Chapter . 55
"What? A dog without <mana> can perform transformation magic?"
"Seeing Brother, you get the thought that it's possible."
"Isn't this truly crazy talk?"
"The existence that gives such inspiration to a <wizard> is the problem."
We often talked about magic even when Sir Rolf was present.
Michelon no longer shared a room with me, and since Michelon arrived, Sir Rolf had been sticking close to my side. When Michelon openly asked if he didn't trust him, Sir Rolf had answered like this.
-Since the task of bringing Lord Michelon to the imperial palace is finished, there is no reason for the Prince to stay away from me now, is there?
Before that, the fact that I had hidden Michelon in my room and stayed apart from him must not have pleased the guardian knight.
However, I still hadn't confessed to him that I was a wizard. He would keep the secret, but just in case it was discovered, he wouldn't be able to excuse himself saying he didn't know or was deceived by me. I was certain there were emperors who used magic even before ascending to the throne and remained undetected afterwards... but one couldn't gamble with people's safety.
So when talking about magic in his presence, we used code words. Wizard as politician, mana as imperial power, like that.
-Your knight will be hurt if he finds out later?
-It's done so he can be. If he's disappointed in me, he can leave.
Anyway, when the imperial succession war began in earnest, I intended to send Nanette and Sir Rolf to another country.
When Michelon looked at me strangely, I explained.
-Not everyone is like that. Only I am.
Michelon had a face full of things to say but closed his mouth. He knew how to close his mouth, which used to spout fire according to his temper since he was a baby, and although my parenting was clumsy, he was growing well on his own.
First Prince Maximilian's residence was the largest and most splendid after the Emperor and Empress's residence.
"Attack! Attack!"
"Charge! Charge!"
"Advance! Advance!"
And it was incredibly noisy.
"What is this, is there a war?"
Michelon spoke in surprise, but it wasn't entirely untrue.
"Greetings, Prince Leontes. I will guide you this way."
We moved following the guidance of the attendant who greeted us.
The First Prince's residence had a courtyard like the Emperor and Empress's residence. Although he didn't have a private garden like the Emperor and Empress.
A siege was taking place in that courtyard right now.
"If you wait for a moment, I will inform Prince Maximilian of your arrival and return."
Unlike the old days, a very polite attendant disappeared after offering us wine goblets. We were busy watching the siege, wine or not.
There was a fake fortress in the courtyard. A circular wooden stage was wrapped in layers of wool and thick cloth, and the outermost part was decorated with tapestries depicting a fortress. Various decorations mimicking the edge of a castle wall were hung on top as well.
The tapestries were full of patterns symbolizing hearts in red, which didn't suit the fortress background at all and looked childish, but they certainly caught the eye.
Above the fortress, the most beautiful noble ladies of the imperial palace were gathered, looking at the sky and singing. The sight of noble ladies with their hair fluttering under the sunset sky was quite beautiful.
"We, trapped in the fortress of heartlessness having fallen into the trap of love, are prisoners of love. Who will save us, women of tragic love, where are the brave knights who will steal our hearts, has the glory of knights disappeared!"
"Isn't it embarrassing to say such things openly?"
Since it was in front of people, Michelon, using polite language, asked in bewilderment.
But the following chorus of knights was worse.
"Ah, where are you! You, beautiful noble lady seeking a brave knight! At your call, I will gladly raise my lance and run! My mightiest lance will smash your iron-walled fortress in a single breath! I will rescue you into my embrace!"
"Is it okay to speak such obscenities to noble ladies?"
Michelon was bewildered, but the noble ladies welcomed it with open arms.
"Come! You brave knight! Show how mighty your lance is! Prove it in the name of love!"
Then, knights charged from the corridor surrounding the square courtyard, wielding lances made of painted parchment rolled around sticks.
"Advance!"
"Attack!"
Shouting at the top of their lungs.
Then the noble ladies threw handkerchiefs to the knights they liked from above. The knights snatched those handkerchiefs, attached them to their lances, and charged. Climbing the fake fortress like that, they hugged the noble ladies and jumped down. Since fluffy cushions were laid all over the floor where fragrant herbs and flower petals were scattered, many knights pretended to stagger and fell onto them, rolling with the noble ladies.
"Isn't it too obvious that they fell on purpose?"
"If they don't do that, the knight gets teased for lacking the strength to carry the noble lady to bed. And the noble lady gets teased for having no eye for men."
"...Conversely, isn't falling like that a sign of lacking strength?"
"An excuse is an excuse because they insist on it."
When I become Emperor, I'll bestow a title on Nanette, but I must forbid her from attending such banquets when young. Maybe after she's over thirty.......
While thinking that, just then, a pair of a noble lady and a knight who fell from the sky disappeared somewhere hand in hand.
"Where are they going? Aren't they attending the banquet?"
"They are. Just changing to a banquet of flesh."
Thirty is too young, maybe forty.......
But sometimes, there were noble ladies who jumped directly from the fortress to avoid a knight. Because the handkerchief thrown to another knight was intercepted by that knight. Then the intended knight caught her, and like some acrobatic sequence, they rolled once on the cushion and disappeared holding hands. Though the intercepting knight chased after them.
"It's tremendous. It feels like watching... a garden where noble ladies and knights frolic."
Sir Rolf, who hadn't been in palace life for long, admired it. I agreed.
"Brother has created a device where one can enjoy as many noble ladies and knights as one wants. A play device where anyone can come and play war games, mating games, tag games... apparatus? Something like that."
I almost wanted to keep Maximilian alive after becoming Emperor to make him an artifact craftsman. Just removing one of his eyes or testicles would suffice.
However, even if it wasn't my brother's banquet, private banquets held in the imperial palace were all like this. When I become Emperor, I'll ban promiscuous banquets... no, then rebellion will break out, so I should impose fines the more promiscuous they are. Then the national treasury will burst thanks to guys trying to show off they are rich and lewd enough to pay fines easily.
"Brother Leontes."
At that moment, Desmond called.
"Yes, you look happy today too."
"...Why don't you turn around and then speak."
"You complain even when I compliment you."
But without even needing to turn my head away from this tremendous spectacle, Desmond soon thrust his face in front of me.
"It seems the First Brother's banquet pleases you more than the banquet I held for you?"
"Desmond, Her Majesty the Empress didn't raise you as a naive boy who bothers to say such obvious things."
Since our arrival, some of Maximilian's knights, who had approached, bowed, and then subtly watched this side, held their bellies and burst into laughter at my words. It felt quite good that they flattered me as they did their older brother.
"It is truly regrettable that your taste leans towards thoughtless debauchery for knights rather than the devout play I produced with heart and soul for you, Brother."
"I find it regrettable myself. That a religious play is more fun than love games; I worry you might shave your head and enter a monastery at a young age."
"Hahahaha!"
"Kuhahaha!"
As the older brother's knights laughed again, Desmond's Lauderdale knights glared, but they only laughed louder. Since the older brother's knights were collateral imperial family members, they couldn't stand those who became collateral imperial family members with bloodlines inferior to theirs. Sir Edward, heir to the Duke of Lauderdale and Cecile's brother, as well as Desmond's right hand, even gritted his teeth and placed his hand on his sword hilt.
But Desmond stopped them with a look before his maternal relatives could step in. It was fascinating that a guy who usually didn't stop such fights actually knew how to stop them. Indeed, fighting with those knights in Maximilian's absence would only lose face.
"Is this the drifter from the streets you saved, Brother?"
Desmond asked, pointing at Michelon with his chin.
"Yes, Prince Desmond of high virtue, it is an honor to meet you like this."
Surprisingly, Michelon greeted brightly. How different from Sir Edward whose eyes were fierce even in front of me.
"I am the very person Prince Leontes personally saved. I am extremely delighted that Prince Desmond, the Prince's younger brother, welcomes me too. Indeed, you are brothers."
Teaching him nice words was worth it. Though I remembered him grumbling at me.
"Of course, Brother and I are brothers."
Desmond said with his chin raised. Did he wash away the times he didn't even treat me as a brother with alcohol from his brain?
"So if a suspicious person tries to curry favor with Brother and deceive him, I won't stand by."
This was an insult not only to Michelon but also to me who chose him as a close friend. It was when Sir Rolf placed his hand on his sword hilt like Sir Edward, and I opened my mouth to retort.
"Yes, do not worry, Prince Desmond. I will surely protect the Prince's brother from all suspicious persons, so you may test my loyalty yourself. Wouldn't that be the only way to repay the affection of Prince Leontes who generously bestowed everything upon me?"
"Hahaha!"
When I laughed at Michelon's words subtly including Desmond among all suspicious persons, everyone looked at me in surprise. Since it was true I didn't laugh often.
"Now you know why I love my milk brother, right? No one makes me laugh like Michelon, hahaha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"It's really funny, hahaha!"
Maximilian's knights laughed along too.
Desmond bit his lip and tried to say something again, but then his cousin Reinhard approached.
"Prince Leontes, Prince Maximilian summons you."
If invited to a banquet, the host should welcome the guest who entered, not summon the guest, but my brother is a polymorphed dog.
"Shouldn't you summon me too?"
When Desmond asked angrily, Reinhard answered with a polite attitude only.
"Ah, I also informed him of Prince Desmond's visit, so he will summon you soon. But if you really wish, you may come along with Prince Leontes."
Desmond had come before me. When I first arrived, I saw him on the other side of the fortress, but since the fortress was more interesting, I just didn't bother to acknowledge him.
Yet he summons me, who came later than him, first. Because that's etiquette for my brother.
"What if I want to see Brother alone?"
I asked. Although I don't agree with my brother's etiquette, I have to respond to the insult from earlier.
"Then we should do as Prince Leontes wishes. Since you are Prince Desmond's older brother."
Reinhard spoke calmly. Desmond exploded.
"What on earth do Brother and First Brother have to talk about just between the two of you?"
"Well, it must be about you. Do you ask because you don't know?"
"Hahahaha!"
"Puhaha!"
Laughter arose, but Desmond didn't back down even with flushed cheeks.
"It's good for you too if I go along, Brother. Don't you know what kind of person First Brother is?"
Saying that, he looked at my brother's knights with challenging eyes, and only then did the laughter stop. Desmond had talent for the sword next to Alexander in the Lauderdale family, and Sir Edward, who grew into a powerful knight, directing his gaze there also played a part.
"It's nonsensical but amusing. I'll take you along so you won't be lonely, so behave cutely in front of Brother too."
Avoiding a quarrel coming your way only makes you prey for others to torment together. So although I retorted, profitless arguments weren't my taste.
Desmond glared at me, but when I ignored him and moved, he followed.
Going to Maximilian with Desmond like that, I said casually to Reinhard guiding us.
"If Brother is lying in bed again, I don't want to disturb him."
"It's not like that, so do not worry, Prince."
My brother was lying in a bath.