria had been wound tight with the knowledge that a single wrong word could send her head flying. But the Emperor felt unexpectedly like a kindly middle-aged uncle, and she was able to let out a breath of relief.
However—
"And… you are the eldest son, yes?"
"Yes. I am Felix Evergarden."
"Ah! So you are the one who created that potion. Most impressive indeed!"
"It is a merit far beyond what my shoulders can bear."
"None of that. Even a back-room old man like myself can see the value of that potion at a glance."
"Yes… it is truly a great service. Thanks to you, one might say this Empire has grown all the greater. You have done a great deed for the Empire—how could that not bring me joy!"
"To hear Your Imperial Majesty speak so is an honor beyond measure."
Heh. So that's how you're playing it?
Reading the Emperor's true intent at once, Felix let out a silent, dry laugh.
The Emperor looking down on him kept elevating them with gentle, honeyed words. And all the while, he was circling around—ever so casually—to the suggestion that the Evergarden family's potion be used for the public good of the Empire.
Pressure to put a potion that belonged to House Evergarden to use for the Empire's sake.
As expected of an emperor. That slippery old fox is telling us to hand over the potion like it's the most natural thing in the world.
Still, it made clear just how desperately even the Emperor coveted the potion's value.
"Well then—a young man of the Empire has done a great deed for the Empire, so I find myself wondering what I ought to bestow. Is there something you desire?"
I'll give you something, so just hand over the potion quietly.
"I am unworthy, Your Majesty. This humble one merely worked for himself; his own light is far too dim to illuminate the great Empire."
I made it because I wanted to. Why the hell are you telling me to hand it over?
"Hoh… how can a young man be so upright? Do not worry—speak freely. Having received such service, my heart would not rest easy sending you away empty-handed."
Play hard to get a little, then spit it out.
On the surface, Felix and the Emperor presented the image of a loyal noble and a benevolent sovereign—but beneath it, they were locked in a relentless push and pull of hidden meanings.
And that was fine by him.
"…Your Majesty. If that is so… might I be permitted one request?"
"Oh-ho! Speak. Whatever you desire, even a feeble old man like myself shall do his utmost to grant it."
"I know not how to contain myself before Your Majesty's grace."
Felix had waged this battle of wills with the Emperor precisely for this moment.
"My request is this: that you grant whatever my mother desires. That alone would satisfy me."
"Oh-ho…? A true filial son. Diligent, capable, and one who looks after his parents… Hahaha! What a shame you are not one of my own people."
"It is an honor, Your Majesty."
"Very well. Countess, speak."
"………"
I've laid the whole board for you.
"………"
Thank you. Our daughter's the best.
The moment the Emperor's permission fell, the two of them—without exchanging a single word—met each other's eyes, understood, and nodded.
"Your Majesty. This humble one is Freyja Evergarden of the Evergarden count family."
"Yes. Since it is what your son wishes, speak freely."
"What is it you desire?"
"What I desire… I have given it much thought. And I found there is something I truly wish to possess."
"Oh-ho. And what is that?"
"……"
Hoo—
The Emperor was looking down at her. And not only him—countless nobles waited in silence for the words that would follow, their gazes fixed and still.
How long had it been since she had drawn this much focus, this many eyes?
The preparations are perfect. Every contingency is in place.
All that remains is my own rhetoric.
The words she was about to speak would, quite literally, overturn this ballroom. One wrong step, and it was a gamble that could see not only herself but her entire family die anything but cleanly. The weight of her family's lives pressed heavy on her shoulders—a crushing burden. Even parting her lips would be enough to make anyone tense.
…If she were an ordinary person, that is.
Then there's no way I lose.
"Your Majesty. I wish to possess a magic beast."
And so Freyja smiled faintly as she made her request of the Emperor.
"…What did she just say?"
"A magic beast…? She said magic beast, right?"
"A magic beast!? Has that woman lost her mind?"
A brief silence—then the nobles' confused reactions crashed in after it. Of course they did. After a string of recent incidents, the mere phrase magic beast had become something of a trigger word across the Empire. And because it had nearly been used as material for a coup, simply uttering the name before the Emperor was enough that the gentle response would be the extinction of one's entire house. It was that explosive a statement.
"………What did you just…?"
The Emperor, too, felt the gentle smile he had worn until now shatter. His face hardened as he asked Freyja again.
"…It seems age has begun to dull my hearing of late. Yes—magic tricks? Did you say magic tricks?"
He forced his expression back into place and told Freyja he must have misheard. But that it was no mishearing was plain from the awkward way the corners of his mouth had been yanked upward.
This was an extraordinary kindness from an emperor. From the moment she had spoken that single phrase, he already had more than enough justification to take her head on the spot—yet he was giving her a chance to correct her words. He valued House Evergarden highly enough to extend such an unprecedented courtesy.
"No, Your Majesty. I wish to possess a magic beast."
"………"
Freyja smashed that imperial kindness head-on.
"Th-That…! Seize those treacherous rebels!!!"
Shing—shiiing—
"Kyaaah!"
Having been given one chance and kicked it aside—having clearly, deliberately said magic beast again—the Empire's guard soldiers could not stand idle. At the knight's roar, the soldiers stationed throughout the ballroom drew cold, gleaming blades from their scabbards and advanced on the Evergarden family.
"…Haa. Freyja Evergarden. Why would you do such a thing…"
Looking at the Evergarden family, who in an instant had been surrounded with blades thrust toward them, the Emperor let out a sigh and muttered as if in lament.
The value of House Evergarden was considerable. In a report from half a year ago they had been a worthless, unremarkable family—and in less than six months they had achieved staggering growth. They had rebuilt a wasteland of a territory, earned merit at the Academy, and developed a potion whose value was now whatever the market would bear. He had wanted to bring that house into his fold by any means… but once things had come to this, there was no way.
High treason. They had committed high treason with remarkable brazenness. Had they said it in a private audience, he might somehow have buried it—but they had committed the crime far too boldly, before a host of nobles. To forgive House Evergarden now would look as though the Imperial House were shielding a particular family, and the balance he had so carefully maintained until now might collapse.
And so the Emperor had no choice. He had to deal with Freyja—with House Evergarden.
"…Seize the criminals and cast them into the dungeon."
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
With a heart both regretful and heavy, the Emperor gave the order for their arrest. Just as House Evergarden was about to fall and this tumultuous ball was about to be brought to order—
"…How very strange."
"…?"
"St-Stay where you are! Traitor!"
Having kept her silence and her head bowed ever since declaring she wanted a magic beast, Freyja suddenly rose to her feet and began to stroll lightly through the ballroom.
"Is wishing to possess a magic beast truly so great a crime?"
"So she has finally lost her mind…! Living in the Empire, do you not know how grave that crime is?"
"…Heh heh! How amusing."
"Your Majesty. That woman appears to have gone mad. We shall arrest her at once and imprison her—"
"Then how is it that so many nobles are trying to buy magic beasts?"
"…What?"
The click of her heels came to a stop. Even with the points of the soldiers' spears and swords hanging just beneath her throat, Freyja did not lose her smile.
"Your Majesty. I have one further request."
"My request is that you hear my words—so that I may report, one by one, every traitor present in this very hall."
Then Freyja slipped a hand into her breast and looked up at the Emperor watching her.
At last, the finale of the plan was about to unfold.