The banquet hall where the imperial family dined was situated at the very heart of the imperial palace.
After walking down a long corridor, I reached a white door embossed with a golden dragon.
"Please allow me to take your coat."
"Yes, of course."
The imperial chamberlain, who had inspected my belongings, took my coat and placed it in a wardrobe off to the side.
The wardrobe's shape seemed oddly familiar—almost like a stretched-out version of something I recognized...
'A warming cabinet?'
It seemed the Emperor had considered the cold winter weather.
He stored coats in a warming cabinet.
From the magical heating wardrobes I'd seen before, I already knew the Emperor had a truly remarkable imagination.
"Haah."
Standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, I took a deep breath.
A phrase the Second Princess had mentioned the day before resurfaced in my mind.
"Do not mention the empty seats. Those belong to my late brothers."
Her late brothers.
She must have meant the First and Second Princes.
From what I'd heard, they were twins born with chronic illnesses who passed away young.
Their mother, the Empress, also died shortly after giving birth to the Second Princess.
This was why the Third Prince, Leon, who was born to a concubine, was never referred to as the First Prince.
—Yuri Grail of the White Tower is entering.
Composing my thoughts, I stepped into the banquet hall.
The grand dining table, large enough to fill the entire room, was covered with the Empire's signature fast foods.
Burgers, chicken, pizza, and an assortment of dishes to complement them...
At the far end of the table sat Emperor Julius II and the current Empress, Marianne.
To their right were the First Princess Luciella, the Second Princess Christina, and the Third Prince Leon.
The seats opposite them were left vacant.
"I greet His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire."
I first bowed to the Emperor, who was delicately slicing a hamburger with a fork and knife.
Then, I offered my greetings to the Empress and the other imperials.
Finally, I gave a subtle nod to the two empty seats on the left.
The Second Princess, who had worn a blank expression, now smiled.
Even the First Princess, the Third Prince, and the Empress showed signs of surprise.
This small gesture signaled just how much effort I had put into learning about the imperial family.
"Welcome, Yuri Grail."
With a satisfied expression, the Emperor acknowledged my greeting.
"Have a seat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
I carefully pulled out the chair prepared for me at the far end of the table.
From my seat, the Emperor and Empress appeared distant, almost comically so.
'It's so far away.'
The table was needlessly large for just five people.
All the imperials had their eyes fixed on me, making me feel like I was in a high-stakes interview.
"You need not be so stiff. Help yourself."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
In front of me lay familiar fast foods—burgers, chicken, pizza.
The problem was that alongside these were a fork and knife.
'...'
I hesitated briefly but eventually picked up the utensils.
Mimicking the Emperor, I speared the burger with the fork and sliced it with the knife.
A bright smile spread across the Emperor's face.
It was the right choice.
"Look here. Even the creator of the hamburger eats it with a knife."
"Your Majesty, hamburgers are meant to be eaten with your hands. Yuri only used utensils because he saw Your Majesty doing so."
The First Princess, for once, said something sensible.
The Emperor turned to me.
"Is Luciella right?"
"No, Your Majesty. There is no single correct way to eat food."
Though the right answer seemed clear in this situation, the truth was that the correct method often changed with the context.
"If Your Majesty finds utensils more comfortable, then for you, that is the right way."
"Oh-ho, what a wise perspective."
"I merely spoke the truth."
Pleased with my response, the Emperor's expression grew even more content.
"So, does that mean you, too, prefer using a fork and knife like I do?"
"I have always eaten this way, so I suppose it became a habit."
"That's the proper way, indeed."
"..."
The Emperor's gaze became increasingly intense, almost suffocating.
It seemed he was developing a sense of kinship.
'Should I have just eaten it with my hands?'
I strongly felt I had taken a wrong step from the beginning, but it was too late to turn back now.
If I suddenly switched to using my hands, I'd look even more bizarre.
"Haha, think of this as your own home and eat comfortably."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
I continued to cut my cheese-filled burger with a fork and knife when—
"Hm? That's a necklace I've never seen before, Christina."
Hearing the Emperor's curious remark, I glanced at the Second Princess and felt my heart plummet.
Around her neck was the souvenir I had given her.
"I liked it, so I decided to wear it."
"Ah, I see."
"Yes."
The Emperor, no longer interested in the necklace, resumed eating.
'Phew.'
I exhaled in relief, but then my eyes met the Second Princess's.
Her crimson eyes narrowed playfully.
"..."
I could only stare at her mischievous smile, unsure of what to say, when—
"I've heard much about you. You're quite close with my children, I hear?"
The Empress, who was elegantly twirling noodles with a fork, turned her attention to me.
At first, I thought she was eating pasta, but on closer inspection, it was ramen.
I carefully chose my words, trying not to overthink it.
"To say we are close might be too generous. The three of them have been kind enough to show interest in me."
"You speak so sweetly."
The Empress's gentle smile indicated I had said the right thing.
"Then, which of the three are you closest to?"
"..."
Instantly, all eyes were on me.
Is this some kind of test?
Despite the pressure from the Second Princess's gaze, I deliberately avoided her and chose a different answer.
"The First Princess and..."
"Ahem."
"...somewhat..."
"Ahem! Ahem!"
"No, the Second Princess and..."
"Cough! Cough!"
"..."
"Ah, apologies. A sudden cough. Pay it no mind and continue."
The Emperor, dabbing his mouth with a handkerchief, gestured for me to proceed.
"Now that I think about it, I've recently grown quite close to the Third Prince through Beast Cards."
"Oh, with Leon?"
The Emperor's smile widened.
"Yes, when I first launched Cola, the Third Prince was the first to visit me."
"Oh-ho, is that so?"
At the Emperor's question, the Third Prince let out a light chuckle.
"Indeed, Your Majesty. Yuri and I are quite close. We've had many conversations about the Fioré Mythology."
"Haha! Is that so?"
"Our Leon has made such a fine friend, hasn't he?"
The Emperor and Empress shared pleased smiles.
I glanced over at the Second Princess, who continued to slice her steak with a detached expression.
Her true thoughts remained as inscrutable as ever.
"What do you think of the Church?"
"I believe religion is most ideal when it remains solely a religion."
"Oh, is that so?"
After that, the Emperor began to test me, posing a variety of questions as if this were an interview.
It felt like I was answering exam questions in front of an audience.
Apparently, my answers met his expectations.
"Do you drink?"
"If Your Majesty offers, I will gladly partake."
A wine glass was placed in front of me.
*
The drinking continued even after the banquet concluded.
The Empress and the other imperials finished their meals and departed, leaving just me and the Emperor to drink alone.
"Here, take this."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Before I realized it, I had moved closer to the Emperor's side.
A clear, potent liquid filled my glass—a strong whiskey with a high alcohol content.
"Haha, using an existing beverage to deceive the Carcel Kingdom—what a clever idea."
"..."
Through our conversation, I quickly learned that the Emperor was an exceptionally sharp individual.
He already knew that I had used Milkis to trick the Carcel Kingdom.
With a friendly smile, he applied subtle pressure while also offering a tempting incentive.
"Do you know? Many in the Empire whisper sweet lies to me. The Twelve Towers do so, as do the lords."
The Empire operated as a feudal society with a decentralized power structure, where local lords held significant autonomy.
One prominent example was the Prohibition Law.
The lords had partnered with the Twelve Towers to enforce this law independently.
The Emperor had only been able to repeal the prohibition because the lords, now at a disadvantage, had agreed—not because of the Emperor's absolute authority.
This revealed the limits of the Emperor's power.
His populist stance and opposition to the Church were all part of his strategy to strengthen central authority.
"Most of the palace wizards come from the Twelve Towers. It's hard to tell whether they serve me or not."
The Emperor downed his whiskey, his face flushed, and fixed his gaze on me.
"To be honest, I want you to become a court wizard."
This was a direct invitation.
The Emperor wanted me to become his man—no, to bind me to the imperial family completely.
Becoming a court wizard would not only tie me down but also place a lock on the chains.
More importantly, court wizards were notoriously overworked.
"Um, Your Majesty..."
"Speak."
"Your offer is far too generous, and I am truly grateful. However, I fear my abilities are not enough for such a position."
"Not at all. I have never seen a more suitable candidate than you. You should have more confidence."
"..."
My head throbbed.
It wasn't just the strong liquor.
We had been circling around this topic for hours now.
"I will ensure you can hold the position of court wizard for life. Is it still difficult?"
"I am sorry, Your Majesty."
"Hm, I see."
The disappointment was evident in the Emperor's voice.
"Then I shall not press the matter further."
"My deepest apologies."
"But I still wish to reward you."
Stroking his beard thoughtfully, the Emperor seemed to come to a decision.
"I will include your name in my upcoming proclamation."
"A proclamation, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, it will be a denunciation of the Church's interference in our internal affairs. You have not been fond of the Church's actions, have you?This is a good opportunity."
The Emperor's steady blue eyes focused on me.
"Let us set the Empire straight together."
"..."
What should I do?
It seemed my excessive flattery had led me straight into becoming the standard-bearer in a conflict with the Church.
***
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