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𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 (2)
Johan seemed to think he should defend his younger sister a little in response to what he said, as the emperor continued speaking.
“Hmm. My younger sister isn’t the only one pretending to be a centaur among the young nobles in Vynashchtym. There are quite a few guys among the young nobles who pretend to be centaurs.”
“Family issues aren’t something that just work out easily, so there’s no need to make excuses like that. I have some useless younger brothers too.”
“It’s not an excuse. . .”
Among the various races, the centaurs were an exceptionally militant and powerful people.
Born with sturdy lungs that could run thousands of miles and hooves from birth, they were threatening destroyers of civilizations.
Just look at the legends from when the ancient Empire fell – weren’t the fierce centaurs a major factor?
Even now, empires and minor kingdoms don’t forget that history and are wary of centaur tribes beyond their borders.
Of course, it wasn’t like you never saw centaurs within Vynashchtym at all. If you went to the borders or provinces, you could see many centaur tribes. They were employed as mercenaries or accepted as nobles.
But even so, it was nonsense that young nobles in the capital were pretending to be centaurs. If there was nothing to emulate, why were they emulating it?
“Hey. Explain.”
“Your Excellency, it really is a trend among the young nobles. . .”
“. . .??”
The attendant’s words left Johan flabbergasted. What trend?
But the attendant wasn’t lying. It really was a kind of trend among the young nobles for them to pretend to be centaurs.
Young people always tend to be hot-blooded and rebellious.
It wasn’t strange at all that pretending to be a centaur was a trend among wealthy, idle young nobles as a symbol of rebellion. The fact that centaurs were a symbol of fear was actually an advantage.
“Huh, they’re pretending to be us?”
The centaurs standing nearby were dumbfounded when they overheard. Those arrogant young nobles were pretending to be them?
“I didn’t even know they were pretending to be us.”
“Why are they imitating us anyway?”
“City folks have no common sense.”
As the centaurs muttered amongst themselves, the banquet was becoming more and more lively. The dragon beastwoman whipped the horse sculpture and screamed. The nobles excitedly applauded.
“. . .I wish I could go stop them.”
“Why? The mood is good.”
Johan said it half-teasingly, but it was true that the mood was good. Everyone around them looked happy. Isn’t it a superior’s duty to make their subordinates happy and drunk?
Of course, Johan wouldn’t stand on a horse sculpture and theatrically make the commoners happy even if you gave him a pile of coins. . .
“There aren’t just young nobles following my younger sister around Vynashchtym.”
“Ah.”
Johan immediately understood. The old nobles definitely wouldn’t like such an impersonation. The emperor of Vynashchtym should be splendid, noble, and generous, but there was a limit.
“I didn’t want to ruin the banquet, but I couldn’t help it.”
Johan got off his horse and walked towards the lively banquet hall. He wasn’t unguarded, but his escort was smaller than the emperor’s. On top of that, they were quite drunk.
‘𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴?’
With the emperor and her imperial guards stopped on the roadside, unaware and chatting among themselves. . . that was a bit. . .
“Hey, what’s going on? “
“. . .An interesting guard.”
Looking at the drunk elf guard, Johan shook his head. Only then did the guard become convinced that Johan was approaching, and spoke strongly.
“Stop right there. I don’t know who you are, but if you come any closer, you’ll see heaven early!”
“Have you seen heaven before?”
“What?”
“It looks like you haven’t. Let me show you something similar.”
Johan stood in front of the elf guard, grabbed him by the armpits, and threw him straight up.
At that moment, people could see an elf flying through the sky.
“Woahhh!”
“Did you see heaven?”
After catching the falling elf, Johan asked without waiting for an answer and threw him back up again. After touring the skies twice, the elf was too dizzy to stand back up, vomiting instead.
“Your Majesty! Where did you find such a talented performer? Amazing!”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“That actor, didn’t Your Majesty hire him? I mean that actor who looks like a knight.”
“??”
The nobles next to them thought Johan was an actor hired by Gaoalkana. He really looked like a convincing knight. They made way for Johan to pass.
“Come now, show Her Majesty your might! Sing praises of that majesty you cannot withstand!”
“. . . . . .”
The power of the drunks was tremendous. Being among them made Johan feel drunk even though he didn’t drink. Gaoalkana looked at Johan in surprise.
I don’t know who he is, but judging by his knightly looks, did another noble call him?
“Hear me, I am Tanggur. I am the wrath and flame of god that came to destroy this world. All the crowns and treasures of the world must come into my hands, young knight, so fall before me!”
“. . . . . .”
“I said fall! Why don’t you fall?”
“Your Majesty. I have come to serve Your Majesty as the newly hired captain of the royal guard.”
“I don’t recall hiring you. . . Oh. Gaïaros hired you? I see. But wait a little. My play hasn’t finished yet.”
Johan didn’t intend to talk long with a drunk person. He politely set the emperor down then started walking carrying her in one arm. The nobles shouted excitedly.
“In the end the knight defeats the centaur, isn’t that too cliché?”
“Cliché? This is tradition! This too is drama! Is an avant-garde drama necessarily good?”
“Where does a talentless hack who knows nothing of drama get off criticizing?”
The drunk nobles fought throwing cups at each other. Since they were all drunk there was little danger but it did make a mess. As jugs were knocked over and wine spilled they all yelled.
The emperor held in Johan’s arm lamented as if heartbroken.
“My play has not yet ended! Put me down, young knight!”
“The play is now over, let’s applaud.”
“What’s that. . . No. That’s not bad actually. Say that line one more time.”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Euclyia. May I politely ask to take care of Your Majesty?”
“Although I would feel like shit, if Your Excellency commands it, I will certainly do so.”
“. . .Then I guess I’ll just have to carry her on my back.”
Gaoalkana sobered up from the alcohol rather quickly. She looked around and was surprised to see the centaurs. Was she finally seeing hallucinations beyond her status as an actress?
“Gaoalkana. They are my new imperial guard, so don’t think strangely.”
“Oh. . .”
At his words, Gaoalkana nodded. Her brother had always loved the military and enjoyed hiring and training imperial guards. Adding a centaur was nothing surprising.
“It works out well. I needed centaurs for my play. Who wants the honorable position of participating? The spots are limited so first come first serve!”
The centaurs collectively gave her the cold shoulder. No matter how fascinated they were with the city, they were not so obsessed as to appear in a play. Gaoalkana was taken aback.
“Why is no one volunteering? What, no confidence in acting? Don’t worry. I won’t give you that difficult of a role.”
“Gaoalkana. The centaurs have little interest in plays.”
“That makes no sense?”
“And the one in front is the newly hired imperial guard captain, Johan from the Yeats family, holding the title of count. Now that you’re sober, get down from his horse and show some manners.”
“Johan? I see. Please treat me well.”
“You should call him Count Yeats. . .nevermind.”
The emperor started to say but gave up. He was annoyed. Gaïaros did not like interfering in his competent younger sister’s affairs.
It was not out of consideration for his sister but because he personally found it tiresome.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱.’
On the way to the palace riding her horse, Gaoalkana chattered nonstop.
About what region Johan was from, what he used to do, what family he was part of, what weapon he used as a knight, what monsters he hunted, how he leads the centaurs and dwarves around, and so on.
Beside her, Euclyia whispered in Eastern:
“Just give the order and I will gag her.”
“No.”
Seeing Euclyia, Gaoalkana curiously reached out her hand to touch her━Johan sai
“Your Majesty. centaurs consider it very rude for someone they are not engaged with to touch them.”
“Is that so? I didn’t know. Surprising.”
Gaoalkana made a mental note for later use. Inspiration was already striking.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
Upon entering the palace, eunuchs and mutilated slaves were waiting. After Johan was bathed in fragrant water and had the toxins sweated out under their service, he came back out wearing typical Vynashchtym attire.
Various nobles were already coming and going, trying to get an audience with the emperor. Gaïaros didn’t delay even though he could have. He wanted to get it over with quickly and deal with his own business.
“Count Yeats?”
“Do you know me?”
“While you do not know me, I know you. To have gained so much of His Majesty’s trust.”
The other party was from the senate nobility but had strong Republic of Beneto blood mixed in. With support from the republic, he helped represent the republic’s interests within Vynashchtym.
From the ‘outsider’ perspective, the emergence of a young noble like Johan who gets along well with centaurs and has the emperor’s deep trust could only be welcoming. Moreover, Johan’s relationship with the republic was also special.
“I was just lucky.”
“The love you receive from God is not luck but a blessing. As you already know, Vynashchtym is truly overflowing with gold.”
All the wealth in the world gathered here. The republic desperately lobbied and bribed nobles to grab even a tiny bit more influence. It was more intense than the wars happening outside their territory.
“If you ever need help, please call me anytime.”
The noble left meaningfully. The will to join hands for mutual benefit could be strongly felt. Johan nodded his head.
In the meantime, the young emperor was receiving praises and oaths of loyalty from the gathered nobles. With the chamberlain purged and the recent victory against the eastern pagans, the emperor’s authority was at its peak. No one currently coveted his seat.
“Your Majesty. Your hunting of the manticore is surely a sign from God. The manticore is a monster from the east. Catching it means that Your Majesty will crush the eastern pagans and place the empire on a firm foundation.”
While Johan didn’t believe in such superstitions, the nobles present had quite refreshed expressions.
‘𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨?’
He was curious what meaning catching a troll held but Johan decided to just observe.
“Your Majesty. I wish to hold a victory celebration to commemorate this triumph. If both Your Majesties attend and grace the event, it will be a truly honorable occasion for the citizens of the capital.”
“I see.”
“So will you attend?”
“No. Gaoalkana will go instead.”
“. . . . . .”
The gathered nobles’ faces twisted a little. If not for the emperor’s recent victory, they might have said something.
“Your Majesty. It would be complete if both of you attend.”
“I know. But I’m unwell.”
“There’s still time before the celebration. Surely you’ll recover by then?”
“It’s a chronic condition so I should rest in the quiet palace.”
Johan was amazed. He asserted he would live however he wanted despite the atmosphere and expectations.
Does one need this level of mental fortitude to become emperor of the empire?
The fight between the prideful nobles and emperor ended in the emperor’s victory.
Since the emperor had nothing to lose from the start, by insisting ‘𝘯𝘰’, ‘𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰’, and ‘𝘐 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰’, the nobles had nothing they could do.
“Count Yeats over there will help Gaoalkana attend instead. If there’s nothing else to say, I should go rest.”
“. . . . . .”
The emperor slipped away on the excuse of being sick.
What remained were the Vynashchtym nobles staring intently at Johan. Their gazes showed their determination to use Johan as leverage to make the emperor move.
‘𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦?’