The Sudden Journey to the Imperial Palace (Part 2)
In the novel, the Eckhart Empire appears in just one episode.
The protagonist Russell and his companions were visiting the empire to take on a new request and enjoy some sightseeing.
But the empire was already in ruins because of Empress Cecilia’s tyranny, and its citizens’ lives were in tatters.
On the other side, crowds were protesting the need to start an invasion war.
Russell and the others debated whether to turn back, but they decided to stay and carry out their plan.
They would use the money secretly deposited in the Secret Bank by a duke from another empire that was supporting them.
While they quietly carried out that plan, Empress Cecilia launched her invasion wars against neighboring countries.
The empire quickly fell into chaos.
There was simply no force left to stop the tyrant.
The companions decided they could stay in the empire any longer.
They left the Eckhart Empire behind.
On the way out, they couldn’t leave an orphan boy behind.
They took him with them.
When he grew up, he became their comrade and fought by their side.
And what happened to the Eckhart Empire?
Several neighboring kingdoms that had been eyeing its land united and launched a simultaneous invasion.
They completely conquered the empire.
It had happened just four years after Empress Cecilia took the throne.
Right now, only about half a year had passed since she ascended.
That meant three and a half years from now, the empire would vanish from the map!
Was this really the truth?
I wanted to ask that question out loud, but I didn’t have a single person nearby to ask.
I couldn’t reveal that I was a reincarnated person either.
My parents, who had no idea about my burning inner turmoil, were preparing a celebration party as promised last night.
The venue was the garden.
It was the largest open space at our house.
Father and my brother were busy hauling tables and chairs around with the servants.
Mother was discussing the menu with the chef.
I had been completely relieved of all duties from the start because I was the main character of the celebration.
My youngest sibling, Cyril, found me in my room.
“Oppa. When we go to Deleson, buy me some of these.”
He handed me a piece of paper right away.
It was packed with a list of various dresses and jewelry.
“Isn’t this way too much?”
“They say the pay at the imperial palace is huge.”
“Don’t I need money to live there too, little brother?”
I countered.
Cyril looked a little troubled for a moment.
Then he grinned at me.
“Then buy half of what’s on the list.”
“You’re still asking me to buy everything anyway.”
He was still an immature youngest sibling, but he was also adorable.
“Anyway, we should start picking out the dresses now, right?”
“I was planning to pick them with Mary anyway.”
“Then I’ll head out.”
Cyril waved his hands enthusiastically and reminded me to bring his list safely.
“Okay, go quickly.”
After Cyril left, my room fell silent once more.
I let out a long sigh.
Thinking about my darkening future brought a heavy feeling back again.
“How am I supposed to do this in the future…?”
Because of my worries about the future, even when I greeted the villagers who had come to celebrate my journey to the imperial palace, even when I proposed a toast while sharing my false aspirations in front of them, even when I forced myself to smile among them, I couldn’t feel any joy.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say I felt miserable.
‘How am I supposed to work under this tyrant empress…?’
I sat alone a little away from the garden because of the fatigue.
I was sipping wine.
Even though the main character of the party had stepped away from his seat, the villagers were still laughing and chatting happily with my family.
If only I could feel that carefree…
“Haa.”
“Why are you sighing like that?”
I turned my head and saw Emma smiling faintly at me.
She was holding a new bottle of wine in one hand.
“I’ll sit next to you.”
There was an empty chair, so Emma sat down politely.
“Can I have one glass?”
“Then thank you.”
I poured wine into her empty glass.
We quietly toasted.
“Why do you look so gloomy? Are you worried?”
The moment I downed the wine in one gulp, Emma asked.
I had purposely sat alone away from the group, hadn’t I?
Instead, I had worried Emma.
“Well… yes.”
I nodded appropriately.
Even though Emma was my closest childhood friend, I couldn’t tell her the truth.
Above all, I wasn’t sure she would believe me.
Emma stared at me quietly for a moment, then turned her gaze toward the night sky.
“The place over there is different, right? More people.”
“It should be.”
“There will be plenty of shops.”
“Probably.”
“There will be many handsome gentlemen and beautiful noble ladies.”
“…”
When I didn’t answer, Emma looked back at me.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Even though her tone was a bit blunt, Emma answered calmly and gently.
“I’m curious what you’re worried about.”
“So I asked a bunch of questions.”
“All your questions were about Deleson, weren’t they?”
I retorted, and Emma smiled bashfully.
“You’re not drunk already, are you?”
“No way.”
“We drank together on the day we came of age.”
We were the same age, so we had our coming-of-age ceremony on the same day.
The venue was the central hall of our house.
It wasn’t anything special.
On the first day of March, they gathered the nineteen-year-old men and women from the village, proclaimed that they were adults, prayed for blessings in their future lives, and that was it.
Finally, the only priest in the village sprinkled holy water on their faces, and right after the ceremony, a feast began.
It was nothing like the elegant parties held for noble families.
It felt more like a neighborhood gathering.
Exactly like the one opening right now.
I quietly looked at my empty glass.
Then Emma poured wine into it.
“Thank you.”
“Can I have one too?”
I poured for her as well and toasted quietly.
“What are you worried about?”
Emma took a sip of wine and asked in a soft voice.
What should I say here?
I couldn’t say there was no worry either.
We had known each other for almost ten years, so she had to know how I felt.
I glanced at her sideways.
Her blue eyes sparkling with expectation looked right at me.
What kind of answer is she waiting for?
But no matter how close a friend, I couldn’t tell her everything.
“Huu.”
I let out a long sigh.
It was too sad that I couldn’t get her to understand this feeling.
“You must be worried about many things.”
“Yeah… well…”
I clicked my tongue.
I downed the wine in one gulp.
Still, the tightness in my chest didn’t loosen at all.
Darn it.
“It’s too sudden, and I don’t even know what kind of work I’ll be doing in the palace…”
“I see.”
“I’d feel the same way.”
Of course, the biggest worry was how to work under a tyrant empress and how to prepare to survive until the empire fell.
But there were many other worries too.
Where would my residence be? What level of pay would I get? And so on.
Since I would be working at the palace, the pay would definitely be higher than anywhere else.
But that money would have to be saved for fleeing in the future…
The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I was sinking into a swamp.
“But even if I worry, what can I do about it?”
Hearing Emma’s words, I answered in a bewildered voice.
“Huh?”
“Right now you look like you’re a person who worries too much to have fun.”
“But I can’t stop worrying.”
“Can’t you tell me about it either?”
To Emma’s direct question, I nodded once.
“I see…”
Emma’s voice sounded strangely sulky.
Perhaps my reaction had caused a misunderstanding.
“I can’t tell even my parents about this.”
“Is it something shameful for a man?”
“Why did the conversation go in that direction?”
I let out a dry laugh in surprise.
Emma covered her mouth and giggled.
Was she trying to guess that?
And my guess was spot on.
“Now you’re giving a much more natural reaction.”
Emma set her glass down on the side table.
Then she turned her upper body to face me directly.
“Lord Luke Nedville, you were this worried?”
“That’s not the Luke I know.”
“Yeah. I know I’m not acting like myself lately.”
“Lord Luke Nedville, everyone in the territory, including the lord, loves you.”
“Perhaps even the imperial palace people will like you.”
“Emma…”
“I don’t know what you’re worried about, but you don’t have to be crushed by it.”
“That’s not like you, right?”
In the moonlight, Emma’s secret smile made my shoulders feel lighter all of a sudden.
Yeah.
When I thought about it, it was the future at least three and a half years away.
That meant I had plenty of time to prepare!
“Thank you, Emma.”
“Thanks to you, my heart feels much lighter.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Emma stood up from her chair and looked at me quietly.
“Luke.”
The moment I stood up, she looked up at me.
“Send me letters from time to time.”
Oh, it must be tough to be apart.
But she still comforted me.
Emma really did have an angel’s heart.
“I will.”
“I’ll take some vacations every now and then, visit my family, and come see you too.”
“Yeah.”
The way she nodded her head was so cute that I ended up smiling without realizing it.
At that moment, a booming voice rang out from the direction of the party.
“My lord! If you’re taking our daughter, write the marriage registration form first!”
It was Emma’s father.
“Oh my. You must be drunk.”
Even though father tried to stop him, he didn’t stop talking.
“Go to the palace and rise in rank! Our daughter is looking forward to seeing your wonderful figure!”
“Dad! Stop it!”
Emma’s cheeks flushed red as she shouted that way.
“Emma’s cheeks are red.”
Someone’s words made everyone burst into laughter.
I laughed too, and Emma, who had been stiff-faced, eventually caught the infection and laughed along.
Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy the party in a cheerful atmosphere until the end.
***
The next day.
Early in the morning, the family came out to the front gate to see me off as I had to leave for the journey.
Mother and my brother, Cyril, all said to be careful on the road.
Finally, father placed his thick hands on my shoulders.
“Luke. Remember what I said.”
“A man born in this world must fulfill his big dreams.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Hmm. Good.”
I waved to my family and got into the carriage waiting.
The coachman gave the order to depart, and the carriage slowly began to move forward.
It was a somewhat sudden journey to the imperial palace, but so what?
“Let’s try our best here.”
I muttered my determination out loud.