A Dangerous Invitation (2)
Emperor Barbarossa, true to his reputation as a powerhouse who flaunted rock-solid muscle, devoured meat with an almost fanatical appetite. Thick steaks seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper. The red wine from Count Flandre’s domain that perfectly drew out the richness of the meat. The sight of him boldly slicing through the flesh and washing it down with wine made him look every inch the hearty hero.
And because he was both a meat connoisseur and a glutton, the servants shuttled back and forth repeatedly, offering up fresh steaks each time.
“As expected, veal is supreme for steak. The meat from calves under four months old is especially tender because the muscle fibers are still delicate. That’s why I always serve veal steak when receiving guests.”
“It really is delicious.”
The veal steak served as the main course was a delicacy I had never tasted before, exactly what one would expect from the imperial chefs of the Valtaria Empire who boasted supreme skill. I had occasionally wondered what kind of food the emperor ate, and now that question had been neatly answered.
I stole a sideways glance at Barbarossa as he shoved a massive chunk of meat into his mouth. Then I looked at Ludmilla, who was cutting her own steak with refined elegance beside the boisterous emperor. Even the way she ate overflowed with grace, exactly as one would expect from the beautiful princess.
Ludmilla and Elizabetta must take completely after the empress. If they had even a tenth of that hearty emperor’s traits, the marriage talks would have been dead on arrival.
Ah. The marriage talks did end up dead, didn’t they? The second daughter became a spinster, and the third had her engagement broken right at the age when she should be marrying.
“Here.”
“Aah—”
I speared a small piece of meat with my fork and held it out to Lue. She opened her mouth wide and accepted it happily.
“Edanant von Hohenberg.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The emperor, who wore a splendid mustache, set down the fork and knife he had been using like extensions of his own hands. Then he spoke.
“Without a doubt, the foolish masses who love to chatter like magpies will begin to question the Saint Party’s reputation after this incident. They have relied on the Saint Party for everything until now. If the party remains completely silent, won’t their doubts snowball?”
“To the public, expectation and dependence will turn into despair and betrayal.”
The forces plotting the Ascension of Evil would commit cruel and merciless atrocities more and more frequently from now on. Death would blanket the skies. Pain and screams would fill the earth. And even then, the Saint Party would never appear. If they had truly cared about the powerless and weak masses, they would never have pulled such a stunt as vanishing without a word.
Before long, the people would surely think this:
The Saint Party has turned its back on the world!
The heroes who defeated the Demon King have betrayed humanity!
The Goddess’s noble divinity has fallen to the ground….
In the end, the wicked cults would rule the world. I frowned, imagining the worst possible outcome that would soon unfold.
The emperor nodded.
“It will rush headlong into a damned catastrophe. There is no doubt it will happen soon.”
“……”
The ruler of the strongest nation representing humanity had spoken a prophecy. No, it could hardly even be called a prophecy. The period of chaos caused by the Saint Party’s absence was practically inevitable. Countless disasters would sweep across the entire continent alongside the Ascension of Evil.
“Your Majesty, while I understand the seriousness of the situation, prolonging a conversation during a meal is hardly polite to your guests.”
“Ahem!”
The Hohenberg family, which had produced the Hero Maximilian, bore a heavy responsibility. Maximilian’s disappearance had essentially lit the fuse for this catastrophe. I was about to offer an apology to the emperor on behalf of the family when—
Ludmilla let out a deep sigh and deliberately cut the heavy atmosphere short. At his beloved second daughter’s pointed remark, Barbarossa cleared his throat and nodded. True to his reputation as the empire’s daughter-obsessed fool, a single sharp glance from her was enough to make him obedient again.
Ludmilla looked at me and sent a silent apology.
“I fully understand the gravity of the situation. If it is for the sake of the empire, I will assist to the best of my limited ability. Please allow me to prove the Hohenberg family’s loyalty to the imperial family.”
“A commendable attitude.”
Why did the emperor suddenly begin prophesying the near future in the middle of a banquet?
The answer was simple. Fight for the imperial family, and I will make full use of you. That role had originally belonged to Maximilian. It was why Barbarossa had gone so far as to offer his beloved youngest daughter in a political marriage just to form a connection with the Hero’s family.
He’s not trying to make me Elizabetta’s new fiancé, is he?
The possibility was slim. The broken engagement had happened less than a month ago. The relationship between the Valtaria imperial family and the Hohenberg family had already ended in ruin. Moreover, if they dragged the second son in as Elizabetta’s new fiancé in place of the eldest son who had declared the cancellation, the Valtaria imperial family would forever earn the infamous nickname of “bean-paste family.” On top of that, it concerned Elizabetta’s honor, so the daughter-obsessed emperor would never allow it.
And it’s not as if there’s another princess they could put forward as a new fiancée. There is Crown Princess Carolina, the eldest daughter of the imperial family, but… she’s already a married woman who had her wedding long ago.
Surely they aren’t asking me to work for free? Ah. That would make me want to start a revolution….
At least reduce the reparations imposed on the Hohenberg family or something. The one phrase I hate most in the world is “passion pay.”
“Ahem…!”
“……”
Ludmilla suddenly began coughing. It seemed she had swallowed her wine the wrong way. Her face had turned bright red.
“The Hohenberg family stands in a position where we cannot dare claim any disloyalty. In that situation, how could I, the second son of the family, have the face to ask for any reward? Although Your Majesty has graciously offered a prize… I will simply accept your merciful words and nothing more.”
“If you put it that way, I cannot press the matter any further.”
This must have been why Ludmilla had signaled with her cough. The Hohenberg family was in no position to ask for rewards. She had been sending me sideways glances to convey that point discreetly. I had nearly earned the mustache emperor’s displeasure again.
I let out a small sigh of relief inside and gave Ludmilla a faint smile. For some reason, the moment I smiled, her face stiffened.
The delegation of the First Saint that had departed from the Gael Holy Kingdom finally set foot on the territory of the Valtaria Empire. Upon entering a border city, Saint Javelin heard about the tragedy that had occurred in the imperial capital.
A bombing had resulted in over four hundred casualties. The shocking culprits were Gael Doher and the bombers whom the Holy Kingdom had been pursuing. Was it out of resentment toward the empire? Or perhaps it was the final act of hatred directed at the Saint Party.
The bombers, who had stirred up the entire continent with repeated terrorist attacks, had now even struck the Valtaria Empire. If they had successfully escaped, they would undoubtedly have targeted the Holy Kingdom next. After all, the bomber maniac Gael was a blasphemous madman who had already slaughtered countless priests.
Upon hearing the report that the bomber maniac had been killed on site, Javelin let out a sigh of relief.
“Who killed the bomber?”
“A man named Edanant von Hohenberg.”
“Hohenberg…? I feel like I’ve heard that name quite often.”
“He is the younger brother of the Hero Maximilian.”
It was a name she had never heard before. That was strange. If he was skilled enough to defeat the bomber maniac, she should have at least heard his name… Just who was he?
Edanant von Hohenberg. After hearing the unfamiliar name, Javelin tilted her head and voiced her doubts.
“Shockingly… he used the Holy Sword Aldebaran! A young lord of the Hohenberg family wielded a holy sword!”
“Is that true? No, that can’t be right.”
The only person known to possess the aptitude for a holy sword was Maximilian. At least, that was what had been revealed to the public. Maximilian’s younger brother had used a holy sword. Upon learning the truth, Javelin kept muttering, “That can’t be right.”
And of all swords, it had to be the Holy Sword Aldebaran. Should I call this a coincidence…?
The saint, whose beautiful silver hair flowed like bellflowers, swallowed a groan and lowered her head. Had she sensed something? Her clear blue eyes trembled faintly.
Javelin dismissed the holy knights guarding her and continued pondering. She paced in place, speculating about the new individual who had wielded Aldebaran. But in the end, no suitable guess came to mind. She furrowed her elegant brows and clicked her tongue.
“This is truly an extraordinary event! Isn’t the current wielder chosen by the Four Holy Swords of Demon Extinction none other than Maximilian?”
“…Well.”
There was one. Exactly one person. An unidentified being whose existence had never been revealed to the world—someone only she knew about. A person who had wielded a holy sword without ever receiving the Holy Kingdom’s baptism. Moreover, he had uniquely been rejected by the other holy swords yet chosen solely by the Holy Sword Aldebaran.
Could it really be a coincidence? Or perhaps…
Could there be a secret that has remained hidden all this time?
Even if it turned out to be a wasted effort, she needed to confirm it at least once.
“Ivan.”
“Yes, Saintess.”
Javelin, who had been biting her nails while deep in thought for a long time, finally spoke.
“Go down to the Hohenberg County immediately and gather information.”
“The Hero’s hometown. Understood!”
“No. The target of your investigation is Edanant von Hohenberg. Compile his activities over the past three years as clearly and comprehensively as possible… and do not miss a single detail.”
“Pardon? You mean Young Lord Edanant…?”
The First Saint of the Holy Kingdom possessed a warm and benevolent personality, but at the same time she had a neurotic, prickly side. In particular, she greatly disliked having to repeat herself. The sub-priest who served her knew this all too well. The moment he met her vividly shining blue eyes, he turned pale and answered immediately.