167 – 171
Riding in a carriage, they head towards the main gate with members of the royal family.
There is a main gate in the building that was originally a Roman city.
Certainly, main gates are a custom on Earth. Why is there one here?
Even if the main ceremony is a festival to commemorate a victory in war, the main gate has been a structure on Earth since ancient times…
Regardless, they pass through the ancient Roman gate built in the past, leading straight to the main ceremony hall.
And there, a splendid banquet hall is prepared.
Is the invited Emperor also a human from Earth like me?
Or what… Is it just a coincidence?
*Sigh*
Lost in tedious thoughts, I unintentionally yawned.
“What time did you go to bed last night?” Theodora asks, and I hold up three fingers, replying, “Three o’clock.” Theodora makes a face, clearly fed up with my answer. Theodora and I, Joy, Mother-in-law, along with Chairman Charles of the Imperial Council leading the way, are waiting along with all the members of parliament and the five ministers for the Imperial Army, victorious in battle.
“Ugh… it’s hot.” Joy fans herself as if to express how warm she feels. Summer is almost over, and it should be getting cooler, but it still feels hot.
– Whoa!
I turn to face a loud shout. A splendidly decorated carriage. Four white horses pulling it, with Inyeong standing on the carriage in the distance.
He must be Agripa.
– Commander Agripa is so handsome.
– He looks like a prince from a fairy tale, doesn’t he?
– I’ve heard he’s handsome, but I didn’t know he was this good-looking.
Whispers of the women. Babylonian mercenaries and Johannes’ family members follow Agripa with their hands tied. Soldiers stationed on either side of the prisoners. Behind them, a cart loaded with armor and weapons, followed by an endless procession.
Agripa, in his chariot, circles around the gate and stops in front of us. Shining blonde hair and a handsome face.
Why would such a guy marry Mary?
Honestly, I don’t know.
“Your Majesty.”
As Agripa greets Theodora, she smiles subtly and responds, “Commander Agripa. I’ve heard about your brilliant achievements here.”
“All thanks to Your Majesty’s grace.”
Theodora nods slightly at Agripa’s words.
“Thank you for saying so.”
At that moment, Minister of Justice Anthony steps forward, holding up the golden crown.
“The master of the ceremony should kneel.”
With a solemn voice, as Agripa kneels, Theodora takes the golden crown and places it on Agripa’s head.
– Clap clap!
– Wow!
Thunderous applause and cheers erupt.
***
Elyse, employed by the Imperial Faction, is currently decorating the banquet hall.
Displaying beautiful white ceramics and laying crimson tablecloths on the dining table, or placing dishes.
She works diligently, keeping her mind calm.
Looking at the scattered guards, Alice contemplates.
“More strict than expected?”
When entering the palace, she was checked for any hidden weapons, and even inside the dining hall, they inspected for magical scrolls or artifacts.
Despite the thorough search, they ultimately failed to find the poison in Alice’s earring.
“It must be hard to believe that such a small thing is poison.”
“Alice, could you please help me with this?”
A maid in her early thirties, setting the cart with dishes on the table, calls out to her.
“Yes, I’m coming!”
Alice heads over there.
An event with hundreds of attendees.
Therefore, there is truly a lot to do.
She decorates and sets the table while scanning her surroundings.
Seeing heavily armed soldiers and men who seem to be intelligence agents in civilian clothing, she thinks.
“It won’t be easy.”
Although it’s as simple as putting a tiny bit of poison in a glass, she believes it won’t be easy to approach.
“Surely, there will be vulnerabilities once the event starts.”
A long table laid on a high platform in the banquet hall.
Alice assumes that it will be where the emperor, the imperial family, and the protagonist of the improvement ritual, Agripa, will sit.
However, she anticipates it will be difficult to approach that place.
***
The maid who received a secret order from the empress.
Normally, she would also undergo a body search, but as the wife of a viscount and exempted due to the empress’s favor.
After surveying the banquet hall, the maid heads to the kitchen.
The aroma of the many dishes being prepared in the kitchen stimulates her appetite, but she has no excuse to taste the food as she is on duty.
“The guests will be arriving soon. How much time is left?”
When the maid asks, the head chef replies.
“About thirty minutes?”
She feels the time is appropriate since the guests won’t dine immediately upon arrival.
“Is that so? Got it. Oh! Where are the special dishes for the empress mother, the emperor, and the grand duke?”
Utensils made of aluminum, gold, and silver, more expensive than silver of the same weight.
They are so lavish that she worries if it’s appropriate to serve food on them.
Of course, Devian prefers silver utensils over aluminum, but in the noble culture here, aluminum utensils are considered the most luxurious.
“Over there! They should be on the shelf.”
At the chef’s words, the maid opens the shelf to check the utensils.
White ceramics with wide bowls.
Golden patterns embroidered all over.
Forks and knives that complement them.
And…
Theodora mainly drinks wine, while Devian mainly drinks whiskey. The butler, who knows this, takes wine glasses and whiskey glasses from the shelf where the glasses are kept.
Perhaps due to being for the emperor’s use, they were made of transparent glass, but the thin handle part was twisted like a vine, and the wide part supporting the glass was embossed in the shape of a dragon.
It is presumed that quite a skilled craftsman must have made it using the technology of this place.
Having gathered the tableware like that, the butler puts them on a cart and heads towards the banquet hall.
While on the way, after scanning the hall to see if anyone is there, the butler takes out a small box from their pocket and opens the lid.
Inside, there is a brush and a glass bottle resembling something transparent.
They open the glass bottle, dip the brush generously, and paint something transparent in Devian’s whiskey glass.
With a nervous heart, fearing someone might be there, the butler paints something transparent in the whiskey glass and puts the brush and glass bottle back in the box, hiding it in their pocket.
Then, pushing the cart gracefully, they head towards the banquet hall.
***
And so, the banquet began.
To enhance the festivities, a band invited to the banquet plays music.
“Defeating the enemy~”
To the lively music, a minstrel sings, stirring up the atmosphere.
Honestly, it’s boring.
To be honest, the songs here feel somewhat different from classical music, making it awkward, right?
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Listening half-heartedly, the butler glances at the assassin hired by the imperial faction.
According to the intelligence agents, they haven’t put the poison in yet.
Well… they did say they would put it in the glasses.
But the drinks haven’t even been served yet.
Right after the band’s performance.
Probably, the drinks will be served after the performance, before the meal officially begins.
It was described as a small, jewel-like poison, right?
As the performance ends,
The maidens start placing bottles on all the tables.
There are two main types of drinks.
One is wine, mainly consumed by women.
The other is distilled spirits like whiskey or rum, mainly consumed by men.
Of course, when I say two main types, I mean wine includes red, white, rose, and various other kinds.
Usually, they prepare the drinks according to the preferences of the invited guests…
But honestly, I’ve never been involved in preparing a banquet, so I don’t know the details.
Soon after,
As the maidens approach to pour drinks for Theodora and me, something catches my eye.
I distinctly see a small glimmer in Theodora’s glass.
Huh? What’s that small gleaming thing?
As Theodora’s glass fills up, I say to her,
“Your Highness, may I have your glass for a moment?”
In response to my words, Theodora hands me the glass with a puzzled look and asks,
“What’s the matter? Your Grace?”
Did the intelligence department deceive me, and did they put the poison in it?
Clearly, the small jewel that caught my eye.
I shake the glass around, trying to find the jewel, but it’s nowhere to be seen.
Just in case, I should first arrest that assassin and clear the drinks.
As I think that way, I catch a glimpse of the assassin, and our eyes meet.
And in no time, the assassin takes a step back and leaves the banquet hall.
Lost in thought for a moment, I see Theodora urgently poking my arm with her finger.
“Your Majesty, there’s dust in your glass. Please go change it.”
Upon my words, Rachel, one of Mary’s maids waiting behind me, takes the glass.
“Yes, I will go change the glass.”
At that moment,
– Now, it’s time for the Emperor’s toast.
As the host announces the next order, I hand my glass to Theodora.
“Your Majesty, please toast with this glass.”
Theodora raises the glass I handed to her.
Rising to her feet, Theodora speaks.
“Listen, everyone, today is a great day when we have completely wiped out the rebel forces. Let’s toast to Commander Agrifa, who played the biggest role in exterminating the rebels.”
As Theodora finishes speaking…
– To Commander Agrifa and the Emperor! Cheers!
– Cheers!
And as Theodora empties my glass, the banquet officially begins.