Chapter 88: Preparation(3)
Chapter 88: Preparation(3)
While Isaac was busy attending to guests at his own estate, the Imperial Palace was also in the midst of receiving distinguished visitors with the utmost courtesy.
Most of those who visited the Maishal territory directly, bypassing the capital, were commoners, artists, or nobles ranked below Count. Those of higher status usually held important government positions, so official invitations were typically sent through formal state channels.
While unofficial visits were possible, they were generally discouraged; any potential accident could lead to a significant diplomatic blow. This was especially true for the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters, who were like cats and dogs, requiring complex procedures for even the most trivial visits.
Currently, the Kingdom of Ters had originally intended to host the exhibition in their own capital but had essentially dumped the rights onto the Minerva Empire. The Empire hadn't actually planned on hosting it—they had merely expressed interest as a gesture—but once the rights were suddenly handed over, their days became a whirlwind of frantic activity.
To successfully launch the exhibition in just over a fortnight, high-ranking nobles worked overtime day after day, and the Imperial Palace was no exception.
People might assume that royalty, like the Crown Prince and Princess, didn't work, but that was far from the truth. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This was an Empire that understood through history that the moment a monarch neglected state affairs and looked elsewhere, the nation would fall.
Consequently, even if they hadn't ascended to the throne, the Emperor's children were expected to oversee specific sectors of the government. This was the reason why, throughout its 500-year history, even when Emperors made various blunders, no ruler had ever been incompetent enough to truly ruin the country. Furthermore, with the Duke of Rekilis keeping a watchful eye on them, they had no choice but to work.
Thanks to this, Crown Prince Leort and Princess Lina received their guests while suffering from a severe lack of sleep due to the recent mountain of paperwork.
"You look quite exhausted. Haven't you been sleeping lately?"
A handsome man with sky-blue hair, blue eyes, and a sharp, impressive nose spoke with a playful smirk.
Perhaps it was his grinning face—looking as if he were ready to pull a prank at any moment—that was irritating. Leort, facing him, offered a thin smile and replied.
"I wonder whose fault that is. On the other hand, you look quite well-rested."
"Well, we aren't the ones hosting; we're just here to enjoy ourselves. We came with high expectations."
The blue-haired man's answer clearly didn't sit well with Leort, as the skin beneath his eyes twitched. Due to the tidal wave of work he had been drowning in, dark circles were deeply etched under his eyes. Despite being a Crown Prince who surely received rigorous grooming, the fact that those dark circles were visible showed just how much he had been struggling.
Even his blue eyes, which usually held a sharp edge, were now dimmed by fatigue.
In contrast, the handsome young man and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Ters, Laos Ducard von Kerchers, looked perfectly fine. In fact, he was more than fine—he was overflowing with energy and composure.
Publicly, the reason Laos was visiting the Empire was simply to attend the exhibition. However, that was merely the official excuse; internally, complex politics were at play.
For the Kingdom of Ters, it didn't matter if the exhibition succeeded, and if it failed, they would welcome it with open arms. Thus, they could afford to be relaxed.
To be honest, they hoped the exhibition would be a spectacular failure, but the likelihood of that was slim. The Empire knew the Kingdom's intentions better than anyone, so they would have made thorough preparations despite the tight schedule.
Laos had come to the Empire with the mindset of simply enjoying a festival.
"But why did the Empire feel the need to rush the exhibition so much? I don't really understand."
A cute girl sitting to Laos's left spoke up in a clear, melodic voice. Like Laos, she had blue hair and eyes, characterized by long straight hair and neatly trimmed bangs. Her doll-like, adorable features and slender frame naturally evoked a protective instinct.
This girl was Lara von Kerchers, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Ters and the youngest of four siblings. The eldest sister, the First Princess, was already married and had headed to the Maishal territory without making an official statement of attendance. As for the second sister, the Second Princess...
"Lara. I told you such questions are rude, so please refrain from asking them."
She was sitting to the right of Laos, who was in the center. For a woman, she had a notably low, mid-range voice. Her appearance matched her voice—she had a somewhat stern impression, though her innate beauty was undeniable. Her hair, tied back tightly in a ponytail, highlighted her mature elegance.
The most unique thing about her was her attire. Normally, one would wear a dress at such an official high table, but she alone wore a uniform that looked like something a knight would wear.
Her name was Hiriya Ducard von Kerchers.
Even setting aside her background, she was a knight famous in the Kingdom of Ters for her outstanding abilities. To be precise, she was a knight-aspirant. She was still a student at the Academy, but since she was nearing graduation, she had been granted the right to wear the uniform.
"Was that a question I shouldn't have asked?"
"Yes. I've told you several times that we are here strictly to enjoy the exhibition."
"Then I apologize. I'm sorry."
At Hiriya's scolding, Lara bowed her head forward.
At this, both Leort and Lina, who was sitting demurely beside him, gave bitter smiles. Lara was only twelve years old, an age where one feels the need to ask about everything they're curious about.
However, as Hiriya said, it was still a breach of etiquette, so Laos should have offered a sincere apology...
"No, there's no need for Lara to apologize. I was actually curious about that myself."
...But he did the exact opposite. Hiriya glared at Laos for escalating the situation, then crossed her arms and silently closed her eyes. She loathed this complex and dirty world of politics, but she had attended under duress because of her position. In her heart, she wanted to stay in the Kingdom and focus on her remaining training.
Meanwhile, Laos, seemingly intent on using this opportunity to apply pressure, asked the siblings with a beaming face.
"Hosting an exhibition is something that shouldn't matter even if it takes a long time. I just wonder if there was a need to prepare as hurriedly as you are now."
"There are reasons. There's no need for you to know. Can't you just enjoy yourselves?"
"Hmm. Does this perhaps have something to do with the author of the Xenon Biography?"
Laos's sharp insight caused not only Leort but even Lina, who was pretending to be fine while sipping her coffee, to flinch. Fortunately, it was a very subtle reaction, so Laos didn't notice.
Leort then replied without changing his expression.
"You're as sharp as ever. You're right. We moved the schedule up because we wanted to show it to Xenon as soon as possible."
"You're quite the liar."
In bluffing, there are many cases where the truth sounds like a lie. The truth Leort just spoke sounded like a lie to Laos. He believed it was impossible for the Empire to find someone the Kingdom of Ters was searching for so desperately. In fact, the Kingdom had recently picked up a trail and was close to discovering the author's identity.
Because of that confidence, Laos judged that Leort was lying. For Leort, this was a stroke of luck, but he couldn't stop his heart from racing. It had been a statement close to a gamble. Everything he had said so far wasn't a lie, but the absolute truth.
They were pushing the schedule to show it to Isaac. They were overexerting themselves to earn forgiveness for the wrongs Leort and Lina had committed against him.
We were too hasty...
They could have hosted the exhibition a year later, but that would have likely given the Kingdom of Ters an opening. If that happened, Isaac would naturally be more likely to visit the Kingdom, and he might even become enamored with their culture.
Especially according to Lina, Isaac was a man who loved history dearly, so he might go to the Kingdom of Ters to conduct cultural research. It meant there was a high probability that the talent responsible for the Empire's future would be snatched away right from under their noses.
Strictly speaking, he would be tied to the Empire as a historian, but to Leort, it was all the same.
Laos, completely unaware of Leort's inner turmoil, shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't matter and maintained his relaxed demeanor.
"Anyway, I get it. Since your Empire is preparing it, I'll look forward to it. You said Xenon might attend, so if I'm lucky, I might even find him."
"And if you do find Xenon, what then?"
It was Lina, not Leort, who asked with a voice tinged with wariness. Unlike Leort, she was acutely aware that Isaac was Xenon. This made her react even more sensitively.
Laos raised an eyebrow at her question for a moment in curiosity, then spoke dismissively.
"Naturally, I'll invite him to our Kingdom with the utmost respect. And I don't mean that metaphorically; I'll truly bring him back with honor. Before your Empire can snatch him away, that is."
"Xenon has expressed his desire to live a normal life. What if he stops publishing again because of your pressure?"
"When has our Kingdom ever pressured artists? Did we ask the Lirus Orchestra to compose a national anthem, or the Matrix Theater Troupe to create a propaganda play? We even stayed quiet when they reenacted the Jayros Revolution on stage."
He said that, but it wasn't as if they had no plans to use Isaac's fame before the protests. No matter how powerful the Empire was, it would be meaningless the moment it began to crumble from within. Since the Empire had been poaching talent countless times, the Kingdom of Ters had to take measures. One of those measures was using Xenon's fame for propaganda.
However, after the so-called "hiatus incident," they had no choice but to abandon that idea completely. They had to prevent another event like the Jayros Revolution from happening again.
Instead, they shifted their strategy. They would let him write freely but ensure Xenon was somehow tied to the Kingdom. That alone would leave the Minerva Empire with nothing but regret. It was killing two birds with one stone, as the Kingdom of Ters could further solidify its internal foundation, which had been shaken by the Jayros Revolution.
And the most certain way to tie down such a high-profile artist is...
Laos crossed his arms and looked back and forth between Hiriya, who was sitting silently, and Lara, who was munching on snacks like a hamster. Both girls boasted beauty suited to their individual charms, and their status was that of princesses of a nation. They were the most suitable women for Xenon, a man who could influence the world.
If he were an ordinary artist, it would be an unthinkable match, but because it was Xenon, it was possible. However, Hiriya had already chosen the path of a soldier, making it complicated, and Lara was far too young. Even for a political marriage, she would need to be an adult at the very least.
Above all, Xenon was currently presumed to be an elderly sage, so it was questionable if he even had any desire for women. Still, if they showed this much sincerity, even Xenon would have to give a reluctant nod.
Furthermore, it didn't necessarily have to be Hiriya or Lara. Although she was a discarded child, there was one person who shared their 'bloodline.'
Laos thought of the relative who had been practically exiled to Halo Academy and spoke.
"By the way, how is Academy life? Is it manageable?"
"Thanks to the talents of a certain country dedicating themselves to our Empire, it's quite comfortable. The culture and welfare are incomparable."
"Hahaha. I suppose so."
"But why do you ask... Ah. Is it because of Adelia?"
Leort, having a vague idea of what Laos was getting at, asked. Lina also had a neutral expression, having heard about it from him.
Laos nodded, confirming Leort's suspicion. However, a faint look of displeasure crossed his face.
"It's exactly who you're thinking of. Though I'd prefer if you didn't mention that name."
"Hmm... was it really necessary to discard her? She could have become a knight like Hiriya. She's currently serving as a Martial Studies Teaching Assistant at the Academy."
"..."
Hiriya remained still with her eyes closed even when Leort mentioned her, not saying a word. It was as if she felt no need to respond.
Leort didn't mind Hiriya's rude reaction. He had seen Hiriya's stubborn and rigid personality many times before, so he could easily overlook it.
"If she had discarded her name and lived a normal life, perhaps. But seeing a mere illegitimate child struggling to be recognized doesn't sit well with me. Even His Majesty said she was the biggest mistake of his life."
"She uses the surname Cross at the Academy."
"I threatened her not to use the royal surname before sending her there. The name Cross is likely her mother's. The name of a lowly prostitute."
"..."
It was a harsh response, a remnant of the "spicy" attitudes from before the Jayros Revolution. Leort recalled the personal history of Friedrich, the King of Ters.
To the people of the Kingdom of Ters, Friedrich was publicly known as a gentle romantic who, unlike most kings, loved only one woman. In reality, Friedrich himself had no concubines and poured all his love solely into his Queen.
But that was where the problem arose: his relationship with a prostitute he had met to satisfy his lust before meeting the Queen. Unfortunately, contraception had failed at that time, and a child was conceived.
If the prostitute had remained quiet, it might have been fine. But having lived a life at the bottom, she became greedy and suddenly sought out Friedrich.
It was only natural that the palace was thrown into chaos by that single incident. Friedrich denied it vehemently, but the child's sky-blue eyes, so like his own, testified to the truth. Fortunately, the incident was thoroughly covered up, so it never leaked out. The child was taken in, but the mother disappeared without a trace.
Is the reason she teases Nicole so much because she was the first friend she ever made?
Behind that always bright, smiling face lay a profound loneliness. Of course, it wasn't something that particularly interested Leort, so he just brushed it off.
"Anyway, why do you ask? Do you want to know if Adelia is attending the exhibition?"
"You really do know my mind well."
"Stop the jokes before I start cursing."
That playfulness was definitely hereditary. Both Adelia and Laos were prone to joking whenever they had the chance.
Laos, who had been playfully snapping his fingers, shrugged at Leort's words and returned to the main point.
"Well, yes. I'm curious if she's doing well, and I want to ask if she still wants to be recognized."
"And if she says she'll give up the name?"
"Do whatever you want with her. Whether you use her for propaganda or not, it's no problem for our Kingdom. That lowly girl is nothing more than His Majesty's 'mistake.'"
The attitude of regarding a person's birth and life as a mere 'mistake.' It was an attitude that would make Isaac scowl if he heard it, but to these people, it was accepted common sense. If a monarch made a political blunder, the people would complain, but they didn't care much about his private life. They would just think, "Oh, is that so?" and move on; personal character wasn't considered important.
Leort nodded as if he understood and spoke.
"Understood. It's just my guess, but she will likely attend the exhibition."
"Thanks. Then shall we start getting ready? To enjoy tomorrow, it's probably best to rest now."
And so, the night before the exhibition gradually approached.
*
"Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Cecile Drat Aisilia bin, Princess of Helium. Thank you so much for welcoming me despite my sudden visit."
"Not at all. It's an honor for us to host a Princess. By the way, you are truly beautiful."
"Thank you. I was wondering where Isaac got his looks from, and it seems he inherited them from the Baroness."
"Oh my. Does that mean our Isaac is pretty?"
Isaac was in a bind due to Cecile's sudden visit.
Everyone was flustered by her arrival at first, but they naturally warmed up to her through Cecile's brilliant conversational skills. She even seemed to get along so well with Isaac's mother that they were already deep in conversation.
"And Isaac. Here are the books you wanted."
"Huh? What books?"
"Books containing the history of the Demon tribe. They were selected by Helium's scholars, so they'll likely be of great help to you."
"Ooh...! Thank you so much, Noona."
"Don't mention it. I'm the one who's grateful."
Above all, even Isaac was easily won over (?) after receiving history books from Cecile.
However, there was one person who was extremely dissatisfied: Mari. She had been looking forward to spending some quiet time with Isaac, but Cecile's visit had ruined everything. Since she couldn't express it directly, she was feeling quite frustrated.
Eventually, she pulled Isaac aside to a secluded spot and scolded him sternly.
"Isaac."
"...Yeah."
"As your girlfriend, I'm telling you in advance. During the exhibition, you have to stay with me at all times. If you wander off or look at other women, I won't even let you hold my hand."
"Then can I still kiss you?"
"...You're a real pervert."
Mari felt her face flush at Isaac's counterattack and lowered her head. Isaac continued to ask in a teasing tone.
"So, what's the answer? Can I kiss you?"
"...Not now, later. Cecile might be watching. Given that she came all this way, it seems likely..."
"Are you shy?"
"Fine! You red-headed pervert! You can do it all you want tomorrow!"
"What even is a 'red-headed pervert'?"
He had a feeling it was going to be an eventful exhibition in many ways.