IYAMD 119

IYAMD 119

The banquet hall was filled with people. The nobles quickly grasped the Emperor’s intentions for hastily holding the banquet, even though the knights were still only halfway back.

Despite the impression that the banquet was being held in a rush, the Emperor had no other choice. Even though a rebellion had broken out in a short time and ill omens had come in the form of prophecies, he needed to let everyone know that the imperial family was still intact.

Moreover, there were rumors that His Majesty has found his soulmate, and the nobles were all excited. Their attention was focused on the black-haired man who had been mentioned in the heroic tales of the returned knights.

“His Majesty is so sly—he deceived us into believing that his soulmate was merely as an attendant.”

“Well, isn’t that to be expected? Everyone in the empire knows how long His Majesty has been waiting for him.”

The nobles gathered here and there, gossiping among themselves while waiting for the Emperor and his companion. Some listened to the knights recounting the two men’s feats during the hunt, And some wondered if there was any discord between them.

However, the knights all spoke with expressions full of admiration, and soon the nobles lost interest. They were far more curious about other things than genuine praise.

Although the nobles subtly hoped to hear stories of the Emperor’s private life, none of the knights were willing to spread such rumors as jokes. They made clear faces of displeasure to their relatives and acquaintances, and the chatter died down.

At that moment, the voice of the herald echoed through the hall.

“His Majesty, Emperor Marsilia Serentio Arhen, is entering.”

Although the official announcement omitted the name of the Emperor’s companion, a man with black hair, like ebony, stood beside the Emperor as they entered. The Emperor appeared at the top of the stairs, his arms crossed, with his usual relaxed smile. The man beside him, however, looked down with a blank expression on his face.

Marsilia whispered to Jaha, who was walking beside him down the stairs.

“Still not feeling good?”

Jaha took a deep breath, his shoulders rising, before lifting his gaze.

“I’m just nervous.”

Marsilia briefly looked at his face before smiling.

“Your expression is harder to read than usual today.”

“That’s not my fault.”

“Then it’s mine, I suppose.”

As the two whispered at the top of the stairs, whispers spread among the nobles. Marsilia smiled brightly and gently led Jaha forward.

“Let’s go down. It’s not really a time to have a private conversation.” He continued casually as they descended the stairs, “But still, thanks. Even when you’re upset, you don’t give up on me.” Jaha only glanced up at him before letting out a small chuckle, just audible to Marsilia.

“I’m not upset, I’m just disappointed.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“It’s different.”

Marsilia tilted his head, then took Jaha’s hand and kissed it.

“I’ll tell you properly after the banquet is over.”

Seeing Jaha’s face turn slightly red made Marsilia smile. Despite the unease gnawing at him, he still smiled.

Marsilia was still uncertain. He had a general idea of why Jaha was upset, but he couldn’t tell how far he should go in explaining things to him. To be honest, Marsilia had never really opened up like this before. While he could talk openly with Serez or Ashton about work, when it came to emotions, he hadn’t confided in anyone since his father passed away.

It wasn’t hard for him to tease Jaha playfully. It wasn’t genuine, just a way to gauge Jaha’s reaction. But thinking seriously about it made him worried.

He was honestly anxious. What if, after revealing everything, unauthorized copy Jaha was disappointed in him? Marsilia feared that Jaha might pity him for having had his life manipulated by the goddess.

What Marsilia wanted from Jaha wasn’t pity, but affection.

With a quiet sigh, Marsilia led Jaha to the upper seat of the hall. As the two stood there, all the nobles focused their attention on them. Many curious gazes rested on Marsilia’s face.

Marsilia looked around the room and announced the opening of the banquet.

“My knights, who have suffered to defeat the dragon, and all of you who assisted in suppressing the rebellion, your efforts and loyalty will never be forgotten.“

Marsilia took a deep breath before continuing.

“We still face many difficulties. There are mountains of problems to solve, and wounds that have yet to heal. But tonight, I hope we can all forget our troubles and simply celebrate our victory.”

Although the speech was longer than usual, the nobles remained quiet. They seemed to be waiting for something more important. Their eyes shone with anticipation, focused on the Emperor’s lips.

Feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment, Marsilia wrapped his arm around Jaha’s back.

“If I don’t speak soon, it might feel like another rebellion will break out. I’ll introduce the one you’ve all been waiting for, my soulmate: Sable Dandelion, also known as Yu Jaha from the Eastern Continent.”

Turning to Jaha, Marsilia gave a soft smile to the nobles. Though few would understand it, the smile was an attempt to push past his embarrassment. His face flushed with heat.

“I received the temple’s confirmation today, so I will announce the wedding soon. My companion is not used to life on the Western Continent, so I hope you all will be co nsiderate.”

The nobles bowed deeply in unison. The women bent their knees deeply, causing their dresses to spread out, while the men bowed at nearly a right angle with their hands on their chests.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“May the blessings of the goddess be with the two of you.”

Jaha, suddenly witnessing this scene, was at a loss for words. Everywhere he looked, the nobles’ lavish attire bloomed like flowers, and everyone’s faces were filled with joy, genuinely blessing the Emperor’s future.

The nobles’ attitude was completely different from the last banquet he had attended, and he was stunned.

Carrying this question in his mind, Jaha had to greet the nobles as they approached one by one.

Marcilia whispered the names of the approaching guests in his ear, but honestly, he couldn’t focus on what she was saying. The faces of the nobles, too, were markedly different from before. He felt dizzy as he faced eyes and smiles that seemed to show signs of goodwill.

After quite some time, when the banquet resumed, music filled the hall, and people began dancing. Jaha, who had been watching blankly, sighed without realizing it.

“Are you nervous?”

At the gentle voice of the man leaning quietly towards him, he snapped out of his thoughts. Jaha frowned and asked Marsilia.

“They seem a bit strange.”

His eyes widened in surprise, as though hearing something unexpected, and he chuckled while shaking his shoulders.

“Strange?”

Jaha lowered his voice and whispered in his ear, unable to understand the difference between how the nobles acted today and how they had acted before.

Marsilia, resting his chin in his hand while listening to him, smiled quietly and answered.

“I’m not sure where to start, but in the Eastern Continent, they say the Emperor holds absolute power, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Here, it’s a bit different. While the Emperor holds the greatest power, it’s hard to say the nobles are completely beneath him. Even with a strong imperial authority, there’s still the Council of Elders, and the nobles can gather and express their opinions.”

Jaha nodded. Since he was already familiar stolen content with this, he felt a bit relieved that he didn’t need to look confused.

Marsilia, gently brushing Jaha’s cheek with his hand, continued,

“In the Western Continent, the relationship between the imperial family and the nobles is often likened to that of crocodiles and crocodile birds. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

Jaha frowned slightly.

“I don’t know what that is.”

Marsilia pressed hid palms together and then slowly opened and closed one hand as he explained.

“It’s a big animal with a mouth like this. It has scales as hard as a dragon’s, and teeth that are terrifying. It has such strong jaws that it can bite anything.”

Jaha imagined the long snout of a dragon in his mind. Seeing his confused face, Marsilia chuckled.

“Even though it’s a very strong animal, it needs the help of a small bird. When the crocodile opens its mouth, the bird helps by eating leftovers or parasites stuck in its teeth.”

Jaha thought for a moment, then stared at Marcilia’s eyes and responded,

“So, it’s a relationship where the stronger one helps the weaker one?”

“Yeah, something like that. Nobles live luxurious lives under the protection of the imperial family, and in return, the imperial family collects taxes from them to maintain finances. They’re like business partners.”

“Is that why they can talk behind the Emperor’s back?”

Jaha looked stunned, and Marsilia’s face broke into a wide smile.

“The imperial family is one, and the nobles are many. It’s not something that can be completely suppressed. So, if they talk behind the Emperor’s back, we just let it be. Most of the time, it doesn’t go beyond that. The imperial family considers it a light amusement and shows some tolerance, so that we can listen when necessary.”

Marsilia chuckled, recalling how the Archduke’s faction nobles had acted particularly outrageously at the previous banquet. Jaha, lost in thought, kept his lips tightly pressed as he tried to understand.

“It’s not an easy job, being the Emperor.”

That was all Jaha could say. To him, the customs of this country seemed so strange. Even after hearing his explanation, he still couldn’t fully understand. How could they talk behind the Emperor’s back and yet genuinely congratulate him on his success?

Seeing Jaha confused, Marcilia quietly smiled.

“You’re misunderstanding something. You don’t know yet how easily the nobles change their faces. What you see isn’t all there is.”

Jaha widened his eyes and looked at Marsilia.

“Are you saying that even the congratulatory greetings aren’t sincere? What kind of people are these nobles?”