Chapter 9: Baquet

"In stories like this, me and my son should have more screen time…" 

"…" Rejoice! Rejoice! There's no such thing!

Just thinking about Guren and their size and their height… Who looks older? The role-playing is just too good. Him being the elder brother, "My son…" Nah, as if that'll happen. 

Today is banquet day, and it is the first time Guren will reveal a mask that shows the lower part of his face. Whenever he goes to battle and returns, he always wears a helmet that blocks the features of his face from the people. No wonder the nobles are so jubilant about the little Emperor. 

"Now, how should I do this?" 

Should she follow the script? Ett's also curious. Would it work out the way it was before now that she's Ett? 

"Are you going to attend the first banquet held by the Emperor, Your Ladyship?" 

Ett glanced at Akan, sipping her grape juice. 

"You keep me company first." 

"Of course, Your Ladyship." 

"Is there a need for the emperor to know?" 

"No need." 

Akan responded with a smile. 

It was always like this with Her Ladyship. She wouldn't care about such things as this. Matters regarding the mother and the child were always complex. Both of them were bound by blood, but never would they cross paths if it's not meant to be. Her Ladyship would always scheme behind for the benefit of the Adiand Empire in the shadows.

"Let's hide." 

Ah? 

He seems to be hearing things, "I beg your pardon?" 

Ett stands up, looking at the still-clueless Akan. "I said let's go." 

"To where would you like to go, Your Ladyship?" 

 Hide? Such vulgar words. Can she reword it?

"Lead me to the most inconspicuous part where I can see the banquet." 

Akan helplessly nodded. "Then let me guide you." 

To make sure she won't be seen as there might be circumstances that might accidentally happen, Akan made Ett use a cloak before making their way to the highest part of the royal hall, ascending to the higher part in which it's where the servants lift the decorations from above, and just below them was a small passage where the maids can clean or remove the decorations of the hall. 

"You can stay here." 

 Ett uttered. 

"But, Your Ladyship, I can crouch down and accompany you." 

He could look alongside Her Ladyship and see the exciting people below. Haha, they look like ants, as they should be.

"No." 

Disappointed, Akan obediently moved away. 

Ett watched as the banquet had already started, and Guren was watching them in his seat, indifferent to all the glances he received. 

"This boy, can't you see how much they want to approach him?" 

Observing the crowd, most of them were from his peers, and second were adults thinking of politics again. 

In the Adiand Empire, it was alright for the banquet to be held even without the personal congratulations of the Emperor; it was also given whether or not they had a banquet. When the late Emperor Ett's father was still in power, to be specific, when Ett was born, all celebrations ceased to stop in the Palace. 

Once, the previous Emperor opened for another celebration when Guren was born and was officially told that his grandson would be the next heir to the throne. 

Then, the previous Emperor's death was the second time the nobles went to the Palace, and at the same time, there was an announcement that Guren, at nine, became the Emperor. Even when her father died, Ett was always watching the scenes outside. That time, there was a massive uproar among all the nobles, and a brewing rebellion nearly came true. 

Their Palace became more open to the nobles when Guren was crowned. The first greeting was wiping out almost half of the faction and inviting all the heads of nobles for a meeting on the day of bloodshed. 

For a nine-year-old who had gone into battle witnessing and even procuring such a method, whether it was assisted by the so-called mother or him alone, Ett can only say it's her dereliction of duty as a 'mother' in her view as a modern bystander. 

"How old is Guren now?" 

Thirteen? Indeed, he is admirable, just thirteen years old, and he is unmoved as a mountain. After all, different upbringings and environments are detrimental to a child's development. 

"Ah..." 

Ett lightly slapped her cheek. "Wake up." 

 Watching the people talking, Ett squints her eyes. It was not too different from all those historical movies and manhwa's that she often watched and read. 

 "Though, I like this kind of theme." 

The thing is, Aidand always prefers dark-coloured dresses to lighter ones. This all stemmed from the day it became an Empire. 

It was the time of the night when the first emperor officially conquered all the lands and unified the forces, gaining all the rights of every territory. It was at full moon, with darkness shrouding everything, and the moon was the only light source. The Emperor is the moon in the people's eyes and still wears dark clothes to represent the evening parade. 

"Ah, I don't know. Too many symbolical shvts." 

Aidand people also have paler skin than the normal Empires. Matching it with dark clothes and gems makes them more like an albino, much so, lifeless as if with no blood, adding that they are a cut out from the rest and rarely communicate unless it's conquering that you're talking about. 

"Right, this empire is either strange or they just caught the indifferent disease of their ruler." 

To the point of rarely seeing the Empire's royal family, it was peculiar to the outsiders even though it was usual for the ordinary people. But now, even the nobles are energetic in seeing their Emperor with or without hidden intentions. 

"They must have deemed this as a limited offer, tsk. Tsk." 

Still, Ett was quite amused watching them talking, laughing with one another, and making eye contact on how to approach the Emperor. 

Speaking as such, Ett's gaze caught a familiar person entering the royal hall, Cashim. He was smilingly talking with the ladies as if having them charmed by him. 

He was nobler with his clothing this time around, like a young master he was and not some free-spirited womanizer boss who secretly owned the House of Isotel. 

Good thing his suspicion for her would lessen, knowing these people were all nobles with prestigious backgrounds, from Dukes to Earl and some old lineage below Earl's rankings. 

It would be best to have all Dukes and Barons coming into this Palace to see more people; they might find some capable and talented aristocrats. But what Adiand always chose were people with pure lineage and prestigious power. 

 Ett suddenly stiffened. Her lips drew into a small smile, and her eyes turned bright as she observed the people dancing in the centre. 

"Even just by sitting nonchalantly, his peers would blush just by merely glancing at him." 

Yet, Ett's smile quickly faded as soon as one man stepped to greet Guren, along with two more people. 

The Duke of Ostenian Duchy, the 3rd Prince of Larak and his 2nd in command. Ett dusted her clothes from crouching and went back to Akan. 

Alright, I'm tired from watching.

Now, all she needs to do is if Guren would do his part just like he did in the novel. 

"That's enough for today."

"Then let me escort you back." 

Her Ladyship already has a plan in mind and would return to plan her scheme. Fufu. 

Akan's brain was already in full gear. Thinking of opportunities that might be useful in this situation. What plan did her Ladyship come up with?

"You leave first." 

Pardon?

"Your Ladyship, you know this servant can't do that." 

They were always together. 

"Just this once." 

 Hm? Akan frowned. Oh, is this part of the scheme. He'll be entertaining the guest? Come to think of it, he did see Her Ladyship's brows frown. Ah right! Why didn't he think about it?

"Does that mean Your Ladyship will still let me assist you with Duke Ostelian's matter?" 

What makes you think I wouldn't? That was what Ett wanted to ask, but nodded. 

Akan belatedly smiled before worrying again. Her Ladyship's help is always in dire situations. The most fragile being he had ever seen. What if something happens along the way?

Seeing the expression on Akan's face, Ett felt irked.

"Don't even think about it."

Ahckk, I'm already out of breath. Cough.

"Leave."

"…Then I shall take my leave; please walk carefully." 

"Mhmmm." 

Seeing him fading from his sight, Ett looked at the small staircase going down with no fire to light up the place. This was one of the stairs the maids used whenever they ran their errands, making their work more efficient without being noticed too much by the people during celebrations. 

"So dark." 

There's that narration from the storyline: 'Ett felt the bannister's smooth surface as she went down the stairs. As she walked, she heard the floorboards creaking underneath her feet. Standing at the foot of the stairs, she could feel the darkness surrounding her. ' 

That was how it was written in the book and what darkness it was. It wasn't described in detail. After that incident, even after many banquets, Ett didn't attend any celebratory events in the Palace. 

So, this was the loophole in that event. 

"Darkness…" 

It must be some kind of metaphor. 

"But why am I getting weird vibes?"