Chapter 79: Chapter 70: I Have a Dream
Having escaped the court nobles, Henry changed into a fresh imperial robe. He dawdled outside for what felt like an eternity before finally returning to the great hall.
This time, the court nobles didn’t swarm him. Instead, it was those old geezers from the Senate who pulled Henry aside, pestering him with all sorts of questions.
As twilight descended, the Emperor’s banquet officially began.
Inside the spacious banquet hall, hundreds of long tables, draped in magnificent tablecloths, were laden with rare delicacies from every corner of the empire.
Every dish was exquisitely prepared. The silverware on the tables gleamed, and the goblets were filled with fine wine from the western coastal regions, which flowed like a clear spring when drunk.
The nobles, dressed in splendid attire and adorned with medals, had faces beaming with smiles.
"Long live His Majesty, the Emperor!"
The nobles raised their glasses in a toast. After the Emperor lifted his own cup, everyone relaxed and indulged in the fine food and wine. Laughter and conversation rose and fell throughout the hall.
Music and dance became the main events of the celebration. It was a court banquet, so there were no traditional contests to see who could eat or drink the most—a real shame.
Court Minstrels played beautiful melodies, their songs melodious and graceful.
The female relatives of the court nobles pulled partners they fancied onto the dance floor, their light and graceful movements captivating all who watched.
Actors from the Royal Capital’s theater, brought in to liven up the atmosphere, took to the stage one after another to showcase their talents and skills, adding to the merriment of the grand feast.
Although Henry held a position of importance in this celebration, he remained humble and low-key.
’Interest is like an oil lamp. In its light, all relationships, morals, and ethics reveal their true nature, plain for all to see.’
’The nobles’ friendly overtures are nothing more than a zero-cost investment. A few flattering words are less useful to me than a piece of firewood—unless they come from the Emperor.’
Baron Gonzalo Jonson and Knight Shevar Sayfi found Henry and respectfully toasted him. The three of them appeared to be on excellent, harmonious terms. Only heaven knew what they were truly thinking.
’You can feel jealousy, but you can’t express it with jealousy. If you don’t have the ability to handle the consequences, don’t indulge your emotions—just like Baron Nurulan.’
No matter how jealous Gonzalo and Shevar were of Henry, they wouldn’t dare cause a scene at the Emperor’s banquet.
The two of them conversed amicably with Henry, but their eyes kept darting toward the distant Emperor. They knew full well that in this game of power, their Lord was the one who made the rules.
A rising star who had caught the Emperor’s eye and earned his favor was someone they could only praise and elevate.
At that moment, the Emperor slowly rose to his feet. His majestic voice echoed through the hall. "My Vassals! My ministers! Tonight, we celebrate this wonderful occasion together."
The Emperor’s gaze swept across the hall, as if taking in every single person. He continued, "Let us cherish this precious time and enjoy the happiness brought by food, music, and dance. May the empire’s military flourish! May the empire know peace and tranquility!"
The Emperor’s speech was met with a wave of thunderous applause as people raised their glasses to toast him. At that moment, the entire palace was immersed in an atmosphere of joy and serenity. The crowd cheered in response, and the banquet’s atmosphere reached its peak.
But Henry had other thoughts.
’Will the empire truly know peace?’ Henry wondered, looking at the sycophantic nobles from the Senate.
Henry left the crowd to get some fresh air. A cold wind blew from the grasslands toward the sea, caressing the lands of Caladia and smacking Henry across the face like a slap.
Re-energized, Henry returned to the hall once more. After having a servant refill his goblet, he approached the Emperor.
"Dean, a toast to you."
"Haha, Baron, I see you’re quite popular."
Henry drained his cup and waved his hand dismissively. "That’s only because I am your student. It’s less that I’ve gained everyone’s attention and more that the nobles are showing their reverence for you."
The Emperor laughed heartily and summoned a servant to bring a chair for Henry, bidding him to sit.
"Thank you, Dean."
The Emperor tapped the table with his finger and asked, "What are your plans for developing your fief after you return?"
"Reclaim land, gradually convert serfs into tenant farmers, and attract Free People from other cities to become self-employed farmers. I will also organize my Private Army and expand my territory."
The Emperor was very pleased with this answer. "Excellent. The Half-Beastmen have now fled even farther away. You Border Nobles should be seizing more land to provide larger farms and pastures for the empire’s people."
Henry nodded slightly, waiting for the Emperor to continue.
"Unfortunately, the nobility decay faster than bread goes stale... Henry, you can expand your territory with an easy mind. As long as the land you conquer is large enough and well-managed, I can consolidate your title into a Directly Affiliated Marquis.
"How about this? We won’t count the past six months. From this moment on, you will be exempt from taxes for three years. You must work hard."
Henry swallowed hard. He was confident in his ability to expand his territory in the future, but the pie the Emperor was drawing for him now was simply too big.
"My ancestors fulfilled their dream of restoring the empire’s glory and unified the other kingdoms. As for me, I too have a dream.
"I will be the greatest emperor, so that Caladia will forever sing of my name and my deeds.
"For the Northern Lands, the west, and the desert, I have my chosen people. But for the eastern grasslands, my greatest expectation rests on you, Henry Bro."
Henry was quite surprised by Anikovarest XIII’s words. He hadn’t expected his Dean to harbor such grand ambitions.
’Is he planning a full-scale expansion of the map? Could it be that some new "black technology" has arrived from the overseas kingdoms?’
"I won’t be recommending any marriage partners for you. I feel rather guilty saying this, but I’ve arranged matches for many of your seniors from the academy in the past. Unfortunately, their lives didn’t turn out very well in the end."
Henry gave a somewhat awkward laugh. This was already infamous at the academy: if the Dean set his sights on you to play matchmaker, you were in for a real treat.
After chatting for a while longer, Henry returned to the crowd. Wherever he went, people would gather around to talk, and the number of pouches in his sleeves grew.
’At this rate, if there were a few more banquets like this, could I make as much as my fief produces in a year?’
Late at night, after the banquet ended, a pleasantly tipsy Henry and his Legion Commanders left the bustling banquet hall.
The night air felt fresh to them. They followed the familiar road, slowly making their way back to their quarters in the military camp.
Along the way, Henry and the Legion Commanders shared amusing stories and their impressions of the banquet. Their laughter echoed in the silent night, breaking the tranquility of the streets.
Torches at the military encampment flickered in the distance, guiding their way. As they drew closer, the figures of their soldiers—who had long since finished their parade and eaten their fill—came into view.
