Chapter 66: 039. Imperial Prince is Heading Out to Enjoy a Festival -2 (Part Two)
**
“By the way, won’t there be issues with granting a commoner with the title of Marquis, your majesty?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
When Luan raised this question, they continued walking ahead while not even looking back. The Holy Emperor Kelt Olfolse replied while cracking his stiff neck muscles.
“Harman, that fellow, he really messed up this time. To think that he didn’t even bother to do a thorough investigation first. I mean, I do trust that man, but as expected, his actions sometimes just aren’t sharp enough. That’s why he hasn’t been promoted past the role of a vice-captain even now.”
“When nicely put, he’s a pure-hearted man. Or in other words, he’s not the brightest mind out there. He’s the type to never suspect you of anything as long as you’ve earned his trust. Still, his conviction is steadfast and pure, your majesty.”
“With things being like this, I’m beginning to suspect the claim of Allen hiding his true self and getting deliberately banished.”
When Kelt said what was on his mind, Luan followed up with a question of his own, “Your majesty, do you believe his amnesia is real?”
“At the very least, I believe so. That’s what I think. When he saw me back in the garden, his expression clearly indicated that he did not recognise me.”
“But I disagree, your majesty. I can’t let go of this suspicion that he got himself banished in order to hunt down the Vampires. He could’ve uncovered something during the process as well.”
“That’s also another possibility. We’re talking about none other than the Land of the Dead Spirits after all. Since it’s the land of the dead, the place where Amon rests, it’s possible that he discovered something up there.”
Allen Olfolse was still hiding the full extent of his powers – they had to think of things that way.
“And that’s exactly why we need the House of Heraiz right now.”
There were no surviving members of the Heraiz family line. The Holy Emperor knew this fact better than anyone. Because… he fought with them side by side after all.
Despite knowing the truth, he still granted them peerage bearing that name. His reason for such an action was simple.
“That child, Charlotte. She seems to be a good find, do you think so?”
“Charlotte? That silver-haired girl?”
“Harman told me that she’s apparently a diamond in the rough. Although that man named Gril is… not really dependable, if that child grows safely and manages to strengthen her base, then whether it be you or Allen, she should be able to protect you both.”
The Heraiz family used to assist the Imperial Family. Fifty years ago, they were the sixth strongest force that swore loyalty to the emperor’s bloodline.
The second coming of the name ‘Heraiz’ was a necessity more than ever before.
It was true that the Imperial Family’s influence had grown stronger through the recent Vampire incident, but it was still not up to the satisfactory level.
The absolute monarchy that centred on the Holy Emperor, a position of absolute power that no one under the sun could oppose. This was what Kelt Olfolse truly desired. He wanted even greater authority and power than before.
And most importantly, he wanted this concentration of power to remain as the central pillar of the continent, even if it wasn’t meant for him but for his grandchildren’s generation.
“But your majesty, I thought that you weren’t much of a fan of commoners?”
“You’re bringing up that ancient history again? Besides, you need to be careful with what you say. At least outwardly, that child is from the ‘bloodline of a count’. Without that claim, the other aristocrats would kick up a major fuss.”
“Your majesty, didn’t you also kick up a fuss over my mother?”
“Yulisia? Huh, huhuh. Back then, I was as blind as a bat. Who could’ve guessed that someone I thought to be a lowborn would be the purest and kindest person I know…”
Kelt smiled bitterly.
Only after his son, the Crown Prince, disappeared seemingly from the face of the continent, did he get to witness the true faces of the Crown Princess Consorts.
The First Crown Princess Consort genuinely grieved. Meanwhile, the Second Crown Princess Consort pushed her own son forward into the light, and while mouthing off about the right to the succession, she began gathering like-minded nobles around her. Even the Third Crown Princess Consort was trying so hard to make sure that the absolute power would end up in the hands of her children.
Yulisia was the only one who grieved over the disappearance of the Crown Prince.
Unable to face the bitterness taking over his heart, Kelt Olfolse decided to change the topic. He reached inside his robe and pulled out the letter from earlier. “By the way, it’ll be a problem if my dear granddaughter continues to encounter trouble up there.”
“Ah, you mean Hilda, your majesty?”
“The kingdom of Aslan down south has been making suspicious manoeuvres recently. There are hints of war afoot. This means that it’d be troubling if our greatest armoury, Hilda’s fiefdom, cannot meet the quota in the current situation.”
“You mean to say that we need someone with talent to hunt down those demonic creatures?”
“Indeed that we do. Someone with powerful divinity, and also without a shred of fear too.”
“…Someone courageous enough and is capable of seeing through the Vampires’ ruses. Someone who can kill them without hesitation.”
Even as they continued speaking, a wide grin formed on both their lips when their gazes met.
Luan spoke up next, “Don’t you wish we could learn just how much more Allen Olfolse’s been hiding from us, your majesty?”
“Mhm. I shall write a letter to Hilda, one that says her beloved youngest brother will be paying her a much-delayed visit. Ah, before that, we have something else we must do.” Kelt Olfolse lightly waved around the letter with a wide smile on his face. “We need to publicly declare that the Holy Emperor’s grandson is a hero, now don’t we?”
**
(TL: In 1st person POV.)
“The Theocratic Empire! Hooray!”
“His majesty the Holy Emperor Kelt Olfolse! Hooray-!”
Despite the hour being deep into the moonlit-night, the empire’s capital city, Laurensis, was awash with colourful arrays of light.
Countless people had flooded out on the streets. Magicians of the imperial court were launching many fireworks into the skies. At the same time, the imperial clergymen provided their services for free to Laurensis’s citizens.
Even the pierrots and street troupes could be seen giving the crowd something to watch and laugh about in the forms of exciting re-enactments that were filled with energy and drama.
Paladins in perfectly-organised ranks marched through the streets, prompting the citizens to gather and cheer them on.
And then… there was this one dude stuck in the middle of that very march. This unlucky dude was currently perched up on a throne of an open-top carriage, and oh boy, he was even wearing an attire so extravagant that it verged on being an eyesore.
The crowd shouted out.
“It’s the rebirth of a Saint!”
Of course this dude wasn’t the reborn Saint.
“He’s the one loved by Goddess Gaia!”
I wonder about that. If Gaia really loved this dude, then why would he even have to go through that much crap in the first place?
“We pray that we receive the grace of the one who defeated the Vampires, the Seventh Imperial Prince, Allen Olfolse-!!!”
The dude sitting in the carriage surrounded by the marching Paladins was…
…None other than me.
I could feel my eye muscles twitching non-stop.
I had to shift my head and look elsewhere. That’s when I noticed the actors performing in the corner of the street in the distance. A ‘boy’ wielding a sword was cutting down on another actor dressed up like a Vampire.
The actor cried out, “I, Allen Olfolse, shall hunt this Vampire down!”
My head faltered and I had to hide my face.
Not sure why, but I was getting seriously embarrassed here.
The whole city was overcome with a festive atmosphere. No, hang on, it was already a festival. A festival prepared by the Holy Emperor to publicly announce their news of victory against the Vampires – and also to advertise the achievements of his grandson, Allen Olfolse, while he was at it.
Our procession left the streets draped in an extremely festive atmosphere and eventually, we returned to the imperial palace but that only signalled the beginning of a banquet instead.
“We pay our respects to your highness the Saint.”
“…I’m not a Saint.”
“But your highness. Have you not granted the blessing of Resurrection already? Honestly speaking, even the title of Saint is found lacking in your case, your highness.”
The imperial court’s clergymen came up to me one after the other, and while bowing their heads, they began praying.
“G-greetings! I’m Count Raira, at your service. Your highness! It’s truly an honour to make your acquaintance!”
Many nobles knelt down on one knee, deeply bowed their heads and offered me the sincerest greetings they could manage.
“How do you do, your highness? This one’s name is Sharin. I’m the eldest daughter of Marquis Rinai’s household and…”
Even the esteemed daughters of several noble families began chatting me up.
The inside of my head was getting chaotic. My vision was spinning too.
“Excuse me… Your highness?”
“What is it? Be quick cuz I’m feeling dizzy right now.”
Harman, who was acting as my guard, cautiously called out to me while covered in cold sweat. This guy’s been acting super weird since a few days ago. He seemed to want to say something, but he’d stop before getting a word out every single time.
He laboriously opened his mouth. “Please, you must tell me the truth.”
While I was tilting my head at those words, Harman continued on.
“Your highness, your memories… Have you really lost them?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? Yeah, they’re completely gone.”
He began massaging his temples real hard after I answered him.
“Oh, oh the god of war Heim…!”
“What the? Hey, did you eat something weird just now? Why the sudden need for a prayer?”
The festival lasted for about a week. It was certainly a noisy and boisterous event, that’s for sure.
The festival and banquet were meant to assuage the fears of the citizens while celebrating the might of the Imperial Family, and also to advertise my existence to the wider world, but man, I just found things like these way too tiresome.
The festival eventually drew to a close, and… about two weeks later, the death anniversary of a woman arrived.
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