Chapter 62: A Gloomy Breakfast (1)
“His Highness, the Third Prince Idun Anaxinian Ventrum, now presents!”
The doors of the great hall opened at the scribe's call. Edun swallowed unintentionally and entered.
“Welcome, Idun,” said the Emperor, Cavilius III, in greeting. Sit."
Edun bowed lightly and sat down. The woman sitting to the left of the Emperor said in a gentle voice: “My Lord, I have ordered that the food of the deer that you like be served today.” “Come in.”
She was the one with platinum hair and red eyes, the radiant beauty: the second wife, Helena Redcliffe.
(The second conjecture…) Idun’s shoulders trembled instantly; Memories he wanted to forget rushed into his head.
A loud voice sounded from the opposite side: “This deer I hunted with my own hands to give it to my father!”
It's the second prince, Lloyd.
“In your hand, Lloyd?”
"Yes! I shot him down with one arrow!”
Lloyd bragged, eyeing his father with praise.
“It seems that your shooting skill has improved a lot,” said the Emperor.
"naturally! They said I hit the bird in the air! I will not lag behind my older brother in shooting!”
Lloyd glanced at the boy across from him, and the Emperor said, laughing: “Is that what you see, Adrian?”
The boy with red hair and a calm gray gaze, who is dignified beyond his years, is the first crown prince: “Adrian Sapiens Ventrum.”
“I don’t know,” he said coldly, returning his gaze to his plate. I rarely see him throw; This is often entrusted to the knights.”
Lloyd's face was red and he was hit with death: “When did I do that?!” But Adrian continued eating indifferently.
“I told you not to say 'I don't know' in front of His Majesty, Adrian,” the Empress, Melanie Crowner, Duke Crowner's younger sister, spoke in a calm, stern voice.
He immediately replied: “Excuse me, mother.”
The Emperor just smiled a little: “The Empress is still strict with her eldest son. Take it easy.”
She said: “How could you not?” The preparation of Your Majesty’s successor must be precise.”
Then the second consort's face contracted. Their complete disregard for her second son was evident. But she quickly put on a silky smile: “It is true what Your Majesty the Empress said. I also take care of Lloyd's discipline. “So he made a lot of progress in shooting.”
The Empress said as she calmly cut the meat: “In my opinion, the Second Prince should start learning patience before shooting; Lowering your voice in front of His Majesty is one of the ABCs of politeness.”
Helena replied with a smile, “Have my son’s voice reached my lady’s ears?” How accurate your hearing is! Could you tell us the secret?
“I have no secret, but since your ladyship’s hearing seems weak, perhaps I will formulate a secret and share it with you.”
Idon kept eating silently between the two tongues fighting. (Ah, that's what Rachel meant.) No one paid any attention to him; Even the Second Consort was busy fighting the Empress. (Which is… a relief.) He kept moving the fork, hoping that this suffocating breakfast would end quickly.
The Emperor hummed his cup with a fork: “Enough arguing in the morning.” We will soon be holding a fishing competition. We will see the skill of the princes there. Are you satisfied?
The two ladies fell silent.
He said: “The presence of all princes is obligatory.”
Helena said with a soft smile: “If everyone is in attendance, then whoever is not good at fishing will be embarrassed... Isn’t that so, Your Highness Edun?”
She turned to him suddenly, and his eyes met hers—and he felt no fear. (Strange...it's not scary anymore?) Remember the Luxen monster; It was more terrifying.
He was delusional for a moment until his eyes met the Emperor's eyes. It was as if he was saying: The answer is known. A spontaneous answer escaped Edun: “I have never hunted before... but I will participate and strive to live up to his ability.”
Helena had no time to object; The Emperor clapped his cup with a smile: “Okay. The prince must know the pleasure of hunting.”
There was a short silence. The second wife's face froze. (His Majesty called him “Prince.”) She bit her wings. She glanced at the Emperor with the blink of an eye; He looked as usual, but his pleasure was clearer than usual. (So that's what you mean...)
The veins in her hand hidden under the table swelled. As for the Emperor, he took a sip and muttered: “I have become eager for the competition.”
At that moment, no one but the Emperor seemed truly amused.
The servants led them to the first floor restaurant, which was decorated with luxurious mosaics. Even the palace facilities designated for servants were not neglected in their decoration. They sat at an empty table, and the plates continued.
Catherine exclaimed: “Wow! What is this taste? What spice is in the soup?
“I think it's carnations,” Rachel said.
“What are cloves?”
“A perfume that comes from the East and is also used as a medicine.”
“To my liking. I wish we could enter the prince’s palace...”
“Its price is outrageous in the Empire and the West. “It is difficult for our palace.”
"loss! Then I will have more of it here.”
(Really... dishes that we can hardly taste even in the organization.) In the Third Prince's Palace, other than meat and wine, the food is simple: vegetables, barley, and beans, and sometimes meat or fish.
“I wish I had brought the little Princess Emilia,” murmured Catherine, interrupting her. Will the gardener take care of her food?
"Don't worry," Rachel said. He is not so helpless that he cannot feed a child prepared food. He raised Leo from the cradle, no matter how sharp his tongue was.”
Catherine lowered her voice and looked around: “Can they pack some food for us?” I brought plates and a tying napkin...”
“Stealing is ugly, Catherine,” Rachel said dryly.
“It's not theft, it's a barter!”
(This is not normal either.) Rachel turned her face as she saw Catherine hiding bites in the napkin.
Suddenly a voice rang out from behind: “Aren’t you… not my lady-in-waiting to His Highness the Third Prince?”