Chapter 94: 93

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s a day when you can eat and enjoy to your heart’s content without any worries. By now, Her Majesty must have ordered the opening of the national treasury and the distribution of alcohol and meat throughout the capital. The nobles will also be gathering at the grand banquet hall with congratulatory gifts.”

The kingdom’s citizens, who suffered from food shortages every year, considered it a virtue to give food to people around them in return for the congratulations they received rather than wasting manpower and money on ceremonies.

In consonance with that, the nobles showed off their families’ wealth and power by handing out food and cloth to the territory residents and people around them whenever there were events like weddings. Similarly, to celebrate the royal family’s joyous occasions, various foods were distributed throughout the capital, grains were given to each region, and the royal family’s authority was enhanced by temporarily reducing taxes or pardoning sinners. Maryam, who had been pushed back by the noble faction including Duke Vint after ascending to the throne, seemed to have thoroughly prepared this time.

“Perhaps tonight, the entire capital will be as bright as midday. This is the first joyous occasion of the royal family since Her Majesty’s national marriage, so maybe it will last until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Then do you and I have to stay up all night together with them, your highness?”

“No, people typically enjoy banquets until dawn before leaving, but there is no need to overdo it. If you are tired, you can go back to the guesthouse early and sleep.”

Khalid simply told him there was no need for that. Currently, Renato was the most prominent figure in the kingdom. His status of being the 1st Prince of the most prosperous country on the continent and the person who would soon become the Esteban territory’s owner was enough to attract the nobles’ attention.

‘The families owning merchant guilds are quickly taking action regardless of faction. It seems that they are aiming to conduct business exchanges with the Esteban territory by lining up to His Imperial Highness.’

‘Duke Vint’s side as well?’

‘That side is even more chaotic. Most families run their own merchant guilds, after all.’

Khalid recalled what Nasir informed him last night. The nobles running merchant guilds seemed to be busy calculating the profit they could gain from Renato.

Unlike other countries, the Khan Kingdom had quite a lot of nobles entering family-level businesses. Since there was not enough land for farming, they quickly turned their gaze in the other direction.

However, due to the harsh climate and rough terrain, it was difficult for them to grow beyond a certain level. To the merchant guilds stuck in a stagnant state without any developments, Renato was an opportunity for them to take another leap forward.

When they went to the banquet hall, there would probably be a lot of nobles rushing over to make an impression on Renato. Khalid pondered how to protect Renato from those hungry hyenas.

“But I heard that everyone does so. It’s the first time I meet them, and they are guests who come to congratulate us, so wouldn’t it be better to be polite?”

“You don’t have to worry so much.”

Khalid smiled to reassure him. Considering Renato’s physical strength, staying up all night was absolutely unreasonable. Khalid intended to take Renato back to the guesthouse at an appropriate time.

“Let’s go down first. Everyone is probably waiting for us.”

“When we go down, I will just walk.”

Fearing that Khalid would give him a ride on his back again, Renato said first. He didn’t want to show the people waiting below that he was riding on Khalid’s back like a child.

“Will you be alright? People often feel that going up the stairs is hard, but actually, going down the stairs puts more strain on our bodies.”

“Uhm, still…… If I have a hard time on the way, I’ll ask for your help. Please just let me walk first.”

“All right.”

Khalid took Renato’s hand without further urging. After being seen off by the priest, the two slowly walked down the snow-covered path sparkling in the sunlight.

“……”

Carefully walking down the stairs that felt more slippery than before, Renato glanced at Khalid. From the moment he saw the memorial tablets of the previous King and Queen Consort at the very front of the altar, there was something he wanted to ask the man. But he hesitated because he didn’t know if he should ask. After pondering for a long while, Renato plucked up his courage and called Khalid.

“Excuse me, your highness. There is something I would like to ask……”

“Please tell me.”

Even with Khalid’s permission, Renato could not easily speak up. After repeatedly opening and closing his mouth, he asked in a cautious tone.

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“……Where is your mother enshrined, your highness?”

Khalid momentarily froze because of the unexpected question, but then quickly answered in a calm voice.

“I enshrined her in the back garden of my mansion in the capital. Though, according to my mother’s will, I scattered her in the lake of her hometown, so all that is left in the urn are her keepsakes.”

Unlike the Empire where burials were made in cemeteries, the kingdom had a custom of cremating the bodies and placing them in urns. The royal family was no exception. Successive Kings and Queens were placed in the sanctuary, while the rest of the royal family were placed in the royal family’s charnel house. The nobles also had charnel houses in their territories for the families.

However, paramour and illegitimate children could not be enshrined in the families’ charnel houses because they were not recognized as family members. It was also the case for Jamila. She was not enshrined in the royal family’s charnel house, as well as her own family’s.

In official records, Khalid and Jamila had nothing to do with each other. From the moment Khalid was recognized as a royal prince, his mother was the previous Queen Consort.

Jamilla was also expelled from her family. Her father mercilessly drove Jamila out for tarnishing the family’s name and honor. Nevertheless, Jamila missed her hometown all her life.

Khalid, who was around Trudy’s age at the time of her death, went to visit his maternal side with difficulty to fulfill his mother’s last wish, but he was kicked out by the attendants without being able to meet the family head. All he could do as a child was to go back and sprinkle her ashes in the lake, the place that Jamila liked the most in the territory.

Recalling his old memories, Khalid frowned in displeasure. He had thought it didn’t bother him anymore, but when recalling his childhood, a perennial rage rose in his chest. Thinking it was fortunate that Renato didn’t see his distorted expression, Khalid feigned a calm voice.

“But why are you asking that?”

“I want to greet your mother before going back to the Empire, your highness.”

“My mother?”

The composure he tried to put on was cracked at that answer. Khalid completely stopped his steps and looked at Renato. Facing the red eyes filled with clear surprise, Renato awkwardly smiled.

“That esteemed person is your real family member, your highness.”

Renato recalled how Khalid looked at the previous King and Queen Consort’s memorial tablets with emotionless eyes throughout the ceremony. Seeing that scene reminded him of the story Khalid had told him in his previous life. Khalid had said that he did not consider the previous King to be his father.

‘Your true family members must have been the deceased Ludmilla-nim and Trudy-nim, Your Imperial Highness.’

‘I’m similar to you, Your Imperial Highness. The only people I think of as my family are my deceased mother, Her Majesty who is my half-sister, and his highness the royal prince who is my nephew.’

‘Just giving birth doesn’t mean they are our parents. The previous King seduced my mother by disguising himself as an attendant for a moment’s pleasure and entertainment. And he took no responsibility. How can I think of him as my father when he was the cause of all misery?’

On the day Renato told him about Ludmilla and Trudy, Khalid also revealed his family history, comforting him who was shedding tears of guilt. That day, the two spent time sympathizing with each other’s pain and comforting each other’s wounds.

“I don’t know when I will be able to come back to the kingdom again, so if you allow me, I would like to greet her this time. Will that be okay?”

“……Of course. My mother will be delighted.”

Khalid answered in a suppressed voice, then closed his mouth. His stomach strangely churned. He didn’t know what kind of expression he should make now.

‘One day, someone who loves everything about you will appear.’

Suddenly, he remembered Jamila’s words. In his childhood, Khalid was a child who did not believe in love. Often despised and unilaterally ostracized for being an illegitimate child, he naturally came to believe that no one would love him except his mother Jamila.

‘I want you to know the happiness of loving someone and being loved by someone.’

Jamila was always worried about her son who was hurt by people. She often took Khalid’s hand and whispered an earnest wish just like casting a spell. However, it was not easy for Khalid to open the door to his closed heart.

After entering the palace, meeting Maryam, and making ties with those whom he could call comrades like Nasir and Amavand, it was better than in his childhood, but he still couldn’t imagine that someone would like him or that he would like someone. He had not changed his mind until just a few months ago, but……

Maybe it is possible.

Khalid momentarily gave strength to his hand which was wrapping around Renato’s hand. In response, the warmth in his hand flinched, then gently held his hand back. At that moment, a peculiar heat rose up in Khalid’s chest. Even though the mountain air was chilly, he could feel his cheeks become warm and his ears heat up as if on fire.

Feeling the strange ticklish sensation that started from his chest spread over his entire body, Khalid slightly bit his lower lip. Feeling both the urges to laugh and cry, both perplexed and delighted, he was overwhelmed with strange and indescribable emotions.

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