Chapter 191: The Last Banquet In The Empire (2)
Nice to meet the Saint.
Nice to meet the Saint.
Three handsome young men bowed their heads in greeting.
It was customary to state your name and family name when greeting for the first time.
Where they had exchanged their names was unclear, but it was certain they had lost their manners.
Nice to meet you.
As I greeted them back, one of the young men, smiling, made a suggestion.
Saint, we, people of a similar age, are having a small gathering over there. Would you like to join us?
A gathering? That sounds like a good idea.
This indicated that communication among the heirs was well established.
For the leaders of the families and the nation, building rapport in advance was beneficial.
In contrast, in the Holy Kingdom, they only met briefly at banquets and did not form separate meetings.
Therefore, the friendship between families was limited.
It was just a professional relationship, not a personal one in the Holy Kingdom.
I was now interested in introducing this at a banquet.
Ray nodded and accepted the offer.
Sounds good.
Upon hearing his response, the three young men led Ray towards a lobby.
The empire had three lobbies; the largest central lobby was where the Emperor and Ray were. The right lobby was for the nobility.
Lastly, the left lobby, known as the Closet Lobby, was for the nobles heirs.
Seeing they had come to fetch me to the central lobby, they must have wanted to build rapport with the Saint or openly show favor.
But considering they had initially greeted without mentioning their names, the latter seemed more likely.
Upon entering the Closet Lobby, only the young nobles were present.
This must have created a comfortable atmosphere and fostered camaraderie among the young generation.
The title of the Iron-Blooded Monarch was well-deserved.
Thinking of even these minute details to advance the empire was commendable.
Lesian was what it was today because of the Emperor.
He was led by the young men to a gathering place bustling with many people.
Ray surveyed the assembly and silently admired them.
They created a warm ambiance, comfortably engaging in conversation.
It felt as though they were all long-time friends.
One of the young men recognized their arrival.
Everyone, I have brought the Saint, he announced.
His words instantly shifted everyones focus onto Ray.
Even the elves admired Rays appearance.
Though he tried to contain it, the faint divine power emanating from him imparted a sacred aura.
The opulent, showy clothes he wore accentuated his presence, his assured posture capturing everyones gaze.
Murmurs swirled through the crowd.
Ah
Hmm
Time seemed to stand still as no one stepped forward to welcome him.
Finally, Ray broke the ice.
Im Ray. Nice to meet you.
His introduction seemed to jolt them back to reality.
Realizing their oversight in not greeting him, someone quickly expressed regret.
I apologize for this discourtesy. I am Celestina of Count Cress House.
My manners failed me. I am Gein from Duke Urfs House. Ive only heard briefly of the Saints deeds during the war in the Holy Kingdom. Its an honor to meet you.
The level of respect in his gaze was almost overwhelming, reminiscent of someone obsessed with swords.
As I received each greeting, the conversations began to flow more naturally.
It appeared that a greater number of women among the nobles were eager to converse.
I heard that the Saint is departing tomorrow. If I may, why not extend your stay in the empire? You are welcome at our residence, if you would consider it
Ill just take your kind thoughts.
Are you also acquainted with the Lady Saint? Its a somewhat old tale, but she seemed rather unapproachable during her visit to the empire
Ive educated her, so its okay now.
He spoke as if he had tamed a wayward puppy.
Upon his arrival, the lobby divided into two distinct atmospheres.
Some were happy to greet him, while others were far from pleased.
Not everyone welcomed his unexpected entrance.
Though they did not act out overtly, their numbers were not insignificant.
It seemed he was not particularly well-liked.
Believing it best to leave swiftly rather than cause further division, Ray spoke up.
I feel a bit tipsy after drinking for the first time in a while. Ill leave it at that.
In the presence of manalords who naturally inhale mana from the air, becoming drunk is impossible.
His body had adapted so that he could not become intoxicated unless he intended to, as the clear mana circulated effortlessly.
But those unaware of this fact simply nodded in understanding.
If you visit the empire again, please come to the Count of Cress House.
The Ducal House is always open to the Saint.
He couldnt help but chuckle at their words, which sounded like a public service announcement.
Ill keep that in mind. I enjoyed myself.
He offered a slight wave as he accepted their farewells.
The meeting was brief, yet fulfilling.
If similar gatherings happened in the Holy Kingdom, noble heirs could meet more people and establish connections.
This would have a direct impact on national strength.
Especially if the interactions between families persisted.
Their open and relaxed conversations seemed to elevate their collective consciousness.
A gathering, huh It might be a good idea to create one. I could use Zik or Euclid for that.
The prospect of utilizing them was exhilarating.
Nobles who had taken bribes from the first princess started to make their move.
Their goal was to remove the Saint.
Nevertheless, the Saint would naturally vanish the next day.
Thus, their schemes gradually changed direction.
Once the Saint departed the empire, they would lay the groundwork for this prince to ascend to the throne of the emperor.
In fact, looking at it simply, the prince found it now very easy to seize the emperors throne.
With the first princesss extensive bribery and opportunistic nobles flocking to his side, he already commanded more loyalty than the first prince.
Although under house arrest and unable to declare an heir, if they simply bided their time, he would undoubtedly become the successor.
What the first princes side was thinking remained unknown, though.
The prince, the first princess, and their key supporting nobles sat at a long table.
The prince spoke.
I believe we have enough nobles now Wouldnt it be okay to start making our move? Id like to hear your thoughts.
A middle-aged noble with a neatly trimmed beard responded.
We cannot be certain yet. With His Majesty the Emperor having awakened, it wouldnt be strange if this situation collapses at any moment.
So we dont have enough time. We cant just wait without knowing what the first prince is preparing.
But if we rush it even if we succeed, it would be hard to achieve a significant effect.
Hmm
As the prince appeared lost in thought, a nobleman stroked his chest.
Honestly, clashing once wouldnt be bad.
Even if the nobles disintegrated and sided with the emperor, the Iron-Blooded Monarch would dismiss them.
The nobles were well aware of this.
But as responsibilities increased, everyone was merely trying to pass the buck.
Then, a noble who had been silently listening from a corner spoke up.
I have an idea.
This piqued the interested princes attention.
Lets hear it.
With permission granted, the noble continued.
What about using the Wyvern Mountains?
The princes brow furrowed slightly at this unexpected suggestion.
The Wyvern Mountains?
Yes. Everyone knows the Wyvern Mountains are located right behind the empires capital. A little attack there would provoke the wyverns to attack the empire.
Did his words pique interest again?
The prince nodded seriously.
Continue.
Thank you. If a direct attack occurs on the empire, His Majesty the Emperor will not just stand by.
He will quickly organize an army to respond.
Exactly. We just have to wait for that moment.
They planned to rebel while the emperor was busy fighting wyverns.
This strategy would allow them to avoid waiting for house arrest to end and eliminate the troublesome first prince.
The first princess nodded and praised the idea.
Thats a good suggestion. With the number of nobles we have, even the Iron-Blooded Monarch couldnt handle both wyverns and us.
Hmm
When the prince hesitated to conclude, the noble added the final touch.
With our forces unharmed, joining forces with the wyverns will seem like a strong reinforcement. If we miss this opportunity, the first prince might beat us to it. If they are preparing for war too, itll be hard to make a move.
Alright. Then I entrust you with arranging the troops, Count of Cres.
At the princes command, the Count of Cres smiled subtly.
Leave it to me. I will handle the wyverns perfectly.
Lets trust you then. Now we know our next move. Gather the troops inconspicuously. We have war funds, so we are in a better position than the first prince. As soon as the Saint leaves tomorrow, start the attack on the Wyvern Mountains.
Understood.
Understood.
As they responded, the prince left the room.
Fortunately, things were going well.
The Saint would leave the empire tomorrow, and they just needed to act accordingly.
Moreover, according to the news, the Saints pilgrimage was already a set course.
Since he needed to go to the Holy Kingdom as soon as possible, even if he heard of the empires war, he wouldnt return.
Now, only the task of becoming the emperor remains. And
His thoughts wandered endlessly.
But he overlooked one fact.
The current Saint was not the traditional Saint who absolutely obeyed divine orders.
A Saint who could curse heaven openly was probably unique throughout history.
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