24 Not A Bad Man

ECHID

'This was a different ball compared to the previous ones, indeed,' his lips twisted in a jolly smile as he watched the noble men and women from where he was sitting at the grand table.

Most of the men were nodding their heads approvingly at the newcomers from another world, while the others are giving them suspicious looks.

On the other hand, most of the ladies were rolling their eyes and obviously chatting about their appearance, while the others seem to want to be friendly with them.

He stood up and fluttered from table to table, wanting to hear their opinions himself.

However, as he did so, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation that grabbed his attention.

"If only Lord Damon did not rebel against the Emperor, the Ministry of Arts would not be as chaotic as it is now. Look at this group, there is not even a sense of solidarity," one of the noble commented while secretly glowering at the tutor who taught the intermission dance.

He seemed to be a member of the Ministry of Arts who was not satisfied with the current administration.

Arts is not just a minor ministry in Edin. It is one of the dominant divisions, as everyone in Edin loves music, dances, poetry, and arts.

Under it are the nine artistic spheres: epic poetry, history, astronomy, comedy, tragedy, religious hymns, erotic poetry, lyric poetry, and choral song and dance.

Echid was about to leave as he didn't want to hear anything about him. But his body couldn't help but tense up.

To be honest, deep inside him, he wanted to know more about Lord Damon.

He has been hearing negative opinions about him ever since he could remember. It actually is the first time that he heard someone praising him.

Echid decided to stay at that table and continued to mingle with them, believing that none of them knew his real relationship with the former head of the Ministry of Arts.

"I agree, Lord Damon would have conducted a better play than this poor presentation," the other nodded his head while smirking at the female humans and the other young ladies who have just performed a choral dance.

"Do you remember The Dragon's Heart? Even the third generation was still talking about it," the other lord asked, which are agreed upon by all the nobles at the table as all of them nodded their heads in agreement.

"Do you mean the play where the hero made the dragon his friend but was betrayed by him in the end?" Echid butted in as his hand shot up in the air, his eyelids fluttered rapidly, trying to get into their conversation.

Indeed, he has heard about that. The children playing in the streets even reenacted it. He didn't have an idea that Lord Damon was behind its successful performance.

"Yes, your grace. It was only one of the masterpieces of Lord Damon. He also led the Dancing Under the Moonlight and Merlin's Sonata," one of the lords' heads tilted back in pride.

"I wasn't aware of that. I thought he is a horrible man." Echid rubbed his chin as he recalled all the times that he refused to meet up with him.

Lord Damon was arrested since the famous revolt that he allegedly led centuries ago. Echid has no idea about his reasons. Nor has concern about what happened to him after that.

It was only after he learned recently that he was his real father that he became aware of him.

All he knew was he was an evil man who troubled the Emperor and the whole Elysian Empire. And he didn't want anything to do with him.

"He is. Some of the most poisonous people are disguised as excellent performers," someone spoke with a note of bitterness in his voice.

To all of their bewilderment, the Emperor appeared beside them, making them hold on to their pants with trembling hands.

Then he put his arm around Echid as he warned everyone in a threatening voice, "Do not be deceived by the outward appearance. It is the purity of one's soul that counts."

Echid burst out in a peal of agitated laughter as he said, "I couldn't agree more, your Imperial Highness. And I believe that our visitors have both. The King might take an interest in one of them and make her his bride soon."

He tried to deviate the Emperor's attention with a topic that he knew he was interested in even though his butt couldn't wait but get out of the chair and scram away.

Fortunately, it worked as the Emperor started talking positively about his son, the King, giving Echid the chance to escape the disturbing atmosphere.

"Whew, finally I can breathe," Echid panted before inhaling a lungful of the evening air.

He was in one of the open terraces of the Palace, which he thought was vacant. But to his surprise, Lady Evie was there.

She swiveled to face him as she was facing the outskirts of Edin. As her sunset eyes fell on him, Echid couldn't help but be awestruck by her. His heart beat at a different rate than during his awkward moments with the Emperor.

She is not the most beautiful woman he has seen. But she knew a lot of things that most women in Edin have no knowledge about, which intrigues him. It seemed like she has a lot up her sleeves.

'I will just freshen up here by having a chat with her. I'm sure the King won't mind,' reassuring himself that he is not betraying the King.

"That's a splendid performance that you did there, my lady," Echid greeted her with a sincere compliment. "You will not have a hard time being accepted here in Edin if you decide to stay here."

He was hoping he would make her feel comfortable with him, but she just nodded her head.

"If that's not enough, I can help you gain their approval. I am close with all nobles in Edin, including the Emperor," Echid opened before he let out a burst of hearty laughter, to which she responded with a statement that surprised him.

"Thank you, your grace. But I don't think I need it - even if I decide to stay," she said before she bowed and turned her back on him.

Echid felt a fluttering in his belly all of a sudden as he heard that.

All his life, he has always desired the approval of everyone, the Zervas family who adopted him, the Edinians, the King, and the Emperor.

Her idea of not wanting acceptance from anybody is an entirely new concept for him.

—-----------------------------------

We spend our lives changing ourselves to be accepted.

But only a few know that real acceptance starts within yourself.