novelraw Chapter 306
Chapter 306
Meanwhile, at that time.
Sereau wandered the corridor with a flushed, drunken face. Though he had to attend due to receiving an official invitation from the imperial palace, his position felt thoroughly uncomfortable.
Upstairs, Ian who had tried to trample him looked down, while beside his shoulders were the nobles who had slandered and torn at him.
Though wearing masks and laughing jovially was their virtue, it was true that as the alcohol rose, it became increasingly burdensome.
“Haah.”
Perhaps it would have been better if he had never allied with Ian. Having experienced dipping into the honey pot, even ordinary sweetness no longer tasted sweet. Then, a woman lightly patted his back.
“Brother. What are you doing?”
Sereau’s sister, Allenara.
Like him, she had been consuming food and drink since the banquet began, yet her red lips remained perfect as if painted on. She firmly adjusted her gloves reaching to her elbows while scolding her brother.
“I told you not to leave your seat. If we don’t speak, someone else gets more chances to talk. Just watching that is like sticking your head in a lion’s mouth.”The family’s standing was pushed to the edge of a cliff. Though they could still participate in social activities without issue thanks to Allenara’s distinctive conduct, how long it would last was uncertain.
Sereau fixed his sister’s collar while pouting.
“What about you? Why did you come out? To offer your neck to the lion?”
“Hahaha. You can do that, brother. I’m just here to watch. By the way, I noticed mages controlling the stairs leading upstairs. Isn’t there another way?”
Upstairs? Sereau frowned at Allenara’s question. Come to think of it, he had seen nobles lingering particularly around the entrance to those stairs.
At first he thought they were trying to get noticed by Ian and Jin, but looking at Allenara, it seemed their purpose lay elsewhere.
“Allenara.”
“Wash down that stuffy talk with wine. Why do you keep saying foreign countries won’t work when you even tried arranging marriage talks with Lord Ian? Better to wear a crown in another country than cling to a decrepit mansion.”
News that all the visiting foreign leaders were unmarried had already spread widely. Especially for nobles like the Sereau family who were staggering under the imperial palace’s checks, this was like a spark of hope.
“If possible, I’d prefer becoming a member of the imperial family without going abroad. But you know? His Highness Jin is too young, and Lord Ian is already off the table. Above all, there’s no suitable match among the current nobles.”
It had always been thus. Marriage ties between the imperial family and nobility were contracts made under clear purposes. Either massive capital was needed, or the imperial family needed to soothe noble authority.
From any perspective, the current Bariel imperial palace had no reason to extend a hand to the nobility.
“Since there’s no way forward here, we have no choice but to go abroad. Then our family’s importance within Bariel will also rise as a center of diplomatic negotiations. Hayman did the same, didn’t they?”
“Shh! How dare you casually mention that name.”
While everyone acknowledged that the Hayman family had been extraordinary from before, they only gained the honor of being ‘between imperial and noble’ after acquiring a wife from the Ruswena royal family.
They participated in diplomatic coordination between Bariel and Ruswena, of course, and the massive profits flowing through them were of an incomparable scale to other families.
“What does it matter? It’s true. So, brother, get your head straight and fix your collar properly. Who knows? Queen Eripony might take a liking to you.”
“What nonsense.”
“Brother looks decent enough if you glance quickly. Should have taken more after mother like me, tsk.”
Allenara clicked her tongue while tidying Sereau’s attire.
While officials gathered for diplomatic relations, nobles gathered to survive. No matter how one calculated, after the appointment ceremony, the imperial palace’s authority would clearly become more perfect and omnipotent. Then, the nobles’ position would shrink even further.
Before that, this was the final chance heaven had granted.
“So, how do we get upstairs? You’ve come to the palace often, brother, you must know.”
“All the places I know are already controlled. Can’t you see other nobles can’t get up there either?”
“Ah, seriously.”
You’re no help.
Allenara crossed her arms and wracked her brain. If they couldn’t go up, they’d have to wait for the kings to come down, but wouldn’t that make it easier for other nobles to approach too?
“Brother, go back in first. Since I’m unfamiliar with this place, I’ll look around pretending to be lost.”
“Allenara!”
“Smile. Eyes are naturally drawn to someone who’s smiling rather than standing still.”
Allenara pushed her brother into the banquet hall corridor and turned the opposite way herself.
Since there was a garden surrounding the main palace, surely walking along it would lead to stairs going up. Even servants’ passages would do.
Rustle.
She observed while watching the brilliantly lit building.
Silhouettes of people appeared and disappeared through windows, and snippets of conversation from the garden rose and fell. Being an event space for the imperial family, the upper floor had notably fewer windows than below.
‘Going around this way puts me completely opposite the balcony where His Highness Jin gave his toast earlier. No one should come to this terrace…’
“Eldert. What do you think?”
“I believe it has merit. Moving according to their intentions risks danger. Above all, isn’t today the beginning of history? To cut it off right now…”
Allenara noticed voices from a nearby upper terrace. Her body instinctively shrank as her ears perked up.
Eldert? If it was Eldert, she’d heard he was Ruswena’s envoy, and there was only one person he would address so respectfully.
‘It’s Queen Eripony.’
Good heavens, damn it. If she’d known this would happen, she should have sent her brother instead! Allenara held her breath while squeezing her eyes shut regretfully.
But strangely, no following words came.
“I’d heard rumors that portraits in the imperial palace had eyes and ears, but I didn’t know trees did too.”
“…?”
“I’m talking about you. The lady hiding behind the tree.”
“…!”
Allenara revealed herself in surprise.
Queen Eripony leaned on the railing. With her long blue-green hair flowing down, she looked down at Allenara with apparent interest.
As her glossy hair caught the moonlight, Allenara was reminded of a summer riverbank. Perhaps due to her immense height, she strangely felt as if they were face to face.
“On your way to meet a lover?”
“No. I came out briefly to cool down and got lost. I’m not familiar with the imperial palace layout. I-I apologize, Queen Eripony.”
“No need for apologies. This is Bariel’s imperial palace, is it not? I am a guest, and you are this country’s…”
“Daughter of House Sereau, Allenara Sereau.”
When the queen trailed off, Allenara immediately gave a polite greeting. Normally she should state her title too, but after failing to inherit the duchy, they no longer mentioned it.
Eripony merely raised an eyebrow while resting her chin in her hand.
“Well, whatever. Enjoy yourself then. There doesn’t seem to be another perfect eve like tonight.”
Eripony raised her glass in acknowledgment and turned to leave the terrace. As the ends of her long hair fluttered, Allenara realized her opportunity was passing by like the wind.
She had to catch the queen’s attention by any means necessary.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
Though her voice cracked from the sudden shout, it made Eripony turn her head curiously. She wore a leisurely, enigmatic smile.
“Isn’t the night more radiant with Your Majesty’s presence? As-as expected of someone who caught the imperial family’s attention.”
“…Imperial attention?”
Eripony leaned her upper body over the railing and stuck her head out downward. Swoosh, her hair flowed down with the movement. To Allenara, it looked like a rope for climbing up.
Grab it, grab that.
Her tongue moved automatically with the thought.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Di-didn’t you exchange marriage talks with His Highness Gale? Everyone regretted it not working out. Ruswena and Bariel could have formed new ties and history.”
She brought up rumors that during the civil war, Gale had tried to arrange marriage talks with the Ruswena king to avoid execution.
Would she know? Not know?
It didn’t matter either way. Just find me interesting.
So, call me up to where you are. Please.
“Oh my.”
Eripony raised an eyebrow and turned to Eldert. He too shook his head as if he’d never heard of it.
This was one of the schemes to create defectors, and since it wasn’t directly related to Hayman, information hadn’t necessarily moved toward Ruswena. Above all, with the Arsen incident breaking out afterward, it had faded away as a dim happening.
“What was your name again?”
“Allenara Sereau.”
“Yes. Lady Allenara.”
Eripony elegantly dropped her fan over the railing. Allenara quickly picked it up from exactly where it fell at her feet, and looked up at the queen again. Eripony’s silvery-white eyes held a bright smile.
“Would you bring me my fan?”
Come up here. I’ll tell Eldert to clear the way. That’s what Eripony was saying. Allenara firmly gripped the fan with both hands and nodded.
The fan carried a very thick, sweet scent. It was as deep as the honey pot that House Sereau had previously managed, if not more so.
***
“Your Majesty. We should head back in.”
At the end of the corridor leading to the banquet hall.
Damon stood still, staring into space lost in thought. Time continued flowing, and even the guards began looking at him strangely. Finally, as if finishing organizing his thoughts, he took a step.
Creeak.
As the doors swung open to both sides, Prince Noah turned to look at Damon. The atmosphere was little different from when they’d left earlier. The prince’s expression was dark, and Jin was discussing something with the gray-haired man. Ian?
‘There he is.’
Some report must have come in, as he showed his back while talking with a mage. Noah sniffled as he greeted Damon.
“Excuse me.”
“What about Queen Eripony? What did you discuss?”
“Hmm. I didn’t see her, but did she follow me out? The night air is refreshing, so Queen Eripony must be enjoying contemplation as well.”
“Ah, is that so?”
His tone pretending nothing had happened was remarkably natural. As Damon raised his empty wine glass, an attendant approached to fill it.
“Prince Noah.”
“…What is it?”
Damon addressed Noah. Wondering what kind of hint he was trying to give, Noah responded quietly, already intimidated.
“It seems the tribute from Burgos was insufficient, so I’m thinking of presenting separate tribute upon return.”
“And?”
“I’m considering presenting high-grade fertilizer for the tax exemption benefits. Since that would likely mean nothing going to Clifford’s side until next year, I wanted to give you advance notice.”
Noah’s mouth slowly opened.
“What do you-“
“Nothing’s certain yet, of course. It’s just a candidate for now. Or perhaps later, would you like to have a private conversation? I’d also like to seek your advice on what tribute Clifford presented. I have something to say about managing the jewels too.”
Gurgle.
Damon poured wine into the glass in Noah’s hand.
Filled to the brim until it rippled, nearly overflowing.
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