The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

24 : The Announcement

The banquet to be held in Marquis' Hainey was grand and well-prepared. It is because this is the first hunting competition that was organized by the First Princess and luckily, there were no casualties that had happened. It was the Marquis' first time to spend a lot of money to not disappoint the First Princess.

The banquet began with the musician's performance. As the nobles started getting inside, enjoying the performance and dancing with their music, the attendants started distributing the drinks as the maids started serving luxurious foods that are new to the noble's eyes. The curious nobles inquired about the foods and Marchioness Hainey excitedly discussed it with them. It was thanks to the idea of Princess Darya that the Marchioness had the courage to present the dishes she had created herself. Now she can enjoy her hobby of creating new dishes and nobles have recognized her delicious foods.

Meanwhile, Esteban was too early to the party and he is getting irritated that Princess Darya had not come yet. He does not like that a lot of noblewomen are trying to communicate with him when he is clearly uninterested in any of them. He went to the balcony after ignoring the girls. He chose to have a quiet environment while he waited for the Princess to come. While drinking the champagne he had in his hand, there the door opens and a young boy approaches him.

"Father," the boy called him. So he turns back to face his seven year old child.

He looked at his boy from head to toe and after investigating that he is doing well, he spoke. "Is the Count treating you well?"

"Yes, father but... not his sons."

Hearing his son's words, he flinched as he remembered his childhood that only contained discipline and full control. He still remembers that time he almost died after starving within five days. With these memories coming back to him, his eyes went cold so he turned back to not see his son's face.

"Bear with it," he stated and continued, "...until you can crash them to pieces." When he was young, he was not able to do anything as he is powerless and he does not have anyone on his side. Now that his son is suffering the same, his son has him and the Duke. If something happens to him because of the Marshall Family, he will not tolerate that.

"Yes, father."

There was a long silence between them. As Esteban drank his champagne, his eyes then landed on the upcoming Imperial carriage that stopped in front of the Marquis' manor after arriving at the façade. As he gulped down the champagne while thinking about going down to greet the First Princess, his body stood petrified after seeing Captain Theobarlt come out of the Princess' carriage. It was then followed by the First Princess whom he guided out of the carriage.

Esteban could only bite his lip as his grip on his glass tightened with the sight of the clasping of the First Princess' hand to that man. And that smile on her lips... he should be the one seeing that up close!

"Are you going to marry Her Highness, the First Princess, father?"

He came back to his senses after hearing his son's question. Maybe because he is annoyed by the sight of Captain Theobarlt that his eyes are sharp when he turns to look at his son.

Seeing his father looking at him with anger, Lorenzo felt his heart shrank in fear. However, he disregarded it and just thought that his father might be in a bad mood because he annoyed him.

"I am sorry, father. I will not ask that again." He lowered his head and started leaving. He was thinking what will happen if his father marries the First Princess. What will happen to his mother then?

Lorenzo comes back to the banquet hall to just watch the nobles. He is still so new to the noble activities that he finds it hard to approach anyone. He is afraid to communicate because he might disappoint his father by not learning enough about nobility. He must act dignified and refined just like his father and his grandfather!