Naturally, the conference room was in chaos.
“Ouch, military service!”
“Only homunculus participate in the expedition, right?! Oh, you mean to give a knighthood to Homunculus?!”
"Exactly."
The majority of nobles could not help but be shocked and confused by this groundbreaking action.
The Homunculus Knight Commanders were also unable to hide the surprise in their eyes.
Michael and Elijah were each criticized, but otherwise, it was a new story.
“Ouch, military service!”
“Only homunculus participate in the expedition, right?! Oh, you mean to give a knighthood to Homunculus?!”
"Exactly."
The majority of nobles could not help but be shocked and confused by this groundbreaking action.
The Homunculus Knight Commanders were also unable to hide the surprise in their eyes.
Michael and Elijah were each criticized, but otherwise, it was a new story.
'Knighthood? We?'
They instinctively turned towards Eve.
The Princess, as usual, sat back and observed the situation. And their King, who has been crowned. The sight of them both convinced Homunculus.
Meanwhile, Brigitte looked fine at first glance, but her jaw was tense. It was clear that she was clenching her teeth.
'Eve, do you think that because you're acting like this, Belteor won't be able to get a place?'
Eve had a plan for Belteor, but Brigitte could not see the big picture.
No way could happen.
It was a long time ago that the idea of awarding the title of Homunculus was first discussed.
As there was a time difference, Brigitte's side did not sit back and do nothing either.
She gave the Marquis Lamekal a sidelong glance.
'Uncle.'
Recognizing the meaning of the look, Lamekal immediately jumped to his feet, along with the Minister of Finance and several of his closest ministers, as well as the Marquis of Belteor, who sat next to him.
“This is an act that undermines the discipline of the empire!”
“Please reconsider!”
Brigitte's countermeasure was nothing but incitement.
The petitions flowed out one after another. Some nobles, swept up in the atmosphere, also showed signs of joining in.
Desmond II quickly raised a hand to silence the room.
“I'm not trying to be disruptive. Throughout history, titles and estates have been distributed by merit. And what's wrong with the fact that you're not suddenly trying to turn commoners into nobles, but rather knights based on a system of rank?”
Of course, this was too big of a bowl fight to be played nice. The situation was shaping up to be a one-versus-many scenario.
“Your Majesty! If we nobles are Your Majesty’s hands and feet, aren’t the homunculus your swords and tools?
“The tool cannot come before the hand!”
“Yes, you have left us, a loyal band of men, and entrusted a mere tool, Homunculus, with a crucial task!”
It didn't work at all.
Eve watched nervously as Desmond II's eyebrows began to twitch.
'Okay, now let's begin.'
It was when Eve's eyes lit up that Desmond II asked the nobles, gritting his teeth.
“So it is an imperial example, an example of discipline, to distribute the surplus estates to you solely based on your own loyalty?”
Someone shouted, "Good!" It seemed to be the Marquis Belteor.
At that moment, Desmond II's last bit of patience ran out.
“Why do nobles only seek rights without fulfilling their duties?”
The old nobles shook their shoulders at the thunderous roar. The aura of the sage Emperor dominated the conference hall.
Desmond II vented his anger on the silent nobles.
“What? The Age of Barbarism? Well said! Can't you see that war is happening now?! You don't think a war with Homunculus isn't a war, do you? What happened to your minds after a few hundred years of peace without paying the price?”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
“If the world is so civilized as you say, why is your head so uncivilized? I can't tell if it's your brain or your spaghetti noodles!”
“And what? They're tools, and you're hands? I'm not doing this because my hands are on the back of my head! Do you think I don't know that you're trying to control the imperial power with your head? You're all ungrateful! Is that what your family taught you?”
The nobles, who had just come from the village, were stunned by the venomous words. Some of them complained of high blood pressure and difficulty breathing because of their age.
'Yeah. This is it.'
Desmond II is an authoritarian man, but he is also an actual authority.
He is human. There was no need to go back to the old story. Eve didn't want to become Emperor for nothing.
Desmond II seemed to have calmed down a bit and made gestures to calm down.
“Whoa, I can't tell if this is a council of elders or a tableau. I'm done wasting my time, so I'm out!”
Desmond II's will was stronger than expected.
'Father has completely fallen for that Eve.'
As she clenched her fists, the nobles who had remained neutral glanced alternately at Eve and Brigitte. Brigitte found their stares deeply disturbing.
***
The townhouse of the Marquis of Belteor was located on the southern bank of the River Ravel, a place favored by the great aristocracy.
The head of the household's carriage, which had been traveling on a campaign trail, returned before the half-day mark. His third son, Antonio, greeted the marquis when he returned home, more tired than usual.
“Welcome, Father. How was the meeting?”
“It was nothing. I was skeptical, but the information about the Third Princess turned out to be correct.”
“Is it true that His Majesty gave the title to Homunculus?”
“Yes. That was stated at the elders’ meeting today.”
“How could that be..."
“Ha, do you think that makes sense? It seems His Majesty the Emperor has become senile.”
“Father, be still, for you are about to enter the central political arena. Be careful with your words in the capital, as if you were walking on water. Just as you walk with careful steps, you should be careful with your words.”
“Oh, right. You’re right.”
When Marquis Belteor saw the three young men, he felt his excitement subside, and at the same time, a sense of pride washed over him.
As expected, his son was not called the best imperial concubine in the empire for nothing.
'Just looking at his neat appearance, he looks exactly like a Prince. If he were any more handsome, it would be easy to create a tyrant who neglects state affairs, right?'
The two entered the headmaster's office together. After checking the soundproofing, Antonio's expression hardened slightly, and he reported.
“While my father was out of town, I heard from my eldest brother. He seems to be in a lot of trouble with the Confederacy. I think it's bad, and I'd like to invite you to visit him once..."
“Oh, that's it. I'll just do the middle.”
Marquis Belteor brushed it aside. His attention was elsewhere.
The Marquis, who had been lost in thought for a long time, touched his chin and opened his mouth.
“Central politics is a tricky business, especially since the Third Princess isn't as dominant as you'd think. It's hard to believe she was the undisputed number one until last spring.”
Antonio kept his answers short and spoke sparingly. He was not in a pleasant mood when he recalled Brigitte's humiliation at the birthday banquet the previous evening.
It was a matter of dignity rather than affection; he belonged to Brigitte, and her disgrace and humiliation had fallen upon him.
'Did I work hard to see this?'
He pursues perfection so as not to be found at fault.
It was as hard to endure as I had lived. I was barely able to suppress my discontent, but Marquis Belteor fanned the flames.
“It's not just that. The nobles' attitudes are also bad. Do you know what I saw today?”
“When the Seventh Princess passed through the hall, the ministers parted to the left and right to make way for her, and when the Third Princess passed by, they merely slowed their pace.”
'Ha, I guess I can't do this anymore.'
It was a matter of life and death. At this point, Antonio could not just sit back and be cautious.
“So what my father said was... Does that mean you’re leaning more towards the 7th Princess?”
“Ahem, ahem. You have to speak as if you’re walking on water.”
When asked about the topic that led to the answer, Marquis Belteor coughed suspiciously.
"Father."
Only after a soft call did the Marquis continue speaking, pretending to be defeated.
“This knighthood of Homunculus is just another way the Seventh Princess is trying to keep the southern nobles from entering the political arena, and since Lamekal and the Third Princess have never been able to get their act together, all of our family's hard work will be for naught.”
“That should never happen.”
“That’s right. It can’t be done.”
The Marquis and his son exchanged glances. It was a look that spoke more than a hundred words.
“Antonio.”
“Yes, father.”
“You were raised to become a Prince.”
“I know.”
“So, do you understand what you have to do from now on?”
The neatly groomed, handsome man lifted his chin. His lavender eyes shone with confident determination.
“Of course.”
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