Author: Byuon

Chapter 103

 

Marquis Melks? Why is that person here?

Helios frowned at the news of the uninvited visitor.

“Where is he now?”

“That, he stepped out of his carriage a little while ago, so he should be in any minute….”

“Your majesty!”

It was the Marquis Melks.

As if knowing that the Emperor was coming, the Marquis Melks entered the banquet hall and approached the Emperor straight away.

Helios blocked the front of Marquis Melks. Despite the enemy’s full gaze, the Marquis remained calm.

“Duke Anthemion, long time no see.”

“What did you come here for?”

“What are you talking about? It’s my grandson’s birthday, and of course I should come.”

The Marquis Melks answered bluntly.

Helios burst into anger at his attitude.

“Who’s the grandson of whom, I thought we’d sorted that out, and now-”

“Duke of Anthemion.”

The Emperor intervened in their quarrel.

“Do you need to raise your voice on a good day? Marquis Melks also came to celebrate Escalium birthday, so please don’t be too harsh.”

“…….”

Helios bit his lip hard at the Emperor’s insistence.

He was a good-for-nothing guest, but when the Emperor spoke like that, he couldn’t turn him away.

“You have point, Your Majesty.”

Marquis Melks, who had seized the victory, looked around the banquet hall with a triumphant smile.

“Where is Escal? His grandfather came and didn’t even say hello.”

The Marquis, muttered something inaudible, and called the servant who was passing by.

“Go and get Escal.”

“Yes? Oh yes.”

The servant glanced at Helios and brought Escal, who was surrounded by children.

Escal’s face, who had been dragged along without knowing, hardened visibly.

“It’s been a while, Escal. How have you been?”

“Uh….”

Maybe he had a bad memory with the Marquis of Melks, but Escal couldn’t answer and just stay still.

I took the child’s hand and hid him behind my back.

“That’s enough greetings, Escal, go and play with your friends.”

“Yes.”

As if freed from the situation, Escal slipped out of his seat.

Marquis Melks stared at me with fierce eyes.

“You won’t even let me wish him a happy birthday.”

“Oh, did I? I’ll say it for you.”

“You think I don’t have a mouth, do you?”

“Congratulations are only meaningful if you’re happy to receive them. How can you celebrate if you’re offended?”

“What?”

“Don’t be rude to my wife, Marquis.”

Helios said threateningly as Marquis Melks’s momentum got worse.

“Would you like to ask Your Majesty who walked first?”

“Marquis Melks, please stop.”

The Emperor politely interrupt Marquis Melks.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty.”

Marquis Melks shook his head coldly. It was a change of attitude that was truly admirable.

“Don’t be too hard on the Duke. No matter how severe the relationship, Marquis Melks is Escalium’s grandfather, right? And blood ties are not so easily settled on a piece of paper.”

The Emperor tried to mediate with a gentle voice.

He noticed that he should stop his stubbornness, but Helios kept his mouth shut and did not answer.

The Emperor, who coughed in vain, turned the topic around.

“Anyway, it’s nice to see the whole family together like this. . I wish we could do this more often.”

“So am I, Your Majesty. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see His Majesty and Escal after such a long time in the estate.”

… A sly fox.

The last time we met, there was only an unpleasant feeling, but when I saw him again, it was so sublime and disgusting that it gave me goosebumps.

Marquis Melks, who had spoken words in his mouth as if he would lick the soles of the Emperor’s feet, looked at Princess Adela, who was standing next to Escal, and said:

“The second princess resembles Her Majesty, so she is very mature and beautiful.”

“It only looks like it, but the inside is still immature.”

The Empress answered with a smile. After exchanging meaningful glances, the Marquis continued.

“They are a really good couple.”

“Do you see that in your eyes, Marquis?”

“Of course. Well, come to think of it, I heard that Escal recently saved the second Princess, right?”

“Right. What would have happened to our Adela if it wasn’t for Escalium… he’s a lifesaver.”

The Empress thinly shrugged her shoulders as if she was afraid just thinking about it.

I looked at the Emperor, who nodded happily, with puzzled eyes.

This is somehow… It feels weird.

‘Marquis Melks?’

I had a strong feeling that the Marquis was the culprit who took the monster to the hunting ground by the Emperor’s order.

“I heard that the monster wasn’t usually dangerous, but maybe Escal is just like me and has great courage.”

“Haha, that may be true.”

The Emperor chuckled at the Marquis of Melk’s smirk.

The Emperor and Marquis Melks had never been so close.

Anxiety once felt did not go away easily.

Could it be that the person who summoned Marquis Melks to this place was also the Emperor?

An ominous feeling spread slowly.

 

*****

 

 

The banquet ended before the sun went down.

Under normal circumstances, the banquet would have lasted all night, but there were so many children that it had no choice but to end the banquet early.

The problem was that the Emperor did not return after most of the guests had left.

“Duke Anthemion, I’d like to talk to you in a quiet place for a while.”

The Emperor, watching the guests returning one by one, called Helios. Helios answered calmly, as if he knew that.

“I will take you to the library.”

“Let’s go with the Duchess.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

We moved to the study room with the Emperor and his wife.

The Emperor, looking around the windowless study, ordered the knights to guard the front of the study and sat down on the sofa.

After being silent for a while, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“I assume you already know what I asked to speak with you about.”

“Say it.”

Helios clasped his hands and said to the Emperor.

The Emperor smiled faintly and brought out the main point.

“I hope to announce the engagement between the Duke’s son and our Adela.”

It was as expected.

Perhaps the Emperor came all the way here to talk about this.

As if to urge an answer, the Emperor looked at Helios with deep eyes.

Helios, who accepted the gaze without avoiding it, opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, there must be better marriage candidates than my child.”

It was a much sterner answer than I had expected.

The Empress frowned as she did not know that she would receive such a direct rejection.

“Is it because our Adela is not good enough?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“I want Escal to have a normal life like any other child.”

Helios spoke quietly.

“My child was hurt a lot because of my shortcomings. I don’t want to be a bad father to my child anymore.”

Helios’ face as he said that looked a little sad. I squeezed his hand without saying a word.

However, despite Helios’ sincere reply, the Empress did not give up.

“Considering the future of Escalium, isn’t it right to accept it?”

There was even a hint of excitement in her voice, as if how he dared to refuse the Emperor’s proposal to his face.

“Honestly, the Duke knows that the child’s position is uncertain.”

“Empress.”

The Emperor cut her off with a frown. The Empress looked at me with a sour expression, then fell silent.

As if I could turn into a bad stepmother to Escal at any time.

Then Helios smiled softly and said,

“Her Majesty’s words are correct. So, even for the sake of the Imperial family and the Princess, it seems right to refuse this marriage talk.”

“Hah….”

The Empress snorted in amusement at the counterattack.

The Emperor’s gaze turned to me, thinking that it would be difficult to convince Helios.

“Do you think the Duchess is the same?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Escal is still too young to discuss marriage.”

“There are many nobles who get engaged right after they are born.”

“And a lot of people end up with unhappy marriages because of it. I met my first love when I was 17. Seven is a young age and he doesn’t know anything.”

Helios, who was holding my hand, slowly gained strength.

The Empress asked with an annoyed expression.

“Then why don’t you ask Escalium directly? What do you think of marrying to Adela?”

“How did he know what marriage is when he’s only seven years old?”

When she answered, unable to hide her absurd feeling, the Empress chewed her lower lip.

“Is that really the only reason you refuse to it?”

She looked suspiciously as if there was another reason.

Of course, there were other reasons as well. Because you can’t trust a monarch who releases monsters to get the Duke into their side.

Well, the reason for the Empress’s suspicions is something else.

“We want Escal to decide his own future.”

Helios once again politely but stubbornly refused.

The Emperor felt that it was impossible to persuade him with words, so he jumped out of his seat and stood up.

“I know what the Duke means. I hope you don’t regret this decision.”

“…….”

“You don’t need to enter the palace for a while.”

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