Chapter 70

This feast, hosted by the Emperor, was a work of exquisite harmony between dining and performance. Each course had a theme, and the whole atmosphere of the feast changed en masse accordingly. The performance started out as a ballet, turned into an opera halfway through, then a short comedy. The theme of the performance was in some way related to the ingredients of the course, showing the organizers’ meticulous attention to detail.

However, no matter how delicious the food and how fun the performance may be, it cannot be a pleasant meal if the people around are not comfortable. Perhaps misled by Eugène’s indifferent demeanor, Viscountess Pasquier persisted in her attempts to seduce him. Viscountess Sievest’s approach, on the other hand, was more subtle.

She carried on a casual conversation with the others seated around her but drew his attention to herself by an occasional witty joke, a subtle and refined flirtation that Viscountess Pasquier could not have imitated, but which, even so, was only a nuisance if the person was not in the mood.

He endured all the trials like a prisoner in chains until the end of the meal. As he had suspected before, the title of the Emperor’s male paramour was surprisingly popular with the ladies.

In a good way, they believed in the Emperor’s choice, and in a bad way, they wanted to play with fire as thrillingly as ever. Either way, the Emperor was largely to blame, and he wasn’t too pleased with his newfound popularity.

However, the end of the feast was not the end of his hard work. As soon as the long meal was over, they moved to the room where a ball was held. The Hall of Glass, which faces the Hall of Heraldry, was designed from the beginning with this type of banquet in mind.

Eugène was deeply tired from the nonstop schedule. Perhaps due to the strain on the body that had not yet been fully recovered, the wound on his shoulder ached heavily as the hours passed.

Truth be told, merely attending the banquet should have sufficed; the thought of having to endure yet another ball after an entire day of ceremonies was enough to make him irritable. Yet this was only the first day of a festival set to last an entire week.

There were still six more days left till the festival ended. Balls were scheduled every night, with the occasional hunting tournament or jousting match scheduled for the afternoon.

As a child, all he had ever wanted was a loaf of honey bread, granted at the Emperor’s mercy, and now all he wants is to sit alone in the middle of nowhere and rest in silence.

However, then and now, his simple wish was far from being fulfilled.

***

From the point of view of a courtier, Eugène’s feelings for the first week of the Grand Feaute could be expressed in six syllables: banquet, banquet, banquet.

He thought that he had become accustomed to the life of aristocrats to some extent through the past few months of court life, but now that he thought about it, it was too hasty of a judgment. He had never been to a gigantic ball that lasted three days in a row before. It was the first time in his life that he had lived a life in which all schedules were related to a banquet to such an extent that there was no room for a mundane routine.

After attending the ball until late at night, and returning to sleep, the morning begins again. Unlike usual, courtiers do not have the right to refuse the Emperor’s breakfast during the festival. By custom, all nobles staying at court at this time of year were considered guests for the feast and were expected to honor the host’s schedule, as guests at someone else’s home would normally do.

As was customary, as soon as Eugène opened his eyes, he washed and dressed himself and headed to the salle à manger, where the Emperor’s breakfast was held. Then he watched the Emperor’s meal as a ceremony and ate breakfast with nobles he barely knew.

Finishing breakfast was hardly the end of it. After that, an official schedule for the week awaited him.

Open-air theaters were one of the main places for aristocrats to enjoy festive daytime entertainment. These venues were often located near the lakeside within the court gardens to keep them cool in broad daylight and were, in many ways, a luxury.

Canopies were stretched overhead to shield the audience from the heat, and light refreshments were arranged within easy reach beside the long benches positioned to face the stage.

Skilled attendants adorned the round tables, draped in white lace cloths, with an array of distinctive fruits and blossoms. Amidst a miniature forest of intricately carved palm-wood trionfi, towers of nougat confections and sweet meringues rose high, while nearby, small fountains of ever-flowing chocolate and wine delighted the eye.

BJtAOtoNyhJI OA JFJte Xfyz foNqfyNgLJ EJtJ CJLz hOyImNymLe, Nyz yDoJtODI AOOzI EJtJ hOyIDoJz. vy NzzfmfOy mO IfoRLfAfJz lODImfyq hOoRJmfmfOyI Nyz COtIJ tNhJI, N zOq tNhJ ENI NLIO CJLz EfmC CODyzI OA tJRDmJz RJzfqtJJI. kOoRNtJz mO IDhC JPRJyIfFJ Nyz ROoRODI JFJymI, mOzNe’I IhCJzDLJ OAAJtJz IOoJ gtJNmCfyq tOOo.

OkVèwI bGQtIH aQt aGwH EJ GvE Gt G taGHI YJb aQt INIt, YIISQwV EaI ibQVaE tkwSQVaE EabJkVa EaI ibGwvaIt JAIbaIGH. ow EaI JEaIb tQHI JY EaI YJbItE, G akwE LGt Qw YkSS tLQwV, GwH tJkwHt JY VkwtaJEt GwH aJbtIt’ aJJAIt IvaJIH EabJkVa EaI HIwtI YJSQGVI. OkVèwI, LaJ aGH wJ hJEQAGEQJw EJ akwE IAIw GYEIb aIGbQwV tkva wJQtIt, LGSBIH tSJLSN LQEaJkE aGtEI. sI tEbJSSIH EabJkVa EaI OhrIbJb’t YJbItE, HbQAQwV aQt aJbtI EJ G tSJL EbJE.

The forest, which had been banned by the imperial family for hundreds of years, retained its pristine beauty. The air in the damp forest was cold and fresh. Birds of unknown names were chirping through the densely lined but beautiful spruce trees, and tiny wildflowers in bloom added to the fragrance of the pure air.

There were no roads in the sparsely traveled forest. It would have been difficult for him to walk properly without a horse because of the low-growing shrubs in the crevices of the lush bushes and creepers.

He leisurely rode his horse, admiring the strange-looking rocks and the clear flowing stream. He watched with amusement as small animals scattered in surprise at his approach.

The fluffy moss on the ground made each step barely feel like a recoil. The hunting gun was completely attached to the saddle. He had no intention of exchanging this precious serenity he had acquired after so long for bloody play.

Despite being only an hour away from the palace, everything felt different here. There was no need to take a break, even for a moment, no need to interact with people, and no need to pay attention to every little thing.

Eugène was very happy to have this time to himself after so long. At the imperial court, everything went on frantically as if he were swept away by a storm. All he could do was hold on to the helm and stay centered, but that was often not enough.

How long must I stay here?

Eugène felt a strong sense of homesickness as if he were a foreigner who had fallen alone in a country far, far away from his own. It cannot be helped right now with the way things are going, but that doesn’t mean that he wishes to stay here forever.

The court was not his port of anchorage. He believed that the place he truly belonged to was not here, but the sea.

BANG!

While he was immersed in thought, his steps seemed to have gotten closer to the others. The gunshots, which had sounded so distant the whole time, could be heard quite close this time.

BARK!BARK!BARK! The menacing barks rang out throughout the forest as if the released hounds were engrossed in their pursuit. Just as he was contemplating taking cover from the growing commotion, the bushes in the distance shook, and a stag with magnificent antlers popped out.

The stag was full-grown but still seemed inexperienced in the art of running away. Though it was perhaps too frenzied to take stock of its surroundings while being chased, what sense was there in dashing straight into a crowd of people?

The animal, which had been running recklessly to escape from the chase, found Eugène belatedly and was startled and changed direction. But the hunter did not miss the moment of hesitation.

BANG!

Once again, the sound of a gunshot rang out and hot blood spurted from the animal’s back. When the stag, who had stumbled in the shock of a gunshot wound, broke its front legs and collapsed, the leader of the hounds chasing after it rushed in and bit the scruff of its prey fiercely.

The animal that had been properly bitten by the throat struggled to get up again, but to no avail. The second hound bit into the stag’s forelegs, and it went limp, and the last hound landed on its back and broke its spine.

The stag fell with a sad, bleak scream. Blood spurted from the properly torn arteries and soaked the ground. Eugène steadied the rearing horse as he watched the stag’s gruesome death.

“Raceus! Deus! Stop!”

The owners, noticing that the hunt was successful, called out the hounds by their names from afar. The hounds, still clinging to their prey’s throat as it breathed its last convulsive gasps, perked up their ears to the voice of their owner.

Hot steam leaked out from the blood-stained snouts. Though they appeared utterly savage and ferocious, these were trained animals. The dogs understood their master’s command perfectly, licking their chops reluctantly as they withdrew from the prey with disciplined restraint.

Two hounds that arrived late and did not get to taste the joy of hunting, whimpered and wandered around. A group of men on horseback rode through the bushes toward them. The number of people who showed up was far more than Eugène had initially expected.

Most aristocrats participating in hunting competitions paired up in groups of three or four for mobility. But here, there were six noblemen with guns, attended by an equal number of servants handling packhorses and collecting game, plus a dozen or so properly armored cuirassiers.

“Is that not Baron Amieux?”

Sure enough, he was familiar with the man leading the other participants with a hunting gun. Of all those he could encounter by coincidence, it just so happened to be the Emperor’s entourage. Even in a place like this, it was not easy to break free from the complexities of human affairs.

Eugène smiled self-deprecatingly and paid his respects to the Emperor.

“I greet His Majesty The Emperor, Lord of Ardi, Klema-.”

“It is a hunting ground. Keep it simple.”

“I greet His Majesty The Emperor, The Most Supreme of the Empire.”

Since both were on horseback, Eugène offered a modified greeting by placing his hand over his chest and bowing his head deeply. He then exchanged acknowledging nods with each of those who had arrived alongside the Emperor.

“What are you doing alone in a place like this?”

“Somehow, I was separated from my party and found myself alone. Is Your Majesty’s hunting faring well?”

It was difficult for him to explain the situation in front of so many people, so he concocted something simple. The Emperor chuckled at his words.

“Somehow, you say… Were you not part ofOurgroup?”

He hung the hunting gun he was holding on the back of the saddle and asked nonchalantly.

“Did… Your Majesty know that?”

Eugène felt a tingling sensation. It felt as if he was caught trying to fool the Emperor, even though he hadn’t technically lied.

As he directly pointed out, he was indeed part of the Emperor’s group even when he first went out into the forest. The only problem was that the group, excluding servants, was a large unit of about thirty nobles, and the number of guards and servants added up the total to nearly one hundred.

There was no way that hunting could be done properly when such a group of people was flocking at once. Most of those who joined the Emperor’s group wanted to impress His Majesty by focusing on the ‘competition’ part of the hunting competition rather than taking interest in the hunt itself, and Eugène, unable to stand the hustle and bustle, left the group early and enjoyed time alone.

“Of course,Wedid.Wehave a troublesome habit of reading documents before signing them.”

Ebroin V said jokingly and signaled with a gesture towards the back.

Well, of course. Well, that makes sense. They are to be in the Emperor’s presence, even if only briefly, so a list must have been prepared in advance.

Though he hadn’t thought of it that way before, Eugène was forced to admit that he had given too little thought to his impermanent status as Emperor.

It seemed like an overwhelming number of people to be traveling in a group, but to put it in perspective, there were only thirty of them out of the hundreds of nobles who showed up for the hunt. Even if it was only for the first few hours of traveling as a group, there would have been no shortage of people who would have jumped at the chance to make a personal connection with the Emperor, and as such, the task of coordinating the list would have been a daunting one.

However, Eugène, who was placed on the list without any voluntary expression of interest, was unaware of that fact.

The servants, who received the Emperor’s signal, rushed forward with their horses and collected the prey. There were already three deer on top of the packhorses. There were also pheasants and partridges hanging one by one, and there was also a red fox with shiny fur. It had been less than half a day since the hunting competition started, but the harvest was already this big. Eugène couldn’t help but marvel at the impressive trophy.

“It seems like Your Majesty had a good last few hours.”

“Certainly not so bad. So, how is your hunt going?”

The Emperor, noticing that Eugène had no gun, let alone accompanied by a hound or servant, raised an eyebrow and asked suspiciously. Eugène found himself in trouble once again and just smiled.

“Baron Amieux?”

When he avoided answering directly, the Emperor pressed him by calling his name. Eugène, embarrassed to admit he had been idly distracted, scratched his cheek and confessed awkwardly.

“I could not do it.”