Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"A grand ceremony?" Aldridge asked curiously.
"Yes, a grand ceremony! Just like in the ancient murals in the Colosseum."
Aldridge understood. The Colosseum in the Imperial Capital was built during the ancient Bela Empire and has been preserved through countless renovations. Many valuable murals were retained, including the largest one depicting a scene where the ancient Bela army paraded captives of foreign tribes through the streets after a victory.
This parade was not as simple as it sounds. It involved a complex set of rituals and procedures.
"Teacher, as a scholar well-versed in history, you should be the one to plan the celebration. Every step of the process must be detailed, with an effort to recreate the grandeur of ancient times."
"Uh... Your Majesty," the emperor wanted to continue, but the old scholar shook his head. "I think your idea is quite inappropriate."
"Why?" Bartley Griffin was very surprised. He thought his teacher would be very supportive of the idea.
"Teacher, do you know? In this war, we captured more than 50,000 prisoners. In the history of our wars with the Nesta people, we've never had such a great victory. Celebrating the victory with a grand ceremony and boosting the nation's sense of honor seems like the best course of action."
Aldridge shook his head. "The Nesta people have just barely expressed a willingness to surrender. We could seize this opportunity to negotiate for more substantial benefits for the Empire. Why provoke them over vanity? Such an ancient Bela-style ceremony might increase our honor, but it would also deeply humiliate the Nesta people. Once they realize this, they'll likely treat it as a national disgrace, resist us to the end, and rekindle the conflict."
Bartley, dissatisfied, said, "Come on, Teacher! This is such a great opportunity. It would also help my son, Antonio, make a name for himself. This victory was his achievement, and such great honor would dispel those unsavory rumors about him. You've taught Antonio too, don't you want him to have a better life?"
Hearing the emperor's words, the old scholar immediately retorted, "Showering him with too much glory too soon will only harm him. Many people don't want to see Antonio in the limelight."
A shadow crossed the emperor's face. "Is that what you're really worried about, Teacher? Let me think, who are you afraid of… D'Arshi?"
The emperor's guess was met with silence from Aldridge, who sat quietly in his seat.
Emperor Bartley clenched his hand into a fist. "He's my son. I'll protect Antonio. Hmph, let's see who dares to touch even a hair on my son's head."
Aldridge sighed and advised, "Your Majesty, a shield can block swords and spears from the front, but it can't guard against a dagger from behind. I know you're doing this for Antonio's sake, but this victory has already earned him enough prestige among the Empire's elite. Any more could be a curse, not a blessing."
Bartley was troubled and helplessly waved his hand. "Fine. Teacher Aldridge, I will take your advice and shelve the ceremony for now."
Aldridge let out a breath of relief and said, "Prince Antonio will return to the capital soon, Your Majesty. Shouldn't we discuss what terms to propose to the Nesta people?"
"Alright, it's time to put this matter on the agenda."
"Let's draft an initial strategy and then bring it to the Imperial Council for discussion..."
...
The meeting between Scholar Aldridge and Emperor Bartley continued until evening. The emperor invited them to stay for dinner. Once again, Kevin was surprised to find that the royal dining arrangements were not much different from those of the wealthy in the capital—like those of Scholar Aldridge, the Chief Scholar of the Tower of Scholars, who clearly wasn't short on money. Kevin had thought that the emperor's soup spoons would be made of gold.
After dinner, the three of them bade farewell to the emperor and left the side hall. As they strolled through the palace corridors, they encountered a tall young man.
"Good evening, Scholar Aldridge," the young man greeted with a smile. "It must have been hard discussing state affairs with my father so late."
The old scholar also smiled in return. "Good evening, Crown Prince. As the royal advisor, this is part of my duty. How could I call it hard work?"
Kevin was surprised. So this was the emperor's eldest son. Unlike his father, the prince was adorned in jewels and appeared luxurious and elegant. Behind the prince stood a court lady with a veiled face. In the candlelight, her features were unclear, and after bowing to Aldridge, she quietly stood behind the prince.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the prince and the scholar parted ways. As their figures crossed, the crown prince suddenly turned and asked, "Is this about my brother's return?"
Aldridge didn't directly answer, instead saying, "It's about the Empire's recent victory."
The crown prince smiled meaningfully and said, "Indeed! What a great victory! I'm so proud to have such an outstanding brother."
He then turned and left, with the court lady closely following behind.
Kevin watched their figures as they walked away. The court lady seemed to sense his gaze and glanced back at Kevin.
For some reason, though her face was veiled, Kevin felt as if she was smiling at him.
By the time they returned to the Tower of Scholars by carriage, the moon was already high in the sky.
Kevin had been holding back a bellyful of questions during the ride, wanting to ask but not daring to. As a commoner, it didn't seem appropriate for him to inquire about royal secrets in front of the old scholar. Today's conversation between his teacher and the emperor had a distinct taste of palace intrigue—the kind that common folk loved to hear about.
After escorting their teacher to his study, Aldridge said, "You two go rest. I still have some things to write."
After bidding him goodnight, they left. A few steps later, Mond said, "I saw how uncomfortable you were on the way. If you have questions, just ask… Alright, I know what you want to ask. It's no secret; everyone in the capital, from nobles to commoners, knows."
Mond began explaining to his younger classmate. "Let me tell you, the emperor's two sons don't share the same mother. The crown prince was born to the empress, while Prince Antonio… his mother was someone else."
Ah, Kevin understood. So this was one of those clichéd royal sibling rivalries over the throne?
"The empress comes from the prestigious D'Arshi family, one of the Empire's most noble houses, and her father is the current prime minister. As for Prince Antonio, his mother passed away when he was very young, and no one knows her true identity."
Mond sighed. "And, there's a rumor that Prince Antonio's mother was…"
What was it, a farmer's daughter? The difference in status would indeed be quite significant.
"She was a witch."
Kevin was stunned. A country's emperor fathering a child with a witch was simply…
So this was the so-called 'unsavory rumor' that the emperor mentioned?
(End of the Chapter)
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