Ch.88Preparation (3)

While Issac was attending to guests at his estate, the imperial palace was also welcoming distinguished visitors with proper courtesy.

Most people who visited the Mayshall estate directly without passing through the capital were commoners, artists, or nobles below the rank of count.

Those of higher rank typically held important positions in their countries, so they would send official invitations to the countries they planned to visit.

Of course, they could visit unofficially, but this was generally avoided as any incident could cause significant diplomatic damage.

Especially between the Empire of Minerva and the Kingdom of Teres, who were practically sworn enemies, even minor visits required complex procedures.

And now, the Kingdom of Teres had originally planned to host the exhibition in their capital but had handed over the authority to the Empire of Minerva, almost as if passing off a burden.

The Empire of Minerva had no intention of hosting it and had merely made a show of interest, but when suddenly given the responsibility, they began extremely busy days.

To successfully host the exhibition in just over two weeks, nobles in high positions worked overtime almost daily, and this included those in the imperial palace.

People might think that royalty like the crown prince and princess don’t work, but that’s completely untrue. In fact, it’s the opposite.

The empire recognized through history that when a king neglects state affairs and turns his attention elsewhere, the country falls into ruin.

Because of this, even those who don’t ascend to the throne take charge of specific areas of governance.

This is why, throughout 500 years of history, despite various mistakes by emperors, no truly incompetent ruler who would ruin the country has emerged. Moreover, with the Reckyless ducal family closely watching, they had no choice but to work.

As a result, Crown Prince Leort and Princess Rina welcomed distinguished guests without proper sleep due to the recent influx of work.

“You look quite tired. Haven’t been sleeping lately?”

A handsome man with sky-blue hair, blue eyes, and a striking, almost knife-like nose spoke with a smiling tone.

Perhaps it was his constantly smiling face that seemed ready for mischief at any moment that irritated him. Leort, facing him, also smiled slightly and said:

“Thanks to whom? On the contrary, you look quite well.”

“Well, we’re here to enjoy rather than host. We came full of expectations.”

Leort’s under-eye area twitched, apparently displeased with the blue-haired handsome man’s response. Due to the tsunami of work lately, dark circles were deeply etched under his eyes.

Despite surely receiving strict care as the crown prince, the presence of dark circles indicated how much he had struggled.

His normally sharp blue eyes had even lost some of their luster, showing how fatigued he was.

In contrast, the blue-haired young noble, Crown Prince Laos Ducard von Curtures of the Kingdom of Teres, looked fine. More than fine, he was overflowing with energy and exuded leisure.

Officially, Laos’s reason for visiting the empire was simply to attend the exhibition. However, this was merely the external reason; internally, complex politics were involved.

For the Kingdom of Teres, whether the exhibition succeeded or failed was equally welcome, so they could come with peace of mind.

Honestly, they would have preferred the exhibition to fail spectacularly, but that possibility was extremely low. The empire understood Teres’s intentions better than anyone, so despite the tight schedule, they would have made thorough preparations.

Laos had come to the empire with the mindset of simply enjoying the festival.

“But was there a reason for the empire to rush the exhibition? I don’t understand.”

A cute girl sitting to Laos’s left spoke in a clear voice. Like Laos, she had blue hair and eyes, with long straight hair and neatly cut bangs.

Her doll-like cute appearance and slender frame evoked protective instincts.

This girl’s name was Lara Ducard von Curtures, the third princess of the Kingdom of Teres and the youngest of four siblings.

The eldest sister, the first princess, had already married and headed to the Mayshall estate without making an official statement of attendance, while the second princess…

“Lara. I told you such questions are impolite, so please refrain from asking them.”

…was sitting to the right of Laos, who sat in the center. She had a characteristically low, contralto voice for a woman.

Her appearance matched this, with a stiff impression, though her innate beauty couldn’t be hidden, and her ponytail enhanced her mature beauty.

The most unique aspect was her attire. While formal occasions typically required dresses, she alone wore a uniform that knights would wear.

Her name was Hyria Ducard von Curtures.

Even excluding her background, she was a famous knight of outstanding ability in the Kingdom of Teres.

More precisely, she was a knight aspirant. Though still attending the academy, she had received her uniform as she was about to graduate.

“Was that a question I shouldn’t have asked?”

“Yes. How many times have I told you we’re here simply to enjoy the exhibition?”

“Then I apologize. I’m sorry.”

Lara bowed her head forward after Hyria’s rebuke.

Both Leort and Rina, who was sitting modestly beside him, gave bitter smiles.

Lara was only 12 years old, an age where curiosity demands answers to everything.

But as Hyria said, she had committed a breach of etiquette, so Laos also began to apologize in a serious tone…

“No, Lara doesn’t need to apologize. I was curious about that too.”

…or rather, the opposite. Hyria glared at Laos, who seemed intent on escalating the issue, then folded her arms and closed her eyes silently.

This complex and dirty political world disgusted her, but her position forced her to attend. She would have preferred to remain in the kingdom and focus on her remaining training.

Meanwhile, Laos, seemingly intent on pressing the issue, asked with a smiling face:

“Hosting an exhibition can take time, no rush needed. But I wonder why there’s a need to prepare so hastily like now.”

“We have our reasons. You don’t need to know. Just enjoy it, right?”

“Hmm. Could it be related to the author of the Biography of Xenon?”

Laos’s sharp observation made not only Leort but also Rina, who was pretending to be fine while drinking coffee, flinch.

Fortunately, the reaction was so minimal that Laos didn’t notice.

Leort then responded without changing his expression:

“You’re quite perceptive. You’re right. We moved up the schedule because we wanted to show it to Xenon as soon as possible.”

“You lie well too.”

Sometimes, bluffing can make truth sound like lies. The truth Leort just revealed came across as a lie to Laos.

He believed it impossible for the empire to find someone the Kingdom of Teres was searching for so diligently. They had even tracked the trail and were close to discovering the identity.

This confidence led Laos to judge that Leort was lying. This was fortunate for Leort, though he couldn’t help feeling anxious.

It was essentially a gamble. Everything he had said so far wasn’t a lie but the truth.

They had rushed the exhibition schedule to show it to Issac, taking this risk to seek forgiveness for the wrongs Leort and Rina had committed against him.

‘I was too hasty…’

The exhibition could have been held a year later, but then the Kingdom of Teres might have seized the opportunity.

If that happened, Issac would likely visit the Kingdom of Teres and might even become immersed in their culture.

Especially according to Rina, Issac was someone who loved history deeply, so he might visit the Kingdom of Teres for cultural research.

This meant a high probability of losing a talent responsible for the empire’s future, right under their noses.

Strictly speaking, he would be affiliated with the empire as a historian, but to Leort, it was all the same.

Unaware of Leort’s thoughts, Laos shrugged casually, maintaining his relaxed demeanor.

“Anyway, I understand. Since your empire is preparing it, I can enjoy it with peace of mind. And since Xenon is also attending, I might find him if I’m lucky.”

“What would you do if you found Xenon?”

Rina, not Leort, asked in a voice filled with wariness. Unlike Leort, she clearly recognized that Issac was Xenon.

This made her react more sensitively.

Laos raised an eyebrow at her question, showing confusion briefly before speaking as if it were no big deal:

“Of course, I’d respectfully invite him to our kingdom. And I mean truly respectfully, not figuratively. Before your empire takes him.”

“Xenon has expressed his desire to live a normal life. What if he stops writing again because of this?”

“When has our kingdom ever pressured artists? Did we ask the Lirus Orchestra to compose a national anthem, or the Matrix Troupe to create propaganda plays? We even remained silent when they recreated the Jeiros Revolution as a play.”

Though he said this, he wasn’t entirely without plans to use Issac’s fame before the protest. No matter how powerful the empire’s strength, it becomes meaningless the moment it crumbles from within.

The empire had been stealing countless talents, so the Kingdom of Teres had to devise countermeasures. One was using Xenon’s fame for propaganda.

However, after the so-called hiatus incident, they had to abandon this plan completely. They had to prevent another incident like the Jeiros Revolution.

Instead, they changed their approach. Let him write freely but somehow make Xenon belong to the kingdom.

That alone would leave the Empire of Minerva with nothing but regret. The Kingdom of Teres could strengthen its internal stability, which had been shaken by the Jeiros Revolution—killing two birds with one stone.

‘And the surest way to bind such a prominent artist is…’

Laos looked alternately at Hyria, who sat with folded arms, and Lara, who was munching on snacks like a hamster. Both women displayed beauty matching their unique personalities, and both held the position of princesses of a nation.

They were the most suitable women for Xenon, who could influence the world. If he were an ordinary artist, this would be unthinkable, but it was possible because he was Xenon.

However, Hyria had already chosen the path of a soldier, making her an ambiguous choice, and Lara was too young. Even for a political marriage, one must at least be an adult.

Moreover, Xenon was currently presumed to be an elderly sage, so it was questionable whether he had any interest in women. Still, with this level of sincerity, even Xenon might reluctantly agree.

Besides, it didn’t have to be Hyria or Lara. There was someone else with a ‘bloodline’ connection, albeit a discarded child.

Laos recalled the bloodline that had been almost forced to enroll in Halo Academy and spoke:

“By the way, how’s academy life?”

“Thanks to talents from various countries dedicating themselves to our empire, it’s truly comfortable. Both culturally and welfare-wise, incomparably so.”

“Hahaha. I suppose so.”

“But why do you ask… Ah. Is it because of Adelia?”

Leort seemed to have some inkling as he asked Laos. Rina also maintained an expressionless face, as if she had heard something about this from him.

Laos nodded, confirming Leort’s thought. However, there was a slight displeasure on his face.

“You’re thinking of the right person. But I’d prefer if you didn’t mention that name.”

“Hmm… Did you really need to discard her? She could have become a knight like Hyria. Currently, she’s a martial arts instructor at the academy.”

“… …”

Even though Leort mentioned her, Hyria kept her eyes closed and remained silent, not even bothering to respond. She seemed to feel no need to answer.

Leort didn’t mind Hyria’s rude response. He had seen enough of Hyria’s stubborn nature to overlook it.

“If she had abandoned her surname and lived normally, perhaps. But I didn’t like seeing an illegitimate child trying so hard to be recognized. Father also said she was the biggest mistake of his life.”

“At the academy, she goes by the surname Cross.”

“Before sending her to the academy, we threatened her not to use the royal surname. Cross is probably her mother’s surname. The surname of a lowly prostitute.”

“… …”

This response still carried the bitterness from before the Jeiros Revolution. Leort recalled the personal history of Friedrich, the king of the Kingdom of Teres.

To the people of the Kingdom of Teres, Friedrich was known as a gentle romanticist who, unlike most kings, loved only one woman. Indeed, Friedrich himself did not take concubines and poured all his love into his queen alone.

But the problem arose from Friedrich’s relationship with a prostitute he had met to satisfy his desires before meeting the queen. Unfortunately, contraception failed, and a child was conceived.

If the prostitute had remained quiet, it might have been different. But having lived a life at the bottom, she grew greedy and directly approached Friedrich.

Naturally, this single incident threw the royal palace into chaos. Friedrich vehemently denied it, but the child’s blue eyes, resembling the sky, testified that she was his child.

Fortunately, the incident was thoroughly concealed, preventing it from leaking outside. The child was accepted, but the mother disappeared without a trace.

‘Was it because Nicole was the first friend she made since birth that she often played pranks on her?’

Behind that always vibrant, smiling face lay terrible loneliness. Of course, this wasn’t particularly interesting to Leort, so he glossed over it.

“By the way, why do you ask? Do you want to know if Adelia will attend the exhibition?”

“You really do understand me well.”

“Stop joking before I start cursing you out.”

Such mischievousness was clearly hereditary. Both Adelia and Laos were prone to pranks at every opportunity.

Laos, who had been playfully wiggling his fingers, shrugged at Leort’s words and returned to the main topic.

“Well, you’re right. I’m curious if she’s doing well, and I want to ask if she still wants recognition.”

“What would you do if she abandoned her surname?”

“That’s for you to handle. Whether you use her for propaganda or not, it’s no issue for our kingdom. That lowly woman is merely Father’s ‘mistake’ after all.”

An attitude that regards a person’s birth and life simply as a ‘mistake.’ While Issac would frown upon such an attitude, it was accepted as common sense by these people.

If a monarch makes political mistakes, the people might complain, but they don’t care much about private life. They just think, “Oh, is that so?” and move on; personal character isn’t important.

Leort nodded in understanding and spoke:

“I see. It’s just my guess, but she’ll probably attend the exhibition.”

“Thank you. Now, shall we prepare? To enjoy tomorrow, it’s best to rest from now.”

And so, the night before the exhibition approached.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I am Cecilly Draught Isillia Vin, Princess of Helium. Thank you very much for welcoming me despite my sudden visit.”

“Not at all. We’re honored to host you, Princess. By the way, you’re truly beautiful.”

“Thank you. I was wondering where Issac got his face from, and it seems he inherited it from the baroness.”

“Oh my. Are you saying our Issac is pretty?”

Issac was in a predicament due to Cecilly’s sudden visit.

Everyone was initially surprised by her visit, but thanks to Cecilly’s eloquent speech, they naturally warmed up. She even seemed to get along well with Issac’s mother, as they were already engaged in lively conversation.

“And Issac. Here’s the book you wanted.”

“Huh? What book is it?”

“A book containing the history of demons. It was selected by a scholar from Helium, so it should be of great help to you.”

“Wow…! Thank you so much, big sister.”

“No need for thanks. I’m the one who should be grateful.”

Above all, even Issac was captivated by Cecilly after receiving the history book as a gift.

However, there was one person who had the greatest dissatisfaction: Marie.

She had been full of thoughts about spending time cozily with Issac, but all were thwarted by Cecilly’s visit. But she couldn’t express it directly, which was frustrating.

In the end, she called Issac to a secluded place without anyone knowing and sternly admonished him.

“Issac.”

“…Yes.”

“As your girlfriend, I’ll tell you in advance. Stay with me at all times during the exhibition. If you separate from me or look at other women, I won’t even let you hold my hand.”

“Then can I kiss you?”

“…You’re really a pervert.”

Marie blushed at Issac’s counterattack and bowed her head deeply. To this, Issac asked in a sly tone:

“So what’s your answer? Can I kiss you?”

“…Not now, later. Cecilly might be watching secretly. Seeing how she came, it seems like she might…”

“Are you shy?”

“Enough! You red pervert! We can do it all we want tomorrow!”

“What’s a ‘red pervert’ supposed to mean?”

It seemed like the exhibition would be eventful in many ways.