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Join the Server“Ethan Gradis, the light of Aitoolia, greets His Majesty King Genoa Green!”
“It has been a while. Are the preparations for the event proceeding smoothly?”
Seated upon his throne, King Genoa Green meticulously surveyed Ethan. With the eyes of various media outlets and foreign correspondents fixed upon Aitoolia, the royal family’s image had been tarnished. Yet, the Moore family ostentatiously flaunted their influence with a lavish ceremony, a clear display of their power.
This was a stark contrast to the Winter family, staunch supporters of Devon Green, who had deliberately minimized their media exposure to avoid offending the King. The Moore family’s actions, knowing full well King Genoa Green’s aversion to attention being diverted from the royal family to other houses during national events, could only be seen as a direct insult to him.
“I am currently learning various duties, moving between the Event Department and the Ceremonial Department.”
“I hear you’re struggling with your training in the Ceremonial Department.”
‘Could Huey Cloud have reported everything?’
While reports regarding Ethan’s classroom demeanor had, in truth, long been conveyed through previous supervisors, Ethan couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of betrayal towards Huey, biting his lip in vexation.
“My apologies, Your Majesty. Balancing my studies with event preparations, I have occasionally made mistakes during the late afternoon training sessions in the Ceremonial Department.”
King Genoa Green chuckled faintly at Ethan, who, despite blithely offering apologies, described his daily blunders as ‘occasional.’
“Indeed, such things can happen occasionally. However, I trust you will not forget that you are the ‘Flower of the Empire’ and the primary officiant of these ceremonies.”
In essence, this was a warning: if he neglected his studies and consequently ruined the ceremony, there would be severe repercussions. Ethan obediently bowed his head, responding with deference.
“Your Majesty’s words are etched in my mind. I will do my utmost to ensure no mistakes are made.”
“Since we’ve met, would you care for a cup of tea?”
‘Tea? What nonsense.’ Ethan found the King’s gaze unsettling. He wished only for the Nishan to be handed over swiftly, but as if sensing his discomfort, the King offered tea with a smirk.
“Thank you.”
Ultimately, Ethan accepted the teacup, offering his thanks with a resigned air. So obvious was his reluctance that King Genoa Green inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘A commoner, indeed.’ Genoa felt a flicker of interest in how long Ethan Gradis, who had only recently been Ethan Prescott, would survive among the nobles who donned and shed masks depending on their company.
Then, an impromptu question sprang to his lips.
“Why do you support His Highness, the First Prince Herace?”
“!!”
Ethan’s face stiffened slightly. He briefly pondered whether the current King Genoa Green was testing him, a former commoner, with such a question, or if he held Ethan’s intellect in high regard, posing a query he might typically ask someone like Bliss or Enoch.
Yet, upon closer inspection, the King’s intention seemed clear.
‘But I support Bliss, not Prince Herace.’
He longed to retort with wide-open eyes. However, even Ethan, prone to thoughtless outbursts, knew that uttering such words now would only further provoke the King, whose sentiments towards the Moore family were already less than favorable.
‘Still, I want to land a hit.’
After a moment’s contemplation, Ethan lowered his gaze and spoke in a cautious tone.
“Because I am skeptical of wars of conquest.”
Devon Green advocates for expanding conquered territories to enhance the Empire’s greatness once he becomes King. In fact, Devon Green, as the head of the research center, argued more vehemently for war than His Highness Herace, who controls the Esper units.
Honestly, Ethan was utterly fed up with war.
“Is that a sign of your personal weakness?”
A mischievous smile played in the King’s eyes as he attempted to paint Ethan as weak. Yet, Ethan did not offer the simplistic response King Genoa Green had anticipated.
“It is because of the Orchis Republic.”
“!!”
After the cataclysmic upheaval, four major continents were newly formed. Among them, the Aitoolia Empire resided on the Tunn Continent, which was connected to the Cato Continent, home to the Lifear Empire.
These two continents appeared as if a single landmass had been diagonally severed and pushed apart, with the Orchis Republic nestled between them.
Possessing immense Ekaneum deposits and diverse mineral resources, along with advanced technologies that even empires struggled to match, the Orchis Republic was a region coveted by Aitoolia, the Lifear Empire, and other larger surrounding nations. Despite this, it remained a formidable country that even empires dared not trifle with.
It was also the place Devon Green most desired to seize should he inherit the throne.
“Securing public support, in the event of His Highness Devon Green’s reign, would make it easier to persuade the populace that any action he takes, viewed in the long term, would ultimately serve the Empire’s best interests.”
“For instance, war.”
“Devon has indeed implemented several excellent policies.”
The conversation was taking an unusual turn. King Genoa Green’s Chief Chamberlain, his matching Guide, raised his head. For Genoa Green, an S-rank Esper of the Memorial lineage, to show such strong interest in Ethan and engage him in debate was a sentiment akin to favor.
This would never have happened during a non-private audience. Despite the Chief Chamberlain’s warning glance, Ethan’s response flowed smoothly.
“Everyone understands that attacking the Orchis Republic is tantamount to disrupting the balance between the two continents. This would not merely absorb the Orchis Republic into the Aitoolia Empire’s territory, but would be perceived as a challenge to the Lifear Empire itself. Should war erupt between two empires on different continents, it would inevitably escalate into a continental war.”
Genoa Green’s eyes widened slightly. ‘Everyone understands,’ he had said? While it might be a deduction possible for nobles involved and interested in politics, it was certainly not something ‘everyone’ would know.
“Then, what about this?”
“Your Majesty.”
Just as the King, now entirely free of boredom, leaned forward, poised to say more, the Chief Chamberlain interjected. In his hand was a handkerchief bearing the royal crest, adorned with a wish paper.
Genoa Green, with a hint of regret, leaned back and slowly commanded.
“Hand the Nishan over to Ethan Gradis.”
The Chief Chamberlain approached Ethan and presented the King’s Nishan. In the fleeting moment Ethan received it, the Chief Chamberlain’s gaze twisted into a look of clear displeasure.
Preoccupied with placing the Nishan into a jar, Ethan failed to notice the look. He then respectfully bowed to the King, concluding his audience.
Thump—
Watching the heavy doors close, Genoa Green murmured.
“It seems that fellow Bliss has picked up someone far more remarkable than I anticipated.”
The Chief Chamberlain gently massaged Genoa Green’s temples, providing guiding. The twitching around the King’s eyes, previously agitated, now settled into a languid calm.
“Might he not be a little dangerous?”
“Perhaps. He seems as though he could be of help to Herace in some way or another.”
It was a rare moment when King Genoa Green’s true feelings were subtly revealed, for he had never before openly expressed support for either Herace or Devon Green. The Chief Chamberlain gazed at his Esper with astonished eyes. Yet, Genoa Green’s expression had already reverted to its usual composure.
****
As Ethan emerged from the audience, a regular guard assigned by the Viscount Gradis family followed behind him. While Ethan remained unsure if the guard was protecting him or merely observing, he paid it no mind, letting his shoulders slump as he exhaled a deep sigh.
He was already utterly exhausted from just one audience; the prospect of an audience with Prince Devon Green made him sigh even before it began. Although he had requested both at once, he hadn’t anticipated that Prince Devon Green would schedule his audience for the same day as his father’s.
“Ethan, you can’t be tired already.”
The ordinary guard trailing Ethan flinched in surprise at the sudden appearance of Enoch Cloud, an Esper who had arrived without a sound. Undeterred, Enoch walked casually beside Ethan, as if his presence were entirely unremarkable.
“I know, Enoch. But do we really need to go to such lengths just to see Scott? It seems the two of you are already over.”
Enoch’s face hardened rigidly. Yet, he knew Ethan’s words held truth. It was merely his heart that struggled to put the simple act of ‘forgetting’ into practice.
“Because I think everything will become clear once I see him.”
Ethan planned to use the audience as an excuse to meet Scott, a chamberlain who served Prince Devon Green closely. This was a condition Enoch had imposed when he agreed to handle the aftermath of Ethan and Bliss’s matching test.
For a private audience, typically only the Chief Chamberlain would accompany the King into the audience chamber, leaving other chamberlains to wait outside. Sure enough, Scott was visible, standing alongside other chamberlains before the chamber doors, positioned so as not to obstruct their opening.
Upon seeing Ethan, Scott averted his gaze.
“Ethan Gradis, second son of the Gradis family, enters!”
As the chamberlain directly in front of the doors loudly announced, the doors swung open. The moment Ethan stepped inside, Enoch seized Scott’s arm.
“Ah! Lord Enoch…!”
At the sound of being called ‘Lord Enoch,’ one of his eyebrows arched askew.
“I’ll borrow him for ten minutes.”
The chamberlains, in any case, were expected to wait throughout the audience, resting briefly on chairs near the doors. As they nodded in assent, Enoch, still holding Scott’s arm, strode purposefully away.
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Read : Looking For My Child's Father
