‘I’m not Morres? How did he figure that out?’
Caught off guard by this entirely unexpected situation, Seongjin’s mind was in turmoil.
Could Logan also possess a power like the emperor’s, to see into souls?
Or is it something else…
“Your Highness?”
Masain, sensing the strange tension, alternated his gaze between the two.
However, the moment of confusion was fleeting, and Seongjin quickly regained his composure, calmly facing the boy who did not conceal his hostility.
‘…I was bound to face this sooner or later.’
The question he should have been asked by someone when he first arrived in this world, he was now hearing from this boy.
Since when had he stopped worrying about being discovered? The answer was clear: since his first audience with the Holy Emperor.
Knowing yet pretending ignorance, the emperor had treated him as his son, and Seongjin had unwittingly become entangled in it, deluding himself into believing he was truly the emperor’s son, a member of the imperial family.
“This doesn’t seem like the right place for this conversation.”
“…Don’t spout nonsense!”
Logan’s pressure intensified in response to Seongjin’s reply.
It felt as if icy spears were being thrust from all sides, causing a tingling tension.
“You need to answer properly. If something truly has happened to Morres, I will…”
At that moment, Masain stepped in between them, shielding Seongjin with his body and quickly addressing Logan.
“Your Highness! Prince Morres recently suffered a severe fever. It was so severe that his life was in danger. Since then, he has lost his memory.”
“Brother Masain…”
Confronted with Masain, the hostility in the boy seemed to soften a bit.
“Moreover, he has lost a noticeable amount of weight recently due to training. It’s not strange for Your Highness to think he’s completely changed.”
“It’s not about his appearance, brother. Morres’s presence is completely…”
Logan trailed off, seemingly struggling to explain. He alternated his gaze between Seongjin and Masain, then bit his lip in frustration.
“…Right. This isn’t the place for this discussion. I’ll have an opportunity to talk to you at length later.”
With that, Logan turned away from Seongjin and walked off.
“……”
Watching Logan’s retreating figure, Seongjin inwardly clicked his tongue.
Wow, what kind of person is he? Can someone like him really be referred to simply as a swordsmanship prodigy?
Even though it was brief, the intensity of the young prince’s aura was so heavy that even Seongjin, who had spent decades on battlefields fighting monsters, felt momentarily overwhelmed.
Now what to do?
In the midst of Seongjin’s thoughts about Logan’s intimidating suspicions, Herna and Gades suddenly appeared at the lobby entrance and rushed toward him.
“Morres! Brother Masain!”
“Morres! Brother Masain!”
The twins, smiling brightly, grabbed his arms from both sides.
They are heavy, these kids!
Thanks to them, Seongjin quickly discarded his brief contemplation. While there was still an uneasy feeling, what could he do about it now? If it really came down to it, he could always ask the emperor for mediation.
* * *
“As Prince Logan has glorified Delcross across the continent, he is indeed a blessing to the Holy Empire,” Queen Lizabeth spoke elegantly, dabbing her lips with a napkin as the imperial banquet began.
Already a striking beauty, she seemed to radiate even more today. Her attendants must have put their souls into her preparation.
Prince Logan, a promising candidate for the next Crown Prince, must be a source of inner turmoil for her, but she couldn’t openly criticize his significant achievements.
“Yet, there are still those in the far reaches of the continent, untouched by the deity’s grace, suffering from sea demons. It pains my heart to think of them. Surely, we can expect Lilium to continue to fulfill its noble duties across the continent, bringing the deity’s merciful touch to all?”
Ah, she still managed to slip in a barb, subtly suggesting that Logan should continue his expeditions rather than return to the capital.
Empress Tatiana, seated at the head table, twitched her eyebrows momentarily but maintained her usual courteous smile, lifting her wine glass gracefully. She too looked more elegant and beautiful than usual.
“Serving selflessly in any capacity for the people, that is the mindset befitting a member of the imperial family. Even the youngest, Princess Cecily, is already shouldering [the noble’s duty], willingly caring for the people as a saintess. With such commendable princes and princesses, Delcross will surely be blessed by the deity for generations to come.”
A subtle nudge to Queen Lizabeth, implying that if she wanted her son to be treated properly, she should discipline her own son, who lazed around the palace.
Now it was Queen Lizabeth’s turn to have sharp eyes.
Seongjin awkwardly guzzled his drink, feeling slightly embarrassed by the situation.
“The citizens of the capital are full of praise. Thanks to Prince Logan, many have been saved from the suffering of sea demons. For them, it was a precious opportunity to experience the deity’s mercy and love firsthand. It is truly a commendable deed.”
A soft, delicate voice followed.
It was Queen Melody, the second consort.
Originally a commoner, she had ascended to the position of queen when the Holy Emperor took the throne and was the mother of the youngest of his children, Princess Cecily.
The gentle and kind beauty with soft silver hair and caring eyes was Queen Melody. Her sincere praise seemed to soften Empress Tatiana’s stern expression momentarily.
“If only Princess Cecily were here to share this joyful occasion…”
Princess Cecily, the youngest of the emperor’s children, was known to possess the strongest divine power among them despite her young age. The Church had already proclaimed her a saintess, and she was currently on a long pastoral visit organized by the Church.
“She’s still young, so she probably feels like these visits are more like outings. I’ve told her to return before her birthday celebration.”
As Queen Melody spoke with a smile, the atmosphere around her noticeably warmed.
Her presence was like a small sheep caught between a leopard and a wolf, but her unwavering voice in such an environment seemed even more remarkable.
Indeed, a banquet with three of the Holy Emperor’s consorts gathered was never going to be a relaxed affair. It was becoming clear why the Holy Emperor usually avoided organizing such events.
Looking around, everyone seemed accustomed to the tense atmosphere, each managing in their own way.
The twins, Herna and Gades, kept exchanging glances and giggling quietly during the meal, seemingly communicating something without words. It appeared they were engaged in a conversation through their psychic channeling.
Logan was relatively focused on his meal, occasionally engaging in quiet conversations with Amelia seated next to him. Their interaction, having been close since she arrived at the palace, looked comfortable and affectionate.
Masain, too, appeared unusually relaxed and happy. He seemed utterly enchanted by his younger siblings, smiling fondly as he ate. He truly seemed to have a caretaker’s nature to his core.
And then there was the Holy Emperor.
Seongjin glanced at the head table and saw the Holy Emperor quietly cutting his food, his expression unreadable.
But he wasn’t eating, just cutting his food.
What was he doing?
Seongjin watched him more closely. The emperor would cut his steak when others did, and bring a cup to his lips when others ate, though he didn’t seem to drink. This process flowed so naturally that unless one paid close attention, it wasn’t obvious that he wasn’t actually eating.
Come to think of it, Seongjin couldn’t recall seeing the Holy Emperor actually eat anything.
During tea time, the emperor would just stare blankly at his untouched tea. Even during a lunch in the garden, he seemed to just toy with his food.
Could the Holy Emperor be a picky eater at his age?
As Seongjin sat there with a puzzled expression, the servants brought in the next course – a crisply fried fish dish.
‘…Wow!’
Unwittingly taking a bite of the dish, Seongjin found the tender, savory fish flesh, perfectly complemented by a sweet sauce, incredibly delicious. Even for his refined palate, accustomed to the finest cuisine of the palace, this was a gourmet delight.
“This is delicious! What dish is this?”
Seongjin’s spontaneous question prompted a response from a smiling servant.
“It’s a cutlet made from true salmon, Your Highness. It’s the season when they’re at their fattest. This one was freshly flown in from the Kiproos Union this morning.”
“True salmon…”
Seongjin suddenly remembered the emperor’s comment about a sword’s name.
-’True salmon is indeed a tender and tasty fish.’
Glancing at the head table, the Holy Emperor still wore a stoic expression, seemingly intent on destroying his plate of food.
Was this his favorite?
But why wasn’t he eating it?
Before he knew it, Seongjin found himself calling out to the Holy Emperor.
“Father?”
Instantly, all conversations in the dining room ceased, and everyone turned to look at Seongjin. Unperturbed by the sudden silence, he continued.
“Isn’t this the fish you mentioned before? True salmon?”
“…….”
The Holy Emperor silently stared at Seongjin, then looked down at his plate. His expression was unreadable, but Seongjin noticed a slight widening of his eyes, as if he hadn’t realized what he was doing.
The Holy Emperor finally picked up his utensils and slowly brought a piece of fish to his mouth, swallowing for the first time since the banquet began.
“…Indeed.”
After a moment of savoring, the Holy Emperor nodded.
“It is indeed that fish. The imperial chefs have done an excellent job.”
Seongjin clicked his tongue.
As entangled as he might be among his three wives, was the Holy Emperor too distracted?
With a snort, Seongjin resumed his meal, but soon he felt the gaze of others and looked up.
Empress Tatiana appeared uncomfortable, Queen Lizabeth was sneakily glancing at him, pretending to be uninterested, and Queen Melody was openly admiring.
‘…What’s with them?’
The reactions weren’t just from the head table.
The twins’ eyes were wide open in surprise, and Amelia covered her mouth with her hands, silently staring at Seongjin. What’s going on?
Even Masain seemed emotionally stirred, his eyes reddening, an unusual reaction.
‘Did I do something wrong? I didn’t say much.’
Feeling a cold sweat, Seongjin was perplexed.
Surprisingly, Logan too seemed taken aback. He glanced at the Holy Emperor with a puzzled expression, then turned his gaze to Seongjin.
His look, as if seeing someone anew, lacked the earlier sharp hostility.
In this strange atmosphere, with Seongjin still trying to understand the situation, the Holy Emperor alone, expressionless, placed a second piece of fish into his mouth.
