Linel paid no attention to Prince Calvain's excitement and asked the question in a relaxed voice this time as well.
“I heard that there are some ministers who are trying to delay your wedding. Is that true?”
“Ahem, the wedding... is planned to take place after the hunting competition.”
Prince Calvain answered in an unpleasant tone. Princess Jasper’s expression was also unpleasant. Prince Norton, who was sitting next to the two, glanced at me. His eyes seemed to be asking me why Linel was bringing up such a topic. I also didn’t know, so I just shook my head slightly.
“How about this?”
Linel once again captured the attention of the guests.
“After completing the hunting competition in the Tebello Empire, all the Northern Continent guests will move to the Pasha Empire. Of course, it would be better if the Southern Continent guests also joined.”
He continued speaking, extending one hand towards where the Southern Continent dignitaries were seated.
“I think it would be nice if we all attended the wedding of Prince Calvain and his wife to congratulate them and enjoy the festivities for a few days to recover from the fatigue... What do you think?”
“I am amazed by His Majesty Linel’s thoughtful consideration! Hahahaha.”
Prince Tesla raised his voice as he looked back and forth between Prince Calvain and Linel, who were sitting in front of him.
“Oh, and on the way back to the Northern Continent, how about going via the sea route of the Delphi Empire, which is close to the capital of the Pasha Empire?”
His eyes fell on Empress Katria.
“Good idea. I will gladly give you my imperial ship. Surely you wouldn’t send it back emptying its storage compartment?”
“Of course.”
He nodded and smiled cheerfully at Empress Katria's words, who openly wanted something in return.
“How could you, how could you think like that...”
Prince Calvain muttered to himself, still unable to believe Linel’s proposal. The guests gathered at the banquet hall seemed to have already accepted Linel’s reasonable proposal in many ways.
I clenched my molars and glared at Prince Tesla, who was laughing and chatting brightly with Prince Calvain. Princess Resilia, sitting next to him, was chatting happily with Princess Jasper, but she often glanced at Prince Norton, who was sitting diagonally across from her. But strangely, Prince Norton looked at Rosie more often than Princess Resilia looked at him. I turned my gaze back to Prince Tesla. The Prince picked up his spoon and scooped up all the soup in front of me. I glared at the Prince’s spoon and cursed inwardly.
“Ouch! Hot, hot!”
As soon as Prince Tesla put the soup in his mouth, he dropped his spoon on the floor and made a fuss.
“Are you okay, Prince?”
“Oh my, why are you like that?”
The nobles surrounding the Prince also asked in surprise and concern.
“Soo, the soup is too... hot.”
Prince Tesla gulped down the cold water and replied. He frowned as if the roof of his mouth had been ripped off while eating his soup. Several of the guests took a sip of their soup one by one and tilted their heads.
“Not to that extent?”
“That’s right, mine is just the right temperature to eat at, but it’s strange.”
Prince Calvain, sitting in front of the Prince, also took another sip of his soup and tilted his head.
“This isn’t that hot, but the soup I just scooped up with a spoon was really hot, like boiling water.”
Everyone started to look at Prince Tesla strangely. But that wasn't a lie. The soup that Prince Tesla ate was something I had raised the temperature of. But was it really boiling hot like the Prince said? That couldn't be true...
“I heard that there are some ministers who are trying to delay your wedding. Is that true?”
“Ahem, the wedding... is planned to take place after the hunting competition.”
Prince Calvain answered in an unpleasant tone. Princess Jasper’s expression was also unpleasant. Prince Norton, who was sitting next to the two, glanced at me. His eyes seemed to be asking me why Linel was bringing up such a topic. I also didn’t know, so I just shook my head slightly.
“How about this?”
Linel once again captured the attention of the guests.
“After completing the hunting competition in the Tebello Empire, all the Northern Continent guests will move to the Pasha Empire. Of course, it would be better if the Southern Continent guests also joined.”
He continued speaking, extending one hand towards where the Southern Continent dignitaries were seated.
“I think it would be nice if we all attended the wedding of Prince Calvain and his wife to congratulate them and enjoy the festivities for a few days to recover from the fatigue... What do you think?”
“I am amazed by His Majesty Linel’s thoughtful consideration! Hahahaha.”
Prince Tesla raised his voice as he looked back and forth between Prince Calvain and Linel, who were sitting in front of him.
“Oh, and on the way back to the Northern Continent, how about going via the sea route of the Delphi Empire, which is close to the capital of the Pasha Empire?”
His eyes fell on Empress Katria.
“Good idea. I will gladly give you my imperial ship. Surely you wouldn’t send it back emptying its storage compartment?”
“Of course.”
He nodded and smiled cheerfully at Empress Katria's words, who openly wanted something in return.
“How could you, how could you think like that...”
Prince Calvain muttered to himself, still unable to believe Linel’s proposal. The guests gathered at the banquet hall seemed to have already accepted Linel’s reasonable proposal in many ways.
I looked down at his hand, which was still holding mine, and then looked at his face. He seemed to have no time to look at me right now, as he continued to focus only on Prince Calvain. Prince Calvain looked at Princess Jasper with eyes asking for her opinion, and she nodded briefly in agreement. A smile spread across Prince Calvain’s tense face. Linel must have caught that moment, as he waited for it to happen, and spoke again.
“I will give you a good excuse for some of the opposition ministers who want to postpone the wedding.”
“What does that... mean?”
Prince Calvain asked with a noticeably more subdued expression than before.
“You are to use the dignitaries of both continents to pressure the opposition leaders.”
"Ah..."
“Why don’t you push ahead with the coronation ceremony along with the wedding? Then the celebration will be twice as big.”
None of the guests expressed any resentment at Linel's strong tone.
“Would you accept my offer?”
Linel raised his wine glass and asked Prince Calvain.
“Yes, of course. I deeply appreciate your consideration. However, Your Majesty.”
Prince Calvain also raised his wine glass and added cautiously.
“What is the real intention behind suddenly making such a suggestion...?”
“Goodwill, shall we say?”
He answered with a refreshing face that was quite different from Prince Calvain’s complicated expression. Half of the guests gathered at the banquet hall seemed to believe Linel’s words, while the other half looked suspicious of his intentions.
“I will give you a good excuse for some of the opposition ministers who want to postpone the wedding.”
“What does that... mean?”
Prince Calvain asked with a noticeably more subdued expression than before.
“You are to use the dignitaries of both continents to pressure the opposition leaders.”
"Ah..."
“Why don’t you push ahead with the coronation ceremony along with the wedding? Then the celebration will be twice as big.”
None of the guests expressed any resentment at Linel's strong tone.
“Would you accept my offer?”
Linel raised his wine glass and asked Prince Calvain.
“Yes, of course. I deeply appreciate your consideration. However, Your Majesty.”
Prince Calvain also raised his wine glass and added cautiously.
“What is the real intention behind suddenly making such a suggestion...?”
“Goodwill, shall we say?”
He answered with a refreshing face that was quite different from Prince Calvain’s complicated expression. Half of the guests gathered at the banquet hall seemed to believe Linel’s words, while the other half looked suspicious of his intentions.
My thoughts were closer to the latter. Prince Calvain had no reason to refuse Linel’s proposal. Considering the current situation of the Prince and his wife in the Pasha Empire, it was clearly a tempting proposal. Prince Calvain would ascend to the throne of the Pasha Empire anyway. The only problem was the timing.
Putting aside the issue of legitimacy, it would be inevitable that there would be trouble if he were to welcome his sister-in-law, Princess Jasper, as Empress. I remembered what Linel had said a while ago. In fact, quite a few ministers were deliberately delaying and opposing Prince Calvain’s wedding. So, if all the major guests from both continents were gathered, whether it was a wedding or a coronation, or, as Linel had said, both of them could be held at once, then his proposal was the best opportunity for Prince Calvain.
“Of course, all of this would be possible only with the consent of Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire, our new destination.”
This time, Linel raised his wine glass towards Emperor Adrian.
“Hahaha, it would be a great honor for me to be able to invite the nobles of the Northern Continent, and especially the two masters of the Lapion Empire, to the Tebello Palace.”
Emperor Adrian accepted his offer at once.
“With the consent of Emperor Adrian, I hereby inform all guests that the destination of this Continental Hunting Tournament has been changed from the Pasha Empire to the Tebello Empire!”
Linel looked straight ahead and raised his wine glass high.
“Yes, I will follow your opinion!”
Everyone answered in unison. As he took a long sip of wine, the guests clinked their glasses with those on either side and in front of him. The previously tense atmosphere in the banquet hall was soon filled with laughter. Prince Calvain put his arm around Princess Jasper’s shoulder and whispered something to her. Princess Jasper smiled brightly at her husband, turned her head, and took a sip of wine.
'Why are you frowning?'
I happened to see her frowning as she took a sip from her wine glass. It was only for a moment, but her expression clearly showed her displeasure. There was something very strange about her expression. Then, when Princess Resilia congratulated Princess Jasper, she smiled brightly again.
'Yeah, maybe I was wrong. Or maybe the wine tasted weird.'
“Why aren’t you eating?”
I was lost in thought when I heard his voice whispering to me, causing my shoulders to flinch.
"Yes?"
“Everyone is saying it’s delicious, but the Empress isn’t even touching it.”
He nods at the venison steak in front of me.
“Ah, I have to eat.”
“Try it. It melts in your mouth. It’s the deer you missed at the training ground today.”
He grinned as he cut the steak with a knife.
“Really?”
Today was a day of many surprises. I looked down at the venison steak and opened my eyes wide.
“Of course I’m joking.”
He snickered. I laughed in vain at his joke and cut the steak into my mouth.
“Mmm. This is really delicious.”
“Right? It makes you regret missing the deer you lost today, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. I should have caught it. Chefs only cook deer meat. Don’t you know what to do with the antlers?”
I asked, clutching my knife and fork tightly.
“Eating only deer meat will give you plenty of stamina.”
“I know, I am a witness.”
I nodded and acknowledged what he said, but in reality, my mind was full of worries about the whereabouts of Wizard Big.
'It's all that son of a bitch's fault.'
“Of course, all of this would be possible only with the consent of Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire, our new destination.”
This time, Linel raised his wine glass towards Emperor Adrian.
“Hahaha, it would be a great honor for me to be able to invite the nobles of the Northern Continent, and especially the two masters of the Lapion Empire, to the Tebello Palace.”
Emperor Adrian accepted his offer at once.
“With the consent of Emperor Adrian, I hereby inform all guests that the destination of this Continental Hunting Tournament has been changed from the Pasha Empire to the Tebello Empire!”
Linel looked straight ahead and raised his wine glass high.
“Yes, I will follow your opinion!”
Everyone answered in unison. As he took a long sip of wine, the guests clinked their glasses with those on either side and in front of him. The previously tense atmosphere in the banquet hall was soon filled with laughter. Prince Calvain put his arm around Princess Jasper’s shoulder and whispered something to her. Princess Jasper smiled brightly at her husband, turned her head, and took a sip of wine.
'Why are you frowning?'
I happened to see her frowning as she took a sip from her wine glass. It was only for a moment, but her expression clearly showed her displeasure. There was something very strange about her expression. Then, when Princess Resilia congratulated Princess Jasper, she smiled brightly again.
'Yeah, maybe I was wrong. Or maybe the wine tasted weird.'
“Why aren’t you eating?”
I was lost in thought when I heard his voice whispering to me, causing my shoulders to flinch.
"Yes?"
“Everyone is saying it’s delicious, but the Empress isn’t even touching it.”
He nods at the venison steak in front of me.
“Ah, I have to eat.”
“Try it. It melts in your mouth. It’s the deer you missed at the training ground today.”
He grinned as he cut the steak with a knife.
“Really?”
Today was a day of many surprises. I looked down at the venison steak and opened my eyes wide.
“Of course I’m joking.”
He snickered. I laughed in vain at his joke and cut the steak into my mouth.
“Mmm. This is really delicious.”
“Right? It makes you regret missing the deer you lost today, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right. I should have caught it. Chefs only cook deer meat. Don’t you know what to do with the antlers?”
I asked, clutching my knife and fork tightly.
“Eating only deer meat will give you plenty of stamina.”
“I know, I am a witness.”
I nodded and acknowledged what he said, but in reality, my mind was full of worries about the whereabouts of Wizard Big.
'It's all that son of a bitch's fault.'
I clenched my molars and glared at Prince Tesla, who was laughing and chatting brightly with Prince Calvain. Princess Resilia, sitting next to him, was chatting happily with Princess Jasper, but she often glanced at Prince Norton, who was sitting diagonally across from her. But strangely, Prince Norton looked at Rosie more often than Princess Resilia looked at him. I turned my gaze back to Prince Tesla. The Prince picked up his spoon and scooped up all the soup in front of me. I glared at the Prince’s spoon and cursed inwardly.
“Ouch! Hot, hot!”
As soon as Prince Tesla put the soup in his mouth, he dropped his spoon on the floor and made a fuss.
“Are you okay, Prince?”
“Oh my, why are you like that?”
The nobles surrounding the Prince also asked in surprise and concern.
“Soo, the soup is too... hot.”
Prince Tesla gulped down the cold water and replied. He frowned as if the roof of his mouth had been ripped off while eating his soup. Several of the guests took a sip of their soup one by one and tilted their heads.
“Not to that extent?”
“That’s right, mine is just the right temperature to eat at, but it’s strange.”
Prince Calvain, sitting in front of the Prince, also took another sip of his soup and tilted his head.
“This isn’t that hot, but the soup I just scooped up with a spoon was really hot, like boiling water.”
Everyone started to look at Prince Tesla strangely. But that wasn't a lie. The soup that Prince Tesla ate was something I had raised the temperature of. But was it really boiling hot like the Prince said? That couldn't be true...
I can control fire and raise the temperature of objects, but I can't raise the temperature to the point where I stick my tongue out like that. Doesn't it seem like Prince Tesla is acting? What's going on?
Prince Tesla kept slurping cold water and grumbling to Grand Duke Martins, sitting next to him. That wasn't very pleasant. However, Prince Tesla's laughter was too annoying to just sit there and do nothing. That's why I was joking around a bit...
But something felt a little strange. I began to feel a new sensation inside me. It felt like the heat that was scattered all over my body was gathering in one place. What is this feeling? What is it?
“Be careful.”
Princess Resilia scolded her brother while she cut the venison steak and brought it to her mouth with a very noble gesture.
'Let's try again.'
I decided to check my powers, which had sensed a change. A medium-rare venison steak was entering her mouth. I focused on the steak that Princess Resilia was holding with her fork. The steak began to sizzle on the outside as if it were being grilled directly over a fire. As soon as Princess Resilia put it in her mouth, she let out a sound close to a scream and immediately spat out the steak she had put in her mouth.
“Ahh, it’s hot, it’s hot!”
Following Prince Tesla, Princess Resilia also shouted out that she was hot and made a fuss one after another. I did it right. I couldn't deny it because her reaction was the same as Prince Tesla's a moment ago.
“Be careful.”
Princess Resilia scolded her brother while she cut the venison steak and brought it to her mouth with a very noble gesture.
'Let's try again.'
I decided to check my powers, which had sensed a change. A medium-rare venison steak was entering her mouth. I focused on the steak that Princess Resilia was holding with her fork. The steak began to sizzle on the outside as if it were being grilled directly over a fire. As soon as Princess Resilia put it in her mouth, she let out a sound close to a scream and immediately spat out the steak she had put in her mouth.
“Ahh, it’s hot, it’s hot!”
Following Prince Tesla, Princess Resilia also shouted out that she was hot and made a fuss one after another. I did it right. I couldn't deny it because her reaction was the same as Prince Tesla's a moment ago.
How could this be? I felt a fire inside me rise up to the tip of my head and then go out.
'Why are you so surprised? Your powers are just beginning to manifest.'
The incarnation inside me said indifferently, as if it were nothing. Princess Resilia lightly stuck her tongue out like Prince Tesla, gulping down cold water and even fanning herself. In any case, the siblings' tongues definitely got burned.
That's fortunate. It was a very small revenge, but I felt pretty good. One corner of my mouth went up without me realizing it. Was my power really growing like the incarnation said?
I think I need to have another serious conversation with the incarnation about this issue. I felt hungry after using some strength. I looked away from the two siblings and was about to eat the deer steak in earnest when a creepy gaze caught my eye. Emperor Adrian was looking at me with an incomprehensible smile. How long had he been looking at me?
Well, whatever. Silverfish would never have guessed that I would have turned up the temperature of Prince Tesla's soup and Princess Resilia's steak.
'Why didn't you just burn the steak?'
Emperor Adrian sent his thoughts in a rather cheerful voice.
“...”
How does that man know? Emperor Adrian laughed to himself, then his face turned red as if he had been caught in a sneeze, and he coughed before picking up the water glass. I stared at the water glass at the moment when the silver hairtail put its lips to the glass. After a few seconds, bubbles began to rise inside the water glass.
“Hehehe.”
Emperor Adrian looked into the water glass as he was about to drink water, then he smirked slightly. Then he put the glass back on the table without drinking the water. There is no such thing as a loach.
'It doesn't work on me, Your Majesty the Empress.'
Silverfish put his left hand on the table with a proud expression, wiggled his index finger, and picked up the fork with his left hand. Was he left-handed? From the first time I saw Emperor Adrian, it seemed like he only used his left hand. It’s not that he doesn’t use his right hand at all, but he uses his left hand almost 90% of the time. Anyway, I looked at Emperor Adrian, imagining him slowly heating the handle of his fork in the fire.
“Ugh.”
A few seconds later, Silverfish dropped his fork on the floor. As soon as the fork hit the floor, one of the servants waiting behind him brought Silverfish a new fork. Silverfish glared at me, shaking his left hand that had been holding the fork.
'Oh, I let my guard down.'
If I could tell Silverfish my true feelings, I would have responded like this.
'So don't show off. Unless you want to experience your palm prints melting away in fire.'
I was eating my meal, trying to ignore the noise, when I heard Rosie whispering to Melanie, who was sitting next to me.
“Why do they do that?”
“I guess siblings can’t eat hot food together, Emperor Adrian? I’m not sure, though.”
Melanie answered Rosie as she elegantly sliced a venison steak.
“Oh, and I knew that Princess from the moment she spoke without caution. She’s just as careless when she eats.”
Melanie's voice was also loud and careless as she said that. But I had no intention of blaming her.
'Why didn't you just burn the steak?'
Emperor Adrian sent his thoughts in a rather cheerful voice.
“...”
How does that man know? Emperor Adrian laughed to himself, then his face turned red as if he had been caught in a sneeze, and he coughed before picking up the water glass. I stared at the water glass at the moment when the silver hairtail put its lips to the glass. After a few seconds, bubbles began to rise inside the water glass.
“Hehehe.”
Emperor Adrian looked into the water glass as he was about to drink water, then he smirked slightly. Then he put the glass back on the table without drinking the water. There is no such thing as a loach.
'It doesn't work on me, Your Majesty the Empress.'
Silverfish put his left hand on the table with a proud expression, wiggled his index finger, and picked up the fork with his left hand. Was he left-handed? From the first time I saw Emperor Adrian, it seemed like he only used his left hand. It’s not that he doesn’t use his right hand at all, but he uses his left hand almost 90% of the time. Anyway, I looked at Emperor Adrian, imagining him slowly heating the handle of his fork in the fire.
“Ugh.”
A few seconds later, Silverfish dropped his fork on the floor. As soon as the fork hit the floor, one of the servants waiting behind him brought Silverfish a new fork. Silverfish glared at me, shaking his left hand that had been holding the fork.
'Oh, I let my guard down.'
If I could tell Silverfish my true feelings, I would have responded like this.
'So don't show off. Unless you want to experience your palm prints melting away in fire.'
I was eating my meal, trying to ignore the noise, when I heard Rosie whispering to Melanie, who was sitting next to me.
“Why do they do that?”
“I guess siblings can’t eat hot food together, Emperor Adrian? I’m not sure, though.”
Melanie answered Rosie as she elegantly sliced a venison steak.
“Oh, and I knew that Princess from the moment she spoke without caution. She’s just as careless when she eats.”
Melanie's voice was also loud and careless as she said that. But I had no intention of blaming her.
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