KR Translators:
・StarrySkySailor
・KawaiiKage
・ImmortalInk
・KingPotato
・SugoiSenpai
Chapter 18: You Should Understand When I Speak Nicely (3)
The inspection, despite a few nail-biting moments(!), went smoothly. There was an incident where a border guard was momentarily intimidated by Joey, but I stepped forward and resolved it politely.
Don’t ask me how effective my politeness was, considering I was the first one to make a spectacle of myself.
After the inspection, which took several hours, the delegation finally entered the western part of Edikinz, Kinchedin. This marked the first time in my life that I set foot in the Azot Kingdom with amicable intentions.
A parade was prepared to welcome the delegation. People came out, cheering with either formality or genuine joy, I couldn’t tell, and colorful summer flower petals were scattered in the air.
“Welcome!”
“Welcome! We’re glad you’ve arrived!”
“For the friendship between our two nations, hurrah!”
Levidian peeked outside and seemed surprised. Inside the helm that covered her head like a hood, her eyes sparkled with admiration.
“Amazing.”
“Indeed. Ah, have you perhaps been here before……?”
“No. I came west from the Hall of Martial Arts and arrived in the Empire.”
This place was also new to her. It seemed I wouldn’t be able to hear any vivid firsthand accounts. Even if her accounts were nothing but battle experiences about where, with whom, and how she fought.
Come to think of it, she’s lived a rather desolate life.
I made the mistake of looking at her with pity for a moment.
She felt my gaze and immediately narrowed her eyes, glaring at me.
“Risel, explain the meaning of that look right now.”
“Huh? Ah, no. This is……”
“I don’t know what your intention was……but I felt quite offended. Explain yourself. Depending on the circumstances, I might consider it an insult.”
“Uh, um……”
I just shut my mouth and turned my head.
We were inside the carriage. It was a space where sword fights were impossible, so for now, I decided to exercise my right to remain silent. I felt a sharp gaze piercing into the side of my face.
It felt like it would drill a hole through me.
“Alright. I’ll have to ask your body directly later.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s fine. I won’t kill you. I just thought I should adjust the intensity of our training lately.”
She said that and turned her head. I had so much I wanted to say to her. No, more than that, asking my body directly means……
Let’s stop. All I’d gain from teasing her would be intense sparring sessions. Still, I had absolute confidence that I wouldn’t die, so lately, I’ve been thinking about enduring it physically.
They say you get used to beatings……How pathetic of me to live like this after starting over. Ugh.
While I was lost in various thoughts, the delegation passed through the streets, receiving a grand welcome. I slightly lifted the curtain to check if Damachi was doing anything strange.
Hmm. He was fine so far. Perhaps thinking he couldn’t say anything amidst the cheers, he remained silent. Besides, there didn’t seem to be any idiots throwing coins.
Strangely, when a powerful nation visits a weaker one, they tend to throw coins at the welcoming crowd. They say it’s to confirm their superiority by watching people scramble to pick them up?
To prevent such behavior within the Imperial delegation, I emphasized mutual respect yesterday. Simply put, don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself.
Except for Damachi and his group, the delegation consisted of intellectuals. Furthermore, some of them lacked the audacity to cause trouble. I’d be happy if Damachi and his group would just stay quiet.
I opened the book containing information on the Azot Kingdom and began reading about the recent trends in Kinchedin.
The delegation’s work had just begun.
And my work had just begun as well.
The recent trends in Kinchedin were……how should I put it, quite lively.
The atmosphere in Edikinz felt like the army was on standby, ready to deploy if the delegation was harmed. However, this place felt like everyone had been infected with a new epidemic called chronic welcoming syndrome.
Even the information from the Thieves Guild indicated that almost all classes in the Azot Kingdom, including Kinchedin, were eager for peace with the Empire.
After all, the Empire currently held hegemony over the continent, and Azot, the center of the opposing side, seemed quite unhappy with its position.
This wasn’t the cowardly desire of a weakling wanting to submit to a stronger one. It felt more like a dignified desire to pursue a better future, knowing that fighting would only result in rivers of blood and mountains of corpses.
It made sense. Seven years later, the Azot Kingdom’s princess would be sent to the Empire to marry the third Imperial Prince, a proposal initiated by Azot. Even after the princess tragically committed suicide due to humiliation, it was Azot who politely demanded an apology and punishment.
Ah, suddenly, I’m filled with doubts about the Empire.
Unconcerned with my doubts, Levidian looked around the ballroom where the welcome ball would be held and said,
“It’s grand.”
“Indeed. Everyone is polite and seems eager to pursue peace. It seems we made the right decision to come here.”
“This place is like a miniature version of the Empire and Azot, so the atmosphere changes immediately depending on the relationship between the two nations.”
Aila approached, holding a glass of grape juice, and Levidian smiled faintly under her mask.
“That’s certainly true. It’s a good atmosphere, which is a relief.”
She was quite beautiful.
Her black hair was styled up and adorned with a pearl-colored ribbon, and she wore a pearl-colored dress that complemented her fair skin. Her shoulders were boldly exposed, and the dress was fitted tightly from her ample bust to her waist.
Then, from the beginning of her hips, it flared out slightly, almost touching the floor. The skirt was decorated with vertical pleats instead of frills or lace.
Although it was a different color from the dress, the necklace and earrings with a single black pearl each matched her black eyes and hair, creating a beautiful harmony.
Looking at her, Aila pointed out the only flaw.
“Why doesn’t Sister Ibi take off her mask? She’s so beautiful even like this. I bet she’d sparkle if she took it off.”
“My face isn’t something I want to show others.”
Since it was a ball, she had to dress up. However, revealing her face would undoubtedly cause a commotion, and Levidian, who hated such disturbances, compromised by wearing a mask.
Her mask was a white one that covered her eyes and extended down to the bottom of her right cheek. It was a typical opera mask.
The masked Sword King looked at Aila and said,
“You look very good yourself.”
“Really? I don’t like it that much……Risel, what do you think?”
She had neatly tied her ash-gray hair and wore a dress that modestly covered her body. It was a light blue dress with sleeves that reached her elbows, worn over a white blouse.
Her dress seemed to emphasize purity rather than flamboyance. Still, considering her age, it seemed to exude a girlish vibrancy rather than just innocence.
The gold earrings matched her eyes quite well.
The light blue outer fabric was lined with white, with parts of the lining exposed at the waist and skirt, creating white lines against the blue background.
It suited her image perfectly. It was somehow refreshing yet slightly ambiguous. I nodded sincerely and said,
“Yeah, it suits you. It’s the perfect dress for you.”
“Hehe. Thanks. But where’s Joey? It’s strange not to see him in a place like this.”
Aila looked around, tilting her head in wonder. I chuckled and shrugged.
“He said he’s uncomfortable in crowded places, so he’s in the room with Marlin. Besides, he doesn’t have anything to wear here.”
Buying ready-made clothes for Joey’s physique was impossible. He had to wear custom-made clothes, and despite his size and appearance, he was shy and uncomfortable in places like this.
Aila nodded and said,
“Hmm, is that so? Get him some clothes made soon. Ah, Rob-oppa, over here!”
Aila suddenly waved her hand, and I looked in that direction to see Rob-hyeong strolling over.
It wasn’t because he wanted to walk like that, but because of his clothes.
I said to him,
“Those are the clothes scholars wear when they lecture, aren’t they?”
“Oh, right. Since we’re in Azot, I thought I’d dress the part. But it’s more uncomfortable than I expected. I wonder why it’s so baggy……”
Under the garment that looked like a rhombus-shaped cloth with a hole cut out and worn upside down, he wore a baggy shirt and pants. The upside-down outer garment was quite long, almost covering his hands. However, there were slits that allowed him to easily pull his hands out.
Aila chuckled and made a playful expression.
“Hehehe. Awkward. Why don’t you become a scholar from the inside rather than just the outside?”
“Oh? Aila, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Haha!”
Rob-hyeong laughed awkwardly. Then he looked around with a puzzled expression.
“But where did Joey go? I haven’t seen him around, and it took me a while to find you guys.”
“Ah, Joey is……”
Ta-da!
Just before I had to repeat the same explanation, a long trumpet sound echoed from the entrance of the ballroom. A man in a neat uniform was walking in with Damachi.
“His Highness, ‘Lymant Ech Leajotian’, Crown Prince of the Azot Kingdom, arrives!”
Following the grand announcement, people bowed their heads.
I and those around me placed our hands on our chests and politely bowed our heads to welcome him.
He finally appeared.
I was curious why he wasn’t showing up at the ballroom, even though the Thieves Guild’s information mentioned him.
After a short while, I raised my head and looked at Crown Prince Lymant.
The man who would become the King of Azot in 10 years.
The man who, when his younger sister, sent as a hostage, committed suicide out of shame, didn’t succumb to anger and instead calmly requested an apology and punishment of those responsible……It was an honor to meet him today.
Crown Prince Lymant walked towards the center of the ballroom with Damachi.
Brown hair and handsome features. The 22-year-old Crown Prince looked as if the Azot Kingdom’s royal uniform was tailor-made for him. His mere presence eloquently declared his royal lineage.
He was a man born to be a king.
“Wow, impressive.”
I never thought there would be someone who fit their position better than my older brother.
“It seems the Azot Royal Family pays a lot of attention to the previous delegations.”
Rob-hyeong said in an admiring tone.
Levidian nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. He also possesses the dignity and grace befitting a crown prince. He seems perfectly suited to be the king.”
“Rumor has it that he’s quite devoted to his family. He’s known for having a good relationship with his wife.”
Aila, who had somehow obtained a pudding, said while nibbling on it. I agreed with her. The information I had also mentioned that.
The reason I was focusing on the current rumors was that the information I had before dying was mostly useless. You know, the tactic of spreading absurd slander about the enemy leader to justify an attack. It was a time when that tactic was used excessively.
In other words, this man was slightly outside the realm of what I already knew, so I had to deal with him using my own abilities.
Crown Prince Lymant stood in the center, drawing everyone’s attention, and said,
“Today is a truly auspicious day. We have gathered here to celebrate the friendship between the Anopuri Empire and our Azot Kingdom. As you all know, the relationship between our two nations has not been good. If you’re unfamiliar with the history, I recommend visiting the library over there.”
Light laughter spread through the room.
It was a silly joke, but the prince’s lighthearted expression and shrug eased the atmosphere.
“The person standing next to me is the representative of the Anopuri Empire’s goodwill delegation and High Priest Damachi Ir from the Grand Sunshine, the main temple of the Sun God Achuni. Just a moment ago, the High Priest and I had a fruitful discussion about the future of our two nations, and we confirmed that there is light in our future. This is truly a joyous occasion. It means the day my father will hand over the troublesome throne to me has been postponed.”
Amidst the laughter, I smiled faintly.
He indeed inherited the throne right before the war broke out. The current king was weakened and unable to handle the war, so if the peace talks went well, he wouldn’t have to inherit the throne for a while.
“To celebrate this joyous occasion and welcome our esteemed guests, we have prepared this ball. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest, and I hope this will be a place where the friendship between our two nations begins. Forget about borders and mingle with others. Though it would be a bit troublesome if you get too close and start talking about marriage. Haha! Music!”
Crown Prince Lymant cheerfully clapped his hands, signaling the official start of the ball. People applauded him, and I joined in.
Honestly, I was impressed by his demeanor. The charisma he displayed in such a short time was remarkable. Moreover, he exuded a sense of unwavering determination.
If the Empire had such royalty, the war wouldn’t have happened.
I said to Levidian,
“He’s truly an impressive person, that Crown Prince.”
“He is, isn’t he? Oh, he’s coming this way.”
“Yes? Ah……”
I wondered where Damachi had gone as the Crown Prince approached us alone. Greeting those around him appropriately, he walked towards us with a young woman who appeared to be his wife, looking directly at us.
“Oh? He’s coming here?”
“He is, Risel. You know you’re the representative now, right?”
“Uh, of course I do.”
At Aila’s words, I relaxed and decided to compose myself.
Damachi was the official representative of the delegation, but I was the representative of the Empire’s nobility. Although Rob-hyeong was older than me, my position as the second son of a Duke gave me a slightly higher standing.
Crown Prince Lymant stopped right in front of me, and I had to look up slightly due to his tall stature. Looking at him face-to-face, even I, a man, had to admit he was handsome.
But the expression on his face was……concern? Something felt strange.
I bowed politely and greeted him.
“Greetings, Your Highness, Crown Prince Lymant Ech Leajotian.”
“Raise your head. You are Sir Arisein Herduke, are you not? The second son of the Herduke Dukedom. I heard about you from High Priest Damachi.”
I had to force myself to prevent my smile from faltering.
Right. He said he spoke with Damachi?
Could it be that that idiot said something strange?
Leave a Reply