Episode 5.
After Mada Marais, Leto entered.
Dressed in a blue uniform with silver epaulets, he looked unusually cold, strong, and honorable.
“The Empress is looking even more beautiful today, isn’t she?”
Mada Marais asked Leto softly, like a mother showing off her daughter.
But I’m sorry, Mada Marais.
I don’t think that man cares about my appearance.
Look, he’s just staring at
without a word of complint.
I laughed and walked over to Leto.
“Are you here to greet ?”
I know. He’s not here to greet ; he’s here to spy. Still, I decided to play nice. I wanted to do better than he expected, even if it ant coming.
He didn’t answer; he just stared at , his blue eyes wide. After a mont, he spoke.
“That outfit-”
Ah. A luxury I hadn’t seen before. Did he spend the imperial family’s money on it?
“My brothers gave it to . Every last bit of it.”
He pauses. I swallowed hard and muttered, “I see.
“…I see.”
“It looks like you’re ready to go. Shall we go?”
“Sure.”
Leto held out his arm. I took it lightly, as was customary. We headed to the ballroom together.
Walking formally.
Straightening my waist according to etiquette.
I clasped my skirt according to etiquette.
I greeted each nobleman we passed with a proper bow.
It was a mont where the past week of hard work paid off. Leto whispered to .
“The Viscountess de marais has been working hard.”
My hard work is not appreciated, but I am not hurt. I’ve been treated like this often enough in my life.
I’m lucky if it doesn’t take away what’s mine.
“Yes. You’ve been very helpful.”
He smirked, his voice perfectly tuned to imperial etiquette.
“You’re better off than livia.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“We’re about to go to the banquet hall; I hope you haven’t forgotten.”
“Quietly and still, you an?”
“Yes. You’re getting to the point.”
Of course, I do. I’m the desperate one, not you. I’m the one whose life is on the line.
* * *
“The Emperor and Empress are entering!”
The gatekeeper shouted. The music, fragrance, and splendor of the ballroom assaulted my senses. The chandeliers were dazzling.
The banquet was beyond words. It was the imperial family’s biggest event, a grand affair.
We walked across the ballroom. Nobles politely moved out of the way. They weren’t polite enough to stare at .
We sat side by side at the head table. The nobles nudged
and whispered.
‘The resurrected empress.
‘The Empress ca back from the dead, all decked out in all her glory.
All good gossip, I suppose.
It’s not easy being in such a high position, I suppose, requiring such boldness and shalessness.
The Founding Festival began with a toast from the Emperor. Leto raised his wine glasses.
“Imperials, nobles, and clerics gathered today to welco the 154th founding of the great Set Empire. Welco, all of you, and may you continue to be the n and won who will give your lives for the glory of the Empire and the well-being of the people.”
It was a toast that called for sacrifice and pride rather than the sharing of rights and privileges, and the tension in the faces of those who had been so comfortable was palpable.
They all raised their glasses to Leto, but my table was empty of teacups. Ewarton, standing next to , whispered.
“I apologize, sir. Her Majesty has forbidden the Empress to drink, so I’ve brought an assortnt of court teas instead. We have bergamot, Ceylon, Nilgiri, Assam, milk tea, and tea trees, both cold and hot, so please take your pick.”
I apologize for not being able to offer wine.
The diligence to prepare alternatives.
The humility to offer an alternative.
“Mr. Ewarton, what a great assistant you are.
I smiled at Ewarton. I can’t say thank you because of the gag order.
The ballroom was a bit hot, so I chose a cold tea tree tea. ewarton lifted the glass pot and poured the tea. The pot was filled with ice.
When Leto saw that my glass was full, he called out.
“To the Empire.”
He drained his wine glass, and the others followed suit.
“To the empire!”
The tea tree tea was very strong, with a bitter aftertaste.
The banquet had begun in earnest.
Nobles dancing.
The chanting of the priests.
Knights dancing.
The dancers danced.
It was an elaborate affair.
Leto remained in his seat, his face impassive. The sa was true when the ball began. The dance of the emperor and his wife was officially omitted. Then the young ladies lined up to greet us. To Leto, to be precise.
“Your Majesty, it is an honor to et you.”
“ too. Enough greetings; you may return to your seats.”
“Your Majesty, I was so happy that you danced with
at the last ball, and I was wondering if you’d like to.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t plan on dancing tonight.”
Let
cut through all the greetings like a knife. From the sounds of it, he danced with the young ladies occasionally. It was a social thing between the imperial family and the nobility.
I could dance again tonight, and if Leto left, I could breathe a little easier.
I turned my head to look at him. He was looking down at the ballroom, bored, and he saw .
I pointed at the youngsters and tilted my head, wondering why they weren’t dancing.
He stared at
and then said sothing out of the blue.
“The Matrion brothers are running late tonight.”
I nodded. This morning, the Matrion brothers had called to tell
that they would be late for the banquet because of business on the estate.
My first thought was that it was good. He can’t speak, so it’s hard to say hello.
But why was Leto talking about it?
He said it bluntly.
“I don’t like the sll of people.”
Ah. So it’s , I see. With the Empress so far away, it’s not good for her to be alone. For the sake of the imperial reputation.
The convention lasted until nightfall. Leto stood his ground.
Of course, there was the occasional disagreeable remark. The youngsters chattered not far away. Just so I could hear them.
“Her Majesty seems to be the sa as ever, so behave yourself.”
“Yes, I’m afraid she’s been a little careful today, and she hasn’t said a word yet, has she?”
“He hasn’t even opened the wine, let alone spoken.”
“If you’re going to do that, why did you even co back from the dead?”
livia’s dignity was at its lowest ebb, listening to the sarcasm of the youngsters.
I turned my head and glared at them. They glared back at
at first. I continued to stare. After a while, they slowly dispersed. Out of courtesy, the young ladies could not face the Empress.
It’s a pity. If it weren’t for the gag order, I’d say sothing.
“Your Majesty.”
A young man cautiously approached Leto. The nobles ebbed away like the tide.
As if they were looking at an abomination, disdainful.
The mont I saw him, I was horrified, too, for his face and hands were covered in scales and spots.
“Is it a skin disease? Is it bad?
People began to gawk.
“Gross…….”
“It’s all because of the goddess’ curse.”
“What the hell did you do wrong, tsk tsk?”
He blushed at the disdainful gaze. He clenched his fists to keep from itching.
I glanced at ewarton. Ewarton, quick on the uptake, whispered.
“That’s Baron Fahram Sannuel. He’s been missing in action since he developed an unexplained skin disease so ti ago. The High Priestess blad his illness on a curse from the goddess, and from what I hear, he’s moving to a remote island tonight.”
Baron Fahram. I heard about it in Mrs. marais’s class.
When Leto was crown prince, he traveled to the north to exterminate demons. It was a life-threatening journey, and Fahram was a mber of his staff and did great work. In recognition of his service, he inherited the title, even though he was the second son.
How could such a public servant be treated so poorly by the High Priest?
The High Priest was drinking leisurely in the distance. As if Fahram’s misfortune had nothing to do with him.
Leto spoke to him as if to say.
“Fahram, co closer.”
Just then, a nobleman called out urgently.
“Your Majesty, you must be careful; he is cursed.”
“Who just said cursed?”
Leto glared at the group of nobles, who fell silent at his outburst.
“Fahram was invited by . Isn’t it proper to invite a public figure to an important event in the Empire?”
No one spoke up. fahram dropped to one knee in front of Leto.
“Fahram, Your Majesty. I thank you most sincerely for your invitation. Your Majesty.”
Fahram spoke in a dignified tone. He was a straight man at first glance. Leto said to him:.
“Welco, Fahram. Enjoy the banquet with Euthene.”
“No, I think I will return ho now that I have seen the king.”
“What do you an? You have only just arrived.”
“Huang Songhao, but I have a lot of work to do with the migration. Please allow .”
Fahram said it eagerly.
Not the migration, but Leto. The more Leto puts himself in the middle, the more he’ll be in trouble.
Leto looked at Fahram with frustration. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“I’ll allow it. But if anything happens in your new ho, write to
imdiately.”
“I would be honored.”
Fahram ca toward .
“To Your Majesty, Fahram salutes you.”
He dropped respectfully to one knee. I glanced at his hand on his knee. The scales were dead skin.
Flaking, spots, and itching.
“This looks like… ‘psoriasis’.
Psoriasis is a common, albeit unexplained, condition. A simple ointnt would do the trick, and yet this was called a ‘curse of the goddess’.
Fahram hid his hands in his sleeves, ashad of my stare. Leto, sensing sothing unusual, spoke up.
“Fahram, you should leave. The Empress is not feeling well today.”
No.
“I must tell her that this man’s illness is not a curse, or he will live the rest of his life as a sinner.
There’s only one chance.
In my urgency, I grabbed Fahram’s wrist. Fahram’s eyes widened.
“Oh, my God, the Empress has touched him!”
“This is bad. The curse will spread!”
The crowd gasped in horror. Fahram tried to pull his hand away. I gripped his hand tighter.
“Empress, let go of my hand.”
Leto spoke in a low, gravelly voice. As if to warn
for the first and last ti.
It was then that I noticed the teacups on the table. Pots of cold tea tree tea, to be exact.
“That’s it.
Chwaak.
He poured the entire pot of tea and ice into his hand.
Silence fell over the banquet hall. Even the court musicians stopped playing.
Leto grabbed my wrist.
“Empress.”
He said it, his face expressionless.
“Let
see you for a mont.”
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