Chapter 7: 8

The manager was suffering for nothing because of Baron Amieux, who did not try to save his dignity as an aristocrat and shook his head contemplating if he should just step forward and offer him a piece of his mind. Maybe the brusque soldier was making a mistake because he was unaware of social customs, given that he was now missing a wife.

The manager started to devise a scheme with the desire to kick him out even if he was actually unaware of such rules. 

***

Eugène got up from his seat and greeted the person who entered the room. A man in a familiar uniform of a court attendant took off his hat and greeted him politely. The greeting was extremely elegant, like that of a courtier, overflowing with formality as if he was the human embodiment of a book on decorum.

“Welcome. What brings you here?”

“I’m Baron Bouilhet, a primary court attendant of the Imbert Palace. I have come here because His Majesty has ordered me to receive a response to the letter sent to you a few days ago.” 

The primary court attendant was an advantageous position that could not be compared to the lower-class nobles who did not have a lot of territories like Eugène, and in general, it was a custom of the aristocratic society to grant them half a rank higher than local nobles. However, Baron Bouilhet was polite, as if Eugène was of a higher rank than himself. Just looking at that, it seemed that the situation between the two had changed.

Eugène, troubled by the Baron’s overly polite attitude, frowned in discomfort. It was quite frustrating, as if a heavy stone had been placed on his chest.

The court nobles were more sensitive to the direction of power than anyone else. Moreover, if it were a primary court attendant, wouldn’t he be the hands and feet of the Emperor, who was the most important among the nobles of the court? For such a person to come out like that was tantamount to showing where the will of the Emperor was. Eugène felt more pressured by this attitude of the court attendant than by the letter he had received from the Emperor a few days earlier.

Eugène, in a rather heavy mood now, was lost in thought. A question had been bothering him for days after the divorce trial, but he had yet to find an answer.

The Emperor was not one who acted without a reason. But Eugène did not know what the Emperor wanted from him. In fact, that’s precisely why he couldn’t easily respond to the Emperor’s invitation to enter the palace. Even though he knew the Emperor’s will, he could only play the role of a scarecrow, much less now because he couldn’t even guess his intentions anymore.

Who knows what would happen in the end after being dragged helplessly by the Emperor? He had no reason to have faith in the Emperor.

However, as always, time was an issue. The Emperor even sent a man to urge him to enter the palace, and Eugène had no way to escape the Emperor’s Command.

The Emperor wrapped his will in the name of kindness. There is not enough rationale to reject the Emperor’s favor, even if it’s one-sided, without a proper reason. 

Now, Eugène was in a situation where his hands and feet were tied. It was frustrating that he would have to go into the tiger’s den even though he clearly knew what he was getting himself into, and if he didn’t, his future would be at stake. There was no use in thinking about it over and over again. Eugène made up his mind and turned around to sit down again. The writing supplies that were prepared to answer the invitations of the nobles came in handy.

He scribbled a letter with a single stroke of the pen, stating that he would obey the Emperor’s will, excluding the fancy rhetorics and flowery words, and handed it over to Baron Bouilhet, who waited patiently for him. Baron Bouilhet, after receiving the letter in a polite manner, lifted his head to look at Eugène.

“Is this a positive answer?”

Baron Bouilhet only said the necessary things so far as a messenger sent by the Emperor, and suddenly asked a question. Eugène was somewhat puzzled but answered Baron Bouilhet coolly. 

“That’s right, Baron Bouilhet.”

“Then there is no need to send a letter. His Majesty’s orders were that if the Baron answered in the affirmative, do not hesitate to bring him immediately. Simply said, it’s becoming tiresome to wait any longer.”

Baron Bouilhet, afraid to finish speaking, signaled downstairs.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

The attendants, as if appointed in advance, came up and began to organize the things in the room. Eugène, startled by the unexpected situation, looked at the attendants packing his luggage without even asking him and sighed unconsciously. 

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Eugène silently put on the coat he had previously taken off again. It was fortunate that he didn’t change into plain clothes. If he had, then he would have ended up being dragged to the palace in plain clothes.

***

The Emperor’s Banquet. 

The commoners use that word as a synonym for ‘the dining table on which all the sumptuous dishes imaginable are served’. Mild fricassee made of rabbit’s thighs, fragrant fowl pâté baked as a mixture of partridge and ptarmigan meat, grilled quail topped with honey-soaked nutmeg, sole meunière, barbequed piglet stuffed with cherries and apples,  buttered eel galantine, fragrant truffles scattered over sautéed goose liver, meat jelly made from chicken crests and kidneys, tender lamb ribs, peafowl on the table in its original form, puffed sweet peach soufflé…

For the commoners, the Emperor’s banquet meant a table full of all the delicacies imaginable, or precious foods they could never have imagined, and a situation in which they could eat to their heart’s content until their stomachs burst.

But the real Emperor’s banquet was quite different from the scene commoners would imagine. In the Estina Empire, where the class system was strict, only the Emperor could enjoy the Emperor’s banquet. Even a guest invited to the dinner was not entitled to sit at the same table as the Emperor. The privilege they received from being invited was not the privilege of sitting at the same table as the Emperor, but the privilege of watching the Emperor eat his meal.

Currently, Eugène was exercising that very privilege. Likewise, so were the twenty-two other nobles invited to the banquet. It was the Marquis of Carbo of the central nobility, who was allowed to serve dinner to the Emperor today. He moved the plates and cut the meat for the Emperor himself. 

… I feel uncomfortable.

Despite being in the midst of overflowing luxury and glamour, Eugène did not feel at peace. It was because the people invited to the Emperor’s banquet were not watching the Emperor’s meal, but observing him. The nobles glanced at him with curious eyes. No one approached to talk to or greet him, but whispered among themselves, making him a spectacle.

Not only the aristocrats present, but even the Grands sitting at the table had the same reaction. They behaved like guests who came for Eugène, not for the food on the table. Eugène was not pleased with all that attention.

The Emperor’s relatives – The Grands, were people in a position who could eat with the Emperor but could not exactly sit at the same table as the Emperor. Their table was set long at the apex of the Emperor’s table, and when viewed from a distance, it looked like a T-shape. 

The Emperor’s three concubines, Marquise Merlin, Marquise Lamott, and Countess Patrí, each accompanied by their own children, and the Emperor’s aunt, Grand Duchess Alienor, sat at the same table.

Originally, Prince Merrick, Duke of Fernand, was also supposed to attend, but he was absent today due to being placed under house arrest. That was the only thing that Eugène felt grateful about in this whole scenario. If he had to have a war of nerves with that man in this awkward situation, the matter would not have ended with just a simple level of discomfort.

“Wine.”

The Emperor was eating while being served by the Marquis of Carbo, and raised a wine glass. Seeing this, the ceremonial attendant politely bowed and repeated the Emperor’s order. 

“His Majesty wants wine.”

The eyes of all the nobles lit up in a moment. The eyes that were pouring on Eugène all at once moved to the Emperor. Eugène, who was not well versed in court etiquette, couldn’t help but feel puzzled. While he understood that the Emperor wanted wine, he couldn’t understand why the nobles were so excited by that.

The attendant in charge of the wine entered the place with a wine bottle along with a colorful glass as well as a fancy wine glass. There was a piece of ivory on the silver tray on which the wine bottle was placed, and was often referred to as the ‘L'épreuve de la licorne’.

The Emperor’s eyes turned to the nobles, who were all lined up. Although the nobles tried to hide their desperate expressions, it was clear to anyone that they were looking forward to it. The Emperor’s eyes rested on Eugène for a moment. Eugène averted his meaningful gaze with an awkward expression. 

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It would be more troublesome for him to be chosen by the Emperor when he doesn’t even know what’s going on. Although he taught himself the basic decorum, it was difficult to say that he was well-versed in that aspect with just self-education. Moreover, the court etiquette was a world full of customs and unwritten rules, which was too far from being anywhere close to Eugène, who was no different from a bumpkin of the west.

“Leave the tasting to Viscount Du Pré.”

Not clear as to what was going on in his mind, the Emperor with a slight smile turned his gaze and called out to Viscount  Du Pré, who was standing next to Eugène. Viscount  Du Pré’s face lit up with joy. He quickly bowed to the Emperor and spoke in a trembling voice.

“I’m much obliged to Your Majesty.” 

Viscount Du Pré proceeded cautiously to the Emperor’s table. The attendant in charge of the drink patiently waited for him. The Viscount opened the cork that was blocking the tin bottle and poured wine into the Emperor’s glass. Then, he put a piece of ivory to observe if the color had changed, and tested the wine for toxicity along with the head attendant.

The wine was handed to the Emperor only after the elaborate and cumbersome series of steps were completed. The Emperor silently waited for the process to end, even though it would have been quite annoying if he was really thirsty.

He even praised the Viscount by raising the wine glass he received after the tasting. The Viscount, whose cheeks were red like that of a maiden asked to dance by a young man she longed for, politely bowed, then stood at the left side of the Emperor’s to continue serving him.

Seems like it’s not at all easy to live as an Emperor. 

Eugène, witnessing the scene, clicked his tongue inwardly. To say that drinking a glass of wine had to go through such a long process, it seemed that being the Emperor was not really a job simply anyone could pull off. Eugène realized just how precious his freedom was to drink anything he could get his hands on. Living a life in which even eating and drinking becomes a whole ceremony was an inconvenience that he had never imagined.

After the Emperor’s meal was over, the nobility’s meal began. The Marquis of Carbo and Viscount Du Pré, who both played a part in the Emperor’s dinner, sat at the beginning of the table at the nobles’ banquet, which was being held in the second room located right next to the Emperor’s dining room. As was customary – well, maybe, Eugène guessed – Viscount Du Pré, after accepting the wine given by the Emperor, sat down solemnly and offered the Marquis the special bounty he had received.

Since nobles were seated according to rank, Eugène, a Baron who owned not even a single territory, had to sit at the very end of the table and eat. But still, no one spoke to him. Rather than ignoring him, it was almost like the act of observing him was not over yet.

Among them, the one who was particularly monitoring him was the Marquis of Carbo, the other head of the central nobility, equally dividing the authority with Grand Duchess Alienor. Eugène could sense that very fact every time the man looked at him. Marquis of Carbo, unlike other nobles, did not merely take a peek every now and then but looked at him quite openly. As if he were undoubtedly selecting a horse for himself from the horse market. 

Marquis of Carbo was a middle-aged man of good appearance with ebony black hair, sharp eyes, and sparse gray hair that was starting to mix. He was also the father of the Emperor’s first concubine, Marquise Merlin.

A prominent social climber.

Eugène graded him in his mind as he looked at the man who boasted outstanding power among all the maternal relatives of the imperial family. A man as quiet as a dead mouse in front of the Emperor had the ability to take control of the surroundings with his astounding presence as soon as the Emperor was no longer part of the scene.

He was a person who deserved to be acknowledged for at least his ability to deal with people, given that he was capable of coordinating not only his own faction but also people of other factions, as he was fairly skilled at overpowering his opponents with subtlety. 

“Baron Amieux. Would it be fine if I call you that, Baron? If you prefer your official title, Vice Admiral, I shall call you that instead.”

The Marquis of Carbo suddenly spoke to Eugène, who was quietly eating dinner while thinking about various things. Has it started? Eugène, noticing that the tedious reconnoitering skirmish was over, calmly answered the Marquis’ question.

“No, it’s all right, Your Excellency The Marquis.”

“I have often heard about you from the Marquis of La Baille. He said that he had high expectations for you as an admiral of the Navy as you possessed skills that are rare in our empire, where talent is biased toward the Army. The Marquis of La Baille is a person who’s stingy when it comes to complimenting people, so I was quite curious about you, but it must be fate to actually meet you in person like this.” 

In a resonant voice, the Marquis of Carbo generously praised Eugène. As a seasoned politician, he did not forget to keep his dignity as he lacquered his opponent’s face with gold. Thanks to this, Marquis’ praise sounded more sincere than just a formal way to start a conversation.

“I am undeserving of such praise.”

“No, not at all. I don’t believe so. If this is undeserved praise, then how would you explain His Majesty’s favor towards you? His Majesty is a fair and thorough man in all matters. I can see how much he cares for you especially when you consider how His Majesty bestowed such a favor, even though it may set a bad precedent. It is quite unprecedented, Baron. You don’t seem to realize it properly, but everyone in the court was surprised by this incident.”

The words of Marquis of Carbo were extremely adroit. At first glance, it sounded like he was praising Eugène’s abilities to the fullest, but if one may listen closely, one would be able to decipher it into a question of how Eugène caught the Emperor’s eyes. Eugène smiled faintly when he heard that. Although he was not well versed in court etiquette, he was not ignorant of politics. He knew exactly what he had to say here. 

“Is it simply me as an individual that His Majesty cares about? I’m only a vice admiral, and I have never made a big contribution to the country yet. The reason why His Majesty gave me special consideration is probably that my position as a soldier was given attention to first, instead of me alone. It is only that His Majesty made the determination to prevent injustice from happening to a soldier who has fulfilled his duty to the country through his work right before His Majesty’s eyes, known. I’m sure His Majesty doesn’t particularly treasure or hold me dear.”

Just because he was favored by the Emperor, he was not swayed by it, nor was he intimidated by the power of the nobles in front of him. Eugène’s demeanor was simply calm. This unwavering attitude of his attracted people’s attention.

This is because it was extremely rare among the numerous nobles of the court to be able to remain so composed in front of a great noble like the Marquis of Carbo. The eyes of the Marquis of Carbo flickered. However, he wasn’t a novice to show where his interest lied in.

“Hahaha. You’re truly humble. Even if you humble yourself like that, what needs to be revealed will be revealed. If an elephant hid in the bushes, would its ivory be hidden as well?” 

The Marquis laughed out loud without hesitation. He looked extremely magnanimous as he had a satisfied smile on his handsomely tall face.

“You praise me too much, Your Excellency.”

“We’ll see if it’s mere praise or not. I have faith in His Majesty’s discerning eye.”

A neat, face-to-face conversation went back and forth between the two. While the words were pleasant to hear, they held little meaning. But that’s what aristocratic conversations were all about. A small conversation between nobles was nothing but shabby, except for how it came off to others. 

“I heard that both of your parents are from the East, is that true?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to meet the Baroness, but I once greeted your father, the late Baron Amieux. He was a passionate and serious person, even though he was not able to meet his goals due to his poor years. Now that I’m seeing you all grown-up, I’m reminded of him. There are many places where you resemble your father, Baron. After all, the son must take after his father.”

Eugène, who had been calm all this time, hardened his lips faintly. It was not a noticeable change, but the sharp Marquis of Carbo wouldn’t have missed it. 

“All I’m doing is trying my best to be a son my father would not be ashamed of.”

What a foxy man. On the outside, Eugène bowed his head but on the inside, he clicked his tongue. A person who was capable of stabbing someone’s back while still keeping on his smile would probably be the best way to describe someone like the Marquis.

Fortunately, the Marquis of Carbo did not provoke Eugène any further. After having a conversation only for courtesy’s sake, he naturally turned his attention to other nobles.

Eugène was left alone again, and he wiped his lips with a napkin. There was still half the food left on the plate, but his appetite was gone. Even the precious delicacies and seafood that he would not normally eat seemed tasteless in his dry mouth. 

The court was truly a damned place.

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