"If there was that sissy, I would have screamed. On such a happy day, she was born with a knack for ruining my mood."
Suddenly, as if his taste was dripping, he slammed the glass he was drinking from roughly.
"That sissy is like Juan, a child who doesn't know how to please his father. She only gets into trouble, so what?"
Perdiccas II's complexion darkened even more.
It was because he remembered the sharp words that his daughter Angelique had poured out on him before she was expelled from the church.
Even when he thought about it again, his heart was surging.
"Did she do anything right? She only had pride, but her head and eyes were dull, so she quickly fell for it."
Perdiccas II's bloodshot eyes were in shape.
Just thinking of his golden lands, the island of Chardenia and the Strait of El Amuz, his teeth were split.
"It's my sin and Katzen's bad luck to have such a fool as my child."
As he said this, Perdiccas II glared at Medea.
The current owner of the stolen land and the heir of Valdina's blood.
It seems that he wants to pour out that resentment on Medea instead.
"Three years ago, if it hadn't been for that time, Valdina would still be lying at my feet."
When he saw the emblem of Valdina, which had been promoted to the Empire, on top of the gift placed on one side of the grand banquet hall, Perdiccas Il seemed to be upside down again.
"Father, don't mind too much. Katzen's territory is still vast. How can it compare to the joy of the Kings of the small country I conquered and sacrificed?"
With an unbelievably docile voice, Cesare cleverly blocked the Emperor's gaze towards his wife.
Perdiccas II glared at his son.
'Yes, I'm going to show off your achievements. This means that you must climb to the top of your father's head.'
The atmosphere of the banquet hall quickly became subtle.
This is because among those present now, some countries were defeated by Cesare at that time and were subordinate to Katzen.
"..."
Perdiccas II took a breath with a twitch of his lips.
This is because he still had the discernment to the extent that he should at least not show his anger in front of them, as the supreme ruler of those conquered territories.
"..."
The Eastern Empress trembled with anger as she glared at the Western Empress, who had cleverly induced this situation.
However, she bit her lip tightly and couldn't bear to say anything, just looking at the Emperor's eyes.
Enraged, she was afraid that he might send his daughter to an even more fierce frontier than now.
"I have to endure it."
Even if the feeling of self-pity as a mother who couldn't open her mouth even once after her daughter, who was ridiculed as a fool in front of so many people, gnawed at her heart.
'Your Majesty's hatred is still so hideous... If I move, our Angelique will be hurt. Will that child get hurt... That's it.'
She had to swallow her anger while holding her breath.
"Your Majesty, I am welcome, but I don't think we can postpone the ceremony to reward those who have made contributions any longer."
At that moment, Eratosthene broke the silence with a dry voice.
In his hand was a scroll stamped with the seal of the imperial family.
The old man's face was indifferent, as if the whirlwind of emotions that was now enveloping the distinguished guests in the banquet hall had nothing to do with him.
He wore a gray thetoric robe, with a castrated expression, and his hue disappeared under the brilliant lights, like a black-and-white sculpture cut out of a painting.
"Alas, the time has already gone like this. Panteros, come closer."
Perdiccas II, who glanced at his watch, nodded.
As Eratosthene said, it was time for the reward to be over by now.
"Wolfgang Tarvio, Vasily Sen, come forward."
Then, the tributes of the meritorious people to the Emperor, and the expectations of those who are eagerly waiting for their names to be called.
The banquet hall quickly became lively again.
Perdiccas II gave the award exactly as Eratosthene submitted the list without a single objection.
It was a testament to the Emperor's trust and faith in Eratosthene.
"Michelon Erma, you are credited with taking the risk to recover the people's sentiments in the plague-ridden West..."
Eratosthene, dressed in a gray rhetoric suit, recited the histories of each person.
Medea stared intently at the back.
If you feel like the old man deliberately turned around the Emperor.
Am I too oversensitive?
***
"...Having a holy army like Your Majesty is a miracle and salvation from heaven to Katzen."
"Yes, that's right. How can Katzen decline? Your Majesty's prestige is shining day by day."
When the award was over and the banquet was in full swing, Perdiccas II was now left with only those who knew how to roll their tongues without finesse.
Their eyes were a mixture of fear and desire for the Emperor as they chattered incessantly with pleasant words.
"Huh, do you know that I don't know that you're flattering with your tongue?"
He spat it out bluntly, but there was a faint sense of satisfaction on Perdiccas II's face.
He leaned on the throne and slowly scanned the banquet hall.
The melody of uninterrupted music.
The ministers watching him from under the shining chandeliers, the nobles looking for opportunities, and the subjects bowing their heads...
It was as if he had just ascended the throne.
That was when the world first tightened its head at its feet.
Even his eldest son, who was like a thorn in his eye, offered him a gold crown woven with golden roses.
"You were openly arrogant earlier, ha, you couldn't have made this overnight, you had been preparing for it before."
Aside from the fact that the cheeky guy bent over and offered himself, the price alone was the best gift in the banquet hall. He couldn't feel good.
The reality is that this empire still revolves around him.
It was then.
"I got it! You ugly Valdina bastard!"
A thunderous shout erupted. At the same time, the music that filled the banquet hall was cut off.
The atmosphere froze in an instant.
The Emperor frowned.
"You caught trying to send a secret letter from the Katzen Imperial Family on the spot!"
In the distance, the Imperial knights were dragging someone along.
The man's hair was messed up, and his armor and face were covered in blood.
"Your Majesty. This is Valdina's spy."
The commander of the Imperial Knights, who had reached the Emperor's side, threw the man out roughly.
"Not long ago, I was monitoring interest through internal reports. There was a suspicion that he had a sword that hid the secret letter, and today, the moment he was about to cross the palace gate with that sword, he attacked the scene."
A muffled voice echoed in the banquet hall. As if to make everyone hear, the Knight Commander continued his report as if shouting.
"Sir Menil!"
Surprised, Neril ran forward and supported Menil. Then she glared sharply at the commander.
"As a spy, it's not enough to falsely accuse her; how can you hurt people so much!"
"If it were a spy, I would have resisted. Isn't it a loss in four years?"
It was the moment when the Knight Commander drew his sword and was about to point it at Neril.
The impact of hitting the back of his hand almost made him lose his sword.
"Ugh!"
"The leader wants to die, and his blood is boiling. When I see you trying to draw your sword in the presence of Your Majesty."
The first Prince snapped his finger, and the leader gritted his teeth.
'Kid, what did you throw? My hands are still tingling.'
He gritted his teeth and said.
"Your Highness, the 1st Prince, this is not a matter that can be avoided just by protecting her like this."
The people watching the tense confrontation were in a state of panic.
This is because the number of people who noticed that the bloody man was the escort of the First Prince increased as the First Prince stepped forward.
She was a former member of Emperor Valdina's bodyguard, and her outstanding skills were recognized in the church in recent years.
"It's a ridiculous slander. Why did Lord Menil, a spy..."
"Do you have to show me the evidence to shut up?"
Slap!
The Templar Commander threw his heavy sword to the ground.
Folded pieces of parchment spilled out of the broken handle.
The Templar Commander made eye contact with the Empress and twisted his lips.
"Look, Your Majesty. Why did they hide these secret letters so secretly? And why did she try to quietly walk away from the Imperial palace with it today?"
After a moment of silence, there was a flurry of booze throughout the banquet hall.
"...That's real...!"
"Oh my God, was it really a spy?"
All eyes were on the 1st Princess and her escort.
If, as the Knight Commander said, the loyal escort was really a spy, then did the First Prince really know nothing?
What if the one they regarded as a divine blessing was actually a scourge that would bring down the empire?
Doubts quietly spread like poison throughout the banquet hall.
"Your Majesty, please judge it by imperial law. Is it a simple coincidence that today, when Chancellor Valdina arrives, Her Highness the First Princess's escort did this?"
The commander walked in front of Perdiccas II with a proud face and prostrated himself.
"This is a ploy by Emperor Valdina to send his sister to Katzen to catch us off guard, and then steal the secrets!"
The Emperor's frowning face gradually became more and more fierce. His gaze over Medea and the fallen Menil was filled with suspicion.
'Did they try to use our Katzen again?'
I could never let it go like that. I wish you could take the Strait from me and create a new empire!
It was when the anger on Perdiccas II's face was slowly rising.
"This is a grave insult to His Majesty Emperor Valdina and a diplomatic disrespect to all of us Valdina."
Valdina's young chancellor asked calmly.
"If you are the commander of the Imperial Knights of Katzen, shouldn't you be prudent enough to be responsible for that responsibility? If this claim is not true, are you confident that you will be able to bear the catastrophe of bilateral relations that it will cause?"
The Knight Commander shot.
"It's a ridiculous statement, but if you say that even after looking at the evidence in front of you now, it will only look like Valdina is shamelessly trying to kick it in the eyes of God."
"..."
"Moreover, Her Highness Princess's escort has recently traveled all over the city and asked for sparring. Who knows if it was for training or reconnaissance to gather information...?"
The leader glared at the other as if they were a hand.
"The Katzen people, including me, were loyal to Her Highness the Princess even though she was of Valdina blood, and His Highness the Prince had only thoughts of serving his country."
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